In Spring 2024, a little dream came true when I got the keys to my new mini allotment plot in Ringwood!
It was nothing more than a patch of bare soil, tufty grass and weeds when I started, but I could already picture baskets of colourful veg, cheerful blooms, and buzzing pollinators flitting from flower to flower……my own little slice of nature!
After two years of volunteering at Four Acre Farm, it was time for me to put everything I had learnt into practice – the ‘no-dig’ way.
First, we prepared the ground by covering it in cardboard (with all sticky tape removed) and then watered over the top. Next, we made two vegetable beds by covering the cardboard with compost. Between the beds and around the edge of the plot, we laid wood chip pathways. (To stop our veggies being nibbled, we also surrounded our little allotment with a rabbit-proof fence!)
As simple as that, we were ready to start planting into the soil, without having to dig the plot over.
Not everyone believed it would work! My husband was a little sceptical – wondering how the plant roots would be able to grow but I assured him that the cardboard would rot in time for the roots to grow through. A man at the garden centre where we bought the compost said ‘that won’t work’ when I explained the no-dig method. I showed him photos of Four Acre Farm and the abundance of healthy vegetables growing there.
Over the next few weeks and months, nature did her magical ‘thing’ and the Nature Thyme allotment burst into life!
- Veggies thrived – turnips, beetroots, carrots, squash, kale, and more
- Flowers flourished – cosmos, calendula, sunflowers and lavender scented the air
- And the weeds? Hardly any!
This gentle, soil-friendly approach meant more time enjoying the plot and less time weeding.
Best of all, I’ve loved cooking with everything I’ve grown. My first year bought new favourites to the table, including a tasty turnip gratin and beetroot curry bursting with colour and flavour.
The Nature Thyme allotment has become more than a growing space – it’s a place of calm, creativity, and connection to the seasons. I can’t wait to see what it brings next!
