Which Crops should I Grow Together?

I have set up 4 raised beds each about 1m sq x 400mm deep, before sowing anything I did some research on the net on which crops would grow together best and crop rotation on a 4 year cycle, I now think that I may have this wrong for this year( to late now I know) but for next season I wondered what your thoughts would be. My 4 beds have the following in:

1 Carrots, Onions, Spring Onions, Radishes
2 Brocolli, Cabbage
3 Lettuce, Salad Leaves & Peas
4 Toms, Courgette, Potatos ( getting a bit crowded in this one) :(

 

Hiya, we have the same as you, 4 raised beds, ours are in a square with paths between - french potager style and they are 5 ft square, we also researched the 4 year crop rotation but it is really difficult to work out isn't it? Our beds are as follows:

1. Split into 4 sections diagonally corner to corner: Cabbage, Broccoli, 2 types of lettuce with a bunch of chives in the middle and row of radish as a cross corner to corner (if that makes sense) creating (hopefully) a little pattern:D

2. Cane wigwam in centre with broad beans, swiss chard, broccoli and beetroot

3. Potatoes - we hadn't originally planned to plant any but a family member had too many and donated them!

4. Cane wigwam in centre with stringless beans, Carrots interspersed with radish at one side and parsnips interspersed with radish at the other (apparently parsnip and radish don't like to be together but since they are both root crops we decided to give it a go!) and then some Mooli (japanese radish) and Pak Choi in the middle.

We have kind of ended up 'going with the flow' a bit and just fitting things in where they seemed the right size however Bed 1 - light feeders (mainly greens) will follow on to Bed 2 which has had heavy feeders (brassicas) and then Bed 2 (heavy feeders) will go into potato bed as these are light/medium feeders, potato bed will move into bed 4

Sorry to all the experts if this is all nonesense:rolleyes: I have just tried my best to cobble together a plan from all the wide range of information available and I just hope it works out!! Trial and error as they say!

 

It sounds good. I supprose it should be ok as long as you dont plant the same crop in the same bed in the next season.

I also have 4 veg beds: leafy veg, beans and peas, potatos and root veg, and cabbages and kales. Not strictly follow the rule tho.

 

Hi.

I'm no expert, but I thought that toms and pots were a bad idea to grow as companion plants, because they can share diseases. (how democratic of them ) I think my last year's toms got potato blight......

A couple of links that seem useful here...
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/companion.htm
http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/companions.htm

Mind you, the 2nd link has contradiction about bush beans, they're listed under friends AND enemies for brassicas...... Hmmmmm.....??? Also it says that brassicas and Toms are not good for each other, contradicting the first site.

Any long time gardeners out there to clear this one up? I'm having a go at companion planting this year for the first time, and I'm sure I'm not the only puzzled one.....

Cheers,
Dave

 

Yes come on you lot, we need a bit more input from the experienced veg growers on this one :confused::confused:

 

Martin How many plants do you think you will get in a bed 1m square? Bed 1. Some carrots, about 6 onions, some s/onion and a few radish. Bed 2. 2 Broccolli OR 2 Cabbage. Bed 3.Peas. Bed 4. 1 tom OR 1 courgette OR 1 potato. Martin, you need to rethink, if you want deep beds you need them at least 3m x 1.5m.

 

Ok, will give it a try.

Spuds and Toms together...no, no, take up too much space, along with the shared diseases. Salad crops can be planted year after year on the same bit of soil, they take little out. All you need to do is chuck a bit of grow more, or similar, in the following season.

My meaning of salad crops....spring onions, (or any onions) suitable herbs like parsley, chives, raddish ,beetroot, lettuce and the like.

Look up 3 bed rotation.

Spuds would be best grown elsewhere...like in tyres or bins etc. Bush toms can be grown in 9 to 12" pots, or cordon types in the greenhouse or outside supported by a cane. Still in a pot.

Brassicas...ie cabbage, sprouts, cauli, etc. Not recommended in the same bed, without a year in between.

If you grow any type of beans...french, broad, runner, or peas even...when they have finished, just cut off the debris and dig the roots in...loads of natural nitrogen. That soil is great for salad crops next year.

Carrots require a different kind of environment...they prefer light and sandy soils. I now grow mine in large tubs. Not having the correct type of soil here in Wales.
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There are companies that sell seeds for small veg. Waste of time as far as I am concerned. If you plant veg closer together, they wont grow as large as they haven't the room...so avoid those expensive seeds.

Forgot to mention. Don't forget if you are planting sprouts or cabbage and stuff like that, you can always grow spring onions and lettuce afore they cut out all the light. Then plant them in between your flower bed plants.

Ok that's me. Sticking my neck out and waiting for it to be chopped off.:D

 

David with limited space what can I do?, I am totaly new to this so I don't know how many plants to the sq mtr!:o this is my first year growing and it's advise from people like you that will help me. I am on a waiting list for an allotment but it seems like it could be a year or two before I get one, in the mean time I want to grow what I can at home.

So I'll re-phrase my question: With 4 x 1mt sq rasied beds in my garden what would you suggest I could grow? :confused:

 

Thanks Tweaky this is just the sort help I was looking for.:thumb:

 

No probs. Glad to be of service.

I have had to plan growing veg using raised beds, compared with lots of space years ago, but it's basically the same regarding crop rotation etc.:thumb:

 

There is a great bit of space saving companion planting I am trying this year - I think it's called the Three Sisters. You have a block of sweetcorn (each plant 18 inches apart, and in a block not a line so they all fertilise each other). On the ground you grow your low, spreading marrows/courgettes/squash family. And you then grow beans which use the sweetcorn as a support.

 

Martin, it`s good to se you didn`t take offence and I will help anyone with that attitude.:thumb: Bed 1, Just grow carrots, if you can get hold of any onion sets put a few of those in too. Forget s/onions and radishes until you get the allotment. Bed 2. Instead of broccolli or cabbage, go for Kohl Rabi. That`s turnip rooted cabbage, and very tasty. Bed 3. Fill with peas, a brilliant variety, is Hurst Greenshaft. Superb flavour. Bed 4. Which do you prefer, Tomato or Courgette? Your choice.:D If you want some potaoes, grow them in a15 or 20 litre pot, away from the tomato, assuming you are going to grow a tomato.:D:thumb: