a rough guide to growing vegetables
Introduction
We aim to provide basic information about what to grow, when and how, in an easy to understand way. The information provided here is intended for people without or with very little experience of growing fruit and vegetables on allotments. Because of the variation in climate between different parts of the UK, the information based on our experience of growing fruit and vegetables in Norwich may not be applicable to other areas. Please feel free to use the information for personal, non-commercial purposes. We will keep updating and improving both the quality and content of these pages on a continuous basis. Please send us your comments with suggestions for improvements.
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Plant Family
Most of the vegetables we grow in the UK belong to 5 plant families. The idea is to avoid growing the same crop on the same plot year after year. By following a strict crop rotation practice (see below), we can improve the health of our plot. For information about plant families, please click on the picture.
Crop Rotation
Crop rotation is a technique for growing vegetables belonging to one plant family on different plots each year. The most common practice is to have a four year crop rotation, that is to grow the same crop planted on plot 1 in year 1 every 4 years. For more information about crop rotation sequence, please click on the picture.
Planning Your Plot
This leaflet is designed for those using a raised bed. It shows how a small plot (6 x 1.20 meters) can be divided into mini sections to practise crop rotation. Based on our experience, we recommend that a plot of this size is sufficient for beginners to get the hang of growing vegetables.
Sowing/Planting Techniques
How much space is required to grow vegetables? This leaflet tells you about techniques for growing vegetables and the number of plants you can grow on one square metre area. You will be surprised to find out how little space you need to grow some salad.
Growing Vegetables: A Rough Guide
As the name suggests, this leaflet is intended to give you a basic idea about what to grow, when and how. The most commonly grown vegetables in the UK are grouped into three categories, illustrating the level of difficulty through using a traffic light symbol. It is recommended that those without any previous experience of growing vegetables start with the “green” category to avoid disappointment.
Monthly Calendar
Vegetable growing depends entirely on the weather pattern and season unless we use high tech temperature-controlled greenhouses. So the amount of time required for gardening is very seasonal. Based on the analysis of the UK weather pattern, the most busy months are April to September. This monthly guide tells you about what you should be doing each month in order to keep your garden in a good shape and to get a steady supply of fresh produce.
Useful Web Sites
Here is a list of selected websites that provide information on organic gardening, organic seeds and organic pest control.