[Jeewhizz]

howdy!

Spent all day today clearing the veg patch as the onions had to come up, the courgettes had given up and the carrots have all been eaten (by us, not pests)...

So a few questions:

1) When's the best time to empty the contents of my compost bin onto the veg patch and dig it in?
2) Should I cover it with weed control fabric over winter?
3) I want to plant up some brocolli, and also get the garlic in, so should I do this on a patch that has the compost in, or leave that to sone side?
4) I have a braeburn apple tree that didn't survive being planted from a rootstock. however, the Apple Pinova did, and has had a full season in the ground now. Where's the best place to get a replacement braeburn, so that it'll fruit in the same season as the Pinova?

That's all for now I think....!

[Jeewhizz]

Oh one more - what's the best type of Broccoli to plant from seed? I can start them off indoors if needed...

[gobs]

When the compost is ready, as you need it and get round to, heavy soils are not a problem, but others can leach a lot of nutrients whilst not planted up and covering is all to do with amounts of weeds and your preference.

Both those crops will be happy with some nutrition. It seems a bit late for sowing Sprouting broccoli and a bit early for summer broccoli, but most varieties of those are very reliable.

If I recall well, Braeburn is a tricky, fussy apple to grow for the home gardener, if so, might be worth trying a similar alternative. I found Keepers nursery very informative and providing a good service with good plants in the past.

[Lemon]

Not an expert, others will put me right, but i think you can put compost onto your patch over-winter and let the worms do the work of drawing it down below.  Not sure if weed fabric is necessary as it'll be too cold for seeds to germinate over winter.

Again, don't know how that works if you are planting too....

I understand you can plant garlic now and onion sets too.  I've been in my veg patch too today (been neglected over summer due to chicken project) I've found it's late to sow most things from seed.  Nevertheless, I've decided to give it a go and put in:
Cabbage (April) supposed to sow by mid Aug!
Cauliflower (All Year Round) can be sown Sep-Oct
Leaf Salad (Stir Fry Mix - chinese brassicas) sow Apr-Oct
Radish (French Breakfast) sow Feb-Sep
Radish (Sparkler) sow Feb-Sep
Sprouting Turnip Top (looks like sprouting Broc from Franchi) again bit late for this one! sow Apr-Aug

I wanted to put in Broccoli, but I found the ones I had Calabrese (Sakura) & Broccoli Sprouting (Autumn Spear) were both for sowing in Apr-May and eating about now!!  (Which may have been a possibility if caterpillars didn't strip them bare!!!)  Even too late for Cauliflower (Romanesco Early) sow May-Jun, should be eating now (again, caterpillar feed!).

Good luck with finding things to grow now!

[Jeewhizz]

Cheers guys! Think i'll wait and plant it up next year now Got plenty of other stuff to get on with in the garden!

[Lemon]

.....I'm sure many on here would be horrified at what I'm about to say, but you might like to see if your local DIY store/Garden Centre has any seedlings that can be grown on now.  

I recall seeing large range of vegetable seedlings available at B&Q & Homebase earlier this year.  In fact, a few weeks ago Homebase had more stocks in - I guess so they can grow overwinter and be ready for Spring?  Not an expert on veg growing, but sometimes it doesn't hurt to give things a try?

I like to look out for half price seed sales - then don't forget to get a system up so you know what to sow & when!
Wilko's have some own brand seeds from 39p!!  I got Cauliflower (all yr round) for 49p!  Radish (Sparkler) was 39p!
Poundland sometimes have seeds too if you have one of them.  Also try Aldi or Lidl (in the right season though) they have cheap seeds - you wont be spoilt for choice though.

[lincspoacher]

About the only thing you got time to get in is overwintering japanese onions and broad beans.

Otherwise its a case of digging, fertilising, and covering with black plastic to stop  the nutrients leaching out and to suppress any cocky little weeds that stick there heads over the parapet.

[gobs]

.....I'm sure many on here would be horrified at what I'm about to say, but you might like to see if your local DIY store/Garden Centre has any seedlings that can be grown on now.  

Not at all, Lemon. I'd think that's a sensible thing to do if one is desperate and late.