5 Garden Tasks For National Allotment Week

National Allotment Week is taking place from August 13-19 this year, and the theme for 2018 is ‘living and growing’! The week aims to encourage everyone to get cultivating their own food, no matter how small the space available to them. From balcony container growing to turning the garden into a veg patch there are plenty of ways people can cultivate their own food. To help you along the way here are five growing tasks you can complete this National Allotment Week.

1. Keep Harvesting
August sees tremendous yields, which is hugely rewarding during National Allotment Week! Enjoy tomatoes, runner and French beans, carrots, beetroot, aubergines, cucumber, garlic, onions, potatoes and marrows. If you have grown courgettes this year, then you know you have to be vigilant with these crops and keep picking the delicious yields as they grow so quickly!

Harvest herbs this month, including basil, mint and chives, that have grown to the appropriate size. By cutting back the growth these plants will be inspired to create more produce, too. As well as using your herbs fresh, why not dry some to use when summer is over? Simply leave the appropriate leaves, such as rosemary, oregano and dill, in a sunny spot to dry out.

2. Sow Crops Now
If you are inspired to grow your own, don’t hold back as you can sow seeds now! Radishes are a great crop to grow and can be cultivated in containers. Salads will also prosper if grown in pots, so are just right for beginner growers. Greenhouses provide nice warm conditions for these leaves, but they can also be cultivated on sunny windowsills indoors. For those more dedicated growers, who have a bit more space at their disposal, remember you can sow turnips, kohl rabi, endive, spring onions, cabbages and spinach in August, too!

3. Care for Container Crops
Don’t let those plants growing in pots go thirsty during summer! Crops in containers are more vulnerable to drying out, so keep watering regimes constant for a healthy plant. Take away dead or wilted growth from containers and hanging baskets as this helps keep them looking healthy and attractive! If you have a small garden and want to grow your own food, then container crops are a great option – try veg like chillies, peppers and tomatoes, or fruit such as blueberries and strawberries.

4. Get Fruity
Harvest your fruit crops from juicy plums to fragrant peaches. These yields are delicious eaten fresh but are also perfect for using in cooking – what about summer cakes and sweet jams? If you have a strawberry plant in your garden, make sure they are looking healthy and have no old leaves or straw surrounding the base, as this can encourage pests and diseases.

5. Keep On Weeding
The summer sunshine will see those pesky weeds become prolific, taking over all areas of the veg patch if you don’t weed for a few days! Remove unwanted plants by hand, or use a hoe to run between the rows of veg on the allotment. This will mean your crops don’t have to compete with these fast-growing plants, so will continue producing delicious yields.

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