Allotment Garden Diary

My diary of my attempts, success and failures growing vegetables, fruit, herbs and gardening on an allotment.sized vegetable plot with a garden as well

Strawberry plants with some ripe berries in hanging baskets

Strawberries, Choosing & Planting Up Hanging Baskets

Choosing and buying some new strawberry plants. Planting them into hanging baskets for growing in the polytunnel.

Seed Potatoes for sale at Tyddyn Sachau

Shopping Seed Potatoes, The Season Starts

For me, the season starts when I get and set out my seed potatoes to chit. Where's the best place to buy the seed potatoes.

New Year Thoughts & Past Influences

Some brief thoughts on the past year and the new. Gardeners who have most influenced how I live, grow and garden.

Greenhouse Hit Again, Sheep Troubles

Between more damaging winds attacking the greenhouse and sheep getting into the vegetable plot, not the easiest of weeks I've had.

Scary Storm Darragh

This weekend Storm Darragh hit the UK with a red warning for the coast of Wales. We had some damage, but didn't suffer too badly.

Drawing of Man with tall weeds

To Spray or Not to Spray

Different methods of clearing the weeds from a new allotment plot in response to a question from a newsletter reader

Garden Pond

Pond

A garden pond can bring a wide range of benefits to your outdoor space, both aesthetically and ecologically.

Lettuce Bustaseed

Lettuce, Garlic Parsley & Soup

Unexpected way to grow lettuce, planting garlic and a few onions, an observation about parsley and I’ve been making loads of soup.

Bulgarian Giant Leeks

Bulgarian Giant Leeks

This year I've grown Bulgarian Giant Leeks and they're amazing. They're easy, early, high-yielding and taste great.

Developing Brussels Sprouts

Super Sprouts, Rotten Spuds

Excellent sprouts about ready to start harvesting but problems developing with the potatoes in store so checking them over.

Potager Garden Beds

A Modern Potager Front Garden

How a bare patch in front of a new-build house was converted to a productive and attractive modern day potager garden.

Duct tape holding glass in position on greenhouse door

Storm Damage to Greenhouse, Pruning

Greenhouse repaired after storm damage, Pruning the back border. Lots of shredding and found a birds nest in the bush

Borlotti Beans

Sweetcorn Success, Polytunnel Repairs, Radish Leaves

Outdoor sweetcorn success. Repairing the bird damage to the polytunnel. Radish leaves become a delicious and nutritious soup, Pretty Beans!

Colander filled with French beans

Autumn begins, cabbages, beans, lettuces

Autumn arrives and already leaves are turning and falling. Spring cabbages, French beans and lettuce in Bustaseed modules.

Sweetcorn cob with leaves folded away from the cob

Late Summer, Sweetcorn, Beans

A short lived spell of great weather as the season draws to a close. Sweetcorn surprise, potato soup and beans, lots of beans.

Seedlings growing in Bustaseed and commercial seed trays.

Bustaseed Seedling Tray Trial

The results are in from a trial of Bustaseed Seedling Trays with standard commercial seedling trays undertaken by Queen's University Belfast.

Slowed Down Compost Bin – Using a Compost Accelerator

In Winter the compost bins slow down so I like to use a compost accelerator to give them a quick boost ahead of the growing season.

red cabbage in a line on a bench

The Good, The Bad and Well I Never!

It’s been a poor year for weather and the harvest so far is pretty mixed. Anyway, in classic style I’ll cover the good, the bad and surprises.

Red Cabbage Growing

Leeks, Strawberries, Cabbage & Free Spuds

Hard to believe it’s late August here. Yesterday the weather was so awful. Rained all day with high winds, gusting to 50mph.

February 2025
M T W T F S S
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
2425262728  

What to do now on your plot!

Monthly Free Newsletter

Allotment Photo History

Our Books – A Growing Offer!

Our bestselling books for growing success!
More Information
SPECIAL OFFERS!

Archives

Allotment & Garden Online Planning

Free Trial - Allotment Planner
Personal Planting Updates & Tips
by email twice a month
Allotment Garden Planning Software