Bonjour!

[David Greenwood]

Hi,

New to gardening and to messaging - My interest is in 'long distance' gardening - how to make a garden productive when you are only able to visit it every six weeks or so - also, as the garden is in Brittany, any advice a to what works and what doesn't would be appreciated! If there are any othe long distance gardeners out there I'd welcome advice!

[selfraising]

Hi David and welcome to the Vine. I'm sure you'll get lots of advice.

[Two_Sheds]

Hi David.
You'll only be at the garden once every 6 weeks? Does that mean nobody will be there to weed & water in your absence?

I'd be growing flowers then, or grass

[Jardiniere]

I tried to clear my garden while i was on holiday (6 weeks a year) and failed miserably....i cleared two little beds and put rosemary and sage and bulbs in them as well as a rose and they stayed reasonably clear but everything else just grew over again and again...however we must have done some good as it is wasn't too difficult to clear once we got here permanently.
I suppose you just wont be able to grow anything that needs a lot of care and attention or water.....so bushes and trees etc....

[Nicos]

Hi there- and welcome to the Vine!!

As you can see we too long distance garden!
Weed suppressant membrane for curly kale,sprouts,perpetual spinach,sorrel,celeriac- and loads of water retaining compost incorperated into the soil!
Choose a place with shelter from the afternoon summer sun.
Grow spuds , globe artichoke, jerusalem artichoke,in other areas and inverted 2litre bottles for deep watering for when you leave.
You should be fairly OK with that- but it's always good to employ a local to check on them once or twice a week- or even offer them the use of part of your veg in exchange for caring for it!
It's also good for your street cred as you'll be supporting the local infrastructure so to speak!
( not so sure about 'grazing rights' though...certainly if a neighbour is allowed to graze their cattle on your land for a couple of years they have automatic right for that use for the rest of their life...don't think it applies to growing their veg..but i might be wiser to pay for their time.)

I'm sure there are other veg you can grow- but certainly fruit such as the currants and gooseberries would be worth netting and sharing with a neighbour if they ripen in your absence and they pick and freeze some for you. You'll probably be given pots of jam in exchange!!

Oh yes...loads of herbs which you can pick and dry for the rest of the year

What do you have growing already???

[happybunny]

Hey there, welcome to the Vine

[TonyF]

Welcome from another Francophile gardener.

I wouldn't try to grow anything too heroic unless you'll be visiting more often that 6 weeks or you're putting in an irrigation system with a timer.

You don't mention size of garden or what's in there already b ut if it's big enough, I'd go for fruit bushes and trees, leave aside veggies (unless they're spuds or JAs in winter), onions may work (with irrigation), carrots and parsnips (again, with irrigation). And all the hardy herbs that you can plant and leave or even the softer perennial herbs like lovage.

Do you visit every 6 weeks through the winter also?

[David Greenwood]

Wow,

Some really useful advice and what helpful people you are! Thank you one and all!