New to an Allotment?

The following rudimentary observations may help you to get going. It is supplemented by the Approaches page which provides some idea of the various techniques that plot holders adopt. If in doubt then ask for help; most plot holders are only too willing to share their experiences. Also, have a look at David Frary’s web pages which are extremely useful.

Choosing a Plot

There are two main factors which will drive the choice of a plot: its initial state and the amount of time that you will be able to dedicate to it once you have it ship-shape.

Some allotment holders are loath to surrender their plots even though they may no longer be able to maintain them adequately for a variety of reasons, ranging from other pressures on their time, health issues, through to waning enthusiasm. It can often take several years of near total inactivity before they are forced to accept the inevitable.

It follows that available plots can often be overgrown. In 20 years I have only seen a handful of allotments that were in satisfactory condition at the time of handover. Therefore, the would-be plot holder needs to be pragmatic when deciding whether to accept or decline the allotment that is being offered by the Parish Council; you may end up on the waiting list for a long time if you are too fussy to take on an overgrown patch. Plots that have been neglected for up to two seasons can usually be turned around in a matter of weeks; more extreme cases may take longer, and it might be sensible to overhaul the plot in stages over the first year, particularly if it is taken on during the spring (the more likely scenario).

Also, consider what size plot you will be able to handle once it is in reasonable condition given other pressures on your time. TV programmes are guilty of making it look relatively easy to maintain a plot; you do not see the army of labourers who put in the hard graft so that the "celebrities" can come along and do the artistic bits. Weeds will always grow; thinning out of crops will be necessary; the battle against pests and diseases is never-ending; watering may be essential at various times during the summer ... and so on.

So how much time does it take to look after a plot? Based on my own experience and feedback from other plot holders a minimum of between half and one hour should be allowed per pole per week during the main growing season (May - Oct). This equates to 2.5 - 5 hours per week for a half-size plot (5 poles, i.e 125 square metres). I would tend to err towards the higher end initially, particularly if you are struggling to rid yourself of perennial weeds. It is of course quite easy to spend more time than easy; chatting to neighbours is always calculated to increase the time required down on the plot.

Less time is required during the remainder of the year. For example, it may only be necessary to put in 20-33% of the weekly growing season effort during the winter, although it is likely to be more irregular, e.g. digging may be done in longer stretches of work.

In summary, do not be put off by an overgrown plot (unless you do not like hard work), but at the same time be pragmatic about the size of plot that you will ultimately be able to maintain.

Clearing an Overgrown Plot

Approaches vary:

• Some people cover the plot (or the worst parts) with old carpet or heavy duty black plastic for up to 6 months. This method will help to kill off all surface green material such as grass and weeds. This can make the initial digging much easier although it is unlikely to kill off the roots of perennial weeds

• Some prefer to dig straightaway although matted grass areas can make it difficult to get the spade into the ground, and of course obstacles are likely to be encountered, e.g. pieces of wood that were part of a frame or some other contraption, plastic, ground cover material, bricks, et cetera

• Others find it easier to work with a fork initially to avoid these difficulties. They may stack grass, after shaking as much soil from it as possible. In a couple of years it will have rotted down and can be dug in to provide valuable humus

• Finally, there are those individuals who will rotovate the plot. Although this is the fastest method it is likely to prove the least satisfactory in the long term.

Whichever approach is adopted, it is important that all perennial weeds are removed and disposed of. The main problems at Sunningdale are couch grass, bindweed and ground elder. Failure to remove them completely will result in them remaining a problem – they are adept at re-growing from even the smallest, unpromising piece and spreading. Rotovating ground that contains perennial weeds is asking for trouble, as you are likely to chop them up, causing them to multiply and exacerbate your problems.

Some Basics

Gardening on an allotment differs from gardening at home.  In your own (probably enclosed) garden you doubtless have the advantages of some form of micro climate or wind barriers that help germination and growth, while the scope for damage by troublesome wildlife is contained.  Gardening is more challenging on an allotment, as you are effectively growing in an open field.

Timing of Outdoor Sowing.  There is a tendency to go by the book – if it says sow parsnips at the beginning of March then that is when we do it - because we are all keen to get on early in the season.  However, the more difficult open conditions are a reason to adhere to the other piece of advice in those books, which is to wait until the soil warms up to avoid germination problems. Two, three or even four weeks delay in outdoor sowing early in the season will be quickly caught up. So, it is preferable to watch the weather trends rather than the calendar.

