Veg plans for 2021

SouthWesterly · 28-09-2020 2:02pm #1

And so we are off.

I'll post more later:D

SouthWesterly · 28-09-2020 9:35pm

We are already planting for next year.
300 garlic, 200 onions.
Waiting on more garlic and shallots to arrive from the uk.

Sowed broad beans and spinach this morning.

Tidying up the beds now and getting them ready for the winter.
I need to put manure on the beds once cleared of weeds and leave it to rot till spring.

Still have Jerusalem artichokes, oca and mashua growing along with kale and other brassica. Carrots, turnip and beans, parsnip and kohl rabi.
Harvested the last of our summer beans today.

In other news, we have a 40 foot griselinia hedge and I spotted a hedge cutter doing a neighbours hedge.
He came in and took 10 feet off the top and tidied the side.
He's back on Saturday to do the hedgerow in my field 4 acres before a neighbour puts some cows in for a few weeks.

I've also to get my order into trees in the land for my hedgerow trees.

29-09-2020 4:03pm

I've a load of garlic and onions coming from quick crop.
New one for this year will be Elephant garlic,seen Monty growing some so had to get in on the action.
Need to clear out the untouched chard and the failed spuds.......

teroknor83 · 29-09-2020 4:12pm

I have never grown veg before but I'm keen to set some into next year. I live in a town so would probably be restricted to small raised beds or containers. Any recommendations for a first time grower? I have already been recommended to try growing garlic.

Snowc · 29-09-2020 7:10pm

Don't think I will be able for much next year my back is nearly gone after this crazy year but would like to plant some parsnips and carrots as they are meant to help with the virus .

SouthWesterly · 29-09-2020 7:14pm

BrownFinger wrote: »

I've a load of garlic and onions coming from quick crop.
New one for this year will be Elephant garlic,seen Monty growing some so had to get in on the action.
Need to clear out the untouched chard and the failed spuds.......

I had some elephant from this year and just planted it.
It's expensive so was cheaper to take a bulb and get 4 cloves from it.

scarepanda · 29-09-2020 7:27pm

Build my veg garden!

We moved house earlier this year and with everything going on didn't get a chance to get the veg garden set up.

I'll be starting with 8no. 4*8ft raised beds, 18inches high. I also have a strip along the hedge allocated for fruit crops, although that area will probably be a job to have ready for this time next year.

s1ippy · 29-09-2020 7:29pm

What kind of fruit scarepanda and what's the plan for the veg beds? We just moved and I'm doing similar.

scarepanda · 29-09-2020 7:53pm

Along the hedge im not 100% sure just yet. It'll be a mix of apples and pears anyways. I'm not sure whether I'll go with smaller trees or try train them. I'll hopefully under plant the area with other fruits as well, but haven't given it a huge amount of planning just yet. The hedge is facing south west so it gets a lot of light. I also have blueberry bushes, strawberries and rhubarb I brought from the old house.

As for veg, next year it will be the regular stuff:onions/late garlic/carrots/parsnips/sweet corn/salads/pumpkins. And then a few tomatoes in the glass house. I usually try grow something new/unusual every year, but won't be next year.

I doubt I'll get near the veg garden this side of Christmas. I'm currently working on securing the boundaries for the dogs and then have to secure the pond for the kids.

30-09-2020 8:58am

SouthWesterly wrote: »

I had some elephant from this year and just planted it.
It's expensive so was cheaper to take a bulb and get 4 cloves from it.

Yea I think it was 3/4 euro for a bulb of it!

I visited the Victorian garden in fota house last weekend.
makes me want to build another greenhouse!

SouthWesterly · 30-09-2020 3:32pm

BrownFinger wrote: »

Yea I think it was 3/4 euro for a bulb of it!

I visited the Victorian garden in fota house last weekend.
makes me want to build another greenhouse!

More like 3/4e a clove

Bill Hook · 01-10-2020 9:00am

teroknor83 wrote: »

I have never grown veg before but I'm keen to set some into next year. I live in a town so would probably be restricted to small raised beds or containers. Any recommendations for a first time grower? I have already been recommended to try growing garlic.

