Early planning

[Shelle]

Well, as predicted by a lot of forum members, I am addicted to veg gardening and am now planning ahead!

At present, I have only planted up containers (for my potatoes, garlic, carrots, beetroots, radishes and spring onions) as I live at home with parents who did not want any of their garden dug up! To be honest, they didnt really believe I would persevere as I am very much a fair weather person and hate the cold! I thought planting over the spring/summer/autumn would be my best bet, as I am not sure if I would do anything in the winter due to being a softie (I even hate air conditioning in the summer as I get a cold draught!). Also I do not have a greenhouse so am very limited which is why I start from seed in late march to early april.

I have enjoyed seeing my results (even though only on a small scale) and am now planning to increase next spring. My parents have said I can have a part of the garden, but my dilema is this. It is only really big enough for one or two beds, thus presumably I cannot carry out the crop rotation properly. I wondered if I was better off paving and placing my containers on there. It is also a partially shady area, so at least with containers I can move them around.

Is my thinking in the direction of paving an area a good one in the circumstances??? Then I can increase the number of containers that I use. I have already decided that I am getting some of those black buckets, as the pots I used for the potatoes this year were too big to move around once full! Learnt my lesson there (although have had a good yield I think).

Sorry for long post Am getting excited planning how to best make use of the land I have and what I need to do to get there

[TPeers]

When you say only enough space for one or two beds - how long and how wide?

To make gardening easy think about 1 metre square beds - easy to dig - one or two crops per bed - easy to make a rotation.

If you only have half an hour in the garden you can weed a 1m sq bed and 'complete' a job - very satisfying!

There is no need to ever step on the bed - better for the soil.

I agree that if you are planning lots of spuds you may want longer beds, but hey, why not several spud beds - one variety per bed? Growing in this manner allows for closer spacing - five seed potatoes per bed.

Just an idea.....


Make the beds raised beds by bordering each with 6"x1" scaffolding planks. Make each bed a mowers width apart, in blocks 2 beds wide and however many long and two mower widths (or a wheelbarrow width - which ever is wider) between blocks. Easy access, easy maintenance, easy planning!

Terry

[Shelle]

Thanks for that suggestion.

Not sure how much room I have without measuring. using the mower width, I would guess 3 or 4 of those in width and 5 or 6 in length, possibly more. Sounds as if I could have a few more beds than I thought!

Hmmm you have given me food for thought!! Does the fact that the land I can have is grass at the mo make any difference? Do I simply dig it up and create the beds?

[TPeers]

It can make a difference.

Grass contains wireworms - wireworms love root crops!

Personally I would recommend marking and digging the planed beds as soon as possible - then add the edging and top up with either old potting compost (carrot, parsnip, salsify..) fresh compost or manure (beans, spuds, cabbage etc...) over the autumn and early winter.

This serves two purposes. 1. By digging the beds now the wireworm will move off to the grass and will hopefully not be 'infecting' your veg beds next year. And 2. the compost and manure can be laid on like a mulch keeping the weeds down over winter thus keeping your parents happy! You are not 'ruining' their carefully tended garden by leaving lots of weeds!

Been there!

Hope this helps

Terry

[TPeers]

Oh! in case you didn't know! Old compost for carrots etc.... If you use fresh compost/manure with carrots and parsnips they fork in the rich ground and can end up unuseable! You win the funniest carrot award at the village show but it won't help when you want a plate of carrots for supper!