I got one...(well almost)

[DuncanM]

Yesterday I found out my 14+ month wait for an allotment was nearing an end, I'm 4th on the list with "a few" coming up very shortly and I should get one in a month or two...

I went to visit the site last night and spoke to someone who has had a lottie there for years to find out what it's like and he said it's genuinely a very good allotment. Large quantities of manure is provided free, water troughs every 2 plots and clay free soil that doesn't require serious extra input of nutrients and compost.

I'm not sure if I'll get a 2.5 or 5 rod plot yet but I don't want to get it and actually have nothing to plant so I'm going to think about starting off lots of new plants, but my question is - what is best to sow mid June through to early July.

I'm not a big fan of beans (other than french and I'm already growing plenty of those at home).

Thanks for any advice!

[chris]

courgettes/squash
peas
beretroot
salad leaves?

[dawndaisy]

Hi Duncan,
congratulations on amlmost being a plot holder. I got my 1/2 plot this time last year, so was in the same position as you are. Exciting, isnt it?
There are loads of things you can start in pots now, and you have the added benefit that you wont have to worry about frost.
If you take on a neglected plot, however, it will take time to clear the whole lot, so lots depends on what you get.
My plot was overgrown whith shrubs, and perennials, as it had been used as a flower arangers garden for many years. The soil is heavy clay, no water supply and very few services. (the rent is cheap though!)
I cleared one strip at a time, and planted up as I went rather than trying to clear the whole lot in one go.
I sowed runner beans, french beans, cabbage, calibraise, purple sprouting, cauli, couirgette, salad leaves,and butternut squash to grow on in pots whilst I was clearing space, and planted as soon as i Had a bed availabe. I also bought some sweetcorn, runners and leek seedlings, which did less well than the stuff I had sowed myself, maybee as they had crammed too many in a pot. I always sow one seed per module, and can then plant up a healthy plant with a good root system. The corn was useless, and died, as they had put 10 seeds in one small pot.

I planted the module grown plants into the ground, most of it at the end of June, Brassicass in July/August, and bought onion sets, which I planted in October, to over winter.
I had leeks, and brassicas all winter, which meant I had a productive plot continuously from about July onwards.

Some of your crops will be a bit late, but many people sow things in June, especially if they havent a greenhouse.
I hope the plot you get is in good condition, and it sounds like a great site. Im a little jealous of anyone with piped water!
I already wonder if I should put my name down for another 1/2 plot.
Sorry to ramble on. I got carried away, as it brought back fond memories of the fun we had this time last year.
Good luck
dawndaisy.

[Andromeda]

I think I'm beginning to sound obsessed, but durham earlies (a type of cabbage) can be sown from July, some types of fennel can be sown through June. Chris and Dawndaisy have mentioned the others I would have suggested.

[DuncanM]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

I think I'll keep the salad leaves and herbs at home, just next to the kitchen door as they are there when needed. I'd prefer to use the allotment for things you can't take off every now and then (if that makes sense).

I do have 60 or so sweetcorn plants growing in a raised bed at home, a bit too big to move so they'll stay there this year but I'll move next year to free up some space for more salad.

I think I'll go for a lot of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, courgette and squash on whatever free space there is. IF I get a 5 rod plot I'll probably let my neighbour use half of it for the first year (or until he receives his own) which will mean it'll still be used before I get the time to plan for a full 5 rod.

[Kleftiwallah]

"a few" coming up very shortly and I should get one in a month or two..."

This sounds as if 'they' have finally got off their backsides and decided to remove allotment holders not keeping to the rules re upkeep. Best wishes. Cheers, Tony.

