First day down my new plot.

[Bonsai Si]

First proper bit of time spent down the "new garden", dug up about 2.5m X 4.5m and removed 2 bin loads of weeds from that alone!

As advised, I didn't get carried away and try and do it all in one go, so just turned over the same area as my old front garden in preparation for putting in the first raised bed.



The plot has been unused for a while from what I can gather, and I spoke to one of my plot neighbours today who were over the moon someone was taking over the plot.  It's not that bad but the weeds and some stray Strawberries have dug in pretty well.  Though once turned over the soil looks and feels to be above half decent, so lucky break there really.

Rather than biting off more than I can chew, I'm thinking of weed killing the rest of the plot then putting weed control fabric over it after a bit once the weeds are croaking.  Once covered with the fabric how long before everything below is dead and not coming back?

[Bonsai Si]

[amphibian]

Good job, looks like nice soil.

[Obelixx]

Well done on all the digging and clearing.

Glyphosate based weedkillers need 6 hours of sun after application to be absorbed and then take up to 2 weeks to kill the plant from the roots up.   Some toughies like bindweed and couch grass and thistles may need more than one application to get the whole root system.   Cover the ground by all means but be ready for some of those weeds to have survived and just be careful not to propagate them by digging up live roots as they'll just become healthy root cuttings and spread..

[johhnyco15]

well done great effort and welcome to the wonderful world of grow your own

[ancellsfarmer]

Is it your plot that extends up(north)the photo of the area cultivated today? It is May 10th. Time is pressing!
Assess how many persistent weeds you have, ie couch, nettles,buttercups, dandelions,ground elder, bindweed, docks etc. Treat this area with glysophate having read the instructions reference the re-plant time. (approx 21-28 days). Some crops can be planted directly into the ground and will benefit from consolidation, such as brassicaes. The areas in- between can be chopped or hoed to remove dead vegetation. Cougettes, squash etc can be put into "pockets " of fertility inserted strait away, and will suppress regrowth.
Lesser dense weeds, annuals, seedlings from this season, can be hoed out during fine days or dug in deeply. The application of Weedol2, where available, will allow planting "next day" in previously broken down seed beds. Plan your planting scheme this year to maximise results. Plan your Autumn cultivations to return to problem areas , try to forward plan where you will plant next year, allowing for any rotation of crops.You can get a 80% result this year and be ahead for next year
Heavily grassed areas (of rye grass and non creeping sorts) can be dug in and planted with potatoes strait in. The several times movement as you ridge, then dig out the crop ,will get rid of the worst, putting fertility back strait away. Follow with leek plants for winter.

[Bonsai Si]

Thanks for the encouragement and advice.

Yes, my plot extends up to the Blue barrel in the distance, I estimate it's a 250m2 plot.  It get's much rougher the further up you go with weeds, grass and other unwanted guests, but the water source is down at the bottom where I started, which is why I started at the bottom of the plot.

I do intend to pop in some Carrots, Spuds, Sweet Corn, Onions and Garlic for home use next year.  This year I intend to get the site ready for the real reason I got the plot.

BONSAI!

Heh.

My main focus this year will be preparing to build Raised beds and potentially a gutter system to enable me to cultivate from seed a stock of saplings is my main objective for this plot.  I started this at my last home and was doing well, but sadly that situation became untenable with the end of my relationship and having to move home.  This plot however gives me more room to do what I started at the old place and then some, so I can't wait!

Though it'd be nice to have a small area eventually for a few home basic "Grow your own" alongside having a small pond and garden area for flowers and a BBQ or Two would be desireable.  As I enjoyed growing flowers and having water wildlife in my old garden, and somewhere to relax and soak up my mini forest as it grows on site would be amazing.  The veggie plot and Flower area would of course allow me to create some organic waste for homemade composting to feed and cultivate my main obsession, Bonsai trees. :D

Must admit, I enjoyed today, and nice after having had a shower and a few drinks to celebrate to still feel a little warmth on my skin from the sun, might end up with a tan this year if all goes well, huzzah!

