At last the winter seems to be finally over!!!

We can start looking forward to a great allotmenting year ahead which promises to be another year of great times and great produce from our plot.

Before we can be really sure that winter has given up we can still do a few things on the allotment to get ready for the year ahead.

• Remove debris from last year and turn the compost heap
• tidy shed
• plan crop rotation for this year
• sort through old seeds and discard any that are unusable

Some crops can be started off now under glass or in the greenhouse. Spring beets and even carrots and broad beans  can planted under cloches or in the greenhouse now and planted out in the next month or so.

Things are slowing down at the allotment after the glut of fresh produce we had during the summer months. The cabbages and Brussels sprouts are still going strong and we hope to crop them in the near future, but we have now removed all the potatoes and carrots and stored them for the winter months.

Most of your time at this time of year is spent clearing the beds in readiness for next year’s plans, so why not get together with some of your allotment friends and celebrate the bountiful harvest we had during the summer months.

You could arrange a late summer barbeque and use some of the fantastic produce from the allotment to create wonderful salads and amazing side dishes. Why not celebrate the end of summer with a bang? You could have a bonfire and buy fireworks to turn your party into a real celebration. You could use solar lighting to create a great atmosphere down at the plot and see off the summer in style.

It is always worth checking with your allotment association if they will not mind the event taking place at the allotment. Some associations don’t mind if you can prove that numbers will be strictly limited and most people who are at the event are allotmenteers themselves.

If like me you have used loads of herbs over the last couple of months your plants could be looking a little wilted or even threadbare. If you have not been tempted to overuse them, then now can be a good time to take cuttings. Woody herbs like Rosemary, Thyme and Sage go mad in July and produce loads of great new shoots.

If you are new to taking cutting don’t worry because these herbs are really easy. Fill a pot with a good potting compost and take cuttings from the shot tips about 4 inches long. Remove the bottom leaves and dip the cut end into organic rooting powder. You can fit about 4 or five cuttings into a 5 inch pot, then water well. Place these cuttings in your cold frame or greenhouse and after about seven weeks the cuttings should have established themselves enough to be transplanted into individual pots.

The RHS Show at Tatton Park is taking place this year between the 22nd and 26th of July. The show is always exceptionally produced and hence is the highlight of many gardeners year.

This year there are a wide range of inspirational garden ideas on show including classic designs, contemporary designs and visionary designs. There are also the usual magnificent marquee displays which are bound to astound and impress the visitors.

This year, the show will also feature for the first time at Tatton Park the ‘Summer Fruit and Vegetable Competition’. The competition is available to enter by everybody, so if you think your vegetables or fruit have got what it takes to beat off the competition why not have a go at entering.

The show takes place over five days and is a great day out for with your family and friends. Many people choose to take a picnic with them on the day, but if you are not organised there are food stalls selling quality home produced products and various vending machines around the site so you can grab a snack on the go.

There are many stalls where you can buy plants and accessories for your garden. So make sure you take your bank cards with you, you won’t be able to resist the tantalising offers.

July is one of the best times of the year regarding the amount of crops that are ready to be harvested. The strawberries will just be finishing but the raspberries will be in full swing and blackberries are just around the corner.

The first courgettes will need picking whilst they are young and ripe and don’t forget to use the flowers as they are great stuffed with soft cheese and lightly battered. Early potatoes will feature heavily now on your menu and when mixed with some spring onions, chopped parsley and home made mayonnaise they are great a potato salad.

All your the leaf vegetables will now be big enough to pick such as wild rocket, and cut and come again lettuces. The more you cut them the more tender new growth you will get.

Don’t forget to use all the veg whilst it is young and tender. The taste will be much better than you get in supermarkets.

Many allotment holders are now choosing to grow their vegetables in raised beds. This is quite a new phenomenon and has many advantages and disadvantages. Discussed below are a few points that need consideration.

Advantages

Raised beds are in essence low maintenance; they can be weeded quickly and easily. You also have clearly defined boundaries for your crops meaning forward planning and hence crop rotation can be much easier. If they are raised sufficiently, people who have difficulty bending can work the beds meaning no more bad backs.

Disadvantages

They can be quite free draining so may need to be watered more regularly. They also restrict the amount of area you can grow vegetables on your plot. This will of course mean that you will have less produce. This may however not be a bad thing if you have difficulty looking after your plot. You will have to provide some sort of paths between the beds which can of course cost money; otherwise the weeds may take hold.

The Hampden Court Palace flower show will take place this year from the 7th to the 12th of July. And with something on offer for everyone it is a must visit in any gardener’s calendar. The show will feature sections on show gardens, small gardens and conceptual gardens and with the magnificent displays on offer from some of the UK’s top growers in the Floral marquee and Tudor Rose festival marquee (in honour of Henry VIII’ s coronation) the show promises to be bigger than ever.

Tickets are priced at £27 for a full day (10am entry) and £17 for a half day (3pm entry). So to get some great ideas for your garden or to just spend a fantastic day out make sure you pencil the date into your diary.

These painful weeds can often be considered a nuisance amongst the lovely straight lines of vegetables at the allotment, however they can provide useful nutrients to other plants and yourself if used correctly!

For the plants - Nettles can produce a balanced, valuable fertiliser when utilised in liquid feed. If you gather the nettles in the spring, they have the peak mineral content. To produce the liquid feed, put the freshly picked nettles into a container and fill with water (2 gallons of water for every 2lbs of nettles). Cover the mixture and leave for a fortnight, stirring occasionally. After the 2 weeks, strain the nettle juice. Use one part of this smelly liquid with 10 parts water.

For you - Nettles contain iron, vitamins and natural histamine. They can make an excellent tonic to help improve circulation and detoxify your system. Use the young shoots as these are best for cooking.

Many may have tried growing garlic at the allotment, but wild garlic is to be found now, from March to June, in shady spots commonly across England and Wales. Easily identifiable by its distinct aroma, you are sure to know when you are about to stumble across this edible treat.

To maximise the use of this wild crop the young leaves can be utilised raw in salads (best to be picked whilst the plant is still flowering). These leaves tend to have an intense, garlic smell but are mild in flavour. Why not try as an alternative to chives? The pretty white flowers of the garlic are also edible, and are attractive in a salad.

The bulbs can also be eaten; dug up and enjoyed as a milder version of the shop bought garlic cloves. Remember to check before you eat any wild plant as it may not be what you think, and could even be poisonous.

Harrogate and District Allotments Federation is holding its Annual Allotment show on the 16th of August this year. The show will take place from 11.00am to 4.30pm and is held in the Sun Pavilion, Valley Gardens, Harrogate.

A local band provides music through the day and there are many stalls to visit selling allotment produce, supplies, cakes and refreshments. There are also many prizes to be won as well as the usual raffle and tombola.

The show gives an opportunity for allotment holders to show off their produce as well as promote allotments to the general public. It has now been running for many years and is always a favourite of the local community and visitors to the area.

The show always incorporates some sort of fund raising event or collection for local charities and in the last few years has raised £2,000 for Young Carer’s and £1,000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Harrogate Borough council have a waiting list for anyone who would like an allotment at their three sites at Claro Road and Pearl Street in Harrogate and Ferrensby Allotments at Knaresborough. An application can be filled in online, but the current waiting list may be up to 2 years.