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benefit from extra water when in flower. This time is known as the 'critical watering period'.My colleague Anna also has an allotment and is very particular about critical watering periods. She's been talking about her peas all week, how the swelling pods

Now the chaos of Christmas is over, I can settle down to some serious shopping. In January and February I like to get all my seed and plant orders underway; it's usually the perfect weather to stay indoors, warm and cosy, contemplating the season to come.I do an awful lot of shop...

I was pleased with this year's Christmas harvest – much of our Christmas dinner was allotment produce. King Edward potatoes from the garage were roasted, Charlotte new potatoes from store were steamed. Greens took the form of braised leeks and

variety I'll invest in for the allotment.It won't be long before I'm making one of my favourite desserts: blackcurrant leaf ice. It's an old Constance Spry sorbet recipe which is both heavenly and low in calories. In deference to Ms Spry

It's so hot I'm having to water my vegetable crops up to twice a day at the moment. Everyone on the allotment is desperately trying to keep the plants productive and, more to the point, alive.We're lucky to have taps dotted around the site, which

I've had some cracking crops this year. Some are tried and tested varieties that I know are good and reliable, while some vegetable varieties are completely new to me.I've grown quite a few potatoes, my favourite variety, ‘Charlotte’, has performed

't fully explain is why a fruit or vegetable grown in one place can taste so different to one grown a few miles up the road. There are so many variables that come in to the equation. I have found the taste of strawberries can actually differ depending

a few baby vegetables. Baby beets and parsnips are just lovely. Besides, now the soil has warmed up and the evenings have got a bit lighter, my crops could well catch up with those on neighbouring plots.After all the weeding I've been doing recently

Bank holiday weekend was a bit of a blur, it went by so quickly. I didn't spend it on my allotment I'm rather sad to say, especially as the weather was so lovely. But I did get lots of fresh air and exercise, and talked allotments with Laura, an old

haven't got round to planting more traditional vegetables like sprouts and parsnips.I usually enjoy those first couple of weeks in September after my holidays, when the dahlias are still in full swing and things are starting to get autumnal. Then all