This post, 'My Potager -The Growing Scheme' was originally uploaded and written by Tyra at the blog Tyra's Garden http://waxholm.blogspot.com/
MY POTAGER - The growing season 2009
part 1. The Growing Scheme
The treasure chest with my seeds is now opened; it is time to start sowing my seeds. It’s certainly is a big moment for me, I have been waiting for so long. I have this perhaps ridiculous rule first that I’m not allowed to buy my seeds before New Year and secondly I have to wait until the 1st of February before I can sow them. You see when I start with the seeds very soon our veranda gets occupied by all the seedlings and let say that not all in the family enjoys it. This otherwise wonderful room with a view (sunny and south-east faceing, perfect for seedlings) gets absolutely cluttered with my babies and there will be to chance to have a nice lunch in there until… ops May.
This rule is quite good with because then I have plenty of time to plan my garden, make a plant chart a scheme over where and what I’m going to plant. It is important to have a rotation scheme when you are growing vegetables. Us I practise interplanting I have to think about which vegetable I’m going to plant with which, it’s a big and intricate puzzle which takes time.
I have to match the plants by at least these three basics:
Which temperature and how much sun they require.
Their root system if they are shallow or deep-rooted.
How much nutrition the plant demands.
Interplanting/intercropping has been practiced since ancient times by for example the Native Americans. Intercropping is the growing of two or more crops in proximity to promote interaction between them. I have written in a post from 2007 'Three sisters' about this mostly in Swedish I’m afraid.
Read more about this here: COMPANION PLANTING CHART FOR HOME & MARKET GARDENING.
Three sisters –The Aztec Myth text from ATTRA
“Three Sisters” emerged from the Iroquois creation myth. It was said that the earth began when “Sky Woman” who lived in the upper world peered through a hole in the sky and fell through to an endless sea. The animals saw her coming, so they took the soil from the bottom of the sea and spread it onto the back of a giant turtle to provide a safe place for her to land. This “Turtle Island” is now what we call North America. Sky woman had become pregnant before she fell. When she landed, she gave birth to a daughter. When the daughter grew into a young woman, she also became pregnant (by the West wind). She died while giving birth to twin boys. Sky Woman buried her daughter in the “new earth.” From her grave grew three sacred plants—corn, beans, and squash. These plants provided food for her sons, and later, for all of humanity. These special gifts ensured the survival of the Iroquois people.
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I hope you found this interesting - please do write and tell me if you got any tips and ideas about Intercropping and Companion planting.
Don't be a stranger- write something.
TYRA
46 comments:
Tyra, you put a lot of time and thought into your potager. I love your map, functional and charming;)
As to tips and ideas to share. Have you read up on 'square foot gardening'? A very interesting concept which combines growing the maximum crop in the minimum space and combining plants that grow well when closely planted.
I really enjoyed your post.
Marnie
You are so much more organized than I am. I just end up plopping stuff into the vegatable garden and I can tell you, my vegetable garden has not been that stellar.
I love your map too. I can't wait to see how your potager evolves over the growing season!
Men Tyra, vilken potager! Och ritningen är ju som ett konstverk! Lycka till med alla sådder nu, och bry dig inte om att det blir trångt! /Ruben
Hejsan Tyra!
Din skiss/planering ser verkligen proffsig ut!
Även jag satsar i år 25 kvm åt vacker köksträdgård - smak åt alla sinnen (nåja, inga så där flotta planeringar som du har - "målar" lite så där expressionistiskt - hihhii!)
mvh, Anja
I love your plan. I havent started to think about sowing yet as it has been too cold and I dont want to have to heat my greenhouse too much. I think in a week or so I should be Ok to get going. I have planned my little veggie patch so I can have succession crops and I am going to try interplanting as well
Hi Tyra, I love your garden map, it's very inspiring. My plans haven't progressed beyond the what to plant when stage. I rotate according to plant families and lay things out according to height, but don't organize much beyond that.
Hi Marnie, thank you, yes I do put a lot of time to it but I do love it!
Instead of sitting in front of the TV a do thing like that plan :-)
Hi sweetbay and thank you for your nice comment, I'm not always that organized, but this is fun!
Welcome back later then.
xoxo Tyra
Anja och Ruben.
Tack, kul att ni gillade min ritning. Jag kan ju bara inte låta bli. Har ju ständigt så många idéer, en plan över vad man skall göra är i alla fall riktigt bra att ha.Sedan hur det blir är en annan sak.
