[TTG]

Hi there, I've been posting on here a bit after getting a half plot September last year and with this time of year I am planning my planting. I have no idea of what to grow and would like any suggestions of fruit and veg that is not found in the supermarkets or is expensive.

My plot is about 13 yards square I think, on a slight slope with gooseberry and blackcurrant bushes on the lower edge and 2/3rds up the side. At the end of that side in the corner are two large rhubard crowns. Other than those the plot is empty. I do have two and a half rows of onions and half a row of garlic in from October (japanese onions I think). These are to the other side extending between 1/4 to 3/4 up that side. There are 3 compost bins (cylinder type) in the other free corner and in the corner of the fruit bushes.

My queries is I don't eat potatoes and a lot of the conventional veg so what is out there that is healthy, easy to cook and easy to grow? I have some more onion sets and will probably put in shallots too to ensure progression through the season. I also have some seeds for pak choi and perpetual spinach. Beyond that I will put some peas in for nitrogen fixing (you have to really), besides I like eating them raw. Most of my food involves sort of stir fries, curries and tomato and meat based "Italian-ish" meals so something good for these would be great.

Sorry for the long winded enquiry but I am trying to put the info out to find ideas. I'm at a loss really.

[bigben]

The easy answer is to say grow what you eat!

However if that is not helpful you could look at the month by month guides and see what you are meant to sow on any particular month and take your lead from that.

[TTG]

Did I mention it is in the Northwest of Lancashire (reasonably near the coast so generally mild)? The plot gets a good dose of rain in the year and the soil looks good and dark. It certainly dug over nicely. Was a good thing too as it had couch grass in it and someone rotavated it last summer! In some places the couch grass roots were so matted you just dug the whole thing up and lost about a foot in height of the plot. I am about 75% of the way through digging it over and removing the couch grass (over 10 large garden refuse bags have gone to the tip already, mostly couch grass).

I don't know the pH or the soil type but think it is a nice darkish colour (not as black as near Southport where I used to live) and breaks up into a largish lumps that break further with a simple whack of the fork. I'm guessing it is medium clay and loam mix but I don't really know what I'm about. MY Dad told me it was very good soil and said It'd be good for carrots (which are going to be in the mix).

[TTG]

Bigben - I've been looking through sewing calandars and so far nothing grabs my attention. As far as growing what I eat I am with the onions and garlic, but my diet is probably not very good so not really a good indication as to what to grow. Besides I can't really grow mushroooms and outdoors tomatoes is not really good up here with the lower sun hours. I know from my Dad trying it 2 miles away on his patio sun trap that I am likely to end up with partially ripened tomatoes rotting on the plant.

I'm just wondering if ther are any "exotic" stuff out there such as grown for ethnic foods such as the asian food. I've seen on gardening tv programmes and slots on news bits about allotments down south growing strange fruits, veg and squashes. I'm tryiong to grow my own and improve my diet really. I know I don't get anywhere near my 5 a day. Also I intend to make my own veg juice (I relly like V8).

[bigben]

You could always visit some of the seed retailer sites for inspiration. Thompson and Morgan have a huge range. They are a bit pricey but you might get ideas of things you fancy growing. I always end up buying stuff after reading seed catalogues or visiting seed sites. Or even just a search on Amazon for vegetable seeds will give tons of results. Some of which might take your fancy.

[Sweet Pea 2]

Obviously I am form down South so my suggestion may not work  for you.  How about courgettes (you don't need too many plants)  butternut squash, chillis.  My peppers ripened earlier than my tomotoes last year so they may be worth a go.  Runner beans and French beans.  But there is no point growing stuff that you won't eat.  I am going to try not to get gluts this year by doing various things in one tray.  e.g 2 cauliflower, 2 brocolli, 2 swede, 2 caabage,.  Maybe doing 3 or 4 throughout the geowing season, that way you don't get too many at once.

Try putting out some clear polythene now where you have dug, it will help warm up the soil so you might be able to plant out slightly earlier.

Do you like fruit? - my raspberries tasted better than anything in a supermarket.

[digalotty]

theres plenty of fruit that you could grow , and even make fruit pies if you fancy it , you can get small apple trees and pear a good crop of strawberrys and fruit caines off all varietys,  corn on the cob and i would keep trying the tomatoes , see what other people are growing on your site there must be a variety that does well you wont know unless you try them .have you tried rocket and mixed salad leaf and swiss chard

[treacleminer]

I'm probably close to the area you are moving to. I tried butternut squash last year, but had no joy - however, it wasn't exactly a hot sunny summer here, this year may be better (we can hope), but it is noticeable that local conditions do affect what grows well and people a mile away can have things much further on (they may of course be much better gardeners than me - not difficult ), and if your plot is more sheltered than my garden you may find things ripen quicker. Courgettes did well.
I'm working on a veg patch rather than an allotment so am restricted in space.  I do find that all the legumes (peas, different types of beans etc.) taste a million times better straight from the plot to the pan.  You can also pick them smaller and more tender (especially runner beans) than they do commercially.

[digalotty]

if your toms dont ripen you could make a green chutney , or try the banana in a bag trick see if that works with them

[JayG]

Are beans what you would describe as "conventional"? Runners are expensive in shops, easy to grow and can be stir-fried if picked young.

Can't think of a lot of Italian sweetcorn recipes offhand (!) , but boy is it something special when picked and eaten straight from the garden! 

[gillie]

"partially ripened tomatoes rotting on the plant."

This sounds like blight.  There are things you can do to try and avoid this.

How about salads?  Not just lettuce but rocket and all sorts of chicories etc.

If you want to grow 'italianish' vegetables look at Seeds of Italy http://www.seedsofitaly.com/

I don't think you are too far north to grow these - remember that in the Summer your daylight hours will be longer than further south and some kind of cold frame or cloche can work wonders.

Gillie

[Janeymiddlewife]

Mustard "green in snow" is tough as old boots, but pull it before it sets seed or you'll have it forever more! You can stir fry with it, also red mustards and exotic salads are fairly easy, but difficult/expensive to get hold of. Chard is easy & rarely seen, try browsing through seed companies online, there are lots of veggies & fruits you rarely see in the shops.
Rocket & courgette soup is delish, courgettes will use up a fair bit of space too. Squash like sunny sites and will cover  a fair bit of ground.

[TTG]

Thanks for the advice. I know courgettes do well up here. My Dad 2 miles up the road has a veg plot in his garden and always has 2-3 courgette plants. He ends up harvesting solidly for a long time off them. They just keep coming. Courgettes are good cooked in thee normal way but you can actually grate into stirfries and other dishes. This is good for kids who don't eat vegetables and especially courgettes because they don't  seem like couurgettes. OR so I'm told.

My Parents have swiss chard and highly rate it. I intend to do perpetual spinach (I already have the seeds).

I reckon my list will probably be  onions, garlic, perpetual spinach, peas, pak choi, courgettes, black currants, gooseberries, rhubarb. I think that is a good list for my first year. Still open for ideas though.

[Loubs]

How about a bed of asparagus? Takes a couple of years to get settled in, but then should be good for 20 years.

When we choose what to grow, it's a combination of "what do we like to eat" x "what's really expensive to buy". For the things we really love to eat, I've deliberately chosen both early & late cropping varieties, so we get the longest possible cropping season. 

You soon run out of space. 

[TTG]

Loubs - I guess than means I should get my name down for another half plot or perhaps aske to swap to a full plot. Although I think the only ones to have a full or two half plots are the old hands who are on the commitee as officers of the commitee. Quite right they should too as they live and breathe the allotments.

I still wonder if I should suggest to my Gran that I cultivate a patch on her garden for us both. She lives 15 minutes away and has a long flat garden thats mainly lawn. Perhaps I could expand my veggie growing empire. Have to get my plot working first though.