By Lindsey Pierce
As a mum of five-year-old twins working full time, the idea of starting an allotment might sound ambitious – maybe even unrealistic. A few years ago, I decided I wanted to grow some of our own food and get my children involved. I wanted them to experience muddy hands, planting seeds, and the excitement of watching something they had grown end up on their plate. I started small, using pots of assorted sizes in our paved garden.
Before long, I realised I wanted to do more and began looking into an allotment. I joined the waiting list through Oswestry Town Council. Waiting lists can be long, so if this is something you’re considering, I’d recommend getting your name down as soon as possible.
I was offered my plot in May last year and felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. The plot had been neglected for some time, so there was plenty of clearing and preparation to do before I could plant anything. It can be tempting to rush straight into planting, but being forced to focus on clearing and setting up the plot properly gave me time to think about what I wanted from the space.
It’s also important to think about what you want to grow. What does your family enjoy eating? I was given a specific list of favourite fruits and vegetables by the twins, which made planning simpler and helped them feel involved.
Once you have a rough plan, just go for it. Growing is all about trial and error, and not everything will work – and that’s okay.
Winter can still be a busy time on the plot and my jobs for February will include weeding and checking the position of beds and pots. If you need to move them, now is the time! We’ll also be chitting seed potatoes, sowing onions, peas, tomatoes, salad leaves and spinach in the greenhouse.
Follow along with my column to see how we get on.
