I'm a beginner and have taken over a plot that needs some work doing to it. But I still want to get something growing from the off so that I feel like its all worth it. So Im gunna start off by digging one bed that I get something into, despite all the weeding etc that needs doing elsewhere.
I was thinking of putting some stawberries in, but no knowledge of them - Ive seen for £1.50 that Wilkinsons sells little bags of what I presume are roots?? Are they ok to buy from here? And how many bags will I need plant a bed about 1.5m by 3m? I dont know how big each plant grows you see or how much you get in each bag.
Also, are seeds from Wilkinsons generally OK to buy, cos I know there are hundreds of specialist places and this is just a general store, so is the quality OK. They sell little blueberry and other berry plants - is this the best way to buy fruit for your allotment? Do people normally buy them like this then plant them in i.e. not from seeds or anything? Sorry to sound stupid?
And lastly, I have some books which suggest types of flowers that are good companions for veg, but can anyone suggest other flowers they use simply for aesthetics i.e. to go round the perimiter of the plot or around apple trees?
I suppose I'm wanting to get at least something growing even though Im not at the stage where Im totally prepared to do so, and flowers and fruit seem appealing. Perhaps cos it seems that they will be a little less complicated. Once Ive cleared the plot properly and defined all the beds, then Ill focus more on what veg I want to grow, what rotation system Ill use etc.
Thanks!
These are crowns in the bags in Wilkos. If you have a bit of a feel, you'll be able to work out how many are in each bag - lumps maybe a couple of inches long, pencil to finger thick. It won't be a large number. At 15" between plants and 18" between rows, I reckon you'll need around 30 plants.
I buy pretty much all my seeds from Wilkos and haven't had any problems. Germination rates are good and because they're common varieties they're reliable. I go at the end of the season when they reduce the seeds to silly prices and stock up for next year.
Their fruit trees and bushes are good value too. My gooseberries and blackcurrants came from there and they're fine. Just have a good look at the plant before you buy it and make sure it's in good condition. Lidl, Aldi, Woolworths and pound shops are worth checking out too.
If you're looking for a quick win while you sort out the rest of your plot, I wouldn't go for the strawbs. You won't get much of a crop in the first year. I'd get some of Wilkos seeds and sow some salad crops (leaves, radishes, spring onions), maybe some spinach and carrots. You'll get quick results and they don't need a lot of attention.
As for ornamentals, anything that attracts beneficial insects is good. How about sunflowers?
Quote from: ceres on May 05, 2008, 14:37:35
These are crowns in the bags in Wilkos. If you have a bit of a feel, you'll be able to work out how many are in each bag - lumps maybe a couple of inches long, pencil to finger thick. It won't be a large number. At 15" between plants and 18" between rows, I reckon you'll need around 30 plants.
I buy pretty much all my seeds from Wilkos and haven't had any problems. Germination rates are good and because they're common varieties they're reliable. I go at the end of the season when they reduce the seeds to silly prices and stock up for next year.
Their fruit trees and bushes are good value too. My gooseberries and blackcurrants came from there and they're fine. Just have a good look at the plant before you buy it and make sure it's in good condition. Lidl, Aldi, Woolworths and pound shops are worth checking out too.
If you're looking for a quick win while you sort out the rest of your plot, I wouldn't go for the strawbs. You won't get much of a crop in the first year. I'd get some of Wilkos seeds and sow some salad crops (leaves, radishes, spring onions), maybe some spinach and carrots. You'll get quick results and they don't need a lot of attention.
As for ornamentals, anything that attracts beneficial insects is good. How about sunflowers?
Thanks for the advice, thats really helpful. I saw some of the berry plants / trees and dint know if thee were only for having in plant pots - as I said no experience of gardening. But I might get a couple. As for the strawberries I'; have another look at them and see how many is in each bag.
You know you suggested carrots, spring onions, salad, spinach etc. Would I be able to mix some of these in the same bed? I presume I can with the only caveat being that whatever famileies the ones I choose come from, should not be grown in there the next year. I suppose I would like to go for some veg then that is easy to grow and where seeds can just be put straight in i.e. no messing around in the house, or in a seed bed. Any more suggestions??
