2020 has certainly set new records for ‘firsts‘, ‘lasts‘ and everything in between! None of us could have predicted the year that would unfold. Gardening with kids in 2020 could simply be summed up as ”not happening” were it not for our amazing allotment guardian Dave. He’s always leaps and bounds ahead of us, a seasoned grower all year round, unlike we fair weather amateurs!
Our first allotment visit of 2020
was a cold wet day in early March to re-home Luca’s runner bean plant which he was given at nursery after reading Jack and the Beanstalk. Luca had high hopes of his bean growing right up to the sky and finding a giant but in reality it was a straggly little plant starting life too early for real time planting out. It snapped off on the walk to Dave’s plot so I thought it was destined for the compost. We left it outside Dave’s shed for him to decide its fate and just a couple of weeks later lockdown started. We forgot all about Luca’s little plant as we settled into a new rhythm of life. When we finally made our second visit to the plot in June we were amazed to find Luca’s runner bean happily limping along inside Dave’s shed. It just goes to show what a little faith and TLC can achieve!
After months of a fairly indoor life (we don’t have a garden) the boys were delighted to be able to visit Dave again and astonished to see so much in full bloom. Dave gave them punnets to pick strawberries and Luca declared them ”the best strawberries in the whole wide world, ever”.
Dave had kindly planted up our plot with potatoes, courgette, sweetcorn, tomatoes, lettuce and beans. We spent a little time watering before bidding Dave farewell until next time. We’re so lucky to have the opportunity to grow-your-own under the encouraging wing of a seasoned grower like Dave. The boys may have a wildly rose tinted view of how much work it takes to look after a plot but they absolutely love helping out and eating produce they’ve helped to grow. One of the unexpected upsides of a life in lockdown for many families has been discovering just how much fun it can be gardening with kids. I’ve loved seeing pictures on social media of families wowed by the fruit and veg they’ve grown in their own garden.
Harvest time on the plot
We made our third visit of the year to the allotment this week and found produce ready to pick. You’ll be able to hear how we got on tomorrow when we feature on BBC Radio Gloucestershires ”stories to make you smile and make a difference” programme about allotment gardening. If you’ve found our blog after listening to the radio feature you are most welcome here. This is a picture just for you so you have faces to fit to the voices. Please say hello in the comments below, we always love to hear from people x
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Nic, I love that people in the UK without a garden do the allotment gardening thing! I first heard of that watching reruns of the old The Good Life (aka Good Neighbors) series. And what a wonderful thing for children to be raised with gardening. You’re not just growing fruits and vegetables, you’re growing great memories for the children!
Jean | Delightful Repast recently posted…Simple Roasted Tomatoes for the Freezer
I’m so happy to read your comment Jean. A friend used to joke that we were Barbara and Tom from the Good Life when we first took on our allotment. It’s not been much of a gardening year for us and I hope that one day we will have a garden of our own. Thank you for stopping by, I shall pop over to you and do the same x