We have been spending a little time on our allotment every week. The majority of the beds are dug over, although we still have one more to finish this season. It’s been hard work with the kids running around, but normally I can entertain them with diggers and bamboo canes, or we bring paint like we did on this visit.
Now we’re getting to the planting stage the boys can get more involved. Mr A helped plant their strawberries out and some leeks (I think that’s what they are!) that we had found growing on another bed in our plot.
We received a selection of 30 heritage strawberries from Marshalls which are currently planted in 3 packed lines, but I will be spacing them out once the final bed is dug over. The strawberries arrived bare rooted and with virtually no leaves. However, once planted they were looking great, with lots of green leaves only a week later! Looking forward to the strawberries we grow from these.
At home Mr A helped me plant seeds in the propagator seed kit, also from Marshalls. I’ve always been a little sceptical of propagators and didn’t think it would make that much of a difference in a warm central heated house. However after filling our propagator with soil and seeds there were seedlings appearing in only 3 days! We’re rather impressed and even more so with everything included with the propagator kit. The package included the propagator, soil, 12 Packets of vegetable seeds, labels, pen, cell trays (several of each size) and capillary mats to hold water under the trays. Not bad for only £19.95.
The first lot of seedlings are now too big for the propagator and have been potted up at the kitchen windowsill. Our next seedlings are already growing, broccoli and peas and once they are bigger they will be taken out to be potted up or planted outside under cloches. Normally I would have planted peas outside to grow, however, last year that didn’t work here and every unprotected pea was gobbled up by a mysterious garden pest (guessing mice?). Our only way of saving the peas were to cover up the areas with plastic bottle cloches. This year we will be doing the same and have many bottles saved up, but we will also have some ready to go out as seedlings to get a head start and early peas.
Mr O and I went to our local potato day and chose 32 potatoes of 4 different types; Kestrel, Majestic, Charlotte and Maris Bard. We let them chit for a few weeks before taking them up to the allotment to plant out in two different beds and a row in the boys own vegetable bed (behind their leeks and strawberries). The boys favourite part is the digging up of potatoes, I can guarantee smiles and muddy children when we do. A potato treasure hunt is so much fun!
We were also lucky enough to be given some old trellis fencing from my parents garden. They weren’t using it anymore so we have positioned it between our plot and our neighbours. The fence is partly to demarcate the boundary for the boys and also to grow up peas or sweet peas, I can’t decide which to grow there!
As a little extra decoration to our allotment I hung some little mirrored stars (two mirrored stars glued back to back with thread sandwiched between) in a tree overhanging the plot. I love the little sparkle they bring to the plot and whilst hanging them I noticed that we have a little triangle of rhubarb appearing in the grass.
It’s going to be a great year for our fruit and veg! Are you growing any of your own fruit or vegetables?
J x
*We received the propagator with seeds and the strawberries from Marshalls to review for this post, all opinions are my own.
Plutonium Sox says
What a lovely thing to do with your little ones. I had an allotment before having children but haven’t had time to set anything up since the children came along. I definitely intend to in the future though, although probably a space in the garden rather than an allotment as we have room to do it here if I get myself organised!
Nat.x
David Mellor says
Allotments are a great idea for little ones. You’ve got a great variety of produce ready to come through in the next few weeks and months. We have a small garden allotment and grow strawberries (that seem to take over everything), peppers, chilies, tomatoes, plus some herbs. Like you’ve we’ve decorated ours to make it child friendly, but I love your mirrored stars. Thanks for sharing.
Sophie says
You are very lucky to have an allotment to enjoy as a family. Must be great fun planting new plants, even if something is nibbling away at the peas. They must be delicious haha!
Sophie x
Becky @lakessinglemum says
Lots of hard work but rewarding for all of you
Georgina says
What a lovely inspiring post! Before having my little girl, my partner and I grew lots of veg and fruit whilst living in Ibiza, Spain. I really miss it and we have made some nice space to start growing this year, hopefully this weekend, thanks for sharing and getting my veg patch inspiration going! #Whatevertheweather
Sarah - Craft Invaders says
Your allotment is looking great, and I love your propagator (took me about 6 goes to spell that right!) it is huge! We have got as far as digging some of our beds out, but haven’t planted anything yet x
Sarah says
My kids are growing strawberries in their nanny’s garden. We have managed to grow them indoors before on our window sill. I’d love an allotment, the waiting list is so long here.
It looks like such a great thing to do. Happy growing! Sarah x #WhateverTheWeather
Emma says
Oh it must be so lovely to have an allotment and a really nice thing to do with little ones too 🙂 #whatevertheweather
Stephanie says
A lovely task for the kids to do with you, your going to love seeing all those things grow and then eat them! We haven’t done any this year, which is such a shame.
Cheryl @ ReimerandRuby says
How exciting planting your own fruit and veggies, isn’t it? We have tried planting fruits last year, we only harvested a few because the birds ate them first. This time, my father-in law have given us peas, I have actually just planted them today and see how it goes but kids are definitely so keen with them and so looking forward seeing them grow. Lovely post! #WhateverTheWeather
Mae says
I wish we were growing a garden this year. We especially love strawberries in our house. My son’s favorite color is red.
Let kids be kids says
Looks like your fruit and veg are going to be fantastic this year. Love the thought of potato treasure hunting, I bet the kids love it.
Baby Isabella says
We need to get out in the garden and start growing things! Last year we grew SweetPea from seeds, which was amazing as my mummy usually kills everything! Looks like you guys are doing a super job! #Whatevertheweather xx
Harry's Honest Mummy says
You are so good and so organised. I have all good intentions and then get really annoyed with myself later on in the season because I didn’t plant something in time. It is great that you can involve your son in this activity as well. My Dad has an allotment, I should suggest to him that this is something he could do with H. Thanks for giving me that idea. #whatevertheweather
Lauren (The Helpful Hiker) says
I always try and grow a bit of salad and herbs. Also did quite well with carrots, onions and garlic last year. This year hoping to get on top of the slugs and snails and hopefully encourage Finn to help me. I love reading about your allotment, my own plot is not quite so impressive but I’m sure we’ll manage to grow something! Can’t wait to see what you and the boys produce 🙂 #whatevertheweather
Becky at PinksCharming says
Ah wow I would love to grow veggies but I am the least green-fingered person ever, unfortunately. Those kits look good, maybe even I could manage them 🙂 Your allotment looks lovely xx #WhateverTheWeather
Life as Mum says
How lovely. My girls love to do things like this. We don’t have a great garden to do it as much yet but hope to in a few months time
Fran Back With A Bump says
This looks a lot of fun. We’re going to have a good at growing some fruit and veg this summer. Ella wants to win the school pumpkin competition #whatevertheweather
Chloe says
This looks so brilliant. You’re going to have so much fun all together popping back and forth to your allotment. It’s so great that the boys are being very hands on. They’re learning so many skills and new things, from the planting to how they grow, to the picking them. Life skills that we all really ought to have. I love your little mirrored stars. They really add such a lovely touch to the area. I’m really excited to see how your produce comes along. xx