Author Topic: BIG PLANS or small plans ? (Read 3554 times)

Bert · « **on:** July 10, 2012, 07:32:55 am »

Has anyone else started planing next years rotation, lay out and seed selection for there veggie garden ?
Or is it just me

. I think I make it more complicated than it needs to be. how do you work out where everything is going to grow next year when you know the last of the winter/spring crops (that would be the winter/spring crops that have been re potted twice because there is no space for them yet as the summer veg is still growing) are going to be in the way but you can't pull them out because chef is still using them.

in the hills · « **Reply #1 on:** July 10, 2012, 01:02:44 pm »

My plan goes something like this ....... wait until 2 weeks after the seeds should have gone in, stand there trying desperately to remember where things were planted last year, decide it probably won't make that much difference and bung them in as fast as possible before I'm wanted somewhere else by someone else!

Done

Bert · « **Reply #2 on:** July 11, 2012, 07:18:04 am »

in the hills that is a fantastic plan

Love it.
Unfortunately it wouldn't work for me. Not with a demanding chef

. for example today I have to pick half grown courgettes and green tomatoes ( very annoying). On the other hand he is using the veg I grow unlike other chefs. That's another story

in the hills · « **Reply #3 on:** July 11, 2012, 09:05:05 am »

Ahhhh ... I see.

So how big a place do you have to grow veg. for? How much of the veg. are you expected to grow?

Bit more pressure for you then

VSS · « **Reply #4 on:** July 11, 2012, 06:12:33 pm »

Quote from: Bert on July 10, 2012, 07:32:55 am

Has anyone else started planing next years rotation

No, I'm still waiting for this year's crops to really get going

deepinthewoods · « **Reply #5 on:** July 11, 2012, 06:16:28 pm »

next years rotation should surely be based on this years and the one before, theres plenty online about 4 year organic rotation. mainly starting with spuds but you could adapt?

Bert · « **Reply #6 on:** July 12, 2012, 08:30:40 am »

Quote from: in the hills on July 11, 2012, 09:05:05 am

So how big a place do you have to grow veg. for? How much of the veg. are you expected to grow?

You can see pics of the garden in what dose your veg patch look like.
It's not a massive place when it's fully booked (which is to often

) I think there are 20 people staying.
I grow as much as I can in the space we have and with the smallest amount of maintenance as possible (this request from the bosses I ignore

, my veggie plants come before everything else they will never get the smallest amount of maintenance) as I have the rest of the grounds to play in (tend to

).

Quote from: deepinthewoods on July 11, 2012, 06:16:28 pm

next years rotation should surely be based on this years and the one before, theres plenty online about 4 year organic rotation. mainly starting with spuds but you could adapt?

I know all that but it's not that simple. when you have 8 big bed. 2 of which have been taken out of the equation as they are now asparagus beds. and your not 100% convinced that they will build you 2 new ones in the winter to replace them. and then there is the 4 smaller stupid shaped beds (crescent moon

) so you can't put crops in them that need covering. then there is the fact they always want the largest amount of the same crops year in year out. Finely there is the potatoes not going into raised beds next year, but going into tyres

. so plans would need changing again but yet again I'm not 100% convinced that it will happen. Now my head hearts

and if any one under stands this can they explain it to me please

.

Greenerlife · « **Reply #7 on:** July 12, 2012, 08:42:27 am »

Ha ha Bert! My veg garden was initially 4 beds, which was easy for rotation. Then some stupid idiot (aka me) wanted to expand so we put them into one and added a bit. Now I go with in the hills method! See where there's a gap and stick something in it!

I always say I will grow more of the stuff that we really like, but it never seems to work. I love fresh peas but this year, ran out of room and have no peas at all because I planted A LOT of garlic this year. At least a quarter this year has tomatoes because we eat a lot of them and because they taste so much better than shop bought - same with sweetcorn. It'll be different next year, when I have loads of garlic and tomatoes preserved from this year!

deepinthewoods · « **Reply #8 on:** July 12, 2012, 11:54:21 am »

bert i understand your issues, most rotation is done to 'a' reduce disease and 'b' to increase fertility. you can grow things in the same spot twice if you rectify nutrient dificiencies (if you have them) so i would in your position, restart a new planned rotation. taking into consideration any disease issues you have.

Bert · « **Reply #9 on:** July 13, 2012, 07:28:26 am »

I always add fertilizer to the beds in one form or another and rotavat when they are empty and I try to cover empty beds to reduce weeds.
I do manage to rotate everything normally. It just takes a few attempts as the powers that be (The Boss

) keeps changing her mind.