The Allotment Year 2020
These two allotment plots have been cultivated by the same family for near on 50 years. Cultivations continue in the traditional allotment style using the three-year crop rotation system.
The Plot in December
(see previous pages for details of earlier sowing/planting dates and varieties during 2020)
LEFT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops—main crop carrot bed – well rotted compost added and bed deeply forked over.
* Cultivated area from top – parsnip ‘Gladiator’ now being harvested.
* 2020 potato plot now dug over ready for 2021 peas and beans.
* Rows of leeks ‘Neptune’ now being harvested. Environmental mess removed – very successful in preventing allium (onion) leaf miner.
* Brassica plot with winter Savoy and January Kings now being harvested. This area will be planted with potatoes in 2021.
* From white marker to bottom – onion bed – dug over incorporating well rotted manure/compost. Garlic can be seen just emerging planted 30th October
RIGHT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops– early crop carrot bed – well rotted compost added and bed deeply forked over.
* Remaining area winter digging and soil preparation completed in readiness for 2021.
* Top to first marker – sweetcorn/gladioli (dug incorporating well rotted compost)
* To next markers brassica plot (only lightly forked over).
* To bottom area dug over incorporating compost/manure. Dahlias/salad and other miscellaneous crops.
Seasons greetings and good growing in 2021.
John Palmer
The Plot End of September
(see below for details of earlier sowing/planting dates and varieties)
LEFT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops—main crop carrot bed ‘Chantenay red cored’ – now being harvested.
* Cultivated area from top – parsnip ‘Gladiator’ growing well.
* All potatoes now lifted, washed, dried and bagged in store.
* 5 rows of leeks ‘Neptune’ planted 9 June. Covered with environmental mess in an attempt to prevent allium (onion) leaf miner.
* Brassica plot with winter Savoy and January Kings now remaining.
* From white marker to bottom – onion bed – all now harvested and in storage.
RIGHT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Beetroot ‘Boltardy’ and last crop of mixed lettuce still being harvested.
* Dahlias – flowers now being cut until first severe frosts.
* Below marker – Chard being harvested.
* Runner beans (bottom right out of picture) still being harvested.
Plot being prepared for winter digging and soil preparation for 2021.
* Onion bed will be manured and dug.
* Potato area will be dug—legumes (peas/beans) in next year.
* Brassica area will remain uncultivated till March 2021 for potato planting.
* Sweetcorn, gladioli and salad area manured and dug ready for 2021.
* Legume area forked over lightly for brassica crops next year.
John Palmer
The Plot Mid August
(see below for details of earlier sowing/planting dates and varieties)
LEFT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops—main crop carrot bed sown 4 June- ‘Chantenay red cored’ – now growing well.
* Cultivated area from top – parsnip ‘Gladiator’ growing well.
*Potatoes first early ‘Lady Christl’ all harvested. Second Early Oral now lifted and in store. Main crop Markies tops cut back to 12” – early signs of possible blight, cutting back tops prevents spread to tubers.
*5 rows of leeks ‘Neptune’ planted 9 June. Now covered with environmental mess in an attempt to prevent allium (onion) leaf miner.
* Brassica plot a few summer cabbage remain along with winter Savoy and January Kings.
*From white marker to bottom – onion bed – all now harvested and drying in coldframe ready for storage.
RIGHT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops – early carrots all now harvested.
*To line of canes – Gladioli all now cut and sweetcorn recent cold and winds delaying harvest.
*Beetroot ‘Boltardy’ and spring onion ‘Guardsman’ now being harvested along with lettuce.
*Legume area now cleared of all crops – last Lettuce planted 13th August.
* Dahlias – flowers now being cut.
* Below marker – Chard being harvested.
* All courgettes now removed.
*Runner beans (bottom right out of picture) now being harvested.
John Palmer
The Plot Mid July
(see below for details of earlier sowing/planting dates and varieties)
LEFT HAND SIDE – TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops (hidden behind potatoes) main crop carrot bed sown 4 June- ‘Chantenay red cored’ – now growing well.
* Cultivated area from top – parsnip ‘Gladiator’ growing well.
*Potatoes now harvesting first early ‘Lady Christl’.
*5 rows of leeks ‘Neptune’ planted 9 June. Now covered with environmental mess in an attempt to prevent allium (onion) leaf miner.
* Brassica plot now harvesting. Broccoli, cauliflowers, early cabbage.
