|
|
 |
 |
FORUM |
|
> Browse and post on our forum |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Sweet Pea
Member
United Kingdom
2046 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 15:08:04
|
Should I already be planning my plot for next year? It's just that I have some beds still fully occupied e.g. salad crops, and others partially full. If I plant some cabbage now will there still be time to move the brassicas to a new bed? Hope this doesn't sound completely stupid  
Sweet Pea |
Edited by - Sweet Pea on 07 Aug 2006 15:11:13 |
|
|
greengiant
Member
United Kingdom
181 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 16:16:09
|
It's definately confusing all this plot rotation lark- I have started to use microsoft word to mock up a basic plot layout with numbered beds and a clockwise rotational aspect - with this I plan the rotaton to include areas where I will have cleared or nearly used all this 'seasons' crop (2006) and then start planting the winter through to end of 2007 seasons brassicas in the beds although still in 2006. This them repeats into another bed late next year to see me through to 2008......
So in reality I found that the 'annual' rotation we tend to think of is in fact around 18 months and a with bit of tweaking to ensure that the plot gets the rest it needs as well as allowing me to manure certain parts over winter and then re plant in spring thus continuing the process.
I hope that makes sense. Took me ages to get my head around it all thats why I stuck it on computer so I can laminate a copy and keep it on the plot to look at when my poor head hurts.
Hoe Hoe Hoe!
Jolly G |
 |
|
|
SEEVA
Member
United Kingdom
175 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 17:56:53
|
The planting scheme I adopted this year more or less dictates what next year. Like Greengiant, I keep a plan on the PC as a quick reference.
Seeva |
Edited by - SEEVA on 07 Aug 2006 17:57:29 |
|
|
|
digmyplot
Member
1348 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 20:05:55
|
Hi sweetpea
There is a section on my website about crop rotation.
The simple answer is don't plan to shift the cabbages, get them installed on the bed you will be using. ie plan it out. I use a simple excel speadsheet but a table in word would be just as good. I keep a record of what is planted year on year and make certain that there is at least four years between each replanting of same family.
www.digmyplot.co.uk |
|
|
|
Tangent
Member
United Kingdom
340 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 21:38:29
|
Hi Sweet Pea
You have hit on one of the only two 'problems' of crop rotation. I am about to plant some overwintering onions that will be ready in June and am going to plant them with my carrots and roots.
If I wanted to plant some cabbage to be ready for the spring I'd have more of a problem cos it would need to go in with the beans, peas and cucurbits and those beds are still full of cropping plants. Luckily I'm not so fond of cabbage that I feel I need it all year.
My rotation is as follows:
Potatoes, peppers, courgettes, tomatoes, sweetcorn
Beans, peas, cucurbits
Brassicas
Carrots, fennel, celeriac, beetroot
Alliums
I intercrop lettuces in all the beds in gaps and will also grow them in my Butcombe Box so they are not such a problem to keep going all year round.
And my rule of thumb is that anything that won't be harvested until next year will go into next years bed hence overwintering onions which I will plant now and garlic which I will plant in November being planted or sown in what is now the carrot bed. And spring cabbage being planted in with the beans and peas so that they are in the right beds for next year.
I can still use my green manures in areas not planted with crops over the winter and use summer green manures in the gaps if there are any.
Don't know what I'm gonna do when I get round to wanting to try to save seed from the biennial brassicas though! Thought of creating an area on the other plot for this but want a selection of plants to choose the strongest from for saving seed and if I do this I'll have seed producing brassicas in with my carrots and fennel with brassicas revisiting the site in 4 years rather than 5. But nothing is perfect. Rotation is one of the most important aspects of organic growing and allotmenteering and each of us will have our own way of dealing with it. So long as it is happening rather than not then it can't be that bad.
Still working on it and sure I'll find a pattern I'm happy with in time.
Green Giant
I have organised my rotation order to leave the largest possible gaps between where one crop is one year to the next. This may be better than clockwise rotation as if you only move your crop a few feet or metres you won't have so much effect on soil borne pests and diseases. Check out 'the drawing board' link on my site if you want to see what I mean and select the plans for the Vegetable Plot to see how I have numbered the beds. Not convinced it's good enough but it's the best I can do with what I've got.
Lois
www.organicplot.co.uk
Sydenham, South East London
|
|
|
|
organic
Member
United Kingdom
264 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 22:47:53
|
Tangent, Where did u get there black conduit for your brassica bed ?They look really sturdy
sam
chelmsford
:(essex:( |
|
|
|
organic
Member
United Kingdom
264 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 22:49:25
|
that*
sam
chelmsford
:(essex:( |
|
|
|
Tangent
Member
United Kingdom
340 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2006 : 23:14:38
|
Reggie ordered it from a supplier he uses at work. I get most stuff from builders merchants etc cos it's so much more expensive and often inferior quality in the garden centres.
Just got some 'stick to itself' velcro type tape from John Lewis when I was shopping for fabrics and threads - 5 metres for under £5 and sure I can get it cheaper yet elswhere. WAY cheaper than the velcro ties on sale for the job at the garden centres!
If you want some I'll ask him where.
www.organicplot.co.uk
Sydenham, South East London
|
|
|
|
organic
Member
United Kingdom
264 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2006 : 14:25:37
|
yeh, please coud i have a name for the supplier or a way of contacting them .
thanks
sam
chelmsford
:(essex:( |
|
|
|
alwyn
Member
United Kingdom
179 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 21:39:23
|
| Tangent - I'm very impressed with your conduit as well - and like you I've discovered the Velcro ties and use them for fruit trees particularly. Above all however, I'm impressed with the hard work that your husband's put in and the excellent beds - wish I was twenty years younger, and hadn't just had a heart op (and that our site wasn't on a terraced slope!). |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
| Allotments-uk Forum |
© Allotments-uk |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Plot Rotation
