Top Tips
Melons
Watch for cantaloupes to be ripe when they bear a yellowish color on the bottom of the fruit. Look for a brown line around where ...
| Extend the Growning Season
Start early in the spring by sowing salad plants under cloches and frames. If you have a greenhouse, conservatory or sunny windows...
| Patio or Balcony Garden
If you live in an apartment, you can still have a nice balcony or patio garden. Plant vegetables in pots and make use of vertical ...
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Crop rotation
If you grow the same annual plant in the same place each year it will use up nutrients to grow, and may provide a happy home for
pests.
Perennial plants can be grown in the same place as you do not remove them, but annuals, of which most veg are, get taken out of the
soil and with them go the nutrients, while the
pests stay happy in the
soil. So, grow a different plant next year and it will use different nutrients, the pest won’t survive, and hopefully that veg will replace some nutrients ready for the next crop.
Veg can be roughly grouped into 4 groups (three at a push) 1:
Roots, 2: Brassicas, 3:
Legumes and 4: Other and so just make sure you group veg of one type together in one area one year, and move them on next year. The rotation moves left to right/clockwise so the area that had
Legumes this year, will have Brassicas next; the bed that had
roots will have Other. Looking at the veg you are likely to grow:
- 1: Roots includes the Apiaceae family of Carrot, Celeriac, Celery, Fennel, Parsley, Parsnip, and the Chenopodiaceae family of Beetroot, Beets, Chard, Spinach,. Roots split in heavily manured soil.
- 2: Brassicas is the Brassicaceae family of Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale(borecole), Kohl rabi, Swede, Turnip; Radish, Rocket. They like firm soil that is not too acid.
- 3: Legumes is the Papilionaceae family of Beans, Clover, Fenugreek, Lupin, Peas, Tares, Vetch. Like rich, moist soil.
- 4: ‘Other’ can have all of these or they can have their own area.
Alliaceae – Commonly called Onion and includes Chive, Garlic, Leek, Onion, Shallot, Like open textured soil.
Asteraceae – Commonly called Lettuce and includes Chicory, Endive, Lettuce,. Also Globe and Jerusalem artichoke but these usually remain in the same place.
Cucurbitaceae – Commonly called Cucumber and includes Cucumber, Courgette, Marrow, Melon, Pumpkin. Like heavily manured soil.
Solanaceae – Commonly called Potato and includes Aubergine, Peppers (sweet and hot), Potato, Tomato. Like heavily manured soil.