vegetable beds, protection and other silly questions

[monkeyboy]

I am completely new to the world of gardening, let alone growing veg. The most I've ever done is mow the lawn. Since we've bought our first home, the wife has been keen for us (read: me) to grow our own veg.

I've ripped out some border plants and used some scaffold boards to make two 2x1m raised beds (30cm high). I dug all the soil out and sieved it back in to remove large bricks, stones, roots etc. The two beds are half-full of soil. It's taken me six months (about 4-6 hours each sunday since that's all the spare time I've had).

1. What should I fill up with? I was looking at soil improver/conditioner and fertiliser to make the soil more fertile for planting. I was going to fill up to 3/4 to allow for extra to be added next year.

2. A cat seems to use the beds as a litter tray. I'm also worried about local pests eating away at the veg. I looked at hoops but they look a bit short at either end for growing. I was looking at some sort of square raised pipework + netting from www.harrodhorticultural.com - are there any better/other suppliers? Any other types of protection that I should look into?

3. Is there anything I can grow now, or is it better to wait until next year. I did spot radishes, garlic and spinach as things I might be able to grow but is it too late in the year to start sowing?

Any advice is much appreciated and I'm working my way through all the threads on this site to gather information.

[Snadger]

Hi Monkeyboy and welcome to the vine. I can't help you with what to fill your raised beds with but there is stuff you can grow through the winter. Japanese onion sets will be in the Garden centres shortly and they make a great overwintering crop. They mature two or three weeks before spring planted onion sets. There are lots of brassicas (spring cabbage,winter cabage etc) that can be planted now and these plants will be in your local GC. Another one to sow in the Autum are Broad beans.

[nickdub]

Green manure is always a good answer for extra fertility in newly turned soil eg you could sow field beans now.

As for pests a lot depends on where you live and the sort of crops you plan to grow. If you come back with a response on what plants you'd like to try, I will attempt to give a specific answer. I wouldn't go spending a lot of money on stuff like netting which you might not need - no real substitute for having a chat with nearby gardener - like politics, all horticulture is local.

[Scarlet]

I would plant some elephant garlic and some Autumn planting garlic (can be planted from Sept) and pop to the garden centre to see what plug plants you can put in nowq. Remember it's best to only grow what you like to eat. Don't plant 20 cabbages if you aren't keen on eating them

[fishpond]

I would plant some elephant garlic and some Autumn planting garlic (can be planted from Sept) and pop to the garden centre to see what plug plants you can put in nowq. Remember it's best to only grow what you like to eat. Don't plant 20 cabbages if you aren't keen on eating them

Now you tell us.

[monkeyboy]

Thanks all. I'm just keen to try out growing something if I can this year, even if it's just for practice. Garlic's a good idea.

I'm currently working my way through the square foot gardening thread (p39 so far) and it looks ideal for what I want to do next year.

Pests - this is difficult. I've grown some mint and coriander in planter pots and they were doing well until something ate them. There are slug pellets and dead slugs around the base so it's not them.

Finally, any suggestions for keeping the neighbour(s) cat(s) out of the bed?

[Dynamite]

Thanks all. I'm just keen to try out growing something if I can this year, even if it's just for practice. Garlic's a good idea.

I'm currently working my way through the square foot gardening thread (p39 so far) and it looks ideal for what I want to do next year.

Pests - this is difficult. I've grown some mint and coriander in planter pots and they were doing well until something ate them. There are slug pellets and dead slugs around the base so it's not them.

Finally, any suggestions for keeping the neighbour(s) cat(s) out of the bed?

Cats.......HA! Good luck with that one. If you find an answer, publish it.

Regards Rob

[Dynamite]

Welcome to the vine monkey boy. It's spot on for us beginners.

Regards Rob

[Mr Bones]

Hi MB and welcome to the Vine. Maybe quick return crops would be an idea to start with, oriental veg, rocket etc. Re cats, apart from netting the beds sprinkle curry powder to deter them. Good luck with it.

[Cadalot]

Hi MB welcome to the madhouse

Netting appears to be the only thing that works, cats, foxes and magpies are the main non slug and snail pests on our allotment if you exclude the Rats and Mice !

[Martin H]

Hi and welcome.

Personally I would fill the beds up with more topsoil. Just now b and q are doing 4 bags for 12 quid; maybe 8 bags in each bed would get you most of the way there. A bag or two of well rotted manure might help get things going too.

The netting you mention is smart but not cheap. Personally I have sacrificed elegance for utility, I use hoops made from that blue MDPE water pipe with scaffold netting stretched over it. It keeps the animals, birds and butterflies out and also seems to be effective against carrot fly.

Good luck!

[ESBkevin]

Anything organic you can bury in the beds is food for the beneficial soil food web (worms and such). Pile it in now so that next spring the soil is crumbly and full of goodness.

Cats, no simple answer but I've had moderate success using mens urine. Now don't stant out front and get arrested! Take a milk container with a screw top in the loo with you and just before dusk sprinkle it on the beds. The smell dissipates overnight to us humans but deters cats for some time. Reapply every couple of weeks or so especially after a good rain. It;'s rich in nitrogon so helps the compost break down and feeds the plants - don't splash your vegetables though!

And welcome to the forum.