Allotment update – 22/9/2024 – garden ruminations

The area between my new tunnel and the end of the plot has largely been abandoned to nettles for the last four years or more. Now that I’m giving up my second plot, I cannot afford to have such wasted space so I had to grasp the nettle, absolutely literally, and bring it back into use.

On the 11th September it looked like this. The row of plants by the tunnel are from the other plot, awaiting a decision on their fate. The trays are providing somewhere for slugs to hide, a ploy some of them were stupid enough to fall for.

By 18th September it looked like this. I have worked over an area of 20+ m² and dug out 10 sacks full of nettle roots. They go to the council recycling centre. A row each of spinach and beetroot gets planted at the top, then three rows of elephant garlic bulbs; the rest gets mulched with shreddings of various stuff. It is likely to get planted with strawberries.

By 22nd September the Phacelia/Buckwheat/Ryegrass mix I’d sowed on the 12th looks like this. I’m hoping for a lot more growth before it shuts down for winter.

Inside the tunnel there is good growth from radishes and mizuna, less from mustard and rocket. Lettuce continues to grow, even though it was not a winter or all year variety. I have planted spring cabbage in the centre bed.

The tunnel that I’m leaving behind on the other plot looks like this. Tomatoes nearly done, a Dahlia to be dug up, various pots still to be moved. Outside there are four or five Camellias to lift and move. They are getting just the sort of watering from the deluge outside right now that they need to be movable.

That’s where I am just now with my allotment gardening, very much looking forward to downsizing from two plots to one. I’m about to place a seed order for 2025 and will need to be realistic about what I have room for. I’m not going to have space to store/dump/nurse back to health very many waifs and strays from the garden either.

9 thoughts on “Allotment update – 22/9/2024”

Looks like a great plot.

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Looks like there’s been a lot of progress on the allotment! Very beautiful transformation from nettles to planting space, and the Phacelia/Buckwheat/Ryegrass mix is coming along nicely. Downsizing to one plot sounds like a good move, and it’ll be exciting to see what the 2025 season brings!

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I’ve just found your blog and I’m very impressed! I know I can learn a lot from you so look forward to seeing your progress.

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Idiot slugs falling for an obvious trap! You’ve done a lot of work, especially digging up 10 bags of nettles. You are set up for a good amount of veg, wonderful!

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