Vegetable garden plans Side by side comparison of different spacing methods.

[rollingrock]

I was looking at some vegetable garden plans from books,newspaper magazines and others sources. What struck me was the fact. That if you look at all plans there is no real way to compare if one method or plan would produce more plant and veg on paper then another method. That the way to pass on information from generation of gardener to other seem be full of old wives tail and lots bad info even from what might considered educated sources such as RHS and other sources. It seems that
cooking advice used to be same way before government recommended health standards. Seem gardening needs the same thing good tested and well test advice.

[Greenleaves]

Tottaly confused by what you are saying or asking but:

I grow the way my grandad taught me and dont consider his views as old wives tales, I, like so many people grow for the enjoyment not to perfect maximum yeald so think your argument is flawed in a lot of cases.

I have absolutley no idea what you mean about government recommended health standards when it comes to cooking? Many people use recipies that have been handed down for generations, are you suggesting these are wrong?

One thing we have that no book or intervention from governments can do is take away our individualism....change for change sake.....keep it.

[Nicos]

RR- the problem is that one method would work better for some than others depending on soil types, location, max/min temperatures,altitude, rainfall,pests, whether they are organic or use certain chemicals etc etc.

Every year and each location creates a variation on what is going to work best of all...there really can never be a 'Government Standard' style advice as to what works better than something else

Interesting concept , but unrealistic in my opinion.

[bearded bloke]

Nope, waaaayyyy to confusing for me 'to get my head around' like most of the other members judgeing by the view to reply ratio, I think most peoples garden layouts are determined by the space available rather than a picture in a book, mine certainly is.

[Thelma Sanders]

The Government issued allotment plans and advice during the last war, for growing standard veg - I doubt these plans could be improved upon.
Dig For Victory WWII Allotment Garden Plan - Grow Vegetables Year Round

However I doubt that many of us only grow the veg they grew in those days. We don't have ideal conditions to grow many of the crops we grow now, but trial and error usually find a way to get a cropin our own location

[muddled]

Also, I change my gardening every year!

I like to try something new each season...a new veg, a new variety and a new way of growing an old one.
I read during the winter months, I listen to other growers, I learn..
I love that there are a million different ways to go about it

And my health, time constraints, weather conditions and what my teenager agrees to eat change every year.
We work with nature...we evolve and adapt.

And most importantly....I would absolutely resent and rebel against any government interference in my allotment! I got into this lark in the first because they are allowing the wholesale poisoning of the food chain!

[Snadger]

I was looking at some vegetable garden plans from books,newspaper magazines and others sources. What struck me was the fact. That if you look at all plans there is no real way to compare if one method or plan would produce more plant and veg on paper then another method. That the way to pass on information from generation of gardener to other seem be full of old wives tail and lots bad info even from what might considered educated sources such as RHS and other sources. It seems that
cooking advice used to be same way before government recommended health standards. Seem gardening needs the same thing good tested and well test advice.

Yep, everyone should be growing the same stuff, in the same way...............not!

[Cadalot]

Personally I could not do the dig the whole allotment over and plant rows, I need structure, beds and paths and weed membrane, I grow as much as possible through weed membrane life is to short and time to valuable to be weeding 24/7. Mentally & Physically I find 8 x4 beds and 600mm paths between to be ideal. But each to their own.

[Nicos]

The Government issued allotment plans and advice during the last war, for growing standard veg - I doubt these plans could be improved upon.
Dig For Victory WWII Allotment Garden Plan - Grow Vegetables Year Round

However I doubt that many of us only grow the veg they grew in those days. We don't have ideal conditions to grow many of the crops we grow now, but trial and error usually find a way to get a cropin our own location

And don't forget that most veg have been bred to be sweeter/larger/heavier cropping/frost or drought tolerant etc than those available then haven't they Thelma?!

[rollingrock]

guess need to rethink the point of this thread but real point of this threads rant is not garden planning but comparing to method in book and advice.

Thelma Sanders that dig for victory garden pamphlet was all storage and long keeping veg for the most part given fridge and freezer where not really available except for rich and well off city folks in those days. cold food storage of the day was the ice box. canning and bottling be came in vogue again during the war. if look most veg where storage types.

[spamvindaloo]

I don't think anybody can tell you how to garden really. I've learnt loads from the wonderful friendly helpful people on here but much of it is trial and error.

Every garden or allotment is different, some things grow well in spite of what you do and thrive on neglect, others just won't grow on your soil or in your climate. You have to try and see what works for you. No matter how hard you try, you might struggle to grow some things but you will find things that do really well for you. Best thing to do is just crack on, bung different stuff in and learn by your successes and failures. If something doesn't work one year, you don't have to give up, you can try a different method the year after. If something does work, stick with it If you want to grow carrots, post a thread asking how to grow carrots. You'll probably get ten different methods and some (not all) will hopefully work for you.

Regarding spacing, I think in general larger spacing means fewer but larger plants and smaller spacing means more but smaller plants. In other words, if you only want baby beetroots, you can space them closer together.

[Guest]

guess need to rethink the point of this thread but real point of this threads rant is not garden planning but comparing to method in book and advice.

Thelma Sanders that dig for victory garden pamphlet was all storage and long keeping veg for the most part given fridge and freezer where not really available except for rich and well off city folks in those days. cold food storage of the day was the ice box. canning and bottling be came in vogue again during the war. if look most veg where storage types.

I realise you are after a like for like measurement against the different plans, but the fact you have highlighted TS post and commented about storage veg, I get the impression you are after year round fresh veg. If that is the case you are then looking at hydroponics, grow lights, sprouting seed, micro veg on windowsills so can incur higher costs

Were you just looking to rant? (if so there is a thread for that ) or are you looking at ways to optimise certain veg? (I suggest rewording what you are actually after).

I know on some peoples blogs they price up their harvests during the year as a measurement, unfortunately it is very specific as already mentioned there are too many factors to consider

[Thelma Sanders]

And don't forget that most veg have been bred to be sweeter/larger/heavier cropping/frost or drought tolerant etc than those available then haven't they Thelma?!

Yes - thank goodness
I can still remember those enormous cabbages that fed a family for days on end, and huge stuffed marrows

[rary]

All you can have with gardening is a general guide, with products you buy they must be as stated, eg N,P,K and other additives in any feeding, but for final product, after using any purchased feed or seed depends on localised conditions, soil make up, temperature, and of course how much time the gardener puts into it, read APs guide to growing onions, the man is an expert, he helped Potty grow onions he was pleased with, but I will never have onions as good as those two simply because I haven't the time or inclination to do it, seed packets is another example, the date for sowing varies quite a bit over the British Isles where it says sow mid March I know it will be mid May for me, as for storage there are some people who think that increasing the mineral content of our veg increases the storage time, I dont know if the are right but I am going to try and find out. Finally any advice from other people is that, advice they are passing on how it works for them, knowing that you will in all probability adapt it to suit your own conditions

[muddled]

I think Joy Larkcom's 'Grow Veg' book might be helpful to you.

I seem to remember she lists table and charts giving expected yields and dates for both tradittional rows and 'block' plantings so you can do comparisons.
Check it from the library before buying though....all that sort of thing is too much like maths for me so I skipped a lot of it and might have misunderstood (muddled by name and by nature ) But I imagine that quantities from the same author will be easier to compare than a range of different views in different formats.

Good luck with it anyway, I hope you find what you want