Plot layout

[vegboi]

Morning everyone sorry I've not been on for ages been busy with work and wedding cakes and my plot. I have taken some pics and would love some advice on how I could change the layout. My raised beds are falling to bits so unsure whether to replace or not bother. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Mark


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[Two_Sheds]

Well, give us a bit more to go on. What's your objective? Why do you think anything needs changing? What was it before, and what do you want to achieve?

[vegboi]

Well, give us a bit more to go on. What's your objective? Why do you think anything needs changing? What was it before, and what do you want to achieve?

Lol sorry two sheds i was really happy as this was my first year but I had lots of empty beds and it just didn't flow, perhaps a little over whelming so thought smaller beds? And wonder should one side be all fruit?


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[Two_Sheds]

I think you're trying to do this "properly", rather than using the space for what you want to grow.

I had lots of empty beds

So plant more stuff: more of what you eat

a little over whelming

So you've got more ground than you need? Plant up the bare beds with a green manure, or with good ground cover plants eg. pumpkins, potatoes

should one side be all fruit?

Depends how much fruit you eat. No point growing loads if you don't eat it

[vegboi]

I guess I'm being caught up with wanting a perfect allotment as most of my neighbours are immaculate and I have no idea how to achieve it. And most on here seem
To have loverly plots too so I just wanted someone to help me redesign a different layout.

Again in terms of growing things I like- I don't know what I can plant and when, like now my beds are empty and wondered how I can fill them.




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[Two_Sheds]

I guess I'm being caught up with wanting a perfect allotment

Yeah, what's more important to you though? Having it look nice, or be productive? If you just want looks, turn it into a lawn

in terms of growing things I like- I don't know what I can plant and when

With respect, you're still looking at it the wrong way round. Don't think about planting what & when ... make a list of what you like to eat

eg: you could have full beds now, like me: chard, chard, cabbage, kale, chard, leeks, chard.


Do you like chard?

[sparrow100]

you could have full beds now, like me: chard, chard, cabbage, kale, chard, leeks, chard.


Do you like chard?

I hate the stuff - don't suppose you'd like ALL my seed packets of it?

Vegboi, I sympathise. My plot's next to one of the most perfect plots on the site and I have to walk past it to get to and from the gate.

I have a list of things that I like, and a list of things that I might like and want to try. I plant more of the first list than the second, but each season more from the second list gets added to the first. Apart from chard.

If you don't want to put stuff in over winter (onions, garlic, broad beans are the ones that spring to mind) then you've got some thumb-twiddling months while your plot is having a rest to figure out what you want to grow and what you want to try. And working out how much of each thing is a bit trial and error. I have 49 leeks this year and it turns out that they are amazing when you grow them yourself and 49 won't be nearly enough. But 3 achocha plants is enough for us, my family and all my friends...

[vegboi]

Thanks Sparrow I have chard already but don't know what do to with it, my neighbours grew lots of things but there's beds looked full and in perfect lines, I threw my things in - lost allot because didn't realise you should net things.

I want if to look nice but I'd like a different layout just don't know how or what like triangle beds , almost box garden feel so it's very structured yet with plants tumbling over like a cottage garden


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[Bigmallly]

It's a learning curve vegboi, don't worry about your neighbours plots, they've most likely been at it for years & still getting things wrong. With regards to your beds falling apart, now is the perfect time to get some long strong nails & nail them together, if you want triangles, take some timber and a saw and put some triangles in. If you are not growing anything over winter, take the time to plan what you want to grow & how you want it to look. Next year will be better but you will still have failures, enjoy it & try not to worry so much.

[Greenleaves]

I can fully appreciate your desire to have a plot that looks very tidy as I started exactly the same way. As BM stated now is a perfect time to make those repairs to your beds, annular rink shank nails are excellent as they are designed not to pull. out. I have long given up on trying to create a show plot and now have a plot that has a combination of raised beds and open beds. More importantly mine now allows for easy weeding and crop rotion, I am currently in year six of a nine year plan.

