Topic: mixing veg plants in together?

[Crystalmoon]

Hi everyone, I was wondering about cultivating just small areas of my allotment at a time this year (been struck down with severe arthritis in my knees & am having to experiment with new ways of doing everything at my lotty as surgeon has told me to give it up, which I am ignoring!!!!).

Has anyone ever cultivated just small areas at a time, mixing veg plants side by side, like lettuce next to beeroot etc, instead of planting in rows or designated beds/areas for each type of crop?

I was thinking I could keep most of my lotty covered to keep weeds down then plant a small area with a wide variety of veg then in a few weeks time repeat the planting in another mamangeable area so I have continuous crops but all mixed in together.

Does that make sense to anyone else or am I just having a mad moment?

I was thinking this would keep weeding to a minimum & if my legs are suddenly bad & I cant get to my lotty for a few weeks only a few small areas will become jungle like & I wont be so annoying to my allotment neighbours.

Also would planting a mixture of veg in a small area deter pests from devastating one type of crop the way it can sometimes happen when they are in rows or beds specifically growing just one type of veg? 

Thanks for any help anyone can offer
xjane
 

[goodlife]

Yes that sound perfectly find.. ;D I can't believe doctoc not encouraging you to at least to try to carry on...isn't it so that if somebody with with arthritis doesn't keep moving they have problem with "ceasing up". I bet little bit of gardening is better  for your health than nothing.. ::)not only for you body but mind as well..Doctors ::)...what do they know? ::)
Go on girl..keep going... ;)
You can grow anything and everything together as you want....is watering easier for you than weeding..if yes..bang all close together so weeds don't have room between and as long as you keep them watered...well world is your "oyster"...look forward for lovely lush crops ;)

[Tee Gee]

Initially I see no problem with what you ask, after all isn't that what that young girl on BBC tv is doing?

The only reservation I would have is; if this is to be a long term thing i.e. into another season/s then I would try and keep your patches in seperate families.

That is try and keep your roots/salad/brassicas apart then next year you can change the areas around a little!

Sorry to hear of your problem, and I hope my suggestion gives you some ideas.

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks so much for your encouraging reply Goodlife. I will definitely give it ago then  ;D
  
Ive got to wait 10 years for a knee replacement even though the damage to my knees has already gone way past the point when a replacement is needed, got to wait due to only being 44 & new knees only lasting 10 years & something about only being able to have 2 goes each knee! My mobility will gradual get worse as each year goes on so eventually I will probably have to have lots of raised beds but in the mean time Im open to trying lots of different ways to grow veg & minimise hard 'knee' work such as digging, weeding, bending etc
xjane
 

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks Tee Gee, yes I think you have a really good point there as the arthritis will be an ongoing issue.
I was also considering plastic raised beds in some areas for crops that must be strictly rotated as the palstic beds can be taken down & moved around my plot each season.
Which young girl on TV do you mean? Maybe I can get some info from her?
Thanks
xJane

[goodlife]

As what comes to crop rotation...no worries...this year everything together..next year maybe some cut flowers and salads and in new bed another meddly and so on..problems with same crops only really arrive if you do it several years at the row..
If possible cover you unused beds for the winter with plastic so coming to spring you do not have to weed again..just remember to lift it up for few rainy days first to get soil underneath wet again..
there is so many ways for you to cut down work and make it easier for yourself..
You have started with step one....ask help and ideas, step two...ask again.. ;)

[Crystalmoon]

Thank you so much Goodlife you have really made a huge difference to me being able to feel very positive about keeping my allotment on :)
xJane

[cacran]

Try something like the 'square foot' gardening plans. Look it up on google you may find something there.

I raised two huge beds for strawberries. I got my OH to make me some tables from old pallet wood. I put some wooden boards nailed around the table structure, agout 9 inch deep, lined with perforated plastic, the filled with soil. That is a good way to do it.

You could try getting old tables on Freecycle or some other similar site and filling plastic tubs to put on top, or piles of old pallets with your containers on them. Or even piles of tyres with boards on top.

You will obviously need someone to help you to make the structures thgough. My lottie neighbour has me to help her. We put some boards on top of an old bath (the bath itself was too low for her) Containers on top.

[Tee Gee]

Which young girl

Alys something or another

The programme is called 'The edible gardener'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00s1lc8

[grannyjanny]

Chrystalmoon. Have a look at Charles Dowding site. He advocates the no dig method. He has 2 very interesting books. We have gone over to that method this year after lots fo digging etc last year. Also our daughter has just got a plot & we are helping her with it so no dig on ours gives the time to help her. Tee Gee is referring to the edible garden on BBC2 on Wednesday night at 8pm. It's Alys Flower from gardeners world.
It was BBC breakfast this AM that green exercise is better for you mentaly & physically than going to the gym. I think we can all vouch for that ;D ;D ;D.

