Allotment - Kale

Decided to give Kale a go this year as have heard lots of others raving about it, I haven't even tasted it before which may have made more sense before attempting to grow it but when do I ever do things conventionally?


We have 2 varieties to try, one is called 'Dwarf Green Curled' and 'Westland Winter'. I think we got the latter from a magazine as a freebie. 


Like all Brassica's it is pretty straightforward to sow, we sowed 6 no. of the 'Dwarf Green Curled' variety in a plug tray (see below: left of picture) but only require 3 good plants. We have been doing that a lot this year with everything to allow for any failures to germinate or other issues, sowing approximately double what is needed. I will sow another batch of Kale in May to stagger the cropping times a little, next time I will try the other variety and will sow 6 again but needing 4 good plants.

Allotment - Carrots

Carrots are probably the first vegetable I get asked about when I mention I have an allotment. Aside from the humble spud they are without doubt the 2nd most popular vegetable in Ireland. I would be surprised to hear of any veggie grower who doesn't at least grow a small amount of carrots just for that unbelievably fresh smell when they are harvested. 


Last year I got a pretty good return from the carrots, some people seem to have a lot of trouble with theirs but ours were pretty straightforward. This year I want to get them even bigger and better than last year. 


Historically to sow carrots you would sow them as thinly as possible for thinning out at a later date. However one of the chief drawbacks to this method is an increased risk of attracting the dreaded carrot fly who just loves  the scent of the thinning's. To avoid this we use the same method as we use for sowing our parsnips. That is to use the dibber to make a conical shaped hole approx 6 inches deep. We then fill this hole with compost. You are often told that manure and fresh compost in the carrot bed will cause forking but to be honest I used this method last year and did not notice any forked carrots so I will try it again this year. If it ain't broken don't fix it!!!


By using the dibber there is no need at all for thinning, just make the holes approx 2-3 inches apart and make your rows approx 18 inches apart. An additional benefit to this method is you do not waste as much seed. Carrot thinning's cannot be transplanted so they are either eaten as mini veg or composted. The only drawback that I find is that it is very time consuming at the initial stage but I think it balances out as there is no further work required apart from keeping the weeds at bay. 


We are sowing a few different varieties this year, 'Autumn King 2' and 'Chantenay Red Chored 2'. We are sowing 76 of 'Autumn King 2' and 76 of 'Chantenay Red Chored 2', too many? 


To avoid having a glut of carrots available all at the same time we are staggering our sowing times, first sowing in April, second in May and another in Early June. This will stretch out the cropping period and make storage a little easier later in the year.


We also use Enviromesh (a fine and hard wearing netting) which ensures that the carrot fly cannot get near the carrots at all but sunlight and water can. The carrot fly lay their eggs at ground level, the offspring then burrow below ground and start feeding on the carrots. The mesh is very expensive, a roll of 5m x 2.6m is €31.99 but having said that it should last for many years so worth the investment in my opinion. 

Allotment - Peas

To sow the peas this year we am trying something different. Last year we simply planted the peas out direct, sowing them where they were to grow. This year however I am going by the policy of planting a plant and not a seed (with a few exceptions to this rule...)


The variety we are using is called 'Early Onward' and cropped very well for us last year. We plan on sowing 1 double row which equates to 46 plants overall. The double row will eventually be spaced 6 inches wide and each plant 2 inches apart. 


If you are fond of peas you may wish to sow another, if not two additional double rows. Sowing should then be staggered for a longer cropping period with new sowing's made every 2-3 weeks until the end of July. Each double row should be spaced 24 inches apart which is a reason why we chose to sow only 1. 


We filled 46 2" diameter pots with good quality all purpose compost making sure to compact the compost before sowing. This will mean when it comes to planting them out the root ball will be nice and compact instead of loose which can lead to damaged roots when transplanting. 

Using a dibber, pencil or whatever you have to hand make a hole around 2 inches deep and drop a pea seed into each, backfill and set aside. Germination should occur from 7-10 days.