Germination.  There are various charts that can be found on the web which provide useful indicators of the soil temperature that is required to germinate specific vegetables. This one is particularly good, showing the likely percentage of germination at different temperatures and the number of days for germination (temperatures are in Fahrenheit). In addition to soil temperature open, and hence less controlled, conditions will tend to reduce the success rate of germination of seeds that are sown directly into the ground, particularly on the more exposed edges of a bed or row. This is similar to a farm field where germination and growth always appears patchier around the periphery. Apart from problems that are attributable to poor weather conditions, wildlife will tend to go for items on the edges in the first instance. Covering seed beds with horticultural fleece provides a degree of protection. Alternatively, thicker initial sowings may be beneficial. Obviously, second sowings may be necessary to fill in any gaps.

Where possible, it is frequently preferable to sow seeds at home where there is more control, particularly if you have a greenhouse, and plant them out later on the allotment. This approach can be used for brassicas, peas and beans although many plot holders simply sow them directly into the soil. It tends not to be suitable for root crops, as they normally prefer to be sown in situ, although one plot holder who likes early parsnips starts them at home in cardboard cores from used toilet rolls.

Half-hardy plants, e.g. tomatoes and courgettes, that cannot be put out until late May when the danger of frost has largely disappeared are usually started indoors, although some plot holders will sow courgettes, squashes and pumpkins directly into the soil around mid-May, sometimes as part of a second sowing that follows on from an earlier indoor sowing.

Seedling / Small Plant Stage.  In the early part of the growing season, before plant growth really takes off around mid-June, many plants are small and hence susceptible to pests. Apart from the wildlife that has already been mentioned there are slugs and snails, earwigs, thrips, flea beetles, et cetera. Slugs and snails can be handled in a number of ways, slug pellets being the easiest way although some people do not like to use them. Other methods of control include the use of dried crushed egg shells and the well-known beer trap. Crawling insects can be kept in check by puffing some ant powder onto the seedlings. Aphids can appear early in a warm spring. Take the standard precautions here, i.e. spray or use companion planting – for example marigolds when planted in close proximity to beans can help to keep black fly at bay. Alternatively, covering the seedlings / plants with horticultural fleece (or better still Enviromesh - a fine net) until they become established will help to keep pests at bay.

Putting Out Half-Hardy Plants.  Just as there is a tendency to sow too early so there is a similar propensity when it comes to planting out half-hardy crops. The standard rule of thumb in the UK is that overnight frosts can be expected to occur until the end of May. In 2005 we had sub-zero temperatures during the first week of June at Sunningdale. This contrasts sharply with 2006 when the last hard frost was in April. This variability means that many plot holders are tempted to plant out tender items early, some as soon as mid-April. It goes without saying that the earlier the planting the more the risk of coming unstuck. There are a couple of things that can be done to mitigate any damage: make sure that plants are properly hardened off before planting out – say 3 days left outdoors only during the daytime with a further 3 days left out at night as well (conditions permitting); cover plants with horticultural fleece on cold nights – it is effective against ground frost but not an air frost; and the use of successional sowing techniques – one plot holder makes three sowings of courgettes (early, normal and late) so that even if his early plants are wiped out by frost he has his back-ups.

Although overnight frost is the number one enemy the general weather conditions can also be a problem. In 2007 April was warm and dry (more like a typical May) while May was wet and windy with a cold spell at the end of the month (more like April with a bit of March thrown in!). Battered plants started to look very unhealthy. Although many eventually recover from such conditions they are severely checked and crop yield can be affected. Alleviate wind damage where possible by making use of any natural shelter or by providing your own – one plot holder protects his tomatoes with sheets of corrugated plastic.

“Walk the Crop”, as they say on The Archers. It pays to spend a few minutes on every visit during the growing season going round the plot looking for early signs of problems. It goes without saying that the earlier a problem can be tackled the more successfully it can be treated.  For example, it is amazing how quickly tiny “dots” on the underside of leaves can turn into full-size caterpillars that have munched their way through your brassica or gooseberry leaves – in this case, simply rub them out before they can hatch. Keep a record of the date when any problem appears for future reference.

Weeds. It is not uncommon for new plot holders to put in a lot of hard work: clearing a site, digging it, sowing / planting, and then promptly turning their back on the plot for a month or more. What happens, particularly on a plot that has been uncultivated for some time, is that thousands of weed seeds germinate, grow and quickly swamp your seedlings. It can be very disheartening to see the plot look almost as bad as it was before you started within 4-6 weeks. There is no easy solution to this problem; you have to keep on top of the weeds initially. In future years the problem should lessen, but in the first year you have to be on the ball. Apart from anything else, the weeds will provide a haven for pests. If you are limited in the amount of time that you can spend at the allotment see the section below on minimising weeding for some tips on the choice of crops.

