Hi guys (+ Late allotment planting)

[obo]

As a newcomer to the forum I'd just like to say hi...... so...... hi

I've been a regular reader of GYO for a while now, and when you start to consider a subscription, I guess things are getting serious!

I first started in this growing stuff malarky a few year ago when a friend bought me a tomato growing starter kit from Tesco's as a bit of a wheeze. Me being me , I went and sourced a second hand-greenhouse, and that first year grew toms, cucumbers and chilli's with (on the whole) success.
I moved house and installed a gh there too, trying melons as well as the toms/cuc/chilli's. Again, the results fuelled my interest (starting to sound familiar, anyone?).

I find myself in my 2nd summer in the new house and having 're-assigned' a 30' x 10' corner of the garden, I have the ubiquitous Runners, a few Lettuce, rows of Carrots, and Spring Onions, a dozen Cabbage, the same of PSB to go in shortly, 3 Courgette , 3 rows of Onions and 2 of Garlic! I also have Salad Leaves in a growbag, and some long planters with Radish in. Oh, and I now use the greenhouse solely for Chilli's (about 30 plants) & Cucumbers (2 off) and have 12 Cordon Toms & 13 Cherry Toms in pots outside! I also have some Spuds coming from Alan Romans soon that I intend sticking in old compost bags. Phew! Doesn't sound much if you say it fast

Needless to say, I find myself considering an allotment. The local (5 mins walk) site has vacant plots and I can have a plot now without having to pay until March of next year (the princely sum of £15 ). So, if I take the plot on now, I was hoping the collective wisdom of the forum could come up with some idea's for what to plant even though it's a bit late in the season. The lady of the house has some Yellow Dwarf French Beans, and I fancy some Chinese Cabbage, but other than than we're open to suggestion. So, any takers?

Darren

[Squirrel]

Hullo obo - don't have an allotment but am turning my front garden into an ornamental kitchen garden come cottage garden and having great fun doing so! Can sympathise with the 'growing malarky'!

Enjoy!

[Birdie Wife]

You can still sow successional crops like lettuces, beetroot, spring onions and winter crops like sprouts, winter radish, kale, leeks if you're quick. Maybe you could have a look for vegetable plants in the garden centres but they'll need hardening off before you plant them out. Maybe you could have a chat to some of your fellow allotmenteers and see if they have surplus plants?

[Shortie]

Welcome to the Vine obo

You can still plant carrot in June I'm sure. I think even into July ?
Also, I've only just started off my swiss chard and raab cima de rapa.

Also, in october is an ideal time to plant garlic and more chard, so there are more opportunities again to plant.

I know this won't necessarily fill the plot, but it'll fill up a chunk while you get on with the digging / bed laying.

Let us know your decision, and if you do take it on, most of all enjoy it

[obo]

Firstly, many thanks to all for the welcomes and replies.

Hot off the press this evening - a 250 sq yd plot was selected and the paperwork should be done by the weekend. We are fortunate to have most of the dormant plot sheeted over, so little to do by way of weed eradication - about 20 sq yds of tall stuff. One of our neighbours was tending his empire (2 plots and a greenhouse-worth! .... and a small chalet instead of the more lowly shed!) when we arrived to make a plot selection, who mentioned that he hires his rotavator out at £20 a plot, so it shouldn't be too long before the ground is ready. I've already managed to source some slabs for the pathway and a shed, which would appear to be a required piece of kit because there is no water provision - collect your own!

My neighbour suggested spuds to help to break up the ground, so the soon-to-arrive Alan Roman's can be used there. It all seems to be falling into place quite nicely. Darn! Shouldn't have said that

So, a new exciting chapter in the "growing stuff malarky"© begins!

Watch this space.

Darren

[lyndap]

Good luck with your new empire obo.

[obo]

Update: The plot has been cleared of sheeting with the exception of the top 12 ft or so that had been used as a bit of a dumping ground for all and sundry (including the site chairman from what I hear ) but the remainder has now been rotovated by a friendly local for the princely sum of £20.

A quick trip to the local garden centre has resulted in swede and calabrese in the form of starter plants and a packet of beetroot seeds.

The next stage is to get 'em into the ground, which unfortunately, due other commitments, won't happen until Tuesday. Cant wait!

Also, cabbage and cauliflower seeds have been planted in seed trays to get them started at home before transplanting to the plot.

The whole site has it's fair share of bindweed and horsetail, and my plot is no different. I guess that will have to be addressed as and when, using the combined attack of glyphosate and amicide (ammonium sulphamate) - it helps to have friends in the agricultural chemicals handling business , but for the moment, the priority is getting stuff growing. I also understand that owning a couple of sackfuls of slug pellets are de rigeur for this site, so an investment in some NemaSlug may be in the offing.

So, a small amount of progress has been made, albeit with a lot of sweat, but am looking for forward to the remainder of the year, and planning for next years crops.