[greenfingered]

i got my allotment 2 months ago and so far i have dug out 2 plots but now i dont know what i should plant.  i have planted some lettuces( which are growing well so im very proud of myself  and some carrots (only got 1 so not so proud of myself )

whats the best thing to plant this time of year?

[WG.]

Hi
Maybe you could post a list of all the veg which you buy a lot of?  Then folks can reply accordingly :?:

[little sweetpeas]

i got my allotment 2 months ago and so far i have dug out 2 plots but now i dont know what i should plant.  i have planted some lettuces( which are growing well so im very proud of myself  and some carrots (only got 1 so not so proud of myself )

whats the best thing to plant this time of year?

When I was deciding what to grow I wrote a list of all the veg we eat and like (basically everything) and then which of the list was most expensive to buy in the shops.

[DD.]

Beans, beans and more beans.

The price you pay for them in supermarkets and the ease with which you can grow them bear no comparison.

Then there's the brassicas, you should be able to get hold of cabbage, brussel, cauli........ etc at a decent nursery.

I could go on!!!

[slow_worm]

Tomatoes and peas!

[dawninspain]

Definitely tomatoes - there is no comparison between homegrown and shop bought.

Dawn

[lucywil]

agree about the beans, especially if you have a large freezer, you can then eat them all winter. sweetcorn is a must, i don't like sweetcorn from the shops but homegrown is so different even i will eat it.

[David.]

Don't forget flowers for cutting. Just picked my first Sweet William - seems a bit late. Still time to plant sunflowers.

[tomato-joy]

oh, tomatoes for sure. Potatoes as well.

Do you have a greenhouse? This will increase the type of plants you can grow. (Aubergines, chilli peppers, sweet peppers, cucumbers etc)

And I really recommend some dwarf sunflowers to look cheery.

[Annie]

Retry carrots,you can scoop the soil out in a line,water the bottom of it,fill with compost,sow the carrot seed and water carefully then use whatever slug deterrent you like.You will easily be able to see where the weeds are and this usually works for all kind of direct sown seed.Don`t forget all the little plants available in the garden centers at the moment as well as seeds.Let us know how you get on.It does the morale no end of good getting things growing so congrats on the lettuce,apart from a few loose leaves mine are looking very poor!

[corndolly]

You'll feel great when you harvest courgettes every other day till the frosts. One or two plants will be plenty and are easy to grow, you can put seed in growing spot now or buy plants from garden centre.

Try and make room for a herb bed, this you can develop over a few years . Basil is easy to grow from seed in pots and can be planted into soil later .Dont put mint in the open ground though because it will spread everywhere, I grow it in a bucket with holes in the bottom, this is sunk into the ground and every year i dig out the bucket and trim the roots then put it back in its hole.

Prepare some ground to plant garlic in Sept to be harvested next July.

Leeks are another easy and useful veg,look for plants I think its a bit late to sow seed.

French and Runner Beans seeds definitely and you are not too late to sow carrot, turnip, swede , spinach,swiss chard,beetroot.

A lot depends on how much time you have to sow,weed and water if necessary.
Good Luck !

[anatomick]

The first thing to think of is "what do I like to eat"

Then within that there are three added benefits in no particular order
1. Things that taste completely different from Supermarket stuff - Sweetcorn, tomatoes, wild rocket, carrots. (has the added benefit that anyone invited to dinner also thinks you are a good cook as well)
2. things that are really expensive in the shops - herbs (how I laugh when I walk past the tiny bunches for £2.50 in the supermarket), strawberries, aubergines, garlic, squashes.
3. things you eat a lot of - salads, potatoes, spinach and other leafy stuff, parsnips, beetroot, courgettes and lots of diferent beans. That way you get the satisfaction of knowing you grew at least part of every meal for the longest time!

[GrannieAnnie]

Winter cabbage can be sown up to the end of May, and Spring cabbage, sow in July!

And can I repeat, beans, beans and more beans!!!!! lol.  courgettes if you like them.  Many carrot varieties can be planted up to July too,
I think it may be a bit late to sow tomatoes now, but tomato plants are still around, like the others say, you just cannot compar fresh own grown tomatoes with those tasteless watery things you get in the shops!!!!

Whereabouts are you?  If you put your location on your profile, we'll know what part of the world you are in!!!