New prepared allotment, what to plant?

[thecornflake]

Hi,

Have been on council list for ages and still have 20 people above me but the New Allotment Company have started up literally down the road from us. Basically fully prepared soil, lockable storage, toilets, free water and manure, parking, etc etc plus discount for council list people. It's 1000 sq ft and in the agreement I have to have a quarter being cultivated by three months but I was planning to get that much planted at least anyway. So basically what can I get in now, looking for good ground cover to stop weeds etc as well as some quick return. I was thinking spinach, lettuces, swedes(?) radishes, potatoes (just have time I think) and then some garlic later on in the year. Any other suggestions?

[Jeanied]

Ooh - how exciting. I just found out that kale can be started from seed now - and you could be lucky and find a range of brassica seedlings in the garden centre round about now - I got some caulis and savoys last weekend. The brassicas will take up quite a lot of room!

[binley100]

Spring cabbage, florence fennel, lettuce can all be started from seed now. Also if you're quick so can some beetroot.

[thecornflake]

Thanks for the replies.

It's all sorted and ready to go, off there to get sowing today if the weather doesn't stop me (although it really needs rain so I win either way I guess).

So far I have carrot, chard, cabbage, endive, potatoes and lettuces, plus my parents started off some spinach a week or so ago in their greenhouse and I have some more lettuces that are about two weeks old in pots. I also have a large packet of green manure seeds to cover what I don't use this year. Also planning to get some raspberry canes later on this year when they're available.

[binley100]

Sounds like you're got things pretty well covered................

[zazen999]

The other 3/4 - sow a green manure to keep it covered for the winter.

[thecornflake]

The other 3/4 - sow a green manure to keep it covered for the winter.

That's the plan. Went there today, took a couple of pics and added them to my blog. Ground is very hard, rocky clay plus no rain for ages. Managed to turn over a patch about 2 feet by 4 feet and dig on some well rotted manure (unlimited supply luckily) but it took a good hour and a half! At least I now have a lot of rocks to mark my bed borders until I get hold of some wood though!

Not sure if it's good enough to sow seed directly in yet, will go up again tomorrow and decide what to do and get some more dug. Popped a few seeds in pots at home anyway this afternoon - lettuce, chard and some carrots as I really don't think I can improve the soil enough this season for carrots (certianly not straight ones anyway!).