I have been busy with work and other commitments so have not posted for a while. Getting up the allotment most mornings for an hour before helping get the kids ready for school. Still extending beds and sifting through old soil to clear out weeds and stones.

The weather has been much brighter but still cold. A slight frost on Friday morning but no damage done. Made a couple more cold frames at work, just need glass for lid. Saturday was supposted to be nice and sunny but turned cloudy and cold. Kids had a good time playing with their cousins in the next pen. Managed to plant most of the seed potatoes into three beds. One bed has been covered with polythene for a few week to warm up soil and the other two were uncovered but are now covered to protect from cold and cats!

Started to sow onion sets but a lot were mouldy and soft! Tried a stick of forced rhubarb and was well impressed with the taste, even raw. Extended the edges around the conifers and planted some sweet william or wall flowers i think. I dug them out of some planters at Dan's.

Finally got some sort of crop rotation plan going. There are 15 beds plus seed/nursery bed. From a chart off the internet i have divided the beds into four which can form part of some rotation each year. Its not too strict or rigid as some crops take up more space and beds than others. The beds are numbered 1-15 from left to right looking north.

This year

1. Strawberry 2. Strawberry 3. Strawberry 4. Potatoes 5. Rhubarb

6. Herbs 7. A 8. C 9. C 10. Potatoes

11. Salads 12. A 13. A 14. Asparagus 15. Potatoes

Some plots are permanent and do not fit into rotation eg herbs, rhubarb and asparagus. The strawberries will need moving every 3/4 years. The south and west borders have fruit in them and will double for the B plots this year

The groups are:

1. Potatoes
2. A. Roots- Beetroot, carrots, corgettes, celeriac, celery, garlic, onion, leek, peppers, squash and tomatoes.
3. B. Legumes- Broadbeans, french beans, runner beans, peas, spinach, sweetcorn, chard
4. C. Brassicas- Cauliflower, calabrese, broccoli, kale, radishes

Some crops will be grow in the greenhouse or in the salad bed so this list is not final. The purpose is not to grow the same crops year after year in the same spot which could lead to a build up of diseases etc

This plan may change because on a gardening forum it was suggested that the brassicas can go in after the potatoes have finished which would free up some beds. Also looking in what is called a three sisters planting were sweetcorn, beans and squash are grown together. The idea is that the beans are supported by the sweetcorn and the squash sahde and keep moist the roots of such thirsty plants.