News from the Allotments

We’re more than halfway through the year now and the allotments are bursting with life – buzzing with bees, ripe with promise, and rich with the rewards of patient planning and hard work.

Veg Whisperer, Tony Eakins, told us:

‘We have all been very busy on our plots tending the seedlings we planted out in the spring.  And what a spring we had with the sun shining and the heat beating down.  The seedlings thrived, especially as we were all watering on a regular, almost daily, basis as we had very little rain.  Water butts were soon running dry, so it was regular trips to the two taps on the site to fill watering cans.

‘All this hard work definitely paid dividends as all the plants are really thriving with most plot holders being able to harvest crops such as strawberries, Swiss chard, courgettes, kale, lettuce, early potatoes, blackcurrants, carrots, onions, raspberries and radishes.’

It’s already an incredible bounty but there’s still more to come, as Tony explains:

‘There are still plenty of vegetables yet to harvest including second early and main crop potatoes, celery, aubergines, celeriac (a first-time vegetable for me) swedes, turnips, purple sprouting broccoli and leeks.  In the fruit department, I have gooseberries, apples and hopefully some pears on my patio fruit trees.  I did get two cherries off my cherry trees (I am hoping for better next year).  One of our plot holders is, I am sure, expecting a crop of grapes from her grape vines, which is awesome.

‘As always nature holds a little back with many plants thriving due to our frequent watering, but the heat and dryness has caused some plants to bolt which significantly reduces what we can harvest, and in some cases, they set seed heads which we could just remove and ensure we give additional water to these plants.’

The village allotments have come a long way from the weed-filled patch of land they started life as and Tony says the plot-holders are happy that their hard work has paid off:

‘To say we are all very pleased is an understatement and it is really satisfying to see the fruits of our labours, given that for many of us it is only our second full year on the site.’

The clocks have sprung forward, and sunnier days are here, so as the plot holders down on the allotments leave behind the winter months what sort of work are they doing on the land now?

Tony Eakins says it’s been a hive of activity there, with some new people joining the allotments. He says the majority of plot holders have been finishing the winter tidy-up and working on their beds to get ready for spring planting. The beds have been weeded and enriched with some well-rotted manure.

‘In addition to the beds that will be planted out with a wide range of vegetables plus some flowers, many of the plot holders will have been checking on how the winter has treated our fruit trees and bushes.

‘Last year I planted 40+ raspberry canes and due to the very wet weather we had, I lost around 26, which was very frustrating to say the least. Luckily, I was donated around the same number that I lost, and l planted these in the late summer/ early autumn last year.’

Tony adds: ‘So far, all my fruit seems to be thriving which include my dwarf apple, pear, cherry trees, blueberries, red and blackberries, rhubarb and gooseberries. I have added an additional aspect to my allotment with a new flower bed to add some additional colour.

‘I’m sure that, like myself, most of the plot holders are sowing their seeds for the vegetables that they intend to grow this season. Many have also been getting their potatoes ready for planting in the ground or in potato bags.’

It’s certainly all systems go on the allotments now the warmer weather’s here. Our next seasonal update will be in the summer when we’ll find out what else has been planted and what’s been harvested ready to eat.

As work on the allotments was winding down a little for the winter season, Storm Darragh decided to wield his tempestuous power over the land which resulted in some damage to the plots.

There was also snow and ice in November, great for an early Christmas vibe, but maybe not so good for anything with roots.

So, how did the allotments fare under these meteorological assaults?

Here’s our Man with the Watering Can, Tony Eakins:

‘As the site is quite open, the plots do suffer from strong winds, and this was the case with Storm Darragh. Three greenhouses will need to be dismantled because of damage caused by the storm. Also, one of the sheds had its roof lifted off but that can just be refitted. Despite being vulnerable to winter storms because of its open location, there is an upside to this position in that we have awesome views!’

Storms aside, what else have the plot holders been up to since we last checked in?

Tony again:

‘All the hard work that we put in during the spring and summer came to fruition with really good harvests during the autumn months. The time is now upon us all to crack on and tidy up our plots and greenhouses so that we are ready to burst back into action for our spring planting.

