[Zak the Rabbit]

Hi All,

Just cleared the disaster area that was the potatoes, hopeless this year im afraid, but it was a fresh area of ground that had never been touched before.

I need something in it though. I thought of more potatoes but everywhere seems out of stock of late seed spuds. Probably not a good idea anyway in the same spot.

So, thinking beens, carrots, leeks etc etc.

Can anyone suggest any varieties to try? It'l be early september now when i can sow them


Martin

[Heather_S]

bit late for everything now, really  :?  I planted out some carrots yesterday but I've had those growing in rootrainers since the beginning of August and even that was a bit late for some carrot varieties.
Winter radishes like daikon/mooli, large black spanish round and the like can be planted now. Winter Purslane/Claytonia can be planted now... Not sure what else. Oddly winter crops are started in spring at the same time as everything else and just have a longer growing season. It's a sad time of year, just sow some green manure crops (which are doing lovely in the drizzly rain keeping them nice and damp and germinate readily) over the empty spaces in line with crop rotation.

According to John's chart, you can sow:
leaf beet (also known as silverbeet or swiss chard or perpetual spinach)
Chinese Cabbage
Spring Cauliflower
Spring Onions
Overwintering onions
along the same lines, if you can find overwintering varieties of shallot and garlic you can plant those, though you have to provide good drainage or cheat like I do and plant them on the top of little ridges so the water runs off either side of the rows.

[Zak the Rabbit]

Thanks, might give some radishes a go. Never grown them before. In fact i dont even know if i like radishes. Maybe the guineapig and rabbit will.

Ive a space about 10ft x 4ft free, plus other gaps where the carrots and beetroot were.

As you say, everything seems to go in at the same time.



Martin

[GrannieAnnie]

Don't forget your spring cabbage, still time, and my Offenham were quite nice, but I only had a few seeds left from last year, so they went too quickly!!

[James]

http://www.allotment-garden.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=830 gives a good selection of ideas. loads of things.

John, as this question has come up several times recently, what about creating a pinned 'what to plant this late in the summer' thread?

[noshed]

Good idea. It'll give John a rest from the greenhouse.

[mellowmick]

Ouch :!:

[Zak the Rabbit]

Thank everyone.

Finally made a decision yesterday, spring cabbage (april), a fast early carrot (Nantes Frubund) and spring onions (winter white bunching)

My local nursury had garlic sets, but no sowing info, anyone?

Surprised we didnt get thrown out, my little lad was selecting lots of packets of seeds to throw around the shop.




Martin

[Heather_S]

September is the earliest you can plant garlic. Break the bulb up into cloves and only use the biggest ones. Plant in an area that hasn't had alliums in recently/in the past year. (garlic, onions, leeks, chives, etc). Make sure to plant them deep enough so there's an inch of soil above the tip of the clove and plant them with the flat sort of woody bit downwards. Plant in welldrained soil. You can sow garlic through to February and it's recommended you plant in February on heavy soils. I guess it's less risk of rot before they can grow properly that way.

[Zak the Rabbit]

Thanks, i might give it a go.

Only trouble is, in the prepared bed i only have 1 1/2 rows left, and the full row had onions in. But i think i could squeeze them into the half row.

You see, my favourite food is egg fried rice, with lots of garlic, followed by garlic bread. Hence the idea of growing garlic, having chickens etc




Martin

[Ali]

Try broad beans (Aquadulce variety). They grow over winter and are ready early next year. Also are a good green manure.