Covid-19 Pandemic and an Edinburgh allotment plot gardening engagement (March to June 2020)
Stelios Deverakis shares his lock-down experiences.
He hopes it might cheer up the reader, without attempting to provide guidance or set a precedent on any of the issues dealt with.
He hopes it might cheer up the reader, without attempting to provide guidance or set a precedent on any of the issues dealt with.
I am setting out a few observations and thoughts as to how one could find an unexpected gain from gardening during the infamous Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown in the U.K., in Scotland.
While the primary direction to every resident in the U.K. since the weekend of 20th March 2020 was “Stay at Home”, those who were fortunate to have either a private garden, or an allotment nearby, were permitted to attend to their garden/allotment, preserving though their social distancing from all others. Gardening was one of the very few outdoor activities permitted. To my observation this resulted in people upgrading their work in their gardens and allotments. Until the Virus lockdown most of them had either limited available time or lacked much interest to look after them.
I was fortunate to have access to an allotment plot within walking distance in the Inverleith Allotments, which have operated as a community project by the City Council of Edinburgh for 102 years. What was a stroke of luck was that my next plot neighbour there requested that, in her absence this summer, I should look after her plot. Thus, the plot I had to look after increased and became double in size roughly. This gave me more options as to a range of seasonal vegetables and flowers to grow there from April onward.
Given my Mediterranean background and familiarity with what are some indicative common summer crops grown in gardens (perivolia) on the island of Crete, namely: beans, courgettes, lettuce, broccoli, onions, artichokes, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, amaranth (vlita), peppers and melons, it may come as a surprise to readers to hear that I have been able to raise most of the above plants in the much colder environment of Edinburgh outdoors. This in my case does not extend to tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, okra or peppers, as I do not have a glasshouse. Other users of the allotments in Edinburgh, who have a glasshouse in their respective plots, do raise some of these crops successfully.
Garden centres, botanical gardens and shops to supply plants were initially closed. Gradually though, first online service providers of seeds and plants started offering a limited range of products. Some weeks later some shops reopened to physical shopping. The week at the end of May, about 70 days into the lockdown, garden centres were allowed to reopen for physical shopping of plants.
Given the lack of available ready seedlings from the market I had to raise a number of plants from seeds. Such seeds (or even spores) included sweet peas, marigolds, begonias, beetroots, courgettes and, the jewel of all my seeds, Cretan climbing beans. The latter ones were beans purchased from an agronomist in Rethymnon, Crete. They originated from the Cretan highlands above Gerakari village, the plateau named Gious Kampos. The crop to be produced by them looks quite like borlotti beans, though I find the pods of these Cretan beans more tender and tasty.
During the lockdown one could not truly go out to a work place or to the market place, take to the hills, attend church service, enjoy Scottish ceilidh dancing, or any form of physical socialising. Even the aged old and internationally known botanical gardens of Edinburgh were closed to the public. One was only permitted to be in the outdoors in order to obtain essential groceries or to do exercise once per day.
The normally thriving city centre of Edinburgh, which in the past was usually flooded with its local residents and high numbers of visitors from both the U.K. and further away, had the look of a deserted place. Hardly any people were out. On the few buses that were still running the transport links in the city one could not see more than three or four passengers on board, or sometimes none. On a positive aspect, the weather in April and May was mostly dry and sunny and this helped gardening.
The availability of a garden in the house, or an allotment plot within walking distance, proved to be an excellent safety valve for some exercise outdoors. Sam Leith in the Financial Times put it along following lines: “Why my allotment is my Covid-19 refuge : …The cheery exchanges, the compliments on a bumper crop, the donation of a surplus or of a handful of pondweed to help seed a recently drained pond, or a few gratefully received seedlings — these are part of the life of the allotment.”
In June restrictions were modestly and gradually lifted, though at a very slow pace. One could exercise more than once per day, a few shops selling coffee and sweets and sandwiches started to spring up strictly on a takeaway basis in parts of the city like in Stockbridge. Churches were allowed to reopen their premises for private prayer only and limited numbers of worshippers within the respective church. Residents though were still not allowed to travel away from their homes beyond a recommended radius of 5 miles, nor spend a night anywhere apart from their own home. Caravan and camping sites were still closed and unavailable.
Now, the projection is that as of 4th July a further number of businesses will be allowed to reopen. However, a few trade activities, such as hairdressers, barbers and travel for tourism within Scotland, will probably be allowed to resume as late as of 15th July. There are reports in the press that international flights may resume in early July. At present whether such “take-offs” may indeed take place would look uncertain. I hope and I wish that such flights do indeed resume safely for all involved. I am not sure, though, how anyone may presently truly envisage a flight to a destination outside the U.K., to the extent that even today, at the end of June, one is not allowed to travel within Scotland.
Now, I would turn and focus back to my allotment plot engagement. Within June the potatoes and onions planted in early April appeared to be growing very well. Marigolds and wild flowers raised from seeds also made good progress. Globe artichokes planted from seeds last year are doing very well this year and keep producing a tender crop. The Cretan climbing beans at the end of June have made good progress in climbing up the canes dedicated to them, while the courgettes have just about given out their first few flowers. Last, in a cold frame turned into a plant nursery, some Swiss chard and some cress (Greek Olympus variety) seem to be growing well from seeds.
