[Seefoodandeatit]

 ???Hiya what a neat site here I've got a few questions I hope you guys can help please. We got an allotment last year and had beginners luck and grew lots if neat stuff. But before the end of the year I became really poorly so couldn't go to thebplit to dig and manure and lime like the book suggest my question is can I still grow as I only now getting started again Next question I didn't grow potatoes in the ground I did it in containers and the book suggest a crop rotation for potatoes after brassicas what else can I grow in that bed if I don't want to put potatoes??? And can I add the lime now and still plant this year?? Thank you for any help you can give. X

[sunshineband]

Hi there Seafoosandeatit. Welcome to the forum. I moved your post here as you may get more replies to your questions

I can give you a couple of answers
- You can add lime now, but not at the same time as manure because it will give an unwanted chemical reaction. Lime suits brassicas. I usually leave it a week or two after liming to plant cabbages etc, and tbh they don't really need manure any way. A few chicken manure pellets in the hole at planting time is enough for them to get through the season

- Crop rotation is done to ensure diseases are not carried forward from one season to the next, and the soil does not get depleted by growing the same family of veggies year on year. So to follow your brassicas you could sow root veggies or plant onion sets, then manure when you harvest these.

I hope that helps a bit

[Goosegirl]

The weather has been so cold and wet here I've only just started planting peas, potatoes, spring onions and beetroot because the soil hasn't had chance to warm up properly. Everything will catch up in time even if harvesting is a bit later this year.

[Seefoodandeatit]

Hi there Seafoosandeatit. Welcome to the forum. I moved your post here as you may get more replies to your questions

I can give you a couple of answers
- You can add lime now, but not at the same time as manure because it will give an unwanted chemical reaction. Lime suits brassicas. I usually leave it a week or two after liming to plant cabbages etc, and tbh they don't really need manure any way. A few chicken manure pellets in the hole at planting time is enough for them to get through the season

- Crop rotation is done to ensure diseases are not carried forward from one season to the next, and the soil does not get depleted by growing the same family of veggies year on year. So to follow your brassicas you could sow root veggies or plant onion sets, then manure when you harvest these.

I hope that helps a bit

Thank you for responding and sorry if i posted in the wrong place.  I'll add some lime tomorrow  and plant in a few weeks. Thanks

Edited to fix quote.

[noshed]

The main thing is not to get too stressed out about it. You're the boss, no one is telling you to do anything. Do a bit of a patch with what you like eating and see how you get on. Get a chair and sit and enjoy your plot.
That's what I do!

[sunshineband]

With this sunshine, things will start to grow much more quickly!!! All of a sudden seeds I had almost given up on are springing action, so now would be a good time to sow in modules if your ground is not quite ready yet