Growing crops in Paignton allotment ‘good for the soul’

Paul Rodgers is growing Brussels sprouts for Christmas, among several other crops

BBC Paul Rodgers is using a long red hoe to turn the soil beside his Brussels sprout and cauliflower plants in his allotment in Paignton. He is wearing a Tattersall shirt, blue trousers and wellies. He has short, white hair and is wearing spectacles with tinted lenses. — Paul Rodgers is growing Brussels sprouts for Christmas, among several other crops

A gardener who has lovingly tended the same allotment for almost 62 years says he is “mastering it slowly”.

Growing vegetables has been a lifelong passion for Paul Rodgers, who started cultivating part of his father’s plot in Paignton, Devon, in 1963, when he was 13.

He and his wife Angela now tend four plots at York Road allotments, growing Brussels sprouts, cauliflowers, cabbages, carrots, leeks and beetroot among other crops, as well as a grapevine.

Now nearly 75, Paul said “it all takes time” and keeping the weeds down was “the secret of it all”.

Paul and Angela Rodgers retreat to the shed for a cup of tea and a biscuit

Paul and Angela Rodgers are walking into their wooden shed on the allotment. They are both wearing wellies and are walking along some grass towards the open shed door. There is a red hoe resting on the wall of the shed. The sky is blue and it is sunny. — Paul and Angela Rodgers retreat to the shed for a cup of tea and a biscuit

Mr Rodgers said his father nurtured the same allotment for as long as he could remember.

He said: “When I was 13, he actually gave me a little plot on the end of his and I used to put my own little leeks, potatoes, carrots, everything in. All little tiny rows.

“And then as life went on my little plot got a bit bigger and bigger and eventually I had my own allotment.

“It’s enjoyable and you eat what you produce and it’s so good, it’s fresh… it’s good for the soul, no doubt about that.”

Mr and Mrs Rodgers each grow different crops on their separate plots, and have their own sheds.

Mr Rodgers said: “I just enjoy being outside, out in the fresh air.”

Angela Rodgers said the Japanese squash were particularly flavoursome

Angela is pictured holding a round, orange squash and smiling. She is wearing black, fingerless gloves, a black, padded gilet and a muted green zip-up top. Angela is standing on some grass near a wheelbarrow full of squashes, at the allotment. — Angela Rodgers said the Japanese squash were particularly flavoursome

The couple store any excess vegetables in a dedicated fridge in their basement at home, so they can eat them over time, and they also give some away.

Mrs Rodgers said she especially liked growing Japanese squash: “You can cook the whole thing and you can eat the skins because they get soft.

“They give it a lovely flavour and they’re just delicious.”

The allotment is on a slope looking out over Torbay

The photo shows an allotment with Brussels sprouts and cauliflowers in the foreground, leeks further back and in the distance houses and the blue sea beyond. — The allotment is on a slope looking out over Torbay

She said she enjoyed the quiet, purposeful and “very peaceful” activity.

Holding one of her recently picked squash, she said: “When you are doing the job, digging or what have you, it’s really, really therapeutic in a way because you know at the end of it, you’re going to have something like these.”

Mr Rodgers said it took effort to tend an allotment, but not much money: “What you grow you eat, which is absolutely wonderful and it really doesn’t take you a lot of time.”

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