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Post by gridgardener on Mar 22, 2015 10:31:55 GMT -5
I posted both this post and the one that follows it on gardenweb but thought you all might find them useful as well
step by step on how to create vegetable garden succession plan!!! I will include diagrams detailing each step after step 2 when get chance. step 1. look up you number days of your growing season. step 2. look up your last spring frost date and first fall date. step 3. create 52 week flow chart by weeks or 5 day increments that equal number days in step 1(5 day increment just make math and flow chart easier work with) step 4. put line down flow chart where the season starts, the season end and where frost dates are. step 5. map out you garden planting area and divide it into numbered sections
step 6. get list of vegetable and when they can be planted in you area in relation to frost date.
step 7. get chart for seed germination times of various vegetables
step 8. make list of vegetable you want grow and there DTM (day to maturity)add few buffer days to the DTM number also add the number in step 7 step 9. over lay the info you gain from step 6,7,8 over the flow chart you made in step 4 step 10. then mark out the secessions worked in step 8 in number sections of planting map you created in step 5.
step 11 follow you plan remember start your seed at correct date in relation to frost so the plants ready to transplant at correct time for secession plan.
notes
1.if plants do not produce a harvest by the time next plant has go into that location you did add leave enough days for germination, use the correct DTM and add enough buffer days. But you need remove the plants that do not produce a harvest so you can keep the plan on schedule. 2. except for spring peas most fruit bearing crops grow to frost and are not followed by another crop till next spring. 3.t takes bit practice to get a good succession plan. 4. before committing to your succession remember to double check all your math.
this is bit bare bones method of how to plan you vegetable succession plantings correctly but cover all important parts of doing it.
this post will be followed by on on how to do math to get best chance for success for creating a succession plan.
ttfn for now.
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Post by gridgardener on Mar 22, 2015 10:32:53 GMT -5
the following is for estimating for seed planted crops only. Estimates for tubers crops and root cutting crops need a more complicated calculation based soil temperature. extreme heat or cool spells may throw off the the numbers by several days to weeks. the number of day are for first harvest for fruit crops total havest for fruit crops may last several weeks.
1. pre-frost direct seeded none fruit crops: number days for germination+DTM+2 week
2.direct seeded none fruit crops: number days for germination+DTM+1 week
3.pre-frost transplanted none fruit crops: number days for germination+7-10 days transplant shock+ 7 cold harden +DTM+1 week
4. post -frost transplanted none fruit crops: number days for germination+7-10 days transplant shock +DTM+1 week
5. transplanted pre-frost transplanted fruit crops: number days for germination+number days to reach transplant size+7-10 days to cold harden + 7 days for transplant shock + DTM+ 1 week
6. transplanted post-frost transplanted fruit crops: number days for germination+number days to reach transplant size + 7 days for transplant shock + DTM+1 week
ps always double check your math psps if have question about which crops falls into each category feel free to ask.
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Mar 22, 2015 10:34:26 GMT -5
If you can read you can cook!
This sounds too complicated for me to do....too many steps...I like to wing it as I go...I do not have enough patience.
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Post by octave on Mar 22, 2015 19:53:59 GMT -5
I think your method has some value, however I find that it can never be accurate since your postulate (first frost/last frost date) is only an estimate (although based on statistics, therefore an educated one). At best you'll get a close approximation, and if you are lucky you may achieve a +/- 1 day difference, but with all that calculating one may seriously consider hiring an actuary just to draw a garden plan.... ;)
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Post by gridgardener on Mar 23, 2015 0:54:11 GMT -5
to use calculation should use historical last and first frost dates the accuracy from what seen is more a matter 2-3 days which much better then most other methods i seen. but if overlay the numbers on a flow chart and you use full range of dtm for that veg type. you can get some very interesting production date predictions.
I will post 3 charts that will really surprise you all with how prediction work. with flow charts and formula you can do 3 things that tough to do otherwise. 1. interval planting becomes easy for single variety. 2. same start date interval harvest date with range set DTM varieties 3. same harvest date for a set of interval for range set DTM varieties
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Post by Mumsey on Mar 23, 2015 2:52:48 GMT -5
With all that work, all the fun is gone! I don't doubt it is useful for some, I just don't have the time for it. I love the "plant at will" method, and always have way more produce than we need.
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Post by gridgardener on Mar 23, 2015 19:15:35 GMT -5
for those who say the method is to complicated. it no more complicated then you current methods If get chance I set up internet form that it can be easily done. if you input formula in spreadsheet it take no time to do calculations
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Post by berrygal on Mar 24, 2015 7:57:48 GMT -5
My current methods are as follows:
Start my seeds WAY too early in January because I am impatient and can't wait to have SOMETHING growing...
Try to wait until the latest frost date (which can vary widely with the past few springs we've been having)....
Yell, "No guts, no glory!" before dashing out to the garden and putting everything in the ground.
Simple. No complicated math or figuring. And I generally have a wonderful garden every year.
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Post by desertwoman on Mar 24, 2015 9:57:26 GMT -5
I like your style, berrygal! (
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Post by lisaann on Mar 24, 2015 17:07:52 GMT -5
Gman,
I would be interested in the data. Thanks for taking the time to share it.
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Post by mrsk on Mar 24, 2015 20:47:50 GMT -5
Another factor that you need to play with is the size of the neighboring plant if your garden is small. I am finding I can put short turn around plants near slow growing plants, such a pumpkins, squash and watermelon that for me, do not really begin to take up serious space until the first of August. So near them I can plant stuff that is done by then.
I have only had luck with succession planting if I plant a few weeks apart. For example, I have had luck with planting broccoli seed at the same time I transplanted broccoli plants. I did get more harvest, and it did not all come at once. Same with bush beans, although last year I read where one can just cut them back and the same plants will regrow and produce.
I have had no luck at all with planting a fall crop. It is too hot when I am planting for those cool season plants, and then freezes too quickly.
I think for succession to really work, one needs a longer growing season than i have, and less fluctuation in temperature than I get.
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Post by gakaren on Mar 24, 2015 22:10:41 GMT -5
All of that figuring might work where you live but not where I live.
I plant onions in Nov./Dec., I grow cabbage & broccoli during the winter months...they can take frosts and even light freezes. Part of my tomatoes are already in the ground and more soon will be. And whether or not I can plant them this early depends on each spring's weather THAT year, not a bunch of averages. Last year tomatoes were planted in early April, 2 yrs. ago they were in the ground in Feb.
And I'm not going to do all that calculating either nor am I going to put everything on a piece of paper.
Whether or not I can succession plant depends on both the crop and the weather each particular year.
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Post by desertwoman on Mar 24, 2015 23:40:53 GMT -5
Everyone has there own style and method. This would never work for me. I'm of the intuitive school of gardening. I follow my instincts and plant as the spirit moves me.
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Post by gridgardener on Mar 24, 2015 23:56:54 GMT -5
mrsk congrats you discovered interplanting. a concept that was popular in many ww2 victory garden planting diagram
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Post by brownrexx on Mar 25, 2015 7:49:13 GMT -5
I write up a very detailed diagram and I get satisfaction from it because I am a fact based person. I don't really peruse seed catalogs in January like many of you so I write up my plan in the cold, dark, winter days and it makes me happy to see my garden coming to life in my mind's eye.
I mainly started using a plan so that I could do some crop rotation and several months after the garden has been put to bed, I sort of forget exactly where everything was located the previous season. Looking at the previous year's diagram is really helpful to me.
I think that Grid's plan is a little more involved than what I do but I can see its benefit for someone with a very small garden where every inch counts.
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