What should we plant?

[kitten]

Hi all, hope you don't mind me asking another question! Next year will be our first year of having an allotment and we're wondering whether to grow small amounts of lots of different vegetables, or just pick a few veggies and grow loads of each type?  :-\ Any advice gratefully received, thanks!

[kitten]

[ACE]

You need to make sure you always have something to pick, so grow something you like that crops early the re-use the space for something that comes up later. Don't fill it right up, as something will come along that you fancy and have forgotton to put in

[triffid]

Growing lots of different things is a good idea because (in no particular order of priority):

1. It will help you find out what you -- and your plot -- find easy to grow.

2. If we have extreme weather conditions it may affect one or two crops but if you're growing lots of different things you'll still have lots of other stuff to enjoy.

3. Allotments are ideal for experimenting with stuff you can't buy in the supermarkets!

4. As ACE says here, you can plant lots of successional crops. 

[saddad]

Anything you know you like, and a couple of things you haven't treid before, this year it was Paracress (grew well but couldn't eat it!) and Sweet Potatoes... not really worth the effort but worth it for the sod factor!
;D

[manicscousers]

lots of soft fruit, once it's in the ground, it's sorted, just about  :)

[miniroots]

I agree about the soft fruit - I inherited raspberries and gooseberries and 18 months on they are my favourite things.  I also put in a rhubarb - but in retrospect it's too close to the gooseberry.

The other crops you choose depend on how experienced you are at gardening already - I was a beginner so I'm glad I tried easy things with the more adventurous -  At least I got some crops to keep up my enthusiasm.

The things I failed to kill:  Potatoes; Broad Beans (ish); Leeks.

Trying again next year:  Courgettes; Sweetcorn; Peas; Better not get too ahead of myself.  Sweet potatoes (?)

Good luck!!

[cornykev]

:) Try the veggies you eat a lot. Potatoes are a must if you like them, you can grow and store them so you will still be eating them when something else is growing. The same with carrots, onions all year round if you time them right, radish, lettuce and beetroot are quick growers so can use the space again.Runner beans need watering well but can generally look after themselves and parsnips need little attention once formed and you'll still be pulling them out the ground in January (just pulled some out for my roast).Happy digging.

                      May the corn be with you.

[kitten]

Thanks everyone, now you come to mention it, it makes sense to plant lots of diff types of veg just incase you have a failure of a particular crop - doh!  :-[
Thanks again for your help! kitten x

[supersprout]

remember to keep sowing veg all the way through the growing season, every two to three weeks, to enjoy them young - beans, beet, carrot, cauli, salads ... a pinch of this, a row of that ... another hedge against the Unexpected ;)

[Merry Tiller]

1. It will help you find out what you -- and your plot -- find easy to grow.

Spot on

[nittynora]

What to plant?..... whatever the person on the next plot tells you to!

We are in month eleven of our allotment and our best results have come from what the old bloke next door says.  He's been working on the same soil for ages and has seen most things.

Find someone like this and stick to them like glue!

[Merry Tiller]

Find someone like this and stick to them like glue!

If they're any good

[triffid]

Find someone like this and stick to them like glue!

If they're any good

If they are any good you'll soon know from the sacks of spare crops they start bestowing on you next year (though that might be a tad late if you're looking to get stuff planted soon!)  ;)

[Melbourne12]

Just one other thing to add to all the good advice - it's worth considering whether the crop can be preserved or will keep a long time.  We grew 70 tomato plants this year, ate loads, gave lots away, and we've still got a freezer full of packs of tomato for pasta etc.  And we grew quantities of onions and shallots, which keep quite happily in wire baskets.  Leeks can stay in the ground for weeks and months without harm.

At the other end of the scale, courgettes are only too easy to grow, are hugely prolific, but really aren't very successful when they're frozen, pickled, or even dried. (Cue dried courgette enthusiasts  ;D )  We always plant too many!

[triffid]

Nice point, Melbourne!

Also, just thinking ahead, kitten...
make sure you keep an eye on planting times.
In my first year, for example, it was July when I started thinking about Brussels sprouts, when it was of course far too late to sow seed!  :( 

[kitten]

Good thinking melbourne, i prob wouldn't have thought about that.

Triffid - thanks for the tip! I've already read my seed catalogues from cover to cover several times and am going to place my first order later today for the early planting/sowing things. I also have a grand plan to make a calendar of what needs doing when and to keep notes of what we do, but we'll see whether that all comes to fruitition or whether we just wing it for this first year!

[marcusexeter]

I grew nasturtiums for salads last year and they really livened them up - the leaves and the flowers looked and tasted beautiful  - indian jewel i grew it was about six foot long and climbed up my fence.

[flossie]

If you like asparagus get some in as it takes a while to establish
Happy planning and growing :)