Jobs in the Allotment this September

Jobs in the Allotment this September

Published: 29th August 2019

Planting is still possible as we head into autumn as the soil has warmed up from the hot summer period and the weather is still pleasant enough for you to want to be outside!

What to plant and sow?

Sow seeds for fast growing crops such as radishes that mature in a matter of weeks, perfect for adding a peppery tang to your salads. Or why not try turnips, they take slightly longer to mature, roughly 6 weeks, taking you into October which would be the ideal time of year for stews and roasted root veg.

To reap the rewards next year, take the time to plant vegetables that need to overwinter such as winter lettuce.
You can read in more detail our favourite lettuce to overwinter on this blog here: Vegetables for Winter or Spring

Garlic sets will be coming into stock over the next few weeks and a worthy plant for any kitchen garden. You’ll find garlic is a low maintenance crop to grow and is useful in so many dishes and in the case of “hardneck” varieties you can even benefit from harvesting their edible flowers.

“Softneck” varieties don’t produce the stem but can be stored for longer than hardneck varieties, so it’s worth growing a selection from each type.

Firstly you should not plant garlic in the same soil that has recently been used for garlic or any other plant from the allium family, you may need to look into a rotation system if you’re thinking about having garlic as a regular crop.

Plant garlic cloves about 2.5cm deep in full sun with well-drained, light soil, roughly 30cm apart, adding organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure.

Shallots and onion sets will also be available in store in the next few weeks and again, are easy growers, perfect for beginners!
Although onions and shallots are from the same family you will find slight differences, such as shallots tend to have a lighter flavour – often found in French cuisine, and form a clump of bulbs unlike the onion which grows as an individual.

Gardeners choose to plant shallots and onions during the autumn period so that they will overwinter, allowing for an earlier harvest than those that are planted in spring.

Plant either variety in a sunny position in well-drained soil, ideally having treated the soil weeks before by incorporating some well-rotten garden compost to improve drainage and soil fertility. If your ground is too wet try growing shallots and onions in raised beds or containers.

Whilst you’re sowing for next year why not make space to add spring flowering bulbs, you can find them in our bulb department now.
Daffodils should be the first to be planted whilst the soil is warm helping them root throughout autumn. You’ll find great deals in our bulb department to paint your garden sunshine yellow with daffodil bulb 2Kg packs £4.99 or two for £8 and don’t forget the planting compost like Westland’s 10L planting compost Was £3.99 now £2.99.

 

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