Cheers to Alan in South East Dorset for getting in touch last week and sending us a report of his allotment activities. We initially heard from him last year when he passed on that valuable tip about adding some home-made compost to peat-free compost “to help germination and early growth”. As he added when he reminded us “I still mix in garden compost and the growth of seedlings this year have been mostly excellent, much better than previously.” We’re with you on that Alan, we now use it all the time.

He kindly sent us a couple of pictures of the spuds (a variety called Lady Christl, first earlies) doing well in tubs (24 of them in total!) The reason he puts them in tubs is “having learnt my lesson that you can never dig up all of them if they are in the ground and end with volunteers everywhere the following year.” That is so true, no matter how careful you are with taking potatoes out, they’ll always be one sneakily left in.

“I hadn’t heard of the variety before last year, but it gives really good new potatoes. Personally, I don’t bother with other types, but first earlies are really much nicer fresh from the ground.” “We don’t store them, just tip out a tub the day that we intend to eat them.” Brilliant, you can’t beat the taste of freshly pulled-up potatoes.

“You will also see behind them my polytunnel, which has tomatoes, cucumbers,
aubergines and peppers all coming on in small pots. Potted up a few
tomatoes this morning into tubs. Also, a few purple beans, peas, beetroot
and dahlias in there too.” “There is also my fruit cage (still a work-in-progress) with 2 grapevines and some blueberries in the large red-brown tubs.”

And finally, he sent us this great tune by Dub Syndicate featuring the late great Lee Scratch Perry with the dub master Adrian Sherwood at the controls. Brilliant, cheers for sending the report Alan and do keep us updated as the season keeps on and send us more tunes too.