Allotments 4 All

An interesting question, juliev. Maps etc sound very organised!

On rotation, I’ve begun to be influenced by Charles Dowding who has conducted comparisons and concluded that it makes little difference. With beans, for example, it’s easier for me to keep some structures in place from year to year. I grow a lot of brassicas - not often for seed-saving - and haven’t noticed a problem with overlapping some plantings on successive years. I try to rotate alliums where possible for fear of leaf miner recurring and white rot getting established. So far, so fairly good.

I use Airtable very heavily for knowing what I’ve sown and making lists etc., but If I have a set of something to plant out, I often don’t know which empty space I’m going to plant them in until I wander around and look to see where might be best. Sometimes I’ll earmark a space for something, like now where I’m keeping a good sunny spot free for a second batch of sweetcorn.

For seed-saving, I’m lucky to have two growing areas about 100 metres apart. I can do a certain amount of isolating that way. I tend to mix in the eating and the seed-saving unless there’s something I’m very keen to get seed from in which case I wouldn’t eat from it at all.

This is certainly a time of year which taxes the grey matter and keeps us thinking of lots of factors all  at once. Lots of tricky decisions to be made!

I don’t expect my wandering description conveys much clarity at all, probably because there isn’t any kind of grand master plan. I’m aware some people plan their layout through the winter and have an overall map. I couldn’t get anywhere near that as there are just so many variables and so many decision made on the hoof.

I would also be very interested to hear experiences from others. I’m also aware that isolating and crop protection must be more difficult for allotment holders as you’re surrounded by the crops and predators of other growers. I’m surrounded by farm land but do sometimes have to reckon with nearby fields of maize and field beans which will affect seed saving. And occasionally predators from around are a problem, like some years I’ve thought that flea beetles have descended in force when the rape crop has been gathered in. So I now protect my most valued brassicas plants with fine mesh rather than just netting.

An endless and fascinating subject, so I’d better stop now! .

Hi Jan G,   

Its only the tall climbing peas I seem to have problems with. NEVER managed to get more than a couple germinated and growing. (4 this year -t hey have been grubbed up and collard greens put in) All the other peas are doing very well.  Broad beans: I sow Claudia direct in Early October and never had a failure yet. Double rows just over a meter tall and the beans are set.  Lord knows what goes wrong every time I try to grow the tall peas   

That’s very odd, Timy Clanger. Your mice are very selective!
Were they sown at the same time? I’ve found with broad beans that I have success with direct sowing when the sowings are later. Presumably more available elsewhere by then.

So sorry for your loss Louise . Thinking of you  .🕊️🌿

thanks guys its appreciated :)
Trying to keep going but its hard.