Allotment - Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Calabrese (Broccoli)

Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Calabrese or as you may better know it as Broccoli are all members of the Brassica family and are sown in much the same way. We had various levels of success in 2011.


Cauliflower


For one reason or another last year our Cauliflower plants were a complete failure. They germinated well and once planted out just failed to progress and establish into strong plants. We never really fully got to the bottom of why they failed but we will give them another go for 2012. The variety we are growing is called 'All The Year Round' which can also be sown later in the year for a spring harvest.


Brussels Sprouts


Brussels Sprouts, love them or hate them (we love them) they are one of those crops that if grown well will reward you with an abundance of veggies. The only downside to growing Sprouts is the time they take to mature, using up valuable land for most of the growing year. We are growing them again this year though, a few less plants this time around, we are aiming for 3 plants. If grown well we should get a good crop of sprouts in time for the Christmas dinner. The variety we have is called 'Evesham Special'.


Cabbage


Probably the most successful of our crops in 2011, the cabbage is a staple in the Irish vegetable growers garden. Due to being left too long before harvest a few heads burst open which can happen apparently to early maturing varieties so the key is to harvest when ready even if needed or not. As above with the Brussels Sprouts we only want 3 strong plants, this does not sound like a lot but for the area of ground required we did not want to sacrifice any other crop. We are not massive cabbage eaters anyway so no need to have 30 heads all maturing at one time. Maybe when we have a bigger garden in the future we will dedicate more space to them. The variety we sowed is called 'Offenham 2 - Flower of Spring'


Calabrese (Broccoli)


The Calabrese plants were coming on very well last year, we took off for a weekend while the plants were still establishing and came back to complete devastation...the rabbits had completely mauled most of our plants but we still had some left. However due to a period of very warm weather the broccoli heads bolted before becoming fully formed, this I later found out was down to a lack of watering during the really hot period. 


We are giving it a go again this year determined not to make the same mistakes. We sowed approx 14 no in total to have a few spares but only need 6 strong plants overall. We sowed two varieties called 'Green Magic' and 'Autumn Green Calabrese'. 

(See tray on bottom of picture above)


Sowing for all the above was done in the exact same way. In a cell tray filled with good quality multi-purpose compost sow 1 seed approx 1/2 an inch deep and backfill with compost. Allow a good watering and cover / set aside to germinate. Make sure to label your tray as the seedlings can look very similar and difficult to figure out later. 


You can of course sow directly where they are to grow or in a seedbed for transplanting at a later date but as the saying goes 'plant a plant, not a seed' If sowing in a seedbed make sure to cover it to prevent the Cabbage Root Fly from laying its eggs at the base of seedlings, the eggs hatch into larvae which burrow down to the roots of the Brassica's damaging the plant (especially seedlings). For Swedes, Turnips and Radish crops the larvae will burrow into the roots themselves ruining the crop.  


I would advise for all the above to sow double what is required to allow for lack of germination, pests and / or any other problems that may occur as it might be too late to do anything about it. You can always give them away to your neighbour if you cannot use them yourself. 

Allotment - Rhubarb

We chose to grow Rhubarb the most difficult way possible, we do love a challenge myself and Laura....


Growing Rhubarb from seed is quite a challenge and was described in a book as 'only do it if you have your heart set on it'. It will probably take 2-3 years of growing and management before we get a decent crop of Rhubarb but what's the rush? 


Traditionally you grow Rhubarb from roots or crowns but not being in any particular hurry we bought the seeds instead, thinking more of the long term project than anything else. 


The plan for the future then would be to propagate new plants from the existing ones or alternatively to sow a new batch every year or two from seed to have fresh growth every couple of years. 


We sowed 6 seeds in a small unheated propagator to allow for any failure to germinate, we ultimately need only 2 plants. Each seed was sown approx an inch deep in multi-purpose compost. I would expect to see germination after 2-3 weeks. The tray was left outdoors as are all my propagator trays this year but with the benefit of additional cover from the elements.


