Allotments on Malta! – These allotments form part of a pilot project kicked off last year by the Rural Affairs Ministry, which is titled Midd Idejk fil-Biedja (try your hand at farming).

The Glapthorn Allotment and Gardeners’ Association (GAGA) received £9,999 of Lottery funding to re-establish allotments with 24 plots already established.

Fruit and veg on the menu for Farne Islands wardens – ALLOTMENT plots that were last used by lighthouse keepers on the Farne Islands over 100 years ago are being put back into production thanks to a team of organic gardeners from the National Trust’s Nunnington Hall in Yorkshire.

Vandals lay waste to allotments – Vandals struck at the allotments in Honeypot Lane, in Darlington, on Wednesday night.

New allotments – For the first time in 30 years, new allotments have been released by Leicester City Council for local people to grow their own fruit and veg. The popularity of allotment gardening has soared in recent years, and demand for plots has far outstripped supply.

Security cameras to target allotment yobs
– Worcester

This is an AMAZING bug house

Made from pallets, wood and other materials.

Rhubarb from seed.
Just a few plants.
Two different types.

Families in Norwich to benefit from new allotment scheme

Ex-addicts’ allotment given help to flourish

I’ve not got a shed on my allotment and I can’t justify getting one, so I was wondering how I could collect water on my plot.
I’ve got a massive compost bin so thought about putting a sloped roof on that and adding guttering and a barrel.
I mentioned it to the bloke on the plot next to me who has an equally bin compost bin and he’s cut the wood for his roof for his compost roof already!
He’s impressed with the idea so is going to get on and get his sorted. I’ve got to find some long pallet wood to use. I’d been given four long pallets but gave the ones I hadn’t used on my bin to this bloke for his bin.

Hopefully I’ll find some long bits of wood, plastic and a barrel – I’ve got a bit of guttering although I don’t know if it’s long enough!

If you’ve never seen shallots grow you might wonder how they produce lots of bulbs from one plant.
Here’s a photo from above of some that were planted in the autumn.

You plant one shallot bulb in the soil ideally in autumn although you can plant them in the spring too. The bulb grows a mass of shoots from the top and these are each from separate new bulbs.
You can apparently chop the green leaves and use them too.

Here’s a photo of my peas.

The weather has been a bit grim again today – not cold but a real wintery look to the sky.

Half-Hour Allotment – Lia Leendertz – The Half-hour Allotment (Royal Horticultural Society)

This one is next on my list to get hold of!

The main theme of the book is that you just give your plot 30 mins, 5 days a week to your allotment/garden, with weekends off. Or you dedicate the same time, 2.5 hours at weekends.

This practical and inspirational handbook is aimed at the new generation of gardeners who want to enjoy the taste and health benefits of growing their own food, but who have little time to spare. Expert advice and innovative techniques show you how to grow the right quantities of the fruit and vegetables you love, and enjoy the satisfactions of tending an allotment or vegetable garden without becoming a slave to your plot. Tested by fruit-grower Will Sibley and author Lia Leendertz on their own allotments, these methods will enable you to get the best results in half an hour per day, or even less.

The book covers all aspects of allotmenteering and vegetable gardening, including the practicalities of obtaining and maintaining a site, choosing what to grow, designing the plot and advanced projects such as building paths and shelters. A section on harvesting, storing and cooking shows you what to do when your crop is ripe and ready.

Croydon’s waiting lists are too long so they’ve closed them rather than make more allotment space!