[cornykev]

Hi Bonsai and welcome, nice bit of earth so far. As you have said it looks harder the further the plot goes up. I would spray the top third and leave it to do it's thing and probably spray again. Cover the rest and you'll find its easier to dig rolling it back bit by bit. All the best  with the little tree thingies.   

[Bonsai Si]

Thanks cornykev.

Spent another hour down there today busting the soil and working my way towards the area that needs some napalm dropping on it.

Then went and bought some weedol ready for a day when the winds are a little milder to go do the nasty up the top end.  I had a walk up that area today and it really is thick with nasty stuff mostly prickly thistle type stuff and some very big dandelions.

I'm having a mooch on Freecycle and have a post up for bits and bobs to help me get started with some building and I may have some free time coming up to really try and get stuck in.

Guess I need to buy a cooler box, get me a chair and erect some form of cover for when I need to pee till I can get a shed up and instal a portaloo, lol.

[Bonsai Si]

Gotta love Freecycle!

Snagged a nice stack of bricks today and also a Dalek .

Dug a little into the ground, added a makeshift brick base, stuck the Dalek on and mounded up a bit of dirt to hold it into place till I can get some non weed matter in to keep it in place.

Also had enough brick left over to make a small seat for when I take a break, heh.

Also, a nice guy wants rid of his shed later this month so that would be awesome!  Might need to get permission from the local council as I think it's a bit bigger than the size they allow without asking first, but hey ho, gotta love freebies you need!

[ancellsfarmer]

While in touch with the council, suggest you explore the possibility of subdividing the shed to create a growing area/greenhouse end. If correctly orientated, you could achieve two purposes with one structure,clearly a justification to maximise the productivity of your plot. I envisage replacing boarding aong one end and one half side on both sides with freebie windows from a local double glazing installer (get single glazed casements, the side hinged portrait ones almost every house has). Use the redundant boards to create a centre partion and build a outward opening door in the centre.Finish with similar on the roof at that end. All is possible at "the right price" (nix) if you've got the brass neck to ask!

[Bonsai Si]

Great thinking but a potting shed come shed - while desirable is for a later time.  Growing under glass for my purposes comes with risks.

I used to have a 5m x 2m Polytunnel to overwinter the more tender Bonsai and I will be hopefully going forward to a 6m x 3m minimum when finances allow or a kind donor supplies me one.

While my plot is under a mile away I cannot be sure of a daily visit which in the height of late Spring, Summer and even through till Autumn is more than often required (At the height of Summer any trees under glass or cover can require 3 waterings a day, and I'm not kidding!), and due to no electrics at the plot I cannot yet build the required water supply/humidity/watering control required to keep any trees, seeds/seedlings/saplings in the ranges needed so they can survive.  Give me a few years and this will be in place, but I have to work out solar powering & hydroponics "Off the grid" on a very tight budget.  Let alone assure the local council and other plot mates I'm not growing Cannabis!

Also; as I am used to propagating seed at home, I have a propagation Grow Tent and T5 Lighting setup, which allows me to grow from seed and get the best from germination to potting on and moving on to polytunnel growing till ready to plant out.  I know this route and can either automate it to a point it's fairly safe and secure even if I have to be away for a few days.  So for a while I'd rather not risk growing under glass and the unpredictable element it throws into the mix.

Luckily I have a spare bedroom that is South facing and I already have designated as my Bonsai Studio (and also my Winter training room as my other passion is Road Cycling), which will eventually serve as a nice place to grow seed from, and bring up to the level of potting on for the Polytunnel I will eventually get.

In essence, I had already worked out much of what I need and wanted at my old place, I just lacked one area of the Holy Grail for my Bonsai interest.  Room to plant on!  Even though I built a raised bed for growing my Bonsai grown from seed into "Pre-Bonsai", it wasn't big enough to cope with the massive number of saplings I could grow.  & the Bonsai Grow bed wasn't exactly small, but could still only hold around 40 saplings.  More room was needed and I couldn't get any land near the old place for love nor affordable money!

