Topic: Allotment Plan - advice/suggestions welcomed...

[posie]

Well this is the plan, think I've utilised the space as best I can based on what we like eating, next year I'll probably experiment a little more.  If anyone has any suggestions then they'd be very much welcomed.   :)

[Tee Gee]

If anyone has any suggestions then they'd be very much welcomed.

Looks like you are going to be busy!!

Firstly let me say the following is an opinion which in no way is meant to reflect on the rights or wrongs of your layout.

Firstly when I first started up with my allotments umpteen years ago I more or less had a layout like yours.

I changed it after the first year and let me tell you why;

Firstly you have 15 beds and 14 paths which in itself is OK but next year when you come to dig it the ground where the paths are it will be b****y hard digging plus if you dig over them then for the next year you are going to walk over areas that took a bit of digging.

I quickly learned the point.

Let me suggest the following form 7 x  5ft wide beds and 6 x 2ft (approx) paths between

If you work your planting plan to say use half a bed for each crop i.e 7 x 2 equals 14 beds i.e. where you are now.

The beauty of this system is; You don't have to base it on half beds you can use any size you like in fact I can have as many as a dozen crops/varieties on one bed and a few beds with only one crop/variety in it.

This helps with rotation, you can get more 'catch crops' in, i.e. when an early crop is harvested you can sow something else in its place.

And best of all you are not going to dig soil to later walk on, you only dig what is required. In fact if you want to take it further you can practice the 'no dig approach'

Let me tell you I learned the hard way and my advice is; do only what you have to do it leaves you more time to spend on things that have to be done!!

In the event you haven't visited my website and seen my plot/bed layout have a look in here; http://tinyurl.com/29w9my

Finally from which direction do you get the most sunshine ? I ask because it might be better to turn what I said around 90° so that the beds benefit from maximum light.

Meaning you would get 3 x 50 foot long beds which you can sub-divide as much as you like.

Either way it minmizes digging and maximises cropping area.

I leave my thoughts with you, as I said they are only an opinion!!

[Thegoodlife]

dont forget to do some companion planting to deter carrot root fly some strong smelling marigolds etc ;D

[posie]

Ok bearing in mind your comments, I've revised it slightly - didn't think about the issues of digging the paths up all the time!  So this is revised one.  As for sun, the plot runs North to South and it's all lovely open space with no trees to crowd.  Had a walk around today and all the plots seem to run down the way I've set mine out.



I've also got space down the sides to put some marigolds etc in......oh and my daffodils were flowering today - snowdrops seem to have been eaten however!

[posie]

Forgot to mention, before someone notices, above the veg beds I also have (or will have shortly) another bed of about 8ft by 6ft that I intend to use for fruit and then a smaller size one to the side of that which will be the herb bed.

[Trevor_D]

When are you going to lift the early potatoes? June? Why not plant leeks & broccoli in that bed once you've lifted the spuds?

And as the sweetcorn won't be planted out until quite late, why not sow something like early lettuce in the bed first?

And when the broad beans finish, what about planting out autumn onions & garlic?

[posie]

Thanks Trevor_D.  Will certainly rethink the broadbeans thing, didn't think about putting autumn onions in.  May well plant some extra leeks cos I love em!