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. If however you need to clear your site of weeds before you can even see the soil, then we recommend not using a rotavator as some weeds, particularly the more persistent (couch grass, docks, nettles, bindweed) will be chopped up and will spread and multiply as a result.

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

If you have been given a plot which is partly or totally in shade, choosing fruit and vegetables that tolerant these conditions is essential. Weeds often grow faster than vegetable crops and can out-compete them for water, nutrients and light. Depending on the plant, it may be evergreen, or it may go dormant in the winter months, coming back to life in the spring.She had started her plot this year and had a double plot that was well maintained and full of neatly lined crops. Ideally your new allotment will be in a sunny position but this, inevitably, is not always the case. For some, this organisation happens naturally and they develop a ‘feel’ for when things need to be done based on years of experience. Many allotments don’t supply water, but allotment holders get around this by installing a water butt.

VegPlotter | Allotment Planner and Planting Calendar Software

With our month by month approach you can plan all aspects of your allotment as far in to the future as you need. If you are lucky, you will be assigned an allotment within a one mile radius of your home – this will take approximately 15 minutes to walk to. They can be grown wherever convenient, although you should avoid growing them too often in the same place. When it comes to planting your crops, take into account the companion planting tips we discussed above.

Make sure you clear the ground, test the soil and plan what to grow when, to ensure a satsifying supply of foodfor the table. My journal combined with the Half hour allotment book to work out the plants and also the on-line software and grid paper. These are important and it’s worth taking note of what is said even if you don’t go to the meeting itself. You can design your allotment in minutes, using our Allotment Planner with its inituitive drag and drop interface.