Allotment Plan 2021

It’s that time of the year when us gardeners start emerging from Winter hibernation with a sketchbook full of drawings, plans and endless amounts of lists! I’ve been busy the past few weeks with my pens and pencils sketching this year’s plans and I’ve loved every second of it. There’s something so therapeutic about sitting down during these cold, dark days and putting all your hopes and dreams down onto paper. It gives us something to look forward too and every single year I get excited about what the allotment holds for the year ahead… Beautiful flowers and delicious homegrown veg, you just can’t beat it!

Not much has changed with the plans, in fact once you are happy with the main layout the only things which will really change are the vegetables and flowers that you decide to grow. We’re still extremely happy with our ‘relaxed’ beds and will be continuing to grow the vegetables and flowers along side each other in perfect harmony. There’s two large beds on our allotment and we sow everything in rows which can vary from 2 metres to 3 metres in length. I’ve spent time making sure to rotate each row of vegetables so they aren’t grown in the same space, this reduces the risk of crop-specific diseases and also helps to add nutrients back into the soil.

Yet again we are simply growing the things that we like to eat and have learnt from a few mistakes last year. in 2020 I planted out 4 courgettes plants and was completely over run with courgettes, so this year I’m only planning on growing two plants which should produce plenty enough for us. In return that gives us more space to grow a different crop and this year I’m giving Cucamelons another go which I’m so excited about! They’ll be grown up a small wigwam and I really can’t wait to eat them, I grew them back in 2019 for the first time and fell in love. I’ll also be using vertical growing to my advantage again by growing Munchkin Pumpkins, Baby Boo pumpkins, Runner Beans, Borlotto Beans, Roses and Sweet peas up wigwams and archways to make the most of the space.

I’m also growing a few more flowers this year and have focused a little on dried flowers in particular. Flowers like Cornflowers, Strawflowers, Poppies, Honesty and Globe Amaranth will be grown and then dried to use in displays over the Winter. I’ve always dreamed of having bunches of dried flowers hanging in the shed and I’m determined to make 2021 the year to make that dream come true! My love of Sunflowers has also grown over the years and I’m desperate to have a wall of them gracing the plot. You really can’t beat those happy faces looking down at you in the Summer and I’ll be growing three different varities ranging in different colours, heights and head sizes. Not forgetting the ever so beautiful and practical Calendula, they were my favourite thing to grow last year and they will grace the plot again in 2021 down the edge of the main pathway.

Both the flower border in between our sheds, the wildlife area and the compost bins are still works in progress, they were meant to be finished in the Autumn but work has just been so hectic and they’ve been pushed to the side whilst we focused on the two main vegetable/flower beds. If I’m honest they might not be completed this year either but we’ll see! The raised bed we also created for my Nephew has a new lease of life too. The original plan was to have a space for him to grow his own but he really wasn’t that interested and it’s laid empty for most of the year. Therefore it will now be used to grow a few salads and radish which I really missed growing last year, I do love a radish!

I really hope you enjoyed reading through this years plans as much as I enjoyed making them! I am so excited for the year ahead even though it seems so uncertain and scary at the moment. I’m extremely thankful for my allotment, it’s always been my haven but it’s gone above and beyond during the past year and it’s been just what I needed both mentally and physically.

Last but not least I will leave you all with the list of all the vegetables, flowers and fruit that I will be growing this year just incase you find it helpful. I hope you all have a wonderful growing year, enjoy those outdoors spaces and most of all stay safe!

Vegetable Seeds:

• Beetroot ‘Boltardy’
• Borlotto Beans ‘Lingua di Fuoco’
• Broad Beans ‘Aquadulce Claudia’
• Broccoli ‘Ironman’
• Cabbage ‘Greyhound’
• Carrots ‘Romance’
• Cauliflower ‘All Year Round’
• Courgette ‘Sunstripe’
• Courgette ‘Romanesco’
• Cucamelon ‘Melothria’
• Cucumber ‘Byblos’ (in the greenhouse at home)
• Kale ‘Kapitan’
• Mixed Lettuce
• Onion ‘Stuttgarter Giant’
• Potatoes ‘Charlotte’, ‘Arran Pilot’ and ‘Lady Christl’
• Pumpkin ‘Tom Fox’, ‘Baby Boo’ and ‘Munchkin’
• Radish ‘Watermelon’, ‘Pink Beauty’ and ‘French Breakfast’
• Runner Beans ‘Moonlight’
• Shallot ‘Golden Gourmet’
• Spring Onions ‘White Lisbon’
• Squash ‘Hunter’, ‘Crown Prince’ and ‘Galeux D’Eysines’
• Sweetcorn ‘Swift’
• Swiss Chard ‘Bright Lights’
• Tomato ‘Gardener’s Delight’ (in the greenhouse at home)

Flower Seeds:

• Ammi Majus
• Scabious ‘Sternkugal’
• Cosmos ‘Dazzler’
• Cornflower ‘Wildflower’ and ‘Classic Magic’
• Zinnia ‘Envy’
• Lunaria Annua ‘Alba’
• Sunflower ‘Soraya’, ‘Pikes Peak’ and ‘Ruby Eclipse’
• Poppy ‘Giant’, ‘Hens and Chicks’ and ‘Mixed’
• Calendula ‘Indian Prince’ and ‘Touch of Red Buff’
• Sweet Peas ‘Mixed’
• Rose ‘Buttercup’ and ‘The Generous Gardener’
• Strawflower ‘Salmon Rose’ and ‘Bright Rose’
• Globe Amaranth ‘ White’ and ‘Rose’
• Larkspur ‘Giant Imperial Mixed’
• Antirrhinum ‘Circus Clowns’
• Dill ‘Mammoth’

Dahlias:

• ‘Cafe au Lait’
• ‘Fairway Spur’
• ‘Totally Tangerine’
• ‘Cornel Bronze’
• ‘Croydon Superior’
• ‘Hollands Festival’
• ‘Foxy Lady’
• ‘Nenakazi’

Perennial Vegetables:

• Globe Artichoke
• 1 x Rhubarb

Herbs:

• Feverfew
• Lavender
• Fennel
• Rosemary
• Dill
• Chives
• Spearmint
• Strawberry Mint
• Lavender Mint
• Sage ‘Purple Sage’
• Thyme

Fruit:

• Raspberries ‘Autumn Bliss’
• 2 x Gooseberries ‘Hinnonmaki Green’ and ‘Hinnonmaki Red’
• 4 x Blackcurrants ‘Ben Lomund’
• Apple Tree ‘James Grieve’