Grow Together at Torkington Allotment

Join a community for all ages and abilities, cultivating your own green space.

Torkington Allotment is situated between Torkington Road and Torkington Park, Hazel Grove, Stockport, south of Manchester. Our allotment site features 45 diverse plots, catering to various abilities, ages, and lifestyles, managed by a dedicated elected committee.

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April is a mixed month, warmer weather, shoots appearing, and plenty of seeds to be sown. Harvesting is a different story as the seasons switch from colder to warmer. Historically this is a lean period for locally/homegrown food.

Propagating Strawberries

Task Day

Propagate Strawberries from existing Strawberry plants.

Saturday March 29th.

We have our first task day Saturday, 29th March at 10am. Plot holders are asked to assist with the upkeep of our communal areas by sparing a bit of time to attend.

a pile of potatoes sitting on top of a dirt field

Planting Early Potatoes

As spring arrives and winter recedes its time to plant out early potatoes. Its hard not to get excited in anticipating delicious homegrown potatoes in early summer.

When it comes to early potatoes many varieties are available such as Rocket, Swift, and Charlotte know for excellent taste and performance. Typically first earlies require 12 weeks to produce tubers. Impatient gardeners can speed up the process by chitting potatoes in a cool but frost free bright spot, windowsills are ideal.

For a more detailed instructions read our guide.

Germination Tips

The UK has a short growing season with many growers extending the season by sowing seeds early. This however can lead to poor or no germination. Many people and articles will suggest special equipment such as heated mats or grow lights for best results. There is no denying these work but they also have a cost, they also don't scale particularly well without an outside space and power.

Not to worry, we've got a low cost technique that has proven successful. Read here.

Crop Rotation

One aspect of vegetable gardening often overlooked is crop rotation, people are creatures of habit and often replant the same vegetables in the same location each year. This can lead to nutrient depletion or encourage disease.

Read our crop rotation guide.

Growing Asparagus

Asparagus is nutritious, requires little maintenance, and once established will provide for years to come. Since asparagus grows over many years, starting of right is important.

Read our crop rotation guide.

person in blue long sleeve shirt holding brown and black bird

Winter Pruning

Winter pruning is an essential job undertaken to encourage fruit trees and fruit bushes to be as productive as possible, and to shape shrubs ready for the coming year. However not all plants are best pruned in winter, some prefer a warmer time of year before being trimmed. Its not uncommon for gardeners and allotmenteers to skip pruning all together if they're unsure whether to prune or not.

If you're unsure what to prune in winter, take a look at our guide.