As the seasons shift, many gardeners pack away their tools and wait for spring. Yet autumn is far from the end of the growing year. With a little planning, you can keep fresh produce coming through the colder months and even set yourself up for an early harvest next spring. Here’s what you can plant…
The first of August is here, and I’m in a strange state of limbo at the moment. The kids finished school and college way back on June 18th. We’ve spent time at the allotment. We’ve been to Zakynthos, had an 18th birthday and party (with homegrown flowers). We’ve had a brilliant summer, and yet, it’s…
There’s something super satisfying about picking your own food in the sunshine. Juicy tomatoes, chunky cucumbers, beans climbing over every trellis, and courgettes that somehow triple in size overnight. But what happens when your kitchen starts overflowing? You don’t need a dehydrator, vacuum sealer or an industrial-sized freezer to keep your summer harvests going through…
The rush of spring is over. The allotment, once bursting with urgent tasks and sprouting life, now seems to exhale. It’s mid-summer. The beds are almost full, the weeds are incredibly persistent, and the heat, it seems, is quite consistent. This is the part of the year I call the lull. Not quite harvest, not…
July is a month of abundance! The long, warm days encourage steady growth across the allotment, and the lack of rain lately (or this year in fact) remains a challenge in keeping the plot and garden watered. Although the crazy pace of spring has eased, there is so much to do. I’m doing my best…
June is the month when the allotment comes alive. After spring’s frantic sowing and planting, we can start to enjoy the rewards of our hard work. The days are long, the weeds are enthusiastic, and the first proper harvests of the season are ready to lift our spirits. The excitement is always there! Here’s my…
June can catch you off guard. One minute, you’re still wearing jumpers, and the next, the garden’s in full swing. It feels like everyone else is harvesting their body weight in strawberries. If you haven’t sown much yet or things haven’t gone to plan, don’t panic. There’s still plenty of time to get growing. This…