Mary Tavy allotment holders get their hands dirty to save water and their plants!

08th April 2022

Cabbages, courgettes, carrots and artichokes. Raspberries, apples, blackberries and strawberries. Bursting with flavour and fresh off the land. The plot holders at Mary Tavy Victory Memorial Ground  Allotments enjoyed bumper crops last year and were looking forward to more in the future.

But their achievements didn’t come without their challenges, and none more so than all gardeners’ pet peeve – pests! Black fly, slugs, snails and caterpillars all enjoyed the hard work of the plot-holders, sometimes before they got a look in!

Against their will, the plot-holders had to use chemical pesticides to keep on top of them all. But they planned to change this, and we were only too happy to help them out with our funding opportunities.

To combat all those pesky pests, the group built a wildlife pond using some of our Neighbourhood Fund. After digging the hole, they lined it and let it naturally fill. John, and his fellow allotment holder, Tony, were both surprised by how quickly it filled up. “It just goes to show how much water falls in such a small area,” they said.

When I went to visit them, John had organised a work party and they were busy digging a trench around the edge of the pond to secure the lining. John described to me how it will look when it’s finished. The bank formed around the pond will be planted with wildflowers as part of their re-wilding process. The hope is that the area will attract frogs, toads and insects that will act as natural pesticides so that the allotment holders can cut back on the use of chemicals. The bonus is that once the wildflowers are in bloom the pond will be a lovely place to sit and relax with a cuppa after all their hard work.

The success of the pond has given the group a lot of confidence in their second project – a rainwater harvesting system funded by our Water Saving Community Fund. On my visit, John showed me the gravel base where the two 1000 litre IBC tanks will sit.

There was talk of a second work party to get together to complete the installation in the next few weeks. John had been disappointed that they hadn’t been able to get it set up ready to catch the winter rains, but seeing the rate at which the pond filled, we’re all optimistic about the amount of rainwater they’ll be able to collect.

The group are doing some other great things at the site including planting fruit trees around the perimeter. These will not only be great for the environment, but will provide food and shelter for the allotments too. They’ll also attract birds – another natural pesticide! Allotment holder, (another) Jon, showed me his bee hives which he recently installed. He told me it was a hobby his father had enjoyed before him, and he’s really appreciated having the space to learn this skill too. The bees will certainly thrive on the many different nectars available across the site and help pollinate the plants, and of course, they’ll produce lovely local honey.

Walking around the site and seeing how established it all is, it’s incredible to think it’s only three years old! Everyone is working together to create a sustainable area in which things can be grown organically. Two plot holders, Tara and Mike, have been inspiring others with their no-dig approach – an invaluable technique which reduces the strain on the top soil.

It was so encouraging to see the passion and vision these guys have and we’re so glad to have got involved and be able to share in it.

Well done, everyone!