‘I know a few of us have also taken advantage of having a greenhouse by planting some salad crops. The ones I planted are doing very well so I should be harvesting some of those to use during the Christmas festivities.’

There’s also a community spirit among some of the plot holders, in terms of helping the village bloom with colour. Tony explains:

‘As some of us are involved with the village planters we have also used the space available in our greenhouses to overwinter some plants that we can then reuse and share in a number of the planters next spring.’

Although harvest time is more-or-less over on the allotments now, work doesn’t stop. Tony says the winter months will still be quite busy:

‘There are plenty of jobs that we need to get on with over the next three months. The biggest one is to do with manure. Whether we are directly planting in the ground or planting in raised beds we will need to replenish all the nutrients that were used up from raising our crops, and good manure helps us to do that.

‘Many of us have also started off several plants, mainly onions, that can be planted in the late autumn. I’m happy that the onions are growing strongly, so I’m looking forward to a good early crop next year.’

Keeping fruit and vegetables healthy is an important part of maintaining a plot, but it can sometimes be a battle. This year has seen some ‘tater’ trouble.

‘A major task for all of us over the next few months will be to work out our planting rotation to ensure we not only get a good harvest of the crops we grow, but that we also keep plant diseases to a minimum.

‘I’ve tried again to grow some potatoes that would be ready for Christmas but again I’ve fallen foul of the dreaded potato blight, which is an airborne disease that attacks the foliage and rots the spuds. I’ll have to think about this for next year to see if there’s anything I can do to rid myself of this problem.’

Tony says he and his fellow plot holders will be keeping things ticking along and looking forward to seeing the first shoots of their labours issue forth at the turn of the next season.

‘As you can see although it is a less hectic time now, there are still a number of tasks that we need to get done so we are ready to burst into life in the spring.’

PRESS HERE for one of our favourite seasonal recipes, Warming Winter Onion Soup.

The allotment holders have enjoyed their first full year on the Eden Grange site, and what a turnaround it’s been. From an overgrown, weed-filled patch of land it’s now bursting with bountiful life including fully grown pumpkins and, would you believe, lemons! (it’s like a little corner of Sicily, right here in Cuddington).

Plot holder, Tony Eakins, says the last year has been a real learning curve for everyone. It’s been a case of finding out what works and what doesn’t in terms of planting and growing crops - experiencing many successes but accepting some failures along the way.

And of course, there’s the unpredictable British weather to deal with.

So, how have the last few months been down on the allotments?

Here’s Tony with our seasonal update:

‘The summer months have seen a real explosion of growth on each plot, with the odd run of warm sunny days contributing to that.

‘Harvesting the fruits of our hard work has been not only very rewarding but also enjoyable. There was a vast array of produce grown by the plot holders which included the staples such as potatoes, tomatoes, peas, radishes, artichokes and various lettuces and other salad items, with some alternatives including chillies and sweet potatoes.

‘As the autumn months are upon us, we can continue to harvest some crops such as leeks and broccoli. Some plot holders even have huge pumpkins to pick, which will be great for Halloween.’

There’s still work to be done on the plots beyond the autumn months. The ground can still yield goodies in wintertime, as Tony explains:

‘Yes, Christmas potatoes have been planted and I’ll also see if I can have any success with winter lettuce.

‘Many of us are also starting to clear our plots to get them ready for next year and will be looking individually at what we thought went well and how we can overcome any disasters.

‘I’m sure I’ll be looking to give my plants a head start next year by growing on a little longer so that I don’t provide ready meals for the slugs and snails.

‘One final note, I have seen a real community grow and develop in our group and that has been just as pleasing as harvesting the crops.’

There’s been quite a transformation down at the allotments on the Eden Grange estate.  Last time in Peas and Quiet, plot holder Tony Eakins described how they had quite a task on their hands ridding the site of weeds when they first moved on.  Now, the plots are all laid out, with greenhouses and sheds in situ and the fruits of the plot holders’ labours in evidence.

We caught up with Tony again to find out what’s been happening over the last three or four months; what challenges they’ve faced, and victories they’ve celebrated.

‘Firstly,’ Tony explained, ‘we’ve welcomed a few new members who’ve taken over plots and they’re getting stuck into sorting those out ready for their spring planting.

We all came out of the winter with renewed vigour to get going on our plots ready for the growing season ahead.  Alas, the weather was not on our side as it was really cold and wet, resulting in us all being delayed.  Greenhouses and windowsills were at a premium in order to get our seeds started so we could be ahead of the game and ready to spring into action and get plants into our prepared beds.  This activity proved invaluable as we had what we thought were relatively mature plants helping to make up for the setbacks caused by the weather.

We then got a break, and we had some beautiful sunny warm days, and the allotment site became a hive of activity.’

Tony added: ‘Planting commenced in earnest - tomatoes, cucumber, peas, beans, potatoes, maize, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and various salads being the main crops.Having overcome the weather, we were then confronted with new foes - slugs and snails.  They may only be small, but they did cause a lot of damage with many plants being devoured.

A valuable lesson was learned in that we need to let our plants grow a bit more before planting so that they can withstand the ravages of the slugs and snails. Heads were put together to see what we could do to fend off these plant-munching pests. Beer traps, lava chips, and wood chips have been tried on a number of plots. From my perspective, beer traps seem to provide the best results. I never thought I would be buying beer for myself as well as slugs and snails!’

Laura Booker is a fellow plot holder, who’s had an allotment on the site for a year. Like Tony, she says the wet weather and slug damage to plants has been a challenge, but she’s starting to see some good results on her plot and in the greenhouse, where she counts melons among the crops she’s raising.

Both Laura and Tony agree that it’s become a real community on the allotments where everyone works together to help each other out and share ideas.

And the work doesn’t stop. Here’s Tony again: ‘Planting of crops will continue throughout the next few months to ensure we have a constant succession of crop harvests during the next few weeks and throughout the summer and autumn.’

Cuddington and Sandiway has enjoyed some steady growth since last summer, at grass roots level. Well, soil level, to be more precise. 

Tony Eakins is one of the allotment plot holders and he explained how the site’s developed since it opened.

‘When the site was handed over the plots were covered in weeds. It looked like a prairie scene from a Western film! We had to decide how best to tackle it, whether to put down allowable weedkiller, run a strimmer over it, or get stuck in and just weed the whole plot.

I decided to do a full weeding, which was backbreaking work, but would at least remove a lot of the perennial weeds. I followed up by rotavating, then like other plot holders, I covered the area with weed suppression membrane. 

 It took a few weeks to complete, and I can recommend using a rotavator for an excellent work out.'

Tony adds it would not be an understatement to say that all the plot holders were complete allotment novices, and when they got talking, they all seemed to have acquired the same allotment book (their ‘bible’) to get them started on their journey.

‘Planning the plot was the next job that we all had to get to grips with and for many it was also a chance to decide where we would like our seating area so we could take advantage of the spectacular view that the site offered. A place to have a glass of wine or a beer after a hard day in the plot.

Having decided where we would put our sheds and greenhouses we could plan where to plant fruit trees and bushes, and whether to go down the raised bed route for crops or plant directly into the ground. I opted for raised beds for ease of cultivations, while others chose a combination of both.’

Tony continues: ‘As we only got access to the site on 17th June ’23 the main aim for many was to get the plot ready for a full growing season in 2024.  This, however, did not stop a few of us getting stuck in and we enjoyed a variety of produce in that first year - potatoes, strawberries, radishes, lettuce, runner beans, peas, kale, plus a smattering of flowers.'

Like most things in life, it’s not all been plain sailing. The plot holders have had their challenges. Not least, the British weather.

‘We did have our disasters along the way with the very strong winds causing us the biggest headaches,’ Tony says. ‘Three greenhouses were badly damaged including my own which had panels blow out, the door blown off, and the frame was also bowed on one side. Two sheds were also blown over which was a complete shock, and another was badly damaged. But as a group we have, and always will, rally round to overcome these setbacks.

34 plot holders were randomly thrown together, but it has not taken us very long to form a strong sense of community spirit, helping and supporting each other.’