Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: bobr1960 on December 10, 2012, 13:35

Title: Veg Rotation
Post by: bobr1960 on December 10, 2012, 13:35

Hi
Just joined and need help?

I have built four raised beds and just want some simple info on exactly what veg can be grow together in each of the beds as I want to plant using a four bed rotation?

It might even be on here but I have not found it!

Thanks
Bob

Title: Re: Veg Rotation
Post by: mumofstig on December 10, 2012, 14:02

look here  :)
http://www.allotment-garden.org/grow-your-own/allotments/crop-rotation/four-year-crop-rotation

Title: Re: Veg Rotation
Post by: Jamrock on December 10, 2012, 15:34

I use the same rotation as the link above other than grouping veg that doesn't fit in the other groups (sweetcorn, courgettes, fennel etc) in the potato bed

Title: Re: Veg Rotation
Post by: bobr1960 on December 11, 2012, 12:52

Thanks very much for your replies. I have now had a look at this site and have amended my 4 x plots!
Thanks again.
Bobr1960

Title: Re: Veg Rotation
Post by: Goosegirl on December 12, 2012, 15:15

I think the jury's out on crop rotation on a small scale if you have limited manure available. I have 4 raised beds. Bed 1 - Brassicas (including swedes) - no dig to get a firm soil, but manured. Bed 2 - peas and beans -dig anything you have into a trench for the plants and leave the roots in at the end of the season as they have nitrogen-containing nodules to help the brassicas the following year. Bed 3 - potatoes - manure in the potato trenches. Bed 4 - root crops that will fork their roots if the come into contact with anything bulky like stones or manure clods, though a good dollop of well-rotted manure ON TOP of the beds will help if you scrape the manure away in your plantiong rows. Sweetcorn and French beans have done so well in my greenhouse this year that I will be doing the same next year.

Title: Re: Veg Rotation
Post by: Yorkie on December 12, 2012, 18:42

I think you should always try to rotate, whether in raised beds or just on a small plot, irrespective of manure.

It is about nutrition depletion as well as pests / diseases.

Title: Re: Veg Rotation
Post by: sunshineband on December 12, 2012, 18:49

I agree with Yorkie on this.

I have the standard four year rotaion on most sets of beds (made that way in fours for that reason) plus one set of five so that sweetcorn and squahes can fit in.

As I don't need three whole beds of carrots and parsnips, that place is taken by beetroot, celery, celeriac andfennel in one other, and by maincrop onions in the third

(Autumn sown onions follow on from summer cabbages)

I don't have a great deal of manure and keep this for spuds and squashes, make masses of compost and use a fair amount of fish blood and bone and chciken manure pellets. Seems to keep thing ticking over nicely