Grow Your Own Magazine

Hello all, im a newbie here, first thread, and have just been told I have a new allotment after a years wait. We have a lot of clearing ground to do, but does anyone know what I can start growing, given that it will be a month or so before I am ready to plant anything. I have had an allotment before, but it never really got off the ground due to moving house and other commitments, but my circumstances have changed and i have some extra helpers too! Ive not got much past the container growing in the back garden. The allotment is quite big with water taps so watering is not a problem, thanks!!

Hi and welcome! You still have time. Clear your plot in patches. And plant a patch of lettuces or beetroots, carrots, kohl rabi etc. If your local garden centre has plants of cabbage and sprouts or brocolli still time to plant those too. Don't make the mistake of turning over the whole plot at once if it's large. By the time you've finished the weeds will come back in force before you've planted anything! Have fun.

Congratulations on your new site.

I recently got a new site which was badly overgrown and full of horse tail and other such weeds and found trying to clear it all very disheartening.

I am now just clearing an area at a time about 2m x1m and planting something straight away into that cleared bit.

I have just ordered some Cabbage, Calabrese, Cauliflower, Kale and Purple Sprouting Broccoli plants which will go in this month.

Good luck with the digging.
(btw: I wouldnt rotavate it as this just breaks up the roots you are trying to get rid of and makes 100 times more weeds that you need to remove!)

Congrats on the new lottie.

I agree with the above posters. What I would add is that you should find your fellow lottie holders are a very friendly bunch. You might well find that they may offer you some of their surplus plantlets.

I've got more leeks than you could shake a stick at because I didn't think they had taken (3 times) and sowed again. thing is they all have come up. I gave loads of them away to a chap near me who says he has problems growing them.

So, worth getting to know the neighbours IMHO

I agree I have loads of spare Cucumber,Squash and pumpkins and give them to anyone who happens to walk past me

Also check at your allotment shop. Other lottie holders often leave ther surplus seedlings there and for a very small donation you can have them. You might find ts mainly courgettes tho ;-)

It will soon be time to plant over-wintering onions and garlic - you should be able to get them as sets from your GC or mail-order from any of the big seed companies. There's still time to sow Spring Cabbage, salad leaves etc too.

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Sarah

http://www.hypermobility.org http://wixypixies.blogspot.com/


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