crop rotation and winter/spring harvesting

[weekendwellies]

In thinking about crop rotation, and winter/spring harvesting for things like brassicas, or anything else for that matter - would it be more appropriate to plant out in the same space as where this years has/is grown or where next years will be?
oops, cant edit the title. should be spring!!

[jayjaybee]

Pass was wondering the same thing myself.
1. Do I sow spring cabbages now?
2. Where to plant the things, supposing they grow.

I only have a finite supply of mesh - all of which is in use, that might be the deciding factor.

[binley100]

My overwintering stuff will go in where the tatties have been , spring cabbage will go where the broad beans have been ........I don't work on a yearly rotation, more as a when something comes out rotation

[Jamesy_uk]

Well one of the main ideas behind rotation is to prevent pest and disease build up in the soil but if its still the same year technically I don't see the harm. On a side note that thread title reminded me of 'The Young Ones'' episode where they do university challenge and Rick and Neil are revising on the train.

RICK: Right. "Crop rotation in the 14th century was _considerably_ more widespread...after..." God, I know this...don't tell me..."after 1172." [Neil is silent] Well, was I right?

NEIL: No, but I didn't think it was important.

RICK: Well, what was it, then?

NEIL: You just said not to tell you.

RICK: I bloody well did not!

NEIL: Yes you did! You said, "Don't tell me" just before you said, "1172."

RICK: But I only meant for a minute!

NEIL: What, a minute from now, or a minute from then?

RICK: Look, just shut up and tell me the answer!

NEIL: Shut up AND tell you the answer?

RICK: JUST TELL ME THE ANSWER!

NEIL: John.

RICK: Thank you..."John"?

NEIL: Yeah, "John" is the answer.

RICK: "Crop rotation in the 14th century was considerably more widespread after John?

NEIL: "...Lloyd invented the patent crop rotator."

RICK: Oh, yes, I knew it, I bloody knew it!

NEIL: You didn't, you didn't, you said "1172"! That's not a bit like "John".

RICK: [hysterical] You spiteful •••••••, Neil! Just because you've done loads and loads of work for this, just because you're a creepy little swot you've done about 15 million tons of work for this, like a girl, and I'm so hard and street and cool that I've done absolutely bugger all, and you've done loads, look at it, loads and loads, loads and loads... [he starts making a mess of Neil's papers]

NEIL: Stop it, Rick! It's only University Challenge, Rick, it's only University Challenge!

[mothhawk]

Was it just me who thought WW had invented a new winter sport?

Winter Sprint Harvesting - takes place 25th December - competitors have seven minutes to collect as many veg as possible from the allotment, using only a hand trowel and secateurs, while holding a full glass of sherry and a mince pie.

[jayjaybee]

Was it just me who thought WW had invented a new winter sport?

Winter Sprint Harvesting - takes place 25th December - competitors have seven minutes to collect as many veg as possible from the allotment, using only a hand trowel and secateurs, while holding a full glass of sherry and a mince pie.

While wearing a santa suit?

[veggiechicken]

I like the Winter Sprint Relay best where competitors pass a hot p*****p from one to another without using their hands

[Alison]

I don't grow much in the way of summer brassicas but move them on each time so often have some in this years bed and some in next. At the moment I have this years beds full of winter cabbage, sprouts, PSB, calabrese, and autumn and spring caulis even though lots of that won't crop until next year. My spring cabbages won't be ready to plant out for a while by which time there will be room in next years bed as other crops in that rotation will have finished. I rotate more by type than season based on available space.

[weekendwellies]

you lot crack me up.
And how many of you WILL be out on Christmas morning doing exactly that???????

[Farmer_Gyles]

this weekend i'm digging up my first earlies (international kidney) - i already have leeks ready to transplant - the leeks will stay there till winter (or whenever we need them) - and in spring this bed will be used for salads / peas / beans etc

my plans are to have summer brassicas in the ground right now, along with some winter brassicas that take longer to grow (black kale etc), and loads of winter brassicas in small pots, ready to go straight in the ground when the summer brassicas come up - summer brassicas haven't done well this year though, poor spring - will be sowing a whole lot more this weekend

[Farmer_Gyles]

would it be more appropriate to plant out in the same space as where this years has/is grown or where next years will be?

much of this is personal choice - just avoid growing the same things in the same ground 2 years running
"experts" will tell you certain things should be (or are best done) in certain ways - they may have a point - but you can equally get 10 experts with 10 different expert opinions

i've been growing veg for 7 years, but i'm certainly no expert, still working out the best ways of rotating crops and maximising use of the ground all year round

i have 3 main beds:
a) spuds in spring/summer - first earlies are followed by leeks (i may try a catch crop of french beans if there is space), maincrops are followed by onions/broad beans for autumn/winter
b)brassicas - normally summer brassica varieties like green magic broccoli, followed by winter brassicas like PSB
c)salads - squash, courgettes, sweetcorn, french beans, runner beans, some onions, lettuce etc - most of the ground will be probably be empty till spring, or may be covered with brassicas in pots (i grow loads of things in pots too)

i tend to start seeds in pots or cell trays in the greenhouse, potting on into larger pots until there is space outside - but as always, the weather, work, life the universe and everything conspire to mess up my plans!