Topic: Now i feel all disheartened!

[manicscousers]

the thing is, with gardening, there should be no rush, looking at my seed list, can't wait !!

[mc55]

Good for you Kitten, I've been steadily taming my plot for a year now.  Digging and weeding by hand is hard and timeconsuming, but the results are definitely worth it.  The beds that I cleared last year have had minimal regrowth of weeds and they've been very easy to manage. 

Once the season took off I had no hope of doing anything with the remaining area and just left it - enjoy the wild meadow look and then tackle it again in the autumn.

Good Luck  :-*

[kitten]

Thanks mc, i'm feeling a bit more positive again now. Been back to the plot again today to be told by yet another one that 'organic gardening doens't work' but we just smiled and nodded and got on with things the way we wanted to do them! Thanks for all the encouragement peeps, it's helped a lot - i've mangaed to persuade hubby that it's worth giving it a go and he's being very supportive so far! x

[manicscousers]

wait 'til the veggies start coming, he'll be wanting to go all the time, it's like that with ray  :)

[kt.]

My plot was immaculate from weeds in Oct-Nov after tons of hard graft.
They are now rearing their ugly heads again

[supersprout]

My plot was immaculate from weeds in Oct-Nov after tons of hard graft.
They are now rearing their ugly heads again

Mulch, quick! 8)

[Svea]

agree with most people here.

as for paths, while we have one main paths through the plot which is paved, all others are either carpet covered, cardboard covered or wooden boards to tread on. advantage? if i ever need to dig across the whole lot, those paths aren't fixed. this is important because i only have a tiny plot. in a big plot, it may be ok to have 'fixed' paths and other fixtures like that.

[cornykev]

:)Like Svea I only have one permanent path (which will probably come out next year), scaffold planks and stepping stones, but everyone has their own ways. When I first started the plot it had not been used for a few years and the grass/weeds were over five foot high but the council rotarvated for me, if you had it rotarvated every year then you couldn't have paths but it doesn't need doing again so if you choose paths theres no problem. Other on site lotties will always come over and have their say some will be good advise some useless  and some a load of boll#x, I'll keep that in mind you say while smiling and having clenched fist behind your back. But seriously everyone has said it already, take your time, a bit at a time, and look back and see what youv'e already achieved, get the veggies in you like you don't have to get the whole lot in first time round and most importantly enjoy it. Loads of help, advise and support on this forum so even if you feel a bit down you know where to come, happy digging.

[saddad]

Sorry for not coming back into the thread lately....
Quite correct with the off= moving Kitten...
Yes KT we do live on site... One is over the back fence.. no 52 and we have 48-49 as well...
Also took on 118-119 which were covered in Brambles and 15 yrs of self set Damsons...
 ;D

[louise stella]

It does annoy me.......I've done everything so far (only got it in Nov) and I met my neighbour last week.  What did he say? - "have you got a husband to do all the hard work?"  - ROFL - mine hasn't been near it yet and is unlikely to neither!

Is it genetic or something? - are females unable to garden or what? - oh yeah! I forgot - we only do flowers don't we?

It just makes me more determined to succeed!

Louise

[LILACSPLASH]

Don't feel down hartened, there's lots of things you can do... only work with what you can manage at the mo. cover the rest with cardboard topped with soil on the bits to get to later. This will kill the weeds so make it easier as you go along. and above all have fun, Rome wasn't made in a day. If you really want to you could go down the chemical route and do it all in half the time... but I wouldn't...It's not soooo satasfiying  ;):D

[kitten]

Thanks for the kind words & encouragement peeps ;D! I'm back on form and feeling positive about the lottie again, I even made a plan today of how we're going to divide it up - complete with paths!!! Initially we'll probably put down some cardboard and maybe cover with bark chippings or straw so that we'll be able to move them reasonably easily after the first year if we need to.  Anyhow, i'm up for the challenge of showing these peeps that organic gardening can actually work, can't wait to see their faces :o  x

[Blue Bird]

Hi Kitten I know where you are coming from as my OH has not been to mine yet and had it for 8 weeks now!!!

But the way I look at it at least i know it will be all my own work and although with his help it would be twice as fast but so what I have got all the time in the world now I will  not be at his beck and call wanting cups of tea ect.....  and not have to watch football noon till night

Keep up the good work and just do things at your own rate

BB :) :)

[kitten]

Thanks BB! My hubby is really good actually, we've only been down twice & both times he's come with me and I know he is as keen to get stuck in as I am. It's the organic part I'm having trouble convincing him on - especially as all our neighbours keep mentioning how it doesn't work etc lol! No, really he's very supportive and he's happy to do it the way I want really, bless him! Got a feeling that i'll be up there a bit more than him but hey ho, as you say i'll just take it at my own rate! Good luck with your own plot BB, i bet once the lovely veggies start turning up in your kitchen your OH will be more interested! x

[saddad]

You never know Kitten, when we first got married I said I didn't want a big garden.. as I had visions of it being "gardened" like MIL's, while Ihad been brought up on a sort of smallholding keeping chickens and calves until F+M, gradually OH has got more and more into it and has completely taken over one plot and is trying to do the same with the next two!
 ;D

[Blue Bird]

Hi Kitten yes he will be interested when the veggies come along but only when it comes to eating them.  I have got my sons to help but will have to have all the grandchildren as well (all 6) ranges from 1 - 10 ::) ::) ::)
The boys have been good finding me bits like the pallets and the plastic sheets so I am getting some help
Found this forum so supportive and full of real genuine people - lucky find really
 :) :) :)

[louise stella]

A couple of weeks back I was actually having sleepless nights worrying about the couch grass etc.... So last Monday I spent the whole day going over half of the already turned beds weeding the stuff out!  Really hard work but now it's done I am sleeping better.  The other half has been turned over and covered with weed fabric -i'll grow stuff through that for the first year whilst the weeds give up their hold.  I have resigned myself to weeding the first part as i go along to finally get rid of the couch.  Coupled with as much mulch as I can get on the beds - I am sure i'll win in the end!

Anyway - it's not a race or a contest - just go at your own pace and i'm sure we'll all be sighing with relief in a few months time when we are eating healthy organic food.   My son has Aspergers and his body has enough to cope with without adding chemicals - and that is my personal drive that gets me out there on cold days to get the preperation done!

Louise

[louise stella]

Hi Kitten yes he will be interested when the veggies come along but only when it comes to eating them.  I have got my sons to help but will have to have all the grandchildren as well (all 6) ranges from 1 - 10 ::) ::) ::)
The boys have been good finding me bits like the pallets and the plastic sheets so I am getting some help
Found this forum so supportive and full of real genuine people - lucky find really
 :) :) :)

.....great stuff - theres nothing like child labour is there??

Mine don't know it yet - but they are going to get more and more roped in once the weather warms up!  My son has been digging already - but h was looking for treasure!!!!!  (broken bits of old china kept him happy - he had his little bucket full of the stuff).


Louise