Help with plot planning

[Nicola.P]

Sorry guys, it is me again with another question

I am stuck on planning my plot. I suppose my main question now is on the attached plan the paths between the beds are 2ft. however if I make then 1.5ft I can squeeze another 3ft x 17ft bed in at the end which could then be my fruit bed (shown by the pen markings along the top of where the beds are shown) So is 1.5ft wide enough for a workable path? The main path through the middle I have made 2.5ft.
(On my last post I was going to make the beds 1.5m wide but after advice from here I have now changed these to 4ft so they are more reachable)

To give you an idea of the lay of the land the shed and paving are south and the top of the veg beds north. The south is shaded a bit by some 6ft high netting the guy in the plot in front has hanging up! and my shed will be next to his) The shed is to the west and the compost to the east.
There are already narrow paths on the south, east and west sides so I don't need to add any here from my plot.


The image uploader isn't working at the moment so will post the plan in a bit. So for now is 1.5ft wide enough for a path? Thanks

[Nicola.P]

Working again now

[Bacchus]

The attachment seems to have "fallen off" but I think 1.5 feet is tight. You might get more actual enjoyment out of it by having a decent path to use a wheelbarrow etc.

[Thelma Sanders]

It depends whether you're a bum-up weeder, or one that kneels to weed. If you kneel you have to allow room for the length of the bottom part of your leg and your foot in the path width.

I always either hoe or bend from the waist to weed ( I've got manky knees) and manage with 18in paths

[Guest]

TS, 'bum-up weeder' that did make me chuckle.

1.5ft paths are do-able but can get frustrating/ annoying as manoeuvring is rather limited even more so once crops become established and you have to get past. As mentioned it is not a lot of cop for barrows, however I tend to use trugs more but it is a preference thing.

What is you preference comfort gardening or more crops?

[Kristen]

Can you make the beds this year (without any physical sides etc) and then take a decision on whether you should have more (or less, if you do "more" this year ) next year?

[Nicola.P]

I am going to create it bed by bed. The paths are riddled with couch grass so that will creep back onto the beds if I leave them unsurrounded.

I tend to weed with a bucket and bend but stay on my feet rather than knees (squatting I suppose)

[Alison]

I have some that are only 1.5' wide and to be honest they are rather tight but then again I'm quite tall so have long lower legs if I'm kneeling. As already said, the gap does seem a lot less when the crops have grown and overhang the edges too. It also depends on how high you make the sides, mine are only about 6" deep so my bum can often overhang the neighbouring bed when bending down but this would be harder if the sides were higher if you see what I mean.

[WendyC]

The paths between all our plots are 18". Is manageable.

[Bigmallly]

As already mentioned, kneel down & measure from your knee to the sole of your shoes. That will give you your answer.

[sparrow100]

As already mentioned, kneel down & measure from your knee to the sole of your shoes. That will give you your answer.

Only if that's how you weed BM. I'm with Thelma and Alison, I don't kneel. My paths are about 45cm wide and are no trouble. Not even with a barrow.

I think Kristen's advice is really good - don't do anything too permanent in your first year, as we'll all have different opinions and you need to make it work for you. Mebbe try both options...

[veggiechicken]

Nicola, what about getting rid of the row of pots and moving the beds over to give you wider paths.
If you need pots to grow in, put them across the ends of the beds.

[Nicola.P]

On the drawn plan the paths are 2ft wide, if I make the paths 1.5ft then there will be a 5th 3ft wide bed at the end in place of the pots.
So I can either have 2ft paths and have 4 beds 3ft x 17ft and the pots. Or make the paths 1.5ft and have the same 4 beds plus a 3ft x 24ft bed in place of the pots.

[veggiechicken]

Only you can decide what will work best for you - pots or no pots

[sparrow100]

Once the things that take time are in (potatoes, squashes, oca) I put pots in the middle of the path on one side of the bed. I still have access at either end and to be honest the foliage growth means I don't have to weed anyway. By pots I mean spud bags or morrisons flower buckets. I can always shift them if they are consistently in the way.