Discussion
After a year of waiting I've just got my first allotment. Not a huge patch, but big enough for me to make a start on. Its the long slim half-plot, smack in the middle of this:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&a...
Just on the north side of the gravel pathway running between the two. Hopefully if I make a success of it I can get a larger plot in the future.
It doesn't need much doing, the flower bed needs sorting on the east end, the west end needs tidying (I plan to plant a couple of fruit trees there, cherries I think). There aren't many weeds. The soil is fairly sandy, but quite well built up. There's also a dismantled greenhouse on the other plot, I was thinking of building it across both as a shared house - the other plot is also unoccupied so I don't think whoever takes it on will mind.
What can I plant, at this time of year? I like carrots, peas, potatoes, cabbage, lettuce, onions, broccoli. I have a couple of inert berry cuttings that I've done nothing with.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&a...
Just on the north side of the gravel pathway running between the two. Hopefully if I make a success of it I can get a larger plot in the future.
It doesn't need much doing, the flower bed needs sorting on the east end, the west end needs tidying (I plan to plant a couple of fruit trees there, cherries I think). There aren't many weeds. The soil is fairly sandy, but quite well built up. There's also a dismantled greenhouse on the other plot, I was thinking of building it across both as a shared house - the other plot is also unoccupied so I don't think whoever takes it on will mind.
What can I plant, at this time of year? I like carrots, peas, potatoes, cabbage, lettuce, onions, broccoli. I have a couple of inert berry cuttings that I've done nothing with.
Well done. It's six years and closed lists here.
As for what to plant, you need to get the book out/get the book (Hessayon's vegetable gardener is a good starter).
Spuds go in the ground in April, but they need to be chitted (left to set shoots). A garden centre might just have some maincrop seed potatos still, but hurry.
Onion sets (bulbs) can go in.
Broccoli, and many others can be sown to tray right now. Plant on in about a month.
Carrots, lettuce and peas can all be sown straight to ground this month.
Apart from that, I would suggest:
As for what to plant, you need to get the book out/get the book (Hessayon's vegetable gardener is a good starter).
Spuds go in the ground in April, but they need to be chitted (left to set shoots). A garden centre might just have some maincrop seed potatos still, but hurry.
Onion sets (bulbs) can go in.
Broccoli, and many others can be sown to tray right now. Plant on in about a month.
Carrots, lettuce and peas can all be sown straight to ground this month.
Apart from that, I would suggest:
- Soil test (pH, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus). Measure, record, and decide what needs to be done (book will tell. A couple of quid for a test kit at the GC.
- Dig over, as much and as best you can. Lots of manure. That puts lots of goodness in the soil, breaks it up, and with the coming warmth will break down quickly.
HiRich said:
Well done. It's six years and closed lists here.
As for what to plant, you need to get the book out/get the book (Hessayon's vegetable gardener is a good starter).
Spuds go in the ground in April, but they need to be chitted (left to set shoots). A garden centre might just have some maincrop seed potatos still, but hurry.
Onion sets (bulbs) can go in.
Broccoli, and many others can be sown to tray right now. Plant on in about a month.
Carrots, lettuce and peas can all be sown straight to ground this month.
Apart from that, I would suggest:
Thanks, I just ordered that book second-hand from Amazon.As for what to plant, you need to get the book out/get the book (Hessayon's vegetable gardener is a good starter).
Spuds go in the ground in April, but they need to be chitted (left to set shoots). A garden centre might just have some maincrop seed potatos still, but hurry.
Onion sets (bulbs) can go in.
Broccoli, and many others can be sown to tray right now. Plant on in about a month.
Carrots, lettuce and peas can all be sown straight to ground this month.
Apart from that, I would suggest:
- Soil test (pH, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus). Measure, record, and decide what needs to be done (book will tell. A couple of quid for a test kit at the GC.
- Dig over, as much and as best you can. Lots of manure. That puts lots of goodness in the soil, breaks it up, and with the coming warmth will break down quickly.