I will provide a picture update when they have germinated....  

Allotment - Pak Choi

Another vegetable I have never tried but have heard lots about. It is meant to taste a little like cabbage. It is another member of the Brassica family so should like the Irish climate. We have a variety called 'White Stemmed' which it says on the packet should be ready to harvest in 8-10 weeks. I don't think even the most optimistic grower would expect a harvest in Ireland that quickly, especially after such a wet and cold April. 


We sowed 7 seeds in 7 x 2" inch pots in good quality multi-purpose compost and literally just left them outdoors but under a layer of Enviromesh to keep the worst of the weather off them. 


The following picture was taken 3 weeks after sowing and demonstrates the slow growth so far this year.  

Hopefully May will bring a nice increase in temps otherwise I will have to pot these on to larger pots as I don't want to plant them out when they are too young / small.


For succession sowing's we will be doing another batch in early May (6 no), early June (5 no) and early July (5 no). 


I just hope we like it now! 

Allotment - Spring Onion

The first of our Spring Onion seeds were sown last weekend (6th April).


For a continuous crop of Spring Onions hopefully right up to October we will be sowing two small pots (3" - 4") filled with compost every fortnight with the aim to harvest one pot each week from June onwards. Last year the Spring Onions seemed to take an eternity to reach a good size for harvesting but their growing position was probably the worst spot available on the allotment. 


I got the tip to grow them in pots from another gardener whose videos I watch online, it saves space and makes repeating sowing's frequently quite easy. Spring onions do not require much space to grow and I have seen them grown on short lengths of gutter hung from the Polytunnel structure to maximise space usage. 


I filled the pots about 3/4 of the way to the top with multi-purpose compost and compacted it a little, then I scattered a few of the seeds, approx 10-15 on top of each and topped off with another fine layer of compost. The pots are then set aside outdoors but under cover of enviromesh to keep the worst of the wind and rain off them. 


I have the same variety but from two different seed companies, 'White Lisbon' from Suttons and White Lisbon from Mr. Fothergill's. To my mind they should be the same but according to the seed packet they can be sown at different times of the year (Suttons can be sown from March to May and from August to September for an overwintering crop whereas Mr. Fothergill's can be sown from March to July only).


I also have a variety called 'Tokyo Long White' which again has a longer growing season (March to July and September to October) as it can be overwintered. 


I will stagger which variety is sown and compare results later in the year. 

Allotment - Broad Beans

We bought the Broad Bean seeds last summer planning on sowing them over the winter. Sadly we missed the boat so instead had to wait until this spring to get them started. 


We have 2 varieties of Broad Bean, 'Masterpiece Green Longpod' and 'Red Epicure' but both are sown in the same way. We need to plant out 11 plants of each variety but sowed 15 of each to have a few spares if needed. In small pots filled with compost, make a small hole using dibber, pencil or whatever your weapon of choice is and put a seed into the hole. Top off with a little more compost, water and leave to germinate. 


We sowed these seeds in a propagator tray and covered with the lid but left the tray outdoors. We are hoping that the additional heat will help them germinate quicker but that being outdoors from early on means they will not need hardening off and will be tougher plants. It is almost like a mini cold frame, hopefully. 

There is an additional cover that goes on top of this bed which keeps the worst of the weather off the sowing trays. 

Allotment - Asparagus

Well after 12 months of talking about it I finally planted some Asparagus crowns in the allotment. They have been in the shed for the last year so not even sure that they will grow but If you don't try you don't get. I have been amazed by nature in the past so wanted to give them a chance before chucking them on the compost heap.


They require a deep well draining and finely prepared location with no large rocks / stones in the soil. I made a trench approx 10 inches deep across my raised bed. and loosened up the soil a little on the base. The trench only has to be a spades width across. 

