How to plan planting out vs Harvesting

[Dynamite]

I want to plan my planting better to utilise what space I have. If I know when I will be pulling out a finished crop at the same time one needs to be planted, I would need half the space but it's a bit hard to work it out. I'm wondering if there is a simple chart or something that will let me plan better.

Cheers........Rob

[wargarden2017]

it might be helpful if you explained what you are trying to do in more clear and concise manner. Giving both; the area dimensions of space the plants occupy and and time window that both crops will occupy.

[Deltawhiskey]

I have the same problem with my five raised beds with which I will am doing a five year rotation. In my case It is probably to do with trying to grow too many types of veggies. I put in some old chatted spuds from the kitchen and then realised that they would not be over when my tomatoes would need the space. Toms took precedence.

David

[Dynamite]

it might be helpful if you explained what you are trying to do in more clear and concise manner. Giving both; the area dimensions of space the plants occupy and and time window that both crops will occupy.

Sorry about that. As an example.......dates and times irrelevant, purely example.......Say I plant a raised bed with onions, they might take up that space until Nov. But then, leeks might need planting in Nov. Hey presto, same space used. I just wondered if there was some sort of chart. It's so you can utilise the same space for when something finishes, time it for when something also starts.

Regards......Rob

[Dynamite]

I have the same problem with my five raised beds with which I will am doing a five year rotation. In my case It is probably to do with trying to grow too many types of veggies. I put in some old chatted spuds from the kitchen and then realised that they would not be over when my tomatoes would need the space. Toms took precedence.

David

Thanks David, that's exactly it.

Regards....Rob

[veggiechicken]

The RHS and all the major seed retailers have sowing guides - here's one Vegetable Sowing and Planting Guide For Mr Fothergills Seeds
Check the seeds that your sowing for their harvesting times and line up something that needs sowing or planting out at that time.
A lot depends on what you want to grow!!

[Penellype]

I always find that there is an overlap when things are not quite ready but other things need planting, which makes planning really hard. Actually there are 2 overlaps, the first around April when some of the overwintered stuff like broccoli and spring cabbage hasn't quite finished but you need the ground for things like peas, potatoes, carrots etc, and the 2nd, more serious overlap in mid summer. The peas are never done before July, but you want to get winter crops sown. The onions need to stay put until about August, but the winter salads need planting out in plenty of time to grow before the light disappears.

My solutions are to grow things on in pots until space is available and to use large buckets which can be moved around the garden making the best of the sunshine. To use the potato/tomato example, the area next to my apple tree is sunny and I use it to grow tomatoes in summer. In spring I plant potatoes in buckets and grow them here under cloches so that they are well grown by the time the tomatoes are ready to go out. The potatoes then move to the much more shady raised beds where they will happily finish growing and the tomatoes can have the sunshine. The raised beds have previously been occupied by winter brassicas (broccoli, spring cabbage etc) which seem to prefer a bit of shade. Again I grow these in buckets, so I can move them to other parts of the garden to make room for the potatoes. Next winter's broccol and spring cabbage will be grown on in smaller pots (upto 2 or 3 litres) while waiting for potatoes to vacate their buckets and compost.

I keep a list of what I intend to grow in which bucket and when, but it remains flexible because there can be surprises. This winter the summer calabrese (supposedly not frost hardy) survived and is still producing edible (if small) shoots. Rather than rigidly stick to my plan and get rid of it I have found spaces for them and keep harvesting, and I bought some new buckets to plant my potatoes in.

Some things are around too long to be doubled up - parsnips and maincrop carrots in particular.

[Dynamite]

I always find that there is an overlap when things are not quite ready but other things need planting, which makes planning really hard. Actually there are 2 overlaps, the first around April when some of the overwintered stuff like broccoli and spring cabbage hasn't quite finished but you need the ground for things like peas, potatoes, carrots etc, and the 2nd, more serious overlap in mid summer. The peas are never done before July, but you want to get winter crops sown. The onions need to stay put until about August, but the winter salads need planting out in plenty of time to grow before the light disappears.

My solutions are to grow things on in pots until space is available and to use large buckets which can be moved around the garden making the best of the sunshine. To use the potato/tomato example, the area next to my apple tree is sunny and I use it to grow tomatoes in summer. In spring I plant potatoes in buckets and grow them here under cloches so that they are well grown by the time the tomatoes are ready to go out. The potatoes then move to the much more shady raised beds where they will happily finish growing and the tomatoes can have the sunshine. The raised beds have previously been occupied by winter brassicas (broccoli, spring cabbage etc) which seem to prefer a bit of shade. Again I grow these in buckets, so I can move them to other parts of the garden to make room for the potatoes. Next winter's broccol and spring cabbage will be grown on in smaller pots (upto 2 or 3 litres) while waiting for potatoes to vacate their buckets and compost.

I keep a list of what I intend to grow in which bucket and when, but it remains flexible because there can be surprises. This winter the summer calabrese (supposedly not frost hardy) survived and is still producing edible (if small) shoots. Rather than rigidly stick to my plan and get rid of it I have found spaces for them and keep harvesting, and I bought some new buckets to plant my potatoes in.

Some things are around too long to be doubled up - parsnips and maincrop carrots in particular.

Much appreciated advice. Thanks Penellype