Mairin's Journal

Sound unnecessarily complicated to me Mairin! Johnplotman is probably your best bet. I read in Gardener's world magazine that they will have a 'Grow your own Year Planner' in the January issue. Thats probably more or less what she is talking about.

what was the cropping plan about.was it about where to plant it or about when to plant it

Thats plan could be for remembering where you all plant,and then next year you can svap beds.Don't plant same vegetables in same vegge bed every year.Maybe like it...

 But thats not for you little garden.

That will all come under crop rotation Mairin.If they are left in the same place year after year the food source from the ground will be taken away.You must upset the different  food source of the garden pests to rid them.If they are allowed to eat in the same area year after year then you wont have a visit from a big family of pests but from double that amount treble the following year.When all gets out of control you wont have to put up just with that but the goodness of one veg helps another.Legunes for example draw atmospheric pressure from the light and send it down to the ground through the root nodules.They feed the ground for the next crop.That is some of what crop rotation does to the ground. 

Milkchurns, I don't know what the cropping plan is - she just said to start one!  And on graph paper which I haven't seen since leaving cert.  Sat there, struck dumb.  Hoped Google would provide immediate answer. 

John, is the chart divided into different areas first, then within each area, over a 12 month period, x veg is grown in it or maybe not 12 months but say 9 months?  I wonder will the Gardeners World Jan issue give me more help.

Liga, I will need to do this as I am getting a drill from the in-laws at the back of their house next year and the offer of as many more as I want.  However, I am starting small as I don't want to end up with pests all over the place because of my stupidity.  

Mairin you are correct about the area.When you draw it up or sketch out a plan for the amount of beds you will need,then number them and add a fourth bed that will not be rotated.Rhubarb for example will be put there.About the 12 or 9 months,the longer you keep them from the same area the better.That is why the likes of potatoes will not go back to the same bed until the 4th year.If it were the size of a matchbox or up to a football field all will go on the same principle.

Pests all over place,,ha,ha, won't be so bad Mairin:))