Growing your crops from seed has several advantages over buying them from your local garden center:
1. Growing from seed can be a great deal cheaper than buying plants.
2. You have total control over how your plants are raised – particularly important if you want to keep to organic principles.
3. There is a much wider choice of varieties and vegetables.
4. You can sow seeds directly into the ground or in a propagator to transplant later.
Raising seedlings indoors:
Raising seedlings indoors will put you a few weeks ahead of the normal growing season. While the soil is still cold and the threat of frost lingers, your tender seedlings will grow happily on a windowsill (with a clear plastic bag over them while they germinate) or in the relative warmth of a propagator. The best plants to start off early include:
Tender plants such as eggplant, tomatoes, peppers and basil
early bulb vegetables such as onions and leeks some brassicas such as cauliflower and green broccoli – to raise an early crop
seeds that are difficult to start off (see ‘Troubleshooting’ below) benefit from a heated propagator.
Thinning and transplanting
For best results, two or more seeds are usually planted per pot and then thinned out by removing the weaker ones (being careful not to disturb the other roots).
This ensures there is enough room for the stronger specimens to develop. Larger seeds (such as peas and beans) should be sown two per planting station, then, after the first ‘true leaves’ have formed, thin out the weaker seedling.
Smaller seeds can be scattered over potting soil in a seed tray and then thinned out to give each one sufficient space (your seed packet will tell you how much room each variety needs).
Once two or three true leaves have formed on the plants they should be ready to plant in an individual container (such as a 5 cm pot) or directly outside (provided all risk of frost has passed).
When transplanting seedlings to a large pot make sure that you only hold them by the leaves as it is easy to damage the plant by pinching the stem. Using a teaspoon to ease out the roots can ensure minimum disturbance to their growth.
Before you plant your crops outside, you need to harden them off. Hardening off allows the plants to acclimatize to the colder conditions outside. To harden seedlings off, move the propagator or pot outside during the day and bring it in again each night. Do this for five days and then leave the plants outside during the night for two nights. They will then be fully adjusted to the cold conditions when you plant them in the soil.
Planting out should not be left too late or your young plants will become ‘leggy’ due to the reduced amount of light on a windowsill or inside. However, this has to be balanced with the possibility of a late frost which could kill seedlings off after all your hard work!
How you plant out your crops depends on the variety. For example Brussels sprouts require firm soil around their stems whilst leeks and cabbages do well if ‘puddled in’ (where the planting hole is filled with water and allowed to drain several times before the soil is replaced).
For all vegetables, it is worth preparing the soil by digging the plot over thoroughly, removing all weeds and weed roots and raking the ground level.
It helps to plant out your crops in the late afternoon on a cloudy day so they avoid the heat of the midday sun and the sudden temperature drop of clear nights. After planting, your plants may initially droop but they should perk up soon if kept well watered during the first few days.
Watering
Seedlings and young plants can be delicate and require special care when watering. Seedlings should grow in moist soil. Water by misting the plants with a spray so they don’t drown or get washed away.
Crops which have been recently planted out also need special care. Ensure the ground doesn’t get waterlogged or dry out. For a gentle dousing, water your crops with a watering can with the rose upturned.
Direct planting
Some vegetables (such as root crops and legumes) prefer to be planted directly in the ground in their final growing positions.
These vegetables include:
peas and beans, root vegetables such as beet, carrots, parsnips and turnips and sweet corn.
Root vegetables are generally hardy (relatively resistant to the cold) so can be sown directly into their final growing positions in spring.
Legumes (such as beans and peas) and sweet corn can be sown directly into the soil in early summer or grown in biodegradable coir pots that can be transplanted into the ground with the plant (this avoids root disturbance, which can halt growth for a few weeks).
Some brassica crops actually benefit from being transplanted. For example transplanting Brussels sprouts helps them develop a robust root system. This is particularly useful if your plot harbors the common club-root fungal disease. Seeds can be sown in rows in a seedbed (a nursery area where you start off plants as seeds) and then transplanted later.
Whenever sowing outside, it makes sense to sow in rows. This will help you distinguish your seedlings from other plants – essential when weeding to give them room to grow in the early weeks. You may choose to plant in long rows making a furrow at the depth specified by the seed packet. Space seeds according to the instructions given and thin out the weaker seedlings once they have emerged. Cover the seeds with a fine layer of soil and gently firm them down. Then, water.
