Vegetable garden and allotment coaching
Whether you've just been handed the keys to an allotment or want to grow more food at home, I'll help you plan your plot, get your soil right and grow crops that do well in the North East. Coaching happens on your plot, at your pace, so you learn by doing.
What we can work on
| Getting started | Clearing an overgrown plot, deciding where beds and paths go, and what to grow in your first year. |
|---|---|
| Planning the year | A sowing and planting calendar for the crops you want, so there's something to harvest through as much of the year as possible. |
| Soil | Reading your soil, adding organic matter, and when no-dig beds make sense. |
| Crop rotation | Moving crop families round the beds each year to keep soil healthy and pests and diseases down. |
| Problems | Pests, diseases, poor germination and crops that just won't grow, with fixes that don't rely on chemicals. |
| Fruit | Planting and pruning fruit trees and bushes, from apples to gooseberries and raspberries. |
Where I coach
I visit gardens and allotments across County Durham and nearby, the same areas I cover for garden consultations. If a new veg patch is part of a bigger change to the garden, we can plan the whole space together.
Price
I price coaching when you get in touch, depending on how many visits you'd like and where your plot is.
I also offer garden consultations, planting plans, garden design, wildlife gardens, native hedge planting, workshops and talks and gift vouchers, and you can read more about my background.
Veg and allotment coaching questions
I've just taken on an overgrown allotment. Where do I start?
Don't try to clear it all at once. Get one or two beds into good shape and growing, cover the rest to suppress weeds, and work through it bed by bed. A coaching visit early on saves a lot of wasted effort.
Is coaching just one visit?
It can be. Some people want one visit to get started; others like a few through the year, at sowing time, mid-season and for planning the next year.
Can you help with growing veg in a small garden?
Yes. Raised beds, containers and a few well-chosen crops can be very productive in a small space.
Book veg coaching
Tell me about your plot or garden and what you'd like to grow, and I'll reply with a price and some dates.