Planning

[rary]

We are now almost at the end if July and while in a B.C. was looking at seeds on sale at half price, and started to think on what I will sow next year, so while still looking towards harvesting crops this year, I have started planning for next year, so how many others have planned out their next year's sowing program

[Jay-ell]

I'm sure VC has a plan already. I'm not sure anyone else will understand her plan though.

I've got a few things planned - the major beds, but everything else TBA.

[4Shoes]

Plans are about what not to grow. Experiments not to taste. some more work than what they are worth. Environment not suited to secondary crops.

[veggiechicken]

My Plan will be the same as this year - Roots, Shoots, Fruits and Leaves sown on a 4 week rotation, regardless of whether its the right time of year or not - and Flowers on Friday (with the Fish).
The same 30 beds, one for each day of the month; the first 26 containing a plant starting with the equivalent letter of the alphabet. Each bed contains a fruit, veg, flower and herb.
Monday is seed sowing, Tuesday is Chooksday; Wednesday is for Weeding, Thursday is for Thinning and Transplanting, Friday is for Feeding and Flowers, Saturday is for catching up and Sunday is for sorting seeds.

Nothing complicated about that.

[bazzaboy]

I'm sure VC has a plan already. I'm not sure anyone else will understand her plan though.

LOL, they're great! "Nothing complicated!" says VC. Not that I understand them either but plans are plans! Sounds an ordered one, VC.

I have selected and ordered some garlic for next year (I avoid 'Wight' because although I originate from down South I find now living in the Midlands I get much better results from northern garlic). I've also planned non-veg spring bulbs etc.- coz they'll need planting soon, what a carry-on!

It may seem early to "plan" but a while ago I saw a little useful tip that I'm trying to keep to - when you decide what you're doing (either in your head or on a list) categorise it into "Catch up", "Keep Up" and "Get Ahead" - and try to do at least one of each. The tendency is to get locked into "catch up" but the occasional "get ahead" makes you feel so much better!

[veggiechicken]

I've already "Got Ahead" by planning a "Catch up" day on Saturdays.

[Cadalot]

My plan will very much depend on crop rotation and how many additional beds I managed to get cleared and built on the new plot next to my existing plot. I will be looking at increasing the amount of Spuds and Beetroots and trying Spring Onions once again on the new plot.



I'm in the process of cutting and treating a load of timber joists that I obtained from the building site behind my plot





I was going to the plot this morning to water but I'm sitting in my office watching it rain outside and although very happy will miss the couple of hours of moving forward with the infrastructure for next year.

I'm glad I got my Extension to the shed and onion rack erected this week

[Bren In Pots]

My plans are simple I'll be growing the same crops as this year in 3 beds and veg just get sown/planted in the next bed along the following year. Behind the garage I've got a permanent bean row, rest of that area is taken up with fruit and JA's.

[Small pumpkin]

I've started making a few plans.
The little tunnel has turned into the experimental growing area. First of which ( for next year) will be dwarf French beans.
My smallest bed I think will be all sunflowers.
More varieties of brassicas and covering them ( I'll be asking you lot about this later ).
less varieties of squash
That's it for now. This could all change several times between now and implementing!






Cadalot I saw your shed extension on facebooook. It's brilliant. I'm trying to work out where I could put one

[muck lover]

I’m not sure if I would call what i do planning or learning from previous year’s mistakes.
I bought some carrot fly resistant carrot seeds and I think I’ll only grow those next year.
I got the French bean supply right this year with a couple of sowings and didn’t have to freeze so many. Last year I grew so many the freezer was bulging.
The tomato yield has yet to be determined but I haven’t had much luck with ‘ roma’ this year so mightned bother with that variety again.
I won’t attempt to grow cauliflower in polytunnel again as I had two monsters which hogged precious space in my polytunnel well into June before I hacked them to pieces and removed them.
I’m also taking out asparagus from polytunnel as the small crops didn’t justify the space.
I think a project for next year will be to make a fruit cage for pots of blueberries. Damned birds.
And of course the biggest plan is to get some chickens which I will do once I retire. I am planning to have a composting area in their run to let them pick over weeds etc to speed compost production. But first I need to get a coop and build a run.
I always order a lot of spring bulbs at this time of year.
And I think I will increase the plantings of new potatoes. I had a little success with them in pots this year and want to grow more.
Really really hoping my shoulders are on board with all these plans!

