Getting startedYour first month on a new plot
Visit after rain and note the sunny, shaded and waterlogged areas. Ask the site secretary about water, composting r…
ALLOTMENT HUB UK
Grow your know-how
Practical help for every stage of your growing year.
Getting started
SowingFrom seed packet to sturdy seedling
Read the packet for depth, temperature and timing. Use clean pots and fresh peat-free seed compost. Fill gently and…
Plant careWater less often, but more effectively
Check moisture beneath the surface before watering. Young seedlings, containers and newly planted crops need more f…
SoilMake a useful compost heap
Choose an accessible, sheltered spot. Add a mixture of fresh green material and dry brown material such as torn pla…
SeasonalWork with the UK growing season
UK planting dates are windows, not appointments. Northern, upland and exposed sites often warm later than sheltered…
PlanningA practical approach to crop rotation
Group related crops so you can avoid repeating the same family in the same bed year after year. Brassicas, alliums,…
HarvestingHarvest and store without waste
Pick beans and courgettes regularly while they are tender. Harvest leafy crops a few leaves at a time. Use clean sh…
WildlifeMake room for helpful wildlife
Grow a range of flowers with different flowering times beside crop beds. Open flowers can provide nectar and pollen…
Fruit vegetablesGrowing tomatoes on a UK allotment
Start under cover from late February to early April. Sow 0.5 cm deep in moist seed compost at roughly 18–24°C. Give…
Roots & tubersGrowing potatoes on a UK allotment
Buy certified seed potatoes rather than using supermarket tubers. Chit early varieties from January or February in …
Fruit vegetablesGrowing chillies and sweet peppers
Sow chillies and sweet peppers under cover from January to March. Use fresh seed compost, sow about 0.5 cm deep and…
AlliumsGrowing onions and shallots
Sow onions under cover from January to March, or direct sow from March when soil has warmed. Onion sets and shallot…
AlliumsGrowing garlic
Plant certified garlic cloves from October to December for an overwintered crop, or in February to March if autumn …
AlliumsGrowing leeks
Sow indoors in February or March, or outside in a seedbed from March to April. Sow thinly at about 1 cm deep; seedl…
Roots & tubersGrowing carrots and parsnips
Direct sow carrots from March to July and parsnips from February to May, only once soil is workable. Both dislike r…
Roots & tubersGrowing beetroot, radishes, turnips and swede
Sow radishes from March to September in small fortnightly rows. Sow beetroot and turnips from March to July, and sw…
LegumesGrowing peas and mangetout
Sow hardy peas from March to June, or use autumn sowings only where drainage and local conditions are kind. Start a…
LegumesGrowing broad, French and runner beans
Sow broad beans from February to April, with autumn sowings only in mild, free-draining positions. Sow French and r…
Fruit vegetablesGrowing courgettes, pumpkins and squash
Sow courgettes and summer squash indoors in April or direct outside from late May. Sow pumpkins and winter squash i…
BrassicasGrowing brassicas: cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and kale
Sow cabbage, cauliflower, calabrese, purple sprouting broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts at their stated packet wi…
FruitGrowing apples in a UK garden or allotment
Choose a UK-suitable rootstock and cultivar, checking eventual size before planting. Bare-root trees establish best…
Perennial vegetablesGrowing asparagus
Prepare a permanent sunny bed with deep, free-draining soil and plenty of organic matter. Plant one-year crowns in …
Fruit vegetablesGrowing aubergines in the UK
Sow under cover from February to April at 20–25°C. Pot on promptly into bright, warm conditions; germination common…
HerbsGrowing basil
Sow basil indoors from March to June on the surface of warm, moist compost; cover only lightly. Keep at 18–25°C wit…
Leafy greensGrowing chard
Direct sow chard from March to August in shallow drills about 2 cm deep, or raise modules for an earlier start. Thi…
FruitGrowing cherries
Choose a self-fertile sweet or sour cherry where possible, and check rootstock size. Plant bare-root trees from Nov…
Fruit vegetablesGrowing cucumbers
Sow under cover from March to May, one seed per pot, at 20–25°C. Pot on without disturbing roots and harden off onl…
Salad cropsGrowing chicory
Direct sow chicory from May to July in drills 1 cm deep, thinning to 15–20 cm. For forcing roots, sow in late sprin…
Salad and bulb cropsGrowing Florence fennel
Direct sow Florence fennel from May to July, when soil is warm, to reduce bolting. Sow 1 cm deep and thin to 20–30 …
Salad cropsGrowing lettuce
Sow lettuce little and often from March to August, with protected sowings possible earlier and later. Use shallow d…
Fruit vegetablesGrowing melons
Sow under cover in April or May at 20–25°C. Pot on carefully and plant into a warm greenhouse, polytunnel or shelte…
FruitGrowing pears
Plant a suitable rootstock and pollination partner from November to March while trees are dormant. Choose full sun,…
FruitGrowing plums
Plant bare-root plums from November to March in full sun and shelter. Choose a self-fertile cultivar where possible…
Salad cropsGrowing rocket
Direct sow rocket from March to September in short rows, about 1 cm deep. Repeat sow every two to three weeks for a…
Leafy greensGrowing spinach
Sow spinach direct from March to August, with hardy types for autumn and winter. Sow 2 cm deep and thin to 10–15 cm…
SweetcornGrowing sweetcorn
Sow in modules under cover from April or direct outside from mid-May once soil is warm. Plant out after hardening o…
FruitGrowing strawberries
Plant healthy runners or container-grown plants from late summer to early autumn, or in spring if necessary. Give f…
FruitGrowing raspberries
Plant certified canes from late autumn to early spring in a sunny, sheltered row. Use fertile, well-drained soil an…
FruitGrowing blackberries
Plant a healthy blackberry or hybrid berry cane from late autumn to early spring in sun or light shade. Provide a s…
FruitGrowing blueberries
Blueberries need acidic soil, ideally pH 4.5–5.5. Grow in a large container of ericaceous compost or a prepared aci…
FruitGrowing gooseberries
Plant bare-root bushes from November to March in sun or light shade, spacing 1.2–1.5 m apart. Choose an open positi…
FruitGrowing black, red and whitecurrants
Plant dormant bushes from November to March in sun or light shade. Set blackcurrants slightly deeper than their nur…
Perennial vegetablesGrowing rhubarb
Plant crowns in autumn or early spring in rich, moisture-retentive soil with room to spread. Choose sun or light sh…
HerbsGrowing perennial and annual herbs
Sow annual herbs such as coriander and dill in small successions from spring, while plant hardy perennials such as …
Leafy and stem vegetablesGrowing celery
Sow celery and celeriac under cover from February to April in moist seed compost; light aids germination, so cover …
Root vegetablesGrowing celeriac
Sow celeriac under cover from February to April; seed is slow and needs warmth, moisture and light. Pot on once see…