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

[TheSpottedZebra]

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.

gah this dropped of my TIO. i am now at maximum sown seeds capacity, so no more for a few weeks. this probably won't make any difference if at all in the long run, i just get overexcited

will catch up on thread now

Hello everyone waves

I'm a new allotmenteer. Got my plot last June. I'm doing half raised beds and half more permanent crops (fruit, asparagus, and perennial veg like artichokes, walking onions, rocket).

I managed to work through three quarters last year - got my raised beds in early, so some of them are on their second crop, and got my row of raspberry canes, gooseberries, currants, rhubarb, and strawberries started. I also planted two rows of apple trees either side, which I'm going to use to create two tier espaliers.

I've been ill over winter (three loads of surgery, gah - I've had to give up working) so I haven't done as much to the final quarter I'd like. The last few weeks, I've been caring for my terminally ill cat who sadly died last Thursday - and then crying a lot about the fact that he's no longer here. I'm trying to pull myself together a bit and the allotment is a great thing to focus on as I rebuild my life. My first job is to dig and manure an asparagus bed (going to be a challenge on my heavy clay - I'm going to need lots of grit and horticultural sand).

I haven't started ANY seeds yet. I need to get cracking - but I just haven't been able to get things together before this week. I'm ordering a greenhouse this evening, and as I type, a landscaper is here laying a patio area on which to place it! But it'll be 2-3 weeks before the greenhouse arrives.

I have room for one seed tray in the house in the meantime - what early crops should I focus on getting started to ensure I'm not too far behind?

My peas are sprouting, the raspberries look raspberry-like, the tomatilloes are coming up and all's right with the world!!

It's nice to have a place where my joy will be understood

Another sow in pots and plant out person here - the bastard birds get things if I sow direct.

Hi Holly - glad you could join us!

Where in the country are you? I'm in the south west and I've only just started sowing seeds in my greenhouse. Nothing has germinated yet. Honestly - don't panic - things tend to catch up!

Get your toms in if you're growing from seed. Have you made a list of what you want to grow?

Which greenhouse did you go for in the end?

lettherebecupcakes - compost/rotted manure are good mulches for raspberries- I pile on about 4" roughly and leave them to get on with it. Bark chippings was mentioned on GQT, but not convinced myself- I thought that caused the nitrogen to get used up composting it down
piratespoo - nash- I must not buy any more seeds- repeat , repeat
alternative - a busy time for you - I have always made my own bread and done a lot of winemaking, but never made cheese- that sounds fascinating!
shovetheholly - don't worry about not starting with seeds yet - its only just the right time, lots soon catch up as they grow more quickly when its warm. I am not sowing a lot of mine for a few weeks yet as I am in Yorkshire, and they will only end up really leggy plants before its warm enough to plant them out, but broad beans would do well straight into the ground with a bit of protection, and I have sown my leeks in pots as I like to give them a long growing season. Peas outside if you are down south as well perhaps?.
Tomatoes a must to get on with ready for your new greenhouse :) Is it a new asparagus bed you are making for this year, if so good luck! But yes the allotment is a really wonderful place to let the work de stress the mind and let you plan ahead .
I am here twiddling thumbs until after lunch - a parcel due (huh) and keeping an eye on DH - we had planned to spend the afternoon rabbit fencing down at the allotment , but he's not too good today (chronic pain condition which goes up and down) and though I am itching to get on with it, it may just be me digging.... ah well!

Right. It's not hailing, no one is actively ill, the house doesn't look like someone picked it up and shook everything out of the cupboards - must be allotment time! Am desperate to start planting, but after the hail yesterday I'm going to wait another week or two More weeding, check nothing's blown away (shed or empty compost bin most likely) and dream of a weed free plot to plant seedlings in.

I've only sown seeds because I'm too impatient! Whether any of them make into the plot is debatable, but I'm figuring this out as I go along and as long as I learn from my mistakes, they're not a waste of time. Could you chit some potatoes?

Phew, thanks cupcakes and a good book. I thought I was going to be really behind, but sounds like I will be only a little bit back when the greenhouse comes (21 days, counting them off on the calendar, with a pencil). I went for the Rhino one. It is a splurge, but I don't even feel guilty.

I'm in Yorkshire. Allotment is a new site, south-facing but reasonably high (not the worst the city has to offer, though). I put in peas (meteor) and broad beans in November in the ground, and they have sprouted, hooray!

Oh, and I hope your DH feels better soon, book.

Thank you shove :) he decided to do a bit anyway, stubborn man, so we got in one gatepost and over half the posts ready for the netting , so a bit further on-

and you are in Yorkshire as well, :) so loads of time, especially if you are higher up -(and presumably colder ) I just have to sit on my hands to stop sowing too early - celeriac may be worth a try if you like it-( it took mine 2 weeks to germinate inside in February ) and maybe shallot/onions?

I know what you mean, book - I am champing at the bit to get going. But I have had so many disasters where I've sown too early that I know I do need to wait. It is just so wet where I am that rot is a real problem if you start early. (Really heavy clay!)

