Plans for "Avalon" Plots 1 & 1A

 In the process of Updating for 2024

I used to have two pages one for my Mill Green Allotment Plots. Mill Green Plot 1A was my first ever allotment plot that I got in 2012, and I had another page for plot 1 that is in fact my third half plot as for a couple of years before getting Mill Green plot 1, I had a plot on Spencer Road Allotment. 

Now that I finally have the infrastructure in for plot 1 and the potting shed I have put the sign up on the potting shed and my allotment has been named "Avalon". Yes I'm a bit of a King Arthur and the Knight Of The Round Table nerd! 

Here is the Planting Layout Plan of Avalon (Plots 1 & 1A) for 2024 as at December 2023 

I've always planned my work but working my plan has often proved difficult, circumstances sometimes alter what you were planning, and this year is no exception to that rule. 

So here is what I had planned for Plot 1 as of December 2023, and the square foot garden bed 3 didn't happen in 2023 as I managed to get a load of paving slabs off Freecycle and I wanted to make the path wider so that I had room for bringing in wheelbarrows of wood chips into the plot and swinging around the corner of the potting shed when using the main path that goes past the sheds

The formation of the climbing frame greenhouse altered when I looked into what parts I had in the boxes and made a redesign of how I was going to build it and ended up using the mesh panels as structure for the walls and not cladding to the greenhouse frames I bought in the B&Q sale off when they stopped selling them. 

Above is the plan for plot 1A .....

SEASONS

Spring     19th March - 19th June
Summer  20th June - 19th Sept
Autumn   20th Sept - 20th December
Winter     21st December - 18th March 

Loo Roll Tubes

I wonder how many other allotment holders have been saving these ready for sowing germinated parsnip seeds in ?

Do you sow parsnips in them? If not what do you sow in them?

Plot Layout For 2024

Bearing in mind that at the moment because of the ulcers on my legs I'm house bound, but adamant that I will be better to get back on the allotment in 2024 here are my plans for the layout of "Avalon" for 2024 as of the 11th December. As always its subject to change but its my starter for 10.

Full Plan Layout for Plots 1 & 1A aka "Avalon" for 2024

Plan Layout for Plot 1

Plan Layout for Plot 1A

Planning and Reviewing December in Previous Years

Reviewing the diary over the last Eleven years for December 

There is not a whole lot of growing that happens in December, its normally blustery, cold, rainy, and overcast. It's the only time of the year with no sowing programme, though some enthusiasts and trophy hunters will ignore convention. I can't shut my plot down completely because there is too much tidying and maintenance to do on plot 1A and I have infrastructure works to undertake on plot 1. I also need to go there for some Allotment Therapy and get out of the house. 

2012 - My First December and third month of owning an allotment was mainly spent cutting down the weeds and exposing what lay underneath and discovering all manor or debris to dispose off. There was a lot of burning of weeds in the two incinerators 

2013 - Mainly clearing up the plot, Growing and cut and drop green manure, installing an infrastructure of paths and beds. Harvesting Sprouts 

2014 - Mainly clearing up the plot, Growing and cut and drop green manure, installing an infrastructure of paths and beds. Harvesting Sprouts 

2015 - Mainly clearing up the 2nd plot on Spencer Road, Growing and cut and drop green manure, installing an infrastructure of paths and beds. Harvesting Sprouts, carrots and parsnips  

2016 - Two plots on two different allotment sites Mill Green and Spencer Road, installing more infrastructure, collecting leafs, Walking Onions in greenhouse, harvesting sprouts, manure and leafs on beds, making planting membrane sheets, High winds blow over Keith's shed. Shed Break-ins and meeting the police on Spencer Road.
            

2017 - Family health matters mean very little achieved on the plot. Leaf collection and sprout harvest.

2018 - Lots of rain and not a great deal of work possible this month. Grow Your Own Tomato Seed Circle package arrives. 30th December and I was clearing the sweetcorn from the beds and putting to sleep for winter.  

2019 - Lots of rain, but I did manage to audit and catalogue What's In My Seed Box 

Jools Holland in Brighton with Kelly and John Barrowman A Fabulous Christmas and weekend away with my good lady wife meant I lost two weekends of working on the plots.

Christmas Eve my good lady wife and I were in the Royal Brompton Hospital as she was undergoing a night study to recalibrate her BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airways Pressure) machine that she has to go on each night.

2020 - Lots of rain, but I did manage to audit and catalogue What's In My Seed Box 

Raspberry infrastructure created. Weather watching and rain stops play. Plot Tour Video produced. New varieties of seeds from Suttons reviewed, In My Seed Box reviewed and published throughout the month, Seed catalogues reviewed. Before You Buy Seeds article updated. 

2021 - Lots of rain, but I did manage to audit and catalogue What's In My Seed Box for 2022 

After storm Arwen in November, Storm Barra hits the UK at the start of December. Leaf Bin and Carrot barrel set up. Rhubarb Bed 3 created; Rhubarb moved into it. So many bulbs planted by Andy and then stolen by the rats with fluffy tails.  21st December Winter Solstice and we start making our way to longer daylight. Sorted out the plot arrangement for 2022 and published it on the blog. Managed a site visit on the last day of December after so much rain. 

2022 - Not so many visits in December as my wife Jenny was very ill and the weather was not good Snow on the 12th December we had snow, Lots of post on the blog looking at what was in my seed boxes for 2023