Next year's garden.

[jansman]

Given the drought this year,and the current political shenanigans,I have planned my 2019/20 garden.I no longer have the time,so a lot of my rather large garden has now been ' developed ' for low maintenance...but I digress.

Starting at the top,the fencing has wire frames upon which will grow early climbing peas,then Winter squash,( spaghetti marrow,which stores magnificently).I have dug old fashioned trenches and filled them with scrumpled up newspapers,soaked and soaked,along with kitchen and animal waste. This should help in the event of another dry Summer. Next is 40' of Blue Lake climbing beans.These are great fresh and dried.They too,are to be on a similar trench.

Then is the perennial bed.Jerusalem Artichokes,Rhubarb,Daubenton Kale and Welsh Onion.And the fruit trees.And the strawberry bed.

Greenhouse,( after seed sowing) will house chillies and micro greens,the latter of which will start early and finish as late as possible.

Then 10' parsnips,10' beetroot,10' perpetual spinach.

In the polytunnel will be 3 dozen pots of 'Rocket' first early potatoes.I am usually able to get the first ones by the end of April.That should cover the 'Hungry Gap',that sees our seasonal potato shortage filled by imports.In there will be tomatoes too.Lots of tomatoes,which we eat and eat,and dehydrate.That works well for us.After the tomatoes comes Oriental veg for over Winter salads.

Then come the cold frames in which are grown lettuce ,radish and Spring onions.Next to them another of our favourite,marrows.

My last patch of open ground,this time,will be filled with maincrop spuds.At the moment I am adding as much muck as I can. That's the plan.

[Deeps]

I'll be putting this in front of Her Maj for inspiration, cheers for posting it mate.

[jansman]

I'll be putting this in front of Her Maj for inspiration, cheers for posting it mate.

If it helps someone,that's all good!

[Deeps]

If it helps someone,that's all good!

She seems keen to have a plan this time so this might inspire her. We'll be behind you in the timing of things though.

[jansman]

I will help by all means,Deeps.Do you have a greenhouse or conservatory? I ask because you are further North.I suspect that you are two to three weeks behind the Midlands.Do you have an electric propagator? These are brilliant for starting plants that need a long growing season,such as chillies and tomatoes.They can be had for a score.If you have no glass house,a cold frame is great,and can be purchased,or knocked up from scrap timber and polythene,( I am a tight git!).Great for holding plants until frosts pass.

Work out a plan and ask by all means mate.

[jansman]

mis read your post Deeps.But I will still help if you want!

[Deeps]

Thanks mate, appreciate the offer and I'll give you a shout. She's pretty good and grows a lot of stuff from seed, some she's saved. She has an electric propagator and we do grow chillies in the house and tomatoes at the back to take advantage of the sun heating up the wall. No greenhouse or conservatory (we have a large windowed area in the living room but she's reluctant to take full advantage of it) although she could have had a greenhouse years ago, I did offer. She's got a couple of cold frames she inherited up the new allotment, made from old double glazed windows so they look quite effective.
She just seems to lack the vision for a 'big picture' which is why I want to show her your year plan.

[Arwen Thebard]

Jansman;

Are you saving your own seeds or buying in?

Sounds like you have a great plan by the way.

[jansman]

Jansman;

Are you saving your own seeds or buying in?

Sounds like you have a great plan by the way.

The majority is saved Arwen.Parsnip I will buy in,beetroot too.Spuds I buy in,although second grown spuds can be quite vigorous,and I have often done that.The spuds I shall buy this year,as if there is disruption,then I can second- grow in 2020.It reinforces my drive towards perennials.