Patch Plan 2010 comments

[Alex_Parrott]

Hi all, I hope I have attatched the image properly for you all to be able to comment on. I spent last night planning out my small patch last night and would love to here what you think about it. I ahve not yet decided on any varieties yet so suggestions more than welcome. Also any advice etc much needed Was also wondering whether to make the three sections into raised beds or not would love to hear what you think.

Thanks everyone

[Two_Sheds]

nope, no image

[Alex_Parrott]

Thats better image now on

[FionaH]

The only thing I have noticed is your squash plants. They take up lots and lots of room so you may want to allocate them a bit more

[bluemoon]

I'm a little confused about the rotation. I'd normally follow legumes with nitrogen hungry plants, such as squash or brassicas, but however I juggle this it seems they'll be followed by roots, which is not good. Or have I completely misunderstood?

[Alex_Parrott]

Only in my second year of gardening so still learning. Last year I had no organisation at all so things were all over the place. The turnips and swedeswere just put there as didnt know what else to grow. What would you change?

[FionaH]

I'm a little confused about the rotation. I'd normally follow legumes with nitrogen hungry plants, such as squash or brassicas, but however I juggle this it seems they'll be followed by roots, which is not good. Or have I completely misunderstood?

I dont think the OP showed rotation? Think this just shows one years growth. Next year the brassicas could go where the beans are

[HotStuff]

There's only 1 T in carrots

Hey, you asked for comments.

[bluemoon]

Basically there need to be 3 or 4 distinct areas, of equal size, one needs to contain peas and beans, etc, as they add nitrogen to the soil, the next bed your ' nitrogen hungry' veg and the next bed for roots, etc. The following year put the brassicas in where the beans and peas have been last to benefit from the added nitrogen that will have put in the soil, and pop the roots where the brassicas were, putting the peas and beans in last years root bed; the year after that move it all along again. Turnips and swede are actually brassicas, so can go in with those, giving you extra room for potatoes in the roots bed. You don't have to limit yourself to 3 beds, you can have many more if you want, replenishing the soil with manure or compost, but in a small area I'd stick to 3. This helps to keep down pests and diseases too as they are often specific to a certain type of plant, and there will not be a build up in the soil if a different group is planted there each year.

[Alex_Parrott]

Thanks Blue moon, thats really helpful, almost got it like you said. The reason I put the peas and beans in each bed was because i thought if i have them all in one then they would just over shadow each other or would this not matter?

[bluemoon]

Thanks Blue moon, thats really helpful, almost got it like you said. The reason I put the peas and beans in each bed was because i thought if i have them all in one then they would just over shadow each other or would this not matter?

You just put the taller stuff at the back, but in summer the sun is so high and sweeps through such a large section of the sky between dawn and dusk that it makes little difference anyway. If you are planning on planting something which will over winter, like kale or Brussels sprouts, try to make sure they go in a spot which will be sunny even in mid December, it's easy to pop stuff in in June sunshine, only to discover that in winter, when the sun is lower and shadows considerably longer, that they're languishing in the shade from the shed. (you can tell this is the voice of bitter experience, can't you?). If you do find that something is casting a bit more shade than you'd like then pop salad crops in behind it, lettuce loves a bit of shade.

[Two_Sheds]

I'd normally follow legumes with nitrogen hungry plants, such as squash

Squash are fruiting plants, so require more potash. Nitrogen is good for leaf growth, such as brassicas