What to do in my garden - advice please.

[Ashaman42]

Hi all.

Novice veg grower here, the year before last I managed to grow a reasonable crop of tomatos (till they all fell over in the wind and were too bushy to pick up again) and a couple cucumber plants which started out ok but suffered when I found out the patio they were trailing across didn't drain when it rained so they rotted.

Didn't grow anything last year for various reasons but have got the bug again this year and am after some advice on how to vegify my garden.

Some photos:

Pic1


Pic2


Pic3


Pic4


*Continues in next post*

[Ashaman42]

Pic5


Pic6


Pic7


The garden is south facing.

Under the cardboard in Pic7 I've cleared the weeds as best I can and dug in the contents of one of the grow bags I used in the first year. Also the ivy is now all (mostly) pulled off the wall and on the driveway awaiting a tip trip. Just need to dig the main root (betwen the dalek and the cardboard) out of the ground.

The wall with the garden fork against it in Pic5 is where my toms were grown in growbags last year, I've talked to my neighbour and have got the go ahead to put a trellis on that wall so hopefully my toms this year won't all fall over.

Currently trying to decide whether to get rid of the tree in Pic6 or the yellow bush in Pic5 to free one of those bed for more veg, the beds being lower than the lawn is not ideal as if I plant taller plants on the northern end of the bed and lower ones to the south I'm going to have to tend the beds from the lawn rather than the patio which will probably mean working lying on my belly.

Also the wall in Pic4 is pretty tall, if I grew something in pots/growbags there would they get enough light?
Once/if the tree goes the area will get direct light from early morning till the sun goes over the wall, which I guess would be middayish, would I be restricted to certain plants or would that be enough light for most things?

Think I'll stop there for now as I've lost track of what I was going to ask but will be back later with more questions I expect.

Cheers all.

[FionaH]

If your garden is South facing you can grow almost anything. Best thing to do is clear a little space, plant it and then do some more. Plant what you like eating

Best of luck getting that ivy out!

[Ashaman42]

Amazingly the ivy came off in mostly one lump, despite the fact it was growing up the wall, over it and down the other side. Getting it off involve a garden fork and a bunch of levering.

Was hanging off with both feet on the wall at one point but then it all went twang and is now heaped up behind the motorbike on the driveway.

All I'm left with is a big root (be it ivy or whatever the ivy grew around).

Was originally planning to put a garage along the southern fence (replacing the shed and driveway) but not sure if that'll shade the garden too much in spring/autumn particularly as the patio is a fair bit lower than the main garden.

Think instead will get a slightly larger shed (the motorbike is not loving living outside) and maybe a greenhouse/mini greenhouse.

[Potstubsdustbins]

If your toms grew successfully in that spot last time I would keep them there but use large pots not grow bags for easier watering. Again if you like toms the wall between the patio door and window would be ideal for hanging baskets with toms or herbs etc.

Colin

[francesbean]

ashaman - just get growing ! Don't worry too much in your first couple of seasons - most of us just muddle through with a few pots and clearing our gardens of brambles and stuff (ivy in your case). It's the perfect time to get a few seeds sown or some plants from the garden centre - and then youre hooked.

Personally I'd dig up a bit of the grass around your sleepers and start putting a few things in - maybe some dwarf french beans and some lettuce or anything that you like eating - its close enough to the back door that you can pop out and take a look every day. Have another go with the toms - sounds like you were doing well until the wind. Take it a bit at a time -see what others are planting on the forum and give it a go.

francesbean

[Snadger]

Me personally, I'd go for raised planting beds. Everything seems very 'angular' in your garden so it would probably be better to carry on the theme and keep rectangular beds round about 4 foot wide. And DO use the wall for growing climbers or fruit trees.

[Ashaman42]

Thank for your replies.

Had already made a start in seed trays and pots before making this thread so don't worry, there will be some growing. I have some small tom and cuc plants on the go that are looking quite good, will probably growbag them up today.

Have some radishes and lettuce that are looking a bit leggy but had them outside a bit yesterday and will do the same today.

I've also got two seed trays of mostly unknown stuff as I was sure I'd remember what was there so no need to write it down

And I've got a big trug on the driveway with some carrots seeds in it. Currently covered with a double layer of old net curtain to keep cats and birds out. Will this block too much light? Should I rearrange it to one layer?

Going to try to pinch some more pallets from work, got one as a platform to keep my potato growbags up off the patio floor and one that's been made into a wire covered box to keep the neighbour's cat off the one bed I have prepared so far.

Will try and get more to make a raised bed or two.

Think I will prune the tree a bit but see how long the growing bug sticks, can always wait till next year to remove it completely.

Now to work out what I'm getting from B&Q later.

[FionaH]

Buy some labels! and use them

[Ashaman42]

Yeah, did better on my second round of sowing, have got a notebook with little maps of the trays and a date of when they were sown. That and some tape labels on the trays and I know what's what.

Need to thin some of the salady stuff, despite the fact I know thinning will give a better yield for the remaining plants I find it difficult to pull out otherwise healthly plants.

[Two_Sheds]

Have some radishes and lettuce that are looking a bit leggy but had them outside a bit yesterday

They are both cold tolerant so should be outside anyway

I find it difficult to pull out otherwise healthly plants.

You can eat the thinnings, they aren't totally wasted. Then sow thinner next time

[Ashaman42]

They are both cold tolerant so should be outside anyway



You can eat the thinnings, they aren't totally wasted. Then sow thinner next time

Have constructed a net curtain/bamboo cane 'thing' for the lettuce tray. Not sure if the net is fine enough to stop all the insects that might concern me but shoudl at least keep next door's cat off them. The lettuce tray is there at the mo but will probably bring them in overnight and out them out before work tomorrow.

Ate some of my lettuce thinnings the other day, was the tiniest salad ever Had about six 1" plants.

As for sowing thinner, well when I sow a tray I start off with nice spacing but then get clumsy with all the little seeds

[Two_Sheds]

Have constructed a net curtain/bamboo cane 'thing' for the lettuce

Insects don't bother with lettuces, but slugs will. A net curtain construction will make a lovely slug hotel

Keep the cats off with a few holly leaves or something while you have bare soil. Once the soil is covered by foliage the cats won't visit anyway: they like bare, dry earth to poop in

[Ashaman42]

Ah, well hopefully the slugs don't cross the patio today to my contraption as haven't time to move anything as I should have left for work already. Ho hum.