What veg grows best together?

Doric-Daisy · February 2021

New to veg growing this year and I’m now the proud owner of 2 raised beds and LOTS of packets of seeds 😀 I want to try growing carrots, parsnips, broccoli, spinach, onions, salad leaves and french beans. Does it make any difference how I split them up between the beds, or will some combinations work better than others? Also will these actually grow in NE Scotland?

Obelixx · February 2021

First of all you need to knw about crop rotation because different groups of plants need different levels of nutrients and organic matter in the soil to do well. For example, if the soil is too rich or if it's stony, carrots and parsnips will fork. If there isn't enough lime, brassicas are more likely to get a problem called club root which inhibits growth.

Luckily for you there's helpful info here https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=124 and here https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/planning your planting

Then there's the question of spacing - broccoli will take up a lot of space per plant but onions won't. Salad leaves can often be grown as a fast crop between things like parsnips which take longer to grow and are harvested in autumn.

There is a BBC programme called the Beechgrove Garden which is based in Aberdeen and they use all sorts of tricks like polytunnels and cloches to protect crops, warm up the ground, grow on into winter so make sure you watch that when it starts, usually around Easter. BBC Scotland in the week and repeated BBC2 Sunday morning. They also have factsheets you can download from their website and a Facebook page with info which is updated by the gardeners.

healthexperts919 · February 2021

Practically through our growing experience, we know that it's possible to grow them with a distance of around 8 to 9 inches apart. They have to be in rows of only single veg that you chose in that row. For instance, in a row where you grow onion, do not add any other veg seedling. Leave one whole row of single veg then leave the gap of 8 to 9 inches. When you see a farmland in pictures you could clearly see how they grow only one veg in a row. That's exactly how we can do it.

In theory by online experts, we learn that their suggestions vary based on their experiences or knowledge. I've seen some say 18 to 36 inches, 24-30 cm & some also mention about 24 inches apart.

I would say keep in mind the size of your raised beds first. You will get an idea about distance. Secondly once you will grow them and see how they and their roots spread you will be a champ

All the best !

Let us know how it goes

robairdmacraignil · February 2021

I've read that carrots and onions go well growing near to each other. The roots take up different portions of the soil so they don't adversely take from each others resources that much and the root fly pests of both are said to be confused by the smell from the other crop.

Nollie · February 2021

I have six large beds for veg. Not everyone’s plan is the same and not all the following will be pertinent (and some things like peppers, toms etc. may not grow outdoors where you are, whereas I can’t grow parsnips and don’t grow many brassicas) but here is my rotation/growing plan to give you an idea. Groupings are according to type/what grows well together. Plus some notes at the end of what not to grow together. Hope this is helpful and not too much information!

Veg Garden Rotation Plan 2021

6 bed annual rotation scheme. Crops in bed 1 rotate to bed 2 the following year, crops in bed 2 rotate to bed 3 etc.

1. ALLIUMS & UMBELLIFERS

Garlic (local, early feb)

Onions

Chives

Baby Round* Carrots (alliums mask smell of carrots to carrot fly)

(Mid-late crop) Leeks

2. SOLNACAE

(Early crop) Spinach

Aubergines

Sweet Peppers

Tomatoes

+ Basil

3. BEETS AND BRASSICA LEAVES

Beetroot

Chard

Brassica Leaves (rocket, mustard greens, mizuna)

Radishes

4. CURCUBITS & CORN

(Early crop) Lettuce /Spinach

Courgette

Cucumber

Sweetcorn (planted in a block, not a line, to aid wind pollination)

5. LEGUMES

Broad Beans

Sugar Snap Pea Norli/Mange Tout dous de m??

+ Lettuce

(Mid-Late crop) Phacelia green manure

6. POTATOES (also a Solanaceae)

Salad Potatoes (Pink Fir, Left row, Charlotte, Middle & Right row

(Late crop) Lettuce/Spinach and main Brassicas (Kale, broccoli etc.)

