[BOB3554]

Hi all,second question since joining so please forgive if it sounds a bit stupid.Have managed to clear a small area for a go at veggies next year.Situated in the sunniest corner of the garden,size is only 8 feet by 8 feet,which is divided into 2 or 3 beds.If 3,then they will be 28 inches wide by 8 feet long each.First a path,2 beds,path,1 bed and fence line.If 2 beds,path, bed ,path ,bed and fence.
 After looking through some books we have and drawing up a list of what we want to grow we have discovered that they fall into only 2 of the planting groups.My question is, do we make 2 raised beds and swap the groups  back and forth each year,or do we make 3 beds,rotate round and leave 1 empty each year.
 Crops as follows,
Carrots,peas,dwarf french beans,sweet corn,leeks,courgettes.
 Does this sound about right or too ambitious for the size of the plot.
 My only other question is,anybody living south birmingham way who knows of a good place for topsoil/compost for filling raised beds please.
 My thanks for all replies back,Bob .

[p00rstudent]

i would go for three beds and space them out.
i would have
Carrots,leeks,courgettes in bed a
peas,dwarf french beans, in bed b
sweet corn in bed c (as i like corn on the cob)

but thats just my personal prefrence

[p00rstudent]

and to incres the crop roatation where you have the leeks and carrots and corgettes in the same bed you can move these round on each bed rotation, so they would be grown on the same patch of bed once every 9 years or so. i hope that makes sense.

[woodburner]

I'd put a path 1/3 back from the fence, that way you can reach everywhere from either the path, or the edge of the bed, without walking on it.

Within such a small area, rotating to avoid disease is not possible, and aside from that there are very few 'rules'.
Don't plant the same thing in the same place two seasons running.
Carrots and parsnips do not like rich soil so avoid planting in recently manured/compost enriched soil.
Brassicas don't like soil too acid, so might need a bit of lime.

If you're into companion planting there are a couple more things. Alliums don't like growing with beans, but everything else does better growing with them.
Alternating rows of onions and carrots, deter both carrot and onion flies, although your plot is so small you could put fleece fence around the three exposed sides using little or no more fleece than you would to surround a section of it. HTH

[BOB3554]

Many thanks to those who replied,a great help.
 Poor student,your reply,I presume you mean,move each block of plants forward one block, each year.When they get to the front of the bed,move them into the rear of the next bed,and start again.
 Woodburner,the beds will be right in the corner of the garden with a fence on two sides,right-angle.Is your advice to go  for 2  beds and dont rotate,just move plants around the beds each year.The first path will run the long side of the beds,in front of g/house, towards the side fence.Then a bed,path ,second bed and fence at end of garden .

[p00rstudent]

what i am trying to say is rotate between bed as well as within beds

i.e.

yr 1

Carrots(left),leeks(center),courgettes(right) in bed a
peas (left),dwarf french beans(right), in bed b
sweet corn in bed c

yr 2

sweet corn in bed a
Carrots(left),leeks(center),courgettes(right) in bed b
peas (left),dwarf french beans(right), in bed c

yr 3

peas (left),dwarf french beans(right), in bed a
sweet corn in bed b
Carrots(left),leeks(center),courgettes(right) in bed c

yr 4

courgettes(left) Carrots(center),leeks(right) in bed a
dwarf french beans(left),peas (right), in bed b
sweet corn in bed c

etc etc

i hope that makes sense

[BOB3554]

Excellent mate,ta very much.

[woodburner]

Woodburner . . . .Is your advice to go  for 2  beds and dont rotate,just move plants around the beds each year.The first path will run the long side of the beds,in front of g/house, towards the side fence.Then a bed,path ,second bed and fence at end of garden .

2 beds yes, don't rotate no, move plants around each year yes.
Moving plant (groups) around each year is rotation.

Make two beds, one twice the size of the other, this gives maximum bed to path ratio. Dividing the larger bed in two either horizontally as shown or at right angles, will give three areas of equal size for rotation purposes. Very similar to your original idea only without physically partitioning the larger area.

             fence
 .  ________________
 . |. . . . bed 1 . . . . . . ..|
f |________________|
e |____path________
n | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .| . . . garden?
c | . . . . bed 2a . . . . . | . . . .   ^
e |--------------------- | . . . .  |
 . | . . . . bed 2b . . . . . .| . . . .   |
 . |________________| . . . . |
 . . . . . . . path? . . . . . . . . . . .|
 . . . . . greenhouse? <-----------

Alternatively, just to throw the spanner in the works you could divide the area in four with crossing paths, and four square beds, very neat and formal, and grow rhubarb in the shady corner, leaving three equal beds for rotating.


Edit: grr I hate when that happens, hope that's better, try and ignore the dots :? . Mental note to self: use paint and post image next time.

[willnbirdie]

Hi

Just one comment - I am not expert at veg first year growing anything - but just a little word of caution I was shocked just how large a courgette plant gets - the spacings on the packet really were  cutting it fine.

willnbirdie