Page 27 - ALG Issue 1 2017

these are lifted. I have some lovely Carrot Eskimo that were sown in June and were ready to pull in November and should give me some tasty roots to pull right up to Christmas.
Through October and November I tidied the plot, removing any old crops to the compost heap, clearing the ground for the autumn, ready for winter digging. My compost heap was ready to be emptied and this was spread on part of the allotment, allowing me to make some running repairs to the compost heap. My compost heap is nothing fancy; it is made up from old pallets and is emptied every second or third year. On top of the heap I store all my canes and the wire mesh cloches and poles are stored in a spare bay alongside.
Up until now I have had the equivalent of a half plot and a separate quarter plot to grow all my produce. But for 2017 I am increasing this by a further half plot. Luckily this new half plot became vacant next to my existing plot, and after much deliberation I decided to take it on. It had been left reasonably clean by the previous plot holder, with only patches that appear to have spear grass and bindweed. I will try to remove over time through winter digging, taking out any roots and keeping on top of any weeds as they appear next year. A little time will also need to be spent straightening and edging paths.
I am going to start a little earlier than normal. With this in mind, I had two loads of mushroom compost delivered in November, which was spread onto all vacant soil. Spreading the compost rst will allow any goodness to be washed into the soil and the worms can start working before I get it all dug in, a job I hope to have completed by early January. Also, I nd that if the weather did turn wet, having a layer of compost on the soil helps soak up the moisture and keep your boots clean when digging rather than slipping on mud.
This extra space will give me a chance to grow a few more crops and allow a bit more room between them, a fault all plot holders make trying to cram too much into a limited space. I am also hoping to ll an area with some soft fruit over time. I missed the autumn planting window, so bushes will be ordered and planted in March.
Well I had better put my boots on and grab my spade; don’t forget if any NAS member has a seed problem and needs some advice, the team at Kings Seeds are always at the end of a phone to help.
Happy Gardening!
With a new plot and my existing plot to dig this year, I have decided
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