It all started in 1991 when I left rural South Derbyshire for the Big City of London. My Dad, like his before him, and no doubt countless generations past, grew his own vegetables, and slowly I had come to miss being able to do that. Living in a series of tiny studio and one bed rooms flats, I was able to grow little more than herbs on my windowsill, to aid my culinary endeavours. I longed for a garden I could call my own or maybe even an allotment.
Fast forward to 2002 I finally moved into a flat with a garden I could use. It was all lawn, so I was restricted to pots, but runner beans became my staple. I became a master at creating the perfect wigwam suitable for a two foot long plastic pot and soon I got the bug. As years went on I finally got a house, with a decent sized garden, some of which I could devote to vegetables. The small growing space, about 7' x 3' house multitudes of potatoes, runner and broad beans, peas, courgettes, chard, spinach, carrots (occasionally) beet root, radishes, along with pots and hanging baskets of strawberries, tomatoes and cucumber. In that small space, I grew an incredible amount of veg, along with a pear tree I inherited and a second one I planted to replace a dead apple tree.
That is the garden I have today. Every summer it produces loads of food, but still I had an itch for more, something bigger. Then I discovered our local allotment site. I had no idea it was so close. Every one I'd seen was at least 2 miles away and this one was pretty much on my doorstep. So I signed up for the waiting list. In the meantime, they offered me a raised bed, about 14' x 4' which I have just started cultivating.
This blog aims to serve two functions. One to keep record of what I grow (and where) and secondly to help others that might be starting out. I'm no expert, but I've learnt lots of tips passed from my Dad and I plan to share them here in good time.
The title, incidentally, is dedicated to my Dad. It's a Derbyshire phrase he often uses when he sees me, and is basically asking if you have any onions on you. I feel it's an appropriate greeting I'd love to see used by allotmenteers everywhere!
Fast forward to 2002 I finally moved into a flat with a garden I could use. It was all lawn, so I was restricted to pots, but runner beans became my staple. I became a master at creating the perfect wigwam suitable for a two foot long plastic pot and soon I got the bug. As years went on I finally got a house, with a decent sized garden, some of which I could devote to vegetables. The small growing space, about 7' x 3' house multitudes of potatoes, runner and broad beans, peas, courgettes, chard, spinach, carrots (occasionally) beet root, radishes, along with pots and hanging baskets of strawberries, tomatoes and cucumber. In that small space, I grew an incredible amount of veg, along with a pear tree I inherited and a second one I planted to replace a dead apple tree.
That is the garden I have today. Every summer it produces loads of food, but still I had an itch for more, something bigger. Then I discovered our local allotment site. I had no idea it was so close. Every one I'd seen was at least 2 miles away and this one was pretty much on my doorstep. So I signed up for the waiting list. In the meantime, they offered me a raised bed, about 14' x 4' which I have just started cultivating.
This blog aims to serve two functions. One to keep record of what I grow (and where) and secondly to help others that might be starting out. I'm no expert, but I've learnt lots of tips passed from my Dad and I plan to share them here in good time.
The title, incidentally, is dedicated to my Dad. It's a Derbyshire phrase he often uses when he sees me, and is basically asking if you have any onions on you. I feel it's an appropriate greeting I'd love to see used by allotmenteers everywhere!