I had the seed to seedling/sapling stages well covered with home growing via the grow tent, then the polytunnel for growing on to sapling and overwintering tender or sub/Tropical stock sorted.  Spring through till Autumn was taken care of with 4 large "Bonsai Benches" (Bought from a Garden Centre that went bankrupt) that had old Polytunnel covers draped over, bark chippings over Cat Litter/gravel on top of the covers to ensure humidification and give me if required a few days away from my trees if work required.  This enabled me to keep a collection of about 100 Bonsai in pots and the whole setup allowed me to grow from seed about 300 - 350 saplings of mixed species.  All of which sadly had to be either left behind, or died when I split with my now ex partner, even though she assured me she would water the trees while I was in the process of moving homes and organising somewhere to store the trees etc.

Now I have the space to go from the Sapling stage and get them in the ground to grow on for a 2-3 year period, I can hopefully complete the Bonsai Trinity, Seed to Sapling to in the ground for a few years to mature and then out they come to start training into pots!!!

I think the local Council has so far been fairly decent considering they don't really like you planting trees on plots around here, lol.  I do want a Potting shed with glass eventually, but I think it's best for now to ease my world domination through Bonsai plans in slowly.  Love your thinking though!

[Bonsai Si]

Just to give an idea of the size of the benches I used to have.

I was planning on getting into Aquaponics with the pond also, twist of fate really, the old pond sprang a leak so I had to buy a new preformed to house the stock on the old pond, and took the chance to add the pond next to the polytunnel.

All best laid plans of Mice and Men huh...

[Bonsai Si]

Should be out collecting some free timber later this evening, including roof trusses, Scaffold board with some other wood off cuts, score!  Out comes the Scorpion saw!!!  (Small car sadly!)

Raised beds shouldn't be too far off.

Then I just need to get some seriously fast draining substrate and I can plant on the trees on my balcony to get them into maturity!

/happy dance

[Bonsai Si]

The Dalek on guard. :)

[Bonsai Si]

First bit of bad news, I was offered a shed yesterday, 7x5, but as it is over the no permission required size I had to ask permission which was sadly denied. :(

Gonna see if I can still get the shed and bodge it some to make the size restriction or use the wood for another purpose!

[cornykev]

Hard luck with the shed but give them another try you never know, just a quickie whats the idea with the bricks around the dalek. ?   

[Bonsai Si]

It was a windy day when I got it, so just helped weigh it down till I get some compostable stuff into it.  Didn't wanna have a bunch of raging plotters after my hide cos my Dalek blew through their plot and destroyed their efforts, lol.

The efforts so far.



Nice hour or two down there today, which included a VERY low fly by of one of the D-Day aircraft that are often seen out this way.

[johhnyco15]

its coming along nicely i prefere daleks to other compost solutions there neater and quicker at there job well done you

[Bonsai Si]

THanks.

I'll be using the Dalek and the less neater solutions no doubt.  I fancy a few Pallet bays, just to make turning over easier later down the way.

[Bonsai Si]

A little bit more done.

Update on the Shed:

Just been to have a look at the Shed I've been offered for free and I'm gutted I can't keep it "as is" due to size restrictions as it's a little gem.  Less than 2 years old, good condition and a nice size.

So the plan is...

Dismantle and cart it to the lottie, then rebuild it but move the walls in a "smidge" and create a porch at the front and then add a bit of an overhang at the side for a small sheltered wood pile area.  Not sure I will get away with it, but I'm gonna play stupid and go with the line of "The enclosed shed itself is within the guidelines I was told to stick too, I didn't see any caveat that I couldn't have a porch or overhand added on to it..."

As mentioned earlier though, other sheds on the allotments are far bigger than the size stated allowed, so I'm hoping there is wiggle room for a little tape measure shenanigans if needed.