Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: jambop on February 14, 2020, 08:25

Title: permanent salad growing bed
Post by: jambop on February 14, 2020, 08:25

I have just made up another batch of raised beds for my no dig garden. Now one of these beds is in a really good position for growing salad crops, sun but not to much and a bit of shade at the hottest part of the day. I was thinking about making this a permanent salad growing bed... anybody ever grown salad in the same spot over a long  period? I was hoping to use it for three or four years before changing the crop grown in it.
Title: Re: permanent salad growing bed
Post by: mumofstig on February 14, 2020, 09:23
Salad plants don't usually have too many problems, so I think you'd probably get away with growing them in the same place for a few years, although it isn't ideal. I'd certainly give it a try.
Title: Re: permanent salad growing bed
Post by: Plot 1 Problems on February 14, 2020, 12:01
I have a dedicated salad bed at the allotment. Three years in a row, no issues so far. All I do is add a little compost to the bed each spring to keep the soil fertile and healthy.
Title: Re: permanent salad growing bed
Post by: jambop on February 14, 2020, 12:06
I have a dedicated salad bed at the allotment. Three years in a row, no issues so far. All I do is add a little compost to the bed each spring to keep the soil fertile and healthy.
mine is no dig so will be doing the same as yourself so sounds good to go!
Title: Re: permanent salad growing bed
Post by: Dev on February 14, 2020, 17:15
Have a look at Charles Dowding's website. He's conducting an experiment growing the same crops in the same place each year and topping the surface with compost once a year. He has had no build up of pests, and his broad beans this year (2019) were the best he's had at any time. He's been pretty good at busting a few myths that have been passed on over the years - watering in sunlight doesn't scorch leaves etc.
Title: Re: permanent salad growing bed
Post by: jambop on February 15, 2020, 09:30

Charles Dowding... I just call him "The Guru" amazing is the only way to describe his work and results!
Title: Re: permanent salad growing bed
Post by: rowlandwells on February 16, 2020, 14:36
i have been thinking about doing the same thing and having spoken to some other gardeners who  say they have reservations about growing salad crops on the same bed but as I said I've known some gardeners grow there tomatoes in the same bed in there greenhouse year on  year and they still have good crops

 what they did was to change the soil in the greenhouse bed each year and i suppose if we did the same by adding a new batch of compost together with some well rotted manure [optional] in the salad bed it would be the same difference?
Title: Re: permanent salad growing bed
Post by: Yorkie on February 16, 2020, 17:12
Leaf crops (the non-brassica types) don't really have a build-up of pests and diseases, so it's less vital that you completely replenish the greenhouse soil each year.  I'm not sure they really need the manure either - I'd save that for hungrier crops.
Title: Re: permanent salad growing bed
Post by: Plot 1 Problems on February 16, 2020, 17:37
Leaf crops (the non-brassica types) don't really have a build-up of pests and diseases, so it's less vital that you completely replenish the greenhouse soil each year.  I'm not sure they really need the manure either - I'd save that for hungrier crops.
Agreed, I'd just sling a few manure pellets down when you plant out.