Before putting any seeds or plants in the soil on your plot, you should make up a plan of what you’ll be growing, and where. This is particularly important if you want to grow your crop organically.

The main reason why you should plan ahead is that different plants require different treatment. Some plants will want certain kinds of plantfood that other plants dislike. Some plants binds nutrients to the soil that are beneficial to other plants - so growing those plants in their place the following year is a good idea. Finally, growing the same crop in the same place year after year will result in underperforming plants, due to soilborne diseases and unbalanced soil structure.

The word used to describe the above in one is: “Crop Rotation”. This is what farmers and gardeners used to do before the chemical fertilisers and pest controls became available - and this is what organic farmers and gardeners are re-discovering.

We’re going to look at crop rotation in more detail at a later date - but basically it’s about dividing the plants you want to grow into groups - based on what “family” they belong to. Traditionally a system of 3 plant types, hence a 3-year rotation, has been used - but within the last few years changes has been made to accommodate 1 or 2 new groups - depending on your plot size.

This means that you’d have to know what crops you wish to grow on your plot - based on your personal preferences - and divide them into the relevant groups.

Why not start making up that list today by looking through the online catalogues of Dobies or Suttons - and place an order for your seeds? Tomorrow I’ll be back with in-depth information on the plant groups - and how to prepare your soil for growing them.

Technorati Tags: Allotment, Crop Rotation, Seeds

As part of my job, I take some of the trainees employed within the organisation I work for to college once a week. My job is to oversee their training, do my own training, and give a helping hand as and when required.

The training course takes place within the walled garden of Croxteth Hall, Liverpool, Merseyside.

A part of my training is “Propagating plants from seeds and cuttings”, so the head gardener at Croxteth has kindly let me use some space within their heated greenhouses to get some plants growing. I will of cause “pay him back” by letting him have some of them for their own vegetable plot.

Yesterday I started off my Squash, Marrows and Sweetcorn in pots - while my Leeks and Onions was put into seed trays. I hope to see the first sprouts in a couple of weeks - and hopefully I’ll have my plot ready for planting out as planned by the end of april.

Previously I started off a wide range of tomatoes and chilli peppers, most of which are growing fine at the moment. Some of them I’ll transfer to my plot - while the rest of them will probably keep growing somewhere in Croxteth - probably in the college’s polytunnels on site.

As for the rest of my seeds - I’ve decided to put them straight into the ground - once I finish preparing it.

Technorati Tags: Allotment, Greenhouse, Seeds, Liverpool

No one - but the enthusiastic vegetable growers among allotmenteers - can get excited about muck! Yesterday I had a phonecall from the chairman of our allotment association - and he was very excited indeed!

“He has delivered… My boy - has he delivered! It’s good stuff as well - and there’s lots of it!”

I figured he was telling me about the horsemanure I had organised to be delivered to our site had finally arrived. I had to take some old flags away from a landscaping job I’m doing at the moment - which I’ll be able to use on my plot - so I decided to go and have a look for myself! Talking about being excited - huh?

The main thing for me is that it’s going to make things a whole lot easier, since I now can take the manure from the site, rather than go down the riding scool and pick it up.

I’m going to go back to my plot after work these next few weeks - just to spend an hour digging some more stuff in - and I’m well on track to have my whole plot dug over by the end of april! Yeah!

Technorati Tags: Digging, Allotment, Manure, Riding School

Actually this happened on thursday last week - but I haven’t had much time to write about it - and I wanted to finish my series on weeds before starting on other subjects.

So, what am I going to be growing this coming season? The list is long - so I will not be going into details at this time - but here goes:

Beetroot, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Leek, Onion, Parsnips, Sweetcorn, Squash (butternut), Marrow, Peas and French Beans.

On top of this I’m still awaiting delivery of my seed potatoes (King Edwards and Maris Piper), a Redcurrant bush and a pack of 21 Raspberry canes (3 varieties) - so the next few weeks will be very busy in trying to get my plot ready for all the seeds, while still making room for other stuff that I still plan on growing.

I can’t wait…….

Technorati Tags: Allotment, Seeds, Vegetables

Couch grass (Elymus repens) is our weed number one - more due to how common it is than how difficult it is to control.

