Allotment

  • Gardening & Growing

    Roots of Wellbeing: Unearthing the Mental Health Benefits of Gardening

    A blog post about the importance of Gardening and how it can help support your mental health and wellbeing. In this blog post we’re going to talk about the topics covered in the podcast episode 47 with Alex from Alex Penelope Art.

    Trigger Warning: This episode and post mentions the topic of baby loss.

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify Podcasts

    Did you know that there is a profound connection between nature and mental health? In this post, and the accompanying podcast episode I want to share with you the benefits of gardening and how it can help you mentally and physically. In the podcast episode – Ep. 47: Roots of Wellbeing: Unearthing the Mental Health Benefits of Gardening I was joined by Alex, an allotment gardener just like me and a passionate advocate for the mental health benefits of gardening. Be sure to check out the episode by searching for The Slow Living Collective wherever you listen to your podcasts.

    Get ready to unearth the transformative power of cultivating a green thumb and discover how gardening can nurture not just plants, but also our own wellbeing. Now, let’s explore some of the mental health benefits of gardening in more detail.

    Stress Relief and Relaxation

    One of the most significant benefits of gardening is its ability to reduce stress and promote relaxation. Engaging in gardening activities, such as planting, weeding, and pruning, allows us to disconnect from the pressures of daily life and immerse ourselves in the present moment. The rhythmic and repetitive nature of these tasks creates a sense of mindfulness, helping to calm the mind, reduce anxiety, and restore inner balance.

    Nurturing a Sense of Purpose and Accomplishment

    Gardening provides us with a tangible sense of purpose and accomplishment. As we plant seeds or care for young plants, we become custodians of life, fostering growth and vitality. Witnessing the transformation of a tiny seedling into a thriving plant can be immensely fulfilling, boosting self-esteem and instilling a sense of pride and achievement.

    Connection with Nature

    In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, many of us have become disconnected from the natural world. Living seasonally is something that is embedded into our very make up, but modern society has almost encouraged us to push this aside. But those natural instincts are still there, all we need to do is remember how to tap back into them.

    Gardening offers an opportunity to reconnect with nature in a meaningful way. Spending time outdoors, feeling the soil in our hands, and observing the cycle of growth and renewal awakens our senses and grounds us in the present. This connection with nature has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety while fostering a greater appreciation for the beauty and resilience of the natural world.

    Mindfulness and Mental Clarity

    Engaging in gardening requires focus and attention to detail, which naturally leads to a state of mindfulness. The act of nurturing plants demands our full presence, allowing us to temporarily set aside worries and distractions. We are, when we are in our gardens undertaking tasks, present in the moment. This state of heightened awareness in the garden can bring mental clarity, improve concentration, and promote a sense of calm and inner peace.

    Physical Exercise and Wellbeing

    Gardening is not just beneficial for our mental health; it also contributes to our physical well-being. The various tasks involved in gardening, such as digging, lifting, and bending, provide a low-impact form of exercise that can improve strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health. Regular physical activity in the garden has been associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases, increased energy levels, and improved overall fitness.

    Community and Social Connection

    Gardening has a remarkable ability to bring people together. Whether it’s participating in a community garden or simply sharing gardening tips and experiences with friends and neighbour’s, cultivating plants can foster social connections and a sense of belonging. Engaging in gardening as a group activity provides opportunities for collaboration, shared learning, and a support network that promotes overall wellbeing.

    Gardening is a powerful tool for nurturing both plants and our own mental health. As we have discovered through our conversation with Alex on the podcast, cultivating a green thumb can lead to reduced stress, enhanced wellbeing, and a profound sense of connection with nature. These things can help you move through some of the difficult times as Alex discussed in our episode.

    Whether you have acres of land or just a few pots on a windowsill, gardening offers a fulfilling and accessible way to improve your mental health. So, grab a trowel, get your hands dirty, and embark on your own gardening journey. Whether you’re growing flowers, herbs, or vegetables, remember that the process itself is just as important as the end result. Take time to appreciate the beauty of nature, be present in the moment, and savor the joys of nurturing life.

    Embrace the therapeutic power of gardening and let nature’s gentle embrace guide you towards a healthier, happier, and more grounded state of mind. Remember, our roots are not just in the soil but also in the connections we forge with the natural world. So, let’s continue to cultivate our well-being through the transformative practice of gardening.

    Where to find Alex online

    Instagram: @alexpenelopeart

    Substack: Alex’s Substack

  • Simple Living

    How to start an urban homestead in 5 easy steps

    There is something about my 30s that made me rethink the way I wanted to live my life. Much of that has revolved around living simply and dreaming about living on a homestead. Here’s the thing though I don’t have land or pasture. In fact, I live straddling the town and countryside and the land is ridiculously priced to build on. That aside I actually really like where I live. I like our lifestyle so creating our own full-blown homestead is also not for me either. Not at the moment at least. So what next?

    Wanting to live a different way of life

    We’ve been living a simple life since the birth of our first child over 4 years ago now; switching off from the mainstream of modern society and ultimately living differently than the norm. We eat ethically raised meat from regenerative farms, we take a holistic approach to our health (unless necessary), we live and eat seasonally, we grow our own food on our allotment, we educate our children outside of the school system and we don’t live the fast-paced life modern society tries to push on us. Some might call me a bit hippy but it’s not even that. More and more people are opting out of the rat race and embracing slowing down and creating a simpler lifestyle. 

    Simple as in simplicity, not ease

    Now sometimes there is a disconnect when people think about slowing down and running a homestead. The latter is obviously a lot of hard work, but I think it’s important to remember that slow and simple isn’t supposed to equate to easy. Instead embracing the slower or traditional way of doing things. Creating an urban homestead, a regular homestead, or growing your own vegetable garden isn’t always easy but it is fun. Working hard on something you love doesn’t make it the opposite of a slow and simple life. In fact, I would argue that it is the very essence of what builds that simple life you desire.

    Creating an urban homestead

    Now most of us don’t have the luxury of buying land or living on a small farm or smallholding. But as I have been creating for our family over the last four years, you can create your own urban homestead in the space you have. Whether you live in a flat, apartment, or house, there are many ways that you can embrace an urban homestead life. I currently live in a split-level flat on the edge of the countryside and the outdoor space I have at home is a balcony. While I don’t have a farm or small homestead, I have creatively crafted my own urban homestead. Whether you live in a flat or house, I want to help you do the same. Today I am sharing my top five tips for creating your perfect urban homestead in the space you have available. Let’s start living that life you dream of without breaking the bank.

    sourdough starter urban homestead
    wooden sign with the number 44 on on our allotment
    homemade cleaner in brown amber bottle

    1. Create your garden & grow your own food

    Grow your own produce

    If you have outdoor space, no matter how large or small, then create your own garden and think about ways you can start to grow your own produce. I grew solely on my balcony for five years. I was creative with the space I had and I was able to grow an abundance of produce. A year ago we also got ourselves an allotment, a small piece of land we rent for growing our own produce. Through this, we have been able to really level up and be more sufficient in the food we are able to grow. 

    Evaluate your space and consider what you would benefit from most, and what would work in the space you have. If you have a garden you might find it possible to do more extensive growing compared to a balcony. If you are limited on space you can consider putting your name down on a list for an allotment. Allotment lists can be long so I definitely recommend doing that sooner rather than later. In the meantime, you can start growing in the space you have available.

    You can absolutely grow on a balcony

    Growing on a balcony or in a small space can be incredibly rewarding. My advice is don’t count yourself out just because you think your space isn’t big enough. Anything you are able to grow is amazing and one less thing you have to purchase from the supermarket. All you need to do is be smart with the space you have. I recommend a small, plastic greenhouse (remember to weigh it down) to start off your seeds and young plants. Investigate what would work best in a small space or even in containers. Pre 2022, I did all of my growing in containers and pots on my balcony. I grew things like Strawberries, Beetroot, Peppers, Tomatoes, Radishes, Potatoes, Cucumbers, and lettuce. There was so much joy being creative in a small space.