——————————————————-

Bad combinations -one group inhibits growth of their neighbour so always grow in separate beds:

Alliums and Legumes

Brassicas (inc brassica salad leaves/radishes) and spinach

Potatoes and Tomatoes

Curcubits and Potatoes

Potatoes and tomatoes (even though they are both Solanaceae) are the most troublesome plants for cross-contamination of diseases, e.g. blight, viruses.

Alliums are especially bad for beans (exhude antibiotic compound from roots that inhibit bean growth)

Annual Companion Flowers and Aromatics:

Grown to attract pollinators, as a sacrificial crop to attract pests away from crops and/or to deter pests by masking the smell of the crop.

Nasturtiums -sacrificial crop, e.g. to divert black fly from beans

Marigolds - great for masking the smell of crops from pests

Basil - grown with tomatoes

Aromatics like rosemary, thyme, lavender, fennel, mint are best grown in pots or separate beds nearby as they are perennials that like to grow in poor gritty soil, not the enriched soil and heavy watering areas of annual vegetable crops. Plus some are invasive and/or growth inhibitors to annual vegetables.

Also keep any perennial vegetables (e.g. artichoke, asparagus), fruit bushes and trees separate from the annual veg beds.

Doric-Daisy · February 2021

Nollie said:

I have six large beds for veg. Not everyone’s plan is the same and not all the following will be pertinent (and some things like peppers, toms etc. may not grow outdoors where you are, whereas I can’t grow parsnips and don’t grow many brassicas) but here is my rotation/growing plan to give you an idea. Groupings are according to type/what grows well together. Plus some notes at the end of what not to grow together. Hope this is helpful and not too much information!

Veg Garden Rotation Plan 2021
6 bed annual rotation scheme. Crops in bed 1 rotate to bed 2 the following year, crops in bed 2 rotate to bed 3 etc.

1. ALLIUMS & UMBELLIFERS
Garlic (local, early feb)
Onions
Chives
Baby Round* Carrots (alliums mask smell of carrots to carrot fly)
(Mid-late crop) Leeks

2. SOLNACAE
(Early crop) Spinach
Aubergines
Sweet Peppers
Tomatoes
+ Basil

3. BEETS AND BRASSICA LEAVES
Beetroot
Chard
Brassica Leaves (rocket, mustard greens, mizuna)
Radishes

4. CURCUBITS & CORN
(Early crop) Lettuce /Spinach
Courgette
Cucumber
Sweetcorn (planted in a block, not a line, to aid wind pollination)

5. LEGUMES
Broad Beans
Sugar Snap Pea Norli/Mange Tout dous de m??
+ Lettuce
(Mid-Late crop) Phacelia green manure

6. POTATOES (also a Solanaceae)
Salad Potatoes (Pink Fir, Left row, Charlotte, Middle & Right row
(Late crop) Lettuce/Spinach and main Brassicas (Kale, broccoli etc.)
——————————————————-
Bad combinations -one group inhibits growth of their neighbour so always grow in separate beds:
Alliums and Legumes
Brassicas (inc brassica salad leaves/radishes) and spinach
Potatoes and Tomatoes
Curcubits and Potatoes
Potatoes and tomatoes (even though they are both Solanaceae) are the most troublesome plants for cross-contamination of diseases, e.g. blight, viruses.
Alliums are especially bad for beans (exhude antibiotic compound from roots that inhibit bean growth)

Annual Companion Flowers and Aromatics:
Grown to attract pollinators, as a sacrificial crop to attract pests away from crops and/or to deter pests by masking the smell of the crop.
Nasturtiums -sacrificial crop, e.g. to divert black fly from beans
Marigolds - great for masking the smell of crops from pests
Basil - grown with tomatoes
Aromatics like rosemary, thyme, lavender, fennel, mint are best grown in pots or separate beds nearby as they are perennials that like to grow in poor gritty soil, not the enriched soil and heavy watering areas of annual vegetable crops. Plus some are invasive and/or growth inhibitors to annual vegetables.
Also keep any perennial vegetables (e.g. artichoke, asparagus), fruit bushes and trees separate from the annual veg beds.

Brilliant, thanks so much that’s really helpful 😄

What veg grows best together?

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