"John Price" wrote


I was wondering if anyone has any comment on practical issues about
having strips like that, and/or whether there would be any issues
based on experience about the width of the strips.


You have a small plot and you want to waste half of it on paths?
Paths that have to be maintained too. That is absurd. Cultivate the
whole plot and use 4 posts at halfway along each side to split it up
into four squares by eye, you then have your 4 year rotation and no
soil or time wasting paths. If you soil is sticky you may wish to
get some boards to work off so as not to compact the soil.

Well "small" is all relative I suppose. I'm talking at present of
building up to utilising about 25sq metres, including the
aforementioned pathways - but I could create a plot 3-4 times that size
if I wanted to.

Anyway I have seen your suggestion during my research of one square
patch with no paths, as well as the suggestion of having paths between
strips. Which is part of why I posted here to pick up thoughts based on
actual experience. The key issue seems to be the one about walking on
the soil being cultivated - I note your suggestion of perhaps using
boards, presumably to spread the weight - but I can see me falling
off!!!

Thanks for the input - but I think in this first year I'll stay with
leaving the paths in place - can always expand the way you suggest if I
decide to expand later on.


The concern some show about walking on and compacting the soil is grossly
over-played IME especially if you have got plenty of organic matter worked
in.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK