[idlewild1982]

Hello

I am very new to gardening and I just took over my allotment 6 weeks ago.

It was a huge mess when i got it but now is strimmed back, dug a couple of beds, put in some compost and generally looks less of an embarrassment.

I was hoping to put in some onions, garlic and broad beans as 1) it will be good for morale to put some thing in the ground after all the digging and 2) it will give an earlier crop next year. 

My question is probably very stupid..... but everyone talks about covering their beds over winter with polythene or some kind of covering.  If I put in these over wintering veg as i understand I can this time of year - can these section of my allotment be covered too??!!! or will that kill them offf underneath..

Please help!

T

[upthetump]

i think you will need to leave that area open. if you plant brassicas it may be wise to net them to stop pigeons eating them. you may be able to cover the ground around them but any cover over the plants would be a problem i think

[gavinjconway]

You can plant Japanese Winter onions and garlic now. I tried winter peas and broad beans but found they were useless... so plant as early in march as you can for them and it seems better that way. .

The rest of the area I'd add a layer of manure, dig it over and leave the winter and worms to do their work. In Spring you just need to turn it over a bit with a fork, add some fertilizer and plant.

[gobs]

Please, do put in whereabouts you are. The better people will be able to advise you.

In my view, the soil does need no covering at all for winter, more over, winter weather breaks it down, crumbling. In spring, for a while, to warm soil up early for sowing. The bed you want to sow something early in. Even then, be careful. Depending on soil quality and drainage of the place, you might get surprised, what you find beneath. The wind can potentially dry out the rest better.

[grinling]

any large clods break up with frost

[Salmo]

It would be better to resist planting anything at all and concentrate on getting the soil ready for Spring.

You do not need overwintered onions.

Overwintered broad beans are always a risk. Better to sow in modules in early Jan or Feb and plant out in late Feb.

Many garlic varieties are suitable for Spring planting in late Feb/March.