Watering.  When it is necessary to water, it helps if the water goes precisely where you want it to, rather than running away across the plot. For fruiting vegetables such as tomatoes that can require more water than other crops it is a good idea to sink a 4 or 5 inch pot in the ground next to the plant and water directly into the pot (inverted plastic bottles with the bottoms cut off are an alternative). This means that the water goes straight down to the roots where it is most needed. Another tip concerns the planting out of leeks. For each row, create a small channel that is circa 3 inches wide (e.g. the width of a hoe) and around 1-1½ inches deep. Plant the leeks in the middle of the channel and then water the channel. Some crops seem to get by with very little water: courgettes, marrows and the squash family are hardy in this respect once they become established, particularly if they have been planted in soil that has been enriched with organic material.

Some plot holders try to avoid the need for watering by using ground cover material to minimise evaporation.

Hygiene. This is an important aspect of cultivation. While it is difficult, if not impossible, to be scrupulously hygienic, especially with open air cultivation, reasonable care and attention should be taken to keep the plot, tools and consumables clean. Otherwise, you and other plot holders may be affected:

• untidy plots with heaps of waste strewn around, particularly plots that are seldom worked, attract mice and rats. On a tidy plot compost heaps should be periodically inspected for signs of entry, particularly any area that is fully rotted (usually at ground level)
• neglected plots will produce weeds that can affect neighbouring plots (a) by blowing weed seed and (b) by travelling underground, e.g. bindweed is a particular problem at Sunningdale
• untidy areas of plot can provide habitats for pests (e.g. aphids) and fungal diseases (e.g. onion downy mildew - a site-wide issue at Sunningdale) to over-winter
• cleaning glass, plastic, pots, canes, et cetera with Jeyes Fluid over the winter will help to minimise disease.

Some Thoughts on Minimising Weeding

If you are limited in the amount of time that you can spend on the allotment it will pay to put some thought into how you can minimise the amount of weeding that is required. Here are some thoughts to get you started:

• One of our plot holders grows on raised beds. On a number of beds she has put down groundcover material which is weighted down by bricks and wood, as shown in the picture opposite. Slits are then made in the material where the rows will be, and plants are subsequently placed in the slits. The distance between the slits obviously varies depending on the crop: 12 inches apart for onions, leeks, sweetcorn, broad/French beans; 16 inches apart for the likes of potatoes, brassicas and peas. The result is that there is little weeding to do on these beds. The material is removed in the winter to allow digging, the soil left exposed for several days for the birds to peck over, and then the material is put back in place. Inexpensive material will usually last for a couple of seasons; the more expensive good quality material can last for 5 or more years

• Put some of the ground down to soft fruit, e.g. a double row of raspberries, and place black groundcover material (the sort that you can buy in a garden centre that lets water through) between the rows to prevent weeds. For strawberries, some plot holders put groundcover material down on the bed, and then cut holes in it where the strawberry plants are to go

• With respect to vegetables, there is no getting away from the need for weeding in the early part of the season until the plants become established. However, after this point in time some plants are better at keeping the weeds down than others. Grow plants that have large leaves, as they will minimise the amount of light that reaches the ground, resulting in a significant reduction in weeds. Examples include: courgettes, marrows, squashes, pumpkins and some brassicas. The picture shows a canopy of leaves produced by courgette and squash plants which is approximately three feet high by late July, effectively preventing any weeds growing on the soil beneath

• Similarly, tall growing plants can provide sufficient shade to reduce the amount of weeds, e.g. double rows of runner beans or climbing French beans

• Potatoes with their sheer volumes of leaves and steep sides (after they have been earthed up) tend to need less weeding.

The Raised Bed System

Looking around the site you will see that some plot holders use the raised bed system. The growing area is divided up into beds, each typically 3-4 feet wide.  Around the perimeter of each bed is a path that is approximately one foot wide, sufficiently wide to walk on.  These paths are 4-6 inches below the level of the beds.  The idea is that, in general, you do not walk on the beds. At 3-4 feet wide, it is easy to reach as far as the middle of the bed when working from a side-path.  The length of each bed does not matter greatly, although if they are too long there is a temptation to take the shortcut to the other side by walking over the bed, which is something that you are trying to avoid. At Sunningdale there are a range of lengths: from one plot holder who prefers short beds (8 feet long) where each is dedicated to a single crop; to mid-size (12-15 feet long); and to the full width of the plot (up to 30 feet).

