Polytunnel year round planting plan
If you have questions, we have a FAQ document and video, which you can find here: steves.seasidelife.com/2020/0...
If you are new to my allotment videos you might find a bit of context useful. We live in the north west of England, in Lytham St Annes, which I believe is the equivalent of USA Zone 8. Fairly mild, but very windy.
For more details on the databases that I use to manage my allotment, check out these two blog posts steves.seasidelife.com/catego...
We have three allotments in my family, mine (Steve), my wife's (Debbie) and my middle daughter's (Jennie). We also have a small kitchen garden at home. They are all managed in an integrated fashion, so don't expect to see the usual mix of veg on each plot. I do most of the planning and seed starting. We each have our own plots, but we all help each other out.
Jennie's plot has been designed as a traditional allotment, but we put a lot of focus on minimising the work we do there. It's basically a plant and forget it plot, full of garlic, leeks, onions, beetroot, brassicas, squash, beans and fruit trees. It's heavily mulched to reduce weeds and to reduce the need water.
Debbie's plot is mostly full of perennials, it's an ornemental plot. Again we did a lot of work to keep the weeds down and Debbie's approach is inspired by the TV programme The Ornamental Kitchen garden.
My plot is all about experimental growing, maximum productivity and year round abundance. As with all of the other plots I did a lot of work to control the weeds, but it's a high maintenance plot. I'm always planting, harvesting, experimenting and generally having a great time.
Collectively the plots deliver an amazing abundance of fruit and veg all year round. Debbie, Jennie, Jon and I are effectively self sufficient in veg all year round and in fruit for much of the year. During winter we sometimes have enough surplus to feed our local family. During the rest of the year when the surplus from our house garden comes on stream we have surpluses in some crops for quite a few friends as well.
This video provides an overview:
• The big picture of our...
I do an update of the allotments, roughly twice a month, you can find the tours here:
• Full allotment tour as...
Our approach to allotment life is to: grow as much as we possibly can, to be self-sufficient in veg all year round and in fruit in season, to give away our surplus to friends and family, and to have as much fun as possible. For more on self sufficiency check out these videos:
• Super quick update on ...
We are not slaves to gardening though, I spend about 14 hours a week on the plots (on average) Debbie and Jennie a lot less. We keep nudging that down as we eliminate non-productive work: like grass cutting, weeding and watering as much as practical. We are both newbie gardeners, only starting the allotments in 2016.
I'm a bit obsessive about the nutrient density of the veg that we grow and making the plots easy to work because it's through this allotment lifestyle and food that I've overcome a debilitating auto-immune disease.
I'm always aware though that it might not last so I make sure that I don't work too hard, eat as much organic fruit and veg I can and design the plots so that I can still work them when I flare up.
Пікірлер: 73
Hi Steve and Thank's. Always as interesting. Have a good day...
Thank you Steve.. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and productive new year..🌟
@SteveRichards
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks you, happy Christmas to you too! : All the best - Steve
Thanks Steve, very helpful and I will watch a few more times with my notebook! You have inspired me to get my currently bare rooted elsante strawbs in to large-ist pots whilst waiting for ground water to ebb before building fruit/brassica cages. I have stoped the organic kale and spinach coming from Tesco this week as my partner and I are yet to reap the benefit of the obvious perennial kale and overwintering chard in the garden - doh!
@SteveRichards
4 жыл бұрын
It will be much nicer to pick your own veg, rather than pay Tesco to ship it all round the country! : All the best - Steve
Thank you for video! Your poly tunnel planting plan is amazing!
@SteveRichards
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks, I certainly said ‘amazing’ a few too many times in that video! : all the best - Steve
Hi Steve, A great insight into what is going to happen in your polytunnel throughout the year, great video, Take care.
@SteveRichards
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks Ronald : all the best - Steve
thank you,ive been debating about a greenhouse or polytunnel this video made up my mind.
@SteveRichards
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the feedback Karen! these videos might help too kzread.info/dash/bejne/ipaDzsuumrbaZ9Y.html and kzread.info/dash/bejne/Y6uX2rKKo6-nl5s.html : All the best - Steve
Cheers Steve 👍looking to purchase my first polytunnel. Some great advice. Thanks for sharing Robbo
@SteveRichards
2 жыл бұрын
This is a good place for more videos www.notion.so/steverichards/Polytunnel-greenhouse-growing-e260fa0b71bd4dea9a9003c74bdb9ce7
@robbo7765
2 жыл бұрын
@@SteveRichards Thanks Steve 😊
Your organisation is the best I’ve seen! Unbelievably well planned.
