Collecting Loo Rolls

 

There are many allotment holders that save and collect the cardboard loo rolls to use for starting off seeds in. I have tried leaving them round but they really bulk up and become a pain in the backside to store that way. 

My solution is to find a cardboard box ideally the same depth or a little deeper than the loo roll and fold and flatten the rolls. As can be seen as I gradually filled the box I placed some at 90 degrees to make four rows that I'm gradually adding too. 

My sister keeps hers for me, and by the time I get to use mine for pre germinated parsnips I will have a good quantity to play with. 

A different sized cardboard box but the same idea a few years ago. 

I normally start off the germination of parsnip seeds in Chinese's takeaway containers on a layer of damp kitchen roll, you can see a couple of roots on the seeds in the photo above.

When nearly ready to start transplanting germinated seeds, I fold the loo rolls in the other direction and place them in modules that then stack nicely, and add compost into the loo rolls.

I stuck a small coke bottle into a loo roll marked the bottle with a Sharpe and then cut just below the line so the bottle sits nice and snug on top of the roll. I then made another cut further up the bottle. It works so well as a funnel to get the compost into the toilet roll.  

When I see the roots form I transplant the parsnip seeds into compost that I have added to the loo roll and because parsnips grow so fast once germinated, by the time I have a trays worth it's not unusual to see some seedlings poking their heads out 

Using a bulb extractor I have that is slightly larger than the loo roll I extract a core and then pop the loo roll into the ground. I tend to use planting membrane and fill a whole bed with 105 parsnips in loo rolls.

One knows which seedling is the parsnip because its the one in the middle of the loo roll so weeding becomes easier as you know what not to weed. 

Loo rolls also work well for other fast growing vegetables like runner or French Beans, and sweet peas. 

I use small coke bottles with 1mm diameter holes drilled in the cap and mini watering cans, to make watering the loo rolls easier and not to saturate the loo rolls too much, because they can go mouldy if made too wet. 

Historically until 2023 I have had great results growing parsnips this way, however last year there were so many slugs and snails that they ate all 105 transplanted parsnips 

  

This years it's going to be different !

Key Tasks for January

January on the allotment in the UK may be a quiet month for growing, but the tasks listed below which include preparation, maintenance, and getting ready for the growing season will ensure your allotment is well-prepared for a productive year ahead. 

Harvesting:

• Continue to harvest winter vegetables like leeks, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, kalem and cabbages.
• Lift the last of any stored root vegetables still in the ground, Like carrots and swedes.

Soil Care:  

• Turn over the soil on empty beds on dry days to expose pests like slugs and larvae to frosts.
• Add organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure to improve soil structure.
• Cover prepared beds with black plastic or fleece to warm the soil for early sowings.

Sowing and Planting;

• Start sowing early crops indoors or in a heated greenhouse, such as chillies, peppers, and tomatoes.
• Begin chitting seed potatoes by placing them in a cool, bright spot with eyes facing up.
• Sow hardy broad beans and peas under cloches or in cold frames for an early crop.

Greenhouse and Polytunnel Maintenance:

• Clean greenhouse glass or polytunnel covers to maximise light.
• Ventilate on warmer days to reduce humidity and prevent mould or mildew

Tool and Equipment Care:

• Clean, sharpen, and oil tools to keep them in good working condition
• Repair or replace any damaged equipment or structures, such as fences, trellises or cold frames.

Pest and Disease Management:

• Check stored vegetables regularly for signs of rot or pest damage.
• Remove any debris or rotting vegetation that could harbour pests or diseases.
• Inspect overwintering crops for signs of pests like slugs and pigeons, and take protective measures.

Planning and Preparation:

• Plan your crop rotations to avoid nutrient depletion and prevent pests and diseases
• Purchase seeds, onion sets and seed potatoes for the next growing season.
• Create a planting and sowing calendar to organise your growing schedule.

Wildlife Care:

• Provide food and fresh water for birds and other wildlife to help them through the Winter.  
• Leave some undisturbed areas for overwintering beneficial insects.
• Create or replenish log piles to support habitats for small animals and insects.

General Maintenance:

• Repair raised beds, paths, or other allotment structures.
• Clear debris from paths to prevent them from becoming slippery.

Fruit Care:

• Prune apple and pear trees on dry, frost-free days to improve their shape and remove dead or diseased wood.
• Cut back Autumn- fruiting raspberry canes to ground level to encourage new growth.
• Mulch around the base of fruit bushes and trees to protect roots and retain moisture.

