February 3, 2025 • 10 mins
January Review: Wins, Challenges, and Lessons from the Allotment As the first month of the year comes to an end, it's time to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and what’s next for the allotment! In this episode, I’ll be sharing my January highlights, the biggest challenges faced, and the key lessons learned as we prepare for the growing season ahead. From battling the winter weather to planning for spring planting, join me as I look back on the month and set goals for the weeks to come. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting your allotment journey, this episode is packed with tips, insights, and motivation to keep you inspired! Grab a cuppa, tune in, and let’s chat about January at the allotment! 🌱🎙️
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/gardening-with-ben-garden-and-allotment-tips-and-advice-podcast--5150692/support.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/gardening-with-ben-garden-and-allotment-tips-and-advice-podcast--5150692/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Gardening with Ben. You'll go to a podcast
(00:03):
for all things green and growing in twenty twenty five.
Whether you're a seasoned gardener, a budding enthusiast, or just
curious about cultivating your own slice of nature, you're in
the right place. Join me Ben as we explore practical tips,
inspiring stories, and the latest trends in gardening to make
(00:24):
your outdoor space bloom with life, from a lotment adventures
to wildlife friendly gardening. I'm here to help you grow
your passion and read the rewards. So grab your gloves,
roll up your sleeves, and let's get started on this
year's gardening journey. Hey everybody, and welcome back to Gardening
(00:46):
with Ben. Well, Happy Friday. It is final late Friday,
and it seems funny me saying this. I'm recording it
on Sunday. But happy Friday, everybody, and I hope that
you're all looking for to the weekend. Well, it's the
last day of January. Finally, it's the end of the month.
January is the month that keeps on giving. It seems
(01:11):
to last forever and ever. And I know, obviously everybody
has that problem with getting paid early before Christmas, which
is nice, but then you've got to make it last
forever throughout January. But it's finally the end of the
month and hopefully we will be turning a corner soon
and heading towards springtime which will soon be upon us
(01:33):
in March. So yeah, what have we accomplished in January?
This is where we talk about our good things and
are bad things of the month. Well, have we done
a lot down at the allotment? Yes we have, I
know we haven't. We feel like we've done a lot,
(01:53):
but we haven't done loads to be honest, but we
have make up your mind, Ben, have you how I
haven't you? But yeah, we have had a good month
down in January. Obviously we've had the snow which put
off us far a few times, but we have managed
to get lots done. And in January we worked on
(02:15):
tidying all my shed up and sorting out some shelving
in it, and sorting my pots out, getting all those
sorted and really giving it a good tidy up and
clearing it all ready for the monthhead because come March
time my greenhouse will be absolutely full to busting with
seeds what we have sown because that's when I saw
(02:37):
all my seats in March time. Obviously we'll be talking
about what SEATY can go in February tomorrow, but I
don't do that. I tend to wait till March time
because it's still quite cold where we are, and I
obviously want it to be warmer in my greenhouse. It's
not a heatd greenhouse, so we need to wait for
(02:58):
the warmer weather fit's to germinate the seeds, so we've
done that. We've also done a lot of tidying up
in my polytunnel, as I've not used my polytonel much
for the last couple of years, but this year we
are bringing it back into action. Yes, we are bringing
the polytunel back into full potential and getting it used.
(03:21):
We stopped growing our tomatoes in the polytunnel. Now we
grow those outdoors, as they seem to do better and
you don't have to water them as often because the
ground stays damper than it would do in a bucket
of compost. So we grow tomatoes outside. That's cherry ones,
the bigger ones you would need to grow into a
(03:42):
greenhouse because they need a lot more sun to make
them riper. So big ones will grow indoors if we
are growing any this year. And obviously my cucumbers, I
grew about three in my polytunnel this year, and I
had about fifteen plants outside what I got spare plant
left over, and the ones out that side did fantastic.
(04:04):
They did so much better than the ones in the polytunnel,
which is hard to believe, but yes they did. So
I'm going to grow my cucumbers outside from now on.
If they're doing that well, I might as well carry
on doing them like that. And again, they won't need
as much water because the ground stays wet and if
it rains, it waters them, which is a bonus. But
(04:24):
why are we fetching the polytunnel back into action. You
may say, we are going to be growing peppers in there,
and we're going to be growing melons in there, and
you're probably saying, well, why don't you grow those outside?
