Newby - Should I clear my overgrown garden in May?

[window]

Hi,

I have wanted to start growing vegetables for ages and I’m finally getting the key to our garden in the next weeks. I can’t wait.
The garden is overgrown and full of weeds and I just wanted to ask your advice – should I leave it the way it is until Autumn and just grow in pots this year?
Or does anyone have any advice about how I can quickly clear the weeds so I can plant in the ground. I could clear a patch of weeds and put in a raised bed, but I’m assuming they will be pretty determined and may ruin my hard work.

Any help/advice appreciated, I've read into the vegetables I want to grow and have a plan, but I'm a total newby to gardening!
Thanks!
W.

[tamsin]

What sort of veg do you want to grow and where in the uk are you? Lots of things you could start off it pots while you are clearing and then plant out when you are done.

[shirlthegirl43]

Hello and welcome.

I would suggest weeding a manageable patch and getting something planted. Cover the rest with cardboard or something and tackle it as and when you can. Cut back overgrown stuff where it is in your way, after all it needs to go at some point. Anything which isn't in the way at the moment can be left until you decide on your overall plan.

[elsie-scot]

Grow in pots, when you move in you might have other things you need to address, then as time allows tackle a little bit at a time - you won't really know sun/shade, what ground is like, until you move in.

[piskieinboots]

Welcome to the Vine window - oh that sounds funny, do we have a door as well

I'm in a similar boat to you, I'm taking over an allotment and moving house all in the first week of May - I have seen my allotment and know it needs a fair bit of work, so my plan is:
- sow* some courgettes, peas and beans in pots this weekend
- transport them carefully from Oxon to Beds
- get a few raised beds knocked up (already have these in link-a-bord form) on lottie
- fill with compost (home-made, sitting in bags waiting to go)
- getting planting*
- work through the rest as I can

Good luck to us both

[gigleypants]

How exciting ... I understand the feeling of the need to get planting ... if I were you I would clear as much as you can for a couple of decent sized raised beds that way you can add extra soil manure ect as needed and once you have built and planted them they need very little looking after so in the mean time you can work away at the rest of the garden ... so if I were you I would sow a few seeds in trays on a nice window sill so by the time your ready with the beds you have strong seedlings to pop out ... any cut and grow again salad leaves - radish peas beans beetroot are all easy to begin with ...

Whatever you decide just enjoy and lots and lost of good luck

[Suky]

I agree with above. It has taken me a year to get most of the veggie patch sorted, one raised bed at a time. Potatoes in pots/bags, salad etc in pots/growbags. Not too late for most things.
The most important thing is to cover the weedy areas you can't deal with yet with a dense layer - cardboard, thick black plastic, anything to keep the light out. I used the cardboard sheets from between the layers of bottled water in my local Sainsburys, about 2ft x 3ft and just overlapped them slightly and weighted them down with rocks, bricks and anything else I could lay my hands on. This stops the weeds in their tracks, making it easier to clear the ground when you get around to them.
Whatever else you do - ENJOY IT (the gardening, that is!)

[window]

Hi,

Thanks for all your advice. I live in London.

I am keen to get planting (and eating!) some things this summer - I don't want to spend time just tacking weeds. I think I will go with clearing a spot for a raised bed, and in the mean time will put out some planters.

I have a long list of things I'd like to grow this summer, but again I want to start off with a few easier things as hopefully some good results will encorage me!

W

[solway cropper]

We moved into this house on 4th May four years ago and I was keen to get started. back garden was all lawn but we had a sun room so I filled it with shop bought tomato, cuke and pepper plants then set about digging up the lawn. managed to prepare enough for a bed of leeks with salad stuff, beetroot and turnips. Four years later I'm a happy grower

Go for it

[BFG]

Raised beds aren't obligatory. You could just try beds and treat in the same no dig method.