Stick or Twist

[Bigmallly]

As the new season rapidly approaches....................I wondered what crops you guys are keeping and what is going. I'm deffo keeping Courgettes, Tatties & Runner Beans for their prolific cropping. I'm doing away with Sweetcorn due to mice or magpies or some greedy critter and also Broccoli as it bolted whilst I was sleeping, I may replace it with Calabrese though. I think I will also replace Onions with Shallots also due to the return value. Gimme some more ideas before spring arrives please....

[taff]

no more tatties unless I'm clearing ground.

[Bigmallly]

Why's that Taff?

[veggiechicken]

I'm sticking with tomatoes - they're the only things to survive and crop for me, though there may, just may, be some courgettes on the horizon. Broad beans were worthwhile too.
The onions, garlic, shallots, lettuce, runner beans, spinach and I've forgotten what else have been rubbish. Even the tatties got blight But I'll try it all again next year - no point in having a garden otherwise!

[Bren In Pots]

I'll be growing the same runners, broadies, peas, carrots, leeks, potatoes, courgettes, Kale, chard, spinach, GH toms and peppers only thing that will be missing next year is outdoor toms they only get blight

[Bigmallly]

Yes, I noticed today Bren that my outdoor toms have succumbed to the dreaded blight. Greenhouse ones are fine.

[Barking Postlethwaite]

This has been my first season on the allotment and I won't be writing off anything on the basis that it didn't crop well this year. Sometimes things work and sometimes they don't; no saying that it won't be different next time. However ......

1. There will be less potatoes. I only put so many in because I needed to break the ground, and a combination of blight and slugs mean that none of it is likely to be storeable long term. The blight may not be so bad next time, but I suspect the slugs are here to stay. I will definitely do one or two early varieties (Rocket + 1 other) and some Pink Fir, but I may give up on maincrop.

2. The saved space will go to French and runner beans, neither of which I grew on the allotment this year. I definitely want some of those yellow waxy pods and maybe some purple ones as well.

3. Outdoor tomatoes will only be entertained if I have nothing better to plant in the space. Experience in the garden suggests it's not very often that they produce in worthwhile quantities.

[zazen999]

As the new season rapidly approaches....................I wondered what crops you guys are keeping and what is going. I'm deffo keeping Courgettes, Tatties & Runner Beans for their prolific cropping. I'm doing away with Sweetcorn due to mice or magpies or some greedy critter and also Broccoli as it bolted whilst I was sleeping, I may replace it with Calabrese though. I think I will also replace Onions with Shallots also due to the return value. Gimme some more ideas before spring arrives please....

The best advice would be is to grow several varieties of each to spread your bets and succession sow to lengthen the season.

[zazen999]

This has been my first season on the allotment and I won't be writing off anything on the basis that it didn't crop well this year. Sometimes things work and sometimes they don't; no saying that it won't be different next time. However ......

1. There will be less potatoes. I only put so many in because I needed to break the ground, and a combination of blight and slugs mean that none of it is likely to be storeable long term. The blight may not be so bad next time, but I suspect the slugs are here to stay. I will definitely do one or two early varieties (Rocket + 1 other) and some Pink Fir, but I may give up on maincrop.

Try growing eelworm resistant potatoes. The slugs don't touch mine. Makes a huge difference.

[binley100]

Going on this years performance I'll probably endup growing exactly the same stuff again .....after all next year can't be as carp as this year. Can it ?

[veggiechicken]

I'm growing these again http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ile_67846.html

[mothhawk]

Early potatoes, runner beans, summer cabbage and kale, then whatever seeds I've still got left over from this year. I'm determined not to buy any more seeds until all the half used packets I've got are used up. (This may turn out to be like a new year resolution - unkeepable)

[Cue the Toms]

I'm going to grow more Mange tout and less runners because it sounds posher when you tell people what you had for dinner

[Bigmallly]

The best advice would be is to grow several varieties of each to spread your bets and succession sow to lengthen the season.

I need lessons in succession growing. I tried this year using the theory that if I sowed more than I needed, only a small proportion would make it to planting stage but then more survived than I expected, I couldn't throw them away.........I think I need help.

[rustylady]

I need to find something the snugs won't eat, the little bu@@ers have even climbed my plum tree and had a nibble at my poor pathetic plum crop