Tomorrow I plan to go in, clear out any crap I don't need, tidy any bits of carpets and bricks up, and pull up the most obvious weeds. I have the following seeds (given to me while on a Gardener's World job last year):
Carrot - Early Nantes (March - July)
Lettuce - Lolla Rossa (March - August)
Butternut Squash - Hunter (Sow May, Plant June)
Beetroot - Boltardy (April - July)
The packets have simple instructions on so I guess I can't really go wrong to begin with. What I'm really looking forward to though are peas. I love peas...
You can try the carrot seeds but they are notorious for being "one season". You may want to bung a load in on a punt, expecting to buy a new pack of seeds in May.
The squashes came up well (start in seed trays on the windowsill till the second leaf, harden off, then plant the best), but we found they struggled a bit thereafter.
Lollo rosso was great. Sow a little (3-6") every week straight to ground, or you'll be overwhelmed. Ditto with the beets (ours failed, but I think I know why - need protection from the slugs).
Still plan on a raid to the best local garden centre this weekend (I suggest opening time, as i think it'll be busy) with a list of things you might want - compost, tools, seed trays, soil test, fertilisers bug sprays & weedkillers, etc.
The seedling trays should be coming through. So you can buy a little something so by Sunday evening there's at least one bit of greenery to mark your efforts.
One trick, while you're there is to buy some borage, lovage and or marigolds (French or Mexican). All are 'magic' plants that deter pests and improve the soil.
The squashes came up well (start in seed trays on the windowsill till the second leaf, harden off, then plant the best), but we found they struggled a bit thereafter.
Lollo rosso was great. Sow a little (3-6") every week straight to ground, or you'll be overwhelmed. Ditto with the beets (ours failed, but I think I know why - need protection from the slugs).
Still plan on a raid to the best local garden centre this weekend (I suggest opening time, as i think it'll be busy) with a list of things you might want - compost, tools, seed trays, soil test, fertilisers bug sprays & weedkillers, etc.
The seedling trays should be coming through. So you can buy a little something so by Sunday evening there's at least one bit of greenery to mark your efforts.
One trick, while you're there is to buy some borage, lovage and or marigolds (French or Mexican). All are 'magic' plants that deter pests and improve the soil.
Started digging out the first plot today. Not too bad, mainly surface weeds, although some deeper dock leaves around the edges.
Its the nearest one I'm doing first, the others I'll do in a bit.
I'm finding quite a lot of tiny white tendrils, there used to be leeks in there before I pulled them out (all rotten), are they ok to leave behind? I've sniffed out all the obvious roots I can find. I've used the fork to get down about 12-18 inches and turn the soil over, its all loose now. I plan to get a load of chicken manure tomorrow and sprinkle it in, before planting it this weekend.
Its the nearest one I'm doing first, the others I'll do in a bit.
I'm finding quite a lot of tiny white tendrils, there used to be leeks in there before I pulled them out (all rotten), are they ok to leave behind? I've sniffed out all the obvious roots I can find. I've used the fork to get down about 12-18 inches and turn the soil over, its all loose now. I plan to get a load of chicken manure tomorrow and sprinkle it in, before planting it this weekend.
Edited by Parrot of Doom on Thursday 22 April 17:07
The only tendrils like you describe that I can recall have all been fine.
When you say chicken manure, do you mean processed pellets or "raw"? I'd turn it in quite thoroughly - half a fork and twist, now that you've broken the soil up.
It's a slow-release general fertiliser, comparable to TomatoFeed but very low in potassium (for fruit & flower development). It should help anything you plant get established (phosphates encourage roots, nitrogen for the green stuff) but put some Sulphate of Potash on your shopping list. It is also likely to be acidic - not a lot you can do at the moment as you shouldn't mix lime and fertiliser, but that could cause a bit of stress for peas, beans and brassicas (broccoli, cabbage). You might want to leave an area untreated for your brassicas in particular.
Beyond that, it looks OK. You'll need to keep working the hoe and trowel to get those dandelions under control (go over it at least once a week), and look to start a compost heap.
When you say chicken manure, do you mean processed pellets or "raw"? I'd turn it in quite thoroughly - half a fork and twist, now that you've broken the soil up.
