Losing the plot...

[manicscousers]

Give me a shout in autumn, I can send you some marshmello strawberry runners, we have 2 beds and actually managed to freeze 14 lb last year, and that was after eatiing loads and supplying my daughter's family and my 2 grandsons  ;D
don't give up, try to slow down a bit (from one who did the same)

[manicscousers]

[superspud]

I agree with everyone else, don't give up. 3rd year doing it, you would think I had learned as I have a guru at the bottom of my garden, good old Percy 80 if a day and an ex Suttons seed man, he is out there rain or shine snow or sun, weeding like a madman, this year I thought I would steal a march on him and have my garden full to the brim with lovely stuff, not on your life, somehow the old beggar managed to have his broads and other stuff at least a foot high by the time I smugly took mine out of the greenhouse, and my garden looks pitiful compared to his, I swear I will beat the old boy7 one year though, anyone watched the clint eastwood film Hamburger ridge or whatever where they have to guess which t-shirt he is going to be wearing next day, well thats me with Percy.

I don't use Council compost, well not directly from choice because I read somewhere that there was a time when t was full of the old weedol or glyphosphate or somesuch that got mixed into it.

Never give up, it will come true to you one day, one day someone else is going to look into your plot like you do others and they will wish the same as you do now.

Be Lucky, and ask these old codgers and reprobates in here anything you like most of them have grown everyone about at one time or another and will always answer your questions.

Garry

[triffid]

Hi Strawberry. so glad you've found comfort and such good advice...

Just another thought: sow some green manure on any bits of ground where you've not got stuff growing already. These do all sorts of good things: for your soil, they'll not only add nutrients but help to knit it all together (compost, hay, animal manure etc). They also do marvels in protecting bare soil from fierce weather (drought or endless rain) which is really good news if like me you're on London clay!)

Green manures are plant crops which you sow and grow just so you can chop them up and dig them into the soil. You do this before they flower, so you don't end up with weed seeds.
Some are quick-growing -- two months or less between sowing and digging-in. Others are for sowing in autumn, to stand over winter and dig in once spring arrives.

At this time of year, you could have a go with mustard, phacelia or buckwheat. All will grow quickly (and vigorously!), so you can dig them in within a couple of months.
I buy most of mine from Simpsons' Seeds or my local garden centre but I noticed last week that even Homebase now stocks mustard and phacelia.  :o

http://www.simpsonsseeds.co.uk/shop/Green_Manures.html

Anyway, good luck -- and please don't be discouraged!
Triff

[lavenderlux]

Sowing a green manure crop is good advice - but if you have club root, don't sow 'mustard' as its a brassica.  Phacelia is a good crop to sow - and if you let it flower the bees will love it - you may get some self seeding from this by letting it flower but its shallow rooted and easy to hoe off but the odd flower here and there on a plot is (in my opinion) attractive