    The allotment plot
    The plot at golden hour
    Shed at my allotment
    Our free 6×4 shed
    Parnsip seeds in my hands
    Parsnips ready to sow

    2. Create Compost & save your kitchen scraps

    If you have a bigger space in your garden or at an allotment then get creating a compost heap. This will help you create your own compost and reduce food waste. It is a great addition to your urban homestead. You can use your coffee grounds and food scraps to feed your compost heap. It’s not really possible on a balcony, but anywhere where you can put a compost heap onto the earth is a winner. You can make your own compost heap from wooden palettes or purchase ready-made bins. Whatever works for you I think you will find a compost heap a valuable addition to your urban homestead.

    And if you can’t have a compost heap?

    If you don’t have outside space see if your local council recycles food scraps or has a composting scheme. While you might not be able to have a physical compost heap you can certainly find ways to contribute to it.

    3. Buy local produce & regenerative meat

    Buying local is hugely helpful to the ecosystem, encouraging fewer food miles and enabling a more farm-to-fork culture. If you are urban homesteading then chances are that you aren’t raising your own meat. Search your local area for farms, farm shops, or farmers’ markets and see what produce you will regularly be able to source locally. Also, look into regenerative farms that may be able to provide you with the meat you require. If you’re a meat eater learning to eat nose to tail is another great way to ensure you are eating all of the animal. It will also help you in getting some of the greatest, most bioavailable ingredients there are. Farms often provide seasonal produce too and again will be from either their farm or other local farms. Shopping at a farm shop, and buying quality produce and regenerative meat can be more expensive, however even if you just swap a small amount, if it’s affordable, you will be making a positive contribution.

    4. Transform your kitchen into an urban homestead kitchen

    The heart of the (urban) homestead is in the kitchen. I am here to tell you that it’s time to transform your kitchen into a homesteaders kitchen. Now don’t worry, it doesn’t require any kind of refurbishment. Instead here are a few tips to embrace your urban homestead kitchen:

    Learning to cook from scratch

    Learning to cook from scratch is the heart of the homestead kitchen, so go ahead and start that sourdough starter, and learn how to bake sourdough bread, sourdough discard crackers, and pizza. Pull out recipes for meals you know your family will love and most of all, have fun!

    homestead kitchen
    sourdough urban homestead
    sourdough pancakes urban homestead

    Preserving your food

    Preserving your fresh produce is key in any kind of homestead kitchen, so you will want to learn how to utilise your freezer. Another thing I couldn’t live without is my dehydrator. It’s always the thing people ask me most about whether it is worth investing in. Learning canning techniques and making produce shelf stable is something else you will want to learn. This will ensure you are getting the best out of the produce you have.

    We only live in a small home but we invested in a small chest freezer last year. It has been a game-changer, allowing us to preserve more produce and especially enabling us to buy meat in bulk. 

    Fill your pantry (or cupboard) with shelf-stable items or tins. Buying in bulk, if you have the space, can help keep your costs low. It is great for those cupboard staples you use in meals frequently. We always pick up local honey in bulk so we have a constant supply. 

    5. Embrace a simple homesteaders handmade home

    Another key to the urban homestead is creating a handmade home. Whether it be creating your own items, repairing what you have or creating products to use around your home. When we started living a more simplistic life we began to think about the things we use around our home and whether they fit with our lifestyle. When you start living more naturally you definitely call into question the items and products around your home. We now make our own washing-up liquid, hand soap, and cleaning products. We also have the intention of making our own laundry powder and dishwasher tablets soon too.

    Whether you are just starting out or consider yourself a more seasoned urban homestead, I hope you find these tips helpful. I hope too that it helps validate that your homestead work in important. Urban homesteading is often overlooked because you don’t have land or raising animals, but your work is still important.

    Do you have an urban homestead? I would love to hear from you in the comments, or follow along with our urban homestead on Instagram @lifeonplot44.

  • Gardening & Growing

    March on the plot

    When we took over the plot in October 2021 there was so much to do, the plot itself looked fairly easy as it had been used for growing the previous season and wasn’t completely overgrown, but I soon realised to get it into shape for the current growing season there was a lot I would need to do. We’ve had a solid, productive winter as we cleared the ground, moved our double compost heap, laid out some beds and started to landscape it. These are jobs that (hopefully) only need doing once, so we made sure we made the most of the winter in order to get everything we needed ready for spring.

    blossom on the plot
    Beautiful blossoms on the plot
    coffee cup overlooking the plot
    Coffee overlooking the plot
    view of the plot at golden hour
    The plot at golden hour

    Finishing off the plot

    Like I said, we achieved so much through the winter in regards to transforming our plot into the workable plot we have now. It’s by no means done but it is slowly getting there. When the hope of spring rolled around as March hit we decided it was time to prepare ourselves for the coming season. 