Visioner, visioner!
Haha...
Ha det gott/ Tyra
Hi Michelle, well I have started with the plan and the tomatoes, too many of course...but it is so exciting! I will show you in a post later on.
Hi Michelle I'm so glad that you think I'm inspiring and also that you liked my scheme. It was fun to make, I made one in colour first but (nej) no I like this kind of monochrome better.
Take Care xoxo Tyra
A lovely post, Tyra. Enjoy this special time and since I don't sow seeds, I'll enjoying catching up on your progress. You're inclusion of the Native American (part of my heritage) Turtle Island legand was delightful ~ I'm writing a novel (Under the Strawberry Moon) based on the 13 moons represented by the large scutes on the turtle's back. With near record-breaking 58 temp here today, spring is near!
Joey, how very exciting!
Under the Strawberry Moon...hm will it be an 'Under the Tuscan Sun?' perhaps with some recipes?
I'm looking farward to that one.
xoxo Tyra
My little vegegable garden is so boring comparing to a potager garden. I really should remember to interplant more. I am not sure wheter it is folk lore or not but these plants are said to befit from planting together.
Carrot and Onions: Onions is said to deter the carrotfly, while carrots seems to deter onionflies.
Peas and cabbage do not do well next to onions. But peas and beans do well next to potatoes. The potatoes will benefit fron the nitrogen-fixating abilities of these.
Plant tagetes with potatoes to deter potato-nematodes
Quite a puzzle, but then again - after you have sowed the seedlings there is time, since it still winter here.
Hej Niels and thank you for all the good information.
It is quite clever this companion planting when you think of it.
Puzzles and plans are both good for you, it is so very exciting to see the results...you never knows how it all will end.
Tyra
I really enjoyed the story. I knew of three sisters but not where it came from. It is was great.
Hej Tyra! Jag bara njuter av dina inlägg. De är så lärorika, trevliga och vackra. Vilken härlig trägdgård du måste ha. Det är inte så långt till Vaxholm från Täby, så jag kanske kan få komma och titta nå´n gång?
Kram Eva Linnea (Häxor&Änglar)
Hi Tina yes it is nice with myths and legends I think. I glad you enjoyed it.
Eva Linnea visst det är ju praktiskt taget krypavstånd. Men det får bli när det är varmt och skönt.
Take care my friend/ Tyra
Enjoyed reading 'The Three Sisters'. And I'm so impressed with the way you plan. Keeping in mind the three basics was interesting.
I'm doing more companion planting too, including a three sisters garden. I love how so many plants help one another if you just let them.
I love your little treasure chest. An old wooden box just seems appropriate for seeds.
Hi Kanak Oh...I'm please thhat I could impress you :-)
It is always good to have a plan, a vision and then if the result is not what I aimed for at least the plan was good!
Hi Daphne glad to hear that you pratice the same method in growing veggies.
The wooden box is really great for the seeds and I think it is pretty even if it is old and very worn. I geniune 'chabby chic' :-)
Take care/ Tyra
oj oj vilken vacker teckning.
*Det ordnar sig nog med platsen skall du se. Hos mig är allting bra fram till midsommar sedan blir det lite trångt här och där.
Fast med din planering blir det nog bra. Jag har det bara i huvudet.
Läste om ditt badrum engång till och tänkte Där skulle jag vilja ligga och värma mig och känna doften från havet. Det är så fint.
Man känner faktiskt doften av hav när man ser det.
Du har verkligen bra smak och tålamod som målade det så många gånger - lackade var det visst ..
Ha det gott
Annika
Hejsan Annika och tack tack.Kul att du gillade den.
Mitt badrum ja, det gillar jag verkligen med. Jag är en stornjutare av heta, doftade och otroligt avslappnande bad.
Speciellt skönt är det efter en dag i trädgården när man är helt slut och hela kroppen verken.
Blub blub in my tub tub
mvh Tyra
Det var en seriös planering! Och vilken snygg ritning- den kan du ju rama in och sätta upp på väggen när du har planterat färdigt. Stiligt värre! :-)
Tack André - rama in haha :-)
Wonderful story about the three sisters Tyra. Its the first time I've heard of it. I love your seed chest and your plant chart. What a fun way to spend a winters night or day, planning out the garden. By not growing vegetables, I'm missing out on lots of things (the fun of planning, the eating, etc.)aren't I? I totally get the seedlings taking over once sowing begins. That happens at my house too (with flowers tho). Once it's time to actually plant them outside, I'm SO glad to get my home back!! Happy sowing...
