Steve’s Handy Hints Page
January 2008

The recent wet spell has left the allotments waterlogged, and trying to work on wet ground does more harm than good, when the soil slips off the spade without sticking to it its ready for turning.

February can be the coldest month of the year and can also bring periods of heavy rain, so make use of any dry sunny spells but don’t be deceived by the occasional sunny day, the weather is likely to be treacherous for many weeks to come.

Prepare a bean trench 18in wide X 12in X 3FT wide for a double row. Fill it with plenty of organic matter and leave open until the end of May when you plant the beans.

Prepare a seedbed rake down to a fine tilth cover with polythene to warm the soil.

In the greenhouse or cold frame sow broad beans for planting out in March. Early peas like Early Onward can be sown in lengths of guttering, slide the whole contents into a shallow trench outside when ready to transplant.

For early tomatoes sow seed in a propagator they require a temperature of 65f to germinate.

Sprout potatoes now if you want an early crop, allow 7lb for a 50 ft row, (the metric equivalent is meaningless to me sorry), lay the tubers in shallow trays in light frost proof place.

HISTORY OF ALLOTMENTS CNTD

In the early 1800s the potato became a staple food of the poor and it is claimed that half of allotment land was used for the production of potatoes.

The first major act in 1819 gave Churchwardens and Poor Law overseers the power to purchase or lease land and let it to the poor and unemployed of parish. This was not very successful because labourers thought their wages would be reduced because they were using parochial land, and some farmers said they would not to employ people with allotments. By 1850 there was about 100 allotments nationwide.

The mid 1800s brought hard times for the rural poor, there was a surplus of labour with soldiers returning from the Napoleonic wars, the threshing machine led to automation and reduced the need for labourers. Poor harvests in 1829 & 30 led to wages were being reduced.

During the next 2 years the swing riots spread across the country with the destruction of machinery, burning of hayricks, there was also a spate robberies and burglaries. Penalties were draconian with 19 people executed and 1000 jailed or transported.

The formation of the Labourers Friendly Society by Benjamin Wills, a surgeon, in 1832 promoted the use of plots of land at low rents for use as allotments.

Wills received support from several notable people including the Dukes of Bedford and Shrewsbury and the Bishops of Bath and Gloucester. A monthly magazine was distributed and over 20 MPs subscribed to it in 1833. Agents travelled around forming local branches and over the next ten years over 60 local societies were formed providing 800 acres of plots and by 1850 there were around 100,000 plots.

To be continued...

For the Handy Hints archive click here.