It might seem a little soon to be doing this, but if you have the odd free evening huddled in front of the fire then have a think about how you want to design your veg patch for next spring so that you can get everything you need ready like raised beds and wigwams. This is true both if you’re starting a veg patch from scratch or if you’re planting up an existing plot.
It doesn’t take a lot of time, and if you follow the questions below then you should quickly have a fairly good idea of what’s what which will make things so much easier in the new year.
- Will you be growing in pots/containers or raised beds?
- How much growing space do you have?
- With growing space and bed types in mind, how much can you grow and which plants are best suited to your plot?
- Of these plants, which do you actually WANT to grow (and eat)?!
- Do you want to grow year round? If so, make sure in each bed you leave a little extra space free for new additions to be planted in the autumn. Or have a back up plan for extra grow bags or containers.
- How will you divide the plants up? If you’re growing in raised beds you might want to consider crop rotation. It’s also wise to group plants by families so that you can look after all the brassicas in one way and all your root veg in another (for example)
It’s a good idea to sketch out a little garden plan so that it’s all clear in your mind. We’re putting together some helpful garden layouts at the moment as well, so these will be on hand to help you in early spring as well. A bit of planning will really help you make a success of your veg plot, and it’s quite a therapeutic thing to do on a cold winters night!