When you’ve got a gardener in your life there’s always something you can buy them for their birthday or Christmas. Whether it’s a few packs of seeds or something more shiny like these spades.
A new spade needs to be the right height and handle type. So discuss with them the merits of spade handles but make sure you don’t get mixed up and discuss fork handles else you might have a very different conversation.
A brand new shiny spade would make a great gift. Just put a bow on it and present it on the special day!

Dobbies Select Stainless Steel Border Spade £18.00
The Select range of tools offers exceptional quality and traditional style. Inspired by over 140 years of horticultural expertise and crafted from the finest Ash and stainless steel, they are sure to bring you a lifetime of gardening pleasure.. Head Material: Stainless steel. Head Size: Length: 450mm-470mm, Max Width: 140mm. Shaft Material: Ash Wood. Shaft Size: Length: 445mm-485mm.

Dobbies Select Stainless Steel Digging Spade £18.00
The Select range of tools offers exceptional quality and traditional style. Inspired by over 140 years of horticultural expertise and crafted from the finest Ash and stainless steel, they are sure to bring you a lifetime of gardening pleasure.. Head Material: Stainless steel. Head Size: Length: 570mm-595mm, Max Width: 180mm. Shaft Material: Ash Wood. Shaft Size: Length: 460mm-480mm.

Dobbies Essentials Stainless Steel Border Spade £15.00
Head Material: Stainless steel. Head Size: Length: 430mm-470mm, Max Width: 140mm. Shaft Material: Fiberglass with PP. Shaft Size: Length: 430mm-470mm. Our classic range of quality gardening essentials has everything you need to make the most of your garden. Dobbies, gardeners since 1865.

Dobbies Essentials Stainless Steel Digging Spade £15.00
Our classic range of quality gardening essentials has everything you need to make the most of your garden.. Head Material: Stainless steel. Head Size: Length: 570mm-595mm, Max Width: 180mm. Shaft Material: Oak Wood. Shaft Size: Length: 460mm-480mm. Our classic range of quality gardening essentials has everything you need to make the most of your garden. Dobbies, gardeners since 1865.

Yeoman Ladies Light Choice Border Spade £14.99
Yeoman Light Choice. At last – a range of Premium garden tools designed exclusively for female gardeners. Yeoman Light Choice tools are up to 20% lighter than standard Yeoman tools, and their ergonomic designs have been developed for maximum comfort and ease of use. – Carbon steel border spade – Up to 20% lighter than standard Yeoman range – Lightweight yet strong fibreglass shaft – Ergonomic, soft grip handle – Ideal for digging in beds and borders

If you’ve made all the jam you think you’ll need for the next few years and still have a freezer full of fruit then it’s time to think wine!

Winemaking equipment online have an amazing array of items at Amazon. There are several homebrew shops at Amazon – Balliihoo Homebrew – has a great selection of equipment and ingredients like yeast, camdem tablets etc.

For most recipes you’ll need: a bucket, some sterilising tablets, a demijohn or two, bungs with airlocks, yeast, and some tubing.
There are tons of recipes about. If you don’t want to buy glass demijohns then you can use those big water bottles.
You can often pick up homebrewing equipment at carboots. I bought mine at one and for £5 got a huge amount of equipment including 7 demijohns, 2 beer buckets, and a big bag of equipment. It’s well worth having a look on carboots.

I’ve got some raspberry wine on the go, some mint wine and will be making some blackcurrant wine next!

Once I have honey from my bees next year I will be making mead! Compleat Meadmaker: Home Production of Honey Wine from Your First Batch to Award-Winning Fruit and Herb Variations

Home brew books

Do you have to dig them all in? Some you plant in the autumn and will grow until the frosts get then, some will overwinter and need digging in. But what if you don’t want to have to do any digging?

You could probably cover them with something (think this plastic sheet, weed fabric or carpet) to kill them off and provide the worm happy environment to drag them into the soil.
Why not try a small patch that you can guarantee covering in the spring for a few weeks ad then if it’s successful try more next year.

I have just read something about how deep annual rye grass roots go – this is what you probably want to help break down the soil instead of digging.

James Wong’s homegrown revolution features some interesting seeds.
Why not grow something unusual?
There’s a book that goes with this series too!

