Allotments, where to start ?

[cbp125]

Decide what style of gardening you prefer, some people prefer no dig methods Charles Dowding on youtube covers this well.

I'd second Charles Dowding he has TONS of videos available on YouTube - sounds like you have time to evaluate the various methods available.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB1J6s ... h7q0O2WJBg

Can I thank you for recommending Charles Dowding! I am in love with this man! So easy to listen to. And an absolute wealth of bite sized information. And he makes it all seem so easy and obvious. I've learned so much from him - for me mainly: the reason why I struggle so much with so many vegetables is timing! I am sowing and planting at the wrong time. I've bought his Diary book so I can completely rewrite my gardening schedule!

Thank you so much!

Some allotment people have very strong opinions on what is right, and it is usually "their" way. Charles is gentle, relaxing and accepts the views of others and just tries to explain his way, with a calm comparison.
Just remember it takes years to find your groove with gardening, just be consistant, never great just consistant

[peejay]

Can I thank you for recommending Charles Dowding! I am in love with this man! So easy to listen to. And an absolute wealth of bite sized information. And he makes it all seem so easy and obvious. I've learned so much from him - for me mainly: the reason why I struggle so much with so many vegetables is timing! I am sowing and planting at the wrong time. I've bought his Diary book so I can completely rewrite my gardening schedule!

Thank you so much!

Agreed on all points!

[ukpreppergrrl]

Just remember it takes years to find your groove with gardening, just be consistant, never great just consistant

Am am consistent, consistently bad! Ok actually I'm good with tomatoes and chillies - I accidentally got the timing and conditions right first time and just kept repeating what I did. OK with spuds. But I've always struggled with peas and beans, it appears, according to Saint George Dowding, that seed packet backs notwithstanding, they like very different growing conditions! I've been starting my peas way too late and keeping them too hot (I can grow aubergines outside so you can tell my garden gets hot!), and sowed my beans way too early!

I've experimented with kale but I have a very small garden and kale take up a lot of space but I'm going to try Cavalo Nero again this year - May 10th for sowing the seed according to Saint George! - and harvest it the Saint George style. I've also got hold of some perennial kale cuttings which are rooting on my kitchen windowsill....hopefully! Never knew such a thing existed.

I think what appeals to me about the no-dig method is that I really enjoy fussing around with propagating seeds and cuttings and I'm less interested in the mud and wellies. I'd be a nurseryman if I were a horticulturalist! I can get pretty much all my seeds to germinate (except soya...I seriously struggle with soya), and I have little cuttings growing all around the place (I may have overdone the gooseberries though...!) but growing them on into edible plants is where I fall down. No-dig gives me what I like from both sides: start almost all your plants in trays and pots, then plant out into beds that only require a couple of inches of compost to be chucked over them and no digging! For me that's the best of both worlds! If you're someone who struggles with bloody fiddly little seeds but likes to get stuck in and dig for victory, then no-dig is definitely not for you!

[cbp125]

I am not a huge expert, but by your description, you could have poor nutrients in your soil. Seeds love a bland and sterile soil with poor nutrition to germinate, which could explain you good success starting off. Then as they grow they need very good nutrition especially legumes (beans/peas) so that could explain the stunting as they develop. No dig works very well for this situation but you can get test kits to prove.

Soya has the highest number of GM crops in the world and even organic grown "GM free" crops have been shown to have crossed with GM from fields quite far away. If they have they will not grow.

Have you tried sprouting the Soya before planting?

[ukpreppergrrl]

Have you tried sprouting the Soya before planting?

Yup! Usually about 1/3 sprout. Then I sow them and 1/3 push their way up. Not a good record! I've tried hotter, colder, deeper, shallower always about the same. Different seeds, including Ustie which is supposed to be bred for the UK. But I love Edamae so I will persevere until I hit on the magic formula!

[featherstick]

Yes, peas need feeding. Everyone thinks they fix enough of their own nitrogen you can just chuck them anywhere and they'll grow but it's not true.

Dwarf french beans are pretty easy and forgiving for a beginner, and very productive.

Also, I prefer chard to kale if you want a leafy green. Again it's dead easy and very productive, and will produce for a long time.