[AlaninCarlisle]

I have a supplementary veg plot alongside my polytunnel and quite remote from the main garden. It's rabbit-proof with a wire mesh fence surrounding it. Unfortunately it's neither pigeon proof nor mouse-proof and I have just lost my entire calabrese, cabbage and cauliflower crop to pigeons. The bottom line is that I now have half of the fenced-off area, an area of about 100 ft square going vacant, about 12 ft x 8 ft. The soil is well manured over the years, protected from the prevailing wind by the polytunnel yet gets plenty of sun.

As the area is riddled with mice and voles etc, peas and beans directly sown are out of the question. I can't be bothered with all the faffing about to keep out the pigeons so brassicas are out of the question. I have loads of leek already and the tunnel is home to tons of sweetcorn and squash so I am wondering what to sow in this outside area.

Obviously I'll sow another row of parsnips and some more carrots but what else can be successfully grown from seed at this time of the year and is not prone to devastation by mice and pigeons?

[GrannieAnnie]

I was going to say lots of carrots, as that what I fill spaces up with!    Beetroot?  spring onions?  I suppose lettuce would get eaten too?  what about later brassicas and build them a cage with netting?

[Yorkie]

If you can get courgette / squash plants they would be OK.  You can also grow dwarf beans at this time of year.

[New shoot]

Pigeons are a menace   

You can still sow some of the smaller, flatter shaped onions like Borrettana.  Fennel could go in as well, if you like it to eat.   I've found the birds do leave red coloured radicchio alone as well.

Garden centres often have some larger veg plants at this time of year - 13cm pots instead of 9cm - so maybe a couple of outdoor cukes, or courgettes or bush tomatoes.

Most of the oriental veg is better sown after the longest day and that is fast approaching.  You would need to net these, but they will happily manage under net tunnels, rather than anything more elaborate.

[AlaninCarlisle]

There's a big garden centre called Dobbies just up the road, I'll see what ready-grown plants they have in. Definite sowings for today are parsnip, beetroot, courgette and carrots. Fennel is a thought but I've never been successful with it in the past. I suspect that north Cumbrian summers are too cool

[jaydig]

Spinach doesn't seem to attract the pigeons, but not everyone likes it.  I use the baby leaves in salads, and the bigger ones either as a side vegetable or I wilt any surplus, bag it and freeze it. I use this in pasta dishes etc. through the winter.

[madcat]

The local pigeons here have just discovered that they like pak choi.     3 of us had lovely rows going great and unscathed on our plots, and then over one lunchtime, pecked something dreadful. 

They left the chinese cabbage alone, so that could be an option.   

[AlaninCarlisle]

Right, no suitable ready-grown plants in Dobbies so here's my job this afternoon. One row of each of the following:
Spinach Beet
Carrot (Nantes plus row of lates)
Parsnip
Chard
Beetroot
Wild Rocket

[Trikidiki]

If you still have space left over there are plenty of green manures you can sow now to improve the soil structure ready for a bumper harvest next year. Don't forget the pigeons may fancy your green manure too.

[AlaninCarlisle]

Trikidiki, manure is no problem, green or in fact any colour you care to name. We have three geriatric Shetlands who spend most of their time producing it. I think we have the most manured gardens in Cumbria

[Thrutchington]

Put some leek plants in for the winter?

[AlaninCarlisle]

And this morning, having filled the space with new seeds and some more leek plants, I had a fascinating five minutes watching fresh mole-hills appear in the newly prepared beds. Another call-out for the mole-catcher! Local wild-life really does seem to be extracting the urine this month

[sunshineband]

And this morning, having filled the space with new seeds and some more leek plants, I had a fascinating five minutes watching fresh mole-hills appear in the newly prepared beds. Another call-out for the mole-catcher! Local wild-life really does seem to be extracting the urine this month

We have already decide this is the year of the pests on our plot ... now a mole for you. You've got to have a sense of humour, haven't you?

[8doubles]

Mooli radish is worth a go if you have not grown it before.
It makes a salad great grated !

 Be prepared to dig deep to extract them !

[AlaninCarlisle]

Yes, thanks, that's something different to try. Can you recommend a source of plants/seed please?

Ref mole infestation, they are an ongoing problem here but usually in winter or spring. I've never known them so active in summer before, nor has the mole-catcher who's just laid half a dozen tunnel traps for me.