DRAYTON ROAD ALLOTMENTS ASSOCIATION

ALLOTMENTS  AND GARDENS

ADVICE TIPS AND INFORMATION

VEGETABLES

Updated 6 th Sept 2015


Seed Potatoes purchased and chitting in trays

Arran Pilot  1st Early
Charlotte  2nd Early
Pink Fir Apple Late Maincrop

Some shallots set in seed tray
Had some seeds for Christmas presents



Beware of snow damage to fruit cages
I remove my netting and protect brassicas with pea netting
 Prize winning vegetables at the
Abingdon Horticultural Society Autumn Show
Can you do better?

Last year's Pink Fir Apple maincrop potatoes
2013 1st prize spuds

marrow picture

Allotment selection winner
allotment winner picture

Courgettes ( should be even size, under 6 inches)
courgette picture


Cucumber from polytunnel
polytunnel cucumber picture

Pink Fir Apple  Harvested August
pink fir apple 2012

Cara Harvested August
Cara potatoes 2012









Potato seed sould be purchased in the spring and placed in trays to chit ( sprout )
seed potato photo
Plant  4 to 6 inch deep 12 to 18 inch apart along row. Rows 24 to 30 inches apart
Plant earlies in March to April
Maincrop plant in April to May
Harvest earlies June onwards. Maincrop in September
Try earlies in bags from seedsmen, fill with compost and keep well watered
photo of seed potato in a row

Did anyone try filling plastic bottles with water and placing under tender plants,
They are supposed to act like a hot water bottle, taking in heat during the day and protecting against frost at night. useful for runners etc, try it and let me know.
Reminder, , that the frost, May 4th 2011 got my potatoes, same as the previous year! Will it this year? I tried some fleece in 2012 worked well!!
Early -
Charlotte- a salad variety in front. Maincrop-Cara at rear.

18 seed -a row across my allotment
  JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB
Broad Beans   S S     H H H            
Runner Beans       S S   H H H H        
Dwarf Beans       S S   H H H H        
Beetroot       S S S SH H H H        
Sprt. Broccoli         S S             H H
Bruss Sprouts     S S           H H H H H
Summer Cabbage SP SP S       H H H H H      
Winter Cabbage         S S       H H H H H
Carrots     S S S S SH H H H H      
Leek     S S         H H H H H H
Lettuce     S S S S SH SH H H        
Courgettes     SP SP S   H H H H        
Onion Sets/Garlic     S S       H H          
Parsnips     S S           H H H H H
Peas        S S SH SH H H H        
Potatoes      S S   H H H H          
Radishes      S S SH SH SH SH SH H        
Shallots     S S      H H             
Spinach     S S S SH H H H H        
Sweetcorn       SP S S   H H          
Tomatoes Outside       SP SP     H H H        
Ridge Cucumbers     SP SP SP   H H H H        
  JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB
SP Protect seeds from weather S Sow H Harvest

The chart above has been requested by several people. I hope you find it useful as a guide. Weather conditions will influence timing.
 Experiment and let me know of any updates you find in the light of your experiences.

Anya potatoes did ok, earlier variety similar to pink fir apple ( a knobbly salad variety, but quite late)
Arran pilot and desiree ok all lifted now but I have set 10 unknown tubers end of July , to produce some new potatoes for Christmas!!
 I had a couple of feeds of new potatoes just before christmas  very tasty
 Shallots are stored in the shed at home.
Asparagus seed set earlier in the year has been set out now in a cleaned bed laden with horse manure only 3 years to wait for a crop!!
I have just harvested a butternut squash, any ideas what to do with it appreciated.

Purple carrots a novelty but orange ones taste better!
Red and white cabbage now harvesting, will be pickling and making coleslaw
Shared beetroot with mice 


Early Potatoes -ready to dig now Broad Beans looking ready for harvest Beetroot in a bag
potatoes in flower 2011 broad beans june 2011 beetroot in a FIBC
sweetcorn looking  goodsweetcorn looking good Jun 2011 Lettuce looking  good lurking lettuce looking lush early onions  June 2011early onions June2011

2010
Photo of my
 Peas on the left

Sweetcorn on the right		 Photo of my sweetcorn
 Leeks on the right Photo of my Leeks

dozen new potatoes, are these the first??? photo of potatoes 31May 2010
 Peas on a members allotment photo of peas 6 June
Crop Rotation
4 year cycle :-		 POTATOES
manured in autumn		 ROOTS LEGUMES (Peas and Beans)
add nitrogen to the soil		 BRASSICAS
Like a little lime and the nitrogen from Legumes		 Fit in the rest ,
courgettes onions
sweetcorn etc
I am going to try 5 cycle rotation  sweetcorn following brassicas so the land is ready for early potatoes in the following year
Section of plot A Section of plot B Section of plot C Section of plot D Section of plot E
year 1 potatoes roots legumes brassicas sweetcorn
year 2 roots legumes brassicas sweetcorn potatoes
year 3 legumes brassicas sweetcorn potatoes roots
year 4 brassicas sweetcorn potatoes roots legumes
year 5 sweetcorn potatoes roots legumes brassicas

2010
Radishes Early may (set late March) photo of radishes
Parsnips          parsnips doing ok again this year, a little canker and one woody root,
hope to find some good ones for Christmas lunch
                                       		 Photo of parsnips
LEEKS
2011 leeks - half of crop failed, looked like insect holes and went rotten
Grew 2 varieties- one more resistant than other		 Photo of leeks


2010

members produce 20 June Produce from a members allotment ange tout
Early cauliflower photo Late June cauliflower and red cabbage photo of red cabbage


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