My allotment plan for 2015

[Elfeda]

Here is my plan roughly. no paths decided. but I split to 3 segments and filled the internal border line with 'spinach'. Site has one shed at the southern end and cold frame in the middle.


I still have space beside cold frame(this is actually pergola with door and cold cover which mostly gone off due to winds.) and shed which I will be using for spare things like bottle/luffa/bitter gourds.

left most segment come in the middle of shed and cold frame. I assumed the length available would be 18 meters, and width after leaving paths both sides would probably be 8 meters . should adjust after measuring with tape.

two other sections

1.for roots and beans. (middle one)
2. Tropical veg (right most, sunny mostly all the time)

[Penellype]

Wow - that's even more detailed than my current plan - and I thought I was being organized!

[Elfeda]

You got an established plot Penellype, this is a starter's plan. was dreaming to get a clean and tidy allotment as I never knew how they become vacant. Lol..

lot of ground preparation is due. just covered the couch with plastic and in parts with manure. this is a dream rather to plan atm to use my spare time.

[Kristen]

If you are new to vegetable growing (rather than just new to your allotment) I fear your plan may be too complicated. Your plot will look lovely, for sure, but it will be harder to maintain, and without experience I doubt that you will be able to get the timing right to have plants of the right size inside a surrounding perimeter of a different type.

For a beginner I would suggest dividing the plot up into equal parts for crop rotation - depending on the size of the plot ideally 4 parts (for a 4 year rotation) but if that leaves each part too small then 3 parts.

Work out how many of each plant you need (based on what you will be able to eat, and how long each crop will "yield" for. Runner Beans and Courgettes will go on producing all summer long ... Cauliflowers will only last for 2 weeks from when they become ripe to when they are going-over.

Plant the number you need it rows, within their crop rotation areas. If you only need 4 plants, say, then allocate them parts of a row, or have short rows "across" the crop rotation areas, and have several [short] rows for things that need more space.

But there are lots of variations on a theme, all of them right, so its down to personal choice at the end of the day

[mothhawk]

Well, you certainly like a challenge, Elfeda! I agree with Kristen though. It looks very pretty on paper, but is very complicated. You've lots of beds all differing sizes, how will you reach them all? You need room between beds to walk, maybe push a barrow of manure, carry away weeds and other top growth to compost heaps after harvesting. Still if you find yourself taking shortcuts across some of the beds, you'll know that's where you need to put in another path

[Elfeda]

Kristen,

I tried to grow veg in backyard 2 years a go in london. harvested few small potato lot less than what I sowed but taste was so yum, tomatoes eaten by slugs.. this year again planted few overwintering ones and doing better.

If I do not get the early potato patch cleared for bush beans, still I will have plenty of other beans of vigourus ones. If I need less plants space them better in the designed beds and give paths and play areas in between for the kid. or throw leafy veg seeds.



I need only 500g courgets for a week.but lot of peppers, tomatos, beans, gourds and okras then brinjals. I eat equal amount of onion so I try both from seed and sets..then see what works better and try mostly cut and regrow method.

happy to buy carrots from supermarket, so they are optional . like to grow beets and cauliflower in small quantities to taste the fresh havest . this time I got cabbage plants from a new friend at lottie. will try if they get any extra cauliflowers.

other than above this year I planned to try potatos again to enjoy the home grown and also that to benefit from the compost using to cover the ground . and I grow potatos only where I want to clear weeds for the first few years.

I alllocated space to my main groups which are heat lovers,roots and onions, gourds and beans. and leafy ones here and there. mostly lots of garlic and onions , peas and broad beans to over winter.

less roots and most of the veg I plan to store for the winter months so excess to okras , peppers , beans and gourds is okay but I try to be wary as it needs lot of time to sort out .

fruits, herbs and flowers again will try to start fom seeds come fail, buy the plug plants.

Luffa gourd seeds which I got for free, put them at the corner of the shed and train them around shed .. If I can not reach the fruit to harvest, it will give me sponge.

there is large gap in sowing and transplanting times as I do not worry much on brassicas and less stress at roots.

having said all the above, I failed to do so many tasks from autumn to winter like strimming and mulching.

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[Elfeda]

Mothhawk,


I will have my paths lengthwise, and If path goesin between okra bed..I will have okras on both sides. samewith side paths. as I did not have enough time to prepare the ground on equal size beds, I choose this approach for the first year.


there will be flowers, herbs and leafy veg at and around each bed just to get space in between veg plants and also add the colours.

looks complex if it is planned to look pretty, ( it is just planning app gave so much colours and attraction given..) but the plan is mainly to see what I want to grow and order/group them, then to see If I have enough space.


I will not update this layout after 2 weeks as the trail get expire. so any suggestions and correction please let me know.

[emzgogo]

Looks great ��. Well done. Think i need to change from paper looking at that very neat x

[Kristen]

I need ... a lot of peppers

With a greenhouse I struggle to get many Sweet Peppers, so you might be best to assume that you won't get "a lot".

