Allotment Dilemma

[CarolineW]

Well, things are going well on our 'Bramble Allotment', thanks to all the advice we got. We've cleared half of the plot, put up a shed and built compost heaps, and are currently in the process of building raised beds on it.

I have a dilemma, though. I knew that we would need to go away for about 6 weeks at some point, but after waiting to be sent for more than a year, I sort of thought it had gone away. At the very least, it could be a long time away, or over winter, so I decided not to let the prospect of the trip stop my plans for an allotment.

Well, now I've been notified that we're both to go for 6 weeks, roughly mid May to end of June. Urk! That couldn't really be worse from the perspective of the allotment, could it?! Does this mean that we need to just cover the beds and leave everything until we're back, or are there ways around the problem? My allotment neighbour is also a friend, and we could ask him to do small amounts. But for such an extended period I would feel VERY uncomfortable to ask him to do much.

Any and all advice on how to plan for / cope with being away for so long at that time of year would be great.

Thanks
Caroline

[SJA]

Hi Caroline

I'm certainly no expert - but could you follow the ideas on some other threads and cardboard, mulch and then plant reasonably low maintenance items.

Potatoes always appear popular, as they also crowd out some of the weeds!

[SarzWix]

Grow lots & lots of potatoes....
No, seriously though, they shouldn't need much doing to them in that time-frame, & blight shouldn't be that early either (*touching wood!*). If you get other beds ready, and then cover them, thhere should still be time when you get back to plant peas, beans, salads, carrots, winter veg (cabbages etc). And if you don't have time to grow some stuff from seed, you can always nip to B&Q/garden centre & buy a few ready grown plants.
Don't fret, it'll be fine!

[Matt.]

Just go for it with your original plans. You can have loads of veg planted by the time you go and see whats left when you come back. Whats the worst that can happen? You lose all the seeds and you get a few weeds. Whats the best that can happen? All the seeds grow and you've got crops starting to harvest on your return. Seems like a no brainer to me

[Hazel at the Hill]

You could put in loads of parsnips too which need no looking after at all in my experience, apart for an initial weed. They soon get big enough to drown the weeds out.