    Some of the jobs we did on the plot in March include:

    • Moving our bean poles and re-erecting them reading for growing our first runner beans.
    • Laid our shed base – we went for an eco base with pea gravel.
    • Scored a free 6×4 shed + paid £50 for a smaller storage shed.
    • Laid weed membrane and play grade wood chip for an area for the kids to play.
    • Started laying our stone path across the plot.
    • Dug over, stripped back, weeded and started sifting out stones from the beds.

    All the strawberries

    A good friend of mine, in clearing her garden, had loads of new and older strawberry plants that she wanted to clear and asked if I wanted some. Of course, always open to more produce I emphatically said yes and rehomed around sixteen plants. Our plot neighbours also gave us 6 plants as a welcome to the allotment kind of gift that I have planted in an old bucket there. 

    Up on the balcony, I have 7 plants that I have had for the past 5 years, they stopped fruiting last year but gave me 5 runners, which have been overwintering in my mum’s greenhouse. I have decided, with those older plants to see if they will do another season and possibly give me some more runners this coming season. I have repotted them and so far seeing some early signs of life, so stay tuned to see what they do this year. The 5 runner plants are doing amazing and I have recently bought them home to my own greenhouse before planting them out. With the current cold snap, although I am sure they will be fine, I have left them to be planted out until it is slightly warmer. Instead, I have left them in my greenhouse on the balcony.

    Strawberry runner plants
    Last years runners are thriving

    Of course, because this isn’t enough strawberry plants for anyone, I couldn’t resist purchasing some strawberry plants from the garden centre when I visited the other week. I purchased 2 early, 2 mid and 2 late-season varieties. I have potted these in hanging pots on the balcony and they are so far doing great.

    First up at the plot: Parsnips

    As soon as March hit a switch flipped in my brain which made me want to sow all the seeds. I have somehow managed some restraint because I don’t want to go too early when I don’t have a lot of indoor space with adequate light (ie, I’ll end up with leggy plants) or a heated greenhouse, a zip-up greenhouse on the balcony is the extent of it so far. I decided to start a few things off in March, firstly my Luffa’s, which (at the time of writing) aren’t doing too bad. I went for pre-germinating them in wet paper towel, in a plastic bag (LFT bags work a treat if you have leftovers) and putting them on a shelf that sits above a radiator. I also clipped the base of the seedlings before germination too, to help it along. Almost all the seeds I did this germinated and have so far gone on to produce strong-looking seedlings. 

    You can watch a fun reel I did on my Instagram page about my Luffa’s, which gives you an idea of how it works.

    What I did focus on this month, however, was parsnips and some early tomatoes. Parsnips are quite hardy and have been something that is pretty much impossible to grow on a balcony. There isn’t much you can’t do in containers, but parsnips and carrots certainly aren’t easy. As with most things that I am growing this year I have some experience of trialling things on the balcony, so it is just adapting that to the allotment and a much bigger space. That being said I am trying something new this year: sowing in three ways.

    I decided to test how well things do, given the space, I have at home for starting off seedlings, a small zip-up greenhouse and no greenhouse at the allotment yet. So I have decided to try and plant/sow three ways.

    1. Direct sow where possible.
    2. Plant in pots or trays either indoors/in the zip-up greenhouse.
    3. Pre-germinate in a wet paper towel before planting.

    Using these ways I plan to see what works best and what produces the best plans with the best crops. I am planning out my growing season in my trusty allotment log book & planner*, which I can’t rave about enough.

    Parsnip seeds
    Parsnips ready to sow
    Parsnip seed protection
    Built a little fleece protection through the cold

    The first rhubarb

    We inherited three glorious rhubarb crowns on the plot and they have been ready to harvest for the past couple of weeks, cue lots of rhubarb all around. I am not the greatest fan of rhubarb crumble but I have heard that it will make a wonderful rhubarb and custard cake, so I am off to harvest some as soon as I have finished this blog post.

    Rhubarb plant
    Rhubarb is flourishing

    Propagating a raspberry plant

    Something I want for the allotment is some raspberry canes, my mum grows raspberries in her garden and she says they are wonderful. Our plot is very exposed and I am creating almost a wall of growing things to shelter the plot a little, and raspberries are in the plans. After some quick googling I saw that you can have somewhat of success by propagating a cutting from a raspberry plant, so I chopped off the top of one of my mums, popped it into some soil and I am waiting. The ideal way is to split the plant at the bottom and this way is only about 50% successful. However, it’s been 2 weeks and it hasn’t died and I think there might be a new shoot, so it is looking promising. I have been keeping it in the zip-up greenhouse for now until I see how it goes.

    March & fools spring on the plot

    Fools spring got us good and proper this year didn’t it? 20 degree days, making us feel like it was finally here and it was time to sow and plant everything. Then one week later it’s -2 and snowing. Hello fools spring, you got us again.

    The beautiful weather did serve us well and we got our shed up and re-felted. We were lucky enough to score a free 6×4 shed that someone was getting rid of and it’s honestly in such great condition. My original plan was actually going to be for an 8×6 shed so I also picked up a second-hand plastic tool storage shed for £50, and the two together work a treat. I plan to paint the shed when the weather warms up for real.

    View of the plot
    View from the shed
    Shed on the plot
    Our free 6×4 shed
    Kids area on the plot
    Beginnings of the kids area
    Kids area and their bed on the plot
    Kids area + their bed

    Other than that we used fools spring to finish up the plot, dig over some beds (we plan to do no dig after this year but didn’t have enough time to really see it come to life this year), create a play space for the kids (that is still a work in progress) and start laying a makeshift path. We have gone for stepping stones and also grabbed these for free from Facebook Marketplace.

    Sowing wise, we have started off some seeds indoors (Luffa’s, Tomatoes, Peppers and sunflowers, started off some parsnips in pots in the zip-up greenhouse but also directly sowed some into our first bed a week ago. Not much can be outside at the moment but it’s a start. 

    On the balcony

    It has also been busy up on the balcony, with lots of seed sowing, planting out some of the early seeds (parsnips, tomatoes and Luffa’s), potting on some of my garden centre purchases (strawberries and some herbs), as well as getting the balcony ready for spring.

    My zip-up greenhouse has served me well but had a couple of rips from the storm, so I sorted it out with some weatherproof tape. I have also just ordered myself a second, smaller zip-up greenhouse for the balcony to deal with some of the overflows. I do eventually plan to have something at the allotment but at the moment I don’t know what.

    Despite having the allotment I still plan to have a very productive growing season on the balcony. Firstly it will be where I start off most seeds, but also I am still going to be growing an abundance of produce up here too. Our balcony is south facing, beautifully warm and sunny, as well as a wonderful, peaceful oasis. This year I get to decide what I grow and where, so the balcony is going to be full of herbs, salads and strawberries. I am also going to do those things at the allotment too alongside everything else. 

    Balcony herb garden
    The beginnings of the balcony herb garden

    I’ve been making a start on my herb garden up on the balcony, and so far have mint, chives, oregano and thyme. I am also waiting on some rosemary to germinate indoors too. I created this fun gutter herb garden on the balcony and I cannot wait to see it thriving.

    So that’s been my month on the plot & balcony, it’s been so productive and the season has barely started. I am rolling into April so excited for more sowing, more potting on and even more hours outside.

    See you next month & don’t forget to follow along our daily growing adventures, along with living a slow and simple life, on our Instagram page.

    https://www.instagram.com/lifeonplot44/
  • Gardening & Growing

    5 simple things you can grow on a balcony (or any other small space)

    I’m going into my sixth season of growing on our balcony and today I wanted to share with you some of the tips and tricks I have learned over that time. We’ve been so lucky to be slowly developing our own allotment this year, but that doesn’t render my balcony useless, the opposite in fact. This year I plan to utilise both the balcony and the allotment to grow a whole host of fruit and veggies to hopefully help us become a little more self-sustainable. 

    grow tomatoes

    It’s not about the space but the way you use it to grow!

