My journal combined with the Half hour allotment book to work out the plants and also the on-line software and grid paper. However, this is not always the case, you might end up with a shadier spot, and if you do, you need to choose fruits and vegetables that can thrive in these conditions.

allotment / RHS Growing Your Own - getting the best from your allotment / RHS

Smothering weeds with opaque mulches (carpet is no longer recommended) requires at least one growing season to work well. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned fruit and vegetable grower, have a small kitchen garden or run multiple full size allotment plots. You can build out your raised beds on both sides of the path , with the beds running horizontally to the path. You need to know what will grow easily, how much space it takes up and if you are trying to save money is it really worth the effort. It is really up to the gardener to choose what works well for them, but the notion of rotating your crops is worth sticking to – as it helps to keep the soil in good condition and certain types of pests and diseases at bay.

For some, this organisation happens naturally and they develop a ‘feel’ for when things need to be done based on years of experience. June– It’s the last month for sowing so put in anything you haven’t yet sown, and successions of others you’ve already planted but want more of such as lettuce, radish, and quick growing crops. We aren’t allowed them on our site and to be honest my plot is far too small for anything other than basic tool storage. Half the fun of gardening is waiting to see if the seeds come up, just have a go and take no notice of unsought advice.

Resources and Downloads – The National Allotment Society Resources and Downloads – The National Allotment Society

Allotment pests include slugs and snails, aphids, caterpillars of the large and small white butterflies, and birds. You may have been thinking about getting an allotment for a while, or it might be a relatively new idea. The Planner kindly tells you how many of the 54 veg available will fit tidily in each square foot block, and provides you with sowing instructions to boot. If you’re offered a plot in winter, or you’re in no rush, try laying cardboard or polythene over weedy areas.Many allotments don’t supply water, but allotment holders get around this by installing a water butt. Track and record the progress of your allotment plan by adding notes and photos to items on your plan.

VegPlotter | Allotment Planner and Planting Calendar Software

You can use commercial sprays on insects, eggs, and larvae, but its possible to use organic methods.

This guide will walk you through every stage: from finding an allotment in the first place, to harvesting your first crops. Growing veg is not an exact art and even the most experienced of gardeners get caught out by the weather and an influx of pests.

Allotment Vegetable Plot Planning Software

If you've got the space, you could even add in a bench or chairs to create a 'chill and relax' area with some outdoor furnishings.

Poke about in the grass before you begin, make noise and go slowly – give the wildlife a chance to escape. Apples, pears and plums prefer a more open position, but cooking apples can tolerate a partially shaded position. Raised beds look great and they are simple to make with old scaffold boards or pallets, but if you don’t fancy that you’ll still need paths around your traditional beds because walking on the ground causes soil compaction and makes life hard for roots. I found three neat planners, each with their own elements of electronic charm, and enough variety to get us all dragging and dropping. Beetroot, chard, kale, kohl rabi and lettuce are all relatively tolerant of some shade, but sowing seeds in modules in bright conditions and then transplanting will get them off to an early start with an established root system.