Alphabet inspired Polycultures

[veggiechicken]

Can I say Kniphofia ..hope the spelling is correct.
Kumquat,

Kale, knapweed, kaffir leaves

K - kudzu, (be careful, it's apparently a bit of a thug, grows 2 feet a DAY, reaches 80 feet high if given something to climb, and you'll need to move the car every couple of hours to stop it being swamped and lost forever ) perhaps not then......

kerria, kohl rabi, keule

Bed 11/K has an apple tree and lots of other stuff.
I'm going to add Korean Mint/Agastache Rugosa, Knapweed, Knautia macedonica and, of course, Kale.

Thanks Bramble, MH & SP.

[veggiechicken]

Lily, Lovage, Lilac, Lupin, Lettuce, Lavender, Love in a mist, Lavatera.

Bed 12/L has an Apple tree, perennial Leeks, Welsh onions and chives and other stuff.
I'm going to add Lovage, Lavender, Lavatera, Limnanthes. Lobelia and Linaria, Lettuce and Lamb's lettuce.

Thank you Bramble.

[veggiechicken]

M - marjoram, marigold, mooli, melon

Bed 13 M has 2 apple trees - one is George Neal, strawberries, Angelica, Tarragon and Thyme, Weigelia and a Maple and Marjoram.

I'm going to add Mexican Giant Hyssop/Agastache Mexicana, Monarda Citriodora/Lemon bergamot, Mint, Mathiola/Night Scented Stock, Mignonette, Mesembru=yanthemum and MH's Musk mallow from the Flower seed circle.

Thank you MH.

[veggiechicken]

Nigella, nasturtiums, neeps

Bed 14 N has a Nut tree/Hazel, an apple, Redcurrants, Pineapple Sage/Salvia elegans, Apple Mint, and Allium Christophii.
I'm going to add Nigella Sativa/Black Cumin, Nigella Damascens, Nicotiana, Nemophila maculata and lots of Nasturtiums.

Thank you SP.

[veggiechicken]

O
Orange scented thyme, orange, orange carrots and orange scented geranium (well it is early)

Oregano, onion, ox-eye daisy

Bed 15/O has 5 dwarf fruit trees - 4 cherry and 1 pear.

I'm going to add Oregano, Orach, spring Onions, Oenothera/Evening primrose, Opium poppies and Osteospermum.

Thank you NG & SP.

[veggiechicken]

Peas, parsley, poppy

Bed 16P has 2 dwarf apples ?Jonagold and a load of leeks I'm perennialising.

I'm going to add Parsley, Purslane, Perilla, Breadseed Poppies and Phacelia.

Thank you SP.

[veggiechicken]

Q
Queen of the meadow (meadowsweet), quince, quinoa, queen of orange geum

Bed 17Q
Has an Elderberry, lots of daffs and I'm not sure what else.

Struggling with this one! I have a Quince but its in another bed.
I have lots of Quinoa, however, and Quillquina, a culinary herb that grows to 4' (Real Seeds).

Thanks NG.

[veggiechicken]

Radishes, Roses, rhubarb, raspberries, rosemary,
Rudbeckia.

Bed 18R has some kale cuttings from one of the tall kales, not much else.

I'm going to add Radish, Rosemary, Rudbeckia and Root Parsley and Rampion.

Thank you Bramble.

[veggiechicken]

S
Sage, Squash, Salvia

S
Saffron, Stevia, Sharon Fruit, Sunflowers

and SP's Spearmint, Swiss chard, snow drop!

Bed 19S is actually 3 triangular beds containing an Apple, rosemary, sage, marjoram, gooseberry, blueberry and osteospermum.
Apart from the Sage its not much help!!

I'm going to add Sweet Cicely, Summer Savory, Sorrel, Spinach, Salad Burnet, Safflower and Sunflowers. Hope there's room.

Thanks NG & SP.


That's it for tonight Folks as I need to refresh my memory about the remaining beds. Nos da!!

[Small pumpkin]

Wow VC. Those beds are going to look brilliant with that lot in them. Want to see some photos when they established and producing

[Small pumpkin]

vanilla, velvet bean, viola, vipers bugloss

[bramble]

Wallflower, weigela winter flowering jasmine, woodbine, willow,

[veggiechicken]

I'm starting to sow the Alphabet Polycultures tomorrow, 1st April. Nothing Foolish about that.

All the "action" will be recorded on the 30 Day Plan thread at https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ned_89073.html

Maybe I'll see you there. I'm hoping for fine weather for photos.

[veggiechicken]

Part 2 - the alternative 3 Sisters polyculture

First, the discussion - will it work or won't it??

The idea is to sow a bean. a squash/courgette and a couple of brassica seeds in the same module. Grow them on for a few weeks then plant the module out, without splitting the plants. Would they grow together happily in the ground?

There is, of course, a further complication. Each module can only contain plants starting with the same letter of the alphabet.

Here is one we prepared earlier https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ans_95420.html
Now, I need (with your help) to add a squash and a brassica to each letter to make the set.

[Chestnut]

Aquadulce (broad bean), Acorn squash, All the year round (cauli)

Not sure when best planting date would be to suit all 3, but with luck the bean should be up off the ground before cauli cause too much shade