[AJ]

This might seem like a strange question but I have a poly tunnel to grow all the veg I want. However I have 3 large beds to grow potatoes in outdoors. Are there any flowers I can grow in beds 2 and 3 as opposed to veg that will replenish the soil. I was thinking plants like dahlias that can be used for cutting, and something thats an annual.

[Ado 2]

You could grow Lupins and Clover which then can be dug back in to add nitrogen. Also consider Borage, nasturtium , poached egg plant and pot marigold. They come back every year and attract bees and butterflies plus repel certain insects away from your veg

[Greengage]

Phacelia, Sweet peas.Alfalfa, Alsike clover, Crimson clover,Trefoil, Winter field beans, remember a thick sward encourages slugs ad snails and when it decays it can supress plant growth unles well roted and dug in. Its never as easy as it seems.

[AJ]

Guys, many thanks for the replies, marigolds are my absolute favorite and this is the first year I haven't grown 200 plants from seed for pots around the garden. Windy site, so they perform well., and rabbits don't seem to like them. Haven't grown any seedlings this year, going to spend the next couple of months getting on top of finishing the poly-tunnel and general revamp around the garden as well as other little projects. So bearing in mind I am trying to add the nutrients that veg leave behind then after growth,

Year 1, Bed 1 new spuds, bed 2 Marigiolds ?, Bed 3 ???.
Year 2, Bed 1 ???, bed 2 New spuds, bed 3 ????.
year 3 Bed 1 ???, bed 2 ???, bed 3 new spuds.

Regards

[tippben]

After potatoes, you'd ideally want something from the pea/bean family. Somebody suggested lupins and clover, but I'd grow The Sutton broad bean (dwarf variety) and some sweet peas for some scent. If you don't want them, or have too many, give them away!

I can't help but wonder why you want a monoculture in each bed. How big are they?

[AJ]

Windy siite, so fencing all round poly tunnel and beds area. Going to run chain link on the outside of fencing and that will be the area for sweet pea's and pea's. On the inside of the fencing going to run that green wind break stuff all round. The poly tunnel I have is 20' x 12', needs to be finished off. this area is more than big enough to grow all the veg I need. The 3 outside beds yet again to be completed are only to grow new spuds. and don't need 2 of the 3 beds to grow veg in as I have more than ample space in the poly tunnel which I will use a 4 yr crop rotation. My quandary is what to plant in the other 2 outside beds on a yearly basis to add back to the soil the nutrients which veg do based on a 3 year crop rotation. Flowers for cutting would be what i would like but thinking about it logically I suppose planting annuals or things like Dahlia's which can be dug up at the end of the season will drain the soil of nutrients require for the following years spuds. Maybe green manure is the way to go but then I understand that spuds like uncultivated fresh ground.

[Blowin]

Hi, AJ! I thought I'd pick up on your point about spuds liking virgin-type ground. I've never heard that one before and am wondering whether it's got twisted from the one about spuds being good for cleaning new soil through them taking most of the available water and starving everything else?

I estimate that, in practice, each of your 4-year sections in the tunnel will be about 8' x 6' - not a lot of veg over a year? You mention that you're planning to put peas (that generate nitrogen, I think) round the outside with the sweet variety, but you're considering dahlias as a possibility for one of the spud plots. Purely from observation, I know that dahlias look good in borders so why not mix them up with your sweet peas round the edge and grow edible peas (that can be frozen) as therapy for the spuds.

Obviously I don't know much about your food preferences but, with things like onions, you can grow a year's supply because they keep. Things like parsnips and leeks will lie in the soil during winter until they're needed and you haven't mentioned brassicas. I can't help feeling that you should consider a 'best of both worlds' approach by mixing flowers and veg in the two spare spud plots - but you're a bit late for this year? My peas are 7' tall now.

[AJ]

Ah Blowin,
Good to hear from you again. I think the best thing I can do is to grow veg in the other 2 beds. seems to be the thing to do. thanks guys