*From white marker to bottom – onion bed – sets growing well.
RIGHT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops – early carrots now being harvested.
* To line of canes – Gladioli (for cut flower) and sweetcorn. Beetroot ‘Boltardy’ and spring onion ‘Guardsman’ now being harvested along with lettuce.
* Legume area (bird scarers) Now harvesting French bean ‘Prince’. Peas and broad bean all harvested and plants removed to compost heap.
* Dahlias flowers now being cut.
* Below marker – Chard being harvested.
*Courgette being harvested, unfortunately affected by virus.
*Runner beans – picture on right.
John Palmer.
The Plot Mid June
What a difference 4 weeks on!
(see previous months below for details of earlier sowing/planting dates and varieties)
LEFT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops—main crop carrot bed sown 4 June- ‘Chantenay red cored’ – now germinated.
* Cultivated area from top – parsnip ‘Gladiator’ growing well.
*Potatoes now fully recovered from May frosts –has delayed first harvest.
*5 rows of leeks ‘Neptune’ planted 9 June in dibber holes 6 inch deep plants box grown in cold frame topped and tailed before planting. Just watered in holes no backfill.
* Brassica plot Winter crop now planted 18 June 1 x row ‘Marabel’ (January king style) and 2 x rows ‘Tundra’ (savoy type). Earlier planted summer crop growing well.
*From white marker to bottom – onion bed – sets growing well.
RIGHT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops covered with environmental mesh – this prevents carrot fly – early carrots all growing well.
* To line of canes – Gladioli (for cut flower). Other half width of plot sweetcorn planted 9 June ’Lark’. Germinated in heated propagator than plugs in cold frame. Further row beetroot ‘Boltardy’ and spring onion ‘Guardsman’ sown 4 June now germinated. White turnip now being harvested as well as lettuce.
* Legume area (bird scarers) Broad bean badly affected with black fly will affect cropping. Double row french bean ‘Prince’ growing well. 2 rows pea growing well. 4 rows of bean ‘Maxi’ sown 4 June now germinated.
* Dahlias planted 26 May for cut flower (bought in rooted cutting and grown on in cold frame).
* Below marker – this years Chard growing well—last years now removed.
* Courgette ‘Zucchini’ planted 2 June – seed sown in heated propagator then cold frame
Runner beans bottom right out of picture now sown and germinated. To right at bottom are compost area and tool shed.
John Palmer
The Plot Mid May
LEFT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops—main crop carrot bed (not yet sown).
* Cultivated area from top – parsnip bed – 4 rows ‘Gladiator’ growing well.
*Potatoes planted (21 to 26 Mar). Had started to emerge, until recent frosts have caught plants and will delay progress, no new potatoes for Fathers Day this year! Application of ‘growmore’ applied.
* Brassica plot now covered with protective net to prevent bird and caterpillar damage. 1 x row of each – Broccoli ‘Marabel’ (grown in plugs cold frame) – ‘Greyhound’ (planted 28 Apr) – ‘Primo’ summer cabbages – 2 x rows Cauliflower ‘Snowball’ (planted 1 May) all direct sown in cold frame and trans-planted with dibber. Planted in trench to protect from wind and when hoed level allows extra root growth.
*From white marker to bottom – onion bed – sets growing well.
RIGHT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops covered with environmental mesh – this prevents carrot fly – early carrot – left hand half sown 22 Apr – ‘Early Nantes’. (Now germinated) Sown thinly no thinning required. Thin and eat as ‘baby carrots’.
* To line of canes – Gladioli (for cut flower) planted 15 May (4 weeks later than usual due to supply issues this year) – sweet corn, leeks, salad crops. 1 row beetroot half row spring onion sown 2 Apr. 1 row white turnip sown 8 Apr. All germinated and thinned.
* Legume area (bird scarers) to white marker. 2 rows of broad bean. 2 rows pea sown 15 Apr now germinated and supports in place. Double row french bean ‘Prince’ sown 1 May – between beans and peas.
* Area above marker stakes in place for Dahlia for cut flower.
* Below marker – this years Chard sown 22 Apr now germinated and thinned just above last years chard, still picking before it runs to seed.
Runner beans are grown bottom right out of picture. To right at bottom are compost area and tool shed.
John Palmer
The Plot in Early April
* Raised bed with hoops—main crop carrot bed (not yet sown).
The Plot End of September
(see below for details of earlier sowing/planting dates and varieties)LEFT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops—main crop carrot bed ‘Chantenay red cored’ – now being harvested.
* Cultivated area from top – parsnip ‘Gladiator’ growing well.
* All potatoes now lifted, washed, dried and bagged in store.
* 5 rows of leeks ‘Neptune’ planted 9 June. Covered with environmental mess in an attempt to prevent allium (onion) leaf miner.
* Brassica plot with winter Savoy and January Kings now remaining.
* From white marker to bottom – onion bed – all now harvested and in storage.
RIGHT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Beetroot ‘Boltardy’ and last crop of mixed lettuce still being harvested.
* Dahlias – flowers now being cut until first severe frosts.
* Below marker – Chard being harvested.
* Runner beans (bottom right out of picture) still being harvested.
Plot being prepared for winter digging and soil preparation for 2021.
* Onion bed will be manured and dug.
* Potato area will be dug—legumes (peas/beans) in next year.
* Brassica area will remain uncultivated till March 2021 for potato planting.
* Sweetcorn, gladioli and salad area manured and dug ready for 2021.
* Legume area forked over lightly for brassica crops next year.
John Palmer
The Plot Mid August
(see below for details of earlier sowing/planting dates and varieties)
LEFT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops—main crop carrot bed sown 4 June- ‘Chantenay red cored’ – now growing well.
* Cultivated area from top – parsnip ‘Gladiator’ growing well.
*Potatoes first early ‘Lady Christl’ all harvested. Second Early Oral now lifted and in store. Main crop Markies tops cut back to 12” – early signs of possible blight, cutting back tops prevents spread to tubers.
*5 rows of leeks ‘Neptune’ planted 9 June. Now covered with environmental mess in an attempt to prevent allium (onion) leaf miner.
* Brassica plot a few summer cabbage remain along with winter Savoy and January Kings.
*From white marker to bottom – onion bed – all now harvested and drying in coldframe ready for storage.
RIGHT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops – early carrots all now harvested.
*To line of canes – Gladioli all now cut and sweetcorn recent cold and winds delaying harvest.
*Beetroot ‘Boltardy’ and spring onion ‘Guardsman’ now being harvested along with lettuce.
*Legume area now cleared of all crops – last Lettuce planted 13th August.
* Dahlias – flowers now being cut.
* Below marker – Chard being harvested.
* All courgettes now removed.
*Runner beans (bottom right out of picture) now being harvested.
John Palmer
The Plot Mid July
(see below for details of earlier sowing/planting dates and varieties)
LEFT HAND SIDE – TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops (hidden behind potatoes) main crop carrot bed sown 4 June- ‘Chantenay red cored’ – now growing well.
* Cultivated area from top – parsnip ‘Gladiator’ growing well.
*Potatoes now harvesting first early ‘Lady Christl’.
*5 rows of leeks ‘Neptune’ planted 9 June. Now covered with environmental mess in an attempt to prevent allium (onion) leaf miner.
* Brassica plot now harvesting. Broccoli, cauliflowers, early cabbage.
*From white marker to bottom – onion bed – sets growing well.
RIGHT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops – early carrots now being harvested.
* To line of canes – Gladioli (for cut flower) and sweetcorn. Beetroot ‘Boltardy’ and spring onion ‘Guardsman’ now being harvested along with lettuce.
* Legume area (bird scarers) Now harvesting French bean ‘Prince’. Peas and broad bean all harvested and plants removed to compost heap.
* Dahlias flowers now being cut.
* Below marker – Chard being harvested.
*Courgette being harvested, unfortunately affected by virus.
*Runner beans – picture on right.
John Palmer.
The Plot Mid June
What a difference 4 weeks on!
(see previous months below for details of earlier sowing/planting dates and varieties)
LEFT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops—main crop carrot bed sown 4 June- ‘Chantenay red cored’ – now germinated.
* Cultivated area from top – parsnip ‘Gladiator’ growing well.
*Potatoes now fully recovered from May frosts –has delayed first harvest.
*5 rows of leeks ‘Neptune’ planted 9 June in dibber holes 6 inch deep plants box grown in cold frame topped and tailed before planting. Just watered in holes no backfill.
* Brassica plot Winter crop now planted 18 June 1 x row ‘Marabel’ (January king style) and 2 x rows ‘Tundra’ (savoy type). Earlier planted summer crop growing well.
*From white marker to bottom – onion bed – sets growing well.
