Ideas for a newly cleared area.

[Tail End Charlie]

I need some ideas.
I recently took on an allotment and have spent the last couple of months getting it into some sort of shape and I must say I'm chuffed with my work.
I have an area which next year I will put in fruit bushes but need some ideas what to put in this year, just whilst I work on the rest of the plot. It's had alot of horsetail and bindweed and I've dug a load out but I know it'll come back. It's very roughly dug and I've put some manure and grass clipings on, so sowing seeds may be tricky as they'd easily get lost but there must be something else.

Any ideas ????

[binley100]

Is it well rotted manure, I was just thinking get some courgette plants, or maybe BNS

[Tail End Charlie]

Sorry to be dumb, what's BNS ? The manure is well rotted.

[binley100]

Butternut squash. It's probably a bit late to sow but you could get some plug plants, things like that would love loads of manure.

[di]

Any squash will do a grand job of covering the ground and help to keep the weeds down.
You could get away with sowing some Butternuts now,but if you only need a couple of plants perhaps just as cheap to buy some small plants...you could go for a couple of different plants then.
Carboots are pretty good for cheap pumpkin plants.

[Two_Sheds]

Any squash will do a grand job of covering the ground and help to keep the weeds down.

Just what I would suggest: pumpkins. They will do a grand job of ground cover and shading out the marestail.

You're probably too late for sowing BNS (they like a longer season than many pumpkins).

Where are you? If you put your location into your profile, we won't keep asking

[Sanjo]

Any squash will do a grand job of covering the ground and help to keep the weeds down.
You could get away with sowing some Butternuts now,but if you only need a couple of plants perhaps just as cheap to buy some small plants...you could go for a couple of different plants then.
Carboots are pretty good for cheap pumpkin plants.

My local Wilkinsons had Butternuts yesterday. £1.49 (I think) a pot but good strong looking plants.Might be worth it if you only want a couple. They would give you a good head start as they appeared to be well established. They were much better, for instance, than my home grown ones which are still waiting for a place in the garden. I have repotted them into a slightly larger pot and given them new compost but they look weak compared to the Wilkies ones.

[Two_Sheds]

My local Wilkinsons had Butternuts yesterday. £1.49 (I think) a pot

You'll get 2 or maybe 3 fruits per plant? I do anyway

[Tail End Charlie]

Excellent some good ideas there. I'll go for the pumpkins (years ago I made a pumpkin pie and it was delicious, no idea where the recipe is now though) and try BNS next year.

Many thanks for your replies.

I'll edit my profile, I live in Altrincham, just south of Manchester.

[di]

Have a look in Season to Taste.
Loads of pumpkin recipes and I'm pretty sure a Pumkin Pie recipe from Mrs Dobby.

[Tail End Charlie]

Thankyou, I'll try that.