Allotment Tales 7th May 2026

After last week’s sunny weather, we were plunged back into March today – cool and cloudy. We kept the session short as the weeds will always wait for us.
Today’s main task was to erect the fruit cage. This proved to be a bit tricky, with competing strategies being offered. However, we got there in the end.

The Chinese artichokes are coming through in the bed designated for legumes. These were moved – some to the rhubarb bed where they can perhaps find a more permanent home and the remainder to the polyculture bed.

We watered extensively, as rain has been scarce over the past few weeks. At the start of the year, we discussed ways to keep moisture in the soil more effectively and hope to increase our use of mulching over this growing season. Weeds are flourishing, so our compost bins were well-fed today.

We are hosting The Caley’s “Maintaining Your Veg Plot” workshop on Saturday where there will be opportunity to discuss ways of producing allotment-made compost using “good and bad weeds”. Composting worms create the magic, so we need to look after them. Consequently, we keep a regular look out for flatworms who predate on these unsung heroes. Two were found today and dispatched unceremoniously.

We dead headed the tulips and daffodils which have been lovely this year and picked some rhubarb before leaving.

Jobs for next week: Earth up the potatoes; trim path and bed edges; water as necessary; prepare for Saturday’s workshop