Alternatively if your garden is divided into beds you may wish to sow in small rows to concentrate more seeds into a smaller area. The rows have less space between them and crops have slightly less space between plants.
Troubleshooting
Certain vegetable seeds can be tricky to get started. For example cilantro and parsnips take a long time to germinate. You can speed up the germination of cilantro by gently pressing the seeds with a brick, or in a pestle and mortar. This will open the seedpods slightly, allowing the plants to escape from them more easily. Because parsnips take so long to geminate, weeds can grow and it is difficult to spot the emerging parsnip seedlings. Often gardeners accidentally remove them, mistaking them for weeds. A good trick is to pop a radish seed in the planting hole with the parsnip seed. The fast-growing radishes will mark the spot from where the parsnips will grow and be long gone by the time the parsnip seedlings emerge.
Summary
Growing from seed can give you more choice and cost less than buying plants.
Crops can be raised from seed in a propagator or directly in the ground.
Brassicas (such as cabbage and Brussels sprouts) benefit from being transplanted.
Root vegetables (such as carrots, parsnips and beet), legumes (such as beans and peas) and sweet corn don’t like being transplanted and are best sown directly in the ground or in biodegradable pots (to plant out later).
Plan your vegetable plot to match your gardening aims.
The traditional image of a vegetable garden is the back yard kitchen garden, with vast plots of immaculate vegetables set out in straight lines. This can be off-putting for those who have limited time to spare, and who might just want to cultivate a small area of the yard for vegetable growing.
Fortunately for the modern gardener, things have changed. There are now all sorts of planting techniques that can help you make the best – and most attractive - use of your space, while providing your plants with the conditions they need.
What you need to consider:
The size of your site
If you have a large area and want to squeeze as much in as possible, you might want to grow vegetables in the conventional way.
If your garden is medium or pocket-sized, or you want a low-maintenance garden, you could consider the other techniques listed below. A small, informal, patch can be an effective way to grow vegetables and can be made even more attractive by growing flower borders between the beds.
The conditions
When you move to a new house, the condition of your soil is not always top of your list of priorities, but it is a key factor in growing fruit and vegetables.
Heavy clay can be as difficult to work with as thin, stony soil – and poor drainage will always mean that your crops fail to thrive. The traditional way to improve soil conditions is to dig your plot thoroughly and incorporate large quantities of organic matter such as compost or leaf mold into it.
Other methods (such as using raised beds) are explained below. [Please note: Although manure is commonly recommended for soil-improvement, you need to be aware of a number of issues when using it.
The crops you want to grow
This will mostly depend on what you like to eat, but you should also consider the space available. In a tiny garden, for example, you could focus on growing herbs, a few high-value crops and a variety of salad vegetables.
The quantities and spacing
Producing enough for your household is an important consideration, but to be successful you must also pay attention to the planting instructions on seed packets to make sure that you leave sufficient space between plants for them to grow successfully.
The health of your crops
Whatever method of gardening you choose, it is important not to grow the same type of vegetables in the same place each year. This is known as crop rotation.
Rotating the place where you plant vegetables each year:
1. Prevents the build-up of pests and diseases.
2. Allows the soil to replenish the various nutrients required by each type of crop.
Traditionally the following four groups are often rotated together:
1. Root plants: onion, shallots, garlic, beet, radishes, turnips, carrots and potatoes.
2. Leafy plants: broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach
3. Leguminous: pole beans, bush beans, peas and fava beans (these plants increase the nitrogen in the soil).
Fruiting plants: cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, pumpkins, eggplant, sweet corn.
However, this simplified approach overlooks the fact that some dissimilar vegetables (such as tomatoes and potatoes) belong to the same crop family and can suffer from the same diseases (both are affected by potato blight).
Planting systems
The traditional vegetable garden
Growing crops on one large patch of soil is a system that still works well for those gardeners who have the time and the space to do it. You will need to dig over and clear the space of weeds, before incorporating as much compost and leaf mold as possible. It is a good idea to include paths through the center of your plot that are wide enough for a wheelbarrow.
Permaculture
Permaculture focuses on the sustainable use of your land and working in harmony with nature. Permaculture methods are based on the adage: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Working with this system can cut down on your carbon footprint.
