[Paul Plots]

Having cleared the spot where my broad beans grew I now have a large, clean bald spot.  It looks tidy as I have forked through but I feel uneasy when there are unproductive patches on my plot at this time of year. 

I've stuck some lettuce in where I once had early peas. I planted out leeks where the 1st early spuds were. The tract that contained garlic, elephant garlic and onions remains idle.

I need space to bed out wallflowers and want to plant some Chinese Cabbaage but that will still leave bald patches.

What plans have others for making use of newly acquuired bald spots?

Or is it fine to leave patches fallow? 

How do you feel about the gaps?

[Gwiz]

I try not to worry about it.
Mrs Wiz and I can only eat/freeze/give away so much veg in a season.
the bare patches we get now, are dug over and left till next year, some have manure added, some don't, depending on what will be going in next year. I ought to say that we work on a raised bed system, so digging it over and leaving it tidy are not a problem.

[DD.]

As Gwiz says, there's only so much you can cope with.

There's nothing wrong in fallow. I don't believe in kicking the bottom out of soil, it should be allowed a rest.

I've large areas of plot now with nothing, where there used to be early spuds, peas, cauliflowers etc.

[crowndale]

Me too.  just haven't got the time to cope with the bare bits of soil or the space to put crops once grown. (other than the ones I have planned for anyway).  I quite like to see a nicel dug over, deweeded bare patch of soil anyway, gives me a kind of sense of control over something in my life!  sad I know!!

[Beetroot queen]

Being our first year we have crammed as much in as possible, I am looking for more 

We dont have a single empty space at the moment, and I need some 

[Salmo]

Sow a short term green manure. Either dig it in this Autumn or cut it down and leave it on the surface to be dug in early Spring. When you dig depends on wether you have heavy soil or light and what crop is to follow. They will take up any free nutrients and then release them for the next crop as they break down.

Mustard or phacelia are good for this.

[scabs]

Just dumped three barrowloads of manure on my first two empty rows where potatos had been, covered it and will let the worms do their thing for a couple of months before digging it over again in readiness for next spring.

I've no idea if this is the right thing to do, it just felt right... 

I've been filling other, smaller 'bald' spots with lettuce, salad leaves and radish.

[allstars_princess]

I am the same and don't like to see empty bits!  My theory is the same as Salmo, sow a green manure on it and at least then you can forget about weeding for a short while. 

[Noodles]

I've got a few butternut squash plants I've been deliberately holding back in pots. They will go into the lottie when the spuds have come up. I did the same with courgettes, the ones in pots grew much slower than those in the ground so hopefully will give a later crop. I planted them a few weeks ago after a load of onions came up and they are flourishing, but noticably behind the earlier planted out ones.

[Paul Plots]

I've got a few butternut squash plants I've been deliberately holding back in pots. They will go into the lottie when the spuds have come up. I did the same with courgettes, the ones in pots grew much slower than those in the ground so hopefully will give a later crop. I planted them a few weeks ago after a load of onions came up and they are flourishing, but noticably behind the earlier planted out ones.

Will butternut squash still have time to make big enough mature fruit if you are planting them now?

Mine are running all over the place - but not on the bald bits - just in out and over the things that are growing. Usually I try to tempt them up the bean-frame and out of the way - not much luck this year though. 

[DD.]

As Learner I have my doubts.

My butternut squash always seems to take delight in leaving it until the last minute and keep you guessing as to whether they will make fruit before the frosts.

Mine are just starting to move now. Courgettes are much, much quicker fruiters.

[Noah'strolly]

I've just sown some silver chard and perpetual spinache where my shallots were. You could do salady things like rocket or lambs letuce.