National Allotments Week
National Allotments Week is a yearly event organised by The National Allotment Society and is designed to encourage allotment owners to show off their hard work to the public. This year's event is held from the 12th-18th of August, with a focus on promoting biodiversity. In this post we discuss biodiversity and how to improve it, climate change, and the benefits of rainwater. We know you love your green spaces, and so does our wildlife!
- #Allotments
- #NationalAllotmentsWeek
- #Biodiversity
What is an Allotment?
Allotments are small collections of land that are divided up and rented out to individuals by a local authority, usually for the purpose of growing their own crops.
There is an estimated 330,000 allotment plots in the UK with over a 2.5 year waiting list of over 100,000 people.
Allotments are measured in ‘rods’ or ‘poles’ in the UK, an old fashioned measurement derived from Anglo-Saxon farming practice. They’re both the same, and one rod or pole equals around 25 square metres.
What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you’ll find in one area - the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world.
Allotments are important refuges for these organisms as the variety of crops and plant life will attract different types of organisms. These organisms aid us by providing a natural form of pest control, pollinating and improving soil quality - important for the next crop!
The more plant species you have in your allotment, the more wildlife you are likely to attract, so if you're putting in the hours at your allotment you should show it off!
How we can Improve Biodiversity at our Allotments?
- Include an overgrown corner of brambles/thorn species offering nest sites for birds.
- Add a small pond/water in a pot to support amphibious animals, which are very useful to gardeners as many forage on for slugs and snails.
- Place a saucer of water to provide water for hedgehogs and birds.
- Dig a hole at the base of a boundary fence to create a valuable, connected network of greenspace for hedgehogs - they can roam through boundary trees and/or native hedges.
- In spring/summer cater for pollinators and birds through companion planting and fruit trees.
- In autumn provide food and shelter for wildlife though wild corners, hibernacula for hedgehogs and amphibians.
- Add compost to soil (helping to increase earthworm activity and improve soil life!)
- Rotate vegetable crops (to maintain nutrient balance).
- Grow a range of fruit, vegetables and herbs (to offer nectar to bees/other insects throughout the seasons).
- Have fruit/ orchard trees on their allotment (to offer nectar to bees/ other pollinators).
- Avoid the use of chemicals and pesticides.
- Avoid the use of peat-based compost.
- Have a log pile or bug houses (to provide a home to insects/wildlife).
- Include a maintained wild area within the allotment for wildflowers and/or wild grasses.
- 'No-dig' method to protect the soil and the organisms that live in it.
Biodiversity & Climate Change
As we know with climate change, extreme weather events will become more frequent, and longer in duration. This is why it's vital we lean on nature to help us combat climate change. An allotment full of plants will help absorb carbon in the atmosphere and provide a biodiverse area that will likely lead to healthier soil.
Biodiversity in soil is important due to the large amounts of organic matter from decaying plants and microorganisms. Healthy soil can respond to better to both droughts and floods due to improved water absorption and retention.
Essentially microorganisms act like a sponge, absorbing water and helping to prevent surface water flooding, therefore more biodiverse soil will lead to a reduce in the adverse effects of climate change.
SUDS & Allotments
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems or (SUDS) help slow the flow of water into our drainage systems and help reduce surface water flooding. Examples include capturing rainwater in water butts or using nature-based solutions like rain gardens with flood resistant plant life.
Water butts are great as they slow the flow of rainwater and may help reduce surface water flooding as well as providing a free source of water for your allotment. Planting rain gardens or sowing more flood resistant plants on the boundary of your allotment can help act as a barrier to your crop during a heavy rainfall session, whilst also helping maintain the quality of the soil.
There are some examples of crops that will withstand wetter conditions and poorer drainage; asparagus, rhubarb, mint, some varieties of spinach and pear trees - strawberries too! This will have the knock-on effect of ensuring less water ends up in our storm drains, putting less pressure on our sewage systems and helping to reduce the risk of sewage spills into our lakes, rivers and seas.
Tips
We know that harvesting water at your allotment can be difficult with no roof space, so we have a few ideas to help.
- Standalone Water Collectors: These are water butts with essentially an upside-down umbrella or tarp to help funnel water into your water butt.
- Rainwater Harvesting: If your allotment does have a shed or one roof space, we would encourage you to install a water harvesting system for all allotment users to share.
- Using Water Cans: A watering can with holes on the end of the spout. This will slow the flow of water, ensuring there is no wastage and that more water goes further!
This in turn will help your plants/crops grow due to rainwater having a lower PH than mains water, especially if you live in an area with hard water.
