This is the start of my second year cultivating an allotment with my partner. Being in my twenties, I probably bring the average age of our allotment community down a little, but it’s great to see more young people getting involved in growing. 

Where our food comes from is really important to us and reflects the values we try to live by. Being part of the growing process is deeply rewarding. We’ve made mistakes along the way, and no doubt will continue to, but it’s a good feeling to still be harvesting leeks and sprouts from last year. We’ve just about finished the last of the tomatoes we packed into jars and froze, and they’ve carried us through the winter months. 

The allotment has become a welcome break from the pace of everyday life. It’s somewhere we can move more slowly, work with our hands, and feel connected to what we’re doing. 

I hope this blog can be a place to share what we’re learning as we go. I’d genuinely welcome advice from more experienced gardeners, along with any tips that might help our plot thrive. 

So, what have we been up to over the past few weeks? 

Catching the rain 
 

One of the tougher lessons from last year was realising how unprepared we were for a hot, dry summer. We didn’t want to rely too heavily on the communal water butts, and there’s no mains water supply on site. More than once, we found ourselves carrying jerry cans from the stream next to our house and filling up containers at home, which was manageable at first, but exhausting in the height of summer. 

Last year I built a shed mainly from reclaimed materials and we were lucky enough to rehome a greenhouse. This month’s job has been to source some blue water barrels, attach taps, and connect them to the drainage systems so we can start collecting rainwater. I’ve been surprised at how quickly they’ve filled up. And I am not ashamed to admit that for the first time in my life, I’ve found myself pleased to see rain in the forecast. 

Clearing the edges

We’ve also pruned some of the trees and cut back thick brambles from around their bases. 

I felt slightly conflicted doing this. Brambles are fantastic for wildlife, providing nectar, fruit and shelter, but left unchecked they can quickly dominate fruit trees and growing space. Rather than removing them completely, I’ve tried to manage them, clearing around trunks while leaving patches elsewhere. It feels like a compromise between productivity and biodiversity, and if I’m completely honest, it’s also a convenient excuse not to take on the full task of clearing them entirely. 

Next steps

 
Over March and April, we’ll begin hardening off the propagated plants and transplanting them outside. We’ll continue preparing beds for direct sowing once the risk of frost has passed, which I’m hoping I’ll time right.  

But what I’m most excited about is creating a small pond to attract more wildlife into our little space. I will update you on this with my next blog soon. 
 
Ronan