The idea is to plan your garden for easy access and minimum labor, and to grow food without using chemicals. You should observe the sunny areas, the sheltered spots and the direction of the prevailing wind, and then decide on the growing methods that will work best for those conditions. Permaculture also involves minimizing wastage, using systems such as water butts, compost bins and wormeries. You can integrate permaculture principles into even the smallest gardens, while using any of the following techniques - see our Permaculture Grow Guide for more details.
No-dig
It is easy to understand why people developed a no-dig method of gardening! The argument is that digging is hard work, can cause light soils to dry out rapidly and spreads weed seeds. However, the no-dig technique is really only suitable on soils that are already well aerated.
For maximum success with this method it is advisable to create narrow beds, between boards at least 15cm high, held in place with pegs hammered into the ground. Several layers of newspaper are spread over the soil and a mulch of straw, sawdust and grass clippings added. This needs to be watered well before spreading a layer of compost, finished off with about 6cm of soil, which is the layer into which you plant your seeds. The soil level will drop as the layers of mulch rot down, but your beds can be topped up with compost, as required.
Raised Beds
Raised beds work on the same principle as the no-dig techniques, but tend to be deeper – they are basically large boxes of soil and compost. You can construct them from permanent materials such as bricks or railway sleepers, or from wooden crates or boards. Raised beds are filled with rich compost which is higher than the surrounding ground and therefore remains dryer. This avoids the problems of poor soil and bad drainage. Although more of your garden is taken up in paths between beds, these do allow easier access to plants and prevent soil becoming compacted by being walked on. The deeper soil can often compensate for the lost space.
If you plan well in the initial stages, you can incorporate systems for covering your beds with cloches, to provide warmth and protection in cold weather. Some commercially available raised-bed systems include holes into which hoops fit, allowing you to easily cover the whole bed with fleece or netting.
Square Foot Gardening
This system is particularly effective where space is at a premium.
You divide a specially prepared deep raised bed into one foot modules, planting each of your crops into this area. This method is particularly suited to salad crops and miniature varieties of vegetables. Close planting produces a micro-climate in which weed growth is suppressed. The crops are easy to reach from all sides, making it a very accessible way to grow produce directly outside your kitchen door.
Summary
Before choosing a planting method, consider the size of your plot and the quantities and varieties of vegetables you want to grow.
Consider how to protect your crops from harsh weather and rotate vegetables each year to prevent build up of disease.
Permaculture principles can help you work with the garden you already have, creating a sustainable productive garden
Raised beds solve the problems of poor drainage, waterlogged or poor soil and allow easy access to plants.
Square foot gardens are ideal for easy-access crops raised near to your house.
Combine any of the above methods, to create a system that suits you best.
Know and improve your soil to provide the best growing medium for your vegetables
Soil type can determine which vegetables grow best for you. Knowing your soil type enables you to overcome problems since you can prepare the ground accordingly. Both the texture and pH of the soil are worth knowing and these can vary throughout your garden or plot.
Texture
Soil is made from three main components: clay, sand and silt. The ideal soil (or loam) has equal amounts of all three, making a fertile soil that is free draining and easy to dig. However, it does not matter if your soil has a greater proportion of sand, silt or clay . Each type of soil has its own advantages as well as disadvantages and different varieties of plants are suited to different soils.
Sandy soils have large particles and gaps between them. This allows water and nutrients to drain away freely, making sandy soils less fertile than heavier soils. Sandy soils also tend to dry out in the summer. But they warm up quickly in spring (allowing seedlings a good start) and they are much easier to dig than clay-based soils. If your soil is sandy, you should have no trouble growing root vegetables (such as carrots and parsnips), but you may struggle with nutrient-hungry brassicas (such as cabbages and broccoli). Also, plants and trees with shallow roots are prone to drying out as sandy soils lose moisture faster than heavier soils.
Clay and silt soils – ‘heavier soils’ – have small particles. This means water is less likely to drain away but the soil is more likely to become waterlogged. Heavier soils are fertile, but take longer to warm up in the spring and are harder to dig. If you have clay soil, you should find that brassicas (such as cabbages and broccoli) grow well, but root vegetables (such as carrots and parsnips) are likely to struggle as they have to push through the heavy, often compacted soil. Shallow-rooted trees (such as pear trees) are likely to thrive in this soil as it holds moisture better than sand.
All soil types benefit if paths are well defined in the garden since keeping to paths ensures that soil is not compacted. This is particularly important for heavy soils (such as clay types). For such soils, raised beds can greatly improve drainage.
Testing your soil
You can test the texture of your soil easily by checking it in wet and dry conditions. If the soil is hard when dry and sticky when wet, it is likely to be clay. If it is light, easily drained and easy to dig, it is probably sand or loamy sand. For a more precise test, take a small amount of soil in your hand and wet it. Knead it into a smooth paste and then roll it about between your hands to form a ball. The following results will reveal the soil texture:
Sticky and gritty – loam, the perfect soil
Easily rolls into a ball, but feels rough – clay loam
Easily rolls into a ball, shiny when rubbed, but still gritty – sandy clay
Easily rolls into a ball and becomes shiny but not gritty – clay
Doesn’t roll into a ball well, and feels gritty – sand
Easily rolls into a ball but it falls apart easily – loamy sand
Feels slippery and silky – silty loam
Improving your soil
Whatever your soil type, organic matter (such as homemade compost and leaf mold) should be added regularly to improve structure and nutrient content. Organic matter acts as a soil conditioner. It helps to break up heavy clay soils (improving drainage) or it binds together sandy soil (improving retention of water and nutrients). If added once a year, organic matter will improve your soil and overcome any problems associated with texture. Adding organic matter can also slightly lower the pH of the soil (see below) to a level perfect for most vegetables. [Please note: Although manure is commonly recommended for soil-improvement, you need to be aware of a number of issues when using it.
Soil pH
Soil pH is a measure of the soil’s acidity or alkalinity. Knowing the pH of your soil helps to determine which vegetables to plant. Blueberries, for example, only thrive in an acid soil (with a pH of around 4-6). So, if your vegetable plot has alkaline soil, they should be grown in pots with ericaceous (acidic) compost. If, on the other hand, your soil is acidic, brassicas (such as cabbages) benefit if lime is added a few weeks before sowing since they enjoy an alkaline soil and lime adds alkalinity. Adding lime also helps prevent clubroot disease, a major problem with the brassica family.
Alkaline soil has a pH of around 8.5 whilst the pH of neutral soil is 7. Most plants grow best in soil with a pH of between 6.5 and 6.8. You can identify the soil’s pH using a testing kit. These vary from a cheap soil pH meter, which is simply pushed into the ground and examined, to kits that include color charts and tubes. The latter provide more reliable results. For the best results, take a small amount of soil from the surface of various areas of your garden or vegetable plot. Avoid taking soil from waterlogged areas or frozen ground. Place each sample in a polythene bag and label it, stating where in the garden it came from. Allow each sample to dry out and then follow the instructions on your testing kit carefully.
Once you have the results of these tests you can plan which areas to prioritize for soil improvement and where best to grow the more fussy vegetable types.
Summary
Test your soil’s texture and pH before you start planting to gain a clear idea of the growing medium.
Clay soil is heavy, fertile and prone to water-logging and most suitable for nutrient-hungry brassicas such as cabbages.
Sandy soil is light, free-draining, less fertile and most suitable for root vegetables such as carrots.
The pH of your soil can determine which vegetables will grow best on your plot. Alkaline soil has a pH of around 8.5 and suits brassicas such as cabbages. Acid soil has a pH of 4-6 and suits blueberries. A neutral soil has a pH of 7.
Improve your soil with a yearly dressing of rich, organic matter such as homemade compost or leaf mold.
Water your plants correctly to keep them growing well
It is well known that too little water can cause plants to wilt and even die. But over-watering can produce similar problems as the roots rot (a problem to which young plants in pots are very prone). In addition, stress caused by irregular watering can cause some plants to bolt (run to seed) yielding a very poor crop. So supplying the right amount of water is quite an art and is essential to ensuring that you produce a bountiful harvest of fruit and vegetables.
When to Water
Your crops need different levels of water depending on their stages of growth, their position in the garden, the soil type, weather conditions and the variety. For example if you grow your crops on a sandy soil (which doesn’t hold water well) you may need to water your crops every day in the height of summer (and incorporate organic matter such as compost to aid moisture retention). On the other hand, crops grown on clay soils (which are more moisture retentive) need watering less often. However the addition of organic matter will help break up heavy clay soils so they don’t become waterlogged in heavy rains.
Generally, plants need watering more often if they are grown under cover (such as in a row cover or a greenhouse) or if you grow them in a container (where there is less soil to absorb moisture). You should also consider the position of the plants you grow. In full sunlight, water from the soil’s surface will evaporate more quickly than in the shade.
