small garden 14ft x 6.5ft

[dave61]

hi all  i am planning to put two raised beds in my very small back garden and as i am a total beginner i would really like some advice on what i should be planting  :-\ many thanx

[dave61]

[dtw]

I've heard of square foot gardening for small areas.
I don't know much about it, except that it's marked into square feet squares!

Somebody more knowledgeable will be along soon.


Welcome aboard.  :D

[OllieC]

Welcome aboard, new Dave!

One of the biggest limitations in my small back garden is the amount of light it gets - only the S facing wall gets lots of light, so I have my mini greenhouse against that & do early toms & salad.

In the raised beds, safe bets include beetroot & plenty of salad... But how much light do you get?

[manicscousers]

Hiya, dave, welcome to the site  ;D
www.organicgarden.org.uk/SqFt
hope this works, I'm practising putting links on here

[dave61]

thanks will have a look god you people are quick i am using the space as a practice area whilst waiting for my efficient council to come up with an allotment area for the town 2nd name on request  12 months ago grrr

[Lauren S]

Hello Dave and welcome from me also.

I know what it's like to wait for an allotment. I was on my council list for ten years (They had no site ). When they did open some 24 half plots I was number 11  :'(. So I moved waiting list to another village, I only had a wait of 8 months.

You could always put up an ad to perhaps share a garden. You cultivate it in return for some produce to the garden owners. They would be glad of you doing the work in return for some fresh produce.

Lauren

[dave61]

thats a great idea the estate where we live has got a few oaps whose gardens are getting a bit much for them will deffo give that a try any oaps no offence meant there are a few lazy young ones aswell but i wouldnt ask them

[dave61]

by the way manic scouser your link worked thanks

[manicscousers]

brilliant, at least one of the 3  I put on works

[pigeonseed]

in a small space I personally avoid root crops and go for height - cucumbers and squash climbing up bamboo wigwams, tomatoes, beans...

They make your garden nice and green as well as giving good yield in limited space.

[star]

Hello and welcome from me too Dave ;D

[dave61]

thanx for the great welcome from you all glad i found this site ;D ;D

[thifasmom]

in a small space I personally avoid root crops and go for height - cucumbers and squash climbing up bamboo wigwams, tomatoes, beans...

They make your garden nice and green as well as giving good yield in limited space.

i practice a little of the square garden methods, don't feel competent enough to properly advise, but i grow root veg in the beds as well as in containers (potatoes), carrots and beetroots are grown successionally in their own squares (which can be doubled up) as well as on the dividing lines of the squares if I'm running out of space.  I also grow my companion plants on those dividing lines.

have to also agree with growing as much as you can vertically as it creates more space.              

[kt.]

Carol Kleins book - "Grow Your Own Veg" has some helpful sections on square foot gardening.  Diagrams and what to plant where and when.  Though the book retails at £17 - WHSmiths usually sell it for £5.

Amongst my allotment books my OH bought me this last year.  I personnaly think it is ideal for what you are after:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetables-Small-Garden-Simple-Success/dp/1405316829/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228696840&sr=1-6

[cornykev]

Hi Dave and welcome to the Ayslum.  :P      ;D ;D ;D

[manicscousers]

just found seed for a 'lilliput garden from plants of distinction,
we're building some small beds at home so I'm going to have a go at them with a bush type squash  :)
special price, too  ;D

[dave61]

me and the oh have decided on the square foot method and are going to find the space at the end of our decking ideal for another two beds so we will have 4( 4x4)ft beds. Should get me started with a lot of effort and even more luck . thanks to all for the great advice and links(manicscousers) ;D

[Lauren S]

Don't forget you can also grow veg in pots on your deck too. Alot of the veg have attractive flowers too i.e squashes and runner beans. Pretty as well as scrummy

Lauren  :D

[dave61]

i have just bought a small walk in "plastic" greenhouse and  was wondering what seeds you would recommend that i could start growing and when the best time to start would be i have just got some tumbling tom seeds for my baskets do you think a propagator would be a good purchase? ??? ???

[debster]

Hiya Dave i only have a garden although a little larger then yours, this year i am going to try some of the hestia dwarf stringless runner beans designed for a container.
i will grow some others too but i have a very large patio and pathed area i like to make the most use of too , if you would like a few of these seeds im happy to send you some.
debs ;D