Posts from Plot 9

March

Hi everyone, welcome to the first Post from Plot 9. These will be updates throughout the year where you can follow along with what’s growing (and what’s not growing) on my allotment in Aberdeenshire.

A little bit of background… My allotment is close to the bank of a river and has pretty good soil due to being on an old flood plain. I have quite fertile soil apart from a tricky clay band that runs across one corner like a rusty vein. Plot 9 is 10m by 15m so a decent size for growing more than enough veg. I don’t use every inch of the plot each year because it’s important to let some of it rest and recover. I prefer to grow lots of different things every year rather than go for large quantities of just a few types of veg. I find it more fun that way. I have a small polytunnel and some raised beds but mostly I grow in the ground. I don’t use any chemical pesticides because it’s not only better for the environment but it’s cheaper and easier to work in harmony with the bugs. I’ll go into that in later posts as the year goes on.

Throughout the rest of this year these posts will show you what’s going on at Plot 9 and I’ll also be musing about what the allotment means to me in other terms such as the benefits to my physical and mental health. I’ve been doing this a long time, and I know that this year I am going to have some successes, and some failures. The weather will be kind to me, and at times cruel. I will have amazing things happen and meet some gorgeous plants and wildlife, and I will also have things turn ugly and wilt and die. The sun will shine and the rain will fall and the wind will blow and I’ll share all of that with you.

The purpose of these Posts from Plot 9 will be to show you that even experienced growers are at the mercy of the soil and the seasons. I’ll be growing many of the same (or similar) varieties to the ones in the Aberdeenshire Libraries Seed Banks so you can grow along with me, and I’ll show you how things are getting on. You can ask some questions too and I’ll see if I can help. I’ll warn you now that I am quite a lazy grower! I don’t like complicated methods or equipment and I’m not going to be spending hours and hours on fiddly techniques. I’m all about quick tips and handy shortcuts and plenty of time to sit on a bench and enjoy being outdoors.

I’ll share those hints and tips, and lots of pictures of what’s going on. I hope that you’ll find some inspiration and maybe a few ideas for your own spaces – whatever the size.

Plot 9 looking bare and muddy

Right now, Plot 9 is looking very miserable. I’ll be honest with you – it’s pretty much just mud. It’s hard to get excited about mud so it’s important to keep your eyes focussed on the future and the potential of what’s in front of you. This is the time of year I like to walk around the plot and spot the signs of new life. This is the time of year that the rhubarb is just poking through, and I often find stray beans or pea shoots giving an optimistic lurch into the light. The blackcurrants are just showing new leaves, and the raspberries have little buds too. All the signs of new growth are there and it’s a great time to clear the decks to get ready for the growing year.

Up here in Scotland we have to hold our excitement in check and wait for the last of the hard frosts to pass by. March is a trickster month, so we all rush and plant things and then April comes along with a cruel temper and puts us all back to square one. It’s much better to just enjoy any bright days and use them for tidying up your growing space, washing pots ready for seedlings, turning the soil to break up the compacted winter earth, tidying your shed or polytunnel if you have one, and generally planning what you’re going to grow this year.

As for planning – you might use fancy apps or gadgets and that’s fine, but I prefer a bit of graph paper and a pencil. I don’t like to spend money unless I have to and for me the allotment is time away from screens, so it seems counterproductive to be relying on apps. Also, most of those apps have a very southern bias in terms of growing seasons so they are not really helpful. It’s a personal choice though and you do you! Whatever suits you is fine but don’t get hung up on your plans. I often make several sketchy plans at this time of year, but when I get going its more like “ooo, there’s a gap! What can I fit in there?” You’ll see what I mean as time goes on.

Right now, I’d suggest getting your first plans in place and maybe see if you want to start any seeds off indoors. If you’re growing tomatoes, chillis, peppers or sweetcorn now is a good time to get them started. Check the guidance for each of your varieties but you will find that many seeds like this benefit from a bit of warmth under them so pop the pots or trays on a radiator and you’ll see a quicker germination. Don’t let them dry out though – that’s easily done.

I’ll be starting off by getting proper muddy and turning this soil because that month of rain at the start of the year, and all that snow, has really crushed the ground flat. If I leave it like that the next lot of rain will wash the topsoil off and if it dries out it will blow away. I don’t use a rotovator to turn the soil because I would rather do this the old-fashioned way with a garden fork. It’s better for the worms and I really need those guys! I’m lucky enough to be physically able to do this but, once again, you do you. If you need machine tools then go for it.

So, enough procrastination! It’s a bright enough day and Plot 9 isn’t going to dig itself.

Happy growing, more updates soon.

Dawn