hello all

[ted72]

Hi everyone... yet another newbie to introduce herself. What a marvellous website. ;)

I am in my first season on my plot in Leeds and would welcome any input about what crops to put in now that my first lot of onions is ready for lifting, ideally a crop that would be able to stay in for a while because I am quite busy on the remainder of the plot trying to remove couch grass which is turning out to be a very labourous job!!!

Many thanks x ;D

[ted72]

[flowerlady]

welcome 'ted'

I too have been digging - for the past six weeks - and still I'm only half way there!!

Know what you mean about couch grass and don't forget the bindweed - yuk >:(

I live in the south so I'm still trying with salads, and last week sowed spinach/chard, another row of beetroot, and some carrots.  Do you like mini veg?  ;D

Have also got some small cabbage and purple spouting plants to put in.  But beware the mighty cabbage white!  And the pigeons, they pull mine out, somehow they got under the netting! >:(

[ted72]

 ;D Hi flowerlady.

I have some salad stuff growing, rats tail radish, a few lettuce and some spring onions... sowed some carrot seeds about a fortnight ago but looks like they haven't taken  :-[

I may give beetroot a try but wouldn't be too sure what to do with it once it is harvested... talk about being optimistic eh?

Is it too late to put runner beans in do you think.

[Svea]

a little late for runners, i fear. try with some early variety french beans, or peas. early variety because it should mean they come to harvest faster than an ordinary one - and the days til winter are numbered ;)

welcome aboard

[Ed^Chigliak]

Sow August/September

Winter lettuce - 'winter density' requires some protection fleece or plastic

Spring (when you eat it) cabbage - 'offenham & winter green' and is IMO the best time of year to be growing cabbages. Fewer slugs and no catapillars.

Winter spinach - a good time to grow it since it prefers cooler weather

Endive - like lettuce but a bitter taste can be blanched to reduce the bitterness. Mine proved to be fully hardy requiring no protection and the slugs didn't like it.

Chicory - in theory but in practice something bad must have happened to mine because I don't recall eating any

Lambs lettuce - ditto I think it got mould

Green manure - Phacelia, vetch & grazing rye. Stays in for a while, improves the soil, suppresses weeds & keeps the worms happy. About as low maintenance as it gets on the allotment. Sown in August it has plenty of time to grow and will provide good ground cover overwinter. Later sowings in October are more likely to green up and provide ground cover in March.

Don't forget...
Some onion sets will overwinter
Garlic is best if overwintered
Broad beans
Bare rooted fruit trees, vines, canes etc

[redimp]

Hi Ted - have you tried Gavin's site: http://www.keirg.freeserve.co.uk/diary/default.html.

He's (quite) local to you so will suit your conditions.  I was using it for a while thinking this is good - I am into the idea of using green manures.  Then discovered this site and realised he was also a member.  There are quite a few memebers with websites and blogs.

[flowerlady]

There is loads of info re beetroot on here and in the recipe section.

Like Svea I put in some french beens recently,  had to do it twice as I got the soil mix in the flower pots too wet and they rotted!

Ed, would like to know more about green manure. 

Do you dig it all in later, and if so when, or do you lob it onto the compost in the spring to add to the 'stew'?

[lorna]

Hi Ted72 and a big welcome. WARNING.. This site is addictive to those who enter!!!! Great crowd and thank goodness  there is always someone to give advice. Best wishes Lorna.

[ted72]

 ;D Thank you so much for all the wonderful advice everybody.

Think I will try some spinach and some french beans. Will be visiting the garden centre next weekend.

Visited the plot today.. filled 5 buckets with couch grass and probably aint got it all.... Good news though the carrots have come through, amazing how quickly no sign at all yesterday.

Aint nature a wonderful thing!!!

[daveandtara]

hi ted, nice to meet you!
we're new too (had our plot since end of june)
i've just ordered second crop spuds (plant now to eat oct-dec) and a brassica collection (plant now to eat march-may)
both from the Dobies website as suggested by wardy. there's a whole thread about Dobies currently running on here somwhere.
good luck and enjoy ;D
Tara xx

[undercarriage plan]

Nice chatting to all tongiht!! Keep pulling the couch grass!!!! Have fun ! ;) Lottie

[BACONBUTTY]

Welcome Ted.
We are in the same boat newbies,nothing planted in allotment yet plucking up currage to attack it.
On the subject of beetroot I have planted some at home, we like homemaid fruit juices we add beetroot to these drinks, plus the obvious beetroot sarnies.

Good Health and gardening

D & K Wright ;D :)

[Moggle]

Welcome Ted!  :)

Over the weekend I have sowed:

Carrote - in a big pot as an experiment and in the ground
Beetroot
Dwarf French Beans
Spring Cabbage (advantage f1)
Winter cabbage (tundra)
Spring Onions
Parsnips
Swede

Might be pushing it with the parsnips and swedes, but thought it was worth a shot.

I too have couch grass - evil stuff - and bindweed as well.  ::) Covering with plastic seems to be working for me.

[wardy]

Welcome Ted.  You've come to the right place  :)   

I've ordered the brassica collection and have found seed spuds for planting in September on the Fothergills site.  Tim suggested Carlingford as being a good one and they have that available.  I think you have to hurry if you want  to order some  :)

I think I may still try and get some parsnips in (bit late but nothing ventured eh), I've grown some nice little corn salad plants to go out, winter onions to put out and there'll be the Japanese onions sets later in the year to go in.  Still time for lettuces, oriental stir fry or salad leaves, I've still not put me leeks in  :o
oh and carrots.  Oh I forget to do my swedes  :o So much to do so little time  ;D

[rosebud]

Hello Ted, now you have to go on the addiction list because now you are here you will not want to leave  ever :o  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D.  Good luck with your lottie.
Where abouts in Leeds do you live. I was a nanny in ALWOODLY many years ago any where near, i probably wouldent recognise the place now. ;).

[rosebud]

 Why Ted when you are a girlie??????? ;D

[Maddy]

Hi Ted,

I'm new here too...just getting into the swing of posting...looking forward to seeing you around the boards.

Maddy

[ted72]

 8) TED stands for my initials... really Trina Emma Duncan, Make sense?? Couldn't think of anything to use I'm afraid.

Live in the Wortley area of Leeds which is at the other side of the city to Alwoodley.

You all really are so welocoming and the advice I have recieved is fantastic... ganna be boring my fiance stupid on Saturday by trailing him round the garden centre... erves him right he introduced me to a brill one near Huddersfield and because I'm so bad with directions I wouldn't be able to navigate myself to it!!!

Going to have a look at dobies on the internet,  Cheers everybody   ;)

[ted72]

 :o :oApologies everybody for my spelling and punctuation on the last message... brain working faster than fingers can type!!!

[lorna]

Ted Punctuation and spelling not important here. Green fingers are very handy and if you haven't already got them I am sure you soon will.(I have improved greatly imho since being on this site) Best wishes Lorna.