Allotments 4 All

hi
would it be ok to plant a row of little gem lettuce between my raspberry canes?
the canes are about a foot and a half apart  :-\
thanx

Can't see a problem with that as long as you can still get in when you need to... with Autumn Var.s it would be quite easy...
;D

I agree with sadad the ground is doing nothing so why not?

Thank goodness for this thread :D I was wondering the same thing today. Running out of room at the lotties and doing a survey of every available space!

Its not a new idea it is what was once called 'catch cropping' where you plant fast maturing plant/s between slow maturing plants.

Thanks Tee Gee!

Could you give examples of fast and slow? I'm still trying to get out of my mindset of planting 'rows' of stuff all the same in one place. Any advice would be appreciated  :)

Fast;...Many of the salad crops e.g. early lettuce sown for transplanting, radish,

Slow-ish; Sprouts, fruit bushes, under the runner bean frame, between the sweetcorn.

Basically it is a case of trying it out on any 'wide spaced' crops and seeing how it goes.

There are many influencing factors to increase/slowdown growth for catch cropping not least of which variety can often play its part.

I have thrown Cos lettuce in between rows of Main crop Potatoes before now, lost a couple to slugs but still got about a dozen that I would have had to throw away..
::)

Brassicas are a good example of a 'slow' crop.

fast crop = little turnips

Wher are you people that are running out of space? here in West Yorks I'm still putting seeds into trays.

I would not advise it but if you do, remember to keep the lettuces well watered, Raspberries have extensive shallow roots that will be competing for moisture, a mulch is what you should be adding rather than a competing crop of lettuces as the raspberry flower buds are forming now and tend to come out before the leaves so without you realising, the raspberries are going through an important stage.

Why notgrow lettuces or radishes between slow to germinate parsnips or between potatoes

I am adding lots of tips on my site...

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments1_homepage.html

Quote from: debjay on April 02, 2007, 07:50:22
hi
would it be ok to plant a row of little gem lettuce between my raspberry canes?
the canes are about a foot and a half apart  :-\
thanx

Hadn't thought of that - brilliant idea I shall do it tomorrow.  Thanks.

Lettuce is ok I suppose but tulips are better. Bring some spring cheer to the plot.

Hi Debjay, Hi all  :)

I was hoping for a field of mostly self-seeded nasturtiums
around my raspberries to keep the weeds down
but I`m not sure if all my canes have taken so I
was thinking about borrowing the supports for
peas.

Col

Quotenasturtiums to keep the weeds down

...........and attract the blackfly!!

Just love those tulips, Eristic - & artichokes behind?

Seems I'm the odd one out here. I would have thought that, by the time lettuces were coming on, the raspberries would be in full leaf, cutting out all light? And, as said, taking all the moisture. Mixed leaf varieties, perhaps, but not hearting ones?

I agree, Tim. The advantage for looseleaf types might be that they would be kept out of the sunshine and so less likely to bolt? But I think they'd need watering.

hi
thanx for all your replies ;D

Cool - means I can gro more on my plot without useing more room! Handy Hint!