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Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Original poster

The 2015 Allotment / Veg Patch Thread - it's here!

999 replies

TheSpottedZebra · 14/01/2015 21:43

Yes, it's the thread you've all been waiting for, a place to chit chat about your allotment or fruit and veg patch - however big it may be. Even if it currently only imaginary or no bigger than a pot of growing basil from the supermarket.

Come discuss your plans, your seeds, your learnings from previous years and your goals for this year. All levels of knowledge welcome, from absolute beginner, to enthusiastic 2nd year-er (me!), to anyone else.

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Sootball · 06/02/2015 20:05

Just dropping in, still too cold here for any serious gardening although I'm enjoying pottering around the garden seeing whats coming up. My greenhouse seems to have gone powdery green on the inside so I think I need to set aside time to clean down everything. One of the small beds which we used in haste last year to grow a giant pumpkin we are extending, raising and then covering the ground with black matting and a mini polytunnel over the top to give me an additional protected growing space - then after the plants are planted out I will use it as my courgette bed which are later in the season anyway.

I'm also spending out on some plug trays rather than the seed trays I have used in the past. I was told that this makes the plants stronger and better able to survive being moved on, especially on the allotment.

I advise caution on the Aldi trees - sorry - we bought a cherry, plum, dessert apple and cooking apple last spring, they have been well cared for and yet have very little new growth. In comparison to a pear and a crab apple bought at the same time from our local garden centre which have done exceptionally well and didn't cost horrible amount. Often sales on this time of year so worth exploring or buy bare root stock. I bought 5 bare root twisted hazel trees at 6 foot tall from ebay for £22 including delivery - in our garden centrer they were that each potted up.

I want to do cucamelons next year, so watching with huge interest! Does anyone companion plant? We are also planting for polinators this year so most of my seed packets have RHS bees on!

scotchmincepie · 07/02/2015 07:42

Companion planting. Not in a scientific way. But have self seeded calendula, borage and nasturtium all over plot which the bees love. And attract other pollinators too. Sometimes I think I'm really only in this for the bees!

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 07/02/2015 08:23

Same here, casual companion planter, I stick French marigolds in gaps all over the place. In the garden I have lots of nasturtiums, will put some in the allotment this year, I want more flowers up there, The bright orange california poppies are one of my favourites.

Original poster
TheSpottedZebra · 07/02/2015 09:43

I've not companion planted before - but I have bought marigold and borage seeds. Anything I should know about them, are they easy to grow, do they run away horribly (ie do I need to control them at allotment?)

I'll also be growing more thyme in the garden, as this seemed to permanently be full of bees. And growing more tomatillos, which were about as prolific as the cucamelons, buy even more beloved by bees and hoverflies.

I might grow more basil next to the toms too. What else can I do?

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Piratespoo · 07/02/2015 10:46

Can I ask, how do you guys plan what, when and how you plant and harvest? Time scales etc. And plans of where things are in containers and gardens and allotments?
At the moment I just have an app similar to ever note where I have noted what seeds and plants I have and the info for each seed on a page each but I could do with a time table or calendar for all plants together, when to plant, how long they take to be ready to harvest, what to plant next. That type of thing. Any ideas please?

DeliciousMonster · 07/02/2015 10:55

I use a piece of paper in my diary planner file. And a pencil or pen.

For sowing/transplanting/harvesting times - google 'seed sowing guide' - there are loads around.

Lots of seeds can be sown little and often - lettuce, beetroot, radish, carrots, spring onions, all the salad leaves, kohl rabi, swede, turnip - to stop you having loads to harvest on the same day.

funnyperson · 07/02/2015 11:07

I hope you wont mind me popping in and out (flower gardener- any flower gardeners or would be flower gardeners are welcome on the other thread ) but here is a nice video on turning compost

minkGrundy · 07/02/2015 13:12

I am just waiting for the kids to go out then I am going to buy compost and mulch from the local council recycling.

Then i need to work out how to surreptiously get it to my lot wiyhput my stalker coming to 'help' interfere.

I would like to buy the bulk builders bag but it would take a fair while to shift it all from the gate to my lot. I only have one of those bucket barrows. There used to be a company that delivered them at £25 nut looks like they may gone amd it is more expensive now.

I may also get some bark to renew my supposed path (the place where I dug out some soil and throw in all the stones I find when digging).

MissMysticFalls · 07/02/2015 15:33

Finally got to our new allotment to start digging. The soil is a delight to dig compared to our old brambly chalky plot. Went there with DP and DS and did about 1.5 hours so we don't do ourselves any injuries this early in the season. Surprised to see only one other person up there this afternoon...

For planning, we're doing crop rotation (roots, beans/pods, leafy plants, perennials/fruit) so I've got 4 areas marked up on a plan and am mixing up long term growers e.g. celeriac and quick growing crops like radishes/salad leaves, etc. Also only doing early potatoes so the ground is cleared for a second crop of something in the season.

