Liz’s Allotment Life: An ode to allotments

This week, like many in the current heatwave, my allotment time has been dominated by watering. A few harvests have made it home too – lettuce, lovage, spinach, chard, wild rocket, garlic chives and mint. With little else to report from the plot, it seemed like the perfect moment to reflect on why I love allotments so much – and why I think everyone should try growing something.

You certainly do not need to be self-sufficient to experience the benefits of growing your own food. Whether it’s a tomato plant on a windowsill, herbs in pots, or a full allotment plot, every little thing you grow can bring rewards.

Fresh food tastes better

Fresh, healthy, and nutritious food from the allotment has to be the first advantage to mention. I adore being able to pick produce and be eating it that evening for my dinner. This food is so much fresher than supermarket options, and growing it myself means I know exactly how it has been cultivated. With a few exceptions, the nutritional content of produce declines from the moment it is harvested, and therefore growing your own helps to ensure that you can eat it at its nutritional peak. Home grown really does taste better!

Tomatoes are a highlight of the allotment later in the season, harvested fresh from the vine and enjoyed at their best

Sustainability is important

Creating space for wildlife is one way gardeners can make a difference. This dead wood pile on my allotment provides shelter for insects and other animals

The joy of growing unusual varieties

The variety of food from the allotment is also a wonderful benefit. Not all tomatoes are round and red, and not all sweetcorn is yellow and packed in a tin. Growing your own allows you to experience this diversity for yourself. Whether it is ‘Crystal Lemon’ cucumbers or Swiss chard, an allotment allows you to expand your diet. Instead of simply eating your greens, you can eat the rainbow and enjoy a whole range of flavours and colours on your plate.

Swiss chard adds colour to both the allotment and the plate, highlighting the variety that comes with growing your own food

Why allotment communities matter

An allotment community is a great thing to be part of. Even if I don’t have a long conversation, it is rare that a trip to the allotment passes without me waving hello to somebody.

The physical and mental health benefits

Appreciating seasonality

Seasonality is a crucial part of my allotment life. At this time of year, I’m eating plenty of lettuce but by August the tomatoes will have made an appearance, and by December winter squash will be a favourite. I find this hugely satisfying, and the asparagus and strawberries are all the sweeter for being fleeting.

Winter squash is one of the highlights of the colder months, proving that eating seasonally brings something different to look forward to throughout the year

Saving money from the plot

With living costs continuing to rise, the produce from my allotment is a welcome addition to my diet. Of course, growing your own is not entirely free, but a packet of seeds, some

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

Seeds are a relatively inexpensive starting point for many allotment crops

Crop of the week: Swiss mint

I grow three types of mint on my allotment, but my favourite is straightforward Swiss mint. I am picking it several times a week at the moment to make fresh mint tea at home. It also freezes well into ice cubes for use in drinks throughout the summer.

I grow mine in plastic pots sunk into the ground in an attempt to stop the roots spreading too far. They will probably escape eventually, but this helps to keep them under control. It is also a good idea to stop the roots of different mints intermingling, as this can dilute their distinctive flavours.

Besides Swiss mint, why not try chocolate, blackcurrant or pineapple mint?

Mint is perfect for fresh mint tea and one of the easiest plants to keep picking throughout summer

Coming up on the plot

Planting out all my tender crops and doing a bit of direct seed sowing – it’s going to be a busy one on the allotment next weekend.