Allotment: Woo Hoooo!!! :) :) :)

[GeeGee]

Ha .. jansman with everything you're going through ..you are still prepping even while lying in a hospital bed ! Brilliant
All respect to you !!

[jansman]

I need some interesting talk.

[jennyjj01]

I need some interesting talk.

All we seem to do in this thread is talk 5h1t

Seriously Jansman, your continuing contributions are treasured. Thanks for all the times you keep us grounded. But put yourself and your good lady first.

GeeGee. I hope you and MrGeeGee are going through better times too.

Let this place be a mundane distraction from 'the real world'

[jansman]

I need some interesting talk.

All we seem to do in this thread is talk 5h1t

Seriously Jansman, your continuing contributions are treasured. Thanks for all the times you keep us grounded. But put yourself and your good lady first.

GeeGee. I hope you and MrGeeGee are going through better times too.

Let this place be a mundane distraction from 'the real world'

The allotment/ garden is both wonderful and practical. Like myself and my African friend,we both are able to supply ( hopefully) reliable and favourite foods,under the cheapest and easiest ways. Anyone who is doing that in a kitchen garden is making an achievement !

This isn’t a mundane distraction, as to me it is both creative and important. My hospital friend is quite open that his inner city allotment is economically important to him. I suspect that many of the way of food - growing projects will be very extremely economical in the future. I won’t lie when I say mine will be! My - OUR - economy has been planned drastically to allow for my loss. We’ll survive. Food is a huge economical input,and right now- increase . And will continue to be I reckon.

I am looking forward to starting food- growing next year,and discussing methods and cooking too,and making an allotment more than a hobby- not that that is an issue!

[jennyjj01]

Drat, Lost my long post because not logged in. Grumble

Anyways. Questions for you experts so I can hit the ground running.
I'm looking for maximum return on investment in time and money. I know that will mean compromises.

So, initial thoughts and questions...

Spuds. Should I aspire to have three crops through the year?
Last year's spud seed prices seemed a reasonable £3/kg or so, but current prices are more like £10 - £15. Those prices would need a lot of yield to be worthwhile, or do prices drop in March with availability?
Is it practical to sow from supermarket spuds (or other veg) if i can get the right varieties?
Is it practical to seed from my own crops?
Is there any universal variety that i can grow in two parts of the year?

Carrots: Peas: Should I sow and harvest almost continuously?
I have some carrots and parsnips still in the ground. Should I let some bolt and harvest their seeds?

Onions: Seeds or sets?

Quickest fruit from sowing to harvest?

Ideas for crops I can use in craft wines? Ginger, Parsnip? Beetroot?

Easy perenials? Asparagus?

Should i bother to grow the kinds of greens we seldom eat with a view to swaps at harvest time?

Any tips on what mistakes I'll likely make? I already know impatience and frugality are problems.

Soooooo Excited! Can you tell?

[jansman]

I reckon if you have space,then yes,3 crops of spuds is good. Seed? Yes. However,if you are really watching price,then supermarket seed works. Indeed a guy in our village told me that the second crop that is of course from supermarkets is quite good. It’s how I grow mine. Carrots and parsnips - buy seed in. The Student is my favourite and cheapest parsnip. And reliable. Carrots,Autumn King and Amsterdam are good.

Above all though,only grow stuff you actually eat.

[jennyjj01]

I reckon if you have space,then yes,3 crops of spuds is good. Seed? Yes. However,if you are really watching price,then supermarket seed works. Indeed a guy in our village told me that the second crop that is of course from supermarkets is quite good. It’s how I grow mine. Carrots and parsnips - buy seed in. The Student is my favourite and cheapest parsnip. And reliable. Carrots,Autumn King and Amsterdam are good.

Above all though,only grow stuff you actually eat.

Thanks, I was afraid you might advise growing what we eat. Spuds, peas, carrots, onions, mostly. But those are the cheapest veg to just buy . I'll be having a stab at a few higher value crops, but they'll tend to need a greenhouse or cloche.
Good to hear that I can do some spuds on the cheap. I likes cheap! I got a pan-ful this year. Also carrot seeds are super cheap.
I think I'll harvest those parsnips this week, and pluck out the odd carrot.

[GillyBee]

I'd try and squeeze in some soft fruit. Easy to grow and expensive to buy.
I put JoanJ raspberries on my old plot They are autumn fruiters so in theory you get a crop in year one - but it is more like a taste. By year 2 you should be doing well if they like your plot. But they do spread. I started with 6 bare root plants and after 5 years they had taken over the twelve by twelve fruit cage I inherited, swamped the strawberries completely and were working on taking over the blackcurrants. That year I picked 50 Kg of raspberries which was a pretty good return on my investment. They don't like my alkaline garden though. I still have some but they have struggled to get established here.
Rhubarb is a doddle and now I have Jansman's rhubarb chutney recipe ...
Strawberries is the fastest from plant to fruit but again I find they are fussy about soil and like plenty of (good) manure.

[Arzosah]

Yep, just what I was going to say - soft fruit, and rhubarb. And what about a herb garden? The veg, as you say, are cheap per kilo, even if you do like them, but mint, oregano, sage, that sort of thing. Do you like fennel? If it will grow in your soil, that would be great.

PS - sorrel, another set it and forget. And grow your own comfrey?

[GillyBee]

Most herbs are a doddle and you can always buy supermarket ones and divvy them up to plant out. This is how I got my chives ten years ago & still going strong. Also a good bet for parsley and thyme while a cut stem of rosemary will root in a cup of water given a couple of weeks in the warm.