Putting the Plot to Bed. 26th Oct 2018

Although we are still picking vegetables, some sections are now empty and are ready to put to bed for the winter. As we remove the last plants from a bed we also remove any weeds and give a good covering with manure so that the worms can break it down and take the nutrients into the soil. A little light weeding over the winter will mean that the plots are then ready for replanting in spring.

We have to re-arrange our allotment as we lose half of our plot and gain a new section soon because some of the land has been sold for redevelopment. We probably have a couple of years to get sorted but we are making changes gradually and this winter we intend to start a new strawberry bed using some of the new land. We covered the new area with plastic to suppress the weeds and have planted up lots of runners both this year and last year so we have lots of plants to use. The intention is to have a long thin section which can be divided into three so that we end up with 1, 2 and 3 year old plants each with their own area. Strawberry plants should be re-newed after 3-4 years so this should make it easier.

A friend came round with a something I had never seen or heard of before (see photo). They are cucamelons. They are only tiny, about the size of a gooseberry and taste more like cucumbers than melons. She had grown them in a greenhouse and they flourished in the hot weather. I used them sliced on salads but apparently they are good in a G and T!

This is my last allotment blog for this year but I’ll be back in spring when we get another chance to plan and grow as well as make mistakes and learn something new.