Soukka allotment garden – a green living room

Allotments are in high demand, and even beginners are welcome to enjoy the pleasures of gardening. In Soukka, the young and old alike seem to have green fingers.

“Allotment gardening is suitable for practically everyone. It’s an excellent hobby,” says Matti Viikari, who is responsible for the allotment activities in Soukka. 

There are gardeners of all ages busy in the allotment gardens.

“One person even came to the allotment with the aid of a rollator walker, and many of the gardeners here are over 90 years old. No one wants to leave as long as they are still able to come here.” 

Many people who have moved away from the area continue allotment gardening in Soukka. However, the rules must be followed: the allotment must be cultivated by Midsummer. If not, it must be given up. 

“We require that allotments be tended,” Viikari summarises. 

He has witnessed all kinds of experiments on the allotments, including successful harvests of watermelons and mangoes.

“Some people like to try very exotic plants. Since we come from 30 different countries, we get influences from all over the world.”

The number of allotments in Soukka is around 300, and at least 100 gardeners are queueing for one. 

“We’d love to have more fields for allotment gardening, but not many are available here,” Viikari says.

The hobby also offers a sense of community. Seedlings are shared and everyone takes part in clean-up events by removing invasive species, chipping branches and clearing brushwood.

Twice a year the local heritage association, Soukka-seura, organises a meeting for allotment gardeners, where experts give talks on practical gardening topics. 

“This year, we heard a talk about how to grow vines,” Viikari says.

A gardener who has been growing vines in their own garden for 30 years talked about the different varieties, how to care for them, and what to make from the grapes. 

One of the lectures focused on the theme of mycelium. 

“The fungal network is 10,000 times larger than a single plant’s own root system,” Viikari explains.

It is a good idea to utilise nature’s own methods to help plants absorb minerals and other nutrients from the soil more effectively.

“Organic cultivation is important to us, and it is essential to ensure that the garden functions well as a whole.”

All fertilisers used in Soukka are organic. Non-toxic methods, such as hanging nesting boxes for owls on nearby trees, are also used to control moles.

Allotment gardening does not produce large harvests, and prices are not comparable with those in shops.

“However, some people prefer even potatoes from their own allotment, and children can taste the difference too. Produce bought in shops is nothing compared with garden produce,” Viikari says.

Crops are harvested as they ripen; berries in late June, and lettuce and herbs throughout the summer. 

However, not all plants grow from spring to autumn.

“I plant garlic in November, and parsnips in the autumn before the ground freezes,” Viikari says.

Soukka Day is traditionally celebrated on the first Saturday of September.

“By then, gardeners have produce to sell and share.” 

After harvesting, it is a good idea to turn the soil and add bioapatite and horse manure. This allows microbes and micro-organisms to break down the soil so that it is easier for plants to use in the spring. Viikari also suggests that autumn is a good time to prune and thin out trees and, for example, raspberry bushes.

• There are 3.5 hectares of allotments in Soukka. 
• Approximately 20 allotments become available every year, and they are always allocated to new gardeners in the spring. However, you should be prepared to wait a couple of years. 
• The largest allotments are 100 square metres in size, and there are also half-size and one-third-size allotments available. 
• The price is determined by the allotment’s area. 
• Gardeners must be members of Soukka-seura. The annual membership fee is EUR 15. 
• More information: soukkaseura.fi/viljelypalstat(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish only)
• More information about other allotments in Espoo.

Text: Nora Gullmets 

This article was originally published in the Espoo-lehti magazine 2/2026. Read other Espoo-lehti articles.