Some plots have wooden surrounds to their beds to prevent the soil escaping onto the surrounding paths where bark is often put down to minimise the weeds. Others do not worry too much about escaping soil; and they may use strips of old carpet (bottom side face up) on the paths to keep the weeds down. This is not as unsightly as it may sound – the small amount of soil that ends up on the carpet makes it blend in with the soil on the beds, making it almost unnoticeable. The advantages of the raised bed system are:

• By not walking on the bed the soil does not become compacted, making it easier to weed
• The soil drains better
• It is possible to work the beds during the growing season when the soil is wet
• Crops can be grown closer together, as no room is required to walk between rows. However, beware of planting too close together, as this may encourage diseases such as mildew
• Digging is easier. Although you have to stand on the bed, working from a wooden board will help to distribute your weight
• Using short rows (across the width of the bed) makes it easier to employ successional sowing techniques, e.g. sowing modest amounts of lettuce at regular intervals, although a couple of plot holders prefer (say) double rows along the length of the bed, e.g. for peas
• While it is purely psychological, management of the overall plot seems easier and more rewarding. For example, the completion of (say) weeding on one bed somehow seems to bring with it a greater sense of achievement and a feeling that progress is being made.

There are a couple of disadvantages:

• In sustained hot weather the soil will dry out more quickly
• Some vegetables prefer firm rather than loose soil, e.g. sprouts and the onion family. In this case it will pay to deliberately walk on the bed to firm the soil before planting.

Tools

For beginners here is a useful guide to basic gardening tools. At Sunningdale you will also need access to a mower to keep the paths for which you are responsible tidy.

While Spear & Jackson and Wilkinson Sword are reputable makers of gardening tools, Joseph Bentley seem to gather more plaudits in reviews and from gardeners. They also supply a range of tools for ladies and children.

Places to find reviews of gardening tools include: Gardening Which (although you may need to be a subscriber to see everything) and Fredshed (an enthusiast of gardening and diy tools).

In addition, you will find periodic discussions on tools in various gardening forums on the Web; Allotment.org has a dedicated equipment forum.

Keeping Records

No matter how good (or bad) your memory may be, it pays to keep some form of record from year to year. It can help to:

• Remind you at what times in the year particular problems are likely to surface, e.g. gooseberry mildew or gooseberry sawfly, so that you can be ready for them next time
• Plot the relative success or failure of particular varieties – some plot holders log the dates of first pickings and the weight of crops harvested
• Keep track of any problems, e.g. soil-born diseases or variable growing conditions that may only affect certain parts of the plot
• Record how successful any change to the normal routine has been, e.g. sowing a crop earlier than usual
• The effect that the weather has had on individual crops.

To give you some ideas, here are a couple of extracts from simple cultivation logs (both in PDF format). The first sample shows one plot holder who records information by crop; the second sample (handwritten) shows another plot holder who logs information by year. Skeletons for these samples can be downloaded if you want something to get you started.

Get Yourself a Good Book

While it is hoped that you will find useful information on these pages, it is essential that you purchase a good book on growing fruit, vegetables and herbs. Some of us older brethren have acquired various excellent books over the years, but many of them are now out of print.

By far the most popular books over the last 10-15 years have been Dr D.G. Hessayon’s Expert Guides, viz. The Vegetable & Herb Expert (ISBN: 0903505460) and The Fruit Expert (ISBN: 0903505312), both published by Expert Books and available in garden centres.

Other books that have been mentioned by plot holders include:

Herwig, R., Boks, D., The Edible garden, A Complete Guide to Growing Vegetables, Soft Fruit and Herbs, ISBN 0600306828, Hamlyn 1986

Buczacki, S., Best Soft Fruit, ISBN 060057733 3, Hamlyn 1994.

Useful Information on the Web

Attempts have been made on these pages to incorporate links to useful articles wherever possible. In addition, there is a separate Useful Links page.

I have already mentioned David Frary’s allotment pages; it is the best site that I have seen so far for new plot holders. While it is not yet complete, it does cover clearing the plot, digging, and first year cultivation.

I would also recommend growingyourown.info. It is well-structured, covers a comprehensive range of crops, has lots of excellent pictures and is very readable.

There is lots of stuff out there on the Internet although much of it, particularly the blogs, is of very variable quality. Much emphasis seems to be placed on the personal touch (or social networking to use the jargon), e.g. “here are my piccies” and “now I know that I ought to be down on the plot but I am here wittering on about myself”. While such writing may be enjoyable, and it is always reassuring to know that there are other people out there who are in the same boat as you, it is not always particularly helpful.

Allotment forums can provide a useful means of increasing your knowledge of growing fruit and vegetables simply by browsing the questions that are asked along with the answers and observations that are returned. Currently, the most popular forum by some distance is Allotments4All. Allotment.org.uk is another forum while the BBC also has a gardening message board which includes a section on allotments.