[dominic10]

Well done! We were told at the beginning of the year we were No. 6 on the list with maybe six months to wait. We were offered a 5 rod plot on 7th April and have been busy clearing. We have runner beans, peas and courgettes planted out and also carrots and potatoes. I have planted seeds at home (leeks, purple sprouting broccoli, kale, cabbages, mange tout) - my husband is on holiday next week and we hope to really get to grips. Because of the overgrown state of the plot we have just over half covered with plastic. We freecycled some decking to build raised beds next week. You could also still plant spinach beet and chard. I appreciate not everyone likes these but we do! Happy allotmenteering.

[Feral007]

You have to grow tomatoes, I couldn't have a garden without tomatoes. Cucumber and lettuce as well. Yes to the leeks. Then cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and don't forget the bok choi, pak choi, and all the other choi's. You'll need some spring onions. How about some radish (even if you don't like them they grow so well ) Carrots. That'll do for a start!
Congratulations by the way!

[DuncanM]

Pak choi, lettuce, spinach are all in my self-made window box holder (will add a photo when I get home), nothing elegant but just a timber frame that holds 2 rows of 7 rectangular "windowsill" plant pots - 1 slightly off the floor, one raised just under the window of the dining room so that it makes the most of the vertical space.

Cucumbers, carrots, parsnips, spuds, onions, garlic, tomatoes, sweetcorn, courgette 5 different types of pepper/chilli, herb bed, blueberries, hazlenuts, goji and blackcurrants are all at home too. So I'll leave most of that stuff at home this year, and move most (except the gojis, hazlenuts and blackcurrants).

Can't wait

[Two_Sheds]

I'm not a big fan of beans (other than french and I'm already growing plenty of those at home)

Do you eat them fresh, or as kidney beans? I grow 100s of plants, leaving 90% of them to dry ~ I don't much like fresh beans

Pak choi, lettuce, spinach ...Cucumbers, carrots, parsnips, spuds, onions, garlic, tomatoes, sweetcorn, courgette 5 different types of pepper/chilli, herb bed, blueberries, hazlenuts, goji and blackcurrants are all at home too.

I'm just wondering why you need an allotment ...? It sounds like you have a huge & productive garden already

[DuncanM]

I do have a productive garden, but I'd like to grow a lot more. Despite it sounding like a lot, it's not as much as it sounds.

The Garlic and and Onions are taking up a lot of space (must have ~40 of each) but that area was only a temporary veg patch, it's getting paved over this summer as part of my pizza oven/outdoor kitchen-esque self build.

I've got a 1mx6.5m raised bed that has the sweetcorn, 1 courgette plant, 2 cucumbers, 4 tomatoes, 2x1m long row of carrots and same of parsnips and about 12 spuds (3 rows of 4 seed potatoes).

I reckon the salad is enough for the next month, but when I cut the heads (I prefer that type of lettuce and the crunch) I won't have that much for the rest of summer.

My garden is decent sized but about 45ft long, of which a big part will be lawn, I have a 1m strip around the right hand side that is used for veg, and all my plants.

So even though I have a large variety the actual numbers of most of them (except onion, garlic and corn) are very small and only really enough for a couple of meals. Having the allotment will let me grow decent quantities and stagger certain veggies so I can have a sustained crop - or that's the thinking anyway.

[Two_Sheds]

Having the allotment will let me grow decent quantities and stagger certain veggies so I can have a sustained crop

Well, you sound like you know what you're doing, so get the biggest plot you can. 5 rods is half my allotment, and I'd struggle with a half. A quarter wouldn't really be worth the bother

[DuncanM]

Wow, now that is an allotment!


Here's my salad "bar" surrounded by 3 dwarf apple trees and lots of strawbs. (pepper inside the window)


Herb bed next to the shed, with strawbs in baskets on wall and my wild strawberry is in the herb bed at the front for those that can see it.


2 Hazles and 4 blackcurrants all in 2nd year.

[Feral007]

Looking good, but you def need more space. I couldn't cope growing all in small containers. But then I'm a chuck it all in and see what comes up sort of person, so maybe it's that smallish containers couldn't cope with me!

Hope you get your allotment soon so you can get cracking