Topic: New Allotment - what shall I grow?

[hazzadazza]

Hi,

I've just been told that we have an allotment - hooray!  It needs some serious work - but that's all good.

Just wondered if anyone had any advice about what to grow now (within next couple of weeks) as realise have missed alot of the starting window for things like potatoes...

All help gratefully received!

Hazza Dazza

[antipodes]

There have been a few other threads like this recently!!! Maybe a search might get you some more info??
I am not sure it is too late for all varieties of spuds, I think some you will still be able to get in, you just will get them later.
I still have to plant my green (dwarf beans) so you do those. Also can plant squash, tomatoes, peppers, all those hot season things but it is too late to start from seed I would say (except perhaps some types of squash). But if you get some young plants, you're ok.
I have planted beets and carrot at this time of year and got some, although you have to wait a bit, and I have just now planted leeks and brussels, but as plants too. Fennel is also something you can sow from seed now, and I believe (at least here you can) broccoli (green).
Hope this helps?? At least you will get something out before next year!

[emmy1978]

Hello and welcome.  ;D

Loads of stuff you can do to add to Antipodes list.
All the salad stuff like lettuce, rocket, pak choi etc. Probably even get some toms going - worth a try. You can sow peas now and get some beans started off. Also all your wintery stuff like parsnips, leeks and carrots can go in now. Loads to do!
You can also cheat by buying veggie plug plants - grocers, garden centre, ebay.
Good luck and enjoy the plot.  8)

[manicscousers]

hiya, hazza, nice to meet you, glad you've got a plot, hope you get lots of veggies 'n' stuff  ;D

[hazzadazza]

Thanks everyone - will start hunting around for suitable seeds/plants.

[saddad]

Companies like Marshalls do expensive offers of "Starter Plants" for overwintering.. but can sow many salads and carrots right up to August...
Welcome aboard!
 ;D

[Trevor_D]

Congratulations! How serious is the "serious" work it needs? If you mean a couple of sessions of heavy weed clearance then there's masses of stuff you can put in now, as the others have said: beans, tomatoes, sweetcorn, courgettes, squashes, all roots & salads, leeks, brassicas, etc, etc....

But if you mean it's overgrown with bramble and riddled with convulvulous & couch, then you might be better off concentrating on getting some ground properly ready for autumn planting: onions, garlic, broad beans, plus permanent stuff like fruit; then spend the winter sorting out ground for next year's crops.

But do try to get some of it ready for stuff you can eat soon: there's nothing like the taste of your own veg to really spur you on! Buy plants in if you need to, but I bet if you roll your sleeves up and get stuck in, your fellow plot-holders will just happen to have spare plants left over!

[Digbycat]

Hi I have just had a new allotment too, but I've had mine about a month.

I was able to scrounge 8 2nd early potatos which are coming up happily  and some onions and shallots, but the garden centre have veggie plants on sale, so I have used some of them.

I put some runner beans in last week, and some carrots.

All this means I have a small amount of stuff coming up whilst I can prepare the ground ready for the autumn planting,  My meagre pickings also look pretty pathetic next to some of the impressive plots on our site but Trevor is right, my fellow plot holders have provided some left over plants, albeit cabbages which the resident rabbits promply devoured!

So roll on next years crops when I can get things planted at a reasonable time.

[manicscousers]

welcome, digbycat, sounds like you've got a plan, good luck  :)

[shirlton]

It's great to see new folks starting up. We took on our plot last July and we grew beans, courgettes beetroot, carrots . lettuce and some Toms. You still have loads of time to get stuff in.