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That time of year again, still have a good supply of parsnips, sprouts and beetroot. However plotting what to plant for this year, just about to sow onions and leeks and possibly getting my chillies started indoors.

I'm sure there as few out there who home grow vegetables and fruits, I'd be interested in seeing what people are planning to plant, lessons learnt and any top tips.

I've had an allotment 20 odd years, and constantly learning. Last year I tried compostable pots to try and be a bit greener, turned out to be a major fail as everything planted in them just became pot bound as the pots did not decompose, back to my old plastic pots this year.

The garlic went in about 5 weeks ago. Never had a failure with it.

I grew spinach last year. Grew like weeds even in my back garden. We were self sufficient in it for ages.

advice would be to stagger sowing it and do a continuous small crop of the leaves to maintain a steady supply.

Might still have the packet if you want to know the variety.

I grow shallots every year because they're idiot proof and also convenient when cooking.  Other favourites are chard and black kale. 

I try something different every year and this time it's going to be climbing courgettes.

Forgot I'd put my garlic in too, about 6 weeks ago and now have them popping through the surface. Enjoy growing garlic, usually plant standard garlic and elephant garlic. Been self sufficient for the last few years as it keeps well. 

I've had similar issues, last couple of years have been trying to plant to stagger, but usually that happy that something grows initially I end up with a glut of produce for a limited period.

I keep on growing chard, looks nice, but seems not to end up in the pot too often. Kales great, but the white fly has been an issue the last few years.

My seed order is in and I'm off to try growing sweet peppers and aubergine this year, plus a few different squashes.

Fruit is always the winner because it's expensive to buy and easier not to get diseases and pests. Raspberries, strawberries are the obvious ones. 

Other than that, Pak choi, chard, kohl rabi (get 'superschmelz'), chilis, globe artichokes and salsify were our big wins. They definitely paid their rent.

Don't get me wrong, all the other stuff was good but next year I don't think we'll bother growing anything that's 50p a bag in the supermarket. It's just not worth battling the pests over a handful of carrots, no matter how much sweeter they are.

Weird that Kale has become popular.

I took over my allotment plot last summer, Im still clearing the couch grass and manuring. I have inherited 4 different apples trees, 3 of which gave a huge crop last year. There are also plum trees, which were massively overgrown.

This year, im hoping to do sweetcorn, several different varities of runner beans, leeks, garlic, beetroot, squash, possibly have a go at watermelon. In my greenhouse, I'll be planting aubergine, cucumbers, sweet peppers, and beefsteak tomatoes. I always struggle with aubergines so this will be the last time I try. Im also planning on potatoes in pots, and hopefully sweet potato. 

Purple sprouting broccoli and some orange courgettes were really successful last year. I also have two small bay trees which I was given for my birthday.

Spring onions and an onion were utterly useless last year. Thinking of celery, beans or peas.

I also had no joy with Spring onions last. Board Beans always seem a banker. I've got raised beds and plant close together. We use the beans mostly in salads.

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Peas are pretty easy to grow although they tend to not get very far from the plant before eaten.

I really liked the look of a pea variety called Alderman which climbs  up to six feet  but after two years of mediocre cropping I'm calling it quits.

Yes, fruit good as it is perennial so a lot less effort to grow than veg. I'm amazed how much we can grow without trying too hard and how successional it is. We've got about 2 weeks of stored cookers left by which time the rhubarb will be getting going. We've had stewed apple continuously for 4 months now.  

My advice would be to stick to what grows best for you.

I've been planting a set of raised beds at our allotment for 10 years now as a school project.

We stick to the reliable veg like spuds, onions, leeks and runner beans. We are in Scotland and dont plant out until April/May for a September harvest.

Impressed to hear of people getting seeds and plants in already! Would be interested in suggestions as to what might grow here in the winter months?

Is this the same affliction which fresh bread from a French bakery seems to have whereby I need to buy one one for lunch and one for the walk back to the campsite?

Leeks?

Got a huge lime tree that blocks out most of the light in my garden so get best results with early crops.

Got rhubarb forcing at the moment and will probably go for broad beans and beetroot early then try for some french beans and courgettes later. Peas had a poor crop last year so won't bother with them again.

Limited space but always nice to have something growing, tend to split the space with plenty of flowers for pollinators.

I found the machines that make pots out of old paper to work well, they definitely degrade.

Still have some parsnips and savoy cabbage from last year. Planted my garlic in November, just sprouting now. Onions and leek seeds were planted two weeks ago (in a propagator indoors) and have germinated nicely, peppers (chilli and bell) and tomatoes will follow as soon as the onions and leeks are big enough to move to the greenhouse. Early peas will go in soon too. I also have seed potatos chitting. Later in the year, there'll be garden peas, sugar snap peas, french beans, carrots, parsnips, brocolli, cauliflower, savoy cabbage, sprouts, courgette, spinach, chard, lettuce, beetroot. I don't grow much fruit - only stawberries - because my partner doesn't eat it and I'd rather use the space for things we both eat.

Some tips that's I find helpful:

Around now is a good time for soil improvement. I use composted horse manure and put a layer a couple of inches thick on about 3/4 of my plot. The remaining bit is where I plant carrots and parsnips, where the root grows better if the soil isn't too fertile. Don't dig it in - the worms will mix it in eventually anyway, but for now while it sits on the surface it will be a good weed suppressant. I've done this for a couple of years now (cycling the area that I don't treat) and my crops have notably improved. It also helps with water retention, which is great in hot summers like last year.

For succession sewing, I find that using seeds from different varieties works best. If I plant seeds from the same variety, the second batch often catches up with the first batch to harvest at the same time, but the crop from the second batch is smaller. Planting a different variety for the second batch increases the chance that they will crop at different times.

For carrots, I dig a trench and fill it with sharp sand, then plant the seeds in that. Lovely straight carrots, and usually quite long as they send the root down questing for nutrients. Carrots don't like being transplanted, however if you want an early crop you can plant them indoors or in a greenhouse in toilet rolls, then when they are ready to go out, just plant the whole toilet roll in the ground.

I'm in Scotland where the growing season is quite short, so I invested in a greenhouse, which I insulate and heat. That allows me to get things started early so they have the best chance in the short time available.

I agree with the compostable pots - I want to like them but I've not had much luck with those either.