New Year Resolutions for the allotment

This month Mr McGregor makes some New Year resolutions for the allotment.

I have always found that the best time to sit back and reflect on the events that have taken place on the allotment is during the winter months. Not much happens over December and after the Christmas season has ended and we’re looking forward to the beginning of a new year.

Before the season of goodwill I had a lot planned and every morning would wake up motivated to get down to the allotment and tick off all the jobs on my to do list. Alas, as I pulled open the curtains and saw gloom it soon put an abrupt end to the day’s activities and the plans were put on hold.

My to do list is just as long as I left it back in November, which goes to  show that the only person in control of the life of a gardener is Mother Nature herself.

Now we're embarking on something we're all silly enough to partake in, New Year resolutions. We make our lists with good intentions, but as the year goes full steam ahead our attention is geared towards other pressing matters, but this year I'm going to try my hardest to keep to them.

So here it goes, the resolutions that I will employ with the greatest of intentions:

The shed
I have promised myself time and time again I will have a tidy shed to minimise the risk of being caught in an avalanche every time I open the door. In 2012 I want to open the door and be greeted by organised shelves and find at first glance everything I’m looking for. All the objects I have hoarded that were never used will be discarded. 

Fully organic
No more nasty blue slug pellets, instead I’m determined to use an organic slug pellet.

More weeding
Like many gardeners I have my lazy days and sometimes do not possess the motivation to get everything done in one day. At the end of some days I leave the allotment without doing all the weeding and simply tell myself I will do it tomorrow.

A family affair
This year my son grew himself a tomato plant and the look on his face when he saw them ripe and ready to eat was priceless. So this year I want to encourage him even more and see if my teenage daughter wants to get involved as well. This may be a bit more laborious as she doesn’t like getting her hands dirty, but it’s worth a try.

Mr McGregor


Mr McGregor is a guest writer for Notcutts and offers tips and advice on everything horticultural, from growing your own fruit and veg to maintaining the perfect lawn.

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