But them two things need more sunlight so and more heat.
So that is the reason why we're fetching the polytunnel
(04:45):
back into action this year. So we've got it all
tidied out and ready for them to grow, which we'll
talk about in another episode. So I'm excited to be
growing in the polytunnel again obviously, I mean I need
to go down there often and keep things watered. But
it encourages me to get out and about and visit
the plot, which I'm looking forward to. And we did
(05:08):
a few repairs to the shed because we've had a
few bad storms. The roof blew off some of it,
so we had to repair that. But I only like
a body job because my dad said to me that
is going to help me take all the roof off
and start from scratch and make a better roof. Which
the roof's probably been on for about ten years now
(05:31):
and its perspects and it's pretty strong, but it's starting
to go brittle a bit now so when the wind
comes it just snaps it now, so it's time for
a replacement. It's done its job and it's time for
a fresh new roof. And hopefully we're going to make
it waterproof as well, because whether we're in there, there's
(05:51):
dripsqui through where all the screws are because I've not
done it right. I've not like capped it off, I've
not waterproofed them, so it has it keeps getting mid
wet when it's raining in there, so Hopefully we're going
to make it a bit more waterproof and use stronger
plastic as well. Obviously we've started looking on Facebook Marketplace.
(06:12):
Facebook Marketplace is a brilliant place if you're wanted to
look for cheap stuff or free stuff, as a lot
of people just post on there to get rid of stuff.
So if you're looking at doing work to your allotment
or sheds or greenhouses, have a look on Facebook Marketplace
and you'll possibly be able to find some good bargains.
(06:34):
So that is what we're going to be doing soon
when it gets a bit nicer. Obviously, we can't be
doing it when it's absolutely chucking it down and cold
and freezing because we don't want to be doing that.
So yeah, we've not done much weeding in January. January
we've not done anything outside as it's been too cold,
(06:54):
the ground's been too hard, and all the weeds don't
seem to be growing much at the moment. So we
might turn all the bed over in February. That might
be one of our jobs that we do in that month.
But yeah, overall, January has been a pretty decent month
and obviously we're starting to do more content on YouTube
(07:16):
we're getting more videos out there, and we're going to
film the loads this year, loads of videos for you
to watch. And obviously we're getting more and more content
out on our Facebook page for you to read and
sharing it in digest. So I hope that you found
that useful. So yeah, I'm happy that I've been down
to my allotment in January. Years ago, I never used
(07:38):
to go down to my plot in January. I used
to finish off my plot at the end of October,
then not go back down to the allotment until March time,
and I'd be rushing at the last minute to be
getting everything tidied, cleaned up and ready for the months ahead.
So I tend to carry on now throughout the winter
period so that I've got all these jobs done and
(07:59):
I can concentrate on growing my seeds throughout the March period,
because when I start stating my seat in March, it's
going to be a lot of work. I'll obviously need
so more and then keep them all water and then
we have to prick them all out and pot them
up individually, and yeah, it takes a lot of work.
So that is the reason why I continue doing all
(08:19):
my working throughout October through to February, because you can
get a lot of stuff done, and it's not necessarily
just digging over. It's like tiding up and getting it
all clean and ready for the year ahead. So yeah,
January has been a successful month down at the Allotment.
Hopefully we'll get lots done in February. I'm looking forward
(08:41):
to it. Obviously, the spring bulbs and everything will start
popping through now and start showing the heads and hopefully
start fetching some spring color down at the Allotment, because
that's what I want. I want to see all the
crouxes out. I want to see the daffodils out. I'm
looking forward to the highs of smells when you walk
onto the Allotment. So yeah, I'm excited for the springtime,
(09:01):
and I'm sure you are all too. So tomorrow's episode,
we'll be back with a new podcast and it will
be talking about all the things that you can so
in February. Like I said, most things I won't be
starting until March time. But it's there just as a
guide for anybody that's interested, And obviously it all depends
on the temperature in your area that you live in.
(09:22):
As well, so thanks for listening to today's podcast everyone.