Many vegetables need extra water when in flower or when fruiting. For example legumes (such as beans and peas), sweet potatoes and sweet corn require more water when in flower. Tomatoes and squash plants (such as zucchini and pumpkins) benefit from extra water when their fruit is developing. Peas and beans will develop heavier pods if watered regularly after flowering but too much water early on will result in extra leafy growth and fewer flowers and fruit. Leafy greens and root vegetables require regular watering throughout their growth.
Thirsty crops
The following crops need plenty of water to thrive once fruiting:
Beans
Beet
Carrots
Cucumbers
Peas
Peppers
Squash (including pumpkins, butternut squash)
Too Much Water
Over-watering your crops can create the perfect conditions for disease to thrive and may also encourage slugs and snails. If water runs off the soil, it can wash away valuable nutrients. Root systems won’t develop properly – for example, the plants will develop weak, shallow root systems which are less resistant to drought. If plants are allowed to sit in water, they will be starved of oxygen and ‘drown’.
Avoid over-watering plants by checking the soil’s moisture level below the surface before watering (using your finger). It should feel damp but not soggy. If you grow your crops in containers, ensure adequate drainage by placing old crocks, bits of brick or gravel in the base to allow excess water to drain away.
Seedlings require particular care. The soil or compost should be moist but not wet. When starting seeds off, water them with a fine mist to avoid saturating the compost or washing the seeds away. Once the seedlings are growing well, a good technique to use is to dip the pot into a tray of water rather than watering from above. The water should not come above half way up the pot and after a short time, it can be removed, drained well and returned to its place. One of the reasons this method works so well is that you develop a feel for how heavy the pot should be when it has absorbed enough water and can then water more or less the next time.
Rescuing a Wilted Plant
If your crops are wilting, it is likely to be due to too much, or too little, water. If the soil is dry above and below the surface, water immediately (regardless of the time of day) and, if possible, shade the plant from the sun (if you grow your crops in containers, move them into a shady position).
If the wilting is due to too much water, check to see if the plant is sitting in water (ensure water can drain away from the base if growing in a container). If the soil is waterlogged, use a fork to puncture the soil to aid drainage. You can also mound soil up around the base of the plant to encourage further water to drain away. Avoid watering again until the soil is dry.
Watering Tips
The best time to water your vegetables is in the morning. This ensures the water is fully absorbed by the soil and roots. Watering in the heat of the midday sun can shock hot plants and burn their leaves. The water is also likely to evaporate rather than be absorbed by the plant (meaning it will have to be watered more often). Watering at night can attract slugs and lead to the onset of diseases (such as mildew and black spot).
Make sure you water your plants thoroughly. If you only sprinkle water on the soil’s surface, the plants will develop shallow root systems (which will need watering more often). A thorough soak will penetrate the soil’s surface and ensure your plant is well nourished.
When planning your plot you should consider grouping the thirstiest vegetables in the same area to make watering them easier. A well-planned plot could have a water butt stationed in four corners so you don’t have to travel far to access water. Some larger gardens can benefit from an irrigation system (such as a seep hose) – particularly useful if you plan to be away on vacation during crucial summer months.
Summary
Crops need regular watering to grow successfully.
Too much, or too little water can hamper growth and cause the plants to bolt.
Treat seedlings and young plants in pots with particular care.
Acting promptly can save a plant from too little, or too much water.
Store and Preserve your fruit and vegetables to enjoy your harvest through the winter months and beyond.
Storing your harvest is a great way to deal with gluts (a surplus of one vegetable) and months when little is growing. There are many ways to store your vegetables; these include drying, freezing and preserving.
Storing your crop
Some fruits and vegetables store well for months if they are kept in the right conditions. The key to success is choosing unblemished specimens and checking them regularly, removing any diseased items. For example one rotten apple can ruin the whole batch. Storing the crop in a dry, well-ventilated place will prevent it from rotting. You can buy storage boxes but a wooden crate or shallow cardboard box will work just as well. Some boxes and crates will be designed so you can stack them but if you do this make sure that air can circulate between the levels.
Apples and pears are well suited to storing. Wrap each fruit in newspaper and place in a single layer in the bottom of your container.