Garlic is a good one to start with. Runner beans and peas are also great in a small area because they grow up poles and will grow in containers so long as you can keep them well watered. I like mangetout peas; easy to grow and if you miss a few when you pick them you will get some peas instead. Herbs are also good and you could plant some at the base of the runner beans, parsley and chives for example.

RachelsCousin · 04-10-2020 8:01pm

Writing down my plans, as it'll give me some motivation to actually get on with it and do something!

I've a good bit of space, and it was very overgrown when we moved in almost 2 years ago. That had it's benefits - I've about 5kg of blackberries in the freezer just from the 'garden'. Got some vegetables grown this year, with mixed success as we hadn't put the time into preparing the soil. In the end parts got overrun with docks. So onward to next year!

I've got 5 main sections to look after. Most of these are 'down the field', hence the raised beds beside the house.

1. The orchard. Trees are planted a year now, and have all settled in well. Apples, Pears, Cherries, Plums. Had a small crop of crab apples this year, which I'd only planted for pollination but made a lovely jelly! Hoping for a crop of apples from at least some of the trees next year.

2. The Poly tunnel. Well, the site for the poly tunnel. I never got around to putting it up this year. Plan is to get the frame up over the winter so I can start working on layout and plans, and put the plastic on early in spring. Hoping to get in early potatoes, followed by sweetcorn. Then the usual suspects, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber (singular!). And work from there.

3. Soft fruit area. Got my Raspberry canes, Gooseberry and currant bushes in last year. They've settled well, and had a small picking of raspberries this year. Some work to do in properly staking them, and get them mulched for the winter. I'll expand the strawberry area with runners we propagated, and I've a few more plants currently in pots to get in. Not sure that I'd stretch to a fruit cage next year, but will at some stage.

4. The 'main' veg plot. I've just marked out an expanded area which will be about 200 sq m. The soil isn't great as it was just a field which had been left to itself for a number of years, so the plan is to cover the entire area with a thick mulch of farmyard manure in the next few weeks and leave it for the winter. Won't sow anything until the spring. We had a decent crop of potatoes this year, but unfortunately caught some very late blight, so will take more care next year.

5. Some raised beds closer to the house. This will be a winter project getting the raised beds in. Planning on having 4, and working a crop rotation between them, but haven't worked out the details yet. It'll be mainly salad vegetables, and getting the kids growing things.

SouthWesterly · 04-10-2020 10:34pm

Spent 4 hours yesterday working in 3 16m beds. Had to fork them and clear out buttercup.
Will put manure on them for the. winter.

SouthWesterly · 05-10-2020 1:21pm

Put in my order for seeds for next year. Its not exhaustive but at least I'll have something to sow if lock downs continue.