It’s a rather invasive weed that, if not controlled, quickly will take over a large area. Couch grass looks like any other tuft of grass, but under ground it spreads by rhizomes and long white spagetti-like stems, which will produce new shoots, from where new tufts will grow.

The new tufts will form its own stems and rhizomes - and the circle is complete!

On an open plot couch grass doesn’t really pose much of a problem. If, however, its roots spreads and gets itself entangled in the rootballs of fruit bushes and shrubs on your plot - you have a problem!

Cultural control

Digging out couch grass is possible - but it’s a bit of a task if it’s widely spread. While digging, make sure to remove every bit of root you find, to avoid the couch grass re-growing and the problem worsening.

New shoots of grass should be dug out immediately - removing all roots. While digging out the roots - use a fork rather than a spade - to avoid cutting the roots.

Dug out roots should be burned or disposed off - to avoid them re-growing. Never throw them on your compost heap!

Chemical control

Glyphosate based weedkillers like Roundup is extremely effective against even heavy infestations of couch grass, and (if used correctly) should kill off the lot in just one application.

Leave the weedkiller to do its job for about 3 weeks - and promptly treat any new tufts of grass that may appear in this period of time.

The treated area must not be cultivated until the grass has died back completely.

Technorati Tags: Allotment, Weeds, Couch grass

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) - also known as mare’s tail - is one of the allotmenteers (or gardeners in general) worst nightmares.

It’s a quite common weed to be found on a lot of plots - seemingly one that you have to learn to live with - since it’s more than difficult to eradicate.

The well known TV gardener, Alan Titchmarsh, once said something like: “If you find horsetail in your garden, and you want a garden without horsetail, move house!” Enough said.

Horsetail mainly spread through its creeping underground rhizomes, which can go down as far as 1.5 metres. The growth starts out in spring as asparagus-like shoots, and later in the season develops into fir-tree like plants as shown on the picture. The top growth dies back in winter.

Cultural control

The rhizomes can be forked out of the top layers of soil, but regrowth is inevitable. Shallow weeding should be avoided, as it worsens the problem.

By regularly removing new shoots as soon as they appear above ground, the plants seem to weaken, and infestation can be reduced quite a lot over a couple of seasons.

Chemical control

Horsetail is resistant to most weedkillers - at least those that can be used anywhere near other plants and produce. This is due to the plants having an outer cuticle that protects it against penetration.

Some success can be achieved by using a systemic glyphosate based weedkiller like roundup in late summer when the plant is growing fast. Before application of the weedkiller - run a rake across the patch you want to treat - or trample down the plants, in order to break the protective cuticle on them.

Any new growth after the first application should be treated promptly - and further treatments later in the season - or early in the next season may well be required.

Technorati Tags: Allotment, Weeds, Horsetail

The third weed in our countdown is bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), is a herbaceous perennial climber that will not only take over your plot, but also “strangle” other plants if left to it.

It has shallow, fleshy roots that spreads very quickly through the soil, and can go down up to 5 meters. Any bit of roots left while trying to eradicate the plant can grow into a new plant, and it can end up on your plot hidden in the roots of new plants, manure or soil.

Cultural control

Bindweed is extremely difficult to control organically - but with a couple of years persistent digging and hoeing it is possible to get rid of the plant. In saying that, though, it will readily spread from neighbouring plots if left untreated.

First step in the war on bindweed is to get as much of the rootsystem out as possible while digging you plot in autumn/winter. Next you must consistently hoe out any shoots that try to come out in summer, as this will significantly weaken the roots for the coming season.

Chemical control

Bindweed is effectively and easily trated with a systemic glyphosate based weedkiller, such as roundup. The problem lies in not killing other plants in the proces. To avoid any other plants being affected by the weedkiller, make sure there’s no chance of the spray drifting onto them - or apply the weedkiller onto the leaves of the bindweed - using a paintbrush.

Technorati Tags: Allotment, Weeds, Bindweed

The second contender in our countdown of allotmenteer enemies is the omnipresent bramble (Rubus fruticosus).

