Am I alone in wanting to clear everything?

[Littlemouse]

I appreciate this is probably bordering on sacrilegious on a forum such as this ... but, I look at my small, untidy and rambling veg beds and think that I'd like to whip everything out (of the beds, that is) and just enjoy looking at them in a bare state until next Spring.

I haven't been organised enough to think about a 'winter crop' or even thought about overwintering anything, and with the way my plants have romped away I became a touch overwhelmed.

Will try and do better next year but in the meantime my fingers are itching to get out there clear the lot. I won't, of course, until the time is right but that won't stop the twitchiness!

[Shortie]

This year I'm feeling happy with my rambling messy garden, but this a first.

All other years I've wanted to pull everything up as soon as it looks half wilted! Mind you I usually regret it as the garden then suddenly goes 'flat' and lacks texture, colour and that bit of interest

[BumbleB]

Oh I so know what you mean...
My garden plot has been great. We have been picking red tomatoes since early july and still plenty on the plants. The runner beans just keep going and going, squashes etc, courgettes slowing down. But, for some reason I have the itch to tidy it all. It seems that because I know the season for these veg will end soon, I just want to get on with it. We do have a bed of leeks that will go on longer and I have some spring cabbage started. But together with the flower border, I just want to have that start from scatch again feeling.
I am resisting. We have a holiday at the end of the month so will do the clearing after that in early October. Today, I have just generally tidied and given the flowers a haircut.

[amandaandherveg]

I'm right with you - I couldn't resist a good 'tidy up.

I take care of an elderly neighbour's garden - the dogs and I spent 7 hours over there today and I went to town on the tidying up whilst they slept in the warm sun. Planted out a large bed with some overwintering brassicas and prepared a couple of areas ready for the garlic and onions. Chopped back brambles and attacked some Ground Elder trying to make it's way from a neighbouring garden. Weeded, hoed, raked and chopped - t'was a great day.

[zazen999]

I can't wait to clear the rest of my beds as I have loads of onions and garlics to go in.

Empty beds all winter: not round my way

[Two_Sheds]

just enjoy looking at them in a bare state until next Spring.

ah, but it will never be bare, because weeds will grow if you don't have anything else in there.

Even in my flower garden at home, I don't have bare soil ... I've just sown hardy annuals in the gaps.

I bang on about limnanthes as a ground cover, but it really is good stuff ... covers bare soil, attracts bees & hoverflies, and is easy to pull up when you want to plant something else.

[bluemoon]

Have to admit it's tempting, but then I'd have to pay ridiculous shop prices for leeks and queue for Brussels sprouts on Christmas Eve......

[RobintheBobin]

I know what you mean but I just haven't had the time to tend to my veg plot or flower garden recently so I dread the slow walk down there tonight to review the situation; I have a feeling it will all need to be tided up and cleared out regardless

I have managed to be vaguely organised about winter crops though and have a lovely patch of kales, leeks and PSB although part of the big clear up will involve going into the PSB cage and removing the b****y caterpillars!!!

[Alison]

I cleared my pea bed last weekend as they were finished anyway but have sown a winter manure there instead. Same goes for the potato beds as they'd been empty for a few weeks. Last years onion bed is now being used for some winter salads (which will be cloched as it gets a bit colder), the brassica beds are full, carrots and parnsips in the ground and the toms, courgettes and beans are still going great guns. As said above, beds don't stay empty, weeds seem to grow even when nothing else will so it won't look smart for long. If you are determined to leave them empty (without even a green manure) then suggest you put card and organic material / manure on the beds where the veg will appreciate it next year so you get a head start.

[BarleySugar]

My courgettes and outdoor cucumbers have finished, and even though I hadn't much time yesterday, I couldn't resist pulling them up. I too am itching to clear the ground, but I want to plant garlic and onions as well as getting some manure on next year.

[davefromthechipie]

clear and replant It's not to late to sow or buy plug plants we got in seed carrots ,2 types of lettuce , pea's , spinage .Cabbage / Kale ( plug plants )Also leeks will be sowed in GH soon not forgetting onions /garlic is on order so should be here tomorrow. Mustered seed is on the other beds .But i do know where your comming from :P with a nice weeded clean plot

[selfraising]

Yes I'm really tempted too. More so in the flower border than the veg beds as I have re-planted those.

[Snadger]

How can a true vegetable gardener look at a brown desert throughout the winter?

You may as well pave the lot and be done with it!

[Rocketron]

How can a true vegetable gardener look at a brown desert throughout the winter?

You may as well pave the lot and be done with it!

Harsh, IMHO.

The O/P admits to not having done enough forward planning and is looking to improve next year.

[Snadger]

Harsh, IMHO.

The O/P admits to not having done enough forward planning and is looking to improve next year.

In this instance you don't need forward planning there's loads in the garden centres, seeds,sets,brassicas etc. If the worst comes to the worst a green manure sown now will at least give you a green desert as opposed to brown one.
Allotment committees are partly to blame for the brown desert scenario as they think it looks tidy throughout the winter! Tidy but barren.
The only thing thats worse, is covering with black plastic which makes it look like a pit heap all winter..........and usually summer as well!

Bare soil is not natural, as left to the elements it will soon become green all by itself..............so why not capatalise on this and grow a winter crop on it?