"The No-work garden"...........

[veggiechicken]

"getting the most out of your garden for the least amount of work".

Its the title of a book by Bob Flowerdew - not another of my nutty ideas.

One of the reviews said that some people would hate his opinionated views but they guaranteed that, after you'd read the book, you'd pick up a couple of nuggets of information that would appeal.

I'm reading it for the 2nd time and, since it so quiet on here at the moment, I thought I'd throw a few of his more controversial ideas for you to chew the fat over.

Chapter 1. "Why make hard work for yourself (or how it all went wrong)".

BF says "I reckon that one of the major problems that has beset gardening has been the plethora of artificial and unrealistic standards set by garden designers and grow-it-for-show exhibitors"

If you want perfection you must put in the time and effort required to achieve it - but you must also ask "is it worth it?".
Are you growing for Show or for pleasure?
Is bigger better?
Never mind how they look, what do they taste like?

Allotment "cred" -----you weren't much of a gardener until you could grow a 30' row of parsnips, beetroot and sprouts (even if you hated sprouts) - all evenly spaced and woe betide you if you took one out of the row and spoilt the look before Allotment judgement day.

Is BF right or wrong?
Over to you Grapes.

[Bren In Pots]

Oddly I've been reading his 'Going Organic' book this afternoon, I do like him he makes sense. I grow to eat size doesn't matter so long as it's ripe.
One tip I read is to use an old washing up bowl when weeding its lower than a bucket so easier to use.

[greenishfing]

Never read the book but he sounds so like me. I am as lazy as possible in the allotment. If there is an easy way I will find it.
I am always playing catch up. My allotment could never be described as pretty or even tidy but I do believe that it is one of the most productive on our site.
I must read the book.
When we first took our allotments (uncultivated for 20 years) there was one allotment that I was so jealous of. It looked amazing. It was a few years later when the owner came to ask advice because he couldn't actually grow most things.
Appearances aren't everything.

[Martin H]

I'm not much of a fan of Mr Floppydrop, but in those quotes he is spot on.

[veggiechicken]

Chapter 2 - Not all tasks are necessary.

Lots of small beds with grass paths between may look pleasing but the amount of edging and difficult mowing is excessive. Better to have fewer, bigger, bolder beds with less edges to neaten.

Tying daffodil leaves into little bunches is counterproductive as the bulbs need the leaves to wither away in the sun.

Don't sow too thickly and spend time thinning out. Why sow 500 parsnips per yard if you only want half a dozen to grow there.

You don't need many tools so buy professional or second hand ones as they keep an edge longer. A builder's barrow is better than a brightly coloured plastic one!

If a plant is cheap to buy its likely to be easy to propagate - so start your own.

Smaller plants establish quicker than bigger ones so save your money.

Most years result in glut or famine, depending on the weather.

Grow tomatoes, not plants. Too much fertiliser gives big leaves, not more tomatoes.

Its better to have fewer plants in a given space than overcrowding.

Don't take on too much, grow a few well. Same with allotment space.

Don't try to grow everything - specialise. BF's choice is plants that are edible, scented or aphrodisiac - for "hope springs eternal".

Grow what grows well and easily locally.

[Chestnut]

It’s one of those ‘each to their own’ things, I reckon. I have been to a couple of shows this year, and have greatly admired some of the vegetable displays, as well as all the individual entries.

It is the artistic side of vegetable growing ,with beautiful displays of ‘textbook’ veg. It must take a lot of effort to grow them like that!

Just like the Michelin starred restaurant, topselling author, or world champion sportsperson. I can appreciate they are a cut above the rest and I enjoy watching them at work occasionally , but I don’t feel that I need to keep up with them when I cook dinner, write a postcard, go for a bike ride etc .

I simply enjoy eating fresh organic produce, getting out in fresh air, and the easy thrill of making something from scratch.

[SarrissUK]

"getting the most out of your garden for the least amount of work"

That about sums me up in a nutshell that. I grow what I like to eat, what will sustain me, and what I enjoy seeing growing. I'm enjoying flowers more than I ever have previously. I do it all with as little effort as possible, but I do enjoy a project

[Bluenowhere]

I have to say we are going for the lower/focused workload ethos on our allotment. I work full time so need to spend my efforts on tasks that give me maximum organic yield rather than on a traditional looking allotment.