This nuisance perennial weed spread in two ways - through its root network or by layering new shoots from its long stems - and doesn’t represent much of a problem if you have got one or two of them on your plot.

If, however, you have inherited an overgrown plot with brambles on it - you’re in for a bit of a fight, as they can soon take over un-controlled areas.

Not all allotmenteers wager war on the bramble though - some even grow them near the perimeter of their plots - mainly due to its excellent anti-intruder qualities. Also its berries are excellent for making jam and attracting wildlife.

Cultural control

The bramble isn’t too hard to remove by hand if you have got one or two of them. The real problem arise if they have been allowed to spread.

Start out by cutting all stems back to the roots - and dispose of them - preferably by burning them. Then - using a fork - try to lift the entire rootball. Do not use a spade for this, as the bramble will re-shoot from any roots cut through by the blade. Again - get rid of the roots - either by burning or throwing them on a skip.

Chemical control

When going down the chemical route - you still have to cut back all stems - and dispose of them. This is to prevent the bramble to continue layering itself while the chemicals do their work - and to limit your use of the chemicals to a small area.

Once cut back - treat new growth as and when it emerges. While a glyphosate based weedkiller like roundup will do the job (usually requires more than one-two treatments), other weedkillers (brushwood type) are more efficient. The advantages with using the glyphosate based weedkillers is that they are readily available and that they don’t leave residues in the soil. The brushwood weedkillers are harder to get hold of - and will linger in the soil for around 6-8 weeks.

Technorati Tags: Allotment, Weeds, Bramble

Japanese knotweed (Polygonum Cuspidatum) is to gardeners what MRSA is to hospitals - a super-weed!

It was introduced to the UK in Victorian times, used as a “stabiliser” of the banks around newly established lakes (due to its massive roots), but lacking the control provided by its native “natural enemies” soon spread across the country, mainly along railway embankments and onto abandoned/derelict pieces of land.

Japanese knotweed is very rare on allotment sites - though I’ve seen some grow right “next door” to ours - but if you come across it on your site you should get in touch with your local council ASAP. This is due to the nature of the plant, which will spread through its root network as well as through bits of plant material distributed to other areas.

Under the wildlife and countryside act 1981 it’s an offence to grow japanese knotweed in the wild, and disposal of any parts of the plant and/or any of its root system must be done to a licenced landfill site (Environmental Protection Act 1990), as it is classed as “controlled waste”.

Cultural control

Treating Japanese knotweed organically is a “mission impossible” for a number of reasons. The rhizomes of the root system can penetrate to a depth of 6 feet underground - and the plant will re-shoot from even the smallest rhizome left behind. Also, there’s the waste problem to take into account.

Chemical control

Glophosate based weedkillers seems to be the best weapon against Japanese knotweed. Ideally an application should be made in early autumn before the plant dies back for winter. This can, however, be a difficult task because the plant can grow to 2.1m (7 feet) or more over a season, and growth is quite thick as well, so access can be difficult.

Another method is to let the plant grow to a height of about 0.90m (3 feet) in spring, and then apply the weedkiller! A second and third application in a season, when new shoots have reached a height of 3 feet, is not uncommon.

Using this method should kill the plant off in 3-4 years. This period can be cut in half though, if a specialist contractor with access to stronger formulated weedkiller treats the plants.

Technorati Tags: Allotment, Weeds, Japanese Knotweed

We all love to hate them! The weeds that never ceases to try taking over out plots, come rain, hail or shine!

Particularly the perannual nasties that keeps coming back year after year, and spread through underground rhizomes. Especially for the strictly organic plotholders these are a pain in the backside.

This week I’m going to do a series of articles about these weeds - in fact I’ll do a countdown on the top 5 nasty perannuals - and possibly continue later on with more information on other types of weed - and how to treat them.

I will try to keep a balance between chemical and organic warfare - bearing in mind that at least one of the weeds (though not very common on allotment sites) is nearly impossible to combat either way.

If you have tips and tricks that I’m missing out on - please feel free to register and leave your comments on the site - and I’ll make sure that other visitors to allotmenteer.co.uk get to share your insights.

Technorati Tags: Allotment, Weeds, Organic