Planting principles

Post date: Mar 28, 2020 9:57:31 PM

Principles for planting in beds:

1. Keep adult size of the plant in mind. Tall plants to the back and edge so they don’t shade others of occupy too much space.

2. Plant to the edges. Edges are where earthworms work most. Soil will be good. Don’t put all plants in the centre.

3. Do not plant creepers inside the bed. Or worse cover the top of the bed with the trellis. You can’t grow anything else.

4. Herbs protect. But plant a few and plant before transplanting the main sapling. Keep clipped and trimmed and do not allow seeding and proliferation.

5. Have a mix of large, small and medium plants. Allow air spaces and breaks. The amaranthus plot in the middle is to provide a gap.

6. Keep leaves off the ground. Always. Clip and trim leaves and do not allow branches to lie on the ground. Grow firm saplings that stand straight in your beds. Don’t let them spread out on the ground - recipe for disease, fungal attacks and infected soil. Trim lower leaves as the plant grows. Allow air circulation.

7. Do not plant huge plants like zucchini into the beds. Will take up lot of space.

8. Mix and multi crop. Good for the soil, good for plants and gives you variety. Don’t make patches of the same crop.

9. Push all gourds our to the fence or trellised away from the main plant bed. Most are invasive and huge. If you must, sow a seed in a corner and allow trailing in the floor or away from beds. Mangalore cucumber above.

10. Seeds won’t germinate in shade. Sow to a plan and make sure you place them in the bed when ready.

Sample multi cropping planting plan - 1 40 sq ft