Hi!
After my dilemmas about a landshare plot or a garden centre golden soiled plot (must have been for that price - £560 a year!), and then deciding to do container gardening, we have today inherited the bottom of my inlaws 100ft garden. My father in law fenced off the bottom bit a while ago as he was being approached by developers, and there is an old vegetable plot down there. Its 24foot long by 12 foot wide. There are 3 other plots down there too, but we're sticking with the first one and putting the shed and greenhouse on the other (shady) side. Its grassed over now but basically weed free and we forked a bit over tonight and the soil was lovely, really dark, quite fine and easy to work. There is a compost heap and we can run water down there from the house to have an automated watering system. Its sunny most of the day :D
So we have a number of questions ... we're starting digging tomorrow and basically only know what I've been reading for the past while...
I'd like to grow raspberries, strawberries, pumpkins, beans, peas, salad, tomatoes, beetroot, parsnips, carrots, potatoes .... am I dreaming or should that all be possible for a newbie who wants the digging exercise?
We thought we'd split it into four separate beds of 12ft by 5ft with one foot paths between then. Good idea? What and how much could we get in each bed, and so then in the whole plot?
Any ideas what we can plant now. I bought some brought on spring cabbages and purple sprouting brocolli plants today, and some little salad onions. They say they're Ok to plant now, what else is there? I have some beetroot seeds adn turnip seeds, can they go straight into the ground now?
What else do we need to know?
Hi LJB12
Congratulations on your new plot - I am sure you are going to have a great of fun working on it! :)
You could sow some winter lettuce ...WINTER DENSITY is a good one. You could also sow some pak choi this month.
Its too late to sow beetroot now.
Duke
Hi
I have also just got my plot :) and was desperate to put something in. I have bought some leek plants, winter lettuce seeds and Christmas potatoes.
Have fun and in no time you will be appreciating the benefits of home grown fruit and vegetables x
Thanks all!
We can compare notes then if we're starting at the same time! Where did you get your Christmas potatoes from and how are you growing them?
I think that you will need careful planning to get the most out of the space. But pumpkins and beans can be grown upwards.
I think your beds of 5ft wide is quite wide since you cannot reach across that far for weeding pickingetc.
I grew all sorts in my first allotment year. I only had a few strawberries and raspberries but loads of everything else.
With limited space I would have a good think about the potatoes. Perhaps some earlies so you can use the space again. But for me main crop do not taste that much better than bought ones.
Hi LJB12
I agree that potatoes take up a lot of room so I have put mine in large potato bags near the polytunnel so I can take them inside when it gets frosty. I got mine from a local Ironmonger/garden centre type shop.
I have only just started so I will have to see how I get on with them. Its worth a try. If you have limited space I would try peas. My plot is fenced off with high fences so I intend to take advantage and try veg and fruit that can be grown upwards.
I am no expert but I will try ;D ;D
congrats :)
Why not use one of the other plots as a massive fruit cage? and another one as a mini orchard ? either way the weeds should be going dormant soon so might be worth covering with old carpet (via freecycle or speak to local carpet shop which will let you skip dive) to suppress the weeds till you know what you want to do.
Having had a plot before i would never grow potatoes in beds again (i was in heavy clay and lost most of the spuds trying to dig them out) i would suggest building a couple of large boxes for plating into (look like compost bins) and you can then use these over winter after you have harvested your spuds as a hot house.
And take photos you will be amazed at how much this is all going to change :) cant wait to see :)
As for stuff to plant i can recomend http://www.organicplants.co.uk/acatalog/September_Delivery.html they sell seasonal plug plants there suggesting for this month to plant :-
Broccoli 9-star
Spring Cabbage ~ variety "Duncan"
Spring Cabbage ~ "Spring Hero F1"
Calabrese Pacifica
Chard "Bright Lights"
Perpetual Spinach
Garlic 'Messidrome'
Overwintering Japanese onion ~ "Tough Ball"
Winter Salad (Winter Purslane (Claytonia), Corn Salad, Land Cress, Lettuce 'Winter Density', Lettuce 'Arctic King',Rocket - Wild)
Hugs xx
that's great news - now the fun starts :)
I agree with Digeroo about the 5ft beds being too wide.
And hi to Greenqueen - welcome to A4A and congrats on your plot too :)
Thank you 1066
Let the fun begin ;)
Good luck to you LJB12 and put some pics on of your progress.
Michelle.
FUN!?!
I have dug our first bed and piccies are here: http://lisajane1977.spaces.live.com/
I ache.
But I'm very proud ;D ;D ;D
If you space start to be tight..rather than doing raised beds where you 'waste' growing room for the paths..you could just turn all the growing area over..place some slabs with gaps between so you can grown low crops between them...you can still do in raise bed 'fashion' but with out raised edges..growing areas separated by rows of dotted slabs.
I have now taken mine down and doing more and more this way..not that I'm short of room..but It is still easier and less wasteful. I grow things like alpine strawberries, bush beans, herbs, flowers..etc.between slabs and can still walk over without probs.
With larger bed for 'big' crops I have solid paths...access for barrow.. ;)