Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: nothinghasdiedyet on May 13, 2008, 11:47

Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: nothinghasdiedyet on May 13, 2008, 11:47: I would really like to be able to go down to my allotment on Christmas morning and pick a variety of vegetables for my family Christmas dinner.

Last year was my first year as an allotmenteer and I didn't exactly fail at this but I wasn't very successful.

I tried to get carrot and leeks last year but only managed to get the Leeks to grow in time. The carrots are almost ready to pick now though so at least I get eary carrots now.

I would like to be able to pick the following

Potatoes
Carrots
Leeks (I can do these)
Sprouts
Cauliflower
Cabbage (Can I just leave in ground until Christmas)

Can anyone give me any advice on when to plant what I need so they grow in time for Christmas.

At the weekend I sowed Sprouts (Evesham) and Cauliflower (Will look at variety after work and edit post) am I to late/early for these to be ready for Christmas.

Any help and advice would be gratefully recieved by myself and my 3 1/2 yr old son who love picking and eating the veggies off my plot so would make Christmas just that little bit more special if he can pick his Christmas dinner.
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: Bear on May 13, 2008, 12:15: Some approx growing times for you:

Pots - Main crop - 20 weeks. Although you will struggle to get any that can survive to Christmas day. You could lift and store earlier though.

Carrots - 12-16 weeks - again Christmas will be a struggle for carrots, you could grow some in a container in a greenhouse though.

Leeks - 35 weeks - so really need sowing in late April for a Christmas harvest.

Sprouts - 36 weeks - see above

Cauli - 20 weeks - need to find a hardy variety though

Cabbage - 30 weeks - again need a winter variety

obviously the above tdo change depending upon location, seasonal weather, variety etc but may be of help
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: nothinghasdiedyet on May 13, 2008, 12:39: 33 weeks to Christmas so I may be good for the Sprouts etc that I sowed at the weekend but just in case I will buy a few already growing seedlings from the Garcen Centre.

Let see what happens
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: compostqueen on May 13, 2008, 12:53: Read Joy Larkcom's article, Hungry Gap. You can get it out the book of hers, VEgetable Growers Handbook which should be in the library. VEry good stuff information :D
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: Alex 98 on May 13, 2008, 12:57: Turkey
Cranberries
Pigs (sausages in bacon)

Sorted.

Alex 98
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: mumsy on May 13, 2008, 13:36: Carlingford potatoes...........new pots on Christmas day, should be getting mine mid July, I guess for planting AUG-SEPT.
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: Alex 98 on May 13, 2008, 13:51: Surely you've got to have roast spuds, (in goose fat) on Christmas Day?

Alex 98
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: mumsy on May 13, 2008, 14:23: New pots to go with the cold turkey, if you don't like bubble!!!!!
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: nothinghasdiedyet on May 13, 2008, 14:41: Quote from: "Alex 98"
Surely you've got to have roast spuds, (in goose fat) on Christmas Day?

Alex 98

Damn right I have my potatoes sorted for this (Desiree and Maris Piper) just want some I can maybe pick in the morning.

It's all about me sat at the Christmas table saying "I grew that" and my family telling me to stop being a "Smug Barsteward"
Title: bubble.............
Post by: Alex 98 on May 13, 2008, 14:55: I love bubble, haven't had it for years, best with sprouts.
And you have to have brown sauce with it
HP not Daddies
And fry the bubble in butter

Alex 98
Title: Re: bubble.............
Post by: iwantanallotment on May 13, 2008, 14:58: Quote from: "Alex 98"
I love bubble, haven't had it for years, best with sprouts.
And you have to have brown sauce with it
HP not Daddies
And fry the bubble in butter

Alex 98

Mmmmm...with plenty of black pepper & grated onion in :tongue:
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: Alex 98 on May 13, 2008, 14:59: ONION?
Really?

Alex 98
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: iwantanallotment on May 13, 2008, 20:14: :lol: Yep, just a bit....it goes lovely with the sprouts and taters!
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: wighty on May 13, 2008, 20:55: Oh please don't talk about Christmas yet, we still haven't eaten all I bought for last year yet
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: Alex 98 on May 14, 2008, 08:30: We're still eating plum cake.....

Alex 98
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: nothinghasdiedyet on May 14, 2008, 11:25: I went to the Garden centre last night and bought

10 x Sprout
10 x Cauliflower

These will mean I am a few weeks ahead of my own seeds I have sown so should be OK to pick on the day.
Potatoes (First Earlies) will be put in after my current earlies are picked.

@ Alex 98 We took our last bit of Christmas cake out of the freezer last weekend and had it with a typically English cup of Indian Tea :wink:
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: compostqueen on May 14, 2008, 11:28: I was reading a plum cake recipe this morning. No flipping plums in it and it says store for two days before eating. Fat chance in our house :lol:
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: Alex 98 on May 14, 2008, 11:41: Oddly the cake Mrs Smith made contained mostly figs.....
sorry got to dash.........

Alex 98
Title: Christmas Day Pickings
Post by: peapod on May 14, 2008, 16:17: :D :D :shock: :?

:D :D alex