Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Novice on June 20, 2006, 07:31

Title: What Next ??
Post by: Novice on June 20, 2006, 07:31

Now that I'm beginning to harvest my first veggies ( I never thought I'd get so excited about radishes or potatoes !! ) What should I be putting in to replace them.
I was planning to sow more radishes, so I get a succession of them, but there will be large bare patches once the potatoes have gone.
By the way, is anyone else having problems with parsnips ? I've sown three rows over the past 6 - 8 weeks, and so far I have only one parsnip to show for my efforts...
Thanks

Title: What Next ??
Post by: John on June 20, 2006, 09:28

Hi Novice
You could follow on with some leeks or maybe some dwarf French beans and catch a second crop there.
Apparently if you sow green manure mustard after potatoes it fools the potato eelworm into staying out too late and helps to clean the land. Agricultural mustard is a brassica though so you need to figure that into rotations and be careful if there is club root on your plot.
It's great when you get your first harvest starting, isn't it :)

Title: What Next ??
Post by: cede on June 20, 2006, 11:16

my parsnips have germinated very well, but have sown carrots 3 times and still no sign... my neighbour at the lottie has had same results with carrots this year.

Title: What Next ??
Post by: supersprout on June 20, 2006, 13:12

Can't wait to get the new potatoes up, leeks are waiting to go in! 8)

Title: What Next ??
Post by: John on June 20, 2006, 14:13

Quote from: "supersprout"

Can't wait to get the new potatoes up, leeks are waiting to go in! 8)

Same here!

Title: Re: What Next ??
Post by: Oliver on June 20, 2006, 16:47

Quote from: "Novice"

having problems with parsnips ?

She had an allotment meeting last night (the allotment protection association) and it would appear everyone is having trouble with parsnips - not just this year, but any time. Parsnips appear to be particularly difficult to germinate - seems the secret is really fresh seed.
Well, we had a lot of luck last year, in July when she  was experimenting. But when she did it for real, she has 10 out of a whole packet. Her neighbour bought 'special' seed from Dobies which he kept in the fridge until planting was' right' whatever that means!, and this also failed.

That is probably why parsnips attract so many points at shows - straight and very very long - not at all like molars - which is what hers look like!

Title: What Next ??
Post by: John on June 20, 2006, 17:18

Parsnips are a bee for germinating - I find later sowing more successful. Considering you don't want huge amounts you could sow a pich into peat pots / newspapaer pots undercover and pinh out to one seedling then plant out the pot.
If you're getting a lot of mis-shapes due to heavy soil, try adding sand or making holes and filling with a compost / sand mix and station sow - thinning to one seedling. That's the words from the experts but knowing my luck :)

Title: What Next ??
Post by: Beanzie on June 20, 2006, 18:55

In the past I have found Courgettes/Squashes to be good for following potatoes. They enjoy the residual fertility if the potatoes were well mucked before planting out.

At this time of year they should germinate quickly, or you could probably pick up 1 or 2 at a garden centre.