All about the Allotment!
To celebrate National Allotment Week, the Stone Zone's very own Marketing Manager, Beckie shares her experience of her new allotment and talks about everything Grow Your Own!
So Beckie, how long have you had your allotment for?
My partner James and I have had our allotment space since March this year and were very unprepared! We're lucky enough to have a small space within someone else's allotment which consists of 3 raised sleeper beds which are 9 x 6 foot each.
And what fruit/veg have you grown so far?
We are currently growing strawberries, purple and green broccoli, carrots, lettuce, spring onions, red onions, kale and pumpkins!
What would you say has been the most successful food so far?
I would probably say the kale and the spring onions have done really well, we grew them each from seed so it's been really rewarding seeing them grow. The kale leaves can be picked once a week and the spring onions are really tasty!
And what would you say has been the most challenging fruit/veg?
Definitely the broccoli! I never realised how HUGE the plants grew! They take up a lot of space and the slugs like them as well so it's not as easy as some of the other vegetables.
What soil would you recommend to people growing similar fruit and veg?
I have used our Wessex BS3882 Soil and that's a really nice, well draining soil that holds the nutrients well. I also used our Peat-Free Compost to mix in.
Do you think more people should look into getting an allotment to grow their own?
100%! Growing your own fruit and veg is so rewarding and you know it doesn't have any harmful pesticides on it. Plus, it tastes so much better and lasts a lot longer than what you'd buy at the shop! Terry, who we share the allotment with, grows pink saphire blueberries and they're the best tasting berry I've ever had! I think people find it taunting but it's one of those things that you can start small with, and gradually grow more or get a bit more adventurous with it.
What advice would you give people who are looking to grow their own?
I would say that the biggest thing you can't prepare for is our ever-changing weather! However, some things I have learnt are that, when you're growing from seed, it's best to start them off inside around February/March time to then put them in the soil outside when it starts getting warm. I would also recommend buying organic slug pellets because there is nothing worse than slugs eating your food! And just enjoy it, it doesn't need to be a chore, it's actually really relaxing when you put the time aside to go to your allotment.
For Soil or Compost recommendations, give us a call on 01202 874207!