What to grow after mangetout?

**Flummery** · 30-06-2009, 09:42 AM

I'm not a 'by-the-book' crop rotator. I'd put brassicas in because that's what I have ready at this time of year.

**ann-the-nan** · 30-06-2009, 11:07 AM

What to grow after mangetout?

Brassicas are supposed to follow legumes, supposedly, anyway. as they are presently smallish but need to be spaced out for growing bigger, why not put a few lettuces in the gaps? That's what I did.

**WeeGarden** · 30-06-2009, 11:11 AM

Thanks

Flummery, how is it working out, not being a 'by the book' rotater? Do you find that it doesn't affect you pest-wise that much anyway? I'm intrigued, because every organic gardening book I come across drills in rotation, but I really only have a 5m2 bit of patch, so I only have 'corners' to rotate.

**Flummery** · 30-06-2009, 02:12 PM

I only have a smallish veg plot at home, made out as a potager with strawbs in a small permanent bed in the middle. I make sure I never plant the same thing in the same spot for at least 3 years but I don't sweat about the 'this following that' business. I know some things (legumes) fix nitrogen and some things are gross feeders but to be honest they get a load of home made compost on anyway so they aren't dependent on the activities of the previous tennant.

I now have one section of this as a permanent run for my chickens, compensated for by a half allotment plot which I'm working in the same way. I've done this casual style rotation for years (so has Snadger I believe) and not found that it particularly increases or decreases pests and diseases. I think newcomers to GYO can get too hung up on rotation. I never grow exactly the same amount of stuff so I couldn't have one bed for
each type of thing and do a 4 year rotation or I'd run out of room with some things and have empty space for others.

**GrubbyGirl** · 30-06-2009, 02:35 PM

I was thinking of putting my leeks in after my peas as they are just about ready to go in - would that be ok?

**Flummery** · 30-06-2009, 04:20 PM

Well, I'd do it!

**GrubbyGirl** · 30-06-2009, 04:51 PM

Originally posted by Flummery View Post

Well, I'd do it!

That's enough of an endorsement for me!!!

**WeeGarden** · 30-06-2009, 08:19 PM

Ah! My leeks... I'd forgotten about them. That's where they'll go!

Have sown a small row of pak choi there just this minute though. D'oh! I'll just squash the leeks in the back.

**Snadger** · 30-06-2009, 09:46 PM

If you've had a long row of peas you don't necessarily have to have a long row of something else to follow! My stuff is now planted in clumps!As Flum says, beds don't HAVE to be filled with the same stuff! My random planting experiment in potager type beds seems to be working well.PSB take up a heck of a lot of room and are better suited to 'dot' planting rather than all together I think.
It all depends what you like to eat and what you have ready (hopefully planned for) A biggie for me is Spring cabbage, I just can't get enough spring cabbage, in fact I'm still cropping it from last years sowing. You can start sowing this in July with a second sowing in august. I have two types this year, a round and a pointy version. All the kales, if you had them ready could be planted out now.
There are still loads of stuff to plant or sow this summer and autumn, so let your imagination run riot, grow what you like, where you like, just plant dissiimilar crops and add a bit of compost and 'Bobs your uncle!

**WeeGarden** · 30-06-2009, 10:39 PM

Yeaaaaahhh.... I like your style!

Me, I'm a bit uptight in that everything has to be in neat rows or blocks, and have to be even number, or if it's in odd number has to be placed in a geometric shape or else I hyperventilate...

I'm doing potager style too, and want things to look pretty, which is why this patch of bald earth is making me breathe very heavily...

**Lemon** · 30-06-2009, 11:10 PM

Traditionally, they would say brassicas as they will like the nitrogen left behind by the legumes (peas/beans).

I'm glad you experienced lot say plant what you like as long as it's different 'cos us newbies who plant in small spaces in our gardens find it difficult to do the strict rotation thing.

I tend to do things that take up room in different places like potatoes, sweetcorn and peas/beans. Anything else gets plonked in the spaces that are left behind. I do find that rotating after chinese brassicas was tricky as it's a much faster crop than cabbages/broc etc and so trying to stick something different in their was getting tricky!

Anyhow, if in winter you end up giving the whole bed a good turning over and stuff doesn't it mean that the rotation thing has gone out window 'cos the soil has just all been jumbled up?

**Flummery** · 01-07-2009, 09:22 AM

Just make a not somewhere of what went where and definitely don't repeat the first year. Try to avoid similar thinsg the next year. Then relax, remember to breathe etc.

The point of a potager, Weegarden, is to look pretty while producing food. If you get too hung up (to the point of hyperventilation) in making it pretty you won't cut a cabbage in case it spoils the pattern. You need to grow bedding plants in this case!

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