PLAN YOUR PLOT

As much as we love to get going straightaway on our veg patch or allotment it’s always good to start with a plan, as Becky Searle explains

W hen planning an allotment there is no right or wrong way. Many of us develop our own ways over the years, and many people throw caution to the wind and skip the planning stage altogether. There is something to be said for sowing from the heart and then trying to cram everything in when it is big enough to plant out, but a little planning can go a long way, especially if your ideas are bigger than your space!

The first thing I do in the new season is make a list of all the things I want to grow that year. I sort through my seed collection while doing this and note the seeds I have and the ones I still need to get. This will keep me on the straight and narrow and ensure I don’t miss any sowing dates through lack of planning. As I acquire seeds through swapping with my allotment neighbours, ordering or receiving my copy of Kitchen Garden magazine I can tick them off on the list.

The next stage for me is knowing when everything will be sown. I use my list of crops to grow and write each one into a different month so I know what I’m going to sow and when. That way, when I go to my greenhouse to sow I will have a clear idea of what I need to get on with.