@SteveRichards
4 жыл бұрын
I need something to do on those dark, rainy winter days, but seriously, it’s easy now I have my databases sorted, they keep me organised : all the best - Steve
Liking the new presenting style 👍
@SteveRichards
4 жыл бұрын
Allotmental thanks for the feedback, lots to relearn about making videos this way : all the best - Steve
Hello Steve. Thank you for such a brill thought out plan. For me, your most useful video to date with so much to implement. The overwinter peppers are so healthy- presumably you dug them out of the beds to pot up for home?
@SteveRichards
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks, actually I prefer to sow them in June, that way we get to harvest them until mid winter and then they are still small enough. The only challenge is the greenfly in winter : all the best - Steve
Lovely video.
@SteveRichards
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks Mary : all the best - Steve
A stunning collection of edibles for this time of year Steve, very commendable indeed. Having grown edibles over the winter in my tunnels I know just how difficult it is to do. Your planning is superb, it really is. I doff my cap....Steve...:)
@SteveRichards
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the compliment Steve, I wish it felt like that at the moment. I lost a big batch of kale seedlings (they were scorched by some freak sun) and now I'm scrambling to figure out how to get enough leafy greens in late spring! : All the best - Steve
Another great video Steve, thank you, now I'm going to try and find your ebook.
@SteveRichards
Жыл бұрын
It’s here: gardening-ebook.info
@captaing5166
Жыл бұрын
@@SteveRichards Thanks Steve, I had seen it but did not remember how to find it again lol.
Very well arranged, I'm so proud to see your beautiful garden. I like your polytunnel. Do you need lighting for your polytunnel?
@SteveRichards
3 жыл бұрын
Hi Lilian, no light, no heat : All the best - Steve
Where do you get your tables? They look great. A great video and super organised poly tunnel. 😊
@SteveRichards
2 жыл бұрын
I made them from slate battens : All the best - Steve
Thank you
Hi Steve I really like your crop rotation. What size is your poly tunnel and does it come with irrigation facilities? Thanks for your inspirational videos.
@SteveRichards
3 жыл бұрын
I irrigate by hand, the tunnel is 20' by 10' : All the best - Steve
Hello Steve Very informative, so much is possible in a pollytunnel. In between crops , how do you feed your soil? best regards Joyce 💚👩🏻🌾🍀.
@SteveRichards
4 жыл бұрын
What I grow, NL allotment I sprinkle poultry manure and composted seaweed on after clearing a bed, water in and mulch with 1 inch of mushroom compost. We are on sandy soil so we depend more on food than some. : all the best - Steve
Love your channel…thanks for sharing! Couple of questions that I couldn’t find answers for, & maybe I just missed it. How big is your polytunnel? You said you wrap your carrots in fleece…just around the bucket or over the top of plants also? Thanks 😊
@SteveRichards
Жыл бұрын
It's 20 by 10' the details are here: steverichards.notion.site/Polytunnel-greenhouse-growing-e260fa0b71bd4dea9a9003c74bdb9ce7. I'm not sure about the carrot comment. I don't fleece them in tubs now, I start them in the polytunnel in late October and late winter and then move them on top of my IBC tanks, to avoid fly. The rest go in the ground under nets, see here for more: steverichards.notion.site/How-to-Grow-Carrots-36eccc6ded6e462999a6041680af5d4e : All the best - Steve
@gunnshomestead6255
Жыл бұрын
@@SteveRichards thanks!
Hi Steve just watched and enjoyed your very informative video. Just wondering what size poly tunnel do you have?
@SteveRichards
4 жыл бұрын
It's 20' by 10' : All the best - Steve
@Budgie53
4 жыл бұрын
@@SteveRichards Thank you.
Hi Steve, you mentioned storage of your fruit and veg, how do you manage storage vs freezing?
@SteveRichards
3 жыл бұрын
Hi Robin, we eat most veg fresh all year round, we store a lot, we freeze a little and we preserve/can a lot too: this recent video gives a good idea of what we store kzread.info/dash/bejne/iX2pyayyd9W5dZc.html, this playlist a few more specifics kzread.info/head/PLFhKoRR-NiCI0hGwyg05rczs0x4TWbBgi : All the best - Steve
Hi Steve. I was wondering how deep the soil is for your kale? Did you have your black weed suppressor under them?
@SteveRichards
2 жыл бұрын
My polytunnel beds are open bottomed Joan, no weed suppressant fabric under them : All the best - Steve
What variety of do you plant in August for 'Christmas potatoes'? I usually have a few containers of Charlotte stored with the tops removed which see me into January but struggle to keep maincrop (generally Desiree) from sprouting much past mid March.
@SteveRichards
Жыл бұрын
I use Charlotte, but I don't bother with 'Christmas' potatoes now, because I've found that the Charlotte's that I plant in April store just fine in their tubs until April and they need less watering that potatoes started in July/August and taste just as good : All the best - Steve
@GARDENER42
Жыл бұрын
@@SteveRichards Ah. I have more space & more tubs this year, so might not eat them all by January.😁
Hi steve, what were the two climbing squash varieties you mentioned?
@SteveRichards
3 жыл бұрын
Center Cut and Trombocino Nadia : All the best - Steve
Question : how do you keep Chile’s alive through winter ? Btw your setup is goals for mine when I grow up
@SteveRichards
3 жыл бұрын
hi, this is what we do kzread.info/dash/bejne/faeYxLyblsyrqKQ.html : All the best - Steve
@finnsreptiles9326
3 жыл бұрын
Steve's Seaside Allotment thx Steve useful
I've just started planting in my new poly, having always had a greenhouse until now. Do I need to protect seedlings inside the poly from frost through to April?. Someone just mentioned to me that a greenhouse is probably a bit warmer in the cold months. I've just started with some early potatoes, thinking maybe I'll have to protect the shoots when they pop up 🤔
@carolinefarquhar8029
2 жыл бұрын
Meant to say, great video, really informative, loads of ideas, thanks.
@SteveRichards
2 жыл бұрын
Hi Caroline, it depends what your seedlings are, you will definitely need to protect potatoes, ideally with a double layer of fleece. A polytunnel is actually slightly colder than outside and most greenhouses are too, because there's very little insulation but also no air movement. However there's also no windchill, which helps seedlings a lot and it's very easy to retain the heat by adding fleece. I cover all of this in my book in the chapter on growing under cover and the chapter polytunnel gardening, both have lots of extra videos on the topic steverichards.notion.site/Polytunnel-greenhouse-growing-e260fa0b71bd4dea9a9003c74bdb9ce7 steverichards.notion.site/Growing-under-cover-a48de72c83064d07a945eeb111cf7027 : All the best - Steve
I wish that you were my neighbour, would have asked for your advice how to start from scratch. I am learning but i feel a bit overwhelmed about how to begin.
@SteveRichards
3 жыл бұрын
This video shows how I started off in my garden kzread.info/dash/bejne/oYGCw7GPo6Sxm9o.html and then the tour videos should give you an idea of how things progressed kzread.info/head/PLFhKoRR-NiCLuhIMiHfBRN91W6TPiRABG. Finally I wrote this blog post to provide a simple guide steves.seasidelife.com/2020/01/18/all-year-round-vegetable-sowing-planting-guide/ : All the best - Steve
Back, what about my back, lifting all those containers about. This season I did eight of those tubs you have there with potatoes. I reckon they weigh about as much as bag of cement about 25 k When I came to move them, ooh my back.
@SteveRichards
8 ай бұрын
I guess it depends on whether you have a back problem already or not, in my case I don't, so lifting containers (max 35 litres) strengthens my back : All the best - Steve
@TheDAT9
8 ай бұрын
I had a back genuine injury at work, be care full@@SteveRichards
4 season polytunnel I wish I had space in my backyard for one. How big is this polytunnel?
@SteveRichards
4 жыл бұрын
20' by 12' Carolyn, we toyed with putting one in the garden instead of the lawn because it's such a lovely year round leisure space as well as growing space. In the end we decided that the lawn area is too shaded in winter and we liked ball games too much! : All the best - Steve
@lisag9493
4 жыл бұрын
Steve's Seaside Allotment h
Great video. What are the dimensions of your poly tunnel please? L,W,H
@SteveRichards
4 ай бұрын
All the details are here steverichards.notion.site/Polytunnel-Design-and-Growing-Guide-e260fa0b71bd4dea9a9003c74bdb9ce7?pvs=4 : all the best - Steve
@pilkyish
4 ай бұрын
@@SteveRichards Thanks.
Great video thank you Anybody recommend a good book that outlines all this for a beginner
@SteveRichards
2 жыл бұрын
My book? Free to read, linked in the description
@richardkeen6151
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you 🙏🏼
@richardkeen6151
2 жыл бұрын
Is it the airtable link only that’s not available it says sorry to be a pain
@SteveRichards
2 жыл бұрын
Oh sorry Richard, I'd assumed you were commenting on yesterday's polytunnel video, rather than this old one. Here's the link steverichards.notion.site/Gardening-eBook-info-6f57489ae10a4721b48b421826203814 and thanks for spotting the broken link too : All the best - Steve