Allotment Vegetable Growing
Planning for 2005 Part
4
What to Grow? - Legumes
Peas were one of the earliest crops cultivated and are pretty much still
a staple of the western diet. The entire family of
legumes is important in that they provide a valuable source of protein
and in a rotation help add valuable nutrient to the soil.
On the roots of legumes are small nodules in which
live bacteria that have the ability to fix nitrogen
from the air. This in turn feeds the plant so helping
the bacteria.
Last year we grew 4 teepees of runner beans on Plot 29, Bed1. They provided
about twice what we needed so this year just 2 teepees of runner beans.
I am also going to try growing climbing French beans so that’s back
to 4 teepees. Effectively a 14’ square.
Dwarf French beans were pretty spotty last year, back to the bad weather.
Peas did fairly well but I grew a tall growing variety and the netting
I set up to hold them blew over. Stronger supports this year.
Broad Beans – I don’t know why but I always seem to do OK
with broad beans. I don’t bother with autumn sowings. Not really
found much benefit so stick with a fairly early sowing in late February
or early March.
I think the broad beans will go onto plot 5 and I'll use Bed 2 on plot
29 for the climbing beans and peas. I know these
will be following on from field beans but I don't
think it will do any harm.
This leaves the plots looking like this:-
Plot 29 Interim Plan
Plot 5 Interim Plan
Planning the Plot (for 2005)
Allotment
Planning Pt 1
Previous crops on the allotments
Allotment
Planning Pt
2
Plot dimensions and horse tail problems
Allotment
Planning Pt
3
The potato order
Allotment
Planning Pt
4
Legumes into the rotation
Allotment
Planning Pt
5
Root crops and the plan finished
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