I have a big vegetable problem...

[Storm]

we have just taken over a plot that is 21.6 x 13.5 metres (72 x 44 feet) and the soil is good, it gets plenty of sun and other lotties there have had great success with growing things.

however, it occured to me the other day that though we have a huge plot i only have a cottage and cottage garden with limited storage space.

so basically, i have to grow herbs and vegetables that can live "in situ" until they are needed and can be picked and eaten when needed (e.g. leeks) - rather than potatoes for example that would have to be lifted at a given time and then stored for use.

the herb garden is sorted. but i am struggling to think of veg that can "stay in until use" like leeks. can anyone make any suggestions?

i have been growing flowers and herbs successfully for some time but not veg really..

any help greatly appreciated lest our plot becomes the biggest herb garden in all england!!!

cheers

simon

[carlseawolf]

can you build a shed on your plot as that will take care of storing the potatoes if not someone on here made a potato store on here out of a wardrobe and most root crops can be stored in wooded boxes with sand or peat in them for several months.
The best way of course is to sow little and often that way you don't get a glut of one thing for a couple of weeks then nothing at all for the rest of the year. The worst for this problems is salad crops as you always end up chucking aways lettuces and a good way of getting around this is cut and come again types.
fruit and veg can always be traded for favors

[Winged one]

I think a lot of root crops would be useful - carrots, parsnips etc. Cabbages too probably. But successional sowing is a good ploy.

The other thing is - I know you say small cottage, but do you have spare space in a wardrobe say? Not necessarily in the kitchen but cupboards elsewhere or under dressers etc? Then you could make jars of chutnies, jams, pickles etc and store them there. I have a box of jars of chutney in my spare wardrobe and I just take out one as I need it. Or jars of roasted or dried veg saved in oils (like dried tomatoes or roasted courgettes - and someone please yell if I am giving bad advice cos I haven't tried these, just feel inherently that they would work - haven't had those gluts yet,,)

[chuffa]

Parsnips are a good veg. You can sow them in March when it is more calm and can be left in the ground up until late Feb the following year. They can also be kept in a clamp on the lottie and used when needed.

[momol]

Storm, if you sow a bit at a time (succession sowing) like what Carlseawolf suggest plus grow more varieties, they will surely gives you a continuous harvest of different crop as different plant/veg need different amount of days to mature.
For staple crop, apart from potatoes you could grow winter squashes too as they stores well for months.
I read it somewhere that OP cabbage seeds is better choice for home grower who wish to harvest continuously as they don't mature uniformly ,this way you will have longer harvest time for the same crop.
I know it is tricky to calculate the continuous harvest but any extra harvest can either be preserve such as freezing, sauce making, pickling, drying, or any suitable preserving methode or give away for your love ones(family, friend).
Sometimes bad weather / insect / plant disease minimize certain harvest significantly. Last year I only managed to harvest couples of my tomatoes due to widespread of nasty blight but in the other hand I harvested a lot of winter squashes and some small amount of early potatoes.
Goodluck with your plan .

[Birdie Wife]

You could put in some perennials - globe and jerusalem artichokes would be good - fruit bushes/trees too, you'll have a glut in the summer but there are lots of ways to convert the produce to storable things like chutneys, home brewing, freezing (get a deep freezer if you have space, you won't regret it!).

[bluemoon]

You could build a clamp for your roots, basically you pack them with straw, cover with a mound of earth and leave a 'chimney' open in the centre at the top in order to let out the gases which cause the roots to rot, then dig your way in from the side when you're ready to use them. Otherwise I'd go for successional sowing, look in the seed catalogues and draw up a plan which takes their seasons into account and also allows for the time and space that will be needed in the ground.

[Storm]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

sadly we can't put a shed up - it's in the contract that we can't. it's a pain as it means that we have to lug all our tools etc up there with us every time and there is nowhere to store things like compost, canes, plastic bags etc. a shed would have been a great storage solution!!

my cottage is quite large really but dates from the 1500s and has been chopped and changed considerably in that time and space is at a premium. we struggle to accommodate a couple of forks and a spade so sacks of stuff is not really a starter.

pickles etc are a great idea - i love anything in vinegar! i hadn't thought of that. i have stored my chillis in oil before and that worked well (and the oil leftover was great for cooking with!)

artichokes are a favourite in our place as is cane fruit which we all scoff so no surplus goes to waste of that

thanks for the advice on succession sowing too.

plenty to think about as i cycle home tongiht!

[Storm]

a couple more questions from your answers above...

I read it somewhere that OP cabbage seeds is better choice for home grower who wish to harvest continuously

what are OP cabbage seeds???

Parsnips are a good veg. You can sow them in March when it is more calm and can be left in the ground up until late Feb the following year. They can also be kept in a clamp on the lottie and used when needed.

I think a lot of root crops would be useful - carrots, parsnips etc. Cabbages too probably. But successional sowing is a good ploy.

other lotties have had problems with carrot fly that have ruined parsnip and carrot crops.

do you have any recommendations regarding varieties that are tougher and more resistent? we are particularly interested in growing heritage seed or varieties for flavour rather than size or form. we want to eat the yummy veg and it's not for show!

cheers for all the suggestions. it's been very useful. Jo has got an old WI book of pickles and jams... better start collecting empty jars

[shirley]

just a thought but what about asparagus. Short season but wow. I am planting some in my allotment. You have to leave them 2 years before harvesting

[Winged one]

I had carrotfly probs last year, so no use on varieties, but my ploy for this year is to surround more open areas with fleece (weighted down to the ground and up to about 3 feet high) and also sow some carrots in with the onions (where the onion smell will confuse the flies!!). And hopefully get some marigolds in too for smell confusion.

[momol]

Storm, Op is for open pollinated ( a traditional non hybrid type).
I companion my carrots with some garlic and spring onions and it seems to work nicely (not a single one with carrot fly damage).

[Lavenderblue]

just a thought but what about asparagus. Short season but wow. I am planting some in my allotment. You have to leave them 2 years before harvesting

I have some asparagus crowns ready to go in but its a good thought

The (soon to be our) cottage is really little (and very lovely) but there is a pantry so lots of jams and chutneys are a really good option. There is always the loft for storing things, though we will have to make a dent in the sloe gin supply first though....

[jacob marley]

Storm hi you could grow potatos and earth them up well they would keep perfectly well in the ground i dug some up last sunday after i had got through the frozen ground i had some for dinner on sunday and some more in a few minutes (ps they was'nt of my plot )so there is another idea jacob

[Storm]

I had carrotfly probs last year, so no use on varieties, but my ploy for this year is to surround more open areas with fleece (weighted down to the ground and up to about 3 feet high) and also sow some carrots in with the onions (where the onion smell will confuse the flies!!). And hopefully get some marigolds in too for smell confusion.

Storm, Op is for open pollinated ( a traditional non hybrid type).
I companion my carrots with some garlic and spring onions and it seems to work nicely (not a single one with carrot fly damage).

some good ideas there - all the better cos spring onions and garlic are two of my fave foods

I have got LOADS of marigold seeds from my garden last year, and all "OP" - i can say that now that i know what it means. thanks Momol