Quantity Item Cost Discount
1 DWARF RUNNER BEAN JACKPOT MIX - 25 £0.99 £0.00
1 Broad Bean Masterpiece Green 110 GRAM £0.99 £0.00
1 Beetroot Rainbow Mix - 6gm £0.99 £0.00
1 Dwarf Italian Borlotto Bean Lingua Di Fuoco - 110 £0.99 £0.00
1 Runner Bean Painted Lady - 65 £0.99 £0.00
1 VEGETABLE DWARF RUNNER BEAN HESTIA Runner Bean 35 £0.99 £0.00
1 Cabbage Durham Early Spring Greens 10gm 3500 £0.99 £0.00
1 Broccoletto Quarantino Riccio - 3 Gram £0.99 £0.00
1 Broccoli De Ciccio Heirloom - 2000 £0.99 £0.00
1 Cabbage Winter Tundra F1 - 55 £0.99 £0.00
1 Carrot Rainbow Mix - 1500 £0.99 £0.00
1 Vegetable CABBAGE - EARLIEST OF ALL 3200 £0.99 £0.00
1 CARROT AUTUMN KING PELLETED SEEDS - 500 £0.99 £0.00
1 Brussel Sprouts GRONINGER - 2200 £0.99 £0.00
1 Celery Golden Self Blanching - 2gm - 3100 £0.99 £0.00
1 Spinach Perpetual 14gm £0.99 £0.00
1 Cauliflower Igloo Early Variety - 1200 £0.99 £0.00
1 Courgette Black Beauty - 75 £0.99 £0.00
1 Flower Sprouts Kale - Brussel Sprout Cross - 30 £1.99 £0.00
1 Kohlrabi Purple Vienna - 800 £0.99 £0.00
1 Vegetable Leek Bulgarian Giant - 1000 £0.99 £0.00
1 Lettuce Gourmet Looseleaf Cutting Mix - 1500 £0.99 £0.00
1 Mustard Mizuna - 1000 £0.79 £0.00
1 Parsnip Tender And True - 1600 £0.99 £0.00
1 Pea Hurst Greenshaft Second Early - 420 £0.99 £0.00
1 Pea Kelvedon Wonder Early And Main Crop - 375 £0.99 £0.00
1 Pea Rondo - 300 £0.99 £0.00
1 OKRA - CLEMSON SPINELESS 425 £0.99 £0.00
1 KALE BLACK MAGIC 3 GRAM ~ APPROX 1100 SEEDS £0.99 £0.00
1 SWEDE WILHELMSBURGER 10 GRAM ~ APPROX 3500 FINEST SEEDS - 10 gm £0.99 £0.00
1 Carrot Amsterdam Forcing Early - 9 Gram - 10800 £0.99 £0.00
1 Borage Blue 1300 £0.99 £0.00
1 Italian Purple Spring Onion Lilia - 1400 £0.99 £0.00
1 Miniture Sweet Corn Sweetcorn Minipop F1 140 £0.99 £0.00
1 Salsify Sandwich Island - 160 £0.99 £0.00
1 Swiss Chard Rainbow Mix - 10 gm £0.99 £0.00
1 Turnip Gold Ball - 3000 £0.99 £0.00
1 Herb Garlic Wild Ramsons - 110 £0.99 £0.00
1 Herb Comfrey Symphytum Officinale 45 £0.99 £0.00
1 Herb Fennel Florence 2400 £0.99 £0.00

RachelsCousin · 05-10-2020 2:44pm

SouthWesterly wrote: »

Put in my order for seeds for next year. Its not exhaustive but at least I'll have something to sow if lock downs continue.

Where did you order from?

SouthWesterly · 05-10-2020 2:49pm

RachelsCousin wrote: »

Where did you order from?

Premier seeds direct. Good germination rates and they package them well.

RachelsCousin · 05-10-2020 3:31pm

Thanks, they've an impressive selection.

SouthWesterly · 05-10-2020 8:02pm

RachelsCousin wrote: »

Thanks, they've an impressive selection.

I spent 50 euro including postage.

Graces7 · 08-10-2020 9:52am

I am not touching next year until New Year.. lol

Graces7 · 11-10-2020 3:13pm

SouthWesterly wrote: »

I spent 50 euro including postage.

Phew! I buy from seedaholic; they have ranges of heirloom and historic seeds and medicinal herbs seeds

I am planning a bed or three of catnip definitely.

And they are just down the road in Co Galway...

CelticRambler · 11-10-2020 7:29pm

Many hours of 2020 have been spent in the garden, thinking and planning and re-designing, so I've bought myself a new shovel ...

... :rolleyes:

Bill Hook · 12-10-2020 5:37pm

This year I've been trying to buy as many Irish grown seeds as possible (particularly for veg) so I've bought most of my seeds from Brown Envelope Seeds in Cork and Irish Seed Savers.

I use seedaholic too. The info sheets you get with the seeds are fantastic; I have a folder of them and they're as good as a gardening book.

SouthWesterly · 12-10-2020 7:24pm

Bill Hook wrote: »

This year I've been trying to buy as many Irish grown seeds as possible (particularly for veg) so I've bought most of my seeds from Brown Envelope Seeds in Cork and Irish Seed Savers.

I use seedaholic too. The info sheets you get with the seeds are fantastic; I have a folder of them and they're as good as a gardening book.

As good as the sheets look. I just can't justify the cost of seeds here. I paid 99p per pack of seeds for next year with a lot more seeds per pack with Premier seeds direct.

Bill Hook · 13-10-2020 10:09am

I don't mind paying a bit more to support Irish companies (a good bit more for Brown Envelope Seeds and Irish Seed Savers). Having said that I have some great chilli plants on the kitchen table beside me that came from a random pack of seeds I bought in Dealz!