Asparagus Pea Seeds £1.85

Borage Seeds £1.85

Inca Berries Seeds £1.85

Chinese Chives Seeds £1.85

Nasturtium Gem Mix Seeds £1.85

Chop Suey Greens Seeds £1.85

Squash Flower Seeds £1.85

Cucamelon Seeds £1.85

Radish Mooli Seeds £1.85

Goji Berries Seeds £1.85

Musk Melon F1 Emir Seeds £1.85

Purslane Seeds £1.85

Quinoa Seeds £1.85

Popcorn Fiesta Seeds £1.85

Wild White Strawberry Seeds £1.85

Tomatillo Seeds £1.85

Anise Herb (Anise Hyssop) Seeds £1.85

Microgreen Herbs Seeds £1.85

Radish Rats Tails Seeds £1.85

Salsify Seeds £1.85

Callaloo Seeds £1.85

Dahlia ‘Yams’ Seeds £1.85

Eucalyptus Lemon Bush Seeds £1.85

Japanese Beefsteak Plant Seeds £1.85

Electric Daisies Seeds £1.85

Bergamot Seeds £1.85

Wintergreen Seeds £1.85

Queensland Arrowroot Seeds £1.85

The James Wong’s Homegrown Revolution pack will include Hardcover book of Homegrown Revolution plus one packet each of the following seed varieties:
Electric Daisy seeds – Tastes like: Watercress, black pepper, horseradish
Wintergreen seeds – Tastes like: Root beer & peppermint
Asparagus Pea seeds – Tastes like: Fresh asparagus & garden peas
Inca Berries seeds – Tastes like: Gooseberries, kiwi, pineapple, orange
Cucamelon seeds – Tastes like: Cucumber & citrus
Microgreen seeds – Tastes like: Oriental salad leaves

James Wong’s Homegrown Revolution Book + FREE SEED! £20.00
Buy James’ brand new gardening book today and get 6 packets of seed worth £11.10 from his brand new seed range COMPLETELY FREE!In his new book, James’ shows us a completely new range of fruit and vegetables to grow and eat. It is also packed with tasty recipes that you can make at home with the crops that you grow!You will learn how to harvest homegrown quinoa, your very own popcorn or plant a mini green tea plantation on your patio. This inspiring new book is great fun and full of plant wisdom. TV presenter and two times RHS medal winner James Wong shows that there’s much more to grow than potatoes and sprouts on your allotment.PLUS to get you going with your own Homegrown Revolution we will also send you 6 packets of seed from the Homegrown Revolution seed range (worth £11.10!) that we have developed with James.The James Wong’s Homegrown Revolution pack will include Hardcover book of Homegrown Revolution plus one packet each of the following seed varieties:Electric Daisy seeds – Tastes like: Watercress, black pepper, horseradishWintergreen seeds – Tastes like: Root beer & peppermintAsparagus Pea seeds – Tastes like: Fresh asparagus & garden peasInca Berries seeds – Tastes like: Gooseberries, kiwi, pineapple, orangeCucamelon seeds – Tastes like: Cucumber & citrusMicrogreen seeds – Tastes like: Oriental salad leavesThis would make the perfect gift for newbie growers to seasoned allotment veterans – in fact anyone who grows their own will certainly enjoy this fascinating book!.

Tomatillo Seeds £1.85
Part of the James Wong Homegrown Revolution Range.Vigorous, high yielding plants. Delicious in salsas, marinades and soups. Easy to grow. Tastes like: tomato & lime.Sealed inside their own little paper envelopes, these round, green tomato-like fruit were once actually more popular than tomatoes themselves amongst the Aztecs of their native Mexico. They are freshingly fruity and taste weirdly like a cross between a lime and beefsteak tomato.Far easier to grow and immeasurably more productive than a lowly tomato, there is no excuse why every fajita fan shouldnt make space for a couple of these too! Sow: March-April. Harvest: August-October.. Content 25 seeds

Tomatillos are ready to harvest at any stage between walnut and medium tomato size; when they start to split their lantern-like casings but are still green. Each plant is capable of producing up to an astonishing 10 kilos (22lbs) of fruit per plant before the first frosts!
Tasting something between a lime and a tomato they might not be quite to everyone’s taste but certainly very interesting. If you’re looking for something unusual then this is it!

One of James Wong’s top plants in his new book: James Wong’s Homegrown Revolution.

Dahlia ‘Yams’ Seeds £1.85
Part of the James Wong Homegrown Revolution Range.Decorative and edible. Dahlias were brought to our shores as a prized edible crop. Rediscover your very own stash of Aztec gold!Believe it or not, the runner beans we all know and love were actually originally introduced to UK gardens as an ornamental plant for their pretty flowers, whilst conversely dahlias were brought to our shores as a prized edible crop! Cultivated for hundreds of years by the Aztecs, these sweet, starchy tubers were scoffed in huge quantities alongside such supermarket staples as avocados, chillies and maize. In fact, the 18th century botanist Anders Dahl (which the species is named after) was utterly convinced that these would soon supersede the potato in popularity, which actually came close to happening when they were tried out as a blight resistant spud-substitute during the Irish potato famine. Today, they are still a popular food in their native mountains of Southern Mexico. Sow: February-April. Harvest: October-December.. Average Content 85 seeds

Sow: February-April. Harvest: October-December.
Culture: Full growing instructions given on seed packet.