Oooh, I love celeriac and I did buy some seeds to try it, so I might get that started. I could do some winter lettuce too, maybe?

I'll post my plant list for the year a bit later on!!

i'm desperate to try celeriac but i just don't think we have the room. perhaps for another year, or i might be able to try them in pots/sacks? i do courgettes in sacks because then they can go in a lovely sunny spot where the soil can't be dug properly due to tree roots.

Hiya

Celeriac can be fussy and need quite a lot of water, so if the pots are somewhere accessible where you could give them enough water then that might work. However may be better if you can put them in a bit of ground so they can do some of the water finding themselves - with a lot of mulch. They aren't huge as plants - not as big as cabbages.

thanks - watering is not a problem, but i think it might be overambitious when i've already planned and bought everything i need for this year. must. resist. lure. of. more. seeds.

I am in the south and haven't planted anything yet. I don't have a greenhouse and have very limited space indoors so there isn't much point. I'm hoping it will cheer up so that I can get on and plant some potatoes tomorrow. We did have a frost the other night which is making me cautious. I've dug three quarters of the plot and have covered the rest over. I doubt I'll get to dig it this year. But it will be a good starting point.
Looking forward to the lighter evenings which will give time after work.

OK, OK, OK... after much deliberation, I think I've got all of my crops into the right beds, on the right place in the rotation. At least, I really hope I have . If you spot any mistakes, please please let me know before I go and waste a load of seed!

OK, so this is for one half of my allotment. I am growing a few of lots of different things, so I can see what works well as this is my first year.

Bed 1: Legumes

• French bean 'cobra' and 'lingua di franca'
• Runner bean 'white lady'
• Radish 'French Breakfast'/'Sparkler'

Bed 2: Legumes again

• Pea 'Onward'
• Broadbean 'Dreadnought'

Bed 3: Leafy brassica things

• Rhubarb chard
• Red Russian kale
• Turnip 'market express'

Bed 4: Leafy brassica things again

• Cabbage 'golden acre'
• Kohl rabi 'ballot'

Bed 5: Heavy feeders

• Courgette 'Atena'
• Lettuce: various varieties for various seasons, I have about 7 packets!

Bed 6: Heavy feeders again

• Courgette 'Defender'
• More lettuces and salad leaves (Mizuna, corn salad etc)

Bed 7: Roots

• Celeriac 'Giant Prague'
• Beetroot 'Albina' and 'Boltardy'
• Spring onions 'White lisbon'

Bed 8: Roots redux

• Leek 'Musselburgh' and leek 'Hannibal'
• Carrot 'Nairobi' and 'Autumn King'
• Onion 'Red Baron'

Further up the allotment, I'm going to do a Three Sisters bed (Sweetcorn 'swift', Squash 'Autumn Crown', French climbing beans). Also globe artichokes and rocket. I've got fruit too, but that's all in.

That looks fantastic! You'll never need to go to a supermarket again.

Just one small suggestion, There's a bit of debate if you google about how well 3 sisters works in a UK climate. Can work well in a hot dry summer in the south - but the Native Americans were using it to grow beans for drying. Quite a lot of people on my allotments do a variation leaving out the beans - so the squash scramble round the corn. I tried it last year and it worked really well - lots of manure on the beds as they are heavy feeders and drinkers both of them. I had the French beans in a separate bed. But frankly - try it and it could work for you!

You know, that makes a lot of sense. I am a bit about the whole concept of growing sweetcorn where I am (cold, clay, wet). I chose a variety that's supposed to be able to cope with those conditions (ditto for squash), but I remain mildly worried. So it is an experiment. Beans, on the other hand, I know will do well as I have grown them before, but whether this will change when they are all planted together and competing a bit for the nutrients, I don't know...

I might actually try two separate beds, one with all three sisters and one with just two, and see what happens!

Hi all can I join in? I'm a bit of a fraud as I no longer have an allotment was too much to keep up with a toddler and other interests but we have put raised beds into the back garden.

My peas have germinated and are in the garden, I have my potager -esque area nearly weeded and have seedlings to put in there not sure it will be pretty enough to be a proper potager garden and my potatoes chitting in the conservatory although my eating potatoes in the pantry are doing better at sprouting!!

I'm looking forward to catching up and stealing ideas for my remaining space!!

Hi all can I join in? I'm a bit of a fraud as I no longer have an allotment was too much to keep up with a toddler and other interests but we have put raised beds into the back garden.

My peas have germinated and are in the garden, I have my potager -esque area nearly weeded and have seedlings to put in there not sure it will be pretty enough to be a proper potager garden and my potatoes chitting in the conservatory although my eating potatoes in the pantry are doing better at sprouting!!

I'm looking forward to catching up and stealing ideas for my remaining space!!

3 sisters was originally for drying beans...and for corn for flour [dried] and winter squashes [cured] so basically you sow, and leave until everything has died back before harvesting.