[self-contained]

I've been working on the assumption that I'll be moving sometime between April and July next year, so won't be able to grow a lot of the same crops as this year, many of which are would be too big/awkward to move during those months. So a lot of things I'm growing this year are out, like potatoes, cucumbers, salsify, scorzonera, etc. There are also things that are harvested or come into their own during that period, like my sweet peas, that I won't be able to grow.

Then there are the things that have been disappointments that I'll not be bothering with again. Most notably radishes, but also gazanias that look beautiful during the day when I am at work and then shut up tight in the evening when I get home.

So, my plan was to focus on things that would bridge the hungry gap and be ready for harvest by April, with only smaller and easy to move/not upsetting to lose annuals to fill things out and make me feel like I have a proper garden still: lettuce, pak choi, that sort of thing. I've also thought it would be a good opportunity to have a proper go at herbs after struggling with germination/getting past the seed leaf stage this year and last. Little pots of herbs can easily move house. Then, depending on when I actually move (and where I move to), I can start getting some late summer/early autumn fast-growing crops going.

However, my plans may be about to get thrown into disarray as I might apply for a new job that starts earlier than I had originally expected. I hate uncertainty, so it's thoroughly stressing me out, but at least I'll known one way or another by the end of September.

[muck lover]

I understand the hassle of moving and leaving a garden behind.
I’m now in my forever house - and garden. It’s great to know my fruit bushes will still be mine a few years hence. Although I’ve planted so many current bushes I might have to move to escape them.

[Thelma Sanders]

Now that I've got some idea of which areas of the new plot have got 'good' soil in them and which ones really need improving, I can organise what goes where.
Of the poor beds, some i'll add manure/compost before winter, some I'll just put a bucketload of manure into a hole and plant squashes into that. I know I can't improve all the plot at once

Got to factor in that I'm waiting for a knee replacement, so depends when that's done what I'll be able to do this/next year I'm expecting a long enough wait so I can get the beds mostly dug (in reality, probably get Mr rotovator to go over them!) and covered before winter and the op arrive That way no one will moan that they're getting weedy in the spring.

[rary]

learning from previous year’s mistakes.

^^^^^^^ wow that a new one on me when did that start

[Gillykat]

I'd be a genius if I could just learn from previous years' mistakes!!!

Definitely got plans for 2019....and the rest of 2018 for that matter!

Main one is to MAKE time to knock the plot back into shape as this year has been so hectic at work due to someone leaving and it being so hard to find someone to replace her....not just a case of simple training a person up...more a case of finding someone who is NOT a complete and utter numpty!!!! We've had some right weirdos applying....where are the normal prepared-to-work folk?

My main job is to rip most stuff out (weeds and a few perennial flowers which just don't do it for me) and start afresh! Ruthless Gill has arrived!!!

The shed needs to come down as roof collapsed....ditto rotten wooden polytunnel.

Top area needs completely overhauled as I want my veggies there so weeding & digging beds are top priority. I have a few winter brassica seedlings on order (magazine offer - just paid postage) and these should arrive around mid-August so I want bed ready for them....complete with bunny-and-butterfly netting I also have two rhubarb plants to be planted so need to decide where to put these. Ditto three raspberry plants in pots which I need to sort out a permanent area for. I'm also going to treat myself to some asparagus so want a bed ready for autumn delivery whilst soil is still lovely and warm.

The main mistakes I've had over the past couple of years have been with my being terribly disorganised and starting the year full of exciting plans and then, by April/May have fell behind and weeds have gained a hold and I then spend what precious time I have battling weeds and hot weather and getting SO disheartened Yet I deep-down LOVE my wee plot and want it to be *relatively* tidy and productive so I'm going to spend this week off work getting stuck in and doing little-but-often and not letting myself get put off by the sheer scale of it all. I think even just a day or two with my secateurs and shears hacking down nettles and brambles will be a HUGE improvement.

Other jobs to sort out before Spring 2019 are to bunny-proof all my fencing, reorganise water butts, Neil to get his shed built (so we can then pull down the old one) and then we can build a chicken run & coop and get some chickens

Watch this space....I refuse to carry on the way I have and waste such a lovely plot.