OUR TOP PLOTTERS

Last summer we launched a competition to find our Top Plotters, with the top three winning some great prizes and all being featured in Kitchen Garden magazine this year. Here is another of our great runners-up

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MARINA CHISARI FROM POLAND

This month we feature one of our runners-up who lives just outside Warsaw in Poland and has her own plot 7km from her home. Marina tells us there are many allotments in Poland, located in various areas of the main cities, and that they have always been popular.

Why did you decide to buy your own land to grow veg?

The decision was quite spontaneous. The aim of the land was to build, sometime in the future, a house there but before that to start establishing my dream - a garden with fruit trees, berries and lots of vegetables. We were aware that the garden we wanted takes time to grow, and it requires focus, investment, and energy, factors that are quite challenging to have at the same time right after building a house. I wanted to plant trees and shrubs which would have time develop before we would live there some day.

How long have you been growing veg?

I have had the current plot for three years but the journey started more than 10 years ago and from that moment I was continuously developing my system which is focused on sustainability, biodiversity, soil health and effectiveness in terms of time and resources.

Do you grow any veg in containers?

I grow all my veggies in the raised beds filled with organic matter that is decomposing (composting) directly on the bed. I use very thick layers of mulch, mainly from the grass clippings mixed with the falling leaves during the autumn season. I have a greenhouse where I have three tall raised beds also filled with organic matter and mulched on the top of the soil.

How do you grow one particular named crop?