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Category: Allotment Diary

Sowing the right seeds

Published on Mar 18, 2017Jun 21, 2017 by Richard Chivers10 Comments

For the first time since I began growing my own, I’ve kept the promise to myself to have patience when sowing the first seeds. Continue reading “Sowing the right seeds” →

Categories Allotment Diary•Tags Allotment, Allotment Diary, seeds, sowing, Spring

Happy New Year – Allotment reflections and plans for the new season

Published on Jan 3, 2017Mar 26, 2017 by Richard Chivers10 Comments

Happy New Year!

January has arrived and I’m excited. It might be the middle of winter, but New Year always makes me feel rejuvenated. Continue reading “Happy New Year – Allotment reflections and plans for the new season” →

Categories Allotment Diary•Tags Allotment, GYO, New year

I'm Richard and I'm passionate about growing fruit and vegetables on our family allotment garden. Sharpen your Spades is a blog to inspire anyone to pull on their wellies and join in the movement to grow their own.

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(Gifted) - Just over a week ago, I sowed my first chilli and pepper seeds. Many of them are poking their little heads above the soil 🙆‍♂️🌱 I've held off sowing mine just a little longer than some others for two reasons. Firstly, in my house, the windowsill light isn't the best. It's much better that I wait until the late stages of winter to get improved levels of daylight, otherwise I'm struggling with leggy seedlings. Secondly, although chillies and peppers need a long growing season, I see it as a balancing act. If I get the plants going too soon, I then have to accommodate them as they grow bigger while still having to be concerned about the temperatures outside in the greenhouse. So I wait. This year I've managed to get them off to a great start and I'm grateful to the lovely bods at @earlygrowgardening who asked me to try one of their heated propagators 🌱 They didn't ask me to promote them. But I really wanted to give a shout out to this young company up in Yorkshire who manufacture their products here in the UK. The one in the picture is their heated 3-Bay windowsill propagator and capillary Matt. I've just noticed they are offering a 10% discount code over in their Insta profile too 👀 . . . . . #gifted #propagator #growyourown #alloment #allotmentlife #growyourown #growyourownfood #grownfromseed

Was it just me or did anyone else feel duped into thinking it was spring yesterday? I had intentions of heading to the allotment again to carry on clearing the unloved section and creating more grow space. Instead, I sat happily in the warm sunshine, listening to the birds and sowing some seeds 🌞🐦 More sweet peas sown but even more exciting is the first beetroot. 'Boltardy' is a firm, trusty and hardy favourite. I always get a great crop. Although, as a big beet fan, there are such wonderful varieties of beetroot available when you grow your own. This year I'm sowing multiple seeds in each module. I first became aware of this method from @charles_dowding and the from what I've seen, the results are fantastic. I know this is also approach recommended by Joy Larkcom in her veg growing books too. I love the efficiency of this. No thining required. Ive sown 4 or 5 seeds in each module to get started. When the time comes to plant out, the cluster of seedlings in each module will be planted out in the bed in their little clumps. I managed to get my first crop of boltardy beetroot at the end of May last year with a sowing in late February. My plan is to utilise some of what will be the pumpkin bed with these beets which means I should get a crop before planting out the pumpkins in June 🙆‍♂️🌱 . . . . . #growyourown #alloment #allotmentlife #growyourown #growyourownfood #veggiepatch #organicgardening #allotmentgarden #sowingseeds #gardenblogger #greenthumb #gardenchat #gardenersofinstagram #gardenersofig #urbangardening #gardenlovers #gardeninginspiration #instagardeners

Ok the final forgotten Swedes really have had it now. I'm clearing the last of these and the chard from the bed and at least they can go on the compost pile which is a worthy end when they can't quite make it to the kitchen table! All the existing beds are now ready to host the new seeds and plants for this year 🙆‍♂️ Which is great as I can spend the rest of my time clearing the final 30 square feet of the plot and building even more beds and growing areas. Oh, and sowing all the seeds too 😊 . . . . . #allotment #Februarygarden #mymonthontheplot #vegetablegarden #kitchengarden #sustainable #thehappygardeninglife #allotmentlife #allotmentuk #growyourownfood #organicgardening #potager #thegoodlife #gardenblogger #allotmentgarden #gardensofig

Aww it's not much to look at but I do have some sentimental attachment to my wheelbarrow. It didn't cost me much but it's stood by me over the years. It has a little hole in it now. Where I've shoved a spade in it. It's carried compost and woodchips around the plot today. I even like the way the wheel squeaks when it travels. I hum a little tune along with it. God I'm weird.

Happy Saturday! First thing for me to do (after my third cup of tea..) is to sow some more broad beans. You might recall there was a bit of disaster with the ones I sowed last November. The little green things looked so good on the allotment bed right up until a hungry friend ate the beans. Well, I still want a crop and it's another opportunity to get them sown for a harvest in June. Thankfully, @lovewilko had the variety I wanted for the princely sum of a quid 🙆‍♂️ I also picked up a couple of their fibre pots. These will be ideal as I look to find plastic alternatives in the garden and I love that the pot and plant can go right into the ground together when it comes to planting out! 🌱 Right, the weather looks great. Dare I say almost spring like 🤫 I'm heading down the allotment for a bit of gardening therapy. Enjoy your weekend!! . . . . . #allotmentlove #allotmentgarden #urbangardening #februarygarden #gardenactivist #gardenblogger #grownfromseed #broadbeans #allotments #growyourown #kitchengarden #sustainable

Another #throwbackthursday - Blinkin eck! Today I recall this moment back in October. Sitting down with a mug of tea (honest!) reflecting on the year gone by and using the reflections to plan this year's allotment goals. The plans have now started being put into action. There's already been a disaster with my broad beans but hell, it's fine Chillies and tomatoes are being sown. I'll re sow the broad beans this week too. Also, the beds are ready to go. Thanks to #nodig it was the easiest part of the process. I've even started making good progress on the uncultivated section if the allotment. So polytunnel next. More beds to build. And a shed. Plans are great 😁 How's your allotment plans shaping up? . . . . . #journalinspiration #growyourown #alloment #allotmentlife #growyourown #tbt #growyourownfood #homegrown #veggiepatch #organicgardening #allotmentgarden #allotmentuk #gardenblogger #greenthumb #gardenchat #gardenersofinstagram #homesteading #urbangardening #gardenlovers #growsomethinggreen #gardensofig #lovegardening

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