Oh, here's where introductions go!

[eirish]

I was looking for this and didn't scroll down far enough!

I'm very excited about having a bit of ground to garden in for the first time - have only grown in containers and didn't expect to do anything else until we buy a house. But when we moved into our new flat in February there was a little patch of sadly neglected garden at the back, and when I asked the landlord about it he was happy for me to adopt it. It belonged to a previous downstairs tenant and hasn't been touched for the last few years, so as you might imagine it's pretty overgrown. But it's been fun digging through, finding out what's there and uncovering old plant labels to decipher. Seems to have been a proper cottage garden - there are still some herbs and perennials, and I've even found a label for broad beans.

Since I got started so late, and we don't know how long we'll be here, I'm planning to stick with the cottage garden idea. But I'm getting a bit carried away with the veg! I don't really expect to get much - it's more of an experiment for me, to try some things out for the first time, so anything we get to eat is a bonus. We should get plenty of herbs to cook with, though - I've grown plenty of herbs in containers so feel more confident with them.

I've really been enjoying these forums already - so much information and lovely helpful people. Glad to have found them.

[veggiechicken]

Hello eirish and welcome!! If you're uncertain how long you'll be there, you could grow in containers and take them with you when you move. Some veg are quick to mature anyway, like the salad leaves/lettuces so you could put those into any clear space. I like the jumbled up cottage garden approach, personally!

[Glutton4...]

Hello, and welcome to the madhouse!

[donnakebab]

I agree with VC. You're probably staying there for around 6 months to start with. There are lots of veg and salad that can be sewn to crop within that time so just sew what you like to eat. If growing in containers make sure they are easy to transport if you do move and I'm not just thinking of weight I'm thinking of height with the likes of cane wigwams and the like.

[Pa Snips]

Welcome aboard and good luck with the veg growing. It starts as an experiment, then quickly descends into an obsession.

[eirish]

Oh, we'll be here a year at least, maybe 2-3, so it's definitely worth putting veg in the ground. I'll end up with some containers too - I've got plenty of pots. We've moved plants many times! I'm just not planning to do much structural work on the garden - go with what I've got instead. Hoping the jumbled up approach will confuse the pests!

And yes, it's definitely descending rapidly into obsession... I feel right at home in the madhouse.

[donnakebab]

Look out for the men in white coats. They don't like dirt!

[Ananke]

Hi eirish and welcome. I love the sound of your cottage garden approach, would love to see some photos.

[chris]

Hello from me too!

[Feral007]

Hello! I like the mix and match plant sowing. Lady at the permaculture workshop said sowing plants in rows made it like a pest buffet - all you can eat. I took that comment to heart! Along with the self sowing plants are the best - only the ones that are likely to survive come up from self seeding. I also grow plants all over the veg/herb patches. And a tomato came up in the flower garden (guess the compost wasnt hot compost.)

[Moo's Mum]

Hello Eirish! Wecome to the forum. I'm pretty new to this gardening lark too and like yourself just grew heerbs and a few bits and bobs in containers, Now most of my garden is a veg plot, I haven't got a spare inch of window sill in my house due to seedlings and I've got my name down for a lottie!! Oh yeah and the OH calls himself a widower now!! Good luck with your new patch and have fun!!

[Bren In Pots]

Hello eirish and welcome to the vine.

[eirish]

Along with the self sowing plants are the best - only the ones that are likely to survive come up from self seeding.

Heh. I could probably start selling strains of super-duper-hardy-Scottish-adapted poppies, aquilegia, lemon balm, oregano... Last winter was mild but the year before I'm told there was a meter of snow that stayed on the ground for a month. So anything that's in there now has got to be tough as old boots.

[Peppermint]

Hello eirish and welcome I also work on the basis of anything that it already in the garden is as tough as old boots - it has to be up here

I've been dividing existing plants from a sheltered part of our garden and moving them into more exposed areas. I also grew lettuce in a flower bed last year and plan to do the same again - it seemed to fool the sparrows who constantly try to nip off the new shoots.

[Florence Fennel]

Hello again eirish and a very warm welcome to the Vine. Sounds like a potager, good luck with it.