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks Grannyjanny I will definitely look into Charles Dowding & the no dig method , sounds exactly what I need ;)

Thanks Cacran I will look into square foot gardening too  :)
And I hadnt even considered using containers on raised surfaces, great idea as raised beds are still very low.

Thanks for the link Tee Gee I will have a look at the programmes

 

 

[manicscousers]

Hiya, crystalmoon, as one arthritis sufferer to another, I feel your pain..as well as my knees, hip and back, mine is in my neck, shoulders, hands and fingers ..still, i would not consider giving up my plot, luckily, as the pain has gotten worse, my oh has built the beds up for me, I can now sit on a board across 2 beds, I also grow lots in pots then transplant with a bulb planter which helps lots too, don't let them press you into stopping your passion   :)

[Crystalmoon]

Hi Manicscousers Im really sorry you have such bad arthritis, I know mine is degenerative so will spread & get worse too :(
It is very encouraging to hear that you are still able to tend your allotment & that raised beds can be the answer for me in the long term.
I am growing alot of my veg in small pots for the first time this year rather than sowing direct & am planning to transplant them to my lotty so thank you so much for the tip about a bulb planter, thats a great idea  :)
xJane   

[pigeonseed]

I really feel for you two, manicscousers and crystalmoon - and it's certainly good to hear you don't have to give it up.

As you are dedicated, Crystalmoon, I should think you will do better than many other allotmenteers, because you really will keep it up, month after month. As they always say, gardening is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes dedication and stamina.

So even if you do a small amount at a time, if you keep doing it, you will see results. People who blitz it once every few weeks will not do as well as you in the long run. (tortoise and the hare is good gardening story)

[1066]

It sounds like a great plan Crystalmoon  :) A friend of mine grows loas of stuff this way in those huge builders bags (you know the ones that have dsand delivered to site it them), and he mixes all sorts in - peas, beans, carrots etc. And seems to do really well. So go for it - you can only try!
Another thought, is that he also does a few few spuds in grow bags (no digging!), I grow carrots in tubs and boxes (but only cos of my nasty clay).

Happy growing  :)
1066

from another confirmed bulb planter user  8) (best £3 I spent!)

[aj]

I concur with the bulb planter method; I use it all the time.

I also 'pocket plant' as one chum calls it. It's only potatoes that are all grown together - and brassicas in bigger pockets as they all get netted as soon as they are in. And my 2 rows of climbing beans as they grow up a frame.

the rest, goes here and there all over the place; whatever I've got goes into whatever space is ready.

[Crystalmoon]

Thank you Pigeonseed for your encouragement, yes I will remember that the tortoise beats the hare in the end  ;)  when I am having to only do an hour at a time at my lotty. Im sure once Ive adjusted to doing little & often instead of spending whole days at it I wont feel so frustrated.

1066 it is great to hear of your friends successful growing with the veg all mixed together, really gives me hope for my new experiment  ;D

Thanks aj for sharing that this method works for you. Im so used to seeing the regimental rows of veg at my allotments I think Im abit wary of the negative reactions I will get from many of the other plot holders when I have create my mixed up plot! I got loads of sarky comments when I used grass cuttings to earth up my spuds last year, I just couldnt do all the digging to earth up in the usual way anymore. The grass actually worked a real treat

Everyone else has rotovated their whole plots ages ago so mine does look abit odd still mostly covered in black membrane. I think I had better let the council know my plans incase the old timers at my site think Ive given up & tell them Im not working my plot. Theres a 300+ waiting list where I am  :o so the council are very quick to repossess plots they think arent being used.
     

[1066]

I know what you mean about regimented rows, fortunately on my site there's lots of different ways of doing things so everyone just rubs along. I think thats one of the great things about gardening / growing your own - there are no absolute hard and fast rules, just lots of variations where the individual finds what works best for them  :)

good luck with it all Crystalmoon  :)

1066

[goodlife]

Chrystalmoon....is your plot big?...what I was thinking is that in our site if there is somebody who is not so able for one reason or other to manage whole plot..we try to pair them up with somebody else from waiting list who could take some part of it over for their use with promise that newbie will "lease" his/hers mussle power for the help of the other while being the "lodger"...could this arrangement work in your allotment?

[Crystalmoon]

Hi goodlife Ive got just under 5 perch for my plot. It was originally three times that size & was divided into three plots when I got mine a couple of years ago. Some of the 5 perch areas are being divided in half again so it is a possibility I can consider if things become too difficult. At the moment I would really love to be able to keep it the size it is because the squash plants Im planning to grow will take up at least half of it once they get going & the other half has alot of fruit (raspberries, blackcurrants, etc) so there is actually only about a quarter that will need constant tending if my plans for this year work out  ;)
Lotty just looks very empty at the moment as Im growing/sowing most of my veg at home first this year & I didnt get any autumn/winter crops in except for leeks due to having a knee op.
I think if my plan doesnt work well this year I will try alot more raised beds next year.

Thanks 1066  ;D