Root vegetables (such as carrots, potatoes and beet) also store well. Cut the leafy tops off beet and carrots and place them in a single layer without wrapping them. Both benefit from being covered by a layer of sand to prevent them becoming rubbery. Potatoes can be stored in hessian or paper sacks. Harvest them on a dry day and leave out in the sun to dry. Remove any mud from the potatoes to prevent mold forming. Store them in a dark place to avoid poisonous green patches forming on the skins. Parsnips are best left in the ground over winter and harvested when needed.
Onions, garlic and shallots are best dried thoroughly then plaited before storing in a dry place. You can also cut the tops off and hang the bulbs in an old pair of tights or netting.
Plants in the squash family (such as pumpkins and zucchini) can last for up to three months, depending on the variety. Pumpkins and zucchini don’t keep after midwinter, but other squashes (such as butternut and spaghetti) may keep until early spring. Ensure they are in good condition and store them in a cool, dry place such as a cupboard. Zucchini don’t store well, and should be kept in the fridge for a maximum of three weeks.
Leafy crops (such as lettuce and spinach) do not store well and should be eaten within a few days of harvesting. Sow regularly right into early fall so that you still have leaves to harvest in the colder months
Legumes (such as peas and beans) can be dried for use in stews or blanched and frozen.
Freezing your harvest
Freezing is a quick and easy way to preserve your harvest. Freeze in usable quantities so that the produce can be easily defrosted. Choose only firm, just-ripe fruit and vegetables and freeze them as soon as you can after harvesting. Pack them into a plastic, airtight freezer bag or container to ensure they keep well and don’t suffer from ‘freezer burn’ (inedible dry, brown patches caused by lack of moisture). Some fruit and vegetables will need blanching before freezing. This prevents the water in the fruit and vegetables crystallizing and rupturing their cell walls, causing a soggy, soft consistency when defrosted. Simply plunge the fruit or vegetable into a large pan of boiling water for about one third to one half of the normal cooking time, and then transfer to ice cold water, before patting dry and freezing.
The following freeze particularly well:
Raspberries
Blueberries
Blanched apples
Blanched beans (including pole and bush types)
Cranberries
Gooseberries
Peas
Rhubarb
Drying, pickling and bottling your harvest
Crops that dry well include tomatoes, peppers and apples. Drying can dramatically alter the flavor and texture of your crop (such as sun-dried tomatoes) and can make interesting additions to dishes. Simply wash and thinly slice your fruit or vegetable and arrange the pieces in a single layer on a baking tray. Traditionally this would be left outside over long sunny days to dry out. An easier method is to set your oven to its lowest temperature setting (250F) and leave the trays in for several hours until the pieces have shrunk in size and are almost crispy. Once dry, store the pieces in a sterile, airtight container and consume within a few weeks.
Beet and shallots are delicious when pickled and will keep for several months. Wash and prepare beet (don’t remove the tops, this can cause the color to leech out). Boil in water for 30 minutes or until the skins and tops rub off easily. Slice them and place in a sterile jar and cover in pickling vinegar. (Jars can be sterilized by washing them well and then placing them in a cool oven at (250F for 20 minutes) For shallots, peel and trim the tops and bottoms. Place them in a shallow dish and cover with salt (this draws out excess moisture). Leave them overnight then rinse thoroughly and place in a sterile jar and cover with pickling vinegar.
You could also make chutney using any excess from your garden, including squash, plums and tomatoes. Jams (such as raspberry, blackberry, kiwi fruit and apricot) are delicious spread on toast and will keep for up to one year.
Summary
Storing fruit and vegetables can help deal with gluts, enabling you to enjoy home-grown food throughout the winter
Fruit and vegetables store well if given a dry, well-ventilated space and checked regularly
Freezing, drying and bottling your harvest can keep fruit and vegetables for several months
Some vegetables (such as parsnips) do not store well and are better kept in the ground.
Use natural tools to make growing vegetables easier
There are plenty of ways in which you can work with nature to help cultivate your crops successfully. For example, you can plant basil next to tomatoes to help ward off whitefly or you can use nasturtiums to lure aphids away from your runner beans, Clever planting schemes can deter pests or lure beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings on to your plot. Some plants can even be used as structural support for others.
Deterring pests
Simply by planting a row of strong-smelling plants next to a row of vulnerable vegetables, you can ward off many pests (such as carrot root fly, white fly and aphids). Carrot root fly can smell carrots from up to a mile away. But If you plant alliums (such as leeks, onions or garlic) near your carrots, this masks their sweet, carroty smell. Alliums also deter slugs. So try growing salad leaf crops (such as lettuce and rocket) amongst them. Further, alliums prevent fungal infections. So a row of onions planted near strawberries helps to prevent the strawberries from developing mould.
