Winter Veg.

[Abbotts Plot]

Hi as we are new to allotment gardening I have a few questions if someone could help answer them.

1. I've just planted leeks is it ok to put winter lettuce into the same box as them to use up empty space?

2. I planted 12 sprouts is this enough to feed 12 people? (4 families)

3. Is there any plants I can plant to help with pests?

We've just got a 20x20 plot at the minute. Will be expanding it to 20x40 in the new year. We've got garlic & onion sets coming & next month cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli & lettuce. What can I plant together to use up space?

I've read so many gardening books & I just keep getting confused. Thank you.

[planetologist]

I've read so many gardening books & I just keep getting confused.

And now you've come here for more advice? You're bound to get more confused: 12 gardeners, 12 opinions.

1. I've just planted leeks is it ok to put winter lettuce into the same box as them to use up empty space?

Yes.

2. I planted 12 sprouts is this enough to feed 12 people? (4 families)

I don't understand the question. Will 12 brussel sprout plants give 12 people at least one meal? Yes, if something else doesn't eat them first. Will they feed 12 people all winter? No.

3. Is there any plants I can plant to help with pests?

The more the better. Diversity helps keep pests from eating everything. If the brassica's come before the butterflies leave I'd recommend netting of < 5mm mesh.

[Nes]

Leeks and lettuce - yes, as long as they both have enough space to develop, or you remove lettuce when leeks need the space.

Brussels - I had several plants last year, some of which did pretty well, others hardly produced a thing. We (5) had brussels with the sunday roast for several weeks during the winter, sometimes lots, sometimes, not quite so many, nearly 3 kilos in all. If all your plants do well, and the sprouts don't blow, I would guess that 12 plants should probably be enough. That's a big IF though.

Plants v pests - Marigolds and basil are meant to keep whitefly away (they haven't worked for me on my brassicas, though they have in the greenhouse - different kinds of whitefly, I suppose). Nasturtiums are meant to entice cabbage whites away from cabbages and other brassicas. Best protection for brassicas is netting. Fine gauge to keep butterflies off in the warmer months, but keep some form of netting on during the colder months, or the pigeons will eat the lot. I use pond netting all year round, seems to do the business, though most recommend smaller holes (as in above post) for summer.

I keep a 4 year rotation plan, so all brassicas are in one bed, all alliums (onions, garlic, leeks) are in another, beans in another and potatoes are in the last. Other stuff (salad, pumpkins, courgettes, etc) get slotted into gaps. The following year, everything moves round one place. It's meant to help with soil fertility, reduction in pest build up, etc. You'll find plenty about it on here - use the search button near the top of the page. Personally, I'd keep the garlic and onoins together, and the cabbage, cauli and broccoli together (easier to net), and slot lettuces into any gaps. You can worry about room for beans and potatoes when you expand next year - unless you want to try some autumn sown broad beans (aquadulce claudia are the usual recommended variety)!

Hope this has helped a little, and not added to the confusion. Enjoy your plot. This is my 5th year of having my 1/2 plot, and it is my little piece of imperfect heaven. I hope you get as much enjoyment out of yours!

[WendyC]

When you say you have a 20x20 plot are we talking feet or metres. Or even inches and centimetres!
There are some good allotment books around. Andi Clevely "The Allotment Book" has a good seasonal guide in it. Available online for less than a tenner!

[kathyd]

Nasturtians, french marigolds, basil, most herbs in fact, will all help one way or another with pests. However, some combinations are better than others apparently - search online for 'companion plants' and you'll find lots of suggestions of what to mix and what to avoid. I think a lot of it's about smell - if you plant something smelly with your veggies, it either confuses, or attracts some insects away. I've not yet found any plant to protect another plant from slugs though! If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them!

[Two_Sheds]

I've just planted leeks ...next month cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli

Are we talking seeds, or plants? Usually these crops are sown in April (ish) and planted out in the ground in June (ish).
September is very late to be putting these in

I planted 12 sprouts is this enough to feed 12 people?

That all depends how much you eat: 2 sprouts per meal, or 10?

Sprouts are not an economical plant to grow, esp if you're short on space. They are large plants (3ft wide & tall) and take up ground for about 9 mths of the year

Is there any plants I can plant to help with pests?

As the others have said, you ideally should be planting as many different plants (flowers as well as veg) to encourage diversity of predatory insects, the ones who will feed on the pest species


However, nothing will protect your brassicas from their many foes. You must net them, with fine mesh

[Two_Sheds]

I've read so many gardening books & I just keep getting confused

It will start to make more sense as you begin doing the practicals. You can't learn it all from books, you have to learn from doing ~ and from making mistakes

[Snadger]

I have 24 brussel sprout plants in just for me and the missus! 12 sprouts plants won't be enough for four families. The size of an allotment plot was designed to feed one family..........just. I only cover with cheap 1/2" mesh to keep the pigeons off so they have to take there chance with the butterflies.

[Abbotts Plot]

Thanks for all your replies. Plot size is in feet. Sprouts & leeks are plants I'm keeping fingers crossed for them. We've got netting over them. I ended up planting 18 sprout plants it's not that we are feeding 3 families it was just to be able to offer some to the family.

I know we are probably starting late but it's so nice going to the allotment and seeing something growing. Hopefully we will be a bit more organised next year.

Thanks again this forum has been a great help to us.

[Lazy Gardener]

I put 100 onions in and they did well. But as the missus gave a few to people
here and there 3 weeks later we were buying them.

Raspberries though we have bagfuls in the freezer. Nobody seems to like them.

We can pick enough rhubarb to feed the street though.

We did well with beetroot, But the pickled jars of it are going down fast.

Oooh can i have one... Too polite to say no.