Saturday 13 December 2008

Planning for next year


Cold and damp, we trudge towards the solstice and look forward to lengthening days. But, we're not just sitting on our hands here: planning ahead for next year is well in hand.

Seeds have been bought and our allotment plan is sorted. I show our allotment plan for 2009 below.

We use a four year organic rotation that begins with the potato bed. This is manured/composted before potatoes are planted.

Next into that ground will go the legume family (peas and beans) that like higher fertility and then the following year, brassicas (cabbage family) are planted.

In the final year, onions and roots are planted.

Planting in strips does allow us to blur the edges a little, and so parsnips have gone onto the brassica bed from this year. carrots will not be planted in that strip the following year.

Allotment Plan 2008/9

4 beds, each 5 m X 10 m

Comfrey Apples Raspberries: Summer Autumn Asparagus: Mary Washington; Connovers Colossal

Leeks Musselburgh

followed by Sharpes Express First Early potatoes

Followed by Nicola as a late second crop potato

Leeks Musselburgh

followed by Nicola Second Early potatoes

Field beans

Followed by Three sisters bed, Corn, cl blue French beans and Crown Prince Squash

Field beans

Followed by Feltham First Peas

Nicola Second Early potatoes

Kestrel Second Early potatoes

Field beans

Followed by marrowfat Peas maro

Broad beans Aquadulce

Followed by Mustard

Kestrel Second Early potatoes

Field beans

Followed by beans for drying

Strawberries

Marshmellow 2006

Field beans Followed by Three sisters bed, Corn, cl blue French beans and Crown Prince Squash

Strawberries

Marshmellow

2005

Pink Fir apple Maincrop potatoes

Field beans

Followed by beans for drying

Garlic

Followed by Carrots A. King

Electric O/w red onions

Followed by Carrots A. King

Mustard followed by EPS Brocolli

Mustard followed by Turnips snowball

Onions Sturon

Garlic Printanor

Followed by Carrots A.King

Mustard followed by Chevalier Calabrese

Early Purple sprouting Broccoli

Followed by Musselburgh Leeks

Early Purple sprouting Broccoli followed by Onions Red Baron

Mustard followed by Chevalier Calabrese

Senshuii Yellow

O/w white onions

Followed by Carrots A. King

Garlic

Rob’s dad

Followed by Carrots A. King

White Lisbon

Spring onion

Shallots

Jermor

Followed by Carrots A. King

Mustard followed by Boltardy Beetroot

Strawberries

Marshmellow

2006

Onions Sturon

Strawberries

Marshmellow

2006

Mustard followed by Boltardy Beetroot

Mustard followed by Sorrel

Musselburgh Leeks

Shallots

Golden Gourmet

Mustard followed by Parsnips tender and True

Onions Sturon

Onions Red Baron

Kale

Cauliflowers

Kohl Rabi


















Butternut Squash Compost Compost Butternut Squash/ Crown Prince Squash


4 comments:

Lisa said...

I'm inspired by your thorough rotations...clearly, I need to be much more methodical (I've been trying to keep better track!)

I enjoyed growing sorrel this last season, quite nice. And, I almost bought some more chicory seeds in an Italian market today. Yum.

Rob said...

Hope that Italian break is going well.
Rob

Sinfonian said...

Great plan! I'm working on rotations for this next year, though I always have trouble pulling good plants to plant more.

On a separate note, I'm curious where you get your seeds. On a forum I frequent, a new gardener from the UK is interested where to buy quality seeds. Though our climates are similar, I bet she would have much better luck with a local source. I thought I'd pick your brain.

Thanks.

Rob said...

We have been using Kings Seeds over the past two years. Allotment Societies usually get a good discount from the seed suppliers because they buy in bulk. This saving is then passed on to members.
Cheers
Rob