Gertrud Franck Companion Planting Scheme

[veggiechicken]

You've used the P word twice!! Tut tut!!!
Sorry, can't get an erudite opinion from Gertrud, she's had a few too many tonight!

[marchogaeth]

Ok.

I've decided on my crops but I'm not happy about a couple of Cs...Parnips and leeks are noted as Cs but there is no way you get 3 crops of these each year. I'm going to go with them as a C as I'm sure it's just me but I'm not happy!

I admire you for having a go so quickly. I've just finshed the book for the first time and will need a few more goes before I get my head around it. I've got about 50m2 (how do you get superscript on the threads?) under black plastic this year which could go Gertrude next year instead of beds.

However, the main point of this reply is to say that, even after one read through, I could see the sort of problem you have come up against.

Additionally, she is on a continental climate and Wales just can't compete with that! I am going to try but I can't see tomatoes ripening outside on my plot. (I know Real Seeds are just over the hill but even that is a very different climate.) I am going to put notes on my site, as a separate page, when I get anything to note.

I've started nodding towards her ideas by looking for places to sow spinach and mustard as I go this year and am checking out sheet composting with a very careful eye on how the slugs respond.

Do keep posting on how you get on. No replies will only mean nothing constructive to say.

[BarleySugar]

My spinach I planted is looking good, and I'm ready to plant out some of my brassicas in between the broad beans I planted at the same time. I've had a few problems converting to her planting scheme too. I couldn't fit in my potatoes into the space if I followed her, but I'm improvising by putting spinach in wherever I can fit it. I have started to plant my onion sets between the strawberries and I put some carrots between the shallots and garlic that were already in place. (That combination was planned anyway) My beds were laid out last year, 1.2m wide, not quite the right size to accomodate her scheme. I was going to totally redesign, but with overwintering crops of celeriac, cabbage, kale and sprouts, it wasn't as easy as it first seemed.

[marchogaeth]

So I've just come in having station sowed parsnips and carrots between garlic rows and then slotted in some Dill as per Gertrude. I don't expect the dill to germinate as it has quite a high temperature requirement but Gertrude is positively gushing about its merits.

I open the May GYO - an article on companion planting - guess what not to grow with carrots? A clue- garlic is ok.

So now I'm asking what science is this advice based on? Gertrude has experience on her side but if there is science to say differently couldn't it at least be explained a little bit or referenced? I know the mag is not a scientific journal but it would be nice to be able to follow things up a bit more (without having to buy a book someone is plugging - although that's not the case in this article).

Of course my Dill went in on a lunar root day but I'm viewing it a sort of sacrifice and going to grow it for its own self on leaf weeks.

[zazen999]

Video added to my blog. I'll do another one once it's all planted up and growing.

[areia]

im just going to watch you lot closely this year and maybe do this next yr once ive figured the lunar cycles too,

[zazen999]

Leeks went in 2 days ago into a C bed. These were leeks from bulbils [not from seed, see the 'shaving your leeks' thread] so if they bolt I'll replace them with other leeks.

[Thelma Sanders]

I'm not getting the interplanting in the rows right much tbh I don't grow the same crops as her - but I have planted strips of spinach here there and everywhere

[VirginVegGrower]

im just going to watch you lot closely this year and maybe do this next yr once ive figured the lunar cycles too,

That's my plan, next year when I have a designated bed to spare for experimentation. I might use my strip down the side, which won't have had a crop other than potatoes (this year)...thinking of rotation here a la disease control.
The lunar thread is the place to go for lunar cycle questions.

[zazen999]

A - a hearty thank you to VVG for sourcing me a copy of the book all for myself
B - I have my two planners on my blog now - but for the purposes of brevity - my neat one is here...now that I have decided what is going where.

[di]

Could I ask a slightly silly question please? Is the mustard you sow the same as the mustard I grow like cress? I have lots of that and no pennies to buy the other...if indeed there is another.

[zazen999]

Currently Di I'm using up any cress or mustard that I have spare. Next year I will buy spinach in bulk and use that but no point in spending out when you have spare

[di]

Cool, once I've sussed if that hail storm was all the skies have to offer, I shall be dragging the kiddies to the lottie. Two packs each of mustard/cress and a piece of string should keep them entertained

[VirginVegGrower]

A - a hearty thank you to VVG for sourcing me a copy of the book all for myself
B - I have my two planners on my blog now - but for the purposes of brevity - my neat one is here...now that I have decided what is going where.

You're welcome

[soladragon]

I really like this idea. Might have to try it and look into it now!