The famous World War II ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign encouraged British people to get around food shortages by growing their own. It was so successful, parks and bomb sites were ripped up and turned into vegetable patches. In the late 1940s there were an estimated 1.4 million allotment sites in the UK.
Yet being forced to grow their own food turned many of the post-war generation off allotments. From the late 1960s onwards, frozen food and ready meals became the norm, and Britons fell out of love with allotments.
That meant many councils sold off allotments during the 1980s and 1990s as people simply didn’t want them. The total number across Britain is now estimated at around 300,000.
Recession times
Happily, recent years have a seen a massive increase in their popularity. Increased interest in sustainability and fears of climate change have been key factors in this increase. Add in the financial collaspe of 2008 and the demand to be self-sustaining grows. Sales of grow your own vegetable plants has been steadily rising since the start of the recession in 2008. Something that also happened during the previous two recessions.
They are especially important for people without much garden space or the two million Britons living in flats and apartments without a garden.
Now there are often long waiting lists for an allotment. Getting ahold of one can be like finding the goose that laid the golden egg. However, according to the National Allotment Society, almost 2000 new plots were built in 2013. So get down to your local council and get your name on the list!
Still not convinced?
The average family spends over £56 a week on food and drink. And we’re buying less fruit and veg than before the recession, as we all try and tighten our belts.
An allotment is the perfect solution for a healthier diet for all the family, bringing you fresh, cheap produce all year round. Plus, you’ll save on that gym membership by getting free outdoor exercise!
Renting a plot
Allotments are rented in rods. A rod is about 25 square metres, and you’ll be charged by the rod. Prices will vary from council to council, but you’re probably looking at around £100 a year to rent five rods. Most councils have discounts for OAPs.
That’s a fair amount of space – 125 square metres. It’s roughly half the size of a standard doubles tennis court – and will give you a lot of planting options all year round.
And it’s cheap!
If you spend around £50 on seeds and plants to get started, you could be seeing the financial benefits in a year. By years two and three you’ll be enjoying real savings.
Plus, there are always deals. One year you’ll find onion plants going cheap, another year it might be carrots.
You just need to be clever with your planting. A single crop of spuds should be planted in several stages so you’ve got a continuous supply, rather than one big glut. You could practically make back your seed money in a single season.
Add in some fruit trees or bushes, which will give fruit for years, and you’re laughing to the kitchen.
Total savings
Research has suggested allotment owners could save an average of £950 a year by home growing. More than half of those quizzed rented a plot to save money, while a third did so to be in control of the pesticides used on their food.
Teaching children about food was another important factor. Almost a third of allotment owners found growing their own was a great way of getting the kids interested in where fruit and vegetables come from.
Extras and add-ons
Sheds and toilets are both useful additions to your allotment. A compost toilet that breaks waste down into fertiliser is a great idea. But it shouldn’t be used on vegetables, only around fruit trees and bushes.
Here’s the really amazing thing. Under the 1950 Allotment Act, it’s an allotment holder’s right to keep hens and rabbits on their plot, as long they are for private use and not for business or profit.
Eating rabbit isn’t really in fashion. But keeping hens for their eggs is hugely popular and allotment coops are a brilliant solution for people who’d love to give it a go but just don’t have space at home.
Check your local tenancy agreement to make sure it’s okay, then have a go!
Escapism
Remember, it’s not only about growing your own. It’s about setting up a shed and having an escape from home life. They can be a real bolt-hole away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Somewhere you can go and enjoy quality time and good conversation with your fellow allotmenteer. You’ll meet friendly people who are prepared to come and splash some water on your spuds when you’re away!
Speak to your local council in the first instance about allotment availability, and visit the National Allotment Society at www.nsalg.org.uk for more information.
Potatoes are a brilliant crop for beginner gardeners and practised vegetable growers alike. Get your own potato crop in the ground this year to start enjoying home-grown spuds!
Potatoes grow from special seed tubers instead of seeds. Buy them from your local garden centre – they have been cleared of disease and bred to produce strong, viable plants.
Types of potato
There are three types of potatoes, earlies, second earlies and maincrops. The names refer to the time they are harvested.
Earlies are the easiest to grow and take up the least space in your garden. But the other two are simple crops and will give you loads of potatoes.
When to plant potatoes
Potato crops need different planting times depending on the exact variety, but here is a rough guide.
Earlies – plant in late March.
Second earlies – plant in early to mid-April.
Maincrop – plant in mid to late April.
How to chit potatoes
You’ll need to prepare the tubers before planting by chitting them. Don’t worry, it’s not difficult! They need to sprout before they go in the ground.
Stand them rose end up (that’s the end with the most eyes) in an old eggbox on a cool, well-lit windowsill. The eyes will sprout naturally, and the tubers are ready to plant when they are about 2.5cm long.
How to plant potatoes
Potatoes grow best in sunny spots that are not prone to frost. Dig a narrow trench about 13cm deep and line it with peat-free compost, general fertiliser or even grass clippings.
Space the seed tubers about 30cm apart for earlies, 38cm for second earlies and maincrop. If you’re growing in rows, leave 60-90cm between them and plant with the shoots facing towards the surface.
Handle the tubers carefully – the shoots can be quite brittle. Press over the soil and let nature do her work.
TIP: If you’re really short of space, plant two potato tubers in a large, well-drained container (at least 30cm wide and deep).
Growing potatoes
Remember, it is vital when the shoots begin to emerge from the earth to keep them as far away from the tubers as possible.
Bank up the earth over the emerging shoots, forcing them to grow up and away towards the light. Repeat until the shoots and ensuing leaves are well removed from the tuber.
Once the potatoes have begun to grow underground, your plants will need lots of water. If you have a dry spell, water regularly or your spuds will be stunted.
How to harvest potatoes
fresh organic potatoes in the field
Early varieties should be ready to harvest from June. I lift mine when I see the flowers. With earlies you can simply dig up and eat.
Second earlies and maincrop will stay in the ground a bit longer and need a bit more attention.
Two weeks before you want to lift them, cut off the growth at ground level. This gives their skins more time to toughen up.
Harvest second earlies in July and August, and maincrop varieties from late August to early October.
Harvesting is easy with a fork – just tease them out, being careful not to spike them. Now you’re ready for some home-made chips!
Container gardening is brilliant. You can put plants in places that have no soil and refresh the contents each season. You can design the garden from scratch and revamp it by simply moving the pots around.
But with so many possibilities, why do so many of us settle for plain old plastic and terracotta pots? Unusual containers are much more fun and dynamic, as well as letting you put your own personal stamp on your garden.
The choices are endless – you’d be amazed what can hold a plant! Clothing, household objects, even stuff from your recycling bin. Here are some great ideas from my live planting challenge at the Ideal Home Show!
Saucepan
Recycle old saucepans from your kitchen, rather than just throwing them out. Or if you don’t want to plant up your best pans, you can buy cheap old ones anywhere.
If you can, drill holes in the bottom and add a layer of gravel to help drainage and stop your plants getting waterlogged.
Saucepans are usually quite deep and wide, making them great for herbs. It’s also a fun novelty to grow food in cookware items.
Put them outside by the back door so they’re close at hand when you’re cooking. Parsley, thyme and oregano and great fresh herbs to cut and use.
Wine glass
Orchids are the best plants to put in wine glasses. Moth orchids like this phalaenopsis are sold in clear pots and should be planted in clear containers. This is because in the wild they grow on the sides of trees and their green roots contain chlorophyll, meaning they can photosynthesise. But they need light in order to do this, so don’t cover them up!
The wine glass allows light to reach the roots and gives the orchid a bit more height and a really classy look.
Pint glass
Another good object is a pint glass, which is very deep. Be careful when you use glass containers because they have no drainage holes. Water little and often to stop your soil getting waterlogged.
Ivy is perfect for this kind of container as it’s a tough plant and trails nicely down the deep sides. The glass also provides interesting reflections.
Teapots
If you don’t have any spare teapots, you can buy them from recycling centres and charity shops for a few pennies. There are hundreds of different shapes, colours and designs, so why not create a display with a mismatched selection?
You can put them outside in the garden filled with spring bulbs, or use them to house different herbs for your kitchen. You can even fill them with houseplants and put them on the windowsill!
Here, I’ve used ivy again because it trails nicely around the container. You could just as easily use Flaming Katy, peace lilies or hypoestes.
Coffee cups
These are usually quite ornamental and the corrugated exterior adds a nice texture. It’s the perfect pot for a short term bedding plant like primula or spring bulbs.
Simply pull them out of their original plastic pots and pop them into the coffee cup for a fresh windowsill display.
Lampshade
Lampshades make excellent container covers. It’s best not to actually plant in the lampshade itself, but line it with a carrier bag and stand your planter inside it. Here I’ve used Sansevieria, also known as ‘the mother-in-law’s tongue’. The contrast with the lampshade makes a striking container display.
To water the plant I usually take the plant back out of the container cover, water it in the sink it and return it to the cover later.
Torch
I think this is really quirky and it adds a bit of colour too. I’ve planted an African violet in the top to directly contrast with the bright yellow of the torch, adding a bit of personality to any container display.
Cups
Cups are great things to plant up, and they’re easy for kids to do, making them great Mother’s Day gifts. On the one side I’ve used a crassula, also known as a ‘money tree’ which looks really quirky.
Or try a failsafe trailing ivy. Just remember to water little and often because there are no drainage holes.
Helicopter
I think this used to have an Easter egg in it before. I’ve planted a kalanchoe or ‘Flaming Katy’, which is a nice little succulent plant. It has an abundance of flowers and lasts really well in containers.
Rather than plant directly into this container, I’ve used it as a pot cover. It’s a very fun container and a great novelty for kids to make.
Boot
It’s always good fun to plant up a boot and leave it by the back door. Drill in a few drainage holes to stop it getting waterlogged.
I’ve planted ivy, but it would work with a whole host of flowering plants – fuchsias and geraniums work well.
Cat cookie jar
This is one of my favourites. I asked the live audience if they would prefer a fern or a flower and they all voted for the fern. So I planted it up!
Again, water little and often to make sure the soil doesn’t get waterlogged.
Vanity case
It’s perfect as a little basket planter. Here I’ve used a primula and a little palm to give a good effect. But it’s deep enough to hold a range of plants.
Socks
Use old socks to brighten up flowering plants like these balled primulas. I wrapped the sock around the container to make perfect windowsill plants.
You can choose socks to contrast or complement the colour of the flowers. When you’re finished with the display, you can take the socks off and plant the primulas in the ground.
Bucket
They make great containers because they’re big and can hold plenty of compost. Don’t forget to drill a few holes in the bottom!
Here I’ve planted rosemary – place the pot outside your back door and cut off a few fresh sprigs for your lamb dishes. Marvellous!
