Topic: New Girl on the Allotment!

[wannagrowveg]

Hi

I got my long awaited allotment on Saturday, hubby, my daughter in law and I started in earnest to clear some of it eventually a 1/3 and I have put in all the stuff that was cluttering up my greenhouse.

My question is, what can I grow for the winter? I'm partically interested in cabbage brocolli cauliflower swede parsnips...and any other suggestions you may have..

Can I grow carrots now and store for xmas and if so do I leave them in the ground or pull and store.

Also what potatoes should I be planting now?

Its all so exciting but also very confusing thanks in advance.

Sara

[Tee Gee]

I got my long awaited allotment on Saturday,

Congratulations welcome to the 'Allotmenteers'

I'm partically interested in cabbage brocolli cauliflower swede parsnips...

I sowed late varieties of broccoli & cauliflower yesterday ( Marathon & Thompson respectively) which will be ready around Oct/Nov.

I would say there is still time to sow parsnips & swedes but again variety is often paramount.

Can I grow carrots now and store for xmas and if so do I leave them in the ground or pull and store.

Yes! again watch your varieties!

Also what potatoes should I be planting now?

Although there are varieties designed for this purpose (Carlingford for example) I can't say I have heard any good reports about them.

Its all so exciting but also very confusing

Patience is the key ingredient so do a bit of reading & planning for the rest of the year so that you can get yourself organised for next year.

If you click on the 'wiki' button on the tool bar above you will find lots of reading set up for all to read and in particular 'newbies.

You will find my website there as well with its weekly task list and planners, or you can find it here;

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Indexes/index.htm

[cambourne7]

welcome to the wonderful world of having an allotment :)

I think all your growing questions have been answered although you dont say where you are in the world i am sure you will have a wonderful time. If your anywhere near east anglia i would recomend a visit to http://www.organicplants.co.uk/ although there postage costs are not 2 bad they might get you a head start on some things.

Having an allotment however is hard work and i would suggest that you try and make things a little easier for yourself by investing in black membrane (not the fabric type but the woven i had the fabric stuff and it disintegrated) Cover over the bit your not going to have a chance to get to with the membrane so that the weeds start to get killed off and it will make life a little easier for you in the long run. Depending on your soil you might also want to consider planting though straw or cardboard to help suppress new weeds starting after you have dug your plot over. Rotivating it is a good idea but not if you have couch grass.

If your allotments are well established its also a good idea to speak to your neighbours as they can advise you on what grows well in the soil and what people have issues with. You might as well learn from there hard work :) I would also suggest you not go 2 mad on seed buying as later in the year you will places like wyevale garden centre selling there seeds off at 10p a packet :) as well as other sales although its hard to resist :)

What have you been growing in your green house :)

[caroline7758]

Welcome to the site, sara. Happy growing!

[macmac]

Welcome Sara,I agree with the advice of chatting to neighbours .We were helped so so much when we started and particularly given lots of spare plants.They were favours that we've passed on many times to newbies like yourself.So accept help and advice from people on your site and I bet in time you'll be doing a bit of helping and advising yourself. :)

[Unwashed]

If you can get hold of them still any kind of first early will give you a crop in three months time, but there's possibly not enough time left to plant second earlies or mains as they need longer to mature.  I'd recommend Rocket if you have a choice, and let them get nice and big because the flavour develops better then.

[landimad]

A big welcome to you wannagrowveg.
I am envious of you having a lottie.
I had to give mine up when the planners moved in and forced us out.

[1066]

welcome to A4A wannagrowveg and congratulations on the plot  ;D

[gwynnethmary]

Welcome to the site Sarah and to the wonderful world of allotmenteering.  We just got our first lottie (well, actually a third of a lottie!) in January this year, and I absolutely love it- it's so interesting and relaxing.  Sadly, where I am I see very few fellow plotters, but those I have come across have been very friendly and helpful.

Off to the lottiee-need to sow more carrots and beetroot!

[antipodes]

Hello and welcome. If you are in a temperate area you can still sow kale, winter cabbage, parsnips and late beetroot and French beans. You might also look for plug plants of courgette and squash and tomatoes and lettuce?
I would say that you are too late for spuds this year, to be perfectly frank. But never mind, you can prepare the ground well for planting some next spring!
Do a bit often or you will cripple yourselves! Good luck.