Topic: Last years crops???

[Catherine]

A bit new to this whole allotment thing so this IS a basic one,  the plot we've been given was abandoned last year, from what i can gather late autumn, but a lot of work went in before it was left, is there any reason to keep plants from last year e.g. broccoli, brussel sprouts, fennel, or should they be dug up ready to start again. We've eaten a few heads of broccoli, but there isn't any more at present ready, was this a fluke or do they go again if they survive the winter?  ???

[simon404]

catherine the sprouts are probably over? but anyway no you can't keep them another year. The brocolli will crop for a couple of weeks at least but then  that needs to come out too.  The fennel i guess you could leave  :) :) :) Good luck and happy gardening!

[Aidy]

I would clear the ground ready for this season, remember to practice crop rotation to save on problems with disease.
Enjoy the experience it is worth it.

[aquilegia]

the herb fennel is periennial, so leave that. I assume it can't be bulb fennel, which is a tender annual!

[BsidePig]

Hello all, I'm very happy I finally got an allotment (a bit late in the year perhaps). I'm so happy I've found this board ;D; I suspect I'm boring friends and family about my plot.

My question is also about last crops. My kind neighbour gave me some potatoes. She told me where the previous plot holder had cultivate potatoes and suggested me a place for them (and told me about crop rotation etc) So I'm digging where she remembered there were no potatoes but I'm finding left potatoes on the ground. I've already clear some parts of my allotment and they were full of potatoes as well. I haven't dig all the allotment yet, but I have this suspicion the previous folks had potatoes growing everywhere (it was their second allotment). Can I have potatoes at the same place as the previous year? I've check some books and they advise against this. Should I just give potatoes a miss this year?

[legless]

they might not even be last years potatoes, i'm digging up potatoes in ground that hasn't had them for at least 2 years...

[BsidePig]

Hi Legless, thanks for your reply.
Sorry but I'm still confused.
Can I use the same ground where the potatoes were left for 2 years...
Or should I put the potatoes elsewhere (I could make space in my garden)?

Am I taking crop-rotation too seriously?
I'm feeling so silly  :-[

[westsussexlottie]

I think it all depends on what space you have. The books say you should have a 3 year or more rotation plan - but not to fuss if you can't.

You can get a good crop of container grown potatoes - but I wouldn't panic too much if I were you. You can start a full rotation plan from this year onto next.

[legless]

i have because they are all over the plot! in an ideal world i wouldn't and i am rotating as much as i can ie. my potato beds last year and this year won't have potatoes planted by me for another 2 years and hopefully as i dig through i will get most if not all of the leftovers from the previous plotholders crops out of the rest of the plot.

[BsidePig]

Thank you both!