OT, Vegetable Plot

[caliban]

Hi, sorry this is a bit OT, but I've had no luck with gardening forums. I've just started a wee vegetable plot and I've just harvested carrots, beetroot and spring onions and now my plot is bare, does anyone know if I can plant anything else at this time of the year?

Whilst I'm at it, I've started a compost heap too and I've been putting the woodshavings, rabbit poo (and rabbit pee) from my rabbit hutch on it. I was wondering if the woodshavings might not be such a good idea?

Sorry once again that this is not bushcraft!

 

[Tengu]

Woodshavings is ok.

Im no gardener but is there still time for fast stuff like radishes?

how about winter veg like leeks and parsnips.

And yes, it is bushcraft...

 

[gregorach]

The woodshaving are OK as long as you've got enough nitrogen available. I would expect that the rabbit waste should do just fine on that score.

Leeks and parsnips both take a long time - I sowed my parsnips back in February for harvesting this autumn. It's planting out time for leeks, but you should've sown them at least a couple of months back to have them ready for planting now. Winter cabbage and purple sprouting broccoli could be sown now, or spring cabbage for next year... For quicker results, oriental salad (pak choi, mizzuna, mustard greens, that sort of thing) could also be sown now. Many seed companies do a "Oriental saladini" mix, which you can just broadcast and will keep going over winter.

The trick is to always be thinking at least a season ahead, and if possible, to start plants off in pots or modules so that they're ready for transplant as soon as the space is available.

 

[Toadflax]

After my initial crop this year, which is now just about going over, I'm putting in All Year Round Cauliflower, Chard, Kale, Spring Cabbage, Leeks, Swedes, Dwarf Beans. Not sure how well they will all go, but these are varieties that ought to either harvest in the winter, or at least survive and take off in the spring. However, I am starting all of these in pots in the greenhouse.

Given the early germination of many of the weeds in the milder winters we've had down south over the past few years, this is a bit of an experiment, but I may as well have something in the ground as leave it bare.


Geoff

 

[gregorach]

Surely you mean broad beans, not dwarf (French) beans? Dwarf French beans die at the least hint of frost.

Chard and kale are very good suggestions.

 

[EdS]

Be careful with the wood shavings as:

a) the excess Carbon will lock up available nitrogen. Ideally in compost you want about 30:1 C:N ration. Wood has >100:1 C:N

B) animal bedding is from softwood (pine etc) and is acidic in nature - it can lead to a reduction in soil pH. This will not only effect what plants you can grow but also increase/decrease the solubility and therefore phyto-availability of compounds/element especially metals. Beaware that garden soil often has surpisingly high levels of metal especially in an urban or traditionally industrial area.

however, as you are putting them in acompost heap as long as you keep the C:N balance and the moisture levels correct - go for it.

 

[Toadflax]

Surely you mean broad beans, not dwarf (French) beans? Dwarf French beans die at the least hint of frost.

I did mean French Beans - I'm trying to see if I can get a quick crop in before the winter. They were planted a couple of weeks ago as soon as my row of peas had died off, and are up to the first set of leaves now.


Geoff

 

[gregorach]

Ah, I see. I read your comment as indicating that you were hoping to over-winter them...

 

[Toadflax]

Ah, I see. I read your comment as indicating that you were hoping to over-winter them...

Yes - I see that you are correct now that I read my post again!


Geoff

 

[stevec]

hi, now according to my copy of "the expert veg notebook) july is the time for

harvesting
broad beans, french beans, beetroot, courgettes, shallots, onions, lettuce peas radish etc

sow
chicory, winter radish maincrop turnip, continue planting lettuce and peas, finish planing broccoli winter cabage cauli's and leeks and kale.

don't know if thats any use to you.

best regards
steve

 

[caliban]

Wow! These are incredibly helpful replies. Thank's a lot! I'll be laying off on the rabbit refuse.

 

[wildman695]

duplicate post

 

[wildman695]

replies just about cover it, I have just moved some tomatos that were in pots in the greenhouse outside, I tried it last year but they came to nowt. already have flowers on this year so maybe ok. They were surplus in any case. Wood shavings in small quanties are ok. Dont forget to rotate crops. and leaving fallow is one of the traditional rotations. cover bare ground with carpets to stifle weeds and gress, plus it warms the ground ready to plant, mice and toads scavange underneath for worms and dig it nicely if left all winter. Onions and carrots should overwinter most years as do leeks chard, curly kale (we are picking ours already and will continue to do so all winter till next may) Succesion crops cn be planted if you had brought them on in pots, indoors or in a greenhouse.
For sowing planting now, you can try spring cabbage,lettuce,leeks, salad and bulb onions,peas if you have any luck with them, radish, spinach turnip and some varieties of beetroot. Good luck.

 

[Rebel]

Hi, sorry this is a bit OT, but I've had no luck with gardening forums. I've just started a wee vegetable plot and I've just harvested carrots, beetroot and spring onions and now my plot is bare, does anyone know if I can plant anything else at this time of the year?

Thing is you are in Edinburgh so you probably get a shorter summer and earlier frost than us in the South so you need to look at what will grow there. There's quite a few things I can still plant at this time of year here such as lettuce, broccoli, etc. Leeks would probably work for you, possibly winter spinach and chard. It's a bit late for planting Brussel Sprouts but they are a good winter crop and are much tastier when you grow your own.

Japanese Onions can be planted now. You can plant garlic in autumn.