The overall prospects of a good summer harvest in the allotment appear promising.
My guess is that the waiting time for one to be allocated an allotment plot from the local Council, which already was a long one of about eight to ten years, may now have become even longer.
Edinburgh,
28th June 2020.
While the primary direction to every resident in the U.K. since the weekend of 20th March 2020 was “Stay at Home”, those who were fortunate to have either a private garden, or an allotment nearby, were permitted to attend to their garden/allotment, preserving though their social distancing from all others. Gardening was one of the very few outdoor activities permitted. To my observation this resulted in people upgrading their work in their gardens and allotments. Until the Virus lockdown most of them had either limited available time or lacked much interest to look after them.
I was fortunate to have access to an allotment plot within walking distance in the Inverleith Allotments, which have operated as a community project by the City Council of Edinburgh for 102 years. What was a stroke of luck was that my next plot neighbour there requested that, in her absence this summer, I should look after her plot. Thus, the plot I had to look after increased and became double in size roughly. This gave me more options as to a range of seasonal vegetables and flowers to grow there from April onward.
Given my Mediterranean background and familiarity with what are some indicative common summer crops grown in gardens (perivolia) on the island of Crete, namely: beans, courgettes, lettuce, broccoli, onions, artichokes, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, amaranth (vlita), peppers and melons, it may come as a surprise to readers to hear that I have been able to raise most of the above plants in the much colder environment of Edinburgh outdoors. This in my case does not extend to tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, okra or peppers, as I do not have a glasshouse. Other users of the allotments in Edinburgh, who have a glasshouse in their respective plots, do raise some of these crops successfully.
Garden centres, botanical gardens and shops to supply plants were initially closed. Gradually though, first online service providers of seeds and plants started offering a limited range of products. Some weeks later some shops reopened to physical shopping. The week at the end of May, about 70 days into the lockdown, garden centres were allowed to reopen for physical shopping of plants.
Given the lack of available ready seedlings from the market I had to raise a number of plants from seeds. Such seeds (or even spores) included sweet peas, marigolds, begonias, beetroots, courgettes and, the jewel of all my seeds, Cretan climbing beans. The latter ones were beans purchased from an agronomist in Rethymnon, Crete. They originated from the Cretan highlands above Gerakari village, the plateau named Gious Kampos. The crop to be produced by them looks quite like borlotti beans, though I find the pods of these Cretan beans more tender and tasty.
During the lockdown one could not truly go out to a work place or to the market place, take to the hills, attend church service, enjoy Scottish ceilidh dancing, or any form of physical socialising. Even the aged old and internationally known botanical gardens of Edinburgh were closed to the public. One was only permitted to be in the outdoors in order to obtain essential groceries or to do exercise once per day.
The normally thriving city centre of Edinburgh, which in the past was usually flooded with its local residents and high numbers of visitors from both the U.K. and further away, had the look of a deserted place. Hardly any people were out. On the few buses that were still running the transport links in the city one could not see more than three or four passengers on board, or sometimes none. On a positive aspect, the weather in April and May was mostly dry and sunny and this helped gardening.
The availability of a garden in the house, or an allotment plot within walking distance, proved to be an excellent safety valve for some exercise outdoors. Sam Leith in the Financial Times put it along following lines: “Why my allotment is my Covid-19 refuge : …The cheery exchanges, the compliments on a bumper crop, the donation of a surplus or of a handful of pondweed to help seed a recently drained pond, or a few gratefully received seedlings — these are part of the life of the allotment.”
In June restrictions were modestly and gradually lifted, though at a very slow pace. One could exercise more than once per day, a few shops selling coffee and sweets and sandwiches started to spring up strictly on a takeaway basis in parts of the city like in Stockbridge. Churches were allowed to reopen their premises for private prayer only and limited numbers of worshippers within the respective church. Residents though were still not allowed to travel away from their homes beyond a recommended radius of 5 miles, nor spend a night anywhere apart from their own home. Caravan and camping sites were still closed and unavailable.
Now, the projection is that as of 4th July a further number of businesses will be allowed to reopen. However, a few trade activities, such as hairdressers, barbers and travel for tourism within Scotland, will probably be allowed to resume as late as of 15th July. There are reports in the press that international flights may resume in early July. At present whether such “take-offs” may indeed take place would look uncertain. I hope and I wish that such flights do indeed resume safely for all involved. I am not sure, though, how anyone may presently truly envisage a flight to a destination outside the U.K., to the extent that even today, at the end of June, one is not allowed to travel within Scotland.
Now, I would turn and focus back to my allotment plot engagement. Within June the potatoes and onions planted in early April appeared to be growing very well. Marigolds and wild flowers raised from seeds also made good progress. Globe artichokes planted from seeds last year are doing very well this year and keep producing a tender crop. The Cretan climbing beans at the end of June have made good progress in climbing up the canes dedicated to them, while the courgettes have just about given out their first few flowers. Last, in a cold frame turned into a plant nursery, some Swiss chard and some cress (Greek Olympus variety) seem to be growing well from seeds.
The overall prospects of a good summer harvest in the allotment appear promising.
My guess is that the waiting time for one to be allocated an allotment plot from the local Council, which already was a long one of about eight to ten years, may now have become even longer.
Edinburgh,
28th June 2020.