Vegatable Plot advice

[Oscillator]

Hello all,I'm new here and I have a question.I have a vegetable plot in which I grew,Beetroot,Cabbage,Carrots,Runner beans,Cauliflower and Spring onions last year.The problem was they did not grow well at all,the biggest Beetroot I got was about the size of a ping pong ball,the Cabbage and Cauliflower grew about 10/12 inches high,but were very spindly,they didn't bush out.The plot is in a well drained location and is very open to the sun for most of the day.I watered the plot well throughout summer.I have grown all the above vegetables at a previous house with good success.

Now,a friend has advised me to apply Chicken manure pellets to the plot,which I'll do shortly,but my question here relates to a 35 foot tall Red Sycamore tree which is about 6 feet from the plot.The roots of said tree are running about 18 inches below the surface of the plot.

Is it possible that the tree is taking all the nutrients and water from the plot?

Should I relocate the plot?

Sorry for the long post but I hope I have addressed any potential questions that may be relevant.

Thank you!

[WendyC]

If you have grown these crops before with success then it can't be you! Firstly I think the tree would be taking a lot of water, thus reducing what is available to your crops. Does it shade the site? Pelleted chicken manure is a good general feed so it definitely worth a try. Do you have somewhere else away from the tree you could try?

[Bill HH]

I would say yes, that is because I have exactly the same problem. The bed I have is 20 to 30 feet from a large sycamore and i dug deep into this bed only to find a mat of dense roots running all through it. Nothing grows well in the area. For that reason I am building raised beds this year to hopefully isolate my veg from the roots. i suppose you could try to replace the nurtrients with copious amounts of manure and compost.

Oh and welcome to the vine.

[Oscillator]

Thanks Wendy and Bill.As Bill has trouble with a tree 20 -30 feet away Wendy I'm afraid I don't have an alternative location far enough away from the tree.And yes the tree is on the south-west corner of the plot,so it would be a shading a good proportion of the sunlight.I'll maybe have to forget about growing my own unless I can try some raised beds.Thanks both of you!

[WendyC]

Would be worth trying a raised bed and really keep on top of watering and feeding. Is losing the tree a possibility, dare I ask? We had a huge leylandi hedge across our southern boundary when we moved here. Removing it was one of the best things we did, and one of the first! I appreciate it may not be your tree or have a TPO.

[Oscillator]

The tree must stay Wendy as my daughters swing is attached!!Plus it's a beautiful tree when the leaves come.I have asked my landlord,and he has allowed me to turn a section of lawn into a plot,which is open to the sun all day long and will cut down on mowing.The thing is along one side there is a hedge row,planted about 4 years ago and currently about 4 feet high.I had intended keeping a lawnmowers width of lawn around the vegetable plot,I wonder if the hedge would effect the vegetables,best guess is that the hedge is a type of laurel.

[Bill HH]

I would go for raised beds, the shade would not hurt leafy stuff, brassicas etc I would dearly love to cut mine down but we live in a conservation area and need permission.The other stuff that needs sun you can do in your new bed. Keep the laurel well trimmed and it will probably take less water etc. You must have lots of sycamore seeds sprouting, I have made very attractive bonsai trees from a few of them.

[Snadger]

You ask, "should I relocate the plot?" I would say yes, but where can you reliocate to?

The problem is, the more you feed the plot the better the acer will be but at the detriment of your veggies.
Either raised beds or growing in containers could be a solution.

[Highlander]

I have a similar problem with crack willows, the further away from them I get the better everything grows. Each Spring I dig a trench along the edge of the plot and cut off the small feeding roots from the tree - the large roots do not get as far as the garden - its amazing just how many roots grow each year.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Spring onions and carrots in containers.

Then lay down a thick water proof plastic membrane and build a raised bed on top. Make it 8 to 9 inches deep and you can grow all the rest of your veg there.

Or as already suggested as you live in rented property do the lot in containers, then you can take it all with you if you move.

Potty

[Oscillator]

Thanks to all of you that replied.I think I will make a double dig bed at the new location,and maybe try potatoes in the previous plot.If the potatoes don't work out its no big issue,I'd rather have a good crop of the other veg,we don't eat a lot of potatoes here anyway.

Nice to find a good helpful community willing to help out,I'm sure I'll have other questions through the season!!

Again Thanks folks.

Michael