Allotment offer - so what to plant now?

[Jono]

I overwintered onions without any protection last year and they did well. I was worried about them for a while, but once the warmer weather came they grew really well. Planted them in October if I remember correctly.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Oh, and AP, I know this is the wrong thread, but will the onions need covering with a fleece?

Mine survived last years winter without. We had feet of snow followed by savage frosts too. Of course, snow is an insulator so that makes a difference.

[Two_Sheds]

the winter frosts will break down any clods

It's fairly sandy soil over here, I've not seen a clod in 20 years of growing

will the onions need covering with a fleece?

No ~ they are intended to survive the winter

[buzzingtalk]

TS - the ground at OH's mums is clay!! Horrible stuff, we had to raise the beds and buy lots of soil and muck to fill them as growing was nigh on impossible (that's in Suffolk by the way!)

I haven't been able to have a good look at the soil yet, I was meant to have a few days off this week but as usual, my calendar has filled up to the brim, but will be down at the plot on fri/sat at some point to have a good root around the soil and find out how good it is. I think it will be fertile as the weeds on my plot are much bigger and healthier than the weeds on the other unused plot to the side of mine...I just can't wait to get started, although I have no money whatsoever and am trying to source some free wood/pallets to build compost bins with to chuck all of the weeds in when I get down there.

[rustylady]

Don't worry too much about compost bins straight away Buzzingtalk. If you can't get them made yet just make a stack of your weeds. They will still rot down OK.