CelticRambler · 20-10-2020 10:03am

C'est parti for a properly organised 2021!

Sent the drone up yesterday to take a HD picture of my veg patch, from which I'll make a detailed sketch of the beds, so that I can finally make a proper record of what I've put where as and when I sow/harvest/re-seed.

In the meantime: August sown mâche (lamb's lettuce?) has germinated, a month later than the September sown plants.

October-sown peas, red cabbage and spinach are up, as are red and white onions (from seed) and red feuille de chêne lettuce leaves. Oh, and if my previous notes are correct, I think I see - at long last - some germinating parsely. It'll be interesting to see if I get similar germination from the two-year-old plants that ran to seed in the summer.

The first experimental line of winter potatoes is showing a germination rate of about 1% :rolleyes: (well, they were manky surplus-to-requirement things that'd been left outside the back door for four months) but I put in a line of another variety (can't remember what) in the bed destined for next year's sweetcorn. I'll cover this with grass clippings to keep the temperature up ... as long as the clippings are available - should be grand for another month or two.

Another experiment was leaving last year's surplus beetroot run to seed, which has been wildly successful! Thousands of seedlings sprung up during my recent absence :eek: which is very satisfying, but leaves me with a slight conflict of interest: I don't yet have a bed earmarked for them, but where they are is destined to become my new sunken garden ...

As part of the preparation for that project, I dug a hole yesterday and was pleased to see that Storm Alex delivered sufficient water to finally wet the ground to a depth of 25cm. Of course this also had the effect of pushing the worms up to the surface, which means the moles transformed the "lawn" into a WW1 battlefield. Ah well, less grass to mow ... :rolleyes:

Samson1 · 21-10-2020 2:56am

RachelsCousin wrote: »

Where did you order from?

Amazon have taken over the world! Now seeds.

I took the advice as given on this page, I had some success with Premier Seeds, but having scoured the the internet, including all the sites mentioned - I could get most (not all) of the remaining seeds I needed from across 3 sites - some with delivery of up to £6 !! (For packets of seeds!!), I said I'd give Amazon a try.

They had everything! For a total delivery charge of £1.25. (instead of roughly £14 from a combined 3 websites).

They handle Thompson & Morgan, Unwins, Premier Seeds etc etc - most are free delivery. World domination !

RachelsCousin · 21-10-2020 7:09am

Samson1 wrote: »

Amazon have taken over the world! Now seeds.

I took the advice as given on this page, I had some success with Premier Seeds, but having scoured the the internet, including all the sites mentioned - I could get most (not all) of the remaining seeds I needed from across 3 sites - some with delivery of up to £6 !! (For packets of seeds!!), I said I'd give Amazon a try.

They had everything! For a total delivery charge of £1.25. (instead of roughly £14 from a combined 3 websites).

They handle Thompson & Morgan, Unwins, Premier Seeds etc etc - most are free delivery. World domination !

Just looking at Premier seeds as an example. I can buy directly from them for 99p, plus postage. Or via Amazon for 1.49...

SouthWesterly · 21-10-2020 8:57am

I bought all my seeds from premier this month for next year.
Had success with them last year. due to lockdown had to use a different supplier in france who were a complete failure.

OldRio · 21-10-2020 10:12am

I use seedaholic and other Irish sites. I also try and save as much as I can of my own seeds.
Planting our Onion sets today. 3 different types.
Overwintering the Swedes and Leeks and purple sprouting broccoli. As well as Chard and Kale.
Fennel has nearly finished and there's a few Beetroot I'm picking for the Oven.

In the polytunnel I'm planting out different types of Lettuce I grew from seed. Also Pak choi for the winter.

SouthWesterly · 21-10-2020 3:52pm

OldRio wrote: »

I use seedaholic and other Irish sites. I also try and save as much as I can of my own seeds.
Planting our Onion sets today. 3 different types.
Overwintering the Swedes and Leeks and purple sprouting broccoli. As well as Chard and Kale.
Fennel has nearly finished and there's a few Beetroot I'm picking for the Oven.

In the polytunnel I'm planting out different types of Lettuce I grew from seed. Also Pak choi for the winter.

Im going to have to build a greenhouse next year.

