Allotment Learning

It's almost the middle of July.  I figure this is the height of the growing season in the allotment. As you know, this is my first year of actually growing vegetables and it has been a real learning experience.  I've made all the expected novice mistakes; bought too many different seeds, put plants in the wrong locations, over planted some things, and planted too few of other vegetables.  Perhaps the most annoying thing I've done is not giving myself enough room between rows to harvest the vegetables comfortably.  It's like a game of Twister when harvesting flowers from the cutting patch - right foot between the cosmos, left foot by the cornflowers. 

It's been lots of work but I have loved every minute.  Things don't seem as frantic now that most of the planting and planning is done.  I've had time to stop and enjoy the garden and evaluate what lessons have been learned in such a short time.  Here's a list, in no particular order, that might be useful if you are a beginner 'plotter' like me:

1.  Sow seeds indoors and plant young seedlings into modules.  Transplant them into the garden once you think they are big enough to stand up to the slugs. 

2.  Use heavy cardboard, landscape fabric, or old carpet to cover any garden beds not in use. This will smother out any weeds and saves you digging it over more than once.  

3.  You can never have TOO much twine... 

4.  You can never have too many bamboo canes, pea sticks, or plant supports. Practically everything taller than ankle height needs staking in our coastal winds.  This is also why you can never have too much twine. 

5.  Grow beans and peas that climb up.  Bush beans are lovely but they are harder to pick and growing vertically gives you more room to plant different things. 

5.  Pick beans, beets, and turnips when they are young and tender.  Most veg is best picked on the small side. Nothing is worse than wooden turnips or stringy string beans.  

6.  Grow some 'No-Fail' plants to encourage you to be brave.  If you don't have room to start plants from seeds you can purchase lots of different veg from garden centers in modules or bare root ready to plant in your garden.

7.  Grow some scary plants, the kind that may or may not make it.  I've got watermelons in the polytunnel.  If I get one melon I'll be happy.  

8.  Always add flowers, the bees will love you and it makes the garden look beautiful.  

9.  Water! Weed! Feed! Then weed again. 

10. The 'Golden Gardening Hours' are VERY early in the morning and that hour between sunset and dusk.  You can catch the slugs and snails unawares and watering is most effective when the sun isn't beating down on the garden. 

11.  Make friends with your allotment neighbours but don't live in their pockets. Do a good deed for them now and then and they will return the favour.  

12.  Dress appropriately; hat, sunglasses, long sleeves, and SUNSCREEN. And don't forget to wear the right shoes/wellies/work boots. 

13.  This may be the most important point, research: READ, READ, and READ some more.  The more you learn before you plant the more success you will enjoy. 

AND FINALLY-

Listen to advice but don't necessarily take it, especially from ME!