What could I do with a plot which is likley to be left vacant for a number of years?

[the quiet man]

I'm looking for novel idea's for vegetable patch of mine which will be left to fend for itself for the next 5-10 years. This patch is a plot located in my back garden, I have put a lot of work into it (soil conditioning/fencing) and would like to do something usefull. I'm joining the military and will be gone for at least 5 years. The only people who are here are my parents, who are not able to do any gardening at all. I would like to return after a number of years and use this plot again.

Has anyone got any novel ideas?

I should also mention the plot isn't particularly that big, roughly 5x10m.

I have thought about allowing Sunchokes to grow wild in the plot and take over it. On the other hand it would be hard to eradicate it

[WendyC]

Do you know anyone who would like to grow their own but is perhaps on a waiting list? They could come and do some gardening and your parents might get some free produce into the bargain. Hopefully on your return the site will still be workable.

[briggsy2011]

Similar to WendyC's idea, what about signing on to landshare to get someone in to use the land and your parents gets free veg?

[the quiet man]

Do you know anyone who would like to grow their own but is perhaps on a waiting list? They could come and do some gardening and your parents might get some free produce into the bargain. Hopefully on your return the site will still be workable.

No I don't know anyone who wants a site, most have their own site and don't need extra space. There could be people who are looking for a plot, but it would have to be someone my parents would know. Nice thought though.

What I hope to do is plant something which might maintain the site instead of letting it grow into a jungle of brambles ans wild bushes.

[chris]

If you're parents are able, what about some raspberries? They'll sucker - but if they cut them down after they've fruited, it should be easy *enough* to get rid of when you return?

Plus your folks can munch on some fresh fruit?

Or get some perennial flowers in there - easy to look after, etc.. some easy going self-seeding annuals would work well too.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Similar to WendyC's idea, what about signing on to landshare to get someone in to use the land and your parents gets free veg?

Yups that should ensure that your veg patch will still be a veg patch when you are ready for it again. There is always someone looking for ground to grow veg on

[the quiet man]

I had thought about planting rows of Raspberries, or even Loganberries as they seem to be a hardy variety. The only thing is that the site is north facing and is exposed. But I'd have to establish a green manure at the base to fend off weeds covering the plants and helping slugs getting at the berries. Does anyone know what would be a good green manure plant to use in the case?

Leaving a medow might an idea. I'll have a look into Perrenials and annuals. The only thing I'm worried about is that brambles might become established and take over the plot.

I think the Sunchokes if left to get established would keep things in order, but the only thing I'm worried about is that they might spread into the garden and that it might be hard to get rid of them when I want to use the site.

Thanks for all the ideas

[taff]

permaculture is your answer. Plant a fruit tree, underneath it at it's wider radius, plant some bulbs, a fruit bush or two, an accumulator, such as sterile comfrey for cutting down and feeding the soil and acting as a mulch, or something along those lines....
a hedge of some kind of bush would work too, maybe gooseberries....
how long have you got before you go?

[zazen999]

I'd turn it into a large compost heap, where all the cardboard and grass clippings and green kitchen waste could go, made of pallets with 4 large sections. Tell them to split their waste for the first year between all sections, to cover the soil well. Then, pick one and use for the second year exclusively. Then change to the next. then the next, and then the next. When you get back you will have lots of lovely compost; which you have turned on your visits home; you can remove the pallet sides leaving just the previous year's sides in place; use as a mulch or pile up the finished compost to be used later and you are good to go.

In the intervening years, you can always pop a few pumpkin seeds in on a spring break, and leave them to grow all summer on the heaps; so you at least get some crops with little actual work [the pumpkin foliage will die off and all the rents have to do is to cut the stems, take them indoors before the frost and use.

This means you also won't have any crops that will have established and need digging out.

[Shadylane]

This is a great idea. Your soil will be fantastic when you come back to growing on it again. I wouldn't use sunchokes. They'll spread everywhere and will be a pain to get rid of.

[Glutton4...]

Zaz - you are a genius!

[Two_Sheds]

I'm joining the military ... I have thought about allowing Sunchokes

Are you in the US ?

[the quiet man]

permaculture is your answer. Plant a fruit tree, underneath it at it's wider radius, plant some bulbs, a fruit bush or two, an accumulator, such as sterile comfrey for cutting down and feeding the soil and acting as a mulch, or something along those lines....
a hedge of some kind of bush would work too, maybe gooseberries....
how long have you got before you go?

I'll be gone by the end of January, I don't really have that much time to do anything. The plot got bit of neglected in the last year during my final year at college.

I'd turn it into a large compost heap, where all the cardboard and grass clippings and green kitchen waste could go, made of pallets with 4 large sections. Tell them to split their waste for the first year between all sections, to cover the soil well. Then, pick one and use for the second year exclusively. Then change to the next. then the next, and then the next. When you get back you will have lots of lovely compost; which you have turned on your visits home; you can remove the pallet sides leaving just the previous year's sides in place; use as a mulch or pile up the finished compost to be used later and you are good to go.

In the intervening years, you can always pop a few pumpkin seeds in on a spring break, and leave them to grow all summer on the heaps; so you at least get some crops with little actual work [the pumpkin foliage will die off and all the rents have to do is to cut the stems, take them indoors before the frost and use.

This means you also won't have any crops that will have established and need digging out.

Thanks this is a very good idea, very practical and useful. I think I'll stick with this

Are you in the US ?

I'm from Ireland

[zazen999]

Zaz - you are a genius!

I know sweetie, I know. Try to keep it quiet though, eh?