A year on the new plot

A Year on the New Plot: Lessons From 2025

When I first stepped on to my new full-size allotment plot, armed with enthusiasm, a slightly battered greenhouse, and three weeks to uproot and relocate everything I’d built on my quarter plot, I knew it would be a big change. What I didn’t know was just how much of a rollercoaster the first year would be.

2025 was, in many ways, a trial by fire — quite literally at times, thanks to the relentless heat and sandy soil that drains faster than a teenager’s phone battery. But despite the challenges, it was a year full of learning, adapting, and plenty of unexpected wins.

The Reality of More Space (and more watering!)

Finding myself with four times more growing space was both exhilarating and… a little daunting. I soon discovered that while more space means more potential, it also means four times the watering — something that became a daily workout in 2025’s unusually dry season. My soil, which at times felt like it was 90% sand, posed a particular challenge. Despite my best efforts, some crops struggled.

The Strugglers

• Sweetcorn → Very small cobs and poor pollination
• Potatoes → Over 100 seed potatoes planted across nine rows and a few potato bags (as an experiment), but the yield, while numerous, was significantly smaller in volume than the previous year’s three rows
• Courgettes  → Suffered heavily from blossom-end rot
• Butternut squash → Didn’t establish well
• Plum tree → Affected by grubs
• Cooking apple tree → Produced very small apples despite thorough thinning

‍But even with the setbacks, there were victories too — some surprising!

The Unexpected Wins

Greenhouse Champions

• Cucumbers and tomatoes → Reliable, abundant, and happy
• Melons and aubergines → A new experiment that paid off brilliantly
• Sweet peppers → A solid performance

Tree Fruit & Soft Fruit

• Pears → An exceptional crop
• Strawberries → Thrived in their new dedicated area
• Blueberries → A brilliant year
• Raspberries → A mixed bag, but freshly transplanted, so 2026 should be better

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Brassicas, Roots, and Leafy Things

The Brassica Battle

The year’s biggest triumph: cauliflowers — every variety a showstopper.

Cabbages were less consistent:

• Globe cabbages → Good, even when the cabbage whites snuck in
• Hispi → Not their year
• Kale → Decent but could have been stronger

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Roots

• Onions & shallots → A great crop with little bolting (choosing bolt‑resistant varieties paid off!)
• Leeks → A complete waste of time
• Parsnips  → Not playing ball whatsoever
• Carrots → Still going!

Salads

Lettuces loved the heat thanks to a generous mulch of sheep fleece from a local smallholder — perfect for cooling the soil and suppressing weeds.

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Plot Improvements & Lessons Learned

1. The Brassica Cage Saga

My low cloches caused constant frustration — old mesh, sagging fabric, and far too low to work under. The cabbage whites viewed them as an open invitation. Silver lining: I snagged a second‑hand 3m x 4m fruit cage cheaply and transformed it into a walk‑in brassica palace for 2026.

2. Soil Improvement

The dry summer made it clear: the soil needed structure. Autumn became Operation Organic Matter, with several loads of cow manure dug in from a local farm. I’m cautiously optimistic this will help retain moisture in 2026.

3. Plot Reorganisation

Realisation struck:

• My vegetable area was bigger than I actually needed but my cut flower patch was far too small.

So for 2026:

• Cut flowers have moved home to a bigger patch (with many more varieties… cue gleeful laughter)
• Their old spot on the allotment is now dedicated courgette territory, keeping them separate from the squashes to (hopefully) boost pollination

4. New Long‑Term Projects

Asparagus

A brand‑new asparagus bed planted — fingers crossed for baby spears in 2026 and a proper crop in 2027.

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‍Reclaiming the weedy corners: Creating a wildlife haven

One of my biggest ongoing projects has been reclaiming the wild, weed‑choked back area of the plot to create a dedicated wildlife and wildflower haven around the fruit trees. What started as a tangle of brambles and nettles is slowly becoming a softer, more natural space for bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and other beneficial insects. I’m keeping some existing growth for structure, adding native wildflowers and grasses, and allowing nature to take the lead.

The small pond I had on the old plot has been surpassed with a much bigger one which has already brought joy (not just to the dog! )— I’ve spotted newts happily settling in!

Seeing wildlife move in so quickly is incredibly rewarding. As the area matures and the pond naturalises further, I’m hoping this corner becomes a true sanctuary — somewhere nature thrives alongside the productivity of the main beds, and a peaceful place to enjoy throughout the seasons.

Looking back — and looking forward

My first year on the new plot wasn’t the flawless triumph I’d imagined when I turned the key in the gate. But it was real, honest, challenging, satisfying, and packed with growth—both mine and the allotment’s.

I learned:

• Big plots require bigger planning
• Soil improvement is a long‑term investment
• Pollination can make or break a harvest
• Choosing the right varieties matters
• Failure isn’t wasted — it’s experience
• There’s always something to celebrate, even in a tricky year

As 2026 gets into full swing, the plot already feels more “mine”— not just a space I’m working on, but a space that is starting to work with me. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings.