Butterhead Lettuce

Cherry tomatoes are one of the most rewarding crops for UK allotment growers. These small, sweet fruits ripen reliably even in cooler summers, producing heavy trusses from July right through to October. They thrive in grow bags, pots, or directly in the ground, making them versatile for any plot size. Pinch out side shoots regularly on cordon varieties to channel energy into fruit production. Bush varieties like 'Tumbling Tom' need no training and work brilliantly in hanging baskets. Feed weekly with a high-potash tomato feed once the first fruits set. The key to great flavour is letting them ripen fully on the vine rather than picking early.

Beefsteak tomatoes produce the large, meaty fruits that are perfect for slicing into sandwiches and burgers. They need a long growing season in the UK, so starting seeds early under cover is essential. These are almost always grown as cordons — train them up a single stem, removing side shoots weekly. Each truss produces fewer but much larger fruits than cherry types, often weighing 200–500g each. They benefit from greenhouse growing in cooler regions, though sheltered outdoor spots in the south can produce good results. Consistent watering is critical; irregular watering causes blossom end rot and fruit splitting. Stop the plant at 4–5 trusses to ensure fruits ripen before autumn.

Nantes carrots are the gold standard for flavour — sweet, crisp, and cylindrical with a smooth skin that barely needs peeling. They perform well in most UK soils but prefer light, stone-free ground to grow straight. If your soil is heavy clay, grow them in raised beds or deep containers filled with sandy compost. Sow thinly to avoid the need for heavy thinning, which attracts carrot fly. Cover rows with fine mesh or enviromesh as a physical barrier against carrot fly — this is far more reliable than companion planting alone. Successional sowing from March to July gives you carrots from June through to winter. Late sowings can be left in the ground over winter under a thick mulch of straw.

Maris Piper is the UK's best-selling potato variety and arguably the most versatile — brilliant for roasting, chipping, mashing, and baking. It's a second early to maincrop type, planted from mid-March to April and harvested from July onwards. Chit (sprout) seed potatoes in egg boxes on a cool windowsill from February to get a head start. Plant in trenches 12cm deep and earth up as shoots emerge, mounding soil around the stems to prevent tubers turning green. Potatoes are hungry feeders — incorporate plenty of well-rotted compost or manure before planting. They're also excellent for breaking in new ground, as the earthing-up process and dense foliage suppress weeds. Harvest when the foliage starts to yellow and die back. Leave tubers to dry on the soil surface for a few hours before storing in hessian sacks in a cool, dark place.