    I often hear from people that they don’t have a lot of space so they think that they can’t really do much growing, and trust me, I felt like that the first year I thought about growing on my balcony too. However, it turns out a 1m x 4m balcony is just perfect for growing a whole host of different fruits and veggies. You really don’t need to have a big garden to delve into growing a whole host of things, especially if you think that most people aren’t using the entirety of their gardens for growing like you would an allotment anyway. I’ve put together this fun list of 5 simple things you can grow on your balcony or in a small space this spring/summer season.

    Tomatoes

    Tomatoes are a firm favourite in our house to be grown in pots, and there are so many different varieties that we like to try a few different things. Tomatoes work great in pots that you can stand on balconies, patios, in gardens and allotments. They also do great hanging too.

    This coming season I plan to do almost all of my tomatoes in pots, both on the balcony, hanging on the balcony and also in pots at the allotment.

    Strawberries

    Strawberries are one of those fruits that I find so versatile, come back year after year (with the right care) and at the end of their fruiting life give you runners to help your strawberries live on. We bought a few strawberry plants in our first year living here and they have given us an abundance of fruit every year. Last year they lost their steam when it came to fruiting and we were able to get 5 wonderful runners to keep them going. I find them extremely easy to look after, grow and overwinter ahead of next year. We live high up on a hill where the balcony can get particularly weather-beaten but the strawberries always do great. I overwinter my plants just outside as normal and they always come back year after year. This winter I am overwintering my runners in an unheated greenhouse.

    You can grow from seed, purchase strawberry plants or find someone giving away runners to start your own little strawberry crop.

    This year I am going to be growing strawberries on the balcony in hanging pots, in the ground at the allotment, and also in pots at the allotment. I cannot wait to see what abundance of fruit we can get this year.

    Beetroot

    You might think this is a weird one to try and grow on a balcony but wait, hear me out. While beetroot probably does better in the ground by its very nature, and you’ll obviously be limited by the amount you can grow on a balcony, beetroot does surprisingly well in pots. In the 2021 growing season, we went all out with our balcony and beetroot was something we really enjoyed growing. The seeds were really easy to raise up, they grew wonderfully out in our little unheated greenhouse and we grew a number of them on in hanging pots.

    Peppers

    We have grown all kinds of peppers on the balcony over the last 5+ years: Sweet Peppers, Chilli Peppers and Banana peppers being some of our favourites.

    (FYI, don’t ever cut a banana pepper and then touch your eye, trust me on that one).

    Some you can also overwinter in a greenhouse (not something I have tried yet) to keep your plants going year after year.

    Herbs

    Herbs are a quick win for me and I love having access to home grown herbs for fun dinners and salads throughout the spring, summer and early autumn. With most herbs you can just cut off what you need and carry on growing the rest to ensure you have ample access to herbs as you need them. I like to grow my herbs outside but you can also grow them on sunny window ledges inside too.

    Try anything once

    I find growing in a small space such a thrill, it is great to see what works (almost everything) and what doesn’t (carrots and parsnips are a hard one in pots). Above everything else, just check when your seeds can be planted outside to protect from frosts and have fun!

  • Gardening & Growing

    Grow Your Own Food: How to Start an Allotment Garden

    When we finally got our allotment key back in October I had so many ideas running through my head as to what I wanted to do with the space that I had. The plot we inherited had a lot of veggies that had been grown in the previous season which we were able to make use of, but also it gave us a lot of ideas of what we might want to do with the plot. There have been various drawings, various ideas in my head, but I think we’re finally finding what might work for our little plot. Come along as we turn our plot from overgrown to our little plot of dreams.

    Getting some fencing up around our allotment

    Having two small children on an allotment (both 2 and under when we inherited it, but 3 and 8 months as I write this post) keeping them safe and contained was a big deal. Creating a fence to keep my toddler in and stop her running off and onto other plots was the first thing I wanted to do, because once that was done she could have a bit more of a free reign. My son, who is still a baby, will soon be on the move too and so I wanted to future proof the plot and keep it safe for them both. 

