[andrew1969]

Hello all,

I've just taken ownership of an allotment in Penrith, I've never grown anything really before let alone have the land to do this, so I wondered if anyone might want to offer some advice.  At present its covered in dandelions and I mean covered, you cant see the soil. I'm digging these out and hope to be done before next weekend.  I hope to grow courgettes, pots, beans, rhubarb (of course) and toms. Is it too late?

Cheers
Andrew

[theakston_uk]

Welcome and congratulations on your new allotment. It's not too late, I'm new to growing myself so I'll tell you what I can and I'm sure others will let you know. Not too late for courgettes, beans and toms. Get sowing seeds sown as soon as you can, spuds I'm not sure of though. You could also see what veg plants there are at your local nursery/garden centre and I'm sure once fellow plot holders see what a good job you are doing and how keen your are they might pop over to you with some spare plants. Good luck and happy growing, hope this is of some help to you.

Stu

[mr Isaccs]

Hi Andrew, welcome to the forums.
   As said before congrats on your new allotment.
Corgettes won't be a problem now, beans too.
   Potatoes you could get away with I'm sure ( not that I'm a tatty expert)
Tomatoes are prolific growers but don't know if you'd do well from seed now, but there's always the garden centre option as Theakston says or you could always ask your neighbour to give you there side shoots when they snap them off and in 2/3 weeks you'll have a full tomato plant.
   As for the dandelions!!! You'll always get them and alot are in seed at the moment too so they will spread rapidly but I had to spray weed killer last year to get rid of thisle and dandilions and they are still coming up this year

[mr Isaccs]

By the way,
   I was watching the film Withnail and I last night and that was set in Penrith (Me thinks  ),  brilliant film and what a great place to live

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the site and congrats on your new lotty 

If you look at the top toolbar on this site you'll see Growing Help.  If you click on that, you'll find lots of different articles including sowing / harvesting charts and monthly guides.

Everything is a bit behind this year because of the late cold weather so you may well catch up with some things that should have been done by now.

If you're going for spuds it might be worth looking for varieties that are salad, or first / second earlies as they take less time to mature - if you can still find seed tubers, that is.  Don't use ones from the supermarket.

Rhubarb can be grown from seed but quicker to get crowns (not sure which time of year) and don't harvest for the first year, to allow its roots to establish properly.