Allotment rotation?

Hi guys and girls,

This weekend I'm paying my first visit to my newly-acquired allotment, which I'm sharing with my parents.

I can't tell you much about the allotment size, aspect or even type of soil or anything yet, but I know they're planning on dividing it into four sections with a sort of cross shape of paths between.

I've been reading about crop rotation and looking at plans but I'm having a bit of trouble figuring what should go where as we want to grow things that aren't really included in the ones I've read, like these three-year and four-year plans.

For example, some of the things we definitely want to grow are:
Potatoes
Peas and beans
Squashes/pumpkins
Parsnips and carrots
Onions and garlic
Probably things like cabbages/cauliflowers/broccoli or salad leaves too

Plus I have 8 raspberry canes and some strawberry plants in containers which I'd really like to plant out too. I know strawberries need to be replaced every 3 years or so so that's making me even more confused!

Any suggestions for what sort of plan we should follow and what should go where in the 4 potential quarters? The first things that will be going in are the strawberries and raspberries, then probably garlic and overwintering onions soon, so everything else can really be built around those.

 

Hi Louise,

It can be quite a daunting task to start a new allotment, and that's exactly what I have done this year. I too started with a four bed system with a criss-cross path area, but I also added in extra beds for fruit and perrennial veg/herbs and flowers. Have a look here http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/general-gardening-discussion/31154-garden-planning-help.html for two reasons, first reason is because it may help you in your plots planning and the second reason because it shows how I planned my new plot out. I put all the "service's" at one end, ie the compost area, shed and polytunnel, then a path all along the front of that, then a 6 foot bed either side of the plot for fruit/herbs/flowers, the remaining space I divided into the four beds for crop rotation.

Using google maps to get the shape of the plot, and a tape measure actually at the plot, I was able to accurately measure things out and then mark them out at the plot.

Is any of your new plot dug over/cultivated or does that need to be done?

If your starting from scratch, you may want to start digging for your first crops, I've been doing that since February this year starting with the potato beds.

The four year crop rotation should serve you well and the reason you do this is to stop the build up of pests by growing the same thing in the same place, year on year and to take best advantage of how much fertilising you have done to the soil and what your rotational crops need/use or even put in. Probably where you might be getting confused is with where each veg fits into their respective groups and I can see from your list above that you have squashes/pumpkins...I planted these where I had space when most other things where in the ground.

Your strwaberries and raspberries are perrenial so to my mind should not go into one of your four, four year rotational beds, but your onions and Garlic can be put into the bed where you plan to grow roots (carrots, parsnips, swede, turnip, beetroot etc) next year.

All this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to growing food or gardening in general and advice will change from person to person on how to do things too, this is just my thoughts on the subject and the best way I can help you...in a matter of a few words.

Good luck!

Steve...

 

Ok, I sort of did a rough representation of the plot after working on it this weekend. It's only half a plot so about 15 metres long by about 5 or 6 wide at a guess?



Obviously the shed is....a shed! Next to it is some sort of compost heap that we're going to have to tame but it makes sense to leave it there, plus maybe add a water butt to drain off the shed guttering. The green at the back is blackberry/bramble bushes which have been cut back but we're going to leave.

Purple dots are raspberry canes, they're only brand new babies at the moment but I figured it was best to give them room to grow and add something for them to climb on. Red dots are strawberries (couldn't remember exactly how many but you get the picture!).

Then the brown is the space we were going to leave to become a path to separate the bed, is that logical? Next to that is some runner beans I've sort of optimistically planted to see if they'll grow over the rest of autumn but I'm not attached to them at all if they need to move or come out.

Then nothing for a bit! Still need to decide what goes here and divide it up.

At the far end in front of the shed, the blue dots are purple sprouting broccoli, we figured put them there because when we dug it over we found plenty of potatoes left in the ground. And then the turquoise blobs are rhubarb, also only babies but will they be ok here? I just sort of went "brassicas....rhubarb!" in putting them next to the broccoli - would they be better somewhere else or closer together or more in a patch or....? I'm not planning on forcing them or anything.

I just sort of went for a total newbie 'put it in lines' system as you can see :D But my other half is insisting that I need to do some sort of square foot gardening, any ideas either way? Personally I thought this would be super difficult with rhubarb and squash all over the place but I'm willing to hear otherwise.

Next to go in is overwintering onions.....where? And I can see myself filling the rest up easily with overwintering/spring stuff (garlic, parsnips etc) and not leaving enough room for summer stuff (corn, peas, squash). Any tips?

 

I should try and get your name (as well as your parents names) on the allotment documentation. There is bound to be some miserable git who will start wingeing to the council that your mam & dad are 'sub letting' the allotment by letting you work it. Forewarned is forearmed.

Now I've got that off me chest.
Always keep in mind the prevailing wind direction and the direction of the sun. You won't get a good return from crops 'down sun' of a line of runner beans. Cheers, Tony.