Sunflowers sound a good idea. Wilkinsons have the giant ones or smaller ones... Also I did pick up some packets of wild flowers. Was thinking of putting these in around the boundary of the plot and perhaps around the two apple trees. At the moment most of the plot is covered in old wood chip, nettles in parts, dandelions and docks. I was thinking of getting rid of all weeds, nettles from around the two trees, scraping away whatever wood chip is there, and then putting down some grass seeds. Have no idea how easy / hard is to do grow grass??
I believe raspberry canes are easy to grow. Hope I am right! Maybe you could try this as one of your first crops. Strawberries are not that easy. I am in my second yearwith those and still wondering how I arrange it so that I get lots of them. I did pot the runners and they have taken. Now I need to prevent the strawberries in the main pot fromcoming into contact with the soil.
The salad stuff and spinach can all go in the same bed and you don't really have to worry about rotation with these. You could sow carrots in the same bed as the salad stuff this year, but make sure you put them somewhere else next year.
Other stuff that's relatively easy - french beans, butternut squash (but rampant!), courgettes.
In your shoes I wouldn't bother with grassing under the tree at the moment. I'd get on with getting crops in. I'd cut the tops off the weeds under the tree and cover with black plastic/weed suppressing membrane (cheap in Wilkos) to kill them off. Then in the autumn, I'd clear the weed roots out. Not sure I'd put grass seed in though. Grass needs maintenance!
Wilkinson's seeds are fine. I got 30 strawberry plants not long ago, for about £15 including postage; they're growing away really well. It's a bit late in the season though; they're sold out now. I don't altogether trust Wilko's for plants, but try them and see. Pot them up and keep under cover for a bit; they've been in a hot environment and probably need TLC.
Agree with comments re seeds from shops like Wilko's, Woolies, Lidl etc - they seem fine. Plants really do need examining as these shops don't really look after them properly. Best places to buy fruit plants are proper nurseries, you can buy online from the likes of Keepers and Blackmoor. I'd say it's a bit late now to put plants in especially strawberries - best time to put them in is late autumn/early winter. They grow well in the open soil, I put my new beds in around October/November each year. The soil is warm enough for the plants to get established and usually there is enough rain so that you don't have to worry about them drying out.
Wouldn't advise growing anything under trees - I find easiest is some form of mulch, I use black woven plastic ground covering but a thick layer of leafmould or suchlike will be fine. The shade from the tree in leaf stops grass & flowers from growing properly in summer, also, trying to mow or maintain the grass or flowers is a nightmare, you may damage the tree roots and make it throw up suckers. Best to leave it clear.
well ill probably put some grass down in front of the trees to have a bit of a lawn. As for flowers and maintenance was just going to put some wild flowers around them... In terms of putting black sheeting under the trees, Ive already cut down most of the nettles and scraped most of the weeds away. It reckon it wont take too much hassle to dig out the rest of the weeds and roots. So dont think ill need any mulch. will clear the area then put some lawn seeds down just in front, with flowers dotted around the trees.
Grass won't do well under shade. when you get that far - don't make it priority - you could use spring bulbs or shade plants, and make it interesting.
I was going to suggest, for flowers, that you get a sort of "summer annual mix", and just sow the seeds. You will get a good variety that will just look pretty but it will nevertheless attract insects to your veg which is what you want.
It's not too late to plant some maincrop potatoes, if you feel like digging a bit. They are easy and air out the soil for next season.
Also agree about the french beans and squash!! They have lots of foliage so weeds are less of a problem.
personally I have trouble growing carrots and lettuce ha ha so I won't go into those! But of course if you are in a temperate area you can put down some black plastic and put in some hardy tomato plants this month. If there is one reason to have an allotment it is home grown tomatoes.
Good luck! btw bugger grass, it is the bane of my life, I would like to take a torch to it, let along sow the bloody stuff!!
Im surprised everyone is so down on the idea of me putting some grass down. I have a couple of apple trees, not too big, and its the one area where it would be nice to have a grassed section. As said, I may grass just in front of the trees. Cannot see what the problems will be? In terms of cutting it Im not so bothered if it gets a little long and I wouldnt bother with a mower, Id just use lawn shears to keep it trimmed. The space would be about 4 meters by 2.
What shade plants were you thinking of? Where can I buy maincrop potatoes this time of year?
Blooms are selling seed potatoes 2 for the price of one,and hey the good news is they were all chitted. :)
There are 3 strawb plants in each of those little packets but NOT ONE of mine has done anything, no leaves nothing. I do not reccomend them at all!
In fact Im taking them back to wilkos soon!
Quote from: floraldi on May 05, 2008, 18:15:11
I believe raspberry canes are easy to grow. Hope I am right! Maybe you could try this as one of your first crops. Strawberries are not that easy. I am in my second yearwith those and still wondering how I arrange it so that I get lots of them. I did pot the runners and they have taken. Now I need to prevent the strawberries in the main pot fromcoming into contact with the soil.
I only bought one raspberry cane but it seems to be doing ok. Lots of new leaves despite only being planted a couple of months ago. (in the garden as opposed to pots)
rightly or wrongly ive been to the poundshop and 99p store and bought somre fruit twigs, gooseberrys (black and green) redcurrant blackcurrant blackberry tayberry and blueberry the blueberry died over winter and i didnt manage 2 get a replacement but will try again as been told theyre hit n miss, was given some raspberry canes last yr and only 2 survived so planted them at the plot yesterday (was in a pot) and have been given some strawberrys which have overwintered in my back garden and are full of flowers big green leaves everything, so fingers crossed with those, the ones that have been down the lotty look a little pathetic but maybe next yr, was also given some rhubarb which has started 2 flower (oops) but anyways point is ive put the fruit in now to get it established and as i dont think itll need much doing to it and its a permanent feature, ive planted oniuon sets in the first bit i dug in feb so fingers crossed theyll do ok, they need weeding but all seem 2b growing which is heartening, and planted my spindly leeks, again on the basis weeding and left to it, for a long time, lol, so no more digging that bit... im slowly working across the rest but my carrots have failed (or they blew around the plot and are mixed in with the weeds, but as i know no different ill weed it all n statrt again i think) but at home ive started off all manor of beans and peas and some sweetcorn, and will take down some marigold seeds too to go round the edge, heard theyre good companion plants??? mostly tho i guess ive done fruit and the kids bit (some potatoes in there and flower seeds aswell as strawberrys to keep theyre interest, and they claimed the fig tree we were given :) ) i guess the advice ive been given is dig n plant and pray, lol, but im trying 2b methodical! ive also realised if i can only work out where to plant it, that asparagus wouldnt be a bad idea as that takes yrs to establish to get a decent crop n could go in a clear bit n by the time everything else is looking like a proper lotty it should start cropping properly?? whatever u do do tho enjoy :)
We bought lots of fruit trees from Wilkos for about 2.00 each even figs. They seem to be quite strong so i would recommend them.Although as a starter i wouldn't start with fruit trees as they take ages.I'm a newbie last year and only started planting at the allotment this and have put in spuds as they show very quickly.
Good luck
If you're buying from Wilkinson's or somewhere similar, firstly, make sure the plant's alive. The things in little plastic bags are the ones to watch out for; sometimes they're just dead sticks. Then it's been in a hot environment, so acclimatise it to outdoors gently. Then mollycoddle it, sonce it'll have been weakened if it's been there any length of time. Try to get plants which have only just come in; I bought a Williams pear from Tesco's the day it came in, and it's really strong.
I bought 2 redcurrants from wilkinsons & one almost died & has had to be really carefully brought back to life, the other is really strong. The 2 bluberries i got from the same shop on the same day are sofar looking really sickly, yet the one blueberry I got from Tesco is twice the size already & in bloom. The strawberries I got from Wilikinson are doing well though so i guess its abit hit & miss with the cheap plants ;)
All the seeds from Wilkinsons have germinated really well though ;D
Strawberries are one of those plants that allotment holders should never need to buy. Any other plot holder with them will have so many runners that you should be able to scrounge them. Last year I gave something like 50 runners away in February just as normal thinning out of my overgrown bed.
Well touch wood, the raspberry canes, plum tree, gala apple and patio pear are all doing well. However a lot of the bulbs (flowers) have been as dead as a door nail. I've put them in pots, so I'm just going to leave them in there just in case but I have my doubts. The strawberries I bought did nothing at all (the ones in a little bag), but the plug plants are going great guns - so I guess it's a bit hit n miss. :)
I bought Blackcurrant red currant , blackberry and gooseberry from wilkco all doing well ,I bought them as soon as they were in the shop ::)