It's a slow-release general fertiliser, comparable to TomatoFeed but very low in potassium (for fruit & flower development). It should help anything you plant get established (phosphates encourage roots, nitrogen for the green stuff) but put some Sulphate of Potash on your shopping list. It is also likely to be acidic - not a lot you can do at the moment as you shouldn't mix lime and fertiliser, but that could cause a bit of stress for peas, beans and brassicas (broccoli, cabbage). You might want to leave an area untreated for your brassicas in particular.
Beyond that, it looks OK. You'll need to keep working the hoe and trowel to get those dandelions under control (go over it at least once a week), and look to start a compost heap.
Are there any commercial mushroom farms near you, for near me my local neighbours buy used mushroom compost in bulk, spreading the same over the ground at the start of the season, before digging the same into the ground.
A soil test kit is always a good buy before adding any fertilisers, particularly lime, growmore etc. etc.
Start making up some paper flower pots, and planting runner beans, peas and broad bean seeds, for one the plants are established, to plant out later in the season.
Polythene clotches, made using galvanised wire fixed into the ground, are worthwhile to preserve tender plants on cold, windy nights. Cheap plastic lemonade and cider bottles are worth retaining, cutting down so that one creates an instant propagator, clean film does the same for covering trays of young seedlings.
Planting certain plants next to one another, can eliminate the need for insecticides, from memory the carrot fly eats the onion fly, and vice versa, also marigold plants deter white fly etc away from vegetable plants.
A soil test kit is always a good buy before adding any fertilisers, particularly lime, growmore etc. etc.
Start making up some paper flower pots, and planting runner beans, peas and broad bean seeds, for one the plants are established, to plant out later in the season.
Polythene clotches, made using galvanised wire fixed into the ground, are worthwhile to preserve tender plants on cold, windy nights. Cheap plastic lemonade and cider bottles are worth retaining, cutting down so that one creates an instant propagator, clean film does the same for covering trays of young seedlings.
Planting certain plants next to one another, can eliminate the need for insecticides, from memory the carrot fly eats the onion fly, and vice versa, also marigold plants deter white fly etc away from vegetable plants.
Yeah its the pellet stuff that was recommended. A mate of mine has 2 plots down the road, he said it was good (although he hesitates to use it as hes a veggie 
)
The three beds you can see are all fairly ok (the furthest one is the worst), the one beyond that has currants and raspberries in right now, which I've pruned today. A couple of rhubarb in there too. The rest of it, up to the house, is all gravel and waste. That can wait until winter I think.
)The three beds you can see are all fairly ok (the furthest one is the worst), the one beyond that has currants and raspberries in right now, which I've pruned today. A couple of rhubarb in there too. The rest of it, up to the house, is all gravel and waste. That can wait until winter I think.
Mark off part of it for brassicas - cabbages, broccoli, and you could try for a couple of brussel sprout plants.
Start off seeds in trays asap. You could sprinkle lime on the bed in the meantime.
For the rest, howsabout peas, beans, maize, spinach.
You could also mark out a row for asparagus - a perennial, getting it in now might just get you a few next year. Famously, no shop-bought asparagus can compare with truly fresh hour-old stuff from the garden/allotment.
Keep an eye on your raspberries, which are going to need canes or (better)support wires fairly soon.
Start off seeds in trays asap. You could sprinkle lime on the bed in the meantime.
For the rest, howsabout peas, beans, maize, spinach.
You could also mark out a row for asparagus - a perennial, getting it in now might just get you a few next year. Famously, no shop-bought asparagus can compare with truly fresh hour-old stuff from the garden/allotment.
Keep an eye on your raspberries, which are going to need canes or (better)support wires fairly soon.
Hmmm, not a fan of brussel sprouts. I've got some sugar snap peas germinating in a trough on my windowsill, a fortnight or so and I reckon they'll be safe to plant. I want to put some more lettuce in also.
What sort of lime, and what does it do, and where do I get it from? I've already sprinkled both plots (and turned in) a load of chicken manure pellets.
What sort of lime, and what does it do, and where do I get it from? I've already sprinkled both plots (and turned in) a load of chicken manure pellets.
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