[Beetroot queen]

I have kept a running total of our veg since we started, we took the plot on at the end of November and spent a while clearing and digging so nothing went in the ground for ages, and nothing came out of the ground for ages either. (well except weeds )

But working out our harvest to date compared to tesco, it would have cost us £840.27 

I am thrilled as things like rhubarb, asparagus. etc etc are all long term projects

It is worth it. forget the extra bits for beds they are not a necessity they are a luxury 

[titch]

crikey thats heck of a saving isnt it........................ my trolley looks rubbish now when i shop tho as no veg in there 
but love the feeling of being able to eat my own, organic, freshly picked produce and wouldnt go back now

good on you for keeping tabs too bq, thats super organisaation

[Beetroot queen]

I will keep it going, trouble is somethings I cant price as tesco dont sell alpine strawberries 

I know we have spent alot on wood but like I said its not something needed to grow the veg its just us being fussy 

[Zippy]

Good one. I think I will keep a tally like this next year, now I have a lot of perrenial stuff established - that might have tipped the scales a bit in favour of the supermarkets this year else!

[peapod]

Saw a fab post by another member on the potato thread who'd worked out how much his spud harvest had saved him.  I wish Id had the foresight to think about scales so I could work how much the spuds Ive grown have saved me. 
It was great to go to Asda (I shop monthly) and not buy any veg at all! And I dont even grow posh stuff like asparagus 

[Christine]

My allotment is growing more and more of the expensive stuff - fresh peas, leeks, florence fennel, lettuce, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. None of the stuff I'd call posh stuff but all stuff that I call expensive stuff.

[Sue33]

Excellent, at the moment I'm only buying mushrooms and celery! We reckon we save roughly £10 a week, not bad    And of course no need for gym membership (not that I had one  ) must be £40 a month

[strangerachael]

Whenever I'm shopping and don't put any veg in my trolley I am just waiting for the healthy eating police to pop out at the end of an aisle and shout 'where are all your vegetables???' It would be very satisfying to reply 'on my allotment' 
Unfortunately I still have to buy most of our fruit as I am not producing much myself but hopefully that situation will improve gradually

[jamesbrownontheroad]

Since getting our allotment a new branch of Lidl has opened near-by. Between us (two vegetarian adults) we spend about £30 a week there for dried, tinned and dairy goods (plus a few quid elsewhere for free range eggs and milk). That will probably change through the winter, but it's been a fantastic feeling through our first summer.

[lovemyveg]

My allotment is growing more and more of the expensive stuff - fresh peas, leeks, florence fennel, lettuce, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. None of the stuff I'd call posh stuff but all stuff that I call expensive stuff.

Can you tell me whether your Florence Fennel "bulbed up"  I grew this last year and all looked well on top of the ground, but underneath there was just a tiny white root, but no bulb.  I kept them in the ground until the greenery died down, but still no growth.  I have the same grouble with my radishes - no bulb.

[Elcie]

Wow, that is amazing - well done.  Must admit, I do smirk to myself when I walk past the courgettes on 'special offer' - two small pathetic looking green examples for £1!  Must have saved a lot just on these!

[Poolfield2]

I'm not as organised as you lot so I've no idea how much the fruit and veg would have cost but I felt very smug at dinner time when we sat down to homegrown potatoes,green beans and even the steak was from the smallholder that had our haycrop last year so we kind of grew that

Pud was blackberry and apple from the garden topped with homemade yoghurt and homemade granola. Perfick

[Christine]

Can you tell me whether your Florence Fennel "bulbed up"  I grew this last year and all looked well on top of the ground, but underneath there was just a tiny white root, but no bulb.  I kept them in the ground until the greenery died down, but still no growth.  I have the same grouble with my radishes - no bulb.

Nope my florence fennel never bulbs up. The "bulb" should grow on top of the soil (like swedes). Stuff likes well drained, sandy soil with lots of humus in it apparently and you need a warm summer too and you  are supposed to earth up the top growth till it's the size of a tennis ball. We have clay up here so the soil is not ideal and it never comes out the right shape so we just take it as it comes. It tastes of fennel just the same even if it is the wrong shape. Oh and it sulks if the weather changes. Believe me, it sulks. You could have used the top growth above ground in stir fries and soups like us lot here. Just no good steamed as a side vegetable.

Radishes. Hmm. They seem to like reasonably fertile, well drained soil with some fertiliser before sowing and don't like drying out. Sunny spot if you want early ones and sheltered for summer ones as these don't want to get a sun tan. They need to be thinned out too.

[lovemyveg]

Can you tell me whether your Florence Fennel "bulbed up"  I grew this last year and all looked well on top of the ground, but underneath there was just a tiny white root, but no bulb.  I kept them in the ground until the greenery died down, but still no growth.  I have the same grouble with my radishes - no bulb.

Nope my florence fennel never bulbs up. The "bulb" should grow on top of the soil (like swedes). Stuff likes well drained, sandy soil with lots of humus in it apparently and you need a warm summer too and you  are supposed to earth up the top growth till it's the size of a tennis ball. We have clay up here so the soil is not ideal and it never comes out the right shape so we just take it as it comes. It tastes of fennel just the same even if it is the wrong shape. Oh and it sulks if the weather changes. Believe me, it sulks. You could have used the top growth above ground in stir fries and soups like us lot here. Just no good steamed as a side vegetable.

Radishes. Hmm. They seem to like reasonably fertile, well drained soil with some fertiliser before sowing and don't like drying out. Sunny spot if you want early ones and sheltered for summer ones as these don't want to get a sun tan. They need to be thinned out too.

Thanks Christine, obviously we are not providing the sunshine, but what a lovely vegetable - envy those who can get these to bulb up.

[strangerachael]

I stood behind a woman at the checkout the other day who was buying a very small packet of runner beans for £1 !!! Hard to believe people actually pay good money for these.
Off - topic slightly: I know allotments aren't supposed to be commercial ventures, but wouldn't it be great if sites could run allotment co-ops where they can sell everybody's surplus to the public? Ok so it would be mainly runner beans and courgettes  but the proceeds could be ploughed ( ) back into the running of the site.