    We decided on a decent height edging fencing with metal poles and tied it up with some garden cable ties and it worked incredibly well. It’s the perfect height so toddlers are well contained and it’ll keep them both safe and where they should be for years to come. 

    Moving our compost heap

    Our next big job was moving our double compost heap and boy was it a task. The previous owner had built a big double compost heap with pallets, and while it was a great idea it was also leaning to one side and right slap bang in the middle of the plot. It just wasn’t ideal for planning our plot, so on a semi-whim we decided to move it to the far end of the plot. It wasn’t the easiest of tasks, moving the compost already in enough so that we could then move on and get the pallets out. This then meant that we were able to construct the new double compost heap at the far end of our plot and we could start the task of filling it back up.

    We had a fair amount of produce that we either didn’t want to use or hadn’t quite grown well so popping that into our new compost heap was the first job, along with some pumpkins from halloween. We were then able to move the compost from the original pile and start putting it back into the heap so we could use it on our beds once they were created. 

    Laying out some beds

    Once the compost heap was finished and we had managed to rake over a lot of what was left in the original spot, we started to be able to see what our plot might look like. Moving the compost heap completely changed what the plot looked like and for the first time we could see quite easily how we might place our beds.

    Cue a bunch more drawing on how we could possibly lay out beds, where we wanted paths etc. Next we used some string as a guide and loosely laid out some beds and paths. From there we have started to dig out some of the awful weeds (of which there are a lot) and also started to turn the soil over. Next I want to get some mulch from the compost heap on these beds, once I have weeded them as much as possible. The weeding on the plot is hard, arduous work but we are seeing some great progress now. 

    Deciding on what to grow on the allotment

    I have plans upon plans when it comes to what I want to grow and have already ordered most of my seeds in preparation. I am a keen balcony gardener and have enjoyed growing so many things up on my balcony. I still intend to have a balcony full of wonderful produce, so my next plan is what will be grown at the allotment and what will be grown up on the balcony. I was bought this wonderful allotment/gardening planning book for Christmas so I definitely can keep on top of my plans but also what I have planted. I don’t have a lot of space to start off seeds at home, so I am currently considering the best way to do this. I have a small plastic greenhouse on my balcony but I might need to invest in something more on the allotment. Any suggestions are most welcome!

    Onto the shed

    Something our plot didn’t have was a shed and that’s a big deal for us, so we’re working on getting one installed asap. We have the base all in place so next is ordering the shed and getting it up. This will absolutely transform our plot as we won’t need to transport everything we have or need every time we go, we can store some chairs and enjoy every single part of our plot.

    It’s an exciting experience as we create our plot. I have no idea what I am doing and in all honesty, there is so much joy in that.

  • Gardening & Growing

    Balcony gardener to allotment gardener: Our brand new plot

    A post about our brand new allotment plot. We’ll be levelling up our growing from Balcony to allotment!

    We have news and I am just going to jump straight into it – we have just got our first allotment!

    I’ve been a passionate balcony gardener for five summers now, each year trying more and more in our little balcony garden. We live in a small home, by choice, and have absolutely intention of moving. There are a number of reasons for this but most lean towards finances, not wanting to push ourselves beyond our comfort level and actually have money left at the end of the month for savings and to live the life we desire, not constantly reaching for the next bigger and better thing.

    Self sufficiency & our allotment

    We have a beautiful balcony garden that is absolutely thriving and the perfect space for our little ones to play and grow. As well as our little balcony paradise we are surrounded by open countryside and plenty of ways to spend our time outdoors. With all this, and on the back of a wonderful growing season on our balcony, we are so excited to start work on our allotment. We have had a wonderful growing season every year we have lived here, each year bigger and better than the one before, however even though there are many things we can grow on a balcony having this space will really help us grow more and work on being a little more self-sufficient.

    View of allotment

    Just one year from application to allotment

    We first applied for our allotment just over a year ago, and we’ve been incredibly lucky that spaces at our chosen allotment have come up very quickly. We have a lot of allotments around us, so maybe that is why, but it took little over a year between applying for our allotment to getting the key for our own little space. I know this isn’t the case for everyone and I have heard of some councils having waiting lists of up to 10 years. Feeling very grateful that this wasn’t the case for us.

