Planning Your Vegetable Garden

Before you rush out and start to plant your plot, it is worth taking some time to plan what you are going to grow, where you are going to grow it, as well as considering crop rotation  and systems such as the `no dig method` or using raised beds etc.

To get the most from your plot requires planning. A little time spent designing and planning will reap rewards later, with larger yields, less risk of disease and making the upkeep of your plot less back-breaking.

The Plot
The way you plan / design your plot will be influenced by many factors.  These will include the size and shape of the plot, where facilities such as water supplies, tool storage, compost heaps are situated, and the demands of the household and other users of the garden (you may need to protect your crops from footballs if children are playing nearby for instance!). You will also need to think about the exposure of the site and whether it will need windbreaks etc.

If your plot is going to be within a busy garden with other uses it may be advisable to install some screening, trellis is usually effective, and can be used to support plants too (for example beans) and will be effective as windbreaks. If you have dogs or cats, outdoor pets, farmyard animals, or have wild rabbits etc, you may wish to cordon off the area completely to restrict the access of these animals. Remember though not to restrict light, and some airflow is required. In fact this also applies to small children who can unknowingly do quite a bit of damage. Bless them.

Square / Rectangular Plots
The most common vegetable plot is a square or rectangular piece of land which is then planted with various rows of vegetables, these rows are moved successive seasons so that different groups of vegetables are grown in different areas each season. This is basic crop rotation. Now I`m not going to go to deeply into that in this section (its covered in the next chapter) but it is important not to grow the same vegetable in the same place year in year out as this can lead to big problems.

Another way is to split the land into four sections with paths between for access, and of course these can be made into raised beds. This is particularly good if you have a shallow  topsoil, high water table or a layer of hardpan under your topsoil. Beds like this should not be more than around 5ft wide, that way you can weed, hoe and harvest from them easily from either side, without needing to stand on the soil, which can cause compaction and damage soil structure.

When designing the layout the simple answer is usually best. Allow space for a compost heap or bins if you do not already have them as these will provide a source of organic matter / mulch in the future. Allow paths between rows, consider your water supply. Try to have your tools nearby and if room allows somewhere to sit and survey your site. This is a great little tip, it helps to have somewhere where you can contemplate the work you have done, the work that needs to be done, or just relax and enjoy a rest in between work, with a nice drink!.

Of course there are no set rules as to the shape and design of your plot, some people design their vegetable gardens in much the same way as flower beds, using the flowers, shapes, leaf types and colours etc in much the same way as you would for a conventional flower bed.

What you grow, how you plant, the systems you use are all up to you, as long as you bear in mind the basic principles behind vegetable growing.

Preparing the Plot
Once you have designed you area, you can then begin the basic landscaping. Any hard landscaping you need to do should be completed first along with fencing and windbreaks. You can the install sheds or tool stores if required as well as compost bins.

Mark out the area into beds and paths.

Then you need to prepare the soil. The work you do here in the beginning will set up your patch for future success. With the knowledge of your soil type, (clay, sandy, chalk, peat, loam) and the results of a pH test for acidity /alkalinity and possibly a fertility test for nutrient levels, you now need to use the appropriate soil improvement techniques (see article on soil types, ph and improvement).

Remember you are trying to achieve a good crumbly texture, not lumpy or sandy, to a depth of two spade blade depths. This may require double digging and adding lots of lovely organic matter, possibly grit for clay soils, and if the pH needs tweaking then add lime to raise the pH and flowers of sulphur or wood shavings to lower the pH.

This may take a lot of work depending on your soil type but it will be well worth the trouble.

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