Help your allotment grow family friendly

You've waited patiently for what feels like years (and in some cases actually is) and now you're the proud owner of an allotment. Except you might be wondering how you're going to keep the kids occupied on your numerous visits.

We've had our allotment for nine years and have visited with toddlers, a big pregnant belly, babies who screamed the whole time we were there and teenagers who would rather be anywhere else.

So here are my tips for allotment visiting with a family:

• If your plan is to visit en masse every time then lower your expectations of what will get done. Then lower them some more. No matter how keen your little gardener, you'll probably only get half of what you wanted done so make sure you're able to visit alone sometimes

• Give the children their own little patch and then relinquish all control over it. Let them plant what they want

•  Buy them some plug plants, a herb or two or any seeds they like the look of

• Provide them with proper children's tools, no plastic rubbish that won't do the job properly. That way lies frustration, boredom and trouble so equip them well

• Explain the site rules: keep off others' plots and hands off their produce (no matter how tempting those raspberries are)

• Never, ever visit the allotment without a good supply of food and drink. It appears hunting for worms is very thirsty work and don't get me started on weeding

• Be prepared: some sites have luxurious things like toilets and sheds and a shop. And others don't. So make sure everyone's visited the loo before you go, you have wet wipes, suncream and hats or raincoats, a picnic rug and a first aid tin. Yes, you will be laden like a packhorse

•  If you can, spare a small area just for digging. They will do it anyway (setting up a worm hospital seems the norm) so they might as well do it where it's convenient for you

•  If your soil is heavy clay think about getting a bag of playsand and upending it on their digging spot. They'll soon scatter it everywhere and the sand will help your soil's drainage. A toy tipper truck is also a wise investment

• Grow stuff they love to eat and let them harvest it in situ (under supervision). Nothing tastes better, they'll understand why exactly you're there every weekend and it might broaden their vegetable intake

• Have fun and try not to be too precious about straight lines, the odd radish mistaken for a weed, the fact they just want to do some digging or that garish coloured dahlia they insisted on buying.

I've written about growing vegetables that appeal to children as well as planting a herb garden with your child and flowers to grow with your children if you need inspiration about what to grow.

Photo: Debbie Webber