[Casey76]

OK... need some advice/help on what to do with my veggie plot as I have no idea what I should put where.

The area is roughly 9x7m (almost 50sqm) divided at the 2/3line with a railway sleeper running the length of the area.



Once it is cleared I have no idea what to put where.  I also have no idea of the true orientation of the garden, but it is almost west as it is in full sun all afternoon.  It does mean though, that the very top right corner is quite shaded  and never receives direct sun.

Any ideas muchly appreciated

[joyfull]

Don't know, as new to gardening myself but do know that you need to keep them chickens of yours away from whatever you plant  Why not plant some sweetcorn, my chucks love that 

[norfolkgrog]

Hi I would recommend this book the owner of this site wrote it you can get it here http://www.allotment-garden.org/book/ I think you even get free seeds.

have fun..

[Casey76]

haha joyfull, I already have the posts and fencing for the plot once it is cleared... certainly don't want the chooks to take advantage of my hard work

[Yorkie]

I suppose the first thing to do is to decide what you want to grow, and how much of it is permanent planting e.g. fruit, soft fruit, asparagus.  This will dictate how much space you have left for annual veggies.

For the rest of the space, I would either have it all completely open, or at least 3 beds, so that you can easily operate a rotation system (this is where you grow things in different locations each year to prevent a build-up of pests and nutrients in the soil).

Obviously, some veggies take up more space for a return, than others - spuds and peas are quite space-consuming, whereas other plants have a better yield per same area.  This will help you prioritise what you want to use the space on.

It's getting a little late for some veggies to be started off, have a look here for some ideas, and decide what you want to start off first.

And then ask some more questions 

[Casey76]

Hi Yorkie, In an attempt to gain as much time back as possible (I'm really starting far too late this year!) I've just sown winter cabbage (savoy type), calabrese, cauli, brussels, beetroot and swede in seed trays, and three types of French climbing bean in "Richy-type" paper pot/tubes.

I also have box of peas, but I didn't know if it is best to staret these inside in root trainers, or if I should just sow them directly after the area is prepared.

I also have radish, spring onion, golfball-type carrots and lettuce to sow in place once I have an area sorted out.

In pots I already have: toms, cukes, courgettes, aubergine, peppers and trying with 2 types of melon!

[Yorkie]

Wow!

That's a lot of veg!! Well done.

I'd probably sow the peas direct unless it will be some weeks until the ground is ready for them.  Rotation really doesn't matter in your first year, but if you manage to do so, then the peas are the same family as the beans.

Another group of veggies are the cabbages / calabrese / cauli / brussels.  Can't remember off the top of my head where swede sits.

The rest can probably all go together in a third group too.

Apart from the brassicas, all the others are annuals so if you want to move your gooseberries etc at the end of the season, the veggies will have finished by then.

[Casey76]

Considering I'm only feeding me (well apart from the chooks and my horse), my friends are going to have a field day in autumn/winter

I actually feel that giving away my produce is the best bit about growing veggies.  I just love to make gifts out of my home grown things

[Yorkie]

You forgot to mention the three extra freezers which are also on your shopping list ...