Allotment Diary February 2007

The Internet is full of sites dedicated to allotments and to gardening communally, testament to its growing popularity. For information on gardening why not try some of the links in the side bar – Gardening Advice, these include the Royal Horticultural Society and the BBC Gardening pages.

One of the many pleasures of gardening has to be the connection with the rhythm of the seasons.

On Allotments4all an online chatroom for keen allotment growers one lady puts this very well

“What we have all tried to tell you, each in our own way, is how much of a need there is for inner peace, tranquillity, and an overwhelming desire to remove ourselves, be it only temporarily, from the everyday pressure that the 21st century life imposes.

Many on this site have young children, I have two in their early 20’s. What saddens me is they are growing up surrounded by the expectation of immediacy. They are growing up in a society where everything in their lives is available at ‘the touch of a button’”
Edit October 29 2005. www.allotments4all.co.uk



In February the first signs of spring begin to appear, and seed planting can begin, always with an eye to the possibility of a late frost. Garlic cloves can be planted if you didn’t get around to it last autumn, onion and shallot sets can also go in. Seeds can be planted under glass or on windowsills, herbs, tomatoes, sweetpeas, peas, lettuce, cucumber and sweetcorn. Keener, or maybe just more organised gardeners have their broad beans well on the way for planting out in March.



At the end of the month the first frogspawn appeared on the pond. A small amount has been carried home in a jam jar to be kept in a tank until the froglets can be returned to the allotment. I’m not sure why we are all so fascinated by tadpoles!