The system we have built is based on the work of Elliot Coleman in his classic book The New Organic Grower
and The Market Gardener by Jean-Martin Fournier
It is based on each bed being either a heavy or light feeder i.e. taking more or less from the soil. A heavy feeder bed, this year potatoes,then becomes a light feeder the following year and the beds are rotated – bed 1 becomes a light feeder and bed 2 becomes a heavy feeder and so on. This means the beds are replenished each year, ready for the following year’s planting. We compost the beds in winter and add green manures which provide nutrients such as nitrogen and potassium.
We are also using the No Dig Approach as championed by Charles Dowding. The soil is disturbed as little as possible thereby keeping all the nutrients and bacteria in the ground. Then applying layers of cardboard, compost, manure, seaweed and soil on top of the ground creating a fertile base for growing.
The Grow Food Project 