A lot to learn about growing food

Growing food in allotments is different to cultivating vegetables in your back garden, so how do you go about it, asks JANE POWERS

THIS YEAR WILL be the first time that many people take on an allotment. If you are one of those lucky new plot holders, you can look forward to the thrill of the first crops, the pride of proprietorship and the warmth of camaraderie.

Getting an allotment is like becoming a citizen of an excitingly different country. But there are frustrations too: the flushes of weeds that spring up between one visit and the next, the plants that disappear into the maws of pests, and the constant worrying about what’s happening while you are not there.

The frustrations can be lessened, though, if you go into this new enterprise in the right frame of mind. Michael Fox, chairman of the South Dublin Allotments Association, says: “I would suggest a certain tolerance, and a patient attitude to food growing. It’s not as simple as buying a bag of carrots or, indeed, as popping a seed into the ground. Food that you grow yourself needs a lot of looking after.”

It also involves a time commitment: “The more time you can put into it, the more food you produce,” he says.

So, if you have tolerance and time you’re part way there. Of the latter, you need about eight hours a week during the growing season, spread over two or three days.

Here are a few other suggestions to ease your way into the satisfying business of allotmenteering.

What to look for in a plot

In an ideal world your allotment will be sheltered from wind, have good light all day, and have fertile, easy-to-work soil. A fence or wall that faces south or west will allow you to ripen more tender crops, such as tomatoes.

You’ll need a nearby source of water, so you don’t have to hoick cans from the far side of the field. If there are rabbits around (and there often are), rabbit-proof fencing is a must. A secure location is important too, so that your crops aren’t stolen or vandalised.

Local authorities are probably not open to negotiating on terms or price but the owners of private allotment schemes may be, so there’s no harm in haggling.

Perhaps the most crucial thing to consider is the distance from your home. If the journey is longer than 15 minutes each way, you may be less inclined to visit. If you’re on foot, public transport, or on a bike, remember also that you have to ferry your tools back and forth (unless there is storage on site). And, during the harvest season, you’ll be bringing home all the good things you have grown.

Planning

Allotment growing is rather different from the kind of food cultivation that most of us carry on in our back gardens. With the latter, we can float in and out whenever we have a spare few minutes, picking a handful of herbs here and shooing away some aphids there. Minimal dedication is required to achieve some kind of cropping.

A productive allotment, on the other hand, requires organisation. Fox recommends making a plan of the plot on a sheet of graph paper before you do any digging or planting. Raised beds, he says (and I agree heartily), make the plot far more manageable, both physically and psychologically. “Make only as many as you can cope with in your first year. They should be a maximum of 4ft wide (120cm) and not too long.”

The beds allow you “to think in units”, so you can plan the amounts and types of crops, and it is easier to rotate them. The part of the plot that you are not using can be covered with weed control fabric or with thick, opaque plastic. This will suppress unwanted growth, and make ground preparation easier for next year.

First steps

If the plot is an old neglected one, the soil may be tired and lacking nutrients. A soil test kit, from any garden centre, will tell you the pH, and whether nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium (the three main elements) are lacking. Perennial weeds – couch grass, dandelion, dock and bindweed – should be dug out by hand. Do not use a rotovator, or you will chop up the roots and spread the problem all over your plot.

Add well-rotted manure or other organic material to give fertility to the soil. Invest in good quality tools: a well-balanced spade that suits your height and build, a hoe and a hand trowel. Buy nets to protect soft fruit crops and brassicas from birds. Slugs will devour young plants if they get a chance, so start collecting large plastic drinks bottles to make defensive collars.

Initial crops

Potatoes are a very effective first crop. “They clean the ground,” say the hoary old allotmenteers. In fact, the spuds do no hygiene work at all but you, the gardener, do – by removing weeds, roots and stones when you plant them and dig them up.

Perennial food crops, such as soft fruits, globe artichokes, asparagus, rhubarb and sea kale are less labour intensive than most vegetables, and are a good idea, if you have the room. Just make sure you prepare the soil well when planting and space them at the correct distances. If you’ve never grown food before, start with easy, trouble-free vegetables. These include parsnips, beetroot, chard, leeks, onion sets and broad beans.