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What to Grow in your Allotment

Growing in your allotment

You’ve got your allotment ready for growing, but what to grow in your allotment and where to start? We believe there is nothing more satisfying than eating what you have grown. Feeding your family with organic, home grown produce is extremely rewarding.  Not everything will be a success, you will battle with slugs and snails, but don’t give up. Here is a list of top vegetables and fruits to grow in your allotment.

Top fruits and vegetables to grow in your allotment

Let’s start with vegetables:

  1. Courgettes: they are one of the easiest vegetables to grow in your allotment or garden and are the most bountiful. They like to spread out, so don’t forget to give them room to grow. They like lots of water a top tip is to pick them whilst they are small, this will encourage more to grow.
  2. Peas: Is there anything tastier than the sweetness of home grown peas? They like rich soil and will need watering regularly. Try not to leave it too long before visits to your allotment. Again, pick them whilst still relatively small, they’ll be much sweeter. Peas will need to be supported by cans as they grow, so have some at the ready.
  3. Leeks: These are one vegetable that slugs are not partial to, so you won’t have to be concerned about them eating away at your leeks. They grow easily. Seeds will need to be sown at home or in your greenhouse in spring, then transferred into your allotment when they are about 20cm in height. You’ll need a dibber to make deep enough even holes to plant them. If you can’t eat all your leeks after harvesting, wash them, chop them up and freeze them, ready for winter soups.
  4. Rocket: As the name implies, it grows fast once it’s established. Rocket goes great in all salads, burgers and wraps. It also makes pesto, think of all the delicious meals you could make with rocket. A great addition to your growing allotment.
  5. French Beans: These grow well in small spaces if you choose a dwarf variety. So if you have a small space in your allotment, fill it with green beans. Just a few plants will produce ample and reliable crop.

growing-vegentables-in-your-allotment

Now let’s talk about fruits you can grow in your allotment.

  1. Tomatoes: they are the obvious choice here. With so many varieties to grow, you can try a few to get a feel for which you love best. Tomatoes should be sown at home or in your green house in the spring. They like lots of light and to be watered regularly. You will need short bamboo canes to support the crop as it starts growing. Tomatoes aren’t just great in salads, they make delicious pasta sauces too.
  2. Fruit Trees: If you have the money to invest in a couple of fruit trees, you won’t be disappointed with growing your own apples (England’s national fruit) and a pear tree. Plant trees in a sunny spot.
  3. Strawberries: Not many people can resist a juicy sweet strawberry. They grow well in hanging baskets too, so don’t be afraid to get creative with where you plant them. Pick them as they ripen to encourage more growth. Strawberries like sunshine and well drained soil.
  4. Blackberries: Have you ever foraged for blackberries? It’s fun isn’t it. Now you can grow your own and bring your family to help pick your freshly grown fruit and veg. Blackberries will grow almost anywhere, need very little attention and will produce an abundant crop. Plant in early spring and cut back about 6 inches annually.
  5. Raspberries: Strawberries and raspberries are often firm favourites with children and they work well into puddings such as crumbles and Eaton mess with fresh cream. Raspberries have both spring and autumn varieties if you’d like to have berries through autumn. They grow best in raised beds or in containers. Raspberries, like strawberries, need sunshine and good drainage soil. Our top tip is to remove stems that have produced fruit already. The remaining stems will produce fruit next year. Raspberries are a pretty undemanding fruit and will produce an abundant amount of delicious berries for you and your family.

 

 

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