Search - Articles

It suddenly feels like summer is gone! The days are shorter almost overnight and there's that autumnal nip in the air of a morning, which is making me think that my summer harvests are going to start drawing to a close very quickly. There was even a frost here the other day - wel...

the crop rotation plan I formulated earlier in the season.I'm already flouting my New Year resolution to abstain from growing crops that require regular picking. That would mean no beans, French or otherwise, no courgettes and no fresh peas. I really can

will admit to sneaking the odd strawberry when I'm picking.Anna, my assistant at work and fellow allotment holder, is a Grazer. As soon as a tomato turns even vaguely red she starts giving it a sly squeeze to see if it's ripe. She munched her way through her

be surprised to hear that this week I couldn't wait to get up to the plot and start picking. Even Paul braved the icy winds to give me a hand with the harvest. And why were we so excited? Because the purple sprouting broccoli was ready.Luscious green, purple

built me a coldframe/hot box (I know how to pick 'em!). A quick clear out revealed a couple of surprisingly perfect pak choi. It really must be toasty in there! Everything around it is shades of brown mush and white frost, and inside the hot box it

I'm not a great one for growing flowers on my plot. Maybe I shy away from raising flowering plants on the allotment because I grow so many in my main job (as head gardener at The Bath Priory Hotel). I've grown marigolds as companion plants

next year. So here are my allotment New Year resolutions for 2009:I must grow crops that don't require regular picking as I don't live close enough to the plot to get there more than a couple of times a week. That's just not enough to harvest runner

!I was busy, though, while the snow was lying deep and crisp and even all over the allotment. I spent a couple of happy evenings planning the plot and deciding on my crop rotations for this year. I kept to my New Year resolution and decided to only plant

It's been very dry lately, so I've had to water my crops on a daily basis. The poor plants need every drop they can get as my allotment has turned into a dustbowl.Despite the dry conditions, my strawberries have been fantastic this year. I've got

I always worry about the allotment when I go on holiday. Will it all dry out or get a thorough soaking? Luckily the plot was well watered when I slipped away for a wet and windy week in Cornwall.I may not have appreciated the weather very much