Hello

[A Calamitous Gardener]

Hello,
I'm just starting out, and haven't a clue what to do. I've created a blog (can I post the address, or would that be spamming for a first post?) and I've bought a couple of books - but its just not working - my garden isn't producing any fruit and veg - any ideas what I could be doing wrong, and what my best next step is?

I'll take a chance and post the blog address. If it isn't allowed I apologise (and am sure it will be removed very quickly) - A Calamitous Gardener | The journey of a non gardener trying to create a productive vegetable garden

[Two_Sheds]

- grow what you like to eat
- make a list
- show us

- we'll tell you how, when & where (if you ask nicely )

[rustylady]

Welcome to the Vine. Please tell us a bit about yourself, and whereabouts you are. If you add your location to your profile it will show up on your posts. Helps no end.

[taff]

it sounds like you're thinking a little bit too much about all the stuff you're supposed to be thinking about, instead of breaking it down into manageable chunks.
This time of year is not really the time of year to be planting any veg, besides garlic [in october-january], and leafy veg, like spinach/chard/pak choi.
You have a few months yet before you have to spring into action and do stuff to get ready for next year, so for the time being, think about how you want to set your garden out in a way that you can easily change it next year if you find bits of it are not working out that well.
plan an area for compost if there's enough space in the garden, dont worry about snakes, I've never seen one in mine, only slow worms and they eat slugs, so good guys , not bad guys
plan what kinds of veg you want to grow [and only what veg you actually like], with room for a couple of experiments.
then go back to your books and look for what each type of veg needs in terms of soil, light, moisture.
are you going to have a herb area? where will it be?
just you know, plan, don't get all overwhelemed with having to do it all at once.

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine CG

[A Calamitous Gardener]

Thanks Two Sheds

The kinds of things I currently eat quite regularly that I feel could maybe be grown in the garden:
Carrots
Broccoli
Sweetcorn
Peas
Cauliflower
Loads of strawberries (too late for this year I presume?) - come to that - any dark berries - raspberries, blackberries, blueberries
Broad Beans
Brussel Sprouts

Some things I dont eat that regularly, but feel I probably would/should if I could grow them:
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Peppers
Cabbage
Leeks
Mushrooms (can you grow them in your garden?)
Potatoes


I presume I have to do a lot of preperation work before I can jump in to trying to grow things?

[A Calamitous Gardener]

Wow loads of replies whilst I was typing the last response - thanks rusty lady, taff and Bren in pots

I'm in Kent (will add location to my profile after I've posted this).

Thanks taff. To be honest - not sure I could deal with a slow worm either! (I'm a bit of a townie - but want to make the effort with being rural now, however I have my boundaries! lol). I kinda thought it was the wrong time of year to get started - which is good as you say because it gives me some time (and you're right - I am feeling totally overwhelmed - I got the books and the more I read, the less clue I had how to get started!) - however I do want a "quick win" - to keep my motivation up (and prove to myself that its worth it) - so maybe I need to do some Spinach or something to get off the mark. Herbs arent going to be my priority I dont think - I'm not a great cook (though marginally better at cooking than gardening I think!) and dont use a lot of herbs.

[Two_Sheds]

Carrots ~ sow April to July, keep under netting
Broccoli ~ ditto
Sweetcorn ~ sow May
Peas ~ you can sow some next month (winter hardy ones, the smooth ones not wrinkled)
Cauliflower ~ yuk
strawberries (too late for this year I presume?) - come to that - any dark berries - raspberries, blackberries, blueberries ~ not hard, but are permanent (ish), require a bit of space, so plan that space before you buy
Broad Beans ~ sow some in Nov
Brussel Sprouts ~ too much trouble imo


Lettuce ~ sow a winter hardy one now
Tomatoes ~ do best in a gh
Cucumber ~ I grew a "white" outdoor one this year, small but prolific and lovely. sow April
Peppers ~ best in a gh
Cabbage ~ sow spring greens now
Leeks ~ buy young plants now
Mushrooms (can you grow them in your garden?) ~ tricky, not worth the bother imo
Potatoes ~ easy, but can't plant till spring


I presume I have to do a lot of preperation work before I can jump in to trying to grow things?

Start making compost asap

Turn your turf over, double dig it if you can. Plant anything you can now, and get the rest covered with a green manure over winter, to improve the soil and keep the weeds down

I wouldn't bother adding loads of manure now (it could be contaminated with herbicide), but add as much homemade garden compost as you can, over the years

[chris]

Hello from me too!

[taff]

To be honest - not sure I could deal with a slow worm either! (I'm a bit of a townie - but want to make the effort with being rural now, however I have my boundaries! lol)
....Herbs arent going to be my priority I dont think - I'm not a great cook (though marginally better at cooking than gardening I think!) and dont use a lot of herbs.

that's what I thought to begin with, but honestly, they're so cute
and you'll be surprised how your cooking improves because you will want to get the best taste you can out of your veg. try a few herbs in pots instead of planting in the ground to start with, some rosemary sprigs in sauteed potatoes, or thyme leaves in a breadcrumb coating....I'm salivating now.

with the grass you'll be upending, either take the top layer off, and stack somewhere out of the way, cover with plastic or something to keep the light off and leave for a year and you'll have really good topsoil from it, or double dig as two sheds says, and upend the grass one in the bottom...

if any of your friends have rabbits/guinea pigs or similar, take their bedding off their hands and put in your compost heap.

[SarrissUK]

Hello there and welcome!
I think you are doing the right thing to get a few things in now so you can keep the motivation going.
I dont think it should be underestimated how long it takes to turn a plot into veg beds. I have spent countless hours on my plot since March and only have about a third of the plot in use at the moment. It might be a good idea for you to start turning the soil and sow what veg you can, then sow green manure on the rest. Best of luck with it!

[Florence Fennel]

Hello and a very warm welcome to the Vine. You'll get loads of information on here and anything you can't find, just ask. Good luck with it all and happy growing.

[Glutton4...]

Hello, and welcome to the Madhouse!

[A Calamitous Gardener]

Wow - thanks for the warm welcome everyone

Looks like my first task is to "Double Dig" an area of the garden. Any recommendations on how much of an area I should do?
I'm just trying to make sure I understand what this involves. Have read the relevant section from Joy Larkcom, and the wikipedia guide (Double digging - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) - just going to watch a vid or two on youtube. Wow - I might even get outside and start digging today :P
I have no organic matter to fill in with, so I presume I'll just have to do my best without that.

[chris]

I have no organic matter to fill in with, so I presume I'll just have to do my best without that.

What, no cardboard, newspaper or veg peelings?