The rest sound fine, although Luffa might also need a greenhouse in order to give a decent crop.

[Scarlet]

It looks lovely on paper although i think your expectations are a little high especially as you haven't cleared your plot yet. As the others have said, for your first year it may be easier to split it into four sections and factor in your paths before doing anything else.
Work out when to plant your crops and when you can expect to harvest, have your next crop waiting in the wings. When you mix up veg in a border ensure harvesting times are similar as you may run the risk of disturbing new plants. Garlic is usually harvested late June - will your carrots be disturbed if you go digging for your garlic in the middle of the carrot bed?

fruits, herbs and flowers again will try to start fom seeds come fail, buy the plug plants.

Beware of giving yourself too much to do. Many perennial herbs are best bought in as potted plants in the early days of caring for a plot. Later when you have more time it will be easier to strike new plants by cuttings. The lavender that has a bed to itself I would personally buy in the plants.

I need only 500g courgets for a week.but lot of peppers, tomatos, beans, gourds and okras then brinjals.

As Kristen has said, peppers and chillies along with aubergines produce very little if grown outside. I wouldn't bother with Okra at all if you can't grow it under cover.

Have you got any photos of your allotment as it is today?

[Elfeda]

Kristy,

Hmm I am trying only one or 2 chilli verieties..try growing them on ground, green house and pots and see what works best for me. Luffa is an alternative veg to courget and ridge gourd, so will try all and see which one I get better crop.

will keep posted the progress. thank you for the support.

[muddled]

Your plan is very amitious....but I like that!
As long as you do not feel disappointed when the plot doesn't look as perfect as the plan, that will be something to work towards over a lifetime of gardening.

But I would still say concentrate on the things most likely to be successful. So much better for the soul. Early potato harvests are joyful, like digging for treasure.
Garlic and herbs make such a difference to meals and are so much tastier homegrown.
Sweetcorn is so lush and verdant...makes me proud to look at and the taste is like nothing I ever bought.

Grow your peppers and glamorous things too, just be aware that they will frustrate and challenge you. The easier crops are the ones that encourage and nourish.

[Elfeda]

It looks lovely on paper although i think your expectations are a little high especially as you haven't cleared your plot yet

I want to fallow no dig gardening, as all my child hood I have seen Mom never done digging or beds, but just used dibber or hand fork only when she wanted to sow seeds. still I have to get rid of couch grass, prefer to mulch.

I could have decided this before I buy a spade though.


Herbs I am propagating from cuttings or using volunteer plants , I sow lots of corriander and parsley and see how it works. other herbs I mainly want to grow them for bees and flowers/coverage. so again optional.

I should take pictures of the current plot. not getting chance to go there. may be this week end

As the others have said, for your first year it may be easier to split it into four sections and factor in your paths before doing anything else.

as Said I have started it in unplanned way, like wise I spread menure and compost where I was able to clear the ground initially. and my list still groups in to 4 to 5 things.

If I put garlic in the middle of carrot bed, it means garlic is sown once all carrot is harvested. or carrot is sown after garlic. I just included autumn plan as well


Like wise I put beans with early potatoes, mean beans to fallow the harvest of potatos.

Thanks alot for encouraging

[Kristen]

I could have decided this before I buy a spade though

Personally I think it is best to dig well, both deeply and to remove all weeds, the first time. This improves drainage and allows incorporating manure/etc. into the bottom part of the soil during digging. This will improve the soil fertility more quickly than just putting manure/mulch on the surface.

However, if it is an allotment which has been dug and cared for over many decades, and perhaps only "abandoned" for a year or two, then it should be sufficient to start no-dig immediately

still I have to get rid of couch grass, prefer to mulch.

I mulch with woven weed suppressing membrane (e.g. Mypex), and plant through it. Almost no weeds grow, and it reduces irrigation.

[Elfeda]

[QUOTE=muddled;1311927]Your plan is very amitious....but I like that!
As long as you do not feel disappointed when the plot doesn't look as perfect as the plan, that will be something to work towards over a lifetime of gardening. [/[QUOTE]

very true, the plan is to see what I mostly want and to see I can manage with the space and again to motivate and push me to do the things.

But I would still say concentrate on the things most likely to be successful. So much better for the soul. Early potato harvests are joyful, like digging for treasure.
Garlic and herbs make such a difference to meals and are so much tastier homegrown.
Sweetcorn is so lush and verdant...makes me proud to look at and the taste is like nothing I ever bought.

I found to grow toms and auburgines grown successfull from the plants I have bought, this time not want to spend lots of mony on plants. hope I will get enough from such a big plot.

Sweet corn is just for fun, dad is farmer and stil cultivate corn in tons

Grow your peppers and glamorous things too, just be aware that they will frustrate and challenge you. The easier crops are the ones that encourage and nourish.

I get dry chillies handy for cooking till that time I crack the art of growing peppers year round at the moment I get chilli peppers of my taste only from Asda but will go out of stock at times.


Thank you very much.