Pics of our new allotment, help needed!

lucasmum

We have kindly been given the use of a garden/allotment to grow our veggies which I am sooooo happy about but we are still pretty new to it so a little scary! A plot was dug out last year about 3mx5m but nothing planted on it so we have managed to take advantage of that and we have put a higglty pigglty bunch of veggies in there this weekend and my very clever oh has built a nice fruit netting cage over it because there is lots of trees around and some very naughty pigeons!









Yesterday we dug out another plot of about the same size and I have the overwelming urge to fill it. The first plot is already bigger than I have ever had to play with veggie wise so I really want to make the most of the area. The whole space is probably 25/30mx15m and we are planning on putting some smaller plots in for the kids to plant up. Also I have bought four fruit bushes from lydls so a area with these in is also planned, should I buy more of the bushes or will one plant of each (black/red current, gooseberry & raspberry) give plenty of fruit?

I like the idea of having home grown veggies of xmas dinner this year but have I missed that boat? Given a 3x5m plot of land how would you fill it at this time of year?
All ideas greatly appriciated, I want to really make the most of this opportunity.
Becky

dogstarheaven

not too late to sow cabbage, broccoli, brussels for a winter harvest. as you're newbies, maybe get a book and it'll show you how to follows procedures step-by-step. i find bob flowerdew's books on organic growing most helpful. you can also sow pumpkins/squashes - these would keep for xmas when they're harvested in the autumn. they're v easy to grow, and as you have plenty of room (which they need), you'll have a super crop! i'm not sure if garden centres and such places will have seed potatoes in sale or not, but if not, then get some nice variety new potatoes from the supermarket that are small, then leave them out in cool, sunny place for them to sprout (after an inch long) and plant them in the plot.

btw, your fruit cage is amazing; it's well thought-out and v organised of you. fruit gardening is probably the easiest of things to start growing as it requires v little maintenance. make sure the ground is well fed, watered and mulched.

lucasmum

Thanks, I was very pleased with how it looks and should keep all pests at bay!!
I have some jersey royals that we all love so could I save some of these and plant them, they'ed be nice for xmas dinner! How many do I need to plant. This is my first year growing potatoes so I haven't seen how many they produce yet. Thanks

dogstarheaven

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/plant_sow_veg_bymonth/plant_sow_august.asp says for xmas potato crop, plant in august and some other useful info.
let me know how it all goes.

lucasmum

ooh thanks for that, looks like I might have to keep a space for the potatoes til august then. That could be easier said then done

Thanks for the link, I'm off to have a look for some other ideas now.....

dogstarheaven

was in homebase today, and they had 1/2 price sale on the seed potatoes (javelin, rocket, maris piper) for £1.74 for about 1.5kg:j

dogstarheaven

just found out that florence fennel (the fennel bulb that's so tasty and great in salads or cooked with other roasted veg like peppers, onions with your joint.. very nice!) can be sown now. harvest in oct.

lucasmum

ooh, I like fennel, never grown it though. I will have a look at some seeds thanks. We have the second patch pretty much ready and I have gone to hombase and managed to get some plant strips before they all sold out. I have got red cabbage, sprouts, sweetcorn and leeks and a pumkin.

Before I put them in what protection do I need to give them, obviously the cabbage and sprouts need some net but is the sweetcorn, leeks and pumpkin ok without any covering? Last question, how tall will the sweetcorn grow, in case I do need to cover it??

I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying this space!!:j

Poppycat

ask other allotments holders if they have any spare plants. You could then later give a couple of mature plants back later or say you donate them to local hospice or something

dogstarheaven

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/house-and-home/gardening/gardening-the-growing-pains-of-florence-fennel-1344801.html this tells you all about florence fennel. says not troubled by any pests..:T

also states that KOHL RABI can be sown too. I heard on Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time on Sunday last week (or week before.. can't remember which!) says that this plant can tolerate some shade. so that's a really good idea for those with shady patch in the garden.

re. the sprouts and cabbage plants you bought lately, will have to be netted from the dreaded cabbage whitefly (white butterly) but the leeks, sweetcorn and pumpkins will have no need for any coverings.

i haven't grown sweetcorn before, but i'm sure someone on here will tell you....

like i said before, i've recommended veg that's suitable for sowing at this time of yr, so there'll be no need for you to buy expensive plants. but if you can't wait, there are lots of opportunities to find cheaper sources such as from Open Garden Trails/Days that might be in your area. They're usually advertised in libraries, shop windows, supermarket community notice boards, garden centres (or google your area with Open Gardens/Days/Trails, and see what comes up).

Tomorrow, in a suburb in Nott'm (Lady Bay Open Gardens, there'll be a Plant Swap and many of the houses to view, residents will have really cheap plants to purchase - a lot of them very cheaply, like 30p for a courgette, or herbs, or perennials..) I've invited another gardening addict/old schoolfriend to visit and i'm taking her there with me. she's got about 15 plants to swap and mine i've got about 10 (borage and wildflower mix )

This is one amazing way of moneysaving that i love to share to all.. :pgo on and check out your local areas for such an Open Day (this is a localised version of the National Garden Scheme, but the gardens aren't vetted for perfection like NGS is and it's cheaper - like £2/3 for 20houses!:beer:

other places for cheaper veg plants are markets. in nott'm there's an indoor market with a successful nursery selling everything from veg, to bedding, to herbs and perennials... very reasonably priced too.

last thing i can think of are summer fetes/fairs. as i'm not in a village, i'm not sure whether they'll be more plants on offer there than in big towns and cities, as the ones i've visited can vary.

ps. poppies idea of asking around with other allotmenteers is a good chance of getting seedlings... there's usually a noticeboard with ppl either giving stuff away or selling them v cheaply. sometimes tho' their gate will have a notice up selling stuff... make friends with your neighbours, they'll always share stuff with you...

ladylouise62

Just a note about sweetcorn - they wind-pollinate so should be grown in blocks rather than in singles lines... and good luck - that's a lot of gardening you have there!