Am I doing this right?

[WiZeR]

Hi

I am trying to work out my planting plan for this year. Being new to this, I am not sure if I am on the right tracks. I am using an array of books and the seed packets to work out what to put in which bed. This is what I have so far for bed 1.



Does this look like the right sort of idea? I have another 1mx1m to fill up but I thought I'd check i'm on the right tracks before proceeding.

Your help and advice much apprecieated.

[sewer rat]

Planting Plan

WiZeR
Do the figures you have on your plan refer to the distance between plants ?(after thinning).
Rat

[Jaxom]

WiZeR. It looks right to me. I would say though that you could place catch crops in the same areas as well. Plant radish to mark the Parsnips, which are notoriously slow to germinate and take their full place in the plot. Lettuce and cut and come again leaves can also be sown in between sowings of vegetables that need larger final distances in their spacing. Some crops only take 8 to ten weeks from sowing seed to harvest so in no way would interrupt or harm slower growing vegetables. Some plants such as brasicas can be sown in pots and placed in their final position at a later time after a first crop has been harvested.
I'm still new to this myself so all this advice is from books at present. Next year I will be able to write from experience. In view of that .... My advice may be subject to change
Jax

[WiZeR]

My plan shows the final placement of plants after 'thinning'.

[Lesley Jay]

Sorry Wizer but I just can't follow it. What do you mean by 7.5cm for carrots? Is this how much room you think the row will take up?

[WiZeR]

7.5cm space between each plant, each square represents one plant

[Lesley Jay]

So you are only growing 10 beetroot?

[WiZeR]

thats right, I only have 20 seeds and its not eaten very muich at all in this house. This year I want to experiment with different things to see what grows well and what tastes nice.

Next year, with experience, I will plan more to be sufficient in veg.

[Lesley Jay]

I don't know how you will manage to weed the carrots and parsnips. I think you should do 3 rows and then leave yourself a gap to stand in.

[Jaxom]

WiZeR's bed id only 1m wide (3'3") this means WiZeR can reach all vegetables from either side with out the need to stand on the bed. as WiZeR's bed is less than 4m long, there should be no temptation to take short cuts across the bed.
Jax

[Lesley Jay]

I work in good old feet and inches but I have got the measure out and I see what you mean. I would be interested to know how it has all worked out at the end of the season and if Wizer will make changes next season.

[andrewo]

This is right

Wizer, this is right, if you going for small beds I would also consider the use of flowers in pots around the side, either on the path or sunk into the bed so you can change them during the season. My beds are between 1' and 2' wide and 8' long, raised and work on a similar principle but tend to do crops that can work well together in small area.

Celeriac is lovely.

Andrewo

[WiZeR]

Thanks all. I should have mentioned that the beds are raised by 8 inches. As said before, I am totaly new to this and am trying to glean the most information I can from the books, but it is hard to take it all in at once. As time goes on I will learn. If there are any obvious gaping mistakes then feel free to point them out.

Andrewo, I have an array of flower seeds (nastertium, etc) to be planted. Having them in pots around the beds is a good idea and I will try it.

With my tall climbing plants such as courgette, squash and tomato... Is it ok to have one or 2 plants at one end of each raised bed? I will be planting them out elswhere on the plot, but thought it might be an nicer way to break them up.

[andrewo]

Plants

Yes, this okay with tomatoes, actually if you use tagetes, they are a good companion plant and you can go down the row with them.

Nasturtiums are excellent companion plants, draw off the nasties, nicotiania is a good one too - anything that sucks on them, dies.

Andrewo

[Lesley Jay]

Wizer careful where you put the courgettes and squashes. They can grow huge and can take up alot of space. What varieties are you growing and if I've grown the same varieties before I can give you an idea of their size.