Planning for spring

[ghostbreeder]

After three years of abundance, I have probably come last in the "vegetable self sufficency" race this year. My previously succesful policy of throwing some seed on the floor and then wandering out a few months later to harvest the rewards is no longer working and my Ladybird book of farming doesn't have any hints on what to do next, so does anyone have suggestions on what prep I can be doing in November to boost my chances next spring please?

[northepaul]

Hi there,
what advice do you want? The best thing to do now is planning....what do you want to grow?
Also you dont mention what amount of land? Allotment? Garden? Container?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Advice will depend on what you have done or not done, i.e. feeding the ground etc.

Colin

[Two_Sheds]

My previously succesful policy of throwing some seed on the floor ... is no longer working

Why not? Did slugs eat everything? Was it too cold/wet or too hot/dry?



Give us a clue

[Tripmeup]

Give us a clue

......................................or it will be Blankety Blank

[ghostbreeder]

Ahh, the devil is in the detail. Thank you all.

I have a plot approx 12 metres by 4 metres. Much of the brassica were devoured by beasties (except for the sprouts). A dozen tomato plants of different varieties succumbed to blight (at least I think that is what it was, they turned brown and withered away). Peas and beans were ok, as were onion and garlic. Salad leaves were moderately succesful in the early part of the year and then gave up the ghost. Spuds were the size of duck eggs. The plot was bramble/bindweed covered for about 10 years before I resurrected it 4 years ago, the only thing that has been dug in is my own compost. There's a decent sized and bountiful strawberry bed and a (hopefully) flourishing asparagus bed.

The plot is on some abandoned ground secreted behind my house and so I have no-one to compare results with regarding what has done well on neighbouring plots.

[Mikey]

It just goes to show even the slugs aren't fussed on sprouts...

I would say, start with the premise that this year was a very poor one, I'm expecting huge veg hikes over the winter in the supermarkets as stocks diminish. If your system has worked for 3 years I'd say you have a fair grasp on what you need to do, its OK to give a year up as a lost cause sometimes.

I'm always learning from my mistakes,...... well I'm always learning at least.

[redser]

Any chance you can get a large amont of manure dropped off? Will do wonders for the soil.

[northepaul]

Any chance you can get a large amont of manure dropped off? Will do wonders for the soil.

I wish!

Seriously I agree with the above, its been a rubbish year, and at least you can take heart that everyone else is in the same boat!

[Dusty Rhodes]

Me thinks your soil fertility may be dropping off a bit also. I would check the ph and have the soil analysed. Compost forked in will always be a plus.

[Two_Sheds]

the only thing that has been dug in is my own compost.

Farm manure isn't essential: I've never used it.

Have you thought about green manures?

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...dig_68158.html

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ons_60036.html

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ure_68356.html

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...res_67933.html

[kathyd]

Farm manure isn't essential: I've never used it.

Have you thought about green manures?

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...dig_68158.html

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ons_60036.html

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ure_68356.html

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...res_67933.html

Are there any green manures it's not too late to plant? I only managed to seed a couple of beds earlier, and I still have about 3 left to dig over... Rather than having bare soil over winter, would it be better to leave the weeds and stuff in there, cover with cardboard and dig in in the spring?

[ghostbreeder]

Thank you everybody for your comments and encouragement. There's no access to my plot other than through the house and down mutliple steps. Mrs Ghostbreeder pulled rather a strange face when I suggested wheeling barrow loads of horse poo through the kitchen, can't think why! I shall pay a visit to the local GC and see what 3 for 2 deals are happening on compost, dig it in and wait impatiently to start sowing again.

[Tripmeup]

Mrs Ghostbreeder pulled rather a strange face when I suggested wheeling barrow loads of horse poo through the kitchen, can't think why!

How unreasonable of her...!!

Whilst there are plenty of advocates of no dig methods, maybe yours could do with a good double dig and at the same time incorporate in some more compost, bagged manure etc....

[Matt94]

Try and get some chicken manure pellets whilst your at the GC - they are the cheapest and I'm my opinion one of the best (I can get a 3kg bag of chicken pellets for £1.50 at my local society)