Barry Cuff | Voice of the Allotment

The Voice of The Allotment with Barry Cuff

By the fourth week of March, and after a good spell of dry weather, all of our plot has been cleared of weeds and old crop debris.

The paths mowed and edged, and all has been manured except for the area allocated for parsnips and carrots.

We practice a six year rotation, and only dig one third of the total area each year. Digging has provided plenty of worms for an attendant blackbird.

The only crops left in the ground are a few leeks, two or three celeriac and a line of purple sprouting broccoli. After covering with net the broccoli made a good recovery from a bad pigeon attack, and we are cutting large numbers of delicious tender shoots twice a week. Hopefully it will keep producing well into April.

Our last carrots were dug mid month. The first sowings of the new crop will be made next month when the soil is a little warmer; the dry spell has been accompanied by cold winds from the North.

From store we still have potatoes and onions. From the freezer we have broad beans, French beans, peas and sweetcorn.

We have now planted four rows of potatoes. One each of Foremost and Charlotte and two of Elfe. We started growing Elfe two years ago. This variety is marketed by Albert Bartlett. They yield well and have an excellent taste especially when baked or mashed.

Also in the ground we have a row of garlic and a double row of broad beans. Next month is the main sowing month for a lot of vegetables. Already in the greenhouse we have seedlings of cabbage, onions, peppers, chillies and tomatoes. Most weekends now there is a hive of activity down on the allotment, mostly soil preparation and some planting. Our neighbours have erected a small greenhouse which is starting to fill. Thanks to Bob who has discovered the water leak and repaired the damaged pipe ready for when water is needed.

Barry’s pigeon-attacked broccoli has recoived nicely