Welcome allot-potters! This is the April instalment of my allotment x potager garden progress. Landscaping and digging has now ceased (thank goodness) as I managed to get the whole plot dug last month, but sowing seeds has really started in earnest now!
Every year I sow seeds, I end up with so many little plants that I think I won’t be able to get them all planted! However, for some reason, I still never seem to have enough. Maybe this year I will get it right 😬🤞
This month, as always, I will be showing you the progress I have made over the last 4 weeks, and how I have done it. Hopefully you will see how easy it is even if you are a novice gardener!
In this update, I am going to show you 1️⃣ the final allot-pot structure and my complete planting beds 2️⃣, how I created my squash arch and what I hope it will eventually look like, 3️⃣ the progress on the plants, planning and sowing! As always, if you want to see where I started you can read the first three instalments of allotment x potager journey here.
Allotment x potager progress
So, to remind you, this is the development of the allot-pot so far this year:
April allotment (allot-pot) objectives
So, let’s recap on what my objectives were for April and what I actually achieved. The reason I do this is because it ensures I make the most of my time at the allotment, and stops me from staring at plants 👀
- Sow peas indoors to prevent mice eating them, and when ready plant out ✔️ (semi successful)
- Plant another succession of salad leaves and tender herbs ✔️ (Didn’t work so have to do it again!)
- Sow carrots in raised boxes to prevent carrot root fly ✔️
- Build archway with wire trellis for squash to grow up ✔️
- Start building mini greenhouse out of salvaged windows ❌ didn’t even get it started! Involves more digging a lot more planning…it’s on my radar though!
- I also managed to sow lots of seeds successfully, including scarlet kale, squash, tomatoes, kalette, sunflowers, cornflowers,
- Plants that were put in the allotment were cerinthe, asparagus, runner beans, rosemary and chives.
- AND I sowed beetroot outside, carrots and radish.
How did I do it?
Every month, I try and give you an overview of how I did the little jobs on my allotment so that if you want you can do the same!
Squash arch
So, squash such as courgettes or butternut squash, can take up a lot of space. And because I want to grow as much as I can on my allotment, I try and find space everywhere.
Therefore in my Pinterest browsing, I saw squash arches and thought I would give it a try. This is where you grow your squash vertically, by supporting it on a heavy frame with string and netting. Click here and head to my allot-pot (allotment) board to see my end goal.
I started by working out where I wanted my arch to be. So I needed somewhere with a bit more space and in full sun, therefore the arch has been constructed towards the back of the plot.
Equipment
- 8 x 5cm stakes cut to size
- 4 smaller bracing stakes
- 2 lengths of plumbing pipe, approx 1 inches in diameter
- Cable ties
- Staple gun
- Roll of square wire mesh (the sturdy kind, approx 5cm square holes)
I built the frame using the 8 stakes, and the 4 bracing stakes. I’ll be honest, it wasn’t as solid as I wanted it to be which is why I added the 4 small bracing stakes.
For the arch, I found 2 spare bits of plumbing pipe, cut them to the same size and then cable tied them to the posts.
Once they were secure, I used a roll of sturdy square wire mesh which I had already measured so that it was the same width as the spacing of the upright wooden supports. Starting at the bottom of one side, I unrolled it up and over the pipe arch down the other side. I then used and a staple gun to fix it to the wood posts. I cable tied it to the pipe.
Et voila! A squash arch!
Planting and sowing in the allotment this month
Planting
Slowly, the weather is warming up so we can start planting out some of the hardier veg. I tried to stick to my planting plan, but sometimes I just plant where inspiration strikes!
- The strawberries already have flowers on them!🍓
- Not in my plan, but who cares! I had some chives in pots which have been out all year so are hardy. I put them in the corners of the beds that will have the beans in them. They flower a lovely purple colour (and you can eat them), and grow into big clumps that you can divide to make more plants. Also, they are good for deterring pests so you can use them as companion plants and the make dramatic edging.
- I planted a small rosemary bush that I had grown from a cutting last year. Furthermore, I put it near where the squash is going to be, as they are good companions!
- Runner beans – mum grew some runners from seed and as they are hardy we planted them at the base of the bamboo structure.
- Nasturtium – another companion plant which deters and attracts insects, these have gone in to help the beans and the broccoli.
- Broccoli – some of my original plants got munched but I kept a few back for emergencies therefore these got planted out and heavily mulched with strulch!
- Cerynthe – these hardy annuals are lovely cut flowers which I sowed back in January. They are ready to plant out so in they went into one of my cut flower beds.
Sowing
Well, I had sowed loads of seeds already, some have been successful, others not so much. But that it is the beauty of gardening if you ask me! So in the last month I have grown the following:
Sunflowers – a tender annual. Because my first lot got eaten by a sneaky snail, I re-sowed a few weeks ago and because of the extra light and heat they have shot up. I probably have about 20 plants! They will get potted on and planted out in May when the risk of frost has passed.
Scarlet kale and kalettes – these have germinated but they are a little leggy because they didn’t get enough light initially. As a result, I have kept them in pots as I want to see if they grow into sturdier plants, but have resown some just in case they don’t grow properly.
Cosmos – a tender annual, I sowed these a few weeks ago and now they are growing well. Again for planting out in May/June.
Courgette – these were sown two weeks ago and have grown into sturdy plants already. Also May for planting out.
In recent weeks I have sown cucumbers, celeriac, zinnia, basil, parsley, french beans, peas, cauliflower, Marigolds, calendulas and clarkia. However, these are all germinating still so wont be ready until at least May/June.
Update on allotment step over trees
So, I planted my step over fruit trees in February. As you will recall, I bought the juvenile trees and then cut the main stem down to two buds.
Pear – the pear is now in bud, so when the stems grow I will then train them horizontally.
But the really great things is that the branches I cut off and then tried to propagate have rooted! I now have about 6 new pear trees! No idea what I am going to do with them all! 😆
Apple – the main apple stem doesn’t look like it is doing much 🥹 but I will leave it in as you never know. However the cuttings have rooted so I have 5 new baby apple trees anyway! Happy days! Oh, and if you want to read all about propagation, you can have a look at my post dedicated to just that here!
Sow and Grow
Finally, the seeds I sowed in January and February are coming on nicely.
Tomatoes – these are nearly ready for planting into the soil in the greenhouse. And, the outdoor varieties will be planted in the allotment in May.
Sweet peas – these are growing well and will planted out in the coming weeks when the risk of frost has passed.
The malva and strawflowers are getting to a nice size now and will go out the same time as the other annual flowers.
Chillies – these have several true leaves now so will be pricked out and potted on soon.
The perpetual spinach has been potted on and will go out next month in the perennial bed.
Ipomea – this has done really well and I have at least 10 plants to grow in between my climbing veg to attract pollinators and give me more produce, as well as looking pretty!
Melon – excitingly, three of my melon seeds germinated and are now growing into sturdy plants. Because these need heat they will stay in the greenhouse.
And of course, if you want to see how I do these things, plus other hints and tips, follow me on Instagram!
Conclusion
So there you have it, my April allot-pot update.
I will aim to post my next update around the middle of May by which time I am hoping to show you the following:
- Most if not all of my baby plants out in the allotment ready to grow away
- Start building mini greenhouse out of salvaged windows (I’m keeping this in here as I really want a mini greenhouse!!)
- Repeat sowings if plants I eat a lot of such as salad leaves
- Recipes from the produce that is ready!
Happy gardening!
Jt x
