[Swing Swang]

So - have finally got an allotment which now doubles my growing space.

All the fussy/pretty stuff will stay in the garden. The allotment will be used for the bulky/weed smothering/low water requirement/'hands off' stuff. Stuff that can be blitzed for half a day and left for a fortnight if needs dictate. Plants that aren't too fussy about when they are cropped - so broad beans yes, mange tout no - that sort of thing. Looking for crops that can be established in the spring when I have time and when natural rain will do most of the watering for me so that they are well established and don't need much watering (if any) during the summer. Then once cropped will sow ground with a green manure - ie one crop per year as out of season salads/inter-cropping/catch-cropping etc will all be done on the home plot. I intend to grow not more than half a dozen 'blocks' of plants (think micro-farming!) which won't be planted successionally - indeed I may even plant commercial varieties to ensure that I can harvest at one time - and if I want to split the harvest will still plant at the same time but choose different cultivars (eg 60 and 90 day corn) - anyway I expect to harvest in gluts so the selected crops should be ideally suited to storage.

So
Rhubarb (permanent)
Squash/Parsnips/Broad&Dwarf Beans

As rhubarb is in a permanent bed one to three other contenders for a four to six crop rotation system sought! The intention is to be absolutely ruthless and not let anything sneak in once I've decided on my 6 crops.


Ideas?

[mumofstig]

second early potatoes - once they're in and earthed up they don't need touching until you lift them - strong growing ones will pretty much surpress any weeds until they're lifted; usually before there is any blight about.
Some of them store pretty well

[Salmo]

beetroot/carrots/onions/garlic/shallots/leeks/sweet corn/brassicas

[Kristen]

The allotment will be used for the bulky/weed smothering/low water requirement/'hands off' stuff.

I'd invest in some 1.5M wide woven weed suppressing membrane and station sow/plant through that.  No weeds, and it will help with moisture retention if plot not visited often. Perhaps lay a layer of mulch before the membrane each year for even better moisture retention.

Would work best if you are planting plants, rather than sowing a row of seeds to then thin, as you ould then plant through the pre-prepared  holes year after year

[Sparkyrog]

Jerusalem artichokes plant and forget till harvest ,but be sure to get them all 

[MalcW]

I'd invest in some 1.5M wide woven weed suppressing membrane and station sow/plant through that.  No weeds, and it will help with moisture retention if plot not visited often. Perhaps lay a layer of mulch before the membrane each year for even better moisture retention.

So, if doing this would you cover the membrane with anything (wood chips etc)?

BTW: Swing Swang, your member name isn't anything to do with Swing Swang lane in Basingstoke by any chance?

[Swing Swang]

BTW: Swing Swang, your member name isn't anything to do with Swing Swang lane in Basingstoke by any chance?

Indeed it is.

[Kristen]

So, if doing this would you cover the membrane with anything (wood chips etc)?

No too much hassle when removing it each winter (although I would if growing ornamentals "permanently"). 

I suggested 1.5M with the intention that it might be used to make "beds" that are not walked on (4' is recommended max width for raised beds to be able to reach from either side) with a narrow aisle (18") between. You could raise the beds if you like

However, worth getting a decent grade (e.g. 100gsm or thicker), but it should last 5 years or more even in direct sun and without any bark chip covering.

[gobs]

No dwarf or even broad beans shall smother weeds for you, also parsnip won't for long to start with.

I'd as Mum, would recommend potatoes with huge foliage and celeriac, for example, a large variety grows enormous with huge foliage, so does mature Swiss Chard.

Leaving cucumber to ramble or rampant tomato will do the same as squash or pumpkin, both need regular picking, however.

Large palm like brassica, once sizing up, like kale of sort and sprouting broccoli will limit weed growth under themselves to a reasonable degree.

[rowan57]

My plan is similar, but not quite the same. My aim is bulk / storage crops as follows;

Beans - Runner, Broad etc.
Squash - Winter, mainly Maxima.
Soft Fruit - Currants, Gooseberries, Strawberries.
Asparagus
Onions
Garlic
Potatoes
Artichokes

Anything permanent (Soft fruit primarily) will have weed matting underneath, Asparagus tends not to get too weedy in raised beds, Squash smother out weeds, really the Onions & Garlic that need careful weeding.

[angelavdavis]

As Rowan suggests, look at fruit bushes and strawberries - planted through weed suppressant.  Clear the weeds and feed the soil well with manure before covering and plant through the fabric.  Top fabric with bark chips and then sprinkle blood, fish and bone on once a year, before topping with manure. 

If you prep the soil well, you shouldn't need to water crops much normally once they are established - in fact, it is probably better if you don't as overwatering encourages sappy growth which slugs and snails love.  The only reason to water well otherwise would be if we had drought like conditions.

[3759allen]

marrows may be a shout.

just need to use some sort of weed depressant to start with until they get going. i used old carpet this year that trebles as a bit of a cushion to keep the fruits off the soil, weed depressant and moisture retainer (i was amazed how moist the soil was underneath even with no watering and being in a hot poly tunnel. this will depend if your allotment rules allow.

[Swing Swang]

Thanks for the comments.

Regarding membranes/asparagus beds etc. though - I'm very opinionated when taking on a new piece of land that I don't cover it/put permanent structures in place such as asparagus beds etc until I've seen it and lived with it and dug it etc for a complete year as I believe that it is only by doing this that I can get a feeling for where the sun rises/sets over the year, where the damp patches are/where shaded areas are/where the best place is to site the compost heap/shed etc. I need to feel the soil! I will use membranes and plant asparagus, but this is for 2015

[Kristen]

I will ... plant asparagus, but this is for 2015

You could save a bit of money by raising plants from seed in 2014, which will then be ready to plant out in 2015.  F1 seed available of all male varieties, particularly attractive if you can find some in the Wyevale / Garden Centre Group seed sale now on which is 50p-a-packet

Moles Seeds probably the best value for "bulk" purchase otherwise
http://www.molesseeds.co.uk/flower_and_vegetable_seed_store_uk/Products_Asparagus_3263.html

[Christine]

Regarding membranes/asparagus beds etc. though - I'm very opinionated when taking on a new piece of land that I don't cover it/put permanent structures in place such as asparagus beds etc until I've seen it and lived with it and dug it etc for a complete year as I believe that it is only by doing this that I can get a feeling for where the sun rises/sets over the year, where the damp patches are/where shaded areas are/where the best place is to site the compost heap/shed etc. I need to feel the soil!

Oh so many headaches would be solved if new gardeners went that way. Someone after my own heart.