Tyra,
I like this post a lot! What a wonderful plan... and the rules make good organizing sense. Gail
This is amazing! You've put so much thought into this. I dont plan everything out like you do. I have the main plants growing, then I think, "I wish I had a bit of this too" and so I get the seeds for those. Then, "I think there's space for this too". and so on.
One thing I try out is to plant things like marigold on the periphery. Certain chemicals in this is supposed to repel insects. I read about this somewhere and have tried it the last couple of times.
Hi Kathleen it is a geat story isn't it and it makes sence.
The plant chart was certainly fun to make and a bit intresting to see the difference each growing season.
Take care my friend/ Tyra
Hi Gail yes the rules...it is a love/hate thing, like most rules they are quite good, they make sense. It's the same with the plan ofcourse I'm not fanatic about it.
Growing veggies are fun and wonderful.
xoxo Tyra
Hi Sunita, thank you. I do have a lot of Marigolds in the potager and sometimes I just grow them as green fretilizer.
I have grown Marigolds since I was a kid and I think it reminds me of my happy childhood in my grandma's garden.
Take care Tyra
Sounds like you have a good plan. I know about having so many seedlings around and the rest of the family not being too understanding. Good luck with all your seedlings.
Jan
Always Growing
Voi, voi....vilken otroligt snygg planering du har över potagern...Rena konstverket ju..du får rama in den och hänga den i växthuset...
Jag ska ju "börja om" och försöka göra nåt potagerliknande runt växthuset nu sen jag flyttade det i fjol...och ha fast odlingsbäddar så kanske det är lönt att försöka planer..Hittills har jag haft en bit åker som jag slitit som ett djur med att i ordningställa varje vår och har fått så allteftersom jorden blivit såbar..dvs knappt en enda tanke bakom..bara hårt arbetet...
Vilken fin ritning du åstadkommit! Jag börjar alltid med en plan, men på något sätt så händer saker och ting och plötsligt så har jag skapat en helt ny ritning i huvudet - önskar att jag var lite mer disciplinerad.
Kram Randi
Hej! Jag har en utmaning till dig inne hos mig på CinderELLA. Ta den om du har lust och tycker det är kul. Annars kan du ju lära känna mig lite mer.
Kram Eva Linnea
Oj, vad snyggt du gör din planering!
Det är kanske så man borde göra, i stället för att tänka ritningen i huvudet bara :)
Det låter väldigt sunt att ockupera
verandan, tycker jag. Är det inte så vi alla gör, ockuperar en del av huset till våra krukor, hihihi.
Jag gillar dina fina frökista oxå.
Din historia var intressant att läsa.
Ha en fortsatt bra vecka!
Kram Mari i Marieholm
Hi Jan and thank you, sometimes I feel a bit sorry for the family to live with me in this 'crowded house'...it's a pop group from downunder isn't it?
xoxo Tyra
Hejsan Tesa, mej öj va kul! Tänk det blir ju jättekul att få planera från scratch. En bit åker skulle jag verkligen vilja ha så man kunde odla allt man behöver :-)
Lycka till Tesa!
kram Tyra
Hejsan Mari och tack så hemst mycket för din fina kommentar.
Vi är nog små ockupanter hihi
kram Tyra
It's great to see that you plan so meticulously and what more, you have the will in you by not falling to temptations! So truly said - intercropping helps the plants and is a best way to utilize the resources efficiently.
Hi Chandramouli and thanks. Well said about intercropping.
I am fairly new to veggie gardening and this post was well timed. I am making three raised beds this season. Thanks for the great links for companion planting. :)
Hej Tyra!
Spännande att glänta på locket till den magiska lådan!
Jag försöker som du att vänta ett tag med sådderna ....det vill ju rätt snabbt bli överfullt i drivkammaren... men nu finns ingen återvändo!
/Janne
Hi Racquel, oh you will love it and raised bed are perfect. Glad you enjoyed 'the companion planting' link. Do try it.
Tyra
Hejsan Janne, visst härligt det är att äntligen får skita ner händerna lite :-) De har varit alldeles för rena hela långa vintern.
Tyra
What an impressive plan Tyra. It looks so meticulous and detailed - a work of art. I still have to draw up my allotment plans for this year and finish seed buying. You have encouraged me to get a move on :)
Your map is beautiful in its own right.
Lucy
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