However, my plan is going to be redrawn as we've decided to give one of the raised beds to DS to grow what he wants in it, toddler-stylee...

footballsgalore · 07/02/2015 16:23

Sootball I'm not holding my breath on the tree. But at £3.99 I thought I'd give it a go. I bought raspberry canes a few years back and they're fab so I've also gone for some redcurrants and blackcurrants. Time will tell!!
Lovely day here today but I have been stuck at a soft play party so no digging. Went to get some seeds to find the garden centre shelves bare! Homebase tomorrow I think. Smile

minkGrundy · 07/02/2015 22:23

The big allotment challenge: so Rob and Jo Jo couldn't produce ripe cape gooseberries for the show bench but they had heaps on the make challenge. How?

And I failed to source the council compost- shut but I got a bit of leaf mulch put down. Still trying to track down barlotti beans.

DeliciousMonster · 07/02/2015 22:25

Borlotti beans. Try Franchi seeds.

silversixpence · 08/02/2015 14:44

I'm starting to feel there is too much to do for us to get our allotment planted properly this year - we still need to dig over 3/4 of the plot which is full of weeds and brambles, its slow and hard work and don't feel like going in this weather. I've got rhubarb and garlic to put in and seed potatoes(extra earliers) chitting to go in in March. I also potted about 25 strawberry plants the day before it snowed last week so not sure they will survive! I'd like to get 4 large raised beds in by mid March ready to plant up after the last frosts.

I'm going to start my tomato, chilli and sweetpea seeds when I get back after half term. We are going away at easter and am seriously considering taking my seedlings with me Grin. It's a cottage holiday so shouldn't be a problem.

AalyaSecura · 08/02/2015 15:54

Hi, I've been reading but not posting as I haven't been thinking about the veg plot yet this year - but I was out clearing the raised beds this afternoon and was grappling with some plant - I finally dug it out, but there are still some big roots going further down. I was hoping someone might be able to identify it so I know whether it's important to get all the bits out. Any thoughts? TIA!

AalyaSecura · 08/02/2015 16:05

It did have more leaves than that, almost like smallish dock leaves, but they got pulled off in the battle...

DeliciousMonster · 08/02/2015 17:04

I think that's a horseradish...whatever it is you will never get them all out! Sometimes you have to live with things.

AalyaSecura · 08/02/2015 17:14

Thanks DeliciousMonster! Wonder how that got there?! I will cut the roots down as low as I can and leave them be then.

DeliciousMonster · 08/02/2015 17:29

If not horseradish [have a good sniff of those roots] it could be Good King Henry.

minkGrundy · 08/02/2015 17:42

If it is horseradish, I can highly recomnend making some horseradish vinegar.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 08/02/2015 20:18

IK've done an hours digging this afternoon (old injury means I can't do too much in one session. Feels good to have made a start though. Only about a third of mine is cultivated at the moment, I am thinking about hiring a person with a rotavator to come and dig out some unwanted but obviously ancient fruit bushes and get the rest usable, it is solid grass with the remains of paths made of flints buried in the thatch. A bit nervous about the chopped up perennial weeds problem but really it's the only way I'm going to get it all into use.

Original poster
TheSpottedZebra · 08/02/2015 21:02

Oh no, Silver - don't get disheartened! Hopefully the weather will turn soon and things will start to get easier. I feel a bit overwhelmed by it all too Tbh. I thought my soil was not too bad, but it is ridiculously wet claggy clay. Just walking about a bit there was hard work as I picked up so much clay on my boots! Could you do fewer raised beds, and just do one or 2 beds in he soil this year, to follow with the remainder of raised beds next year if you don't get done in time? I think taking your seedlings away sounds 7 terry lovely. They deserve a trip too, i think Grin

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Original poster
TheSpottedZebra · 08/02/2015 21:13

Aalya welcome! Is it your garden or an allotment? That thing is a monster, isn't it? It's massive!

WhoKnows well done you on the digging. Ive not done any digging this weekend, afterdoing a bit too much on Friday and feeling it ever since! I'm so unfit though, that any digging is sorely felt.Your flint paths sound very very lovely. Not '7 terry lovely' (typo) as I managed to type just a minute ago Blush

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Piratespoo · 08/02/2015 21:42

I have been very productive and out together my new grow house! Very pleased with it. Me and dd have also planted about 10 different types of veggies and herbs. Very pleased....not so pleased that I went to homebase and spent £36 on seed trays and lids etc!!

Piratespoo · 08/02/2015 21:42

Put together, even!

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 08/02/2015 21:44

Zebra - that sounds like mine, claggy clay. It's weird as my house is only 1/4 mile away and our soil isn't particularly clayey, we are lower lying so maybe there's a layer of clay starts as you go up the hill. The allotment is fairly easy to dig when it's like this, but develops a concrete like skin in the summer, I am going to have to improve it a great deal before I can ever sow seed straight into the ground up there.