Catch crops or just prepare for next year??

[no-h]

Hey everyone!

I'm slowly managing to clear my plot and gain some actual growing space and just wondering now I have a bed ready should I put catch crops in or just get it all ready with manure/compost etc and cover it ready to start when the rest it ready? When it's finished I will have 14 beds and so this really is just the beginning. Will I be making more work for myself by putting catch crops in while I still have so much work to do?

[rustylady]

Plant it with something. Salad (lettuce, radish) don't take long to mature. Peas can still be sown if you're quick (I've got some more Kelvedon Wonder).

It's not really making work for yourself and at least you should have something to harvest.

[WendyC]

I agree with above. With something to harvest you'll feel like you're getting somewhere too. What about gettibg some of those winter crops in? Purple sprouting brocolli, kale and leeks for example.

[leonmc0708]

the rightous (yet somewhat geeky) pride you feel when you pull your own and take it home and cook it far outweighs the pride of looking at a covered up plot for 6 months.

[zazen999]

Flippin heck - next year already?

I just sowed peas and beans, basil and lettuce and half of them are up already.

I'd get down to a nursery and purchase a couple of tomatoes, take any sideshoots off and root them for new plants and get those planted. And sow the above 4 crops where the toms aren't.

[no-h]

Lol Zazen999 yes next year - that's how long I'm thinking it's going to take for me to sort the plot out! It's a bit of a jungle at the moment haha.

I see everyones point about getting something in the ground though and think I will definitely go for planting something rather than looking at a sorry covered bed waiting for the rest to be ready :-)

[alldigging]

beetroot!
Lettuce
Spring onions

Anything!
Why leave soil empty? Nature won't!

[Mr Bones]

As everyone says, go for it no-h. My spuds and broad beans are out the ground so this week I've planted lettuce, chard, florence fennel, beetroot and more runner beans in their place. It won't grow if you don't plant it

[zazen999]

Lol Zazen999 yes next year - that's how long I'm thinking it's going to take for me to sort the plot out! It's a bit of a jungle at the moment haha.

I see everyones point about getting something in the ground though and think I will definitely go for planting something rather than looking at a sorry covered bed waiting for the rest to be ready :-)

I'd have to say don't cover it - at least sow some green manure to get something growing. I recommend Phaecelia and Red Clover as if any do flower next year [I leave some in corners to flower] they give your plot added nectar for the bees.

[scarey55]

It won't grow if you don't plant it

That's what I say to myself, better to have given it a go than have loads of seeds at the end of the year - having said that, I still have loads of seeds but I think that's part of my addiction

[Bigmallly]

It won't be long before the garlic & onion sets go in............then it'll be ch****mas.......double

[veggiechicken]

... and its only 96 days until the clocks go back

[dominic10]

When we took over our plot in April we had to fight the urge to dig it all over first and make it ours. We looked at a lot of advice from other Grapes to get planting and we are now harvesting spuds, spinach, carrots, courgettes and runner beans. We did cover some of our plot with plastic and also mulched with stable litter a small area and it was quite an incentive to get planting as not nice to look at. As mentioned quite a few crops can be planted now and we will also overwinter broad beans as well as leeks, onion sets, PSB and kale.

[Jamesy_uk]

I just picked myself up 40 plug plant leeks off fleabay for £5 including p&p, I will let ya know how they are when they arrive.
Will give you a chance at some stuff your too late for like me and still be cheaper than the supermarkets!

[Samurailord]

Get some quick crops in - spinach, radish, lettuce, chard.

If you can find some at the garden centre go for some winter and spring cabbage, brussels and kale to give you some ground cover.

Plant the quick crops between them so they can be harvested and out of the way before your brassicas need the space.

Just don't leave it empty - a full bed is the perfect remedy for allotment blues.

I'm hoping to have at least one bed ready for planting this weekend myself.

Andy