Rotation

I have a 3ft by 8ft bed in which I'd like to grow veg. The only crops I want are potatoes, carrots and onions. Would it be feasible to grow these in this bed with some sort of crop rotation.
Thanks ( fingers crossed)

 

As they're in three different 'families' it should be possible to rotate them around your strip. Is it a raised bed? You'll get a much better yield from the potatoes and carrots if you've got a good depth of soil.

 

Thanks for your reply, it sounds like the reply I was hoping for. It is a raised bed but probably only about 12 inches depth.

 

I think you wont have enough space for all that in the same year, or are you suggesting one crop each year in rotation?

 

I'd think if you want all of them in the bed, it would be a good idea to put a physical barrier in to divide it up. Less chance of any soil contamination then. It isn't a huge space, but if you don't need a large amount of any of them, it would be ok.
I don't grow potatoes, but the depth might be a problem, as @noisette47 says. It might also depend on the variety you choose - same with the carrots. I used to grow them in pots that were only about that depth. If the bed's open to the ground below, that's less problematic.

 

Plant your potatoes in tubs/bags and position alongside the bed. Potatoes are only space effective to grow for 'new' potatoes. You will not be 'self sufficient' on such a small area!
Arrange it so onions are furthest from potato bags (as will otherwise shade onions.)
Devote bed to 4 rows x8ft for onions planted at 6" centres (65)
Plant by broadcasting gently, carrots over the remaning area 8ftx 16", attempting to leave each seed 1" apart in both directions (estimated at 1400 carrots)
Expect to harvest, dry and store onions in July. Resow as above with carrots and spring onions to crop in Autumn/winter Or asian greens as a break crop. As you harvest carrots, sow/plant in any spaces, mustard or chinese cabbage plants for stirfry.
Unless you experience onion disease such as white rot, you could disregard rotation or simply reverse the planting in year two. Carrots rarely suffer from disease, troubled mainly by fly and/or slugs when small
This is intensive growing so you should richly mulch with good compost and be prepared to feed while watering to support the crops if needed.

 

Thanks for your most interesting replies. I've just read that onions and carrots can be grown together so I'm thiking of dividing the bed into two instead of three , using one half for potatoes and the other for carrots and onions together. This way I'll get more spuds. Yummy

 

I recommend getting disease resistant varieties, especially for Late Potato Blight and Carrot Fly. For Carrot and Onion fly it may be best to use netting but may not be needed in your area

 

Onions need to be free of over shadowing, certainly by potatoes and also carrots (and weeds !)
I find that carrots are best left undisturbed by weeding or thinning as it is the smell of disturbed carrot foliage that attracts carrot fly.