To cover or not to cover...Thats the question

[privateb]

Hi Guys just finished my 4meter X 1.5meter raised bed I filled it with 30% compost topsoil from a local company and I have added my friends horse muck and dug it in ready for my 1st year of veg growing. I have also made a coldframe bed for my seedlings in the spring.
I have 2 questions as I am a complete novis.

Should I cover the soil to stop any weeds or cats messing in it? If I should cover it what is the best stuff to use? and where would be the best place to get it?

Should I leave it until the spring before planting anything or dive straight in now with onion and garlic sets, leeks and keal?

Sorry thats more like 4 questions

Thanks for any advice
Ryan

[chriscross1966]

Get some garlic and leeks in , onions too if you like em..... covwer what you don't use with cardboard held down with a thin layer of soil/manure....

chrisc

[Two_Sheds]

too late for kale. And leeks

[OllieMartin]

Depending on how bad the cat situation is I'd consider covering it. I bought some very cheap weed-suppressant matting from Wilko's and used that on one bed. No weeding needed and no cats digging and messing in it, all my other beds have been regularly dug-over though. Will mat as much as I can next year.

[Two_Sheds]

Should I cover the soil to stop ...cats messing in it? ...what is the best stuff to use?

I would; cats will mess on bare soil. I use limnanthes as ground cover. It looks nicer than card or membrane, and feeds the bees too.

[womble]

I use chicken wire, cut into lengths that fit my beds. I just move it around as needed. The only thing it stops is cats, but that's quite a big "only".

[gadgetman]

Cats also dont seem to like Coffee grounds I've found - that stopped the neighbours cat visiting mine. Also stops slugs and most other pests.

Ask you're local busy coffee shop for their leftovers at the end of the day. I got 2 big bags from a Costa one saturday.

[womble]

I remember hearing that about slugs, then one night I saw a big slug climb over a massive pile of coffee grounds, I don't have much faith in it after that.

[gadgetman]

Did you apply as is, or water down?

[allaboutliverpool]

Many of my beds have produce growing overwinter and some will be used shortly when the present crops such as squashes have finished.
I will grow lettuce,peas and broad beans under cover and onions, shallots and garlic with no protection in other beds.
Some will be left dug but uncovered to allow the frost (if any) to condition the soil and kill off pests.
As you have only one bed you are restricted to growing small amounts, but you could shortly try some shallots, onions and garlic and if you can make a plastic cover some peas and broad beans.
Another option is to sow a green manure and dig it in, in the Spring.

You might get some ideas looking at my photos.

Allaboutallotments

[piskieinboots]

lovely site you have there AAA - I mean the blog as well as the gardening site