Most seeds will take four to six weeks to germinate though. Particularly in the spring you will need to protect from birds and, all through the season, from slugs and snails. Don't forget many seeds can be started off by sowing in pots in doors. Once sufficiently large transplant into your plot. To reduce the risk of disease to your crops and to maintain the nutritional balance of your soil you must rotate them around your plot.
Every year move each family of crops to a new bed.
Over four years they will have been grown once in each of the beds thereby maximising the time between growing them in the same place. Lettuce can be fitted in where ever you have space. Bed 1 Potatoes.