Basil and marigolds act as a natural insect repellent when planted amongst tomatoes, helping to ward off whitefly. Similarly, a row of nasturtiums planted amongst beans attracts aphids away from your crop. This is because nasturtiums are more appealing to aphids than beans, so the pests will always go for their favored treat if there’s the option to do so.
The following plants help deter pests from your crop:
Basil – wards off whitefly when planted amongst tomatoes
Nasturtium – attracts aphids away from beans
Alliums – confuse carrot fly and protect against slug damage
Lavender – confuses pests
Nettles – attract cabbage white butterflies, keeping them away from brassica crops
Beneficial insects
Planting brightly colored flowers near your crops will attract a wide range of insects to the area. More bees visiting your plot will result in more pollination of your vegetable blooms and therefore lead to bigger yields. Attracting ladybugs and lacewings to your crop will also help reduce damage from aphids. The predators will lay their eggs on your crops. These will hatch into larvae which can each eat up to 150 aphids per day.
The following flowers and herbs are ideal for attracting beneficial insects to your crop:
Candytuft
Cilantro
Sunflower
Lavender
Echinacea (or Purple Coneflower)
Phacelia
Buckwheat
Support network
Using certain crops to help others is another great way to ensure success in your vegetable garden. The traditional ‘three sisters’ approach involves planting a bed with sweet corn, beans and squash plants (such as pumpkin and zucchini) all growing together. Each plant provides natural shelter and protection for the other. The large leaves of the squash plants shade the sweet corn’s roots from sunlight. They also act as a natural mulch by suppressing weeds and preventing moisture from evaporating from the soil’s surface. The tall stems of the sweet corn provide a sturdy support for the beans to climb up. In turn, the beans fix nitrogen into the soil, which benefits both the sweet corn and the squash plants.
Other sturdy plants (such as Jerusalem artichokes) can provide shelter from wind for vulnerable crops. You could also try growing spinach between fava bean plants (the fava beans will offer protection from slugs and wind damage) or grow cabbage seedlings amongst leeks to hide them from pigeons.
Summary
Use strong-smelling vegetables such as alliums (onions and garlic) and herbs (rosemary and basil) to confuse pests and prevent them from attacking your crop
Attract beneficial insects to your vegetable plot by planting flowers and herbs (such as candytuft and cilantro)
Build a support network - use larger vegetables to protect smaller plants and seedlings by acting as a wind block or as a climbing support
Grow vegetables in different areas of your garden each year to keep them healthy and combat pests
The sight of large fields full of one type of crop ripening in the sun may now be a quintessential part of the countryside, but this mass-production method of cultivating a single species has long been known to cause problems:
Large groups of the same crop make an easy target for pests. For this reason, non-organic commercial growers feel compelled to spray the whole area with pesticides.
Soil nutrients are depleted when the ground is occupied by a large number of the same type of plant. This problem is compounded if the ground is used for the same crop next season – often the soil becomes so impoverished that artificial fertilizers are needed.
Soil subjected to the same mechanical processes year after year will inevitably become compacted.
While the gardener won’t be growing as intensively as the farmer, these problems may also be encountered on a smaller scale. You may see a drop in plant health and productivity if crops are grown in the same spot for many years.
To avoid these pitfalls, adopt a crop rotation plan. The principle is straightforward enough – the same vegetables should not be planted in the same place year after year. As a system of organic gardening, crop rotation has many advantages:
It lessens the need for pest control
The soil structure is maintained
You reduce the spread of soil-borne disease
It avoids nutrient depletion in the soil
How Crop Rotation Works
The idea is simply to divide your growing space into a number of distinct areas, identify the crops you want to grow and then keep plants of the same type together in one area. Every year the plants grown in each given area are changed, so that each group (with its own requirements, habits, pests and diseases) can have the advantage of new ground.
As a rule of thumb, crop rotation schemes tend to run for at least three or four years, as this is the number of years it takes for most soil-borne pests and diseases to decline to harmless levels. If your beds are divided into four groups, this means that members of each plant family won’t occupy the same spot more than once in a four-year period. You may also wish to set aside a permanent bed for perennial vegetables which won’t factor in you rotation plan (such as soft fruit, rhubarb, asparagus and globe artichoke).
