You have great flexibility and many options for spacing plants efficiently and effectively. Aiming for the most production of food and foliage from any area, at any time.
Time is a big moving goalposts because some plants mature quickly and vacate space so you can group other parts quite closely towards them. Because you know that they won’t be there after a certain time.
This saves space and increases harvests.
It really helps that you grow No Dig because then fertility is stronger and weeds are fewer. This gives you a blank canvas to paste on at any time including by intercropping and overlapping plantings.
00:00 Introduction
00:12 Potatoes, with catch crop of turnips between
00:39 Spinach, soon to finish
00:53 Carrots, with a catch crop of radish
01:24 Cabbage, and problems with growing
01:39 The benefits of multisowing, with beetroot as an example
02:26 Lettuce plants, which will be interplanted with carrots, and why no dig helps with interplanting
03:14 Sweetcorn, with wide spacing
03:54 Cumin, planted between garlic
04:11 Multisown chard, and size options when growing
04:52 I demonstrate interplanting chard between garlic
05:36 A look at a small bed, full of plantings to maximise space
06:10 More onion examples – bulb and spring
06:55 Multisown leeks in module trays, soon to be potted on
07:28 A variation on interplanting in the polytunnel – garlic between tomato plants
07:51 Clearing salad plants from the polytunnel, then spreading compost – mushroom on top of horse manure from hotbed
08:18 I explain the garlic interplanting
08:44 Dwarf French marigolds (one eaten by woodlice) – good for filling gaps and the space at ground level
09:21 An example of using over-winter space – a bench over recently cleared salad plants for growing transplants, including strawberry plants
10:05 Melon and pepper, soon to be transplanted – well-spaced
10:38 The importance of leaving enough space between plantings
See my Spacings Knowledge Pack https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/spacing-why-its-important/
My latest growing book https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/no-dig/
More on multisowing, interplanting and spacing in Skills for Growing, available as an online course: https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/skills-for-growing-online-course/
And in the digital version of my book: https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/skills-for-growing-digital-version/
(Print version back in stock soon: https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/charles-dowdings-skills-for-growing/)
And multisowing info in this knowledge pack: https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/propagation-seeds-sowing-and-multisowing/
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great video most enjoyable
I can only grow in containers, so density is essential. I still have plants to "pot up" but the flowers this year are taking priority, all are edible, plus deter pests, double win. Quite a few are perennials, meaning I don't have to plant them again unless they die.
I finally understand succession planting for containers, it's different than beds, but still possible.
Meatcanyon would make a mess of you.
Yes indeed Charles those methods work. More people should try them.
Superb – looking so fantastic ????
Thankyou! Tomatos and melons being planted out tomorrow
Charles are peas and beans ok to be planted near onions/leeks I've seen a lot online that say not to
Great advice. I’m sure you know that aphids are from a very low Brix level, like 2-3. Have you had Elaine test your soil yet? You know she’s happy to do it for you.????
I'd plant garlic between the corn plants, and harvest green garlic. Use like you would green onion. I normally use green garlic with snacks, but there's also a delicious stew with leeks, green onions, green garlic and olives.
Great reminders and hints as always. Your garden is looking so lush and full, an inspiration.