DRAYTON ROAD ALLOTMENTS ASSOCIATION

ALLOTMENTS  AND GARDENS

ADVICE TIPS AND INFORMATION

VEGETABLES

updated 22 December 2011
Not much to do at the moment, look through seed catalogues, order seed potatoes but enjoy the festivities
Try filling plastic bottles with water and place under tender plants,
They are supposed to act like a hot water bottle, taking in heat during the day and protecting against frost at night. useful for runners etc, try it and let me know. The frost, May 4th got my potatoes, same as last year!
S Sow H Harvest
  JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB
Broad Beans   S S     H H H            
Runner Beans       S S   H H H H        
Dwarf Beans       S S   H H H H        
Beetroot       S S S SH H H H        
Sprt. Broccoli         S S             H H
Bruss Sprouts     S S           H H H H H
Summer Cabbage SP SP S       H H H H H      
Winter Cabbage         S S       H H H H H
Carrots     S S S S SH H H H H      
Leek     S S         H H H H H H
Lettuce     S S S S SH SH H H        
Courgettes     SP SP S   H H H H        
Onion Sets/Garlic     S S       H H          
Parsnips     S S           H H H H H
Peas        S S SH SH H H H        
Potatoes      S S   H H H H          
Radishes      S S SH SH SH SH SH H        
Shallots     S S      H H             
Spinach     S S S SH H H H H        
Sweetcorn       SP S S   H H          
Tomatoes Outside       SP SP     H H H        
Ridge Cucumbers     SP SP SP   H H H H        
  JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB
SP Protect seeds from weather S Sow H Harvest

The chart above has been requested by several people. I hope you find it useful as a guide. Weather conditions will influence timing. Experiment and let me know of any updates you find in the light of your experiences.

Anya potatoes did ok, earlier variety similar to pink fir apple ( a knobbly salad variety, but quite late)
Arran pilot and desiree ok all lifted now but I have set 10 unknown tubers end of July , to produce some new potatoes for Christmas!!
**Had a couple of feeds of new potatoes a few weeks back, very tasty
Onions and shallots should be lifted and drying now if not already under cover. I have just finished last years shallots stored in the shed at home.
Asparagus seed set earlier in the year has been set out now in a cleaned bed laden with horse manure only 3 years to wait for a crop!!
I have just harvested a butternut squash, any ideas what to do with it appreciated.

Purple carrots a novelty but orange ones taste better!
Red and white cabbage now harvesting, will be pickling and making coleslaw
Shared beetroot with mice 


Early Potatoes -ready to dig now Broad Beans looking ready for harvest Beetroot in a bag
potatoes in flower 2011 broad beans june 2011 beetroot in a FIBC
sweetcorn looking  goodsweetcorn looking good Jun 2011 Lettuce looking  good lurking lettuce looking lush early onions  June 2011early onions June2011

2010
Photo of my
 Peas on the left

Sweetcorn on the right		 Photo of my sweetcorn
 Leeks on the right Photo of my Leeks

dozen new potatoes, are these the first??? photo of potatoes 31May 2010
2010 Peas on a members allotment photo of peas 6 June
Crop Rotation
4 year cycle :-		 POTATOES
manured in autumn		 ROOTS LEGUMES (Peas and Beans)
add nitrogen to the soil		 BRASSICAS
Like a little lime and the nitrogen from Legumes		 Fit in the rest ,
courgettes onions
sweetcorn etc
I am going to try 5 cycle rotation  sweetcorn following brassicas so the land is ready for early potatoes in the following year
Section of plot A Section of plot B Section of plot C Section of plot D Section of plot E
year 1 potatoes roots legumes brassicas sweetcorn
year 2 roots legumes brassicas sweetcorn potatoes
year 3 legumes brassicas sweetcorn potatoes roots
year 4 brassicas sweetcorn potatoes roots legumes
year 5 sweetcorn potatoes roots legumes brassicas

2010
Radishes Early may (set late March) photo of radishes
Parsnips          parsnips doing ok again this year, a little canker and one woody root,
hope to find some good ones for Christmas lunch
                                       		 Photo of parsnips
LEEKS
2011 leeks - half of crop failed, looked like insect holes and went rotten
Grew 2 varieties- one more resistant than other		 Photo of leeks

Sprouts early this year but look ok, going to need about 80 for Christmas!!

2010

members produce 20 June Produce from a members allotment ange tout
Early cauliflower photo Late June cauliflower and red cabbage photo of red cabbage


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