GROWING ON THE WEB
What is your plot like?
The allotment site contains 17 full-size plots and eight half-size plots, and is managed by the local city council. I am the site secretary.
When I obtained my plot, soft fruits were the primary crop grown in 60cm (2ft) wide beds with gravel paths separating them. I redesigned the layout completely, ripping everything out and started creating raised beds using reclaimed scaffold boards. The main growing area now comprises a dozen 2.4x1.8m (8 x 6ft) beds, with a few other permanent beds created around the boundaries (strawberries, asparagus, flowers). I practise a four-year crop rotation cycle.
The soil was poor and undernourished so I double dug all of the main beds and used six tons of well-rotted cow manure as a base lining. The topsoil was replaced and this raised the level to the top of the boards. This creates superb moisture retention, which proved invaluable during the long hot summer of
