Vegetable Growing 2025

Yesterday at the Allotments, planted out courgettes, yellow and green (one of each). I have taken a gamble and planted the squash and pumpkins on the old manure heap with just a "pocket " of soil each to start them off. I'm hoping that the old manure won't be too strong and will provide moisture as well as some feed. It's heavy old cow Muck, but it's been there more than 3 years fingers crossed.

 

@Allotment Boy , when I was still able to source manure locally, I did the same with a trailing courgette, ball type. It gave the best crop I've ever seen and the plant was huge.

 

Small and tasty to eat raw in a salad please

 

Sowed seed of Aztec Broccoli (huauzontle). First time I've tried it so I'll see how it goes.

 

Sounds interesting!
I am growing Amaranth which the ancient americans used as a grain crop, I sowed it about 3 weeks ago and theyre just now an inch tall. Last year we had a harvest too, it is basically summer, drought hardy spinach but very ornamental! let us know how your huauzontle goes!

 

Aztec Broccoli (Chenopodium berlandieri.) is related to "fat hen" and "Good King Henry" (Chenopodium bonus-henricum) which are all related to Amaranth.

 

I found a single onion growing in a forgotten pot sowed, I cannot remember when. I have potted it on a couple of times and it looks as if I may have a champion onion in the making. I am tempted to pot it on again, to see what happens. No sign of a flower spike yet.

 

Depending on the variety, you may wish to open a couple and see what you have when they are about the length of your hand, if ok pick more, if too small leave for a few days and repeat. Don't pick them all, they are best fresh so eaten them within an hour of picking.

 

Will do, thanks for the advice @burnie

 

little kiwi flowers!

 

First garlic picked today. This is an early turban hardneck called primor. It's grown in the greenhouse and I only grew a few this year, will probably double the number I grow next year. They have low dormancy of only about 5 months, best enjoyed fresh. I picked 4, another 4 still have 6 leaves so I'll pick them next week.

 

Interested in whether you grow in pots or into border soil?

 

They are all in the border. Essentially a free crop as I plant them between the winter salad leaves I grow there.

Main winter crop this year is Brussels sprouts, planted twice as many as before. Also a line of kalettes. Have sown some carrots between the lettuce, I used bagged compost to cover them so should make any thinning/weeding easier. Although the manure/compost mulch on that bed is pretty weed free

 

Today was “turn the compost bays” day. What a surprise to find, buried in the “adding” bay, a clump of butternut squash seedlings that had germinated.

I’ve planted as many as I can justify in the (non)gaps in the vegetable beds, but still have lots left over. Now potted up and advertised as available in the local gardening groups…