In our ‘From the Plot’ series, we chat to inspiring growers who share their passion and knowledge with others. This month, Joe from @grow_with_joe explains how childhood days on his grandad’s allotment inspired him to take on an overgrown plot with his own children. And there’s one more dream he’s hoping to bring to the plot soon…
Gardening with my Grandad is one of my fondest memories
Images courtesy of Joe Harrison
I started gardening with my grandad when I was very young. I still think back fondly on lots of lovely memories of us growing all kinds of edible goodies on his impeccable allotment. We would harvest beans, water the plants, pull up spent brussels sprouts and sweetcorn stalks and shell peas on hazy summer evenings, with me sneaking a few peas for myself rather than popping them into the pot. It’s memories like these I hope my own children will be able to look back on when they are older.
My messy approach helps my allotment thrive
Image courtesy of Joe Harrison
My gardening style definitely errs on the side of messy! We have an allotment the size of a doubles tennis court which can be extremely hard work to maintain. I have the greatest of intentions at the beginning of every growing season that our allotment will be a neat and tidy haven devoid of any weeds, which of course never comes to fruition. Perhaps this goal is never achieved for good reason. A messy growing space can be a fruitful and thriving place which supports and encourages a myriad of essential biodiversity, with lots of free self-seeded fruits, veggies and flowers thrown in for good measure.
My children inspired me to start growing food from scratch
Images courtesy of Joe Harrison
My inspiration for taking on our allotment in 2016 was (and still is) our children; Fin, Ivy and Sonny. I wanted our children to not only know where their food comes from, but also be able to grow it from seed for themselves. It was also the perfect opportunity to get them off screens and outside in the fresh air amongst nature exploring our allotment, finding all the weird and wonderful creepy crawlies we share our growing space with.
Broad beans are a must-have for me
Image courtesy of Joe Harrison
The crop which has a special place in my heart has to be broad beans. They aren’t everyone’s favourite crop to grow, but they were the first seeds we sowed on our overgrown allotment when we first took it over 10 years ago. We managed to clear just enough weeds, brambles and tree stumps to enable us to sow 2 rows of seeds. To watch the seeds germinate, the plants flourish and the bean pods appear amongst the overgrown chaos certainly was a triumph and very proud moment.
Vegetable seed packets are your friend
Images courtesy of Joe Harrison
Taking the plunge into growing can be daunting for new growers, especially if they have just acquired a new garden or allotment. My best advice is to just go for it. What’s the worst that can happen? Think about the fruits and vegetables you like to eat and go from there, or perhaps concentrate on edible treats which are expensive to buy in the supermarkets such as raspberries or asparagus.
If you’re growing from seed, the seed packet is your friend as it has the best advice and directions on how to get started. The packet will tell you the best time of year to sow, the best growing spot, spacing needed for each seed and much more. If you’re not feeling confident enough to sow from seed or you don’t have the time or space, then pre-grown plug plants are a fantastic option and a great way to give your growing space the perfect head-start. If all else fails and you really are a little lost then just ask for help or advice from other gardeners. Gardeners are always happy to impart their knowledge and help beginner growers and, if there’s one thing gardeners love to talk about, it’s gardening!
I’m proud of what we’ve created for nature
Images courtesy of Joe Harrison
The emphasis on our allotment is all about organic growing and working alongside nature, not against it. We encourage as much biodiversity as possible even if that does mean we have to share a few crops with nature along the way. We keep the dried stems of tall plants such as hollyhocks to allow insects to overwinter safely inside. We allow some of our vegetable crops to flower, rather than harvesting them, for the pollinators to enjoy.
We constructed a huge bug hotel using wooden pallets and natural materials to give invertebrates a safe haven. We also saved an old bath which was destined for landfill and made it into a pond in our nature area which is inhabited by lots of mating amphibians every year. It is always a very proud moment when it’s time for the new batch of tiny froglets to leave their watery home and begin their big adventure on our allotment and beyond.
I’d love to have allotment chickens
Images courtesy of Joe Harrison
When I was growing up we always had chickens in the garden. I would sit and watch them for hours. All with their different personalities. Scratching for food, telling one another off or chasing each other if they thought the other had found a juicy treat in the soil. I loved to care for them – cleaning out their coop, collecting eggs and feeding them. Having our own chickens at our allotment is definitely a dream of mine, one which I hope to fulfil sometime soon.
Grow like Joe
Images courtesy of Joe Harrison
If you want to grow like Joe, here are just a few of his favourites:
Follow Joe at @grow_with_joe for ideas and tips on growing colourful, edible crops. To discover more inspirational growers, explore our ‘From the Plot’ series.
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