Woodchip paths rather than grass, easy to weed, no mowing or edging.

Small beds edged with decking planks so that I don’t have to weed large areas between plants or compress soil by walking on it. They are of a size that are easily weeded in a visit after work which also includes watering, it feels like you have achieved something when you can clear a bed in an achievable time.

Polytunnels that water themselves from IBCs that collect water off my shed.

Fruit cage so I don’t have to constantly fight with netting soft fruit or lose it to birds.

Growing what we like to eat in sensible quantities with as much started in modules as possible so minimal thinning out required.

Covering beds over winter to prevent the weeds growing in spring before we have a chance to plant anything and help soil warm up.

[Small pumpkin]

I’m a 50/50 gardener when it comes to it.
I do like the veggie garden to look reasonably cared for. But I don’t give a monkey’s what the finishing product looks like as long as it’s edible.
I don’t go for perfection.
I do agree with the less is more approach ( but I struggle with it ! ). Now I’ve thinned my seed collection I’ll be able to achieve this more easily.
I don’t agree with less beds but bigger (although that all fairly relative). After work with 5 beds 4ft x 24ft for the last 6 years. The new beds will be smaller. Number unknown at this point!.
I’m liking this thread, it’s helping me work out what, where, & how to lay out my new garden.
More nuggets of information please VC

[Snadger]

Bob Flowerdew is my favourite gardener (I have a few of his books) closely followed by the late Geoff Hamilton who was also inspirational.

Most of the stuff BF spouts I have already actioned and the guy speaks a lot of sense to me.
I am not an exhibitor and won't plant show onions 2 foot apart just so they grow large. It seems like a waste of space to me when I can grow two or three time the weight of keepable onions in the same space.
Exhibitors are good gardeners but would decry BF's mentality methinks. Nowt wrong wiih that though as allotments have always been for exhibitors as well as run of the mill growers like myself

[muckdiva]

I enjoyed the book, and yes definitely some nuggets there. This year I’ve had to grow veg within the flower garden which had been more work in terms of keeping things tidy, and OH is not best pleased with things left to go to seed, but it’s been my most enjoyable year of gardening so far as sitting and enjoying the plot, and remembering to harvest stuff as it’s there under your nose instead of tucked as far away from the house as possible or on the allotment.

In the past I’ve allowed veg growing to become an overwhelming chore, but this year has been a pleasure rather than work.

[Snadger]

I enjoyed the book, and yes definitely some nuggets there. This year I’ve had to grow veg within the flower garden which had been more work in terms of keeping things tidy, and OH is not best pleased with things left to go to seed, but it’s been my most enjoyable year of gardening so far as sitting and enjoying the plot, and remembering to harvest stuff as it’s there under your nose instead of tucked as far away from the house as possible or on the allotment.

In the past I’ve allowed veg growing to become an overwhelming chore, but this year has been a pleasure rather than work.

I also have a few of Geoff Hamiltons books, the Ornamental Kitchen Garden being one of them where he strongly advocates mixing veg with flowers and shrubs in a decorative garden!

[veggiechicken]

I have several books that say the same - "The Integrated garden" "Ornamental Edible gardening","Creative vegetable gardening", various Polyculture and permaculture books. Can't remember the exact titles but they're all on the same lines - mix it up.

[Mitzi]

I don't have a big enough garden to have separate vegetable beds so any veg I grow (only salad leaves this year) has to go in the flower beds.

Can I get away with spring onions as an ornamental? Well maybe not ornamental but as long as they're not an eyesore...

Definitely agree with the minimal effort school of gardening, mainly because I just don't have time to do more.

[veggiechicken]

Chapter 2, contd.
Always choose the right time in gardening.

Clearing ground is easier in winter when the leaves have fallen off the plants and the ground is softer and easier to dig out roots.

Don't dig holes for posts in dry ground - if you can't wait for winter, moisten it well the day before to soften the soil.

Prompt action needed to stop weeds seeding.

The biggest time waster is grass. More later!