Allotments are becoming a fashionable new trend, and owning an allotment is now seen as a must have fashion accessory. Because the trend to grow our own vegetables has quickly gained more and more popularity waiting lists for allotment sites have unfortunately increased.

Although having an allotment is now more difficult than it used to be, it is still an interesting and active hobby that many people all over the UK enjoy. There is a feeling of achievement and pride when you pull your first home grown vegetable from the ground or when you eat fresh fruit grown on your plot.

As well as being an active hobby, an allotment provides the main health benefits in the organic produce that you can grow. You know all the way through the crops growing cycle what products you have fed the crop and if any artificial means have been used in the cultivation process. This means you know exactly what you are eating and if any toxins are entering your body.

There are many allotments around the UK, some more cared for than others, and some in very urban locations but they all provide their owners with a worthwhile, beneficial hobby that not only keeps people active but also means they eat more healthily.

With spring beginning to warm our tired bodies after the long winter, now is a good time to organise an event at your allotment. Many people will already be preparing and tending their plot and it is a good idea to get everybody together to discuss any issues you have, or just to have a spring party.

It is always good to let your hair down and discuss with like minded individuals what you are planning to grow this year or what was a success last year. It is always great to pick up new tips or ideas regarding planting or weeding or how to look after specific crops. You could also organise a swap shop to share seedlings, cuttings, any jams or chutneys you have made or swap any vegetables that you have left from the last growing season.

A good idea is to have a barbecue on your plot and invite your fellow allotment goers, you could even make it feel like a party and incorporate party products such as balloons or hire plastic glasses to avoid any breakages.

Whatever option you choose you are bound to make new friends and so give your allotment site a community feel.

Now is a great time to start thinking about your legumes bed. Peas can be sown every few weeks from March until June.

Seeds can either be sown directly outdoors or indoors for transplanting later, they prefer rich, moist soil. To encourage quick germination, soak the seeds overnight before sowing. The shoots will soon appear, and once they reach 15cm will require support. Twiggy sticks are ideal for supporting the new shoots. By using twine to tie the shoots they can be grown through the sticks and these will prevent the shoots from breaking and falling over.

The peas will need regular watering, especially in dry weather. The crop should be ready for the first harvest after 13 to 16 weeks and the peas should be harvested regularly to keep the plants producing regular fresh crops.

Spring is on its way, so there are lots of things to be doing at the allotment. Enjoy the sunshine and get on with some tasks, including:

1) Building supports for peas – canes or peasticks are ideal.
2) Prepare the celery bed.
3) Feed fruit trees and bushes – as they are now shooting, they will appreciate the extra nutrients.
4) Begin sowing any summer cabbage varieties, cabbages can be harvested all year if planted in succession.

Remember that the allotment is still at risk of frost – keep an eye on the weather and make sure you cover any new shoots if the temperature starts to get colder.

A council in Somerset had the opportunity to spend £10000 of national lottery “Awards-For-All” money, however the period in which the money should have been used has passed after the council failed to locate an appropriate location.

A plot seven acres in size was offered to the authority, but it decided that this site was too costly, and being over two miles from town, not ideally located.

The council still intends to try to locate a site for allotments.

A representative from the Somerton’s Allotment Association, John Watts, said:

“It is a disappointment, there are 33 of us on the waiting list. We are desperately trying to secure a plot. I’ve written to 28 farmers in and around Somerton asking if they have any land which they would be willing to lease. The farmer would retain ownership and lease it to the council or allotment’s association. The landowner would probably get a better return than if they cultivated it.”