What's the most important thing to do for or in the allotment right now?

I've got an allotment in North London. I did lots of digging to clear weeds and clear last year's crops in the autumn when I got the allotment.





I haven't been there much 'cos of the wet weather and I've got some seeds germinating at home, but what else could I or should I be doing?

What's the most important thing to do for or in the allotment right now?
Wow. Well, if I were you I'd get down there and make sure the weeds haven't all come back. I dug my allotment early last spring but after a couple of months it was all overgrown again, and I struggled against the weeds all summer. You need to be vigilant and not let them get re-established!


March is a good time to plant potatoes, onions and garlic, as well as peas and a lot of perennial crops if you're planning to grow them (like asparagus, rhubarb, artichokes and fruit bushes).


It's also good to get an early start with planning out where your beds will be, maybe marking out paths, that sort of thing.


I know the weather's not great, but to an extent you just have to grin and bear it! UK weather's never that great, and you don't want to ONLY tend your allotment when it's hot and sunny! I've been busy on mine since mid-Feb!


Read some blogs from people with allotments and see what they're up to now, and get a good allotment book that tells you what you can be doing month by month. Kitchen Garden magazine is great too!





Good luck with your allotment this year - there's nothing so satisfying as growing your own healthy organic food!





http://www.amazon.co.uk/Allotment-Handbo...





http://www.kitchengarden.co.uk/





http://nomegrown.blogspot.com/
Reply:Here is someones day to day "doings' in their allotment





http://allotmentnews.blogspot.com/2006_0...
Reply:It's full many a season since I tilled the earth and hoed the ground, etc, - in an amateurish sort of way. With mixed results.


I was fascinated by the germination of seeds - growth of things - and re-generation of such - but all by trial and error, hence the mixed results.


But I thought one of the great advantages of an allotment is that other 'experts' will be close by - and there's a lot of cross-fertalisation of help,advice,assistance and even exchange of surplus plants etc - from those nearby - with experience of the soil acidity level, etc. Which I'm sure would be of much more help to you - than any general advice you might get on this site.


Most gardeners love to help 'beginners' - so don't be shy or afraid to ask those close by - you'll probably be amazed by the amount of help available.