New Boy On The Plot

As you can see from my biography, I outgrew my small garden vegetable plot, or "micro-allotment" as I like to call it, and ventured out into the big world of tenanted gardening. Don't worry, the "micro" is still in commission for the odd lettuce or two. At the time this was quite a nervy step up from the privacy of my back garden, and I suddenly became aware of the watchful gaze of my allotmenting neighbours. My cultivating skills (such as they are) were placed into a strange new competitive environment - not that this would be freely admitted, we allotmenters are far too British for that!

At first I found myself becoming a more self conscious gardener as I didn't want to appear to be a bumbling amateur who had just discovered the latest craze having just watched Monty Don on Gardener's World. "Rank amateur" I could live with, but "bumbling" stinks of incompetence.

Of course, this self aware attitude is all in the mind. What is the point in feeling such competitive pressures? - I'm growing food for goodness sake! Think of the poor carrots, how would they feel if they knew they were being used as competitive pawns?

The reality is that I discovered that great kindness comes to you as the new boy on the plot. The immense generosity and depth of knowledge offered freely and affectionately from my allotmenting neighbours was almost a spiritual experience when it first happened. I found complete strangers offering me a whole range of sound advice on controlling ground elder, and why you should grow sweetcorn in blocks of nine!

It's true that most allotmenters end up growing far too many vegetables as they don't know how many will survive, and as a consequence you will occasionally be offered their excess. I always accept these gifts gratefully, and return the favour with my own over production. This way you end up eating more varieties than you actually grow.

I've realised that there is something about working the soil that brings out the best in people, and looking at the waiting lists for many allotments, there are plenty of people out there eagerly awaiting the chance to enjoy the good life!