In March 2026, Chipping Barnet Food Bank took on something new: a 10-pole plot on the Clifford Road allotment site. It had been neglected for several seasons, but underneath the overgrowth was real promise, including an aged, crowded apple tree that one of our more knowledgeable volunteers thinks might be a Worcester Pearmain.
Our first job was a careful, gentle prune of that old apple tree, taking care not to shock it after years of neglect. The work turned up a happy surprise: a small Bramley cooking apple tree, previously hidden in the tangle. Less happily, the plot’s pear tree was too far gone to save.
Clearing the Ground
On March 5th, a dedicated group of food bank volunteers and friends turned up to start clearing strips for new beds. It didn’t take long for people to find their niche. Victoria discovered an unexpected talent for strimming long grass, while Harold took on the stubborn weeds with a mattock and set a digging standard the rest of us are still trying to live up to.
The early crops went in steadily: lettuce seedlings, kindly donated by a neighbour on April 7th, followed by peas and broad beans, then onions a week later. Potatoes went into a freshly prepared bed on April 20th.
Clearing the fruit bush area turned up currants and gooseberries worth keeping, and we’ve since added strawberry plants grown from donated runners. Bindweed, as any gardener will tell you, remains a determined opponent, but we’re getting there.
Sheds, Shelter, and Surprise Frosts
Harold fixed up the shed, and fellow plot holders kindly donated equipment to supplement our starter tools. We’ve also been lucky to inherit a plot with a sheltered spot, a genuine blessing when the weather turns, and the natural home for our tea breaks.
And the weather has turned, repeatedly. Cold, dry spells gave way to sudden heat, then heavy rain, testing conditions for new beds and newer gardeners alike. At one point in late May, a sudden frost threatened our young beans, and Jenny made an urgent evening dash to protect them. Most survived the night.
Undeterred, we sowed more beans, and now that warmer weather has properly arrived, tomatoes, courgettes and sweetcorn have gone in, with squashes and summer salads still to come.
Holding Back the Weeds
With a full 10 poles to bring back into use, we’re taking the patient route on the ground we haven’t reached yet, covering it with cardboard, woodchips or manure, and weed-suppressing membrane. It’s not glamorous work, but it keeps the weeds down and the moisture in, ready for when we’re able to dig it over properly.
Thank You
None of this happens without people. Special thanks to Pat for keeping the volunteer rota running smoothly, and to our brilliant team, Harold, Victoria, both Davids, Mark, Elaine, Jenny, Beks, Alison and Bob, for turning up week after week, whatever the weather threw at us. Thanks too to Wendy from Incredible Edible, and to Potters Pantry, for their continued support.
The effort is already paying off: our first mature lettuces have been harvested and delivered straight to the Food Bank, and we’ve since gathered our first courgettes, beans, and beetroot too. There’s a lot more to come from Clifford Road, and we’ll keep you posted as the plot fills out over the summer.
