[joyfull]

After reading all the posts on the allotment side of these forums (I am usually found on the chicken pages) I must admit to feeling very envious of all of you. Your veggies look wonderfull. So have now been given some raised beds and a greenhouse (although this will need rebuilding as at the moment it looks like a jigsaw puzzel!).  Not going to get an allotment but have a very large front garden about 1/4 acre (just as big rear garden but that is taken up with old lorries, motorbikes, and American trucks and pickup). Will have about 1/3 of this for veg - as chucks have the rest of the space. Am I too late to grow anything? Will not get greenhouse ready until next spring. Forgot to mention this area does have bushes  (rather large laurels) growing along one side.  Suggestions please.

[noshed]

Salad stuff will be fine now and you could sow cabbage, chard and psb ready to over winter. Lettuce like a bit of shade this time of year too.

[joyfull]

Thanks for that but at the risk of sounding stupid (nothing new there then) what is psb?

[thegarybrough]

Purple sprouting broccoli...don't worry it's a regular query by the looks of other topics!

[poppies]

Hi
you can still sow french beans, and I sowed some more marrows yesterday - I forgot about the marrow chutney

[Sue33]

psb - purple sprouting broccoli

radishes are easy and quick, lettuce

I don't think it's too late for runner beans, you could always buy some plants this year from the garden centre, I bought my sweetcorn, 99p for ten plants.  

Now's the time to sow winter cabbage, I've also just sown swede, carrots and beetroot.

Get yourself a good book and a nice glass of wine !

[barney rubble]

Beetroot - you can keep sowing all summer

[Trebor]

My advice would be go to the garden centre, pick up some seed packets you fancy and then check the sowing range on the back. Most plants can still be put in now and it is even early for others (like pak choi or winter veg.)

Good luck and if it is any conciliation then I am very jealous you have chickens!

[Kristen]

Chart of seed sowing and harvest times here:

http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/general/sowing-harvest-vegetable-chart.php

I reckon that newbies should grow what they like to eat - adds some incentive if the will wanes!

[joyfull]

Thanks for all your replies I now have a shopping list as long as my arm so tomorrow or Friday will be off to the garden centres to buy, buy, buy, then at the weekend it will be sow sow sow. Just hope it won't be too long before they grow grow grow 

[Kristen]

Might be worth checking which, if any, of your local garden centres are doing half-price-ceg-seeds, before you set off.  They tend to start doing seed-sales round about now.

[Sue33]

b & q were selling off their veggie plants last week at half price, lots of choice, might be worth a look, I remember seeing brussells, runner beans, french beans, courgettes I think

[joyfull]

Well have now got some beans in, got some cauli and cabbage seedlings and some sweetcorm seedlings to grow on for my chucks. Plus some tomato plants and today got Johs two books delivered with free seeds and only ordered them yesterday  Looks like I'm going to be very very busy.