What should I do first?

[pjh75]

Hello,

This is gardening related, but didn't know where else to post.

My parents (who live in Romford) have finished clearing what will be their veg plot. It is about 30ft by 15ft and had been left growing wild at the bottom of the garden for the past 20 odd years.

It is now a blank canvas... I have no idea what the soil type / quality is but the previous owners did used to cultivate it. My folks want to plant a couple of fruit trees, but other than that are expecting me to tell them what to do with it and how

I definitely think raised beds are the way forward and I'm okay with telling them what to plant, but I don't know how to get it back into a suitable state for cultivation. So my question is, what should I do first? I think I will need to build up the soil level, but what with? how much? and where do I get it from? I don't think regular garden centres will be cost effective.

This is going to be a great project, but I need some advice. Please Help!!!

[shirlthegirl43]

Draw up a plan and work out what will go where. I planted stuff straight into cleared ground when I first took my veg patch back from nature. The first year I only got one bed cleared and I planted peas in that, the next year the first bed cleared got the peas and the original bed was given a bit of well rotted manure and I grew brassicas there. This is the third year and due to the rubbish growing last year and the poor winter, I am now clearing again but hope to sow carrots and other root veg in the first bed with brassicas in the second one.

Good luck with it and I am sure you will do fine as you probably have lots more space/energy/ideas than I have

[OverWyreGrower]

You need to think about what your raised beds will be made of...
To fill them, you can often buy topsoil by the builders bag (ton?) from building merchants, independent garden centres/nurserys etc. You could also get manure from local stables etc - they are often happy to have it taken away!

If they have currently cleared an area, get it covered over with black plastic/cardboard/carpet/whatever; otherwise, they'll have to clear it all over again!

[weekendwellies]

if you are planning raised beds then the soil type doesn't matter a great deal as you will fill your beds with whatever growing medium is suited to what you are growing. For the first year I suggest you plant what you and your folks like to eat and perhaps one or two types of something you would like to eat that you haven't had before. I planted gooseberries, as I remember them from childhood, but I can never get them in the shops. Last years crop was delicious.

If you are going to make the depth of the beds a couple of foot, then deeper rooting veg, potatoes, carrots, etc. should not hit any hard ground underneath.

As for filling the beds, have a try at the local parks department, they sometimes deliver compost for a fee. It can cost a lot, but compared to sacks from the GC it is generally cheaper option. A few residents of my allotment site all pitch in to get a lorry load for about £70. I dont pitch in with it as I am a bit dubious about the quality.


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[Hilary B]

I'd go with the rotation, although not sure about manure and cabbages.....
Spuds are a good starter, because all the earthing-up helps reduce weeds, and they like manure. I always learned (and there are plenty here who know a LOT more than I do, I just know some simple bits) that you add lime (unless that is what the soil consists of) after the spuds, and either peas/beans or brassicas do well (that is the next 2 years sorted) then the root veg fills in the rotation, before going back to spuds again.
If you can still get hold of first early varieties of spuds, you can get a crop of baby new potatoes for early autumn, and the sugar-pod type of peas should still produce a crop, as well as the salad stuff (I assume they want results this year).