Sow your seeds in a propagator (or pot covered with a piece of glass) using good quality, moist compost and place on a light, warm windowsill. Keep the compost moist but be careful not to over water. In only a couple of weeks you will start to see small shoots appear – remove glass or vent your propagator to encourage growth. Once your seedlings are 3cm (1¼”) high they are ready to be potted on. Transfer the seedlings to larger individual pots of approximately 9cm (3″) and continue to grow on the windowsill. When your plants are approximately 10cm (4″) high they can be planted in their final growing position after all risk of frost has passed around May. Pick a bright sunny site and dig in plenty of organic matter such as well-rotted manure or blood, fish and bone. Plant your dahlias 35cm (14″) apart and water in well. Stake with bamboo canes to support the plants as they get larger. Keep on top of the watering, spoiling your plants with regular applications of fertiliser to ensure the largest, most fibre-free roots. To get the very best tuber harvest you should also pick off all the flowers as they emerge, to direct the plant’s energies into root production. The tubers will be ready to harvest when the first frosts blacken the leaves, at which point the plants should be cut down to leave just 10cm (4″) of stem and carefully forked out of the ground.

Great value and great variety of bird seeds from Garden bird:

4Kg Naked Rolled Oats £3.99

4Kg Pinhead Oats £3.99

4Kg Flaked Maize £4.99

4Kg Kibbled Maize £5.99

4Kg Niger Seed Thistle £6.69

4Kg Millet £6.99

4Kg Ultiva All Seasons Mix £7.35

4Kg Raisins £7.35

4Kg Ultiva Table and Ground Mix £7.69

4Kg Ultiva Spring and Summer Mix £7.99

4Kg Black Sunflower Seed £7.99

4Kg Value Sunflower Seed Hearts £8.99

4Kg Hemp Seed £8.99

4Kg Ultiva Softbill Mix £9.69

4Kg Peanut Granules £9.99

4Kg Duck and Swan Food £9.99

4Kg Ultiva Gold £12.99

4Kg Ultiva Aromatic Wild Berry Mix £12.99

4Kg Ultiva Feeder Mix £12.99

4Kg Ultiva High Protein Mix £14.49

4Kg Prem Sunflower Seed Hearts £14.99

4Kg Badger and Fox Mix £14.99

4Kg Ultiva Softbill Suet Mix £14.99

4Kg Hedgehog Food £14.99

4Kg Premium Quality Peanuts £14.99

4Kg Squirrel Mix £19.99

To dig or not to dig

Many people think you have to dig an entire allotment over straight away. Whilst
this would be wonderful if you can do it, you’ll find it’s incredibly
hard work and you just can’t keep on top of it.

The answer isn’t to leave vast areas waiting to be dug. If you repeatedly
strim or mow then your ground will eventually resemble a lawn and whilst this
might look nice it’ll have a dense mat of roots that you’ll need
to remove.

A much better option is to divide up the allotment into sections. Decide what
you’re going to plant where and then start work on the most urgent bed.

Don’t leave the rest unattended though. You will need to get vast amounts
of cardboard, mulch, grass clippings, compost, rotted leaves and other mulching
materials.

You could just cover the ground with cardboard or a weed fabric. A very thick
layer of cardboard is best as when it gets wet it will start to break down and
foxes are likely to dig through it. Weed fabric costs lots of money but the
good stuff will block the light making it easier to use the land when you get
round to it.

If you use cardboard then try to get a layer or two of organic material to
mulch on top with. This also helps suppress the weeds but also starts to create
a lasagne bed which rots down creating nice soil raising the levels on the plot.

If you can afford a small amount of weed fabric then use it and make sure it’s
weighed down. Come and check it after any blustery storms so that it’s
not blown away or damaged other people’s plots.

Carboard can be obtained free from the supermarkets. Speak to the night manager
about collecting cardboard from the overnight shelf stacking. You may have to
collect it very early in the morning but it’s free and a great resource
to have. You could also use layers of newspaper – ask neighbours if you
don’t have many.

Collect lawn clippings – ask your neighbours too for these but be prepared
to do the hard work of collecting them. Some gardeners take this a step further
and mow people’s lawns (With their permission) and take away the ‘waste’.
If you have elderly neighbours then this is probably a brilliant bit of community
spirit you can get going and you’re likely to be offered tea and cake
too!

