Another allotment blog

First year on the allotment is wrtten by two friends exploring the world of allotment gardening. Both originally from Sweden but living in London for more than a decade. Now sharing a plot in North London that will hopefully provide us with a lot of fresh produce.

My 2009 allotment bible

This is my guide to managing my plot in 2009. It's by Thomas William Sanders who was a prolific writer of gardening books and a well known gardener in his day. He lived in Lewisham, London and died in 1926.

I'm guessing this book was written during the Great War, but it was republished many times and the version I have been reading is a reference copy in Manchester Central Library, but it seems to be quite easy to buy on a number of online websites.

I like this little book because it's almost scientific in it's approach with detailed diagrams, digging patterns and charts. I also like it because it's an old book. Sanders talks about measuring plots in "rods" and gives detailed instructions on the use of hoof trimmings and recipes for storing and drying blood.





The chart above gives instructions for sowing dandelion and horseradish and since noticing this I've found lots of uses for dandelions. Apparently the flowers boiled with honey are a good throat syrup, the root makes a coffee like drink and the leaves can be cooked like spinach. It can also be used in beer and here's a recipe for Pan-Roasted Chicken With Wilted Dandelion and Bacon. Yum? More dandelion food stuff...

...there's horseradish all over my plot so it's interesting to see it counted as a crop. My horseradish has always come from the jar - until now. In the USA there's a Horseradish Information Council with the follwing mission statement

The Horseradish Information Council is comprised of six horseradish processors working together to broaden the appeal and increase year-round usage of commercially processed horseradish and related products. The Council's key message to consumers and foodservice users of horseradish is that this unique vegetable root, long admired for its effects on beef and seafood, is very versatile.

Some pictures from the summer

Some pictures of sheds


Above is my beautiful black shed, below is my allotment neighbour's foxy shed cum greenhouse



and next is my favourite greenhouse, I like the two story effect



You can see more photos on Flickr and finally here is red shed, the king of sheds, at Dungeness

The start of the plan

This is the diary of a new allotment holder. I got it in May 2008 but just piddled around last year without a proper plan. 2009 is the start of the plan so today I walked off a hangover (late night risotto , too much wine and a Mescaleros disco in my friend's front room) and arrived at three. "I though you'd emigrated" said Brian who is there everyday like the gatekeeper to our little eden. "Have you got your leeks in yet?"He advises me to plant musselburgh and tips me off to the fact that although Wilkinson's seeds are cheap you only get 10 seeds in a packet. Brian is the oracle of the allotment. Last summer he gave me seeds and broad beans, cabbages and sprouts to grow. He showed me how to dig and fixed my hose pipe and leant me a ladder (I broke the three bottoms rungs just by standing on them) to pick my pears and showed me how to make a pear picking/catching /shaking tool for the highest pears which betrayed his scrumping past.

On the way to my allotment I notice that everyone does seem to have their leeks in. I decide to spend Sunday night ordering seedsand getting on with my plan.

Stir the compost which is like mucky apple stew. Decide to move the raspberries and to build a fence. I dig up my spinach plants which have gone all brown ans slimy and pull up some tiny turnipsfor tea and admire a fractal cauliflower that has managed to survive sustained pigeon attack.

I chose this plot because it had 2 apples trees and a pear tree and I foresaw super hammock use potential, but the main reason was because the shed reminds me of Dungeness and those upside down boat hull sheds on Lindisfarne. I'mnot afraid to admit it that i'm a shed fan.

The plot could do with an old teardrop green caravan too so I'm looking on Ebay for one. I can't work out how to get it to my plot though. Would it have to be carried and held up high by some strong people or maybe I could build a high platform on a shopping trolley to move it down the narrow paths between allotments. Hmm. The plot could also do with a greenhouse made of old windows....so greenhouse construction is also on my plan.

The shed is constructed from old railway sleepers and is covered in black tar paper. Its got a sloping roof which leaks and the door is falling off, so its an old soggy black shed, wobbly and a bit loose at the seams, but Susan loved him. It came with a free birds nest inside.

After a bit of diggingI go home to read Lawrence D. Hills Month by Month Organic Gardening. AHe says a good job for January is to collect old empty tin cans, cut off the bottom, soak off the label and paint them black ready to place over carrots after thinning. According to Mr Hills the carrot fly "comes in low like a cruise missile ready to lay its eggs on the leaves near the ground, but the tin can baffles it".
Goodnight