Lidl is selling 29p seeds to transform your garden & give you veg for months – I'm a gardening pro & I swear by them
It's been reported this week the Labour government has quietly sold eight council-owned allotments since they took over power.
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And new rules mean cash-strapped local authorities can sell off sites to help 'deliver transformation and invest to save projects.'
Although the National Allotment Society has said that it was ok to sell those particular plots, it didn't stop Jeremy Corbyn - who loves his North London plot - slamming those in charge.
Especially as no one knows what this could mean for the future.
What isn't in doubt, is the amount of positives to owning an allotment. Not only do they keep you fit and active, they reduce your shopping costs as your vegetables come through - and they can help improve your mental health.
If you've got an allotment - or even if you've got pots on the patio, borders or a small veg patch in your garden - there's all sorts of seeds you can plant during National Allotment Week to give you healthy veg all autumn - and sometimes even into winter.
Lidl are currently selling Saxa 2 Radish Seeds AND Rote Riesen 2 carrot seeds - for just 29p.
I've used Lidl seeds in the past and for that price - you can't go wrong.
They've also got Premium veg seeds - like Courgette Black Beauty for £1.49 and packets of Chard seeds for just 49p
Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres recommended Radishes as one of the quickest and easiest crops to sow during late summer.
Julian said: "They thrive in well drained, fertile soil and produce crisp, mildly peppery roots in just a few weeks.
"They fit perfectly into tight spaces and mature rapidly, making them ideal for filling garden gaps, container planting and providing fresh crunch for autumn salads and snacks.
" Spinach, especially hardy varieties like 'Superhero,' is another good choice to plant now. This leafy green is particularly resilient; it tolerates cooler temperatures and resists bolting, even when the weather turns chilly.
"Swiss chard, including varieties such as 'Apollo' and 'Celebration,' add splashes of colour to your autumn garden with its bright stems and grow well in cooler conditions and hold their flavour even after frost."
He added: "Mustard greens and rocket offer more punchy, peppery flavours, bringing variety to your cold season greens after being sown this August. Both crops respond well to late summer sowing.
"Turnips can be sown in fertile soil this Allotment Week for an excellent winter crop. And Carrots are another staple, with varieties like 'Autumn King 2' perfect for late sowing and will develop sweet, dense roots over the coming months.
"Broad beans are not just a spring crop; they have some autumn varieties that can be sown now to establish robust plants for an early harvest next season.
"And varieties like 'The Sutton' and 'Aquadale Claudia' are particularly suited to later sowings and show resilience to colder soil and weather."
He told Sun Gardening that Winter lettuces, such as 'Winter Gem' and 'Valdor,' can be sown this Allotment Week and will provide crisp, tender leaves as temperatures drop.
Autumn onions and shallots can also be started now to set a strong foundation for next season's bulbs, while containers or bags filled with seed potatoes like 'Charlotte' or 'Maris Peer' can be moved indoors before the frost for a festive Christmas harvest.
And finally he added: "Don't forget garlic – varieties like 'Provence Wight, Carcassonne' & 'Provence' thrive when planted now and into autumn, establishing strong roots through the colder months for an early summer harvest."
Mike Farrell, Chair of the National Allotment Society, said: 'Allotments have always been more than just a place to grow food.
"They are hubs of community spirit, wellbeing, and environmental awareness.
'National Allotments Week is our chance to celebrate their enduring value and to invite others to experience the joys and rewards of allotment gardening.'
Although council-run waiting lists are often huge - it's worth contacting them to get added to the list.
Or visit www.allotme.co.uk - a brilliant new site that links up people with spare space to hire out in their gardens with those who want to grow but have no room.
www.RootsAllotments.com is also worth checking out - they're buying up land all over the country and turning it into whole grids of no-dig plots to hire - with no ridiculous years-long waiting lists. You just pay monthly.
And there are private allotments locally - that manage their own application procedures - just search for 'private allotments near me' online.
During National Allotment Week local sites will be opening their doors to the public to welcome people to different events. These include quizzes, wellness on the plot events, open days, garden competitions and much more.
They're also asking all allotment holders to take part in a special photo competition - all you need to do is send them a photo of your personal 'happy place' - a corner that brings you peace, pride or joy. First prize is a £200 gift voucher.
Also in Veronica's Column this week...
Top Tips, Plant of the Week, Gardening News and a chance to win a £200 YouGarden voucher
NEWS! If you're looking for garden-based fun for the kids this summer - the RHS has a programme of family friendly activities.
Running on selected dates from now until August 31, all five of their gardens are hosting The Great Woodland Adventure - where visitors can enjoy activities including den building, storytelling adventures and woodland crafts.
Each garden will set up a base camp where explorers can get stuck into everything from forest school to bushcraft skills and unlock the secrets of trees on a wonderful woodland discovery trail. All gardens will also host The Big Den Build with the Woodland Tribe on selected days, where young and young at heart can build an epic woodland adventure castle.
Dates, times, and activities vary per garden.
TOP TIP! August is the perfect month for pruning back Lavender. If it hasn't already finished flowering, it will do soon. So to stop it becoming woody and out of control remove any of the old flowering stalks and about 2.5cm of leaf growth. But never cut back into old wood - as it can't regrow from this. Just make sure there's some new shoots on each stem - so the plant can regenerate. Go gentle if it's a new plant - and never go too hard.
PLANT OF THE WEEK Agapanthus 'Fireworks' - easy to grow, long lasting, exotic looking flowers in white and violet, hardy perennial, good in pots or borders.
JOB OF THE WEEK As potato leaves turn yellow and die back, it's time to harvest. And when onion stalks start to flop they're also ready. Deadhead annual bedding plants, and cut penstemons back to above a leaf so they flower again.
WIN! Our friends at YouGarden are offering one reader a £200 online gift voucher. To enter, visit www.thesun.co.uk/YOUGARDENVOUCHER - you'll also get a code for money off a Cordyline. Or write to Sun Gardening You Garden Voucher competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Entries close 11.59pm. August 23, 2025. T&Cs apply
For more gardening content follow me @biros_and_bloom
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