Our new Posh Plot

[Matt.]

Well I'll contradict others and say chance the rotovator. If its only brambles and nettles these won't grow back as bad as other weeds if at all (I'm not sure). You may have difficulty rotovating though thick roots but the pictures don't make it look too bad. However if you've got couch grass, horsetail or bindweed you may have the multiplication effect.

BUT as far as I can tell thats the only con. There are advantages of rotovating are that it breaks up the soil and means you can get planting on a larger scale much faster. Having the whole site cleared in one hit is a big postive compared to the slow ache of digging by hand. Weeds that do regrow can be pulled more easily as the soil is loose. You can still grow in the bed system or mulch as you would before.

I rotovated my plot when i first got it. I'm still undecided if it was a good idea or not because I have horsetail (I didn't know at the time) but at least I got loads planted really early on. That sucess then spurred me on to keep at it. So many times I see plots taken on my new folk who dig out one bed and never come back. I'm sure the moral crushing sight of all that work left to do it what does it.

[geoff]

I strongly suggest that you don't rotovate it
For one, it will chop up and replant all the weeds, so it will look great for a couple of weeks till you get some warm summer rain, then it will be worse than before
I rotovated a neglected plot once. It's not that easy to do on ground that has been left to become a bit of a wilderness, and has compacted over several months or even years. Rotovating is best kept as a quick way of turning over an established plot
So its careful hand digging with a fork, I'm afraid. But get a large delivery of manure and mulch the ground immediately after digging with cardboard or newspaper topped with manure
You're not going to dump all those bin bags are you? They contain minerals and organic material from the soil. You should compost them, or failing that, burn them and return the compost or ashes to your soil
The books will tell you whether to add compost or not before planting certain crops, but that is for an established garden. If ground has been neglected for a long time you need to add compost all over to bring it up to a minimum standard before you start

[dexterdoglancashire]

Congratulations! It looks lovely! I would take a little time to plan what you want, taking in mind the advice given and then enjoy!

[Snadger]

Congrats! Just wondering how high the wall is along one side and in what direction it faces? Espalier fruit trees spring to mind!

[amandaandherveg]

Congrats! Just wondering how high the wall is along one side and in what direction it faces? Espalier fruit trees spring to mind!

Exactly what we were discussing today Snadge. It's very high, South facing and wonderfully sunny for most of the day - I could just see fruit trees splayed across the wall - lovely.

Meanwhile, Marielle unearthed some steps today under a tonne of weeds.....

[deezyb]

looks fab amanda - lucky you! i'm sooooooo jealous! you and your pal have fun with your plot! might visit next time I'm passing...

[Snadger]

Exactly what we were discussing today Snadge. It's very high, South facing and wonderfully sunny for most of the day - I could just see fruit trees splayed across the wall - lovely.

Meanwhile, Marielle unearthed some steps today under a tonne of weeds.....

It gets better by the minute!!!!!!

[amandaandherveg]

looks fab amanda - lucky you! i'm sooooooo jealous! you and your pal have fun with your plot! might visit next time I'm passing...

Dee, please do - we have our Village Charity Open Gardens in three weeks, that would be a nice time to have a visit and have a nose around.

[Alice]

It just looks better and better.

[mariell]

im sore!! but isnt it coming along nicely

[Mrs Dobby]

Its fab, you guys are doing great, cant wait to see it fully up n running and full of fabulous fruit n veg!

[basketcase]

Congratualtions, Amanda and Marielle.

Can't see what it looks like, because I can't find either pictures or a link to them! This often seems to happen, so I must be doing something wrong, but what?

[amandaandherveg]

Today my OH Steve came down to help along with Marielle, her hubby, their 2 boys and their pal Doug. The boys went down to our plot where we're about to start building our new house and liberated an old fence and rebuilt it in the Walled Garden.



Then we unearthed an old path





A new gate will keep the local pooches from taking a toilet break



Still so much to do and wish we had as many helpers every day.

[fran]

Oh you lucky things. It's got so much potential. I feel a potager coming on!

[mariell]

and how stiff do i feel today...its really beginning to take shape and the paths are looking good