Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: rogertb on January 02, 2019, 07:44

Title: Small varieties all veg
Post by: rogertb on January 02, 2019, 07:44
Hi chaps - not so much a space saving requirement (though a couple of courgette and 'squash' plants seem to take over half the plot)! more a culinary one, we enjoy our veg but sometimes there's a limit as to how much cauliflower I can eat, a big 'head' makes meals for days, we only have a small freezer so I'm after small everything really, cauli', cabbage, broccoli etc ... any advice very welcome, I think I've found a cauli'; Igloo ... I'll keep digging - (so to speak).
Title: Re: Small varieties all veg
Post by: New shoot on January 02, 2019, 09:56
Minicole is a good small cabbage for autumn use.  I grew it this year and a head is easily eaten in a day or two.  It was easier than having loads of cabbage hanging around in the fridge, when everything else is coming ready at the same time.
Title: Re: Small varieties all veg
Post by: Mr Dog on January 02, 2019, 10:14
Green Magic broccoli doesn't get too big when planted about 1ft apart. After the main head, sideshoots are produced which I'm usually harvesting into December.
Title: Re: Small varieties all veg
Post by: mumofstig on January 02, 2019, 12:01
Plain old Autumn green Calabrese, also provides a smallish head with plenty of later sideshoots.
Hispi is a smallish pointed cabbage, for early sowing, which I follow with the Minicole that NS has recommended ;)
Title: Re: Small varieties all veg
Post by: sunshineband on January 02, 2019, 13:22
Clapton cauliflowers are not huge, and also have the benefit of not all maturing at once, so your harvest is staggered
Title: Re: Small varieties all veg
Post by: rogertb on January 02, 2019, 13:29
Thanks to one and all ... I'm going to look them all up and find a supplier, good of you to take the time ...
Title: Re: Small varieties all veg
Post by: AussieInFrance on January 02, 2019, 19:16
Hi
As well as sourcing small varieties of the veg you enjoy eating, you may wish to consider growing your courgettes and squash vertically on a frame. It will reduce the demand on your surface area. Another small adjustment to consider is to your sowing schedule. By introducing successional planting/sowing, you'll be amazed what this small reduction to your numbers up front can deliver by way of extending your crop over an extended period and reducing the 'glut'. More of your favourite veg over a longer period of time!
Title: Re: Small varieties all veg
Post by: rogertb on January 03, 2019, 07:17
Good point aif but space is not really the problem, more like one big cabbage lasts too many days and we get fed up with it so we start giving stuff away, nothing wrong with that of course. You are correct when you suggest 'successional' sowing ... I really must get my act together this year and spread the harvest period.
Title: Re: Small varieties all veg
Post by: Goosegirl on January 03, 2019, 13:10
Apart from growing smaller varieties you could plant them a bit closer so they don't grow as big.
Title: Re: Small varieties all veg
Post by: rogertb on January 03, 2019, 14:57
I'll certainly give that a go goosegirl ....
Title: Re: Small varieties all veg
Post by: Goosegirl on January 04, 2019, 11:50
Forgot to say they will need a regular good feed as they will be trying to compete with each other.
Title: Re: Small varieties all veg
Post by: Hobovore on January 07, 2019, 10:17
Have you thought of something like peas and beans that can be dried? That way you can put them on a shelf and not the freezer.
Title: Re: Small varieties all veg
Post by: rogertb on January 07, 2019, 14:35
Yes we do that hobovore, had some of our saved dried white beans at the weekend - delicious - thanks for the tip though.