I live in Cornwall and suggest you chat with the other allotment holders re the type of soil you have in the allotments and which crops do badly. Bear in mind, some of the holders will have had their plots for several years and had time to build up the fertility in them. Hopefully, the previous tenant of your plot looked after it and fertilized it in some way prior to giving it up. The soil down here varies greatly depending on where in Cornwall you are. Some areas are strongly acidic, hence loads of camellias and rhododendrons, other areas have a lot of clay in them, some are deep and rich some are thin, gritty, and low in nutrients. I am on thin gritty soil which grows peas well, it took me 4 years to get some rhubarb going, runner beans grown over a circular pit do well but I have problems with growing beetroot. A lot of how much to grow of each crop is difficult, it is trial and error, weather, the climate change issue has a lot of effect on what will grow well or not and how much time you intend to give to growing, and how much time you actually end up being able to give, are all factors which affect the ultimate crops you produce. Good luck, enjoy and you are always welcome to come back to the forum if you have more quuestions. Never be afraid to ask, someone will always come up with the answer.
Pansyface and dove from above I appreciate all the information. I will certainly take it under advisement although as I said I have done considerably research on raised beds and feels it’s the best option not simply for aesthetics. I have no doubt it’s possible to successfully grow without them, doesn’t mean it’s not a good process. As for loosing space I’m not sure I’d agree as paths are useful wether you grow in traditional rows or beds to avoid soil compaction from walking on them. Also they are “raised” by about 30cm so I’m not sure how much difference this would make to tall plants? I knew there would be differences of opinion on this matter but it’s not actually what I was asking about. I don’t want to have an argument about it
Just wanted to make a point or two from my own experience. I've been growing veg in allotments and gardens for a very long time now. But if you've done the research and made your decision that's fine ... I hope it works well for you
On this board we often dot the 'i's and cross the 't's because folk sometimes use it as a reference, doing a search rather than asking a question ... so it's as well to cover as many aspects as we can on days when we have the time.
Do come back and let us know how you get on, and give my love to Cornwall ... we have friends there and have made many visits and hope to make many more.
P.S. just thought I'd mention that 30cm on top of a six and a half foot runner bean teepee is quite a lot for me nowadays 😂
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I find having low raised beds helps with the 'no dig' principles I try to follow - the compost and manure I add to improve the soil is more contained and I can work with my rotation more easily - otherwise I forget which bits to mulch. I have heavy clay soil though so have to do quite a lot of soil improving. In terms of quantities, growing enough white onions and potatoes for a family of 4 is a pretty big task, but growing too many courgettes is really very easy (probably about 3 plants, unless you eat them daily). My advice is to just start and then adjust - accept that you'll be buying veg and giving away surplus and just go with it. I grow both runner beans and french beans, for example, because usually one will do well when the other struggles with the weather. We do very occasionally get a year when both fail and I hardly get a bean or one when both thrive and I become a real nuisance to my neighbours, giving them bags of beans every week. Even when you're not a novice, this will still happen. So don't worry about it too much. Crack on
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Very good points already, I agree about growing French and Runner beans, very rare for both to fail. Have a look at Charles Dowdings advice on raised beds especially if you want to go no dig. He recommends using a frame to start but then removing it so you just have a low mound, you get fewer problems with pests hiding at the sides that way. You can dig out your paths into the beds, and make up the height with membrane or cardboard, with woodchip laid on it. Most sites get free woodchip as local tree surgeons are only too happy to get rid of it. As for quantity sow small amounts of salad crops, but sow successionaly (repeat sow) through the season. If growing any of the cabbage (brassica) family the name of the type is when it crops not when you sow or plant. For example summer cabbage will be sown in March, planted late April or early May, crop in July August. I agree completely about growing high value crops that are at their very best picked and eaten on the same day. Soft fruit is a great example I don't grow carrots anymore, they don't do well on my clay soil and they are cheap to buy even organic ones, but many of my fellow plotholders do grow them it really is personal preference. Even after 60+ years of Allotment growing (I was very young when I started) something always does exceptionally well , somethings less well even if I have had success before, its largely down to the weather in any given season. Spread your bets have fun, get the family involved, enjoy eating the results you will be stunned at the difference in taste.
Sorry I realized I did say much about quantity. A wigwam of 8 -10 Runner bean plants will give you a good amount. Climbing FB Same again but I do 2 lots early and late. 2 or 3 courgette plants . If you want to try first or second early potatoes like Foremost and Charlotte a 2kg bag of seed will give you 2 full rows of each across a typical plot, tho plot dimensions vary some wider and shorter some long and narrow even on the same site. Something like cauliflower you only get one head, but green calibrese will often sprout side shoots after the main head is cut so you get several pickings over many weeks. There are loads of books too many to list, anything endorsed by RHS Kew or even Gardeners world. There is a specific grow your own monthly magazine too.
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The soil down here varies greatly depending on where in Cornwall you are. Some areas are strongly acidic, hence loads of camellias and rhododendrons, other areas have a lot of clay in them, some are deep and rich some are thin, gritty, and low in nutrients.
I am on thin gritty soil which grows peas well, it took me 4 years to get some rhubarb going, runner beans grown over a circular pit do well but I have problems with growing beetroot.
A lot of how much to grow of each crop is difficult, it is trial and error, weather, the climate change issue has a lot of effect on what will grow well or not and how much time you intend to give to growing, and how much time you actually end up being able to give, are all factors which affect the ultimate crops you produce.
Good luck, enjoy and you are always welcome to come back to the forum if you have more quuestions. Never be afraid to ask, someone will always come up with the answer.
Just wanted to make a point or two from my own experience. I've been growing veg in allotments and gardens for a very long time now.
On this board we often dot the 'i's and cross the 't's because folk sometimes use it as a reference, doing a search rather than asking a question ... so it's as well to cover as many aspects as we can on days when we have the time.
Do come back and let us know how you get on, and give my love to Cornwall ... we have friends there and have made many visits and hope to make many more.
P.S. just thought I'd mention that 30cm on top of a six and a half foot runner bean teepee is quite a lot for me nowadays 😂
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
In terms of quantities, growing enough white onions and potatoes for a family of 4 is a pretty big task, but growing too many courgettes is really very easy (probably about 3 plants, unless you eat them daily). My advice is to just start and then adjust - accept that you'll be buying veg and giving away surplus and just go with it. I grow both runner beans and french beans, for example, because usually one will do well when the other struggles with the weather. We do very occasionally get a year when both fail and I hardly get a bean or one when both thrive and I become a real nuisance to my neighbours, giving them bags of beans every week. Even when you're not a novice, this will still happen. So don't worry about it too much. Crack on
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I agree completely about growing high value crops that are at their very best picked and eaten on the same day. Soft fruit is a great example
I don't grow carrots anymore, they don't do well on my clay soil and they are cheap to buy even organic ones, but many of my fellow plotholders do grow them it really is personal preference. Even after 60+ years of Allotment growing (I was very young when I started) something always does exceptionally well , somethings less well even if I have had success before, its largely down to the weather in any given season. Spread your bets have fun, get the family involved, enjoy eating the results you will be stunned at the difference in taste.
teepee cylindrical and wigwam are square.
both type of traditional native american dwellings.
teepee
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipi
wigwam
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigwam