Newbie - a choice of plots - established/newly dug

[Feral007]

Can't be sure about the spuds, but the guy we bought our hay off is spuddiing the hay paddock for a year to get it back up to speed for hay so there must be something good they do!

Have a look at the veg you want to grow that does well with some shade and that will be good for under your trees. We have moved our plum, mulberry and yostaberry trees this year. Later this week we (actually son) will be putting down a lot of hay under them. We will (actually both of us) be putting some topsoil inthe avenues between them, and then putting in alpine strawberries and some cape gooseberries, and later on some rhubarb.

We are working with a raised bed, of hay, topsoil, and a mulch of fine hay. It's looking good out the front today. As long as there is enough sunlight for the garden bed you can grow what you want under the trees. Look at how many hours of sunlight you can expect to have and then look for plants that want that much, or that little sunlight.

[Aberdeenplotter]

This advice (potatoes clean a plot) always concerns me. AP you know what you're doing, but a lot of newbies take this advice literally and get disappointing results.

My neighbour has grown nothing but spuds for 2 years now, and doesn't understand why the couch grass is still there, and getting worse

Also, just wondering: how do spuds add to fertility? I thought they were a hungry crop and took a lot out of the soil?


Sorry to differ

Differing is no problem . Gives a chance to explain more fully to folks less experienced than us .

Planting spuds does not clean the soil. With spuds, the soil is constantly being kept on the move. First time it is dug over, any perennial weeds visible can be removed. When the spuds are planted, I set up ridges so once again the soil is being moved and another opportunity to remove any perennial weeds visible. FYM is then placed in the trenches with a handful or two of granular fertiliser(doesn't all break down or get used up so what is left is available the next season hence the improved fertility). Soil is then raked down over the spuds which are planted in to the fym. Once again another opportunity to remove any visible perennial weeds. As the season progresses, The spuds are earthed or furrowed up several times so yet further opportunities to remove visible perennial weeds and the haulms/shaws as we call them up here, deprive the annual weeds of light and suppress them. Of course, the soil is moved once again when the spuds are harvested and again before the next crop of whatever is planted.

I think the problem is some folks think that spuds roll up their sleeves and remove weeds. That is not the case. It's the constant moving of the soil and removing visible weeds that does the trick.

I know you know all of the foregoing. Between us we will maybe convince others

[Kaiya]

I think the saying should be "when growing spuds, you clean the soil" . I'm not even convinced spuds really break up ground. I have clay, I grew a bed of Anyas (and a few maincrop) and the Anyas have happily filled the holes I dug for them and made absolutely no effort to grow into unbroken ground. So rather than digging them up I excavated them. Which is fine - I don't want to dig up potatoes, I've been signed off for a bad back, I shouldn't be digging anyway (plus I'm no dig for back reasons). But I had expected them to at least venture into the surrounding soil...

Anyway - I'm in the 4 rod camp too. I found my first year I did not use my entire tiny plot (which I think is 2.5 rods?) and even at the end of 2 years I'm not using it completely, although I am starting to feel snug there. One thing I lament is the lack of fruit on my plot - I've had 3 bought rhubarb crowns fail, so far no crops from my fruit bushes bar about 5 raspberries. I'd love establiashed fruit.

[Feral007]

Now I'm going to spend the day thinking of spuds with their sleeves rolled up happily at work! Thanks for the visual