RIGHT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops covered with environmental mesh – this prevents carrot fly – early carrots all growing well.
* To line of canes – Gladioli (for cut flower). Other half width of plot sweetcorn planted 9 June ’Lark’. Germinated in heated propagator than plugs in cold frame. Further row beetroot ‘Boltardy’ and spring onion ‘Guardsman’ sown 4 June now germinated. White turnip now being harvested as well as lettuce.
* Legume area (bird scarers) Broad bean badly affected with black fly will affect cropping. Double row french bean ‘Prince’ growing well. 2 rows pea growing well. 4 rows of bean ‘Maxi’ sown 4 June now germinated.
* Dahlias planted 26 May for cut flower (bought in rooted cutting and grown on in cold frame).
* Below marker – this years Chard growing well—last years now removed.
* Courgette ‘Zucchini’ planted 2 June – seed sown in heated propagator then cold frame
Runner beans bottom right out of picture now sown and germinated. To right at bottom are compost area and tool shed.
John Palmer
The Plot Mid May
LEFT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops—main crop carrot bed (not yet sown).
* Cultivated area from top – parsnip bed – 4 rows ‘Gladiator’ growing well.
*Potatoes planted (21 to 26 Mar). Had started to emerge, until recent frosts have caught plants and will delay progress, no new potatoes for Fathers Day this year! Application of ‘growmore’ applied.
* Brassica plot now covered with protective net to prevent bird and caterpillar damage. 1 x row of each – Broccoli ‘Marabel’ (grown in plugs cold frame) – ‘Greyhound’ (planted 28 Apr) – ‘Primo’ summer cabbages – 2 x rows Cauliflower ‘Snowball’ (planted 1 May) all direct sown in cold frame and trans-planted with dibber. Planted in trench to protect from wind and when hoed level allows extra root growth.
*From white marker to bottom – onion bed – sets growing well.
RIGHT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops covered with environmental mesh – this prevents carrot fly – early carrot – left hand half sown 22 Apr – ‘Early Nantes’. (Now germinated) Sown thinly no thinning required. Thin and eat as ‘baby carrots’.
* To line of canes – Gladioli (for cut flower) planted 15 May (4 weeks later than usual due to supply issues this year) – sweet corn, leeks, salad crops. 1 row beetroot half row spring onion sown 2 Apr. 1 row white turnip sown 8 Apr. All germinated and thinned.
* Legume area (bird scarers) to white marker. 2 rows of broad bean. 2 rows pea sown 15 Apr now germinated and supports in place. Double row french bean ‘Prince’ sown 1 May – between beans and peas.
* Area above marker stakes in place for Dahlia for cut flower.
* Below marker – this years Chard sown 22 Apr now germinated and thinned just above last years chard, still picking before it runs to seed.
Runner beans are grown bottom right out of picture. To right at bottom are compost area and tool shed.
John Palmer
The Plot in Early April
* Raised bed with hoops—main crop carrot bed (not yet sown).
The Plot in Early March
These two allotment plots have been cultivated by the same family for near on 50 years. Cultivations continue in the traditional allotment style using the three-year crop rotation system. This is basically Potato, well manured at time of planting, re-dug after lifting in autumn/winter. Following year area is used for legumes peas beans etc. Following cropping area lightly forked during autumn/winter to prepare a firm bed for following seasons planting with brassica cabbage crop. As winter cabbage, sprouts and such stand well into winter this area is then planted again next season with potatoes and there is the three-year crop rotation cycle. This uses fertility to the maximum and assists in disease control. See below specific areas detailed that don’t fall into the rotation programme. Hopefully, further updates will be posted as the year progresses.
LEFT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops—main crop carrot bed
* Just above annual weed covered area—parsnip bed (sown mid-March)
* Annual weed covered area—potato patch (manure ready for digging in at time of planting (late March early April)
* From manure—last years legume s (peas/beans) this years brassica plot (cabbage/sprouts /cauliflower)
* From white marker to bottom – onion bed (sets to be planted late March)
RIGHT HAND SIDE TOP TO BOTTOM
* Raised bed with hoops—early carrot (sown mid March)
* To line of canes—sweet corn, leeks, salad crops including beetroot.
* From canes to lower marker—legume area (peas/bens). Previous seasons potato patch.
* Below marker – chard/ other salad and courgettes.
Runner beans are grown bottom right out of picture. To right at bottom are compost area and tool shed.
John Palmer