"JamesB" wrote
Having just lifted my first ever potatoes (only just got into this
gardening lark), I find myself with a nice bare patch of ground that the
missus is complaining about.
The question is, is there anything I can plant in that space for either
lifting autumn or spring? I've heard it's the last chance to plant runner
beans, or possibly peas. Any ideas?


Plant some Early Peas (Early Onward, Feltham First) and you will get a crop
before the winter but they will need lots of water and no peas like this
heat at the moment. Over the years we have come to the conclusion that wire
netting is the best thing for them to climb up, lasts a long time too.
Runner beans would probably give you a crop before the first frost but
depends where you are, but the same applies as regards peas and the heat and
water.

Carrot seed can be a pain to germinate, especially seed from seed merchants
in our experience**, so we keep our own seed of Long Red Surrey or Chertsey
Carrot and get about 100% germination. Thomas Etty Esq sells it.
http://www.thomasetty.co.uk/ and you just leave some to flower the second
year.

Get a few different packets of lettuce and mix them together or get pre
mixed seed so you get a row of all different types, webs, cos, red, rosso,
lollo, frilly etc. much better for the ordinary gardener than a whole row of
one kind.

You will be planting Garlic in a couple of months or so anyway.

**I'm sure the polishing off of all the hooks etc on the seed to make it
easier to handle has something to do with it. For those that don't know,
Carrot seed is furry naturally and sticks to clothing etc.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK