[Mattgregory27]

I am currently away with work, bored and have time on my hands so I have tried to plan my planting for next year. All sizes are approximate but the plants are what I would like to try and grow next year. Any thoughts on types of veg not to grow next to each other, layout etc would be appreciated!

Cheers,

Matt

[cadalot]

What about growing some onions next to the carrots to help fend off the carrot root fly?

[Kristen]

I grow in a strict crop rotation so that plants (of a given "group") don't reuse the same soil for 4 years - successive crops take up / put back different nutrients, and time for bugs specific to one group to die before that crop returns.

I have one zone, of 4 beds, (top left) for the main crops, and the rest of the plot (right and bottom left) is a secondary rotation which I use for cut flowers, potatoes, and a few other crops like Sweetcorn and Strawberries which are on a "rotate once every few years" basis

I use a spreadsheet to make mine (if of interest details of the various steps I went through to create it are on my blog)

[Mattgregory27]

Thankyou, its only going to be my 2nd full year growing but there is nothing planned to go in the same place as last year I don't think! I will put some onions round the carrots and I also plan to make a barrier round them with debris netting as the carrot root fly beat me last year!!!

[Kristen]

I will put some onions round the carrots and I also plan to make a barrier round them with debris netting as the carrot root fly beat me last year!!!

Sorry to say but Debris netting won't keep the Carrot fly out (its small enough to get through), you need Enviromesh or similar.  I also recommend that you make an enclosure sealed over the top too - it is said that the carrot root fly cannot fly more than a foot or two high, but it gets carried up-and-over by air currents etc. and even a single fly getting into the carrots does damage and I see it as an avoidable nuisance huts better IMHO to keep them out altogether, rather than just try to deter them.

My Onions are planted in the onion section of my crop rotation ... although they too will be under Enviromesh next year too, due to fears of Allium leaf moth & miner.

[syks grower]

The vegetables.net website has for each variety of vegetable
what are the companion plants and what plants to avoid.
Just click on a variety and they are listed.

I use it at the edges of my rotation blocks so that
If possible no plants to avoid are put next to each other.
E.g. cabbage greyhound is not next to runner beans.

I use spring onions next to carrots to try to avoid carrot fly.

I put summer lettuce in the shade of a taller growing crop to try and prevent
Bolting.

[cadalot]

Take a look at 10 Ways To Deter Carrot Root Fly and so far debris netting has done the job for me!

http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/features/fruit-veg/10-ways-to-deter-carrot-root-fly/4060.html

[Kristen]

so far debris netting has done the job for me!

Interesting, thanks. Enviromesh is far from cheap ...

I'd better check size of Allium leaf miner before getting my chequebook out!

[moose]

+1 for debris netting. Been using it for 6/7 years and never had carrot fly. I use old fishing line or thick twine to fill in the support holes that are in the debris netting.

[TheWhiteRabbit]

Interesting regarding using debris netting for carrots...I'll have to try that this coming year. I used it on my late sowing of peas and it worked very well, no pea moth issues at all.

Regarding the plan, like Kristen I group stuff together so brassicas go together, roots go together, peas and beans together and move them around each year.

I'd also look at which direction the sun shines on your plot so you can bear that in mind. If you grow a tall climbing pea at the front and something low behind, you'll end up shading them when you could have switched them round to solve the problem.

Here's a link to my plan (using the same software) in case it helps: http://plans.garden-planner.net/uploads/plans/566011.jpg and yes I have given my raised beds names! 

[cadalot]

Here is mine as of 11th November

[surbie100]

And here's mine, though it's more of a work in progress...I am now growing onions from seed, I forgot I am planning to put in a Munty frame on the north end so I can pack in more beans...etc etc! And 2 beds haven't yet been created. 

[cadalot]

Surbie - love what you have done with working out what you can grow  in each bed throughout the year, I must think about that some more. Do you really want that many courgettes?

[surbie100]

Surbie - love what you have done with working out what you can grow  in each bed throughout the year, I must think about that some more. Do you really want that many courgettes?

Thank you. Haven't quite got the succession planting sorted, but yes to the courgettes. We eat a lot of them, I give lots away and now we've discovered courgette crisps the dehydrator needs regular filling. 

[Kristen]

Do you really want that many courgettes?

We grow 8 plants - handy when we have a lot of people for BBQ at a weekend, the rest of the time we pick them as small as possible - more flavour, less yield