I no longer subscribe to just regimented rows but grow what I want where I want, some sown in neat little rows other seed broadcast sown. As mentioned above, I grow what I like to eat for taste not for looks

[rosiepumpkin]

For looks, it's all about perspective. At the other end of the site from me are a group of incredible plots I call Immaculate Corner. I was chatting to one of those plotholders and she called my end of the site the posh end when there are a lot of us who let whatever grow anywhere.

[vegboi]

I can fully appreciate your desire to have a plot that looks very tidy as I started exactly the same way. As BM stated now is a perfect time to make those repairs to your beds, annular rink shank nails are excellent as they are designed not to pull. out. I have long given up on trying to create a show plot and now have a plot that has a combination of raised beds and open beds. More importantly mine now allows for easy weeding and crop rotion, I am currently in year six of a nine year plan.

I no longer subscribe to just regimented rows but grow what I want where I want, some sown in neat little rows other seed broadcast sown. As mentioned above, I grow what I like to eat for taste not for looks

Thanks everyone a thing I struggled with this year was what can I direct sow and what should I start in GH. Abd can someone explain what over wintering is please .


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[Scarlet]

Overwintering is just sowing seeds/plants late summer and early Autumn. They are usually in bed for a long time, they don't crop through the winter. They often put out strong roots and a little growth in early Autumn when we still have a little more light and the days aren't too cold. Come Spring they put on growth fast, and will give you an earlier crop than Spring planted veg. Broad beans can be planted in Nov, they are often harvested a couple of weeks before Spring planted seeds and have more resistance to black fly. Although it is a gamble, sometimes if the winter is very cold you will lose them.
Overwintering onion sets can be planted in Oct.
Giant garlic and garlic can also be planted now, I find that they are much bigger than Spring sown.
Spring cabbage/greens/ kale etc can all overwinter.

[Alison]

Overwintering is just sowing seeds/plants late summer and early Autumn. They are usually in bed for a long time, they don't crop through the winter. They often put out strong roots and a little growth in early Autumn when we still have a little more light and the days aren't too cold. Come Spring they put on growth fast, and will give you an earlier crop than Spring planted veg. Broad beans can be planted in Nov, they are often harvested a couple of weeks before Spring planted seeds and have more resistance to black fly. Although it is a gamble, sometimes if the winter is very cold you will lose them.
Overwintering onion sets can be planted in Oct.
Giant garlic and garlic can also be planted now, I find that they are much bigger than Spring sown.
Spring cabbage/greens/ kale etc can all overwinter.

But confusingly for the uninitiated it's also the keeping alive over winter of tender fruiting plants that have fruited in their first summer (chilies for example) for a head start next year. This is really for plants that we usually grow as annuals in this country but in warmer countries go on for much longer. For the likes of spring cabbages, kale etc as described above that's their normal growing season and if you try to keep them through another winter you can't as they will have flowered and finished their life cycle.

[Two_Sheds]

I have chard already but don't know what do to with it

Use it like spinach. We have it chopped up into curries, soups and stews; it's not great eaten plain as in "meat n two veg"
It's also great rabbit/GP food

I'd like ...very structured yet with plants tumbling over like a cottage garden

People describe my plot as "jungle" (pics in FB link below).



I do have beds, which eventually I'll have the time to get wooden edged (they were edged with wine bottles until the committee banned them).


Lots of things are left to self sow wherever they like, and I just remove the ones in the wrong places. I sow most stuff in the gh because direct sowings are eaten by slugs, birds and mice. I plant them out when space becomes available, and follow a rough rotational plan.

However, as time is so short and my energy very limited, in reality things just get planted where there's a gap, so I'll have onions, beans, asparagus and cukes all sharing the same bed.

I don't like things grown in straight lines with bare brown soil all around.

what can I direct sow and what should I start in GH.

The only things that don't like being started in cell trays/modules/pots are the deep rooters, eg carrots, parsnip, scorzonera

Everything else I start in March in the gh, where the pests can't get them. It takes more time & effort than direct sowing, but gives better results in the end