After a fairly changeable, wet and blustery week, I was happy to wake up to a still blustery yet considerably brighter Saturday. I was especially excited upon waking up because it meant only one thing: allotment day!! After the clocks go forward this weekend I’ll have time to nip down after work before it gets dark, but I was really looking forward to going there today because – wait for it – today was the day to START ACTUALLY PLANTING STUFF!! 😀

A few weeks ago I bought two types of salad potatoes from the allotment trading  hut: Charlottes and International Kidneys. The latter are like Jersey Royals but can’t be named that, as they’re not from Jersey. Kind of like sparking wine & Champagne (which isn’t from Jersey either).  The tatties have been sunning themselves on my windowsill, happily chitting away (i.e. sprouting. This, like all things allotment was new to me).  So after a good while chitting (I like my new word) it was time for them to up sticks (and chits) to their new home in the allotment. After a quick dig over of the bed, I created two 6″ trenches and planted the spuds. 

I hope I’ve planted them correctly, but who knows. I’ll soon find out!

Next up: onions! When I bought the potatoes I also bought a mix of red &  brown onions. After consulting my allotment expert (Nicky) on whether I should have been sunning them in seed trays before planting, happily I was advised I could just stick them straight in the ground. Hurrah!

I planted about 5 rows in all, and lovingly covered them with soil along with some good wishes and hopes that I’d planted them the right way up. 

Next up was garlic. I stuck a good number in a freshly dug raised bed and then sat back on my bench in the sun to admire my handiwork. It was such a glorious morning that I sat for a good while soaking up the sun and being glad to have the allotment to spend time in. I’ve already decided that even if nothing grows, I absolutely love pottering about, digging up weeds, endless bramble roots and just being outside in the fresh air 😊. That said, if all else fails I’ll still get some rhubarb and by the looks of things, raspberries, neither of which I actually planted. 

All I need to do now is stop myself from a) staring at the soil willing things to grow, or b) slightly digging everything up to check it’s okay.  Mind you, if the rate at which the weeds grow is any indication, I should manage to grow something, hopefully not just more weeds. With 2.5 beds left to plant, there’s still plenty to do, not least clear the old tomato bed, and the surrounding makeshift fence. 

At least recent winds knocked a quarter of it down, so that helps. 

Anyway, another happy stint at the allotment done, it must be time for tea. 😊