Companion planting

[Snadger]

Snadge..your beds sound really wonderful- compared to my empty areas..any chance of a piccie for some inspiration???

Nooooooo.........I aint going to let you see it at its worst, with Brussel Sprouts that are nearly finished,limp leeks and blackened carrot tops.Swedes are putting on new growth but their is flattened Spring Cabbage and spires of white mooli where the tops have died. Kales have brown edges where they've been touched by the frost.Little piles of manure all over which I have just pillaged and not yet had a chance to tickle in. My plot is still partially covered with snow and there is ice on the paths and in the pond!

Wait a month until things have picked up a bit and then I might post a piccie!

[jackyspratty]

Agree, it sounds fantastic As a newbiemust admit that I have found the bed idea a little difficult. How much planning and rotating of crops do you do snadger? Just have an empty plot at the moment and the plot we had a go at last year wasn't the most productive for us, we didn't really get the hang of it, but managed to get enough to eat off of it to get the bug!
Pictures would be fab

[zazen999]

We also use the 'bung it in' method, and having had a load of manure delivered, I've only got 2 empty beds to bung it on whilst the others are clearing....and one of those isn't actually empty.

Bed 1 had onions sets in.
Bed 2 has swedes and parsnips in, and oca
Bed 3 - more onion sets
Bed 4 has brassicas [cabbages interspersed with brocolli] with leeks all around the edges
Bed 5 had leeks, onions, kale [see my picture of the onion cloche that has been in place all winter]
Bed 6 - more dotted brassicas and leeks
Bed 7 - More dotted brassicas and leeks and chicory that died in the frosts
Bed 8 - sweetcorn haulms that are dried out [for the ladybirds to hibernate in]
Bed 9 - onions that are being saved for seed next year with manure in any spare spaces
Bed 10 - manure!
Bed 11 - old beetroots and new garlics, and oca

In terms of companion planting, Beans and Onions do grow well together, I put my beans in whilst the onions are still growing and they all do fine! Even though the books say they don't, I don't have any problems with this.

[Snadger]

Agree, it sounds fantastic As a newbiemust admit that I have found the bed idea a little difficult. How much planning and rotating of crops do you do snadger? .............

The rotating is simple, just never follow like with like!The planning involves knowing what you like to eat, using colour variations to add interest and always having something ready to put into the ground as one crop finishes and a space becomes available.........thats the hard part!
This year I will be growing red and green Milo and Callaloo, which I've never grown before. I picked them because they are easy to grow, ornamental, and should bring a new taste and texture to the table. Lots of things have taste and ornamental appeal, ferny carrot foliage,red beetroot foliage, Red Duke of York tattie foliage, stauesque kales to name but a few. I'm also growing Crimson flowered broadies and purple podded peas and frenchies. Wigwams give height and make focal points.
I use a seedbed for loads of different brassicas. I find this way they can stand for up to a couple of months and still be transpalnted when a spot becomes available.Flower plants can sit in trays as long as they have plenty of water and fill spots as required. Leeks are sown in clumps and they can be transpalnted in small amounts as and when required. Last year I grew some leeks to a good size, ate them, then transplanted the rest of the leeks sown at the same time and had another good later crop. F1 hybrid cabbages can be made to give a longer cropping period by cutting a cross in the stem as the cabbage is cut. This will give you up to four smaller cabbages from the same plant later in the year. Differing kales give you a succession and have some really intersting foliage i.e. Toscana and Red russian.You can also take advantage of self sown stuff and work around it without it looking out of place........Ooops i'm rambling again!

All I will say is that it works for me!

[Snadger]

We also use the 'bung it in' method, and having had a load of manure delivered, I've only got 2 empty beds to bung it on whilst the others are clearing....and one of those isn't actually empty.

Bed 1 had onions sets in.
Bed 2 has swedes and parsnips in, and oca
Bed 3 - more onion sets
Bed 4 has brassicas [cabbages interspersed with brocolli] with leeks all around the edges
Bed 5 had leeks, onions, kale [see my picture of the onion cloche that has been in place all winter]
Bed 6 - more dotted brassicas and leeks
Bed 7 - More dotted brassicas and leeks and chicory that died in the frosts
Bed 8 - sweetcorn haulms that are dried out [for the ladybirds to hibernate in]
Bed 9 - onions that are being saved for seed next year with manure in any spare spaces
Bed 10 - manure!
Bed 11 - old beetroots and new garlics, and oca

In terms of companion planting, Beans and Onions do grow well together, I put my beans in whilst the onions are still growing and they all do fine! Even though the books say they don't, I don't have any problems with this.

Your plot sounds just like mine Zaz!

[zazen999]

And we haven't even talked about the permanent leek bed, which is next to my rasp patch.

[Snadger]

And we haven't even talked about the permanent leek bed, which is next to my rasp patch.

An interesting experiment..........shall watch with baited breath!

[jackyspratty]

Hey guys please keep on rambling! Snadger when ou you talk of prolonging the cabbage season, do you mean cut a cross in the top of the stem after you have cut it? These tips are like gold dust!! Just looking at all the beds, and it reminds me of a beautiful patchwork quilt, what with he leeks round the edge of beds etc

[OllieMartin]

Found a great list of most known companion plants on, your God and Mine; Wikipedia.

List of companion plants - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Snadger]

Hey guys please keep on rambling! Snadger when ou you talk of prolonging the cabbage season, do you mean cut a cross in the top of the stem after you have cut it? These tips are like gold dust!! Just looking at all the beds, and it reminds me of a beautiful patchwork quilt, what with he leeks round the edge of beds etc

Yep, cut the plant and cut a cross in the top of the stem. Doesn't work on every plant, but a goodly proportion grow a second crop from the base.
Sweetheart F1 hybrid cabbage seeds are expensive so its a way of doubling or trebling the crop from a fixed amount of plants.

[allotment sue]

Thanks floks for all your tips. Will try out as much as possible and let you know how it all goes. Could be a while....!

[allotment sue]

Or even 'folks'

[Snadger]

Or even 'folks'

In my case you were right the first time.............I have three flocks of chooks at the allotments!

[Nes]

Wait a month until things have picked up a bit and then I might post a piccie!

Don't know if things have picked up yet, but would love to see your plot in action! Please inspire the rest of us, your plot sounds fab!

Do you still have to use netting on your brassicas or are they sufficiently hidden among other plants to escape the butterflies notice?