The crowns (I have 4) are then placed on top of the loosened soil at a distance of of 18 inches of 1.5 feet apart. Spread out the 'tails' a little so they are evenly separated. The books say to only replace approx 3 inches of soil initially and once shoots appear to add more as you go but I chose to ignore the conventional wisdom and covered them completely. So now to wait and see. I believe it can take up to two months for the shoots to appear so now to play the waiting game. 

Allotment - Leeks

Had some mixed results last year with the Leeks so will be giving them a better go of it this year (hopefully). My problem last year was sowing time, I don't think I sowed the leeks early enough meaning I was always playing catch up. That said we still have a decent crop that we are eating at the moment so I wont complain too much, some are on the thin side but the majority are of a good size, this year though we will try and do better.


I managed to sow the leeks on the 31st March this year, compared to late April last year I have given them an extra 4 weeks to establish. We want around 18 decent size plants by June time for planting out so I sowed around double that to have a good chance. They are fairly straightforward to sow, I used 6 deep plastic pots and filled them 3/4 of the way to the top with good quality all purpose compost. Make sure to compact it a little. Then I sprinkled around 6-8 seeds evenly on top of the compost. and then another fine layer of compost to cover the seeds. 


That is pretty much it. I would be expecting germination in about 3 weeks as they are outside but it could take longer. To allow a little protection from the wind I made a small 'greenhouse' just out of some timber and plastic I had lying around. It is well ventilated so it wont get overly hot in there but I am hoping it will keep the worst of the wind out at least. 


Picture below (far right) shows the wee greenhouse I made. It's not fancy but hoping it will do a job.

Picture of leeks to follow....

Allotment - Shallots

This is our first year attempting to grow shallots so will see how they go. 


You buy shallots in sets similar to onion sets, basically baby shallots. These are planted in rows approx 8-12 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart. We just got enough for a single row of 15 in total. Each shallot set should grow to form approx 4-8 shallots each so we should have plenty assuming they all grow well that is.


We used the same method as with the garlic, made a small hole with a dibber, filled it with compost and pushed the shallot into the compost so that just the tip was visible. Thats pretty much it. Hopefully the compost will provide plenty of organic matter for the set to feed on. 


You have to keep an eye on the shallots in the weeks after planing as the birds seems to quite like to pull them out of the soil thinking they are worms, if you see a shallot has been pulled up, then just pop it back into place. 

Allotment - Parsnips

Parsnips have a reputation as a difficult crop to grow, maybe we were just very lucky last year but we got a very decent crop of Parsnips with what seemed like a simple enough care plan.


Last year I sowed parsnips in 2 different ways. One was the conventional way of sowing thinly approx 1 inch deep into finely prepared soil in rows approx 12 inches apart (Some books advise to double the row distance to 24 inches). 


The other way was to use a dibber to create a conical shaped hole approx 6-8 inches deep to the same spacing as above. These holes are then backfilled with compost and compressed gently. Once all these holes are prepared you can then go back and make a small hole say an inch deep on top of the compost and drop in 1-2 parsnip seeds in each (2 is a good idea as parsnips have a notoriously poor germination record). Backfill the hole a little and job done. 


The results were fairly impressive with the parsnips planted into the compost holes far outgrowing the others. In general the were longer, wider looked generally straighter than the others. 


The major drawback with this method is it is very time consuming at sowing stage. However the results are far better so its definately worth the effort. We decided this year to plant all our parsnips in this way. A big advantage is that when making the initial hole with the dibber you manage to eliminate any stones that could damage the parsnip as it grows.


We have 2 different varieties of parsnip, F1 Countess and White Gem. We did 36 compost holes in all so 18 of each variety. Weed control is very important as parsnips do not like competition. 

Allotment - Garlic

We already have winter sown Garlic in the Ground that was planted Late Nov / Early Dec which should crop in early summer time. 


