In times when we’re all assessing our food availability, you may well be tempted to cram as many fruit, vegetables and herbs into your garden as possible. Well, I don’t blame you! Some crops positively thrive when grown in close quarters, but others won’t enjoy it at all, which will result in parsimonious or poor-quality yields. So let’s explore the edibles that enjoy life cheek by jowl.
“Some edibles actually enjoy life cheek by jowl”
Spacing basics
Crop spacing influences two things: yield per unit area, and individual crop size. Some crops, notably onions, leeks and carrots, will still produce their highest yields per square metre if spaced close together, but individual bulb, shaft or root size becomes smaller.
Onions, leeks or carrots in close quarters may just be individually smaller
Beetroot, turnip and radish, however, will produce all leaf and little root if they​ are packed in too tightly – that’s not what we’re after!
A heading lettuce like ‘Little Gem’ will grow like a loose-leaf variety if seedlings are packed tightly together, and yields will still be high. Equally, hearting cabbages can be forced to act like spring greens at close spacings. As you can see, there’s lots of room to experiment!
TOPTIP
この記事は Amateur Gardening の May 23, 2020 版に掲載されています。
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この記事は Amateur Gardening の May 23, 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
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