am i too late?

[Peebels]

Ok, it look like i will be getting my allotment this week which is fab, but what i would like to know is; -

is thier anythingi can be sowing planting now or am i too late?

is their anything i could be growing into the winter months?

Location wise i am in the south manchester area.

I do have some cherry tomatoe seedlings almost ready for planting which i had intended for a pot in the back yard, but the allotment might be a better place for them now.

Thanks in advance

[Pumpkin Becki]

You'll be fine.

Lots of things are fine for planting/sowing now - carrots, and parsnips, lettuce, radishes, pumpkins, squashes, runner beans, brassicas - check the back of your seed packets.

Some things don't need planting til a bit later, especially if you want to over-winter, lambs lettuce, perpetual spinach, rainbow chard...the list goes on.

The lovely thing about later sown plants is that they have this knack of catching up with earlier sewn ones.

I sat on the floor at my local garden centre with seed packets of all the things I wanted to grow, and worked out which part of the year they would harvest in, so that I could see where any 'hungry gaps' would be. I also keep all my seed packets in a long narrow cardboard box, with monthly dividers. I file all my packets by the month they need sewing, and if any (like lettuce) can be repeat sewn, I move them on into the next month to make sure I get a nice succession of crops and now gluts followed by famines.

Hope this helps, and best of luck!

[HeyWayne]

I think you're still ok for radishes, peas, carrots and maybe beans. I'm sure someone who knows will be along soon though...

[wifey34]

hi ive also just started to grow my own but looking at a book i bought it says ur ok 4 spring onions ,watercress,brussell sprouts,rocket,cabbages,broccoli,cauliflower and radishes,i hope this helps and good luck 2 u

[percy charlie]

leeks, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, beans, squases, onions, garlic
and how about fruit for next year plant now and most will fruit next year especially if you can get plants 2 years plus, i did this last year and have fruit now for fruit try gooseberries, currents black red and white, blackberry(thornless nicer to pick) japenese wine berry, strawberries, goji berries, cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, rhubarb.
this week i have planted potatoes, carrots, onions beans plants seem to play catch up and due to warmer weather germination will be faster and more likely. go for it good luck pc

[Peebels]

Thanks guys, looks like i will have plenty to be going at. Just need to workout how to prepare the soil now. Im not sure i really understand when i should be using manure/compost etc? Should i just turn all the soil over and then mix in some multi-purpose compost? And if so how deep?

[HeyWayne]

Mixing in compost/organic matter always helps any time of year. The best time quoted to do it is in the autumn, in readiness for the next growing season. As to how deep - I think a spade's depth is adequate in most cases.

I had a quick flick through GYO mag last night and there's a bit about what to sow in July. Carrots (quick growers like Early Nantes) and Fennel (Florence I think) can be sown then - in the case of Fennel it's probably the best time to sow.

That's what I think anyway.

[Mrs Dobby]

Peebels, we too are South Manchester (Trafford), and have just finished clearing our second plot and planting it up! Congrats on getting your new plot btw!

You should still be ok with carrots, salad crops, peas, beans, cabbages, sprouts, parsnips, turnips, broccolli and if you can get some plants from the Garden Center, then you may also get cucumbers, courgettes, squashes, tomatos and cucumbers. Its worth a go with anything, it only has 2 choices anyway, grow or die!

As for preparing the soil, I'd ask first a few questions. Is the soil weed infested? Are there any problem weeds (bindweed, couch grass, mares tail) that need to be sorted out? How long is it since the land was used for growing veg? Do you have any idea what was planted where in the past?

When we took over our first plot in October 2006 it was 8' deep in weeds, it took us 6 months of double digging to get it cleared, and as it hadnt been worked for a few years we didnt bother with manuring or adding anything other than some chicken poo pellets once in a while. We got 850 pounds worth of organic crops from the plot last year!

[Peebels]

The whole allotment is covered in weeds up to about waist high. It seams to be mostly stinging nettles. One of the guys on site said none of it looked liked the weeds you mentioned? Just so much of it. I don’t think the soil has been used for a couple of years. There is a big pile of manure at the top of my plot though.

Started chopping today but I don’t really know what i am doing

[hooraynana]

As long as the manure is not too new ( very smelly is usually a giveaway and a bit wet euggh !! lol ) you can dig it in to your new plot provided there are not any weeds which will come back - like the dreaded couch , bind weed and mares tail - even if there is just a cm of root in the ground these weeds will grow back and thrive if you have helped the with some tasty manure !!
Also if you know you are planting carrots or parsnips - steer clear of manuring as this may cause the carrots and parsnips to fork - which results in some really weird looking veg which is about the only plus point :-)
Other than that just start with a small bit - it's all very rewarding when something does grow and it usually spurs me on.
I took my allotment on this year, having only grown veg at home and i've been really lucky, a chap called ray has taken me under his wing and rotavated and helped build a fence to rabbit proof it .
There are still potato plants popping up all over from the rest of the plot from previous years !!
Am sure you will enjoy your own veg soon :-)

[Mrs Dobby]

Neither did we know what we were doing when we started, so thats not a problem, after all, a weed is only a plant growing where you dont want it!!

If there's manure thats been there for a while, then you've probably got some great soil conditioner / compost, as well rotted its fab stuff!

First off I'd concentrate on clearing the ground, chop or strim it, then mark out any paths and beds you want, covering what you arent ready to dig with cardboard or black plastic (it'll help suppress the weeds and make it easier when you get to dig it). Then work out if you want to cover your paths first, or if you want to dig the beds and get planting (at this time of year I'd say get planting first and sort your paths out when the growing season is over or when you've got the chance!)

Good luck and have fun!!

[Peebels]

Thanks again for your helpful advice

One of the fella's on sight came over with his petrol strimmer and leveled the lot for me. Their was a wee bit of mares tail but only the odd bit. I spent the whole of yesterday raking up the cuttings, it was great. I got a little burnt though, silly me. I think i am going to go down today and move the carpets about and plant some things out. Im going to concentrate on the bottom half for the moment so ill cover the top half.

p

[zazen999]

Hi Peebles
I'd definitely second the covering with cardboard idea: it's fab. We are digging ours over square meter by square meter; taking out as many weed roots, putting cardboard down and putting the cleaned soil on top. Then planting through the cardboard. It's keeping the weeds down a treat. Plus as it rots it adds organic matter which in our clayey soil is much needed. And the boxes are free from the supermarket.

[danski]

hi peebles im at the same point as you. got some dug dirt and a watering can but nothing to water yet cept some spuds. going to take the advice and sow some packets today(dont know what yet). trial and error mate.good luck with it all. danski