We are big garlic users in our household so decided to sow a spring planting also. Ideally you would do this Early March time but we only got around to it late March but are hopeful we got them in just on time. 


To sow garlic it couldn't be easier, you usually buy a pack of 3-4 certified garlic bulbs which have around 12 cloves each in them. All you have to do is split each clove apart from the bulb, you need to allow 6-8 inches between cloves in rows approx 18 inches apart (we made our rows a lot closer at approx 8 inches apart) and 2-3 inches deep. Conventionally all you have to do is push the clove into the soil at the above spacing and that's it. 


This is how we planted our winter garlic and they seem to be doing quite well. See image below. 

As an experiment we made a small hole in the soil with a dibber, we then filled this hole with some compost and compressed it slightly. Then we planted a clove of garlic into the compost and covered it so just the top was visible. This is the method with which we sow our carrots and parsnips and I just wanted to give it a go. It is a good way (at least I hope it is) of giving the clove a good start as it has lots of organic matter to feed on. I have not read about others doing this and there may well be a good reason for that but I said I'd give it a go. Only downside to this method is that it is time consuming. 

Allotment - First Early Potatoes

The first vegetable to be sown this year are our First Early Potatoes. We only planted 10 seed potatoes as there is just the two of us we should get a good return. Also early potatoes do not store well so we pretty much have to eat them as they are harvested. This will be the first year for us growing earlies so I am looking forward to seeing how well they do.


We planted these the usual way, dug a small trench about 6-8 inches deep and added some manure and a sprinkling of Blood Fish & Bone, a balanced fertiliser to help them along as Potatoes are a hungry crop. We placed each tuber (sprouting eye facing up) about 12 inches apart in rows approx 24 inches apart. 


Just to help protect them a little from a late frost we added some straw dense manure on top to keep the soil warm, when the plants are poking through the soil we will earth them up on top of the manure which will add additional organic matter to the potatoes. See image below. 

Allotment - Sowing the first seeds

We began sowing seeds in late March with a view to planting out in the allotment once we got the keys so to speak. Our aim was to try and plant some of the fruit and vegetables we eat regularly and also a few more exotic types.

We bought 2 propagators, basically a covered seed tray that traps heat inside, some seeds require a lot of heat to germinate which cannot always be guaranteed in March in Ireland. We also purchased a plethora of small to medium size planting pots, trays, compost etc for all the other seeds we planned on starting off at home.

Seeds sown in Propagator for moving to allotment at a later date were as follows:

Tomato - 8 seeds total, 2 seeds per pod so 4 pods

Cherry Tomato - 3 seeds total

Peppers - 24 pods planted (we never realised before hand that 1 seed equals 1 plant and each plant can produce 6 - 10 peppers - we will learn for next year)

Strawberry - scattering of seeds per pod, 15 pods total

Leeks - 20 seeds in total, 2 per pod so 10 pods

Cucumber - 3 seeds total

Seeds sown in pots or trays, placed in Cold Frame to germinate for moving to allotment or finishing off at home were as follows:

Basil - 8 seeds total, 2 per pod so 4 pods

Butternut Squash - 3 seeds sown, 1 per pot

Sunflower - 2 seeds per pot, 3 pots total

Seeds sown in pots or trays, left on a sunny windowsill to germinate for moving to allotment or finishing off at home were as follows:

Sweetcorn - 9 seeds were sown individually in 3 inch pots

Broccoli (Autumn - Green Calabrese) - Sown in a seed tray, approx 24 seeds in total

Carrot (Autumn King 2) - After reading up on the internet I tried sowing 12 in peat pots to be grown at home and transplanted to the allotment - very much so experimental

Parsnip - After reading up on the internet I tried sowing 12 in peat pots to be grown at home and transplanted to the allotment - very much so experimental

Runner Beans (Scarlet Emperor) - 5 seeds were planted in 3 inch pots

Baby Beetroot - Sown in 3 x 5" pots, approx 9 seeds per pot