Lizzie’s allotment by the sea

Lizzie digging for victory on the allotment

How long have had you had your allotment and where is it?

For 2 years.  It’s in shoreham-by-Sea, about a mile from home.       

Did you have to wait long on a waiting list?

Actually only about 4 months, but I believe it’s longer now.

What sort of state was it in when you got it?

Apart from a tiny bed that the previous (and brief) occupant had started to dig, it was covered in long grass with a lot of bind weed and couch grass mixed in, but the soil was good.  Mine had not been used as an allotment for about 20 years and the council had rotivated the strip that my one is on the year before due to renewed interest and reissued them.

Do you do all the work yourself? Is there anything you’ve needed help with?

I generally do all the work myself, although this year I have had a bit of help from the University of Brighton’s allotment society, as they are keen to get outside and get involved in growing vegetables, so it has been mutually beneficial!

The first year I had the allotment, I only managed to cultivate half of it, as there was so much digging to do, so the second spring I decided I needed a helping hand and let a neighbouring allotmenter  rotivate the other half for me, which really did give me a head start that year and allow me to make the most of my plot.  Now that i feel i am on top of it, I hope I won’t need to have it rotivated again.

Every woman needs one - Lizzie enjoys a cuppa in her shed

You’ve made a shed on your allotment haven’t you – how did you do that and what the cost/ effort involved?

I’ve made a shed come green house.  I had an old Luton van top outside my old studio that needed a new home.  It was a very solid structure and the size of 2 sheds ( we are allowed a shed 5′ X 7′ at our allotments)  So I chopped it in half width ways and I have the end with the roller door as my shed.  I put a simple wooden frame in the other end of my half and then covered that in twin wall plastic which I have facing south, this makes for a great greenhouse.  My neighbours had the other half for their shed and have done a beautiful job .  The moving of these 2 sheds to the allotment was a different matter and proved quite tricky.  We got the flat bed truck stuck in the mud and had to get the RAC out – but it was worth it for the final result!

How much time would you say you spend on your allotment and how much does this change throughout the year/ seasons?

In the spring I probably spend a day a week there, and as it gets warmer I need to go more often for watering and weeding.  I can get away with going less, but my vegetables won’t be so good.  By late summer most of my time there is spent keeping up with picking produce and a bit of weeding.  But for the rest of the year from September to early March, there is much less work needed really.  This year i did spend time digging the beds over and adding manure, which has meant I am much more prepared now for putting my seeds in the ground.

What are you growing on your allotment this year?

Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Bright lights Chard, Rhubarb Chard, Kale, Beetroot, Radish, Brocolli, Jerusalem Artichokes, Peas, Sweet Peas, Rhubarb, Broad beans, Courgettes, Spaghetti Squash, Winter Squash, Runner beans, French beans, Asparagus Peas, Onions, Garlic,  Pak Choi, Fennell, Various flowers, and probably more, whatever takes my fancy when I’m in the Garden Centre!

What’s been your biggest success?

The Chard always grows well on the soil we have in Shoreham, and the courgettes have always been successful.  I was very excited about my Spaghetti Squash last year, it was a fantastic ingedient for soups and could also be substituted for noodles in a stir fry.

Making a thrifty slug trap with some scrumpy cider

I would just say go for it – you’ll get so much enjoyment out of watching things grow.  It may be a good idea to start small, so as you don’t take on too much straight away and put yourself off.

Take advice from other gardeners – there’s a wealth of knowledge out there, especially at your local allotments.

What have you learnt from having your allotment? (in terms of practical skills, specific knowledge, community, anything you can think of….)

I’ve learnt so much – but also have 100 times more to learn!  I’ve learnt to recognise what certain plants look like when they’re seedlings and little things like that really.  I have picked up a lot from neighbours at the allotment, but often it is a matter of trial and error, and learning what works well in the soil you have.