Raking leaves in autumn is another option to consider. It’s best to pick
your moment when there are plenty of leaves on the floor. A dry day makes the
job more pleasant but the leaves blow about a lot more when dry.

If you can scrounge other organic materials then add these to your covering
too. Finely shredded hedge trimmings or even bark can keep the weeds down. Well
rotted muck can be used but can also really encourage weeds to grow more strongly
if it’s not in a thick enough layer.

Don’t abandon your plot over winter. Make sure you go up once a week
at least – just to check tings haven’t blown away. Take a flask
and sit and enjoy the view too – make sure other people see you’re
on your plot as well.
Don’t use the weather as an excuse – get your coat and gloves up
and get out there. Wrap up warm in layers and you can get lots of work done!

Don’t let weeds be a hazard from your plot. Remove seed heads from docks
and use the black bag rotting technique to ensure they don’t get mixed
with proper compost until they are beyond germinating.

Reduce the need for strimming weeds and you remove the chore of keeping your
plot tidy whilst you’re working on it. It makes sense to not have to mow
or trim your plot so get the weeds covered up somehow!

Not sure which comfrey to grow?
If you’ve heard of comfrey but can’t decide

which comfrey to grow

then you should consider the following points:

Comfrey ‘Bocking 14’ – 5 root cuttings £8.99
Grow your own soil conditioner! Comfrey ‘Bocking 14’ contains high levels of basic NPK nutrients and because it is a sterile hybrid, it won’t self seed all over your garden. The nutrient rich foliage of comfrey can be used as a compost activator, mulch, or soaked in barrels of water for 3 to 5 weeks to make a useful liquid feed for tomatoes and beans. Scatter the wilted leaves throughout potato trenches just before planting, to fertilise the crop and improve their flavour! Once established, this quick growing plant can be cut 3 or 4 times throughout the growing season, for a constant supply of nutrient rich, organic, comfrey fertiliser. Height: 100cm (40”). Spread: 75cm (30”).

Comfrey – 1 packet (30 seeds) £2.49
Comfrey leaves can be harvested several times a season and used as a compost activator to help breakdown other compost materials. This perennial herb is also used as a mulch, and makes superb liquid manure on tomato and potatoes plants. Height: 120 (47″). Spread: 150cm (59″).

I ordered both of these from Thompson and morgan earlier in the year.

The comfrey roots are bocking 14 and won’t set seed. Every advises to get this version as the seeding version can be a nuisance.
I planted the short pieces of dark root in pots of compost at home and waited. It was exciting to see leaves emerging after a short while and as the plants grew I made sure they were protected from slugs. Although slugs aren’t supposed to eat comfrey leaves – the baby leaves were apparently delicious to slugs. A liberal sprinkling of slug pellets ensured all five grew well. If you don’t like using slug pellets then get some nemotodes as they’ll make a huge difference to your growing and cropping!

The five pots of root were soon big enough to plant out. I planted them in a row in the middle of one of the beds on my allotment. I figured next to a path was a good idea so I could harvest the first cut of leaves next year without clambering over planted ground.
The plants were only small when I put them out but they rapidly grew.
They’re now pretty big and I’ve not cut it back at all this year. I am letting the plant get established. It’s also flowered and the bees have absolutely loved the beautiful bell like flowers.
You can apparently shovel manure on to comfrey and it’ll love it. It is a good idea to feed comfrey although its roots will go far down you’ll find all plants benefit frmo feeding. but well rotted manure is great for this – just throw it on.
You propogate bocking 14 comfrey by root cuttings so I am considering digging a plant up next spring and dividing it up. This should provide me with many more plants to plant across the borders in the allotment site to provide other people with this valuable resource.

I have also grow comfrey from seed. This variety will also grow from the seed it sets itself. The plants are small but I suspect next year they will be bigger. The seeds obviously take a longer time to be ready to plant out.
If comfrey setting seed and creating new plants will be a problem then stick to the bocking 14 variety as this is the best option for limited space. If you’ve got lots of garden you’d like to fill with a useful plant then get the seeded version.
Of course if this comfrey self sows you can move the plants. Just try to get all the root as it will also grow from root. In theory this should be an easy way of getting enough comfrey plants to put in the shade corners of the allotment site to create some lovely flowers for the bees.
I will write again about the comfrey next year – both how it grows and how I use it. It can be cut down four times a year which makes it a great resource for plant food. WHere can you plant it? Both prefer full or partial sun so pick a position where it has plenty of room and with good soil that is rich and moist. Remember you can enrich soil in autumn by emptying a bucket load of muck on them.