comfussed.com

I am very confused at the moment. I have my first bed almost made. I thought I had a handle of all this SFG thing. Now I know I haven't
I wrote out (please don't laugh, oh go on then QUIETLY!) all the veg I want to grow for my autumn bed. Then I was told you can't have two of the same group of crops together. I can't work it out.
I would like to have:-[list][cabbage french beans, carrots, parsnips, leeks, turnips, sprouts, kale garlic and cauliflower*] Help

I am not sure I am understanding you correctly. Who said you cannot have two of the same group of crops? And exactly what does that mean? I have cabbages and Brussels sprouts in the same bed and they are doing quite well.

Here is a list I turn to to advise on what not to plant with my crop in the bed.
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/hort/info/vegetables/companion.htm

FB, what do you mean that you can't have 2 of the same kind together?

You certainly CAN put together the cauliflower, garlic, leeks, cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts. The are 'cool' weather crops and the onions/garlic will help protect from pests. Carrots go with pretty much everything, and like water. I don't know about parsnips and turnips.

I think what you want is a compatibility chart. You can find those online, and there is some information in the SFG book.

Growing zones don't matter. What you want to know is if they are friendly or not.

BTW, I LOVE FRENCH BEANS! HARICOTS RULE! I want some seeds this year!

I find that beans like water and heat. Do you have a cool weather variety?

That's a great site. Thank you for posting. I think confused.com is referring to the book in which it says not to put more than one square of the same thing in a bed so that the bugs don't get all of that crop. By spreading it out to different beds it confuses the bugs and you're less likely to loss everything. I also got hung up on this too because I was going to plant 2 squares of bush beans, 2 squares of waxed beans and 2 of peas but because I read that I only put one of each.

Hi everyone. I am sure I read on here today, been reading past posts; that I can't plant say 2 squares of carrots if the beds touch each other. and its best not to have 2 of the same type of veg i.e. brassicas together. Ive been sat here with a headache trying to work it all out. Hence the paper square all over the floor

thanks for the link Ca mpri Ive just downloaded it

Wait! Don't Stress! Let's have a virtual beer then continue...
Bottoms Up, Ok then. Yes if you go by the book it says on page 112 to plant each adjoining square foot with a different crop.
But You are the designer here. The book gives several reasons but in the end you decide what to do. Mel's reasons:
1-It prevents you from overplanting any one particular plant.
2-It allows you to stagger your harvest by planting one sf this weekand another of the same crop in two weeks or so.
3-It promotes conservation, companion planting, crop rotation, and allows better plant hygiene and reduced pest problems.
4-It helps to improve your growing soil 3 times a year in very easy, small steps.
5-And his final reason? It looks pretty.

So there you have it. I have done it by the book most of the time, not always. This is suppose to be fun so don't work too hard at it. Stuff grows, bugs come and go, there is stuff to eat, sometimes stuff croaks anyway. Mother Nature doesn't cooperate.
You'll be fine!

Oh Im confused about that as well. Crop rotation. Ive just had a look at my garden before SFG bed is planted. I have an infestation of black ants was well as slugs and snails. and 2 courting foxes. The easy bit is sowing the seeds

Crop rotation is planting a square with something different for the next season. Often done to condition the soil. Not so much an issue with MM because you replenish the square with fresh fertilizer each time you remove a plant.

Is your garden wet? Do you water at night? Are you using soil or MM? Slugs and snails like it wet and the decay that comes with it. You want your seeds to be moist, but not soaked. I found my recycled 'cloches' helped a lot with using less water and speeding up germination when it was cool. You can see pics in the link of my signature.

Ava

Frenchbean wrote:Hi everyone. I am sure I read on here today, been reading past posts; that I can't plant say 2 squares of carrots if the beds touch each other. and its best not to have 2 of the same type of veg i.e. brassicas together. Ive been sat here with a headache trying to work it all out. Hence the paper square all over the floor

OK, Here is the deal......, don't over think it all..... You can do what ever your little heart desires with your garden...


I find that I prefer to plant like vegetables with like vegetables as their needs and pests are similar and I can deal with those as a group. For example, in this 4x6 bed each square is planted, 16 of cabbage, 4 of Brussels sprouts and 4 of cucumbers behind those.


Six eggplants all in a box.


Eight square of carrots. Four of beans on the left, four of chard on the right.

Oh that garden looks so nice! Mine is so far behind (of course since I started so late). I hope I actually get some harvest!

Of course her garden is wet. Have you seen what is happening in England this summer.

Courting foxes. Somehow I just can't picture this. Do you have a burrow nearby. Would a borrowed set of fox hounds do the trick.

Sorry my sense of humor got out of hand.

Kay

I am always obsessed with companion planting in the begining of the season when I make my first plantings. Then as squares clear I just throw whatever I want more of in the empty squares without considering companions and have had very good luck. Jut plant and try not to overthink (I know it's hard). But you will see it's going to turn out and you will something to harvest. Wishing you the best of luck.

There is something called 'inter planting' which runs counter-intuitive to SFG. Instead of keeping it in the box, you plant companions together and amongst each other...carrots growing among lettuce an onions, etc.

So a salad could be just part of a square! Definitely not grid planting, though.

Ava

I sure hope they aren't counter productive because I have been reading up on companion planting and I think the two of them, SFG and companion planting, would be a knock-out combination- but what do I know! I don't even have my garden in the ground yet!!

AVA I am confused enough already, I don't want to think about intercropping, maybe in a few years
Campn the foxes courting are noisy +++ wish they'd get a room. The trouble is I have a long narrow garden.Either side of me there are 2 gardens un loved , not used, weeds 6 ft high This is where the foxes live and tunnel under my garden To be honest Im loosing the will to live. My old way of growing veg in raised beds- well 5 inches off the ground have been flattened by the 2 of them frolicking around doing what foxes do. Bloody things have no consideration

The post I was reading was first timer over whelmed HELP. She was asking what I was thinking so I read on.
Hence my confusion.

Yes folks England has had the wettest few months in history I have been collecting 1.5litre bottles full of slugs and snails every and I mean EVERY night.
Today its 28 degrees. No wonder all of gardeners over here have lost the plot as well as all of our plants

My growing season is so short that there is no way I could get 3 crops rotated per square! I tend to plant several adjoining squares with the same veggie and just mix it up for the next season. This year is the first year that I am actually going to get a 2nd crop put into vacated squares. The potato blocks are being harvested and broccoli is going in for my fall crops. I always plant my beans in a row of squares just for ease of harvesting. My 'maters always go into the same squares because they need the trellises (no diseases yet so doing well - the septoria from last year is not an issue with this DROUGHT). Carrots get scattered under the tomatoes because, of course, "Carrots Love Tomatoes" (great book on companion planting)! Your garden is your own - do what you want and learn what works and what doesn't for you!

GG

Thanks Camprn, GG, IIama Momma Kay and everyone for helping a newbie. your all stars based one what I have read. My first ever SFG bed is see what you all think. Don't know how to get pics or diagrams on this site yet. So going 4x4 foot starting in the left hand corner going along and down again to the left hand corner. How many of you have I lost so far

Cabbage:French beans: French beans: Peas
Turnip: carrots: Parsnips: Leeks:
Brussel sprouts: Garlic: Carrot: Garlic 1/2 sq marigolds 1/2 sq
Cauliflower: Flower ? what: Spring onion: Parsnips

Haven't a clue about varieties.

How does this sound? Don't be shy to say its rubbish. Im learning with the help of all of you great people

Brussels sprout should go on the north side, they can get 3 ft tall. They take a long time to grow.

I'm no good at geography how do I know which is the north side?

Face the rising sun and north will be to the left. Do you have a compass?

The other thing would be to look at where you live on a map, the map will give you the orientation

I was taught "the sun rises in the East and sets in the West." That helped me.

Am I the only one who actually tried to browse to "comfussed.com"?