What to plant
The usual advice is to plant potatoes for the benefit of the soil and its clearance — you’ll dig three times: to clear the weeds, to plant the sets, and to harvest. They’re an easy, low-attention crop, leaving you time for others over summer. A five-metre row gives about 15–20 kg. Sets are readily available, even from pound shops — ask your neighbours how they plant spuds; everyone has a winning secret method!
Other easy crops to sow in succession from April to June: beetroot, radish, lettuce, carrots, peas, turnips, parsnips, and runner and French beans. Seed packets carry all the instructions you’ll need. Garden centres sell young cabbage, cauliflower, chilli, tomato, beans, salad leaves and herbs. We hold a spring plant sale in early May, usually with a seed swap. Starting in autumn? Plant garlic, onions and broad beans.
Get Sharing
We encourage passing spare seeds, plants and cuttings around the site — it avoids waste and builds our community.
We encourage passing spare seeds, plants and cuttings around the site — it avoids waste and builds our community.
The standard plot can produce up to 300 kg of fruit and veg a year. To hit that you’ll spend 5–10 hours a week on your plot in the first year — but you’ll have more leisure time in the years that follow!