Planning and Reviewing January in Previous Years

Reviewing the diary over the last Twelve years for January

2013 - Infrastructure works, Laying concrete 43 slab paths and patio area, Collecting Leafs  

 

2014 - Infrastructure works, Plastic edging from the Window Factory, Digital Thermometers from Lidl, dismantle a greenhouse, Bean trench, Chitting Potatoes, Onions from seed  

2015 -  Coir Blocks from Poundland, Onions from Seed, Spacesaver Greenhouse, Chitting Potatoes, Onions from seed. Allotment Winter Tidy Up   

2016 - Infrastructure works base for the Shed on Spencer Road, Sarpo Spuds arrive end of January, and were set chitting

2017 - Infrastructure works, Laying concrete slabs, Base for the patio area on Spencer Road,  Digital Thermometers from Lidls for the additional green house and Grow Station, Tomato Compost & Coir to the plot as soil conditioner

2018 - Infrastructure works covering the plot with weed membrane, Moving infrastructure materials like kerb stones from Spencer Road to Mill Green, Worked out the Tomato Grow List for 2018 after receiving the GYO Seed Circle packs, Overwintering Spring Onion experiment and walking onions in the greenhouse. Updates the Gardeners Guidance publication for idverde & LBS, Beast from the East & Terracotta Pot Heater in the greenhouse.

2019 - Only 8 post last January, Planted up a bed of tulips and daffodils. Reducing the amount of hawthorne along the wall and had a fire in the incinerators, Infrastructure work cutting joists to size and painting them. 

     

2020 - Buying and Sorting seeds, so much rain in December 2019 that the grotto canal was flooded, Davros and the Genesis of the composting Army II, Storm Brendan took Wally's polytunnel for a kite ride over the fence, First two full beds on plot 1 dug weeded and installed, Emma & Andy helped me build 7 raised beds and stack them ready to install during the year. Mentioned in Dispatches by Waltons, Reviewing the BioGreen Firefly, Mentioned in Dispatches by Thompson & Morgan   

2021 - Ground water table high and Carshalton Grotto Canal flowing. Two more beds dug and weeded. Leaf Bin and Arch off Freecycle. Seven more raised bed frames built on the plot. Mentioned in Despatched by both Thompson & Morgan and Waltons. Fire fly review for BioGreen.  Buying and Sorting seeds, Trial of Sweet Potatoes that ended up in a total failure as grown in containers in the back garden due to covid restrictions & Lockdown. 

2022 - New Washing machine V Allotment. -6C Coldest day. Ordered by seedless grapes from Suttons. Andy laid the patio area in front of the plot 1 shed & I made the third Rhubarb bed. Chitting Potatoes in Mushroom trays. I won the Mr Fothergill's New Year's competition. Clip Gloves review. Posts about new Varieties from D.T.Brown and their Spring catalogue.

2023 - Storm ripped off my opening vent of the greenhouse, temporary fix. My wife was admitted into hospital early January and passed away in St Georges Hospital three and a half weeks later, so not a lot happened on the allotment. Book review of the Backyard Forest Garden. Dying coffee grounds in the greenhouse. Building a Greenhouse Loft Extension to go in place of opening vent off the greenhouse at the end of the month to keep myself busy.  

2024 - First month of a new year following my treatment for cancer, with limited mobility there was lots of seed sourcing and getting on top of the contents of my seed boxes, and trying to work out what I may be able to manage in 2024. With my leg ulcers I didn't actually get my first visit to the allotment until the 27th of January.  

 

To Do List for 2025  

The plan for January 2025 weather permitting is to get as much of the new raised beds infrastructure on Plot 1 in place as possible and get both plots and greenhouses ready for the spring growing season 

Mill Green - Plot 1

• Greenhouse 1 - Currently being used to house all the cardboard to be used in the new raised beds  
• Infrastructure - Convert standard 2.4m x 1.2m beds to 2 number 1.2 x 0.9m Raised beds with a path between.
• Potting Shed - Tidy up the potting shed ready for Spring 2025 

Mill Green - Plot 1A

• Greenhouse 1A - Set up more Coffee to dry out 
• Daleks - Dig in the additional Daleks along the path with plot 2A
• Main Crop Potatoes  - Harvest the last 3 buckets as required
• Onions - Overwintering Onions and Shallots in weed bed as necessary. 
• Leaf Cages - Primary cage full and secondary cage half full
• Apple Trees - Prune & Stabilise
• Grape Vines - Prune  

Happy New Year 2025

 

Wishing all allotment holders and gardeners a great growing year