Starting a veggie plot.

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Starting a veggie plot.
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cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Nov 19, 08 4:35 pm Post subject:

wellington womble wrote:

I got a bit carried away. I only meant to say that it's not that hard, and you can learn as you go! And plant stuff you like to eat.

Feel free to get carried away and post good advice like that whenever you like.

VM

Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 1748
Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 08 12:42 am Post subject:

My partner has cleared and cultivated two allotments in the past three years - does the covering with plastic, old carpet etc. - but also lots of digging and taking out perennial weeds by hand. It does seem to really pay off in the long term, though hard at the beginning - means you are on top of the bad weeds from early on.

He does particularly like digging though...

Roundup? Surely not??

Like the dog!

Hammer Man

Joined: 15 Nov 2008
Posts: 57
Location: Rutland

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 08 4:37 pm Post subject:
I spent a few more hours out there today. My friend was unable to come and help this time though so I got bored quite quickly and soon came back inside. I'm getting there though, slowly but surely! One part is pretty clear now with some roots still in the ground, they are a pain to get out aren't they!! So, this how it looks at the end of day 3..

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 08 5:10 pm Post subject:
You might find a mattock will make the heavy work a lot easier than a fork. It's like an adze but with a long handle. It slices through roots much better than a fork and you can work very quickly if you get the pace right. See https://www.allotment.org.uk/articles2/Tools_Mattocks_and_Azadas.php for an example of one.

Hammer Man

Joined: 15 Nov 2008
Posts: 57
Location: Rutland

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 08 5:40 pm Post subject:
Thanks vegplot, I'll have a look in the garden centre for one! I'm quite excited about having my own veggie plot now I can see it taking shape! I'm quite a long way from where I want to be with it though but I'll get there. Out of interest, does anyone know what this little bug is? I've never seen one before and keep finding a few in the roots..

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 08 5:40 pm Post subject:
I've been mattocking nettle roots this afternoon - can definitely recommend it for effectiveness. I think your bug is a cockchafer grub!

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 08 5:42 pm Post subject:
The bug looks like a chafer grub, loved by chickens. You often find them under turf but their numbers greatly reduce when you cultivate the soil.

Hammer Man

Joined: 15 Nov 2008
Posts: 57
Location: Rutland

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 08 5:48 pm Post subject:
Thanks! There are a fair few out there so I might throw a few over to next door's chickens tomorrow!

Hammer Man

Joined: 15 Nov 2008
Posts: 57
Location: Rutland

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 08 8:07 pm Post subject:

I only spent a little bit of time out there today as I'm a big jessy and it was too cold for me! Haha! I had some help from my little princess though so between up we managed to remove some more of those dreaded roots! My little girl has demanded that we grow lots and lots of strawberries as she helped to dig! Are strawberries easy to grow? Is it possible to buy a strawberry plant to put in the ground that is going to produce fruit in the first year?

So, end of day 4.

Penny Outskirts

Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 08 8:15 pm Post subject:
Looking good so far Strawberries are easy, and the best thing ever on a warm summers day straight from the garden

happytechie

Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Posts: 408
Location: Surrey (at the mo.)

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 08 8:34 pm Post subject:

mmm fresh strawberries on your cereal in the morning with the dew still on them are the best in the world. They are dead easy to grow, the ones on our allotment were planted through holes in membrane and needed hardly any weeding or attention we just picked the fruit

looks like a great plot to me, get your garlic and winter onions in now and cover the rest ready for the planting in the spring. You can plant broad beans now for an early harvest I think. Have you thought about soft fruit or asparagus?

if you can get hold of any a layer of well composted manure or composted grass clippings / leaves on the top of the dug soil and under the membrane / carpet will get pulled down by the worms through the winter.

Hammer Man

Joined: 15 Nov 2008
Posts: 57
Location: Rutland

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 08 9:58 pm Post subject:

Strawberries it is then!

There are some Gooseberry bushes and Rasberry bushes at the front of our house and I did wonder about moving one of each onto my patch - will they survive the move if I get all of the roots? Is there a 'good' time of year to do this? As for Asparagus, yes I did consider it but I'm affraid I am rather impatient and so after a little reading about it decided against the idea. I do however, really really really really like Garlic!! How do I grow it?? Is it just a matter of putting a few cloves in the ground or do I need to buy some seeds from somewhere? Same with Onions, I take it I can get seeds for them too?

Thanks

Woodburner

Joined: 28 Apr 2006
Posts: 2904
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Dec 01, 08 11:42 pm Post subject:
That's a nice plot. Don't be too hasty in putting gravel down. If you don't want all the area for crops, you can grow green manure on the rest, or even include it in your rotation.

Hammer Man

Joined: 15 Nov 2008
Posts: 57
Location: Rutland

Posted: Sat Dec 06, 08 7:10 pm Post subject:

Sorry, I haven't been on for a while. The reason I want gravel or something around the patch is so that we can sit out there in the summer. I'm not too sure now though as the gravel will mix in with the earth around the edges won't it??

I haven't put anything in yet as the Onion seeds in the garden centre don't go in yet apparently - is there a certain type of onion that can go in now? I think it was happytechie(?) who said put onions in now. And Garlic, do I just plant normal garlic cloves in the ground?? My grandad sent me some broad beans which he said I can put in now so I will put them in over the next few days!

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6629
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Sat Dec 06, 08 8:29 pm Post subject:
I don't really know your climate that well, but if the soil is still warm enough to work, than you might as well throw in some garlic cloves. Just shove 'em in (root side down mind you - unless you like curlicues) so that their tops are 1/2 to 1 inch under the surface. Beware curious squirrels, they may come by and dig them back up if they see you burying something...

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