Topic: Allotment Gardening

[petuariapete]

:) Dear all. I have been digesting the contents of the various posts on the site for the last few days as a guest, and found the advice given really interesting and helpful.

I do not have an allotment - the nearest ones are some distance away and I do not drive. However, I have quite a large garden, in which I would like to employ the allotment growing principals. I have read up on the rotation system and I think a 4 year system would work. The area of garden in question is south facing, but unfortunately, it gets quite a lot of shade in the summer from my neighbours trees.
The soil is quite sandy and  hasn't had any veg. grown in it previously.

I wondered if you could recommend veg that would tolerate some shade.

Regards.

Martyn.

[jennym]

Lettuce shouldn't too too badly, and strawberries too.

[Derekthefox]

Welcome to the site, petuariapete.
First, I think your 4 year system is an excellent idea. In terms of vegetables, that is an interesting one, for I think most vegetables benefit from decent sunlight. However, my first reaction is to think of the vegetables that need little light, eg carrots. I think onions need decent sun to ripen properly, I would love to be proven wrong. Perhaps potatoes could cope, as could most brassicas. Lettuce are not keen on strong sun, so they should do well. Leeks seem to do well in northern climes where the light is less in the winter time. I would avoid vegetables that are accustomed to mediterranean climes, where the light levels are very high, eg tomatoes and peppers.

I hope that is ok for starters, you will hopefully get some posts off people who are quite accomplished ...

[petuariapete]

Thanks for your suggestions.

Funnily enough, I have grown some strawberries in pots with limited success (I think the birds got there before me!)  for the last few years. Am I right in thinking that the plants should be replaced every three years or so for a decent crop?

Lettuce sounds good. I am going down the organic route, so any suggestions regarding repelling the slimy invaders? Pellets are obviously a no-no and, from what I've read, things such as egg shells, beer traps etc seem to have a limited effect on the hordes.

I have grown tomatoes with some success in pots in a sunnier part of the garden in previous years, so I will continue to do so. 

If all else fails, I think I will have to invest in some heavy duty loppers!! Let there be light.

The only compensation is the abdundance of leaves for mulching.

Regards.

Martyn.

[jennym]

Strawberries should be renewed every 3 years to keep them vigorous - if you allow the plants to throw only 2 runners in the second year (cut off others) and root these, you can use these runners after the original ones are 3 years old. Also you really should move the site where they are grown if direct in the soil.
I start lettuce off in pots and plant out in soil that has had a fair bit of sand dug into it when they have perhaps 4 or 5 leaves, and sprinkle grit on the surface around them, others have different methods I guess.

[mc55]

Hey Martyn, I recommend you get yourself a copy of Joy Larkcom's 'Grow Your Own Vegetables' - that should get you going.

[amphibian]

If your using your back garden then you should be able to control your slugs simply by nipping out with a torch and picking them all off, with your beds so close you can do this nightly and they will never really take over.

[colleenemp]

Yup. The only way to deal with slugs etc is to find them and 'deal' with them - same with caterpillars on your brassicas etc... bear traps etc help, but when it comes down to it a sharp trowel or spade are the way to go.... and I'm a vegetarian!

[Jockthebear.]

Colleenemp, don't SAY things like that!

Jockthe bear.

[Paulines7]

..... bear traps etc help,

Wow, I didn't know there were bears in Derbyshire!!

[Derekthefox]

Thank you Jen and others for pointing out that strawberries cope with shady conditions. The area in front of my shed is almost always shady, and I have had poor yields off anything I have grown there. There seems some logic in making it a strawberry bed then ...

For the newer members, this just goes to show that even the more established members like myself are still learning ...

[petuariapete]

Is it worth trying to propogate the runners from my starwberry plants, which are over 3 years old, or should I just compost them and start afresh?

Martyn.
 :D

[Derekthefox]

The runners become new plants petuariapete, so they will be ok. That is what I do anyway ...

Derekthefox

[colleenemp]

Yup....always an amusing typo...beer/bear.... just reread it ooops...  ::)

[lorna]

Hi Martyn Big welcome to you.Don't ask me for advice I am a dumbo at this veg growing
but I do enjoy gardening and going to try growing veg next. Hope you enjoy the site.

[jennym]

Is it worth trying to propogate the runners from my strawberry plants, which are over 3 years old..

Some may have rooted already? if not, get out there and push them slightly into the soil, and they may root in spring. The best time to get them to root is autumn, just leave them attached to the plants and push or peg them down into the soil. Or into small pots, at least then it's easy to see which are the new plants and which the old. When they root, snip them off from the mother plant.  The only danger with this is that if they have any virus, you'll be keeping it. You should really change where you grow them, to avoid the build up of any soil borne disease.

[John_H]

Goosberries and redcurrent bushes should be OK with light shade too.


If you need to chop branches off big plants to let light in, remember that the things you are chopping back also have roots which may run into the area near where you are trying to plant fruit and veg. You may want to make sure you are far enough away from those roots so that you are not working in soil which is having its water and nutirents soaked up by the plants you are cutting back.

[petuariapete]

The trees are quite mature - about twenty+ feet tall, so I have a feeling the roots will be well spread. I will find shortly onceI start digging. East Yorkshire, where I live, is currenly under 6 inches of snow, so it won' be for a while yet.

Whilst not keen on gooseberries, I might give the redcurrents a go. Can anybody recommend a good mail order supplier?

Martyn.
 :)

[jennym]

Lots here: http://www.plant-seed-mailorder.org.uk/soft_fruit.html

I personally have used Buckingham Nurseries and S.E.Marshall, with excellent results.

[carloso]

Hey Martyn

Just try all sorts and you might just be suprised what we can grow in East Yorkshire with or with out a bit of shade !!!

Its all good fun

Carl


South side of the Village
East side of Hull
East Yorkshire