What are we planning to grow this year?

[Stasher]

Now I have the whole plot under cultivation, I'm planning on growing more of a few things things, rather than a few of a lot of things(if that makes sense!)
So plenty of spuds, peas, french beans, oca, sweetcorn, summer and winter squash onions(from sets), beetroot.
My perennial garden is coming on nicely and once the polytunnel is up that will be filled with toms, peppers and melons as well as other bits and bobs.
Can't wait!

Never heard of oca before. Sounds like you need to be in a fairly mild climate tho to grow them. They sound delicious

Yes FS, I get all my seeds from them, and they are really good and know their stuff. I'm wondering how beetroot would do and how long it takes to be ready?

Beetroot seems to take FOREVER and then suddenly it's ready. Last year we 'thinned' the polytunnel crop and planted the thinnings in the top veg patch. They of course took longer to mature and extended our beetroot season significantly. Again, truly delicious.

We are planting the usual bean/pea selection, salsify (a first), carrots, leeks, onions, garlic, courgette, marrow, squashes, pumpkins, sweet pepper, cucumber, tomatoes (trying some new varieties this year), raspberries (red and white), strawbewrries, loganberries, gooseberries, blackcurrant, redcurrant, blueberries, some random hybrid that always fruits, makes nice jam, variety of salad leaves, sweetcorn, radishes, beetroots, rhubarb, mint and a variety of herbs, cauliflower erm, sure I've missed some out

Our plum trees are rubbish, we manage to eat about three annually, we ought to get rid of them really. Good friends have a selection of apple trees which keeps us going, oh and whortleberries, but the birds get them first.............

[featherstick]

Happy! I took out the last of the leeks and the Swedes and gave both beds a top-dressing of bone meal, dug up some raspberry canes to give to pals, and then sowed lettuce and broad beans at home. Also wrote up all the seeds on a chart with seeds down the left, months across the top, and dates of sowing, transplanting and harvesting in the relevant boxes. This is really handy for knowing what to grab when dashing up to the allotment for an hour, saves ruffling through all the packs and reading them all.

[jansman]

Going to get in the greenhouse today and prick out the tomatoes, onions and leeks. The chilli plants have just germinated. I shall start cucumbers and aubergines in the propagator this week too. Got lettuce doing well in the polytunnel, and I look forward to them as shop bought lettuce is so insipid.

[featherstick]

Dug and top-dressed a potato bed yesterday, transplanting a few volunteer raspberry canes along the way, transplanted a rhubarb, and then sowed tomatoes at home. I decided to invest in some proper propagators so was in the shop when I bumped into an allotment pal, who said he'd pass me his old ones that he no longer uses - a nice gesture.

I'm chitting some old carrot seed and broad beans to see whether they are still viable.

Blueberries are picking up and opening up more leaves, fig is still pretty quiet.

[featherstick]

Spring is here

In the last week I've sown little gem, red salad bowl, sweet basil, patty-pan, crown prince #1, crown prince #2, vietnamese mustard, gardener's delight, minibel, spring cauliflower, and broad beans, and THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING! Spring is here!

[Brambles]

My Fig hasn't woken up yet either, FS.

I haven't got much more growing just yet, the soil is just about workable now so we will be getting the rotavator out this week. Also the allotment field is so exposed and I learned the hard way last year to have patience and not put things out too early! Sooo, apart from stuff that will eventually grow indoors, I'm waiting an extra week or two.
Weather permitting, Potatoes and Peas (under cloches) will go in once we've rotavated.
I did notice the Raspberries had put up new growth so I cut down the old canes, these are an Autumn fruiting variety.

[featherstick]

Brambles you'll be a couple of weeks behind us in the South East, I dare say.

I am considering putting all the seedlings/seed trays on a board in the spare bedroom, the "conservatory" is still too cold for them. Luckily SWMBO is growing a few trays of flowers too so there is a joint incentive for turning the spare bedroom into a propagator

[Brambles]

The Peas are in (under cloches) 3 rows. The Broad Beans I sowed in November are starting to flower not sure if this is normal or not. I've never grown Broad Beans over winter before. Still, they have 2 chances.

The rotavator threw up some Oca that I missed, it survived the winter quite well in the ground, so I may well leave this year's crop in until I need it, much like you would Fartichokes..., er Jerusalem Artichokes.

I'm running a trial of several varieties of squash this year as the one I normally grow doesn't do well at the allotment so I need a repacement.

[FEISTY]

I, too, have "found" Real Seeds and ordered a number of things a while back, most of which it's too early to sow just yet. The Yacon, though, had to go straight into pots. They were planted into plant pots, which just fit inside used Mackie's ice-cream containers (no dripping on window sill) and all three have sprouted, now about 2". I plan on getting at least 6, free, used tyres from a local tyre garage and using about 2 to make each planter. Having been plagued for years with cats/dogs/squirrels/foxes and Lord knows what else walking across/digging up/pooing in my veg beds I think I may have found, by accident, something that keeps them away. Seaweed! I spread a large trug full over a bed and planted garlic into it and it hasn't been touched. The only thing I'm still bothered with is birds pulling the garlic scapes (?) - I've had to re-set a few. Not sure if only one of my supermarket giant spring onion bulbs is still alive, but I'll leave them for now and see. The early rhubarb is up, but not prolific and my supermarket ginger indoors has produced sprouts, but no sign of growth above the compost. We have a lot of big projects to tackle this year - the weather has done a lot of damage - but hoping to produce a fair amount of edibles this year. Still need to get another greenhouse up though.

[Brambles]

Carp! I'd forgotten all about the Yacon in the shed. Thanks for the reminder FEISTY!