We have 4 main beds for growing vegetables in, so a 4 bed rotation plan makes lots of sense. Growing the same stuff in the same spot each year makes it very easy for diseases to build up in the soil. Rotating everything over 4 or even 6 years means that the diseases that attack specific plant families don't have a chance to get any footing. In our allotment in London the previous occupant had grown alliums all over the plot and they went to seed. By the time we got it, the whole place was rife with white root rot, so no alliums would grow.
I've checked the spacing in the square foot gardening guide for each of these. Some seem quite adventurous - 16 onions in a square foot, for example. My squares are only 25cm though, instead of the 30cm that would match a foot, so I'll probably reduce the spacing a tiny bit for anything that looks like it would get very cramped.
We filled and reticulated the 4 main beds this weekend, so planting will start any day now!
Wow, very organized! Can I see pictures of your finished raised beds? I've bought my sleepers now (rustic... wooo!) but I'd love to see how yours turned out! xx
ReplyDeleteHi,
DeleteIf you click on the Raised Vegetable Beds label at the bottom of the article, it will show you all the posts on the raised vegetable beds so far. They are very easy to put together and great to look at. I find it way more encouraging to look at a raised bed and think of planting instead of looking at a vast empty backyard. Much easier to handle a smaller space!
Margaret