Due to only having a small space, we have to be exact. Planning what we plant enables us to use the ground twice in one year.
‘Bed One’ housed the Root crops last year, namely carrots, parsnips, onions and leeks. They all grew well but were harvested by the end of the summer which left a bed full of empty ground.
To use up half of the space, we planted ‘Senshyu’ Japanese Onions that would grow overwinter. The idea was that by the time the bed is rotated (it will become the cucurbit bed), the onions will have been harvested and the courgettes, squashes etc will be planted.
To complicate matters further, we planted Ulster Sceptre in the other half of the bed, a first early type of potato that takes 10 weeks to mature from planting. Again, the thinking was that they would be harvested in time for the courgettes etc to go in.
We planted the potatoes back in mid-March, so by my reckoning, they will be ready for harvesting around the end of May (10 weeks). The Senshyu onions were planted in September and will be ready for harvesting mid-late June.
The courgettes and squash plants - not too many mind, due to the space - will have been raised in pots from the beginning of May, maybe end of April and will fill the space occupied previously by the onions and potatoes. That will give them a good 3 months in the ground which is plenty to produce a good harvest.
This way, that one bed will produce a decent size crop of onions, potatoes, courgettes and squash in the space of one year. Not bad for a 2 metre square space! I’d be interested to hear how other people use crop rotation to help produce regular crops of veg. This year i’m going to try growing sweetcorn within the cucurbit bed…if the soil allows!
Tags: courgettes, crop rotation, japanese onions, root crops
April 10th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
This info is handy as I’ve yet to start my little veggie patch. Thanks.
April 11th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Not a problem…i hope you have as much luck as me
April 11th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I struggle to get my head around the entire crop rotation thing!! (doesn’t take much to confuse me!) I am going to watch you and see how an expert does it (no pressure then)
April 12th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Hiya, if i’m honest it just has to do with getting things in at the right time, and having the next thing ready to go in as a plant as soon as the first thing has come out. It’s also important to make sure the soil is as it should be or things won’t grow. Our soil does get a break throughout the winter though.
April 17th, 2008 at 11:52 am
please email larger veg plot planner for older people
April 19th, 2008 at 7:50 am
Wow, I’m full of admiration for your planning. Does this mean that once any crop has had its alloted time in its place, it will be removed to make way for the next veg, no matter what? A bit like those resaurants that do sittings - ‘next sitting 9.30pm’ etc What happens if nature decides to play a game with you?
I tend to run late with everything unfortunately. My brassicas are still in the ground and feeding me but I managed to squeeze shallots beside them as they are supposed to be in that space. I need a bit more of your precision I think.
April 21st, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I think your are going to need to grow more plants like peas and beans to fix nitrogen, or your ground will get nitrogen poor. I think you also need to make sure to add a lot of compost back to your garden, among other reasons because beans and peas consume a lot of organic material. Otherwise, there’s no reason an intensive rotation scheme like this wouldn’t work.