As always, remember keep smiling, keep shining, and keep gardening
with Ben. Everyone, thanks for tuning in to today's episode
of Gardening with Ben. I hope you've enjoyed our chat
and picked up some tips to help your garden and
(09:44):
allotment pride. Don't forget to stay connected with me on
all social media for even more gardening inspiration, updates and
behind the scenes content. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram,
and YouTube. Just search Gardening with Ben, hit that follow
button or subscribe button and join our growing community of
(10:05):
garden lovers. Until next time, everyone, remember keep smiling, keep shining,
and keep gardening with Ben.
Welcome to Gardening with Ben. You'll go to a podcast
(00:03):
for all things green and growing in twenty twenty five.
Whether you're a seasoned gardener, a budding enthusiast, or just
curious about cultivating your own slice of nature, you're in
the right place. Join me Ben as we explore practical tips,
inspiring stories, and the latest trends in gardening to make
(00:24):
your outdoor space bloom with life, from a lotment adventures
to wildlife friendly gardening. I'm here to help you grow
your passion and read the rewards. So grab your gloves,
roll up your sleeves, and let's get started on this
year's gardening journey. Hey everybody, and welcome back to Gardening
(00:46):
with Ben. Well, Happy Friday. It is final late Friday,
and it seems funny me saying this. I'm recording it
on Sunday. But happy Friday, everybody, and I hope that
you're all looking for to the weekend. Well, it's the
last day of January. Finally, it's the end of the month.
January is the month that keeps on giving. It seems
(01:11):
to last forever and ever. And I know, obviously everybody
has that problem with getting paid early before Christmas, which
is nice, but then you've got to make it last
forever throughout January. But it's finally the end of the
month and hopefully we will be turning a corner soon
and heading towards springtime which will soon be upon us
(01:33):
in March. So yeah, what have we accomplished in January?
This is where we talk about our good things and
are bad things of the month. Well, have we done
a lot down at the allotment? Yes we have, I
know we haven't. We feel like we've done a lot,
(01:53):
but we haven't done loads to be honest, but we
have make up your mind, Ben, have you how I
haven't you? But yeah, we have had a good month
down in January. Obviously we've had the snow which put
off us far a few times, but we have managed
to get lots done. And in January we worked on
(02:15):
tidying all my shed up and sorting out some shelving
in it, and sorting my pots out, getting all those
sorted and really giving it a good tidy up and
clearing it all ready for the monthhead because come March
time my greenhouse will be absolutely full to busting with
seeds what we have sown because that's when I saw
(02:37):
all my seats in March time. Obviously we'll be talking
about what SEATY can go in February tomorrow, but I
don't do that. I tend to wait till March time
because it's still quite cold where we are, and I
obviously want it to be warmer in my greenhouse. It's
not a heatd greenhouse, so we need to wait for
(02:58):
the warmer weather fit's to germinate the seeds, so we've
done that. We've also done a lot of tidying up
in my polytunnel, as I've not used my polytonel much
for the last couple of years, but this year we
are bringing it back into action. Yes, we are bringing
the polytunel back into full potential and getting it used.
(03:21):
We stopped growing our tomatoes in the polytunnel. Now we
grow those outdoors, as they seem to do better and
you don't have to water them as often because the
ground stays damper than it would do in a bucket
of compost. So we grow tomatoes outside. That's cherry ones,
the bigger ones you would need to grow into a
(03:42):
greenhouse because they need a lot more sun to make
them riper. So big ones will grow indoors if we
are growing any this year. And obviously my cucumbers, I
grew about three in my polytunnel this year, and I
had about fifteen plants outside what I got spare plant
left over, and the ones out that side did fantastic.
(04:04):
They did so much better than the ones in the polytunnel,
which is hard to believe, but yes they did. So
I'm going to grow my cucumbers outside from now on.
If they're doing that well, I might as well carry
on doing them like that. And again, they won't need
as much water because the ground stays wet and if
it rains, it waters them, which is a bonus. But
(04:24):
why are we fetching the polytunnel back into action. You
may say, we are going to be growing peppers in there,
and we're going to be growing melons in there, and
you're probably saying, well, why don't you grow those outside?
But them two things need more sunlight so and more heat.