03-11-2020 3:34pm

Put down 80/90 cloves of garlic .
8 varieties of garlic and two cloves of elephant!
About 80/90 onions too.

gnf_ireland · 08-11-2020 11:16pm

BrownFinger wrote: »

Put down 80/90 cloves of garlic .
8 varieties of garlic and two cloves of elephant!
About 80/90 onions too.

I am glad I was not the only ones putting down onions this weekend ! Supply chain let me down as original order was cancelled due to quality of stock received, and took three weeks for Mr Middleton to deliver that order to me. Lets see how they go this year.

Garlic down about 3 weeks - no where near those volumes though

SouthWesterly · 08-11-2020 11:47pm

gnf_ireland wrote: »

I am glad I was not the only ones putting down onions this weekend ! Supply chain let me down as original order was cancelled due to quality of stock received, and took three weeks for Mr Middleton to deliver that order to me. Lets see how they go this year.

Garlic down about 3 weeks - no where near those volumes though

I've 300 garlic, 250 onions and 250 shallots

I just ordered some scaffold netting and fleece from the UK in preparation for next year.

SouthWesterly · 09-11-2020 1:48pm

I'm ordering seed potatoes for next year.

Fruithill farms have them on pre order as does quuckcrop

pconn062 · 09-11-2020 9:56pm

SouthWesterly wrote: »

I'm ordering seed potatoes for next year.

Fruithill farms have them on pre order as does quuckcrop

In general do you find it to be worthwhile or necessary to preorder? Was considering preordering my early potato seed just in case but don't know if it's just easier to wait until early next year.

SouthWesterly · 10-11-2020 1:03am

pconn062 wrote: »

In general do you find it to be worthwhile or necessary to preorder? Was considering preordering my early potato seed just in case but don't know if it's just easier to wait until early next year.

No idea. My first time. I ordered 60kg. 6 types

Bill Hook · 10-11-2020 11:33am

pconn062 wrote: »

In general do you find it to be worthwhile or necessary to preorder? Was considering preordering my early potato seed just in case but don't know if it's just easier to wait until early next year.

I'd say there is better choice if you preorder... I've just ordered mine (maincrop). I'm going to use some of my own saved potatoes for the earlies and see how I get on.

Bill Hook · 10-11-2020 11:39am

SouthWesterly wrote: »

No idea. My first time. I ordered 60kg. 6 types

60kg:eek:. I ordered 10kg and I'll be whingeing about my back when I have to plant them!

CelticRambler · 10-11-2020 11:58am

Bill Hook wrote: »

60kg:eek:.

SouthWesterly wrote: »

No idea. My first time. I ordered 60kg. 6 types

Like Bill said: :eek: !

I have about 10kg saved, 2.5kg each of four varieties, and am thinking of buying a small bag of one more variety. I don't know where I'd put an extra 50kg, never mind how I'd ever get around to planting or harvesting them all!

In the meantime ...

This is ginger. :cool: One healthy looking rhizome spotted in Lidl (25ct) back in September, split in two, planted in garden soil in a croissant box placed in a propagator with a good big puddle of water in the bottom (not in contact with the soil). As predicted by the Internet, it took ages to show signs of germination - about six weeks - and up until last week, I wasn't even sure that the slightly greenish-white knobbly looking bits were actually alive and not just swollen up in the humidity. But now, I think I can be fairly sure it's real vegetative growth!

Next challenge: keep it alive until harvest.

Bill Hook · 10-11-2020 1:23pm

That ginger looks great. I had a bit in a pot on the windowsill for what felt like ages which I threw out last week. Initially it looked good but what I thought was green shoots was actually algae. I'll have to try again and be more patient next time!

SouthWesterly · 10-11-2020 2:10pm

Planted 45 kg this year and it was dismal. Weather played a big part in it but I'll probably not have enough to do us till next year.

MacDanger · 10-11-2020 3:18pm

SouthWesterly wrote: »

I'm ordering seed potatoes for next year.

Fruithill farms have them on pre order as does quuckcrop

Since you mentioned it, I'm having a look myself. Any thoughts on which is nicer, Colleen or Vitabella? I'll probably go for one of these two earlies as they're fairly blight resistant (I got caught with it this year

)

SouthWesterly · 10-11-2020 6:38pm

MacDanger wrote: »

Since you mentioned it, I'm having a look myself. Any thoughts on which is nicer, Colleen or Vitabella? I'll probably go for one of these two earlies as they're fairly blight resistant (I got caught with it this year )

Had Colleen last year. From memory they were nice.
Not had vita Ella.

Charlotte are also meant to be slug resistant.

Harry Palmr · 12-11-2020 10:59am

Just got my Quickcrop newsletter -

Right, now listen up troops. Most seed potatoes sold in Ireland actually come from Scotland, the range of varieties we stock are simply not available in this country. So what? Well, once the madness that is Brexit happens in January it is likely that seed potatoes won't be able to be shipped across the Irish Sea (or any seeds for that matter).

To get around this we have all our stock coming in early this year (in December) and have ordered some pretty large quantities. My point is I would strongly advice ordering early as once our stocks are gone we may not be able to get any more

This might be 100% true or not, presumably this whole area will be in a state of flux as suppliers come up with new systems.

In the meantime I'm wondering about recycling my "Christmas" potatoes that stalled after the frost killed the vegetation. Has anyone here saved Spuds for the next season?

edit - just checked them, only about a dozen and they're tiny. Probably no use other than for a single meal.

edit edit - I'll save them in the compost so treat them like volunteer potatoes.

CelticRambler · 12-11-2020 11:15am

Harry Palmr wrote: »

In the meantime I'm wondering about recycling my "Christmas" potatoes that stalled after the frost killed the vegetation. Has anyone here saved Spuds for the next season?

All the time. While I do buy new seed fairly regularly, it's usually because I want to try a new variety or messed up the previous harvest/storage in some way. As I mentioned above, right now I have about 10kg of seed-sized potatoes picked out of this summer's harvest of four different varieties and put to one side (to make sure I don't eat them! :pac: ) I'm still struggling to find the best way of stopping them from sprouting too early, but that's been partially offset by also planting much earlier and much later.

Harry Palmr · 12-11-2020 12:03pm

Just ordered a kilo of Sharpes Express for end Dec/early Jan delivery.

Going to add a second raised bed over the winter I think as I need to rotate the spuds and it's not easy with the current "tight" set up

Also have onions on order and will give them much more space next season.

pconn062 · 12-11-2020 2:51pm

CelticRambler wrote: »

All the time. While I do buy new seed fairly regularly, it's usually because I want to try a new variety or messed up the previous harvest/storage in some way. As I mentioned above, right now I have about 10kg of seed-sized potatoes picked out of this summer's harvest of four different varieties and put to one side (to make sure I don't eat them! :pac: ) I'm still struggling to find the best way of stopping them from sprouting too early, but that's been partially offset by also planting much earlier and much later.

If you have any room in your fridge, store your seed potatoes there, the cold and lack of light will stop early sprouting. I have an old fridge in my garage and keep them there until I am ready to chit them. The big seed companies and farmers keep theirs in industrial fridges too for the same reason.

CelticRambler · 12-11-2020 3:34pm

Alas, due to the overall great productivity of the vegetable patch, the fridge (and freezer and other freezer :pac: ) is fully stocked. But only this afternoon I've figured out exactly where to build a root cellar, and if I don't have a solar-powered battery-bank in that part of the garden, I'll be running a regular cable up past the area, so putting a dedicated fridge in there would be feasible.

Now that I think about it, there's a fridge in the garage that moved here with us fifteen years ago. It must have been working then or I wouldn't have brought it ... must see if it's still functional.

SouthWesterly · 12-11-2020 7:13pm

pconn062 wrote: »

If you have any room in your fridge, store your seed potatoes there, the cold and lack of light will stop early sprouting. I have an old fridge in my garage and keep them there until I am ready to chit them. The big seed companies and farmers keep theirs in industrial fridges too for the same reason.

I ordered 60kg from fruithill and asked them to hold them till November. They need to look after them and have the hassle of sending me usable seed when I need it.

arctictree · 13-11-2020 11:56am

I presume a light and vermin proof box in a cool shed would be roughly the same as in a fridge? I used to store the seed potatoes this way in old egg boxes.

BTW, why are seed potatoes not grown commercially in Ireland?

Veg plans for 2021

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