[Parsnip]

I'll be starting off my allotment next year, there is quite a bit I would like to grow.. However I'm going through the seed catalogues and the order form for spuds but I haven't a clue which ones to get :?  :oops:

Can you recommend any?

I would like to grow

Broccoli
Carrots
Cauli
Cabbage
Parsnips
Sprouts
Sweetcorn
Green Beans
Peas

Lettuces
Radish
Spring Onions
Rocket

From the site shop I can order these spuds

Earlies

Maris Bard, Pentland Javelin, Rocket and Winston


Second earlies

Kestral, Marfona


Main crop

Cara, Picasso, Desiree

Thank in advance

Sue

[richyrich7]

Rocket is  good early.

Resist the temptation to buy online for your spuds the P&P is daft IMHO.

[humbug]

Hi Parsnip,

Only started with potatoes last year and I found that the red skinned varieties suffered a lot less slug damage and were a lot more consistent in size.  Will find out what variety they were and let you know.  

I've always grown white lisbon spring onions and have never had a problem.

Hope helps

[garddwr]

autumn king 2 and early nantes are good.

How about some runner beans and peas ?

[gregmcalister]

Hi Parsnip

Here's my list of favourites...

Carrots - Autumn King II
Cauli - Romanesco
Cabbage  - Greyhound
Parsnips - Tender and True
Green Beans - Cobra French Climbing Beans
Peas - Kelvedon Wonder
Lettuces - Little Gem

Spud wise I grew epicure, pentland javelin and pink fir apple and all were good with the epicure having the edge. This year I'll grow more epicure, a 2nd early, less PFA (far too many!) and some Rooster.

[corynsboy]

As a new allotment holder this year the thing I've really suffered from is not enough carrots.  

Get a good spread of carrots and plant plenty of them.  Early, main and late varieties.  The seed companies will tell you which is which.  I try and look for varieties that say F1 and"resista-fly" so as to fight the dreaded carrot fly.  They cost a little more but I think that they are worth it.

Sweetcorn: I'll be looking for F1 again.   I think the variety is called super sweet.  I got mine from B&Q.  Magnificent!  Grow more than you think that you will need.  

Your friends and family will worship you when you turn up with a handful of fresh carrots and a couple of fresh picked corn.  

Brocolli:  I used the Unwins' F1 version.  Pretty generic but they were lovely.  Also get yourself some Purple Sprouting Broccoli (PSB) it takes ages to grow but it gives you winter/ spring veg when everything else is a bit thin on the ground.

Don't forget a small herb patch, fresh herbs are truly magical.  Also, save some room for some cut flowers for home.

Good luck.  Check out my blog below to see the results of my first half year.

[paintedlady]

I was also put off by seed catalogues when I first started growing veg, and to be honest I thought Wilkos seeds were fine for starters (cheap & cheerful & great harvests - nothing wrong with them)  It also gives you an opportunity to learn some skills along the way without costly disasters.  By the 2nd year you'll be dying to try out new fancy varieties - all part of the learning curve  

When considering root vegetables such as parsnip & carrots, take a look at your soil - if it is stoney or heavy clay, you might want to choose short fat varieties rather than long tapering ones.

Cabbages - a bit late for spring cabbage sowing, but look for varieties for summer, autumn and winter crops (I grew Greyhound for the first time and it was lovely and crispy, ideal in salads and a good introduction for anyone who says they don't like cabbage.  Also summer Primo and a red cabbage Fuego - lovely solid heads and they keep well in storage.  Last year I tried a savoy cabbage for winter cropping and it was nice - unfortunately I missed out on sowing them this year)

Peas - Kelvedon wonder can be sown early and like all peas should be done in batches for harvesting throughout the summer.  Lovely sweet and tender.  I also grew Hurst Greenshaft - again, a lovely pea but slightly more peas to the pod than the KW (was able to put more peas in the pan than I actually ate while popping the pods  :oops: )

Sweetcorn - if you go for a sugar enhanced/super sweet variety, take care you don't plant them too close to other varieties as apparently their taste is affected by cross pollination (have to say I've not had this problem, but is usually written on most seed packet instructions)  The other thing is to get them into boiling water as soon as you pick as the sugar content drops very rapidly.  If you decide to freeze them, you MUST blanch them first, again as soon as you pick them  

[Parsnip]

Thanks for your fantastic replies..wow! I get the feeling it's try some and see how you get on then...?

I am tempted not to buy from the catalogues and go for some from Wilkos,  the garden centre and the like so I can have a good mooch about and take my time There's just so much choice in the catalogues :roll:

[beansticks]

Hi Parsnip,a good tip when deciding which spud variety to choose is to consider what type of spuds you like.I.E do you prefer the spuds floury or firm and waxy?also what do you want to use them for?boiling,roasting,mash,chips etc.Check out the info on the Thompson& Morgan site ,go to potatoes,click on culinary uses and all the info is there.However most varieties are available from local garden centres,and a lot cheaper too.

[paintedlady]

One tip when visiting seed stalls - easier said than done, but do try to avoid impulse buying      Have a shopping list of what you actually want, because you'll be so tempted to keep on adding packet after packet into the basket.  You'll be  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:  when they ring up the till and tell you how much you have to pay!    Have fun!

[mumofstig]

Definately agree that cobra is the green been to go for, just tremendous crops. and i grow brocolli/calabrese marathon with good results.

For lettuce i have a packet of mixed lettuces from 'seeds of italy' that i've been using for the last three years and they're still germinating ok(up till this aug) and will use again in 2009 if still ok. Their seeds come in really big packets for not a lot of money. Always worth a look!

And no, they're not anything to do with me, just think they're a fair company.

[DD.]

Apologies to those of you who have seen these piccies before, but Parsnip won't have.

I grow Kelvedon Wonder peas & I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

I'll PM you about some beans you make like to grow!

[themoog]

Blimey, your peas occupy the same space as my entire plot!

Sue, the only thing I'be found with the F1 sweetcorn varieties is the poor germination record. I'm trying non-F1 this year after having to plant 3 or 4 seeds for every one that germinated. Maybe I was just doing something wrong  :? .

Runner beans wise, I tried Painted Lady for the first time this year and they were fab. Really nice flowers, virtually stringless as long as you didn't let them go mad and good flavour.

Good luck, my favourite bit is buying a new batch of seeds   .

[noshed]

I've found Pentland Javelins to be the most reliable spuds.
Super Aquadulce broad beans.
Douce Provence early peas.
Corsair cos lettuce
Cavolo nero Kale
Rocket and flat leaved parsley grows like weeds and is expensive to buy.
Any rasberries - you can't buy tasty ones.

[compostqueen]

Folks go mad for Kestrel on our site as they grow so well and are the least slugged. Desiree are good all rounders in the kitchen too

Cabbage wise I love the little Hispi pointy cabbage, sowed some today in fact

I love spring onion New Holland Blood red

I like the lettuce mixtures and have got a real good one for winter from seeds of Italy called Misticanza.  Lovely stuff and as tough as old boots and kept going all winter in the open.