So that is the reason why we're fetching the polytunnel
(04:45):
back into action this year. So we've got it all
tidied out and ready for them to grow, which we'll
talk about in another episode. So I'm excited to be
growing in the polytunnel again obviously, I mean I need
to go down there often and keep things watered. But
it encourages me to get out and about and visit
the plot, which I'm looking forward to. And we did
(05:08):
a few repairs to the shed because we've had a
few bad storms. The roof blew off some of it,
so we had to repair that. But I only like
a body job because my dad said to me that
is going to help me take all the roof off
and start from scratch and make a better roof. Which
the roof's probably been on for about ten years now
(05:31):
and its perspects and it's pretty strong, but it's starting
to go brittle a bit now so when the wind
comes it just snaps it now, so it's time for
a replacement. It's done its job and it's time for
a fresh new roof. And hopefully we're going to make
it waterproof as well, because whether we're in there, there's
(05:51):
dripsqui through where all the screws are because I've not
done it right. I've not like capped it off, I've
not waterproofed them, so it has it keeps getting mid
wet when it's raining in there, so Hopefully we're going
to make it a bit more waterproof and use stronger
plastic as well. Obviously we've started looking on Facebook Marketplace.
(06:12):
Facebook Marketplace is a brilliant place if you're wanted to
look for cheap stuff or free stuff, as a lot
of people just post on there to get rid of stuff.
So if you're looking at doing work to your allotment
or sheds or greenhouses, have a look on Facebook Marketplace
and you'll possibly be able to find some good bargains.
(06:34):
So that is what we're going to be doing soon
when it gets a bit nicer. Obviously, we can't be
doing it when it's absolutely chucking it down and cold
and freezing because we don't want to be doing that.
So yeah, we've not done much weeding in January. January
we've not done anything outside as it's been too cold,
(06:54):
the ground's been too hard, and all the weeds don't
seem to be growing much at the moment. So we
might turn all the bed over in February. That might
be one of our jobs that we do in that month.
But yeah, overall, January has been a pretty decent month
and obviously we're starting to do more content on YouTube
(07:16):
we're getting more videos out there, and we're going to
film the loads this year, loads of videos for you
to watch. And obviously we're getting more and more content
out on our Facebook page for you to read and
sharing it in digest. So I hope that you found
that useful. So yeah, I'm happy that I've been down
to my allotment in January. Years ago, I never used
(07:38):
to go down to my plot in January. I used
to finish off my plot at the end of October,
then not go back down to the allotment until March time,
and I'd be rushing at the last minute to be
getting everything tidied, cleaned up and ready for the months ahead.
So I tend to carry on now throughout the winter
period so that I've got all these jobs done and
(07:59):
I can concentrate on growing my seeds throughout the March period,
because when I start stating my seat in March, it's
going to be a lot of work. I'll obviously need
so more and then keep them all water and then
we have to prick them all out and pot them
up individually, and yeah, it takes a lot of work.
So that is the reason why I continue doing all
(08:19):
my working throughout October through to February, because you can
get a lot of stuff done, and it's not necessarily
just digging over. It's like tiding up and getting it
all clean and ready for the year ahead. So yeah,
January has been a successful month down at the Allotment.
Hopefully we'll get lots done in February. I'm looking forward
(08:41):
to it. Obviously, the spring bulbs and everything will start
popping through now and start showing the heads and hopefully
start fetching some spring color down at the Allotment, because
that's what I want. I want to see all the
crouxes out. I want to see the daffodils out. I'm
looking forward to the highs of smells when you walk
onto the Allotment. So yeah, I'm excited for the springtime,
(09:01):
and I'm sure you are all too. So tomorrow's episode,
we'll be back with a new podcast and it will
be talking about all the things that you can so
in February. Like I said, most things I won't be
starting until March time. But it's there just as a
guide for anybody that's interested, And obviously it all depends
on the temperature in your area that you live in.
(09:22):
As well, so thanks for listening to today's podcast everyone.
As always, remember keep smiling, keep shining, and keep gardening
with Ben. Everyone, thanks for tuning in to today's episode
of Gardening with Ben. I hope you've enjoyed our chat
and picked up some tips to help your garden and
(09:44):
allotment pride. Don't forget to stay connected with me on
all social media for even more gardening inspiration, updates and
behind the scenes content. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram,
and YouTube. Just search Gardening with Ben, hit that follow
button or subscribe button and join our growing community of
(10:05):
garden lovers. Until next time, everyone, remember keep smiling, keep shining,
and keep gardening with Ben.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!