    We had two options in our allotment when it came to picking our patch. One was a square plot which hadn’t really been tended to much and was full of fruit bushes that would have needed to have been pulled up or moved to create any kind of growing space close to what we desired. The other plot, and the one we ultimately went for, was a long narrow plot which had always had a fair amount of growing on there.

    Although the chosen plot still needs a lot of TLC this plot was definitely in a better position for being able to create the plot we wanted and being able to achieve some of our little plot goals quite quickly. We were viewing both at the same time as they are at the same allotment and it was difficult to immediately visualise which one was the better option and with more potential. Thankfully, after choosing I can really see that the longer plot was the right decision for us.

    We’ve had the plot for a couple of weeks now and have been able to start some work and it’s clear that it has so much potential. There is so much we want to do with it and I can’t wait to document it all as we go.

    Less processed, more home grown food

    It’s been fun, since we got the allotment, checked it out in greater detail I can see just how much potential it has. A lot of the plans we have will involve the children and their home education, but we’re also passionate about growing our own food and moving away from mass consumed food where we can. We’ve had the plot for a couple of weeks now and it has so much potential. There is so much that we want to do with in and I will of course be documenting it all here, to some extent on my Instagram account, but I have also started an Instagram account that will be solely dedicated to the allotment.

    A lot of my plans involve the children, their home education but also being passionate about growing our own food as much as we can, and participating in natural food sources and stepping away as much as possible from the horrendously processed food industry. 

    Woman and toddler picking carrots from the ground

    First up…getting the fence up!

    Our first task has been to install a small fence, having two children under the age of 3 means that working on the allotment is a bit more difficult, especially as we’re trying to keep our children on our little patch. Of course when they are a little older they will understand that they can’t just run off to roam in other peoples patches but for now I want to keep them where they need to be. We’re currently halfway through installing a small, low fence that is just right for keeping them where they need to be without looking too obtrusive.

    We decided that the best option was some PVC coated wire fencing. This is an edging fencing so only just over 2ft high, but perfect for keep toddlers where they need to be without being too obtrusive for the plot. We plan to secure it with some chicken wire poles, some garden pins and some cable ties, and hopefully this will keep it secure for a while to come.

    All the plans

    Next on the agenda is to clear the area at one end of the patch which really lends itself to having a shed, maybe a small decked area, a mud kitchen for the little ones, some cold frames and a small raised bed for the children to grow in too.

    I really plan for a lot of our home education to take place at the plot, especially in these early years where being outside, nature and play is of utmost importance to us. The area that I’m looking at putting the shed is very overgrown and empty, and so like I said it really lends itself to be used for this. It might seem like a funny place to start, but actually with the winter ahead of us it gives us a great opportunity to get some of these things in place and sort out some of the beds ahead of the growing season next year.

    Once we have cleared the area, put the shed base down and put the shed in I’m happy to see how everything pans out from there, and move my focus onto the beds and what we plan to grow ahead of next spring rolling round. We have a really long plot and currently the opposite end from where we plan to put the shed we have inherited an abundance of rhubarb and a fruit tree. The aim is to plant a few more fruit trees up there, possibly a gooseberry bush.

    view of the allotment

    Next along we have space to have plenty of rows of product (and some paths) and right in the middle of the plot we have a compost heap and a patch that is currently a pumpkin and squash patch, all of which we intend to leave for the next growing season, as this enables us to tackle other, more in need parts of the patch.

    On the other side of the pumpkin patch heading towards what will be the shed area is several rows where we can plant produce, create paths and also some canes to grow runner beans. I intend to leave the canes in situ and continue to grow runner beans next year.

    Woman holding up picked carrot

    Follow along with us


    If you would like to follow so our allotment journey I will be documenting it here. I think it would be fantastic to see where it started and where we get with it particularly across the next growing season but also it’s going to be great to see it overall as time goes and how it progresses. We’re not pro gardeners by any stretch of the imagination but a lot of the fun is in learning as we go and I’m really excited about that.

    If you would like to follow the allotment journey on Instagram you can follow us @lifeonplot44. The allotment only account will be a real deep dive into what we doing on the allotment and how it’s progressing how things are changing before and afters etc where is my main account is everything about our little life. Can’t wait to see you there!