Autumn planting

I don't mind digging in the rain but if the ground gets too wet then you damage it by trampling over it. Please let it stop raining for a while. I still have my onions, garlic and broad beans to put in. Japanese onions can be put in now as they can cope with winter, other onions can't.
Also I've decided not to grow runner beans next year as I really don't like them. That frees up some ground for other stuff. My strawberries didn't do so well - too little rain and I didn't water enough and too much competition from weeds. I may grow them in pots in trays next year or not bother. My carrots did well though some of them were dug up and eaten but at least they left me most of them. At the allotment we have deer, badgers, pheasants, moles and lots of squirrels. I've started some digging but I should really have tried to get more done before the weather gets worse. Crop rotation is doing my head in as some group of plants take up sore space than others or stay in the ground longer. Just need to suss out where carrots are going next year and make sure I don't manure it as they hate it and it makes them fork.
I have some broccolli (well it's calabrese really) coming and have had some nice bits. My butternut squashes are colouring nicely and my Ukrainian pumpkins are enormous- will have to wheelbarrow them home. First year for my Autumn Bliss raspberries- v nice but not loads- possibly because it's the first year.
Still have one row of potatoes to dig up. Had quite a bit of scab again this year- it does affect the flavour. Think it means the ground is too limey and needs to be more acidic.

are you ready for ...crop rotation

On Tuesday I mentioned crop rotation and I will now attempt to tackle it. The purpose of rotating your crops is to help prevent the build up of pests and diseases and to stop the soil getting robbed of the same minerals repeatedly. Traditionally the ground would be divided leaving one section fallow(that is with no vegetables growing on it) but nowadays land is at a premium and we want to use it all.


I am going to descibe a three year crop rotation scheme. Divide your plot into three sections and your plants into three groups. Each year, each group will be moved to the next section. I am going to set out below which group I put which plant in. You only need to pick up a few gardening books to see that there is not whole scale agreement on which plant falls into which group. Anyway that's one of the things I love about gardening - it doesn't pretend there's only one correct answer all the time. So I'm just going to put down what i've done on my allotment.

In Plot A I grew:-
Potatoes,carrots,beetroots,parsnips,garlic, onions,shallots, leeks,lettuce,tomatoes, courgettes, marrows,courgettes,marrows, pumpkins cucumbers,

B..
Peas, french beans,runner,beans,broad beans,sweetcorn,swiss chard,lettuce,peppers


C..
Cabbages, Brussels sprouts, kale,broccoli,calabrese.

Just goggle Crop rotation or look at any good vegetable gardening books for where other vegetables fit in.
So basically start off in year one ABC then move each section on one space=BCA then third year =CAB till following year go back to ABC. Hope that makes sense.
In a small garden it's not really practical to rotate stuff. You can get away with stuff in the same place usually for a couple of years- but I wouldn't risk it with tomatoes. Just put tomatoes in growbags or long tom pots so it doesn't matter where you place them. I know someone who grew potaoes in strong refuse bags. More socialising today so bit tired so will sign off.