The traditional advice is well intentioned, but also flawed. It recommends that you divide crops into four main groups as follows:
Legumes: Bush, pole, snap, fava and dry beans, peas
Root vegetables: radish, carrot, potato, onion, garlic, beet, rutabaga, sweet potato, shallots
Leafy greens: spinach, chard, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach
Fruit-bearing: tomato, corn, cucumber, squash, pumpkin, eggplant
Limitations of the Traditional Method of Crop Rotation
Whilst it is certainly beneficial to move crops around, this practice on its own is somewhat hit and miss. What's more, such simplified groups don't tell the whole story, as the growth habit (i.e. root, fruit, leaf etc) does not bear on the classification of the plant. For instance, although they appear radically different, potato and tomato are in fact members of the same family. According to the traditional scheme one could follow the other, but since they are so closely related, they will attract the same pests and use-up the same nutrients from the soil. To avoid this type of confusion, our garden planning tool uses a more sophisticated classification system which is convenient color-coded for ease of use:
| Symbol | Crop Family | Background | Plants in this Family |
|
| Brassicas | Light green | Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, all varieties of cabbage, kohl rabi, cauliflower, kale, mizuna, pak choi, radish, arugula, rutabaga, turnip |
|
| Legumes | Light blue | Snap peas, peas, bush, pole, lima, fava and dry beans |
|
| Solanaceae | Yellow | Eggplant, potato, tomato, peppers |
|
| Alliums | Lilac | Garlic, all varieties of onion, shallot, chive, leek |
|
| Umbeliferae | Orange | Celery, celeriac, cilantro, fennel, carrot, parsnip, parsley, dill |
|
| Cucurbits | Salmon | Summer and Winter squash, cucumber, melon, pumpkin |
|
| Chenopodiaceae | Pink | Swiss chard, spinach, beet |
|
| Miscellaneous | Grey | All fruit, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, basil, lettuce, endive, cress, Jerusalem artichoke, corn, asparagus, okra, corn salad, chicory |
These categories offer greater flexibility, and allow a wider permutation of crops grown over the seasons. For instance, the more basic plan would rule out beetroot or turnip following potato, although they are in fact from unrelated families. In addition, our planner allows you to look back over five years of your plot’s history, warning you when you try to re-sow the same crop too soon, and making it easier to design a longer rotation plan.
If you are stuck, or have empty spaces in your plan, plant non-rotation crops. Some vegetables are not prone to soil-borne disease, which means that they don't need to be part of your rotation plan. You can therefore sow plants from the Miscellaneous group (grey) wherever you have free space. Members of the Chenopodiaceae (pink) family, such as beetroot and spinach are also relatively unproblematic, and can follow most other crops.
Taking Things Further – Planning the Order of Crop Rotation
Brassicas follow legumes: Sow crops such as cabbage, cauliflower and kale on soil previously used for beans and peas. The latter fix nitrogen in the soil, whilst the former benefit from the nutrient-rich conditions thus created. Potatoes also love nitrogen-rich soil, but should not be planted alongside brassicas as they like different pH levels.
Very rich soil and roots don't mix: Avoid planting root vegetables on areas which have been heavily fertilized, as this will cause lush foliage at the expense of the edible parts of the plant. Sow parsnip on an area which has housed demanding crops (such as brassicas) the previous season, since they will have broken down the rich compounds.
Example of a Four-bed Rotation
| Area 1 | Enrich area with compost and plant potatoes and tomatoes (Solanaceae). When crop has finished sow onions or leeks (Allium) for an overwinter crop. |
| Area 2 | Sow parsnips, carrot, parsley (Umbeliferae). Fill gaps with lettuce and follow with a soil-enriching green manure during winter. |
| Area 3 | Grow cabbage, kale, arugula (Brassicas) during the summer and follow with winter varieties of cabbage and Brussels sprouts. |
| Area 4 | If this is your second or subsequent year, harvest the onions or leeks previously growing here over winter. Then sow peas and beans (legumes). When harvest has finished, lime the soil for brassicas which will move from area three to occupy the space next. |
Summary
Crop rotation is a method of organic pest-control which reduces the build-up of soil borne disease.
Members of any given family should not be grown in the same spot for more than one year.
Vegetables from different groups can share a plot if they require the same conditions.
Perennial varieties and those from the miscellaneous group need not feature in a rotation plan.
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