Hi shove thats looking good!
I am going to attempt 2 sisters - beans elsewhere, as you need to get to them to harvest. :)
I have had no problem growing squashes up here - (I am up near York not very high up, but quite dry) Crown Prince very reliable for the last 3 years, butternut squash a bit less so- had a fabulous crop 2 years ago, last year not so many- more due to the weather I think- the butternut squash seem to set later, so warmth and sun in autumn is important . Sweetcorn has worked at my allotments for others- I am doing it for the first time this year properly - I was given 8 last year of someones overflow , DH stood on one, the rabbits nibbled 2 others.... but I still managed 3 cobs , not well filled to be honest, but thats hardly surprising!
I am growing the same french and runner beans as you - same as last year.
Just to throw you a thought- you have leeks and kale on there, so I assume you will be picking through winter - is there anything else you like , as thats when things get expensive - I grow sprouting broccoli and savoy and, dare I say it.... sprouts ! Though they do stand in the ground for a long time I think thats when the allotment really pulls its weight.....

kimmi that totally counts! You've just basically moved your allotment to your back garden, hooray!

book That's really reassuring about the squash. I love them and could eat them til the cows come home, so I'm really hoping they work. And oooh, York is lovely, I used to live near there! I am now in Sheffield - so it's wet, wet, wet here. My allotment is on a site on the edge of the city, fairly close to the hills and though it's south-facing I am anticipating that the season will be a bit shorter than other places.

I plan to clear the beds for winter and plant another round of winter crops. I've done that this year, and it's worked better than I thought it would. In October (I think? Seems a long time ago now) I put in Durham Early cabbages, caulis, sprouts, broccoli (all winter varieties) then in late November peas and broad beans in November. It's made doing the rotation for the load above quite difficult, though - bit like one of those puzzles with all the squares that you have to move around and only one spare!

I've not posted for a few days: I had a few days of heavy rain (which is was well needed, but rather put the kibosh on my digging of my clay quagmire), and I've also hurt my foot. I'm a bit over all the digging, really. People keep on coming up to me and telling me I am mad to not nuke the lot with weedkiller, and mocking my nature loving ways. And today the wife/partner of my over friendly chap told me to 'stay away away from my man'. Really. And gladly.

I only have about 1/3 of the last bed to de-weed and break up a bit, but I am fast realising that it's full of tree roots, and will be quite shaded. What grows in such conditions? I was planning for spuds, leeks, and erm, bits and bobs. Garlic. Sorrel. Poss kale and broccoli raab. Will that work?

Help! I need to get my enthusiasm back! And my seeds don't seem as thrivy as usual.

don't worry spotted - we all hit walls ! I am also one of the odd 'natural' allotment people on my site - the old timers tend to sniff a bit at me while they using weedkiller and throwing slug pellets around.
Maybe this could be the bit of plot with the weed suppressant and mulch, and plant through as recommended upthread ?
The weather looks decidedly iffy up here for the next few days , and we also need that rain :)
Are the seeds germinated? If they are looking a bit sad, and maybe not as green as they were, it may be they are a bit cold? I am bringing in my seedlings from the greenhouse overnight at the moment as its so cold - I like them out there during the day for the light, but they are still babies, and not hardened. Even if they don't thrive, you still have loads of time to re sow some .
Mmm - tree roots and shade -,so dry - not ideal for vegetables - but garlic I would have thought would work as you say, and maybe spinach and lettuce? things like kale will be there when it won't be shaded overwinter , so you may have a plan there :)

Aww, thanks for your v kind and encouraging post, agoodbook ! I think you're right, I have hit a wall. Too much digging, compounded by idiot couple and poorly foot, probably. And am due on, so the world is bleak. I've already got one bed covered in cardboard, manure and weed membrane, tho I had cleared that of weeds, in a fashion. Yes! Maybe I can do the same again on this one, good thinking! I might read back through this thread a) to re enthuse me, and b) to get the covering / mulching advice straight in my mind again.

Im not sure how dry that bed will get - it's about 10m from a pondy it of a small Brook, and on clarty clay, so i guess won't dry out too much? Who knows! Good point re thinking too of winter crops when there's no shade (like, erm, now ). Will spuds still grow there? I'll probably still bung them there actually as they're not my priority veg - that will be my version of 3 sisters, which is prob the sisters intermingling in my 'best bed' any which way.

Re seeds, not sure what the issue is. Things have germinated, but my germination rate is definitely down - especially on tomatoes and chillies, which are the 2 things that I have been really successful with in years past. But once at seedling stage, growth seems to slow or stop. I'm keeping stuff as warm as poss, and carrying from the front porch to the back conservatory to make the most if the sun, then inside proper at night. So they're not even getting that cold! Odd. Maybe they'll shoot off when the weather warms up...? My asparagus peas and my yard long beans are the only things that are doing well. I grew the latter early - I've not sown any other beans yet - as I read that they are so flaky they need as long a growing season as poss, tho its a juggling game with the weather.