Self perpetuating veggie plot - daft idea?

[Alison]

Can't see you getting away with it on the majority of allotment sites.................

And that's one of the real shames about so many sites, people thinking that there is only one way to do things

[Small pumpkin]

Go on VC............. Do it!

[veggiechicken]

Thanks for all your views and encouragement (or not)

I have 2 ways to do this - though I'm sure you can think of others.
If you remember, I have approx 30 mini-beds so I could grow a different plant in each bed eg spring onions in one, kale in another; Or I could put them all together in one bed and let them get on with it.

What would you do?

BTW I'm just playing at gardening here - this isn't serious veggie growing - just trying out different ideas, and its all in my garden so I don't have to upset anyone with my randomness.

[muddled]

I think all in together...I think it will mean less pest/disease build up and it looks nicer because different things flower at different times.

It also means the bed is still productive if one type of plant fails.

[happyhumph]

How are you going to sow seed? If collecting & sowing by hand then seperate mini beds would work, if you're going to just let them do their thing they'll end up anywhere they want! My preference is for one big bed just because it will be fun to see your results

[veggiechicken]

Ah, but, I'm not going to collect seed. I'm giving that job to Mother Nature.
I'm just putting plants in and letting them get on with it, picking what I need to eat and letting some bolt.
Sounds like a recipe for chaos actually

[Jay-ell]

Have you looked at this video? talks about self seeding about 2 mins in.

[happyhumph]

Sounds like a recipe for chaos actually

Sounds great! Had a bit of our garden so overgrown we pulled everything down , hired a mini digger (yes, it was that bad) & low & behold , through the mistreated, compacted, concrete hard clay soil came a solitary mustardy/mizuna type thing! Tasted great but hot hot hot!

[vixylix]

definitely all in together - true nature is random

[rary]

I would give it a go, if you have enough ground to try it, gardening isn't just about growing things in tidy lines, its about trying new things and different way of growing, that's part of the pleasure and joy of gardening, though my wife wants every thing in straight lines and regular heights, but it never happens, mark you she also wants the gardener to be neat and tidy also, and that never happens either

[veggiechicken]

Have you looked at this video? talks about self seeding about 2 mins in.

Thanks Jay-ell. I hadn't seen that one before. Pleased to see he has a kiwi and josta and worcester berries.
Must dig out my Forest gardening and permaculture books and refresh my memory. I'm sure there a list of selfseeding annual veg.............

[Lumpy]

As the mad, daft chicken runs off again the short fat spectator can only say this.......

I would split the begs into 2 as your idea is going to take time. As some veggies are biennials if you plat this year you would get seeds next year to sow in 2018.

So, I think that this could be a long term project.

Runs off to gire a chick costume

[Jay-ell]

Although the biennials would take two years to seed the first seeding could hopefully last in the soil to germinate two years in a row.

Except parsnips of course which I would scatter seed for twice or more times.

I'd definitely go for the mixed bed polyculture. How big are the beds VC?

Would you be looking to stick to one open pollinated variety of each or just chuck in different varieties to make your own landrace variety?

[veggiechicken]

The "beds" can be any size I want them to be - but I don't want BIG. Most of the existing beds have summat in - like a little fruit tree, that I wouldn't want to move. I'd rather have a couple/few beds than one biggun.
I have some starter bolters - a bucket of carrots in flower, bunching onions and some kale covered in seed pods.
As you'll have gathered, I haven't really thought this through - just winging it - and brain picking

[Jay-ell]

There's me thinking that you had looked at your seed packets and thought you'd just bung all the oldest ones in a bed.

Here's an article on self sown parsnips
https://scottishforestgarden.wordpre...eded-parsnips/