DIGGING THE DIRT

KG reader and keen allotmenteer John Holloway takes a wry look at allotment life in this new bi-monthly series. This month John and his allotment neighbour go head to head in a tidy shed contest

- John Holloway

As allotment virgins many years ago, we inherited an unkempt wasteland growing nothing but bits of discarded conservatory, buried carpet, weeds and couch grass measured by the yard. It took a back-breaking six months to get it back to some semblance of well-tilled soil.

I am now obsessed with weeds, removing them as soon as the little blighters rear their heads. That started an ongoing debate' with my wife Elaine as to the most effective removal process. I dig 'em up, she hoes the weeds, leaving them beheaded to die. But I can't resist the temptation to follow her round and tidy up. It's Obsessive Compulsive Weeding; time consuming and probably pointless. But to me an empty, well dug, weed-free plot is as pleasing as a ground burgeoning with kitchen produce. I do like to be tidy.

MEET THE HOLLOWAYS

John and his wife Elaine have been tending their own allotment for 16 years. On retirement as a careers adviser, then freelance writer, John moved to a Derbyshire village and rented his allotment. The couple grow more than 30 different fruits and vegetables for the kitchen table with a fair measure of self-sufficiency. John finds great pleasure on the allotment, one of 10 close to the centre of the village; a heady mix of being outdoors, working the land and sharing the banter and camaraderie with fellow allotmenteers.