January is a time to catch up and clear up. This year not a person to person catch up as pandemic rules don’t allow. A catch up on those tasks that have been put aside as there has been growing or harvesting to do. There are things to harvest now, in fact, tidying up around the cabbages and cauliflowers is a good thing. Removing wet and dead leaves will discourage slugs. You may even have a feathered friend helping.
Plot holders may have crop rotations to plan. So beds will need preparing – if they are not no dig – with the weather making this either a pleasure or a chore. A cold day when it has not been too wet makes turning over the soil and weeding easy. Wet soil means finding an alternative task for the day. So a clear up of old tree and flower stakes and canes to see what will last another season.
Shed clear up
A dry cold day is a good time to go through a shed. Old fertilisers or netting that are past their best can be got ready to take off site to get rid of. Also a great time to check that any guttering and rain pipe is sending rainwater where it can be collected. A chance to check that greenhouse panels whether glass or perspex are clean and not damaged. This may have to happen again in a couple of months as the weather can be a bit fierce here. Some will already have brushed the greenhouse shelves down, and checked all is in order for the first seeds to be planted.
Paths and edges
Each plot holder is responsible for a path at one side of their allotment plot. This is a good chance to weed it if using grass or wood chip. Paved paths can be checked for sinkage and lifted and relaid on a dry day. edges to the paths or to plot beds can be replaced with new timber. Timber is getting more expensive again thanks to the effects of the pandemic and Brexit.
Allotment Gardener Magazine
For those who took on plots with little knowledge last year one of the resources that may help them is the quarterly magazine from the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardners a.k.a The National Allotment Society or NSALG. Weaste Allotments is a member and receives several copies to share with plot holders in the Community Hut. Inside there are stories of each region, including planting and growing tips, environmental discussions and advice and what to do in the following three months. The website also holds a lot of helpful hints on how to get started. So if the weather draws in pull up a chair in the shed or greenhouse and have a read with a cuppa! If of course you have taken a flask with you. Plotters do tend to be planners though.
It is also the time of year when rents are paid. A few people leave at this time too. It may be that they’ve got work elsewhere, moved and have their own growing space or can no longer manage a plot. Weaste has half and full plots with plans to create smaller plots with raised soil to help retain committed allotmenteers and encourage more people from the local community. If you want to join us then please contact our Secretary to get on the waiting list.