Family Allotment

We gardened our family allotment for 8 years, growing fruit. veg and cut flowers.

We started with a half plot - which was quite enough to manage until we had spent a few years improving the soil, building beds, paths and compost bins. Then we were tempted by a neighbouring half plot which was full of fruit bushes to which we added herbs and beds for cut flowers. We used raised beds and an (almost) no dig system, adding a a layer of homemade compost, manure or leaf mould every winter. This is an ideal approach if, like us, you have limited time available, as it reduces digging and weeding, as well as contributing to a health soil ecosystem.

Fruit was our favourite thing to grow - apples, plums and pears, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, gooseberries and (best of all) blackcurrants. Organic, homegrown fruit is great for children to pick and eat, expensive in the shops and forgiving if you neglect it for while. When it comes to veg, again, we went for those seasonal treats that are best eaten super-fresh or are expensive to buy. Home grown asparagus, broad beans, cherry tomatoes and baby cucumbers are hard to beat.

Once established I worked our allotment for 2-3 hours week, with extra visits for watering in hot weather. It did take quite a few extra days in the first few years for us to clear the site, build beds and improve the soil but it was a worthwhile investment and we reaped the rewards.

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