Grow Your Own Magazine

sez · #1 (**permalink**) 24-03-2008, 05:02 PM

Having just got a lottie I suddenly have loads more space to play with and I'm a bit baffled on how to spread things out. I have very few clues as to where things were previously planted and no idea if the previous occupant had any system at all (i've found the remains of onions in 3 places!), so I'm going in a bit blind really and just putting the spuds in the one spot I know for sure had something else (leeks) - that also happens to be the bed that I'll have ready first for early spuds to go into.

Now.. the bit I'm really stuck on is where to put taller things (beans and climbing peas). The plot is south facing - in the pic below north is at the bottom and south at the top. I don't want to shade anything out so bed 5 seems a good option, but I'm not sure where else (i want 2-3 beds of legumes, though many of them will be dwarf ). Any advice?

carlseawolf · #2 (**permalink**) 24-03-2008, 05:34 PM

You could put runner/ french in bed 4 , and broad / peas in bed 5 as they will be ok with the shade cast by the runners

rustylady · #3 (**permalink**) 24-03-2008, 05:58 PM

Basically you should put your taller things on the side away from the sun, but also bear in mind that some of your own crops may appreciate a bit of shade (salad crops etc). It's a bit of a gamble really and we're all still learning. As far as tall beans go, have you considered the three sisters system?

sez · #4 (**permalink**) 24-03-2008, 06:14 PM

carsleawolf - 'ok' with the shade or 'appreciate' the shade? as if its just that they would be okay with it would it not work to put the taller stuff in 5 and shorter stuff in 4? (not contradicting you, just wondering!)

rustylady - thank you for reminding me! I had thought of doing a sort of '2 sisters' with beans and squash (can't really be bothered with corn!).

carlseawolf · #5 (**permalink**) 24-03-2008, 06:26 PM

what i ment was runner beans and french beans need the sun and don't like shady area's , where as broad beans and peas are often grow at the begining and end of year as they require less light so will live in shade alittle better.
so bed five is at the north end of your plot and you would like to grow more than one legume then runner/french in 4 will put a shade on bed 5 so the broad beans / peas could go in 5 but if your try the other way around and put runner/ french in 5 and broad / peas in 4 then the runner/ french would not do well.
on another note i would put brassicas in 2and 3 and move them to 4 and 5 for the next rotation when the beans / peas go to where the potatoes are this year.

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