starting from scratch!

[nick the grief]

If you've dug it over the little ones will come out easy if they start to grow Mandy, As to the Comfrey, It's like Andrew say decide where you want it the roots go down to australia !!

[mandyballantyne]

Thanks for that, I will make sure I get all the little bits. Not sure about comfry, is there a good reason for growing it? I will just be glad to get rid of all the brambles.

[andrewo]

Comfrey is a beautiful flower and cures most ailments, you can use on twisted ankles and bruises but if you put the leaves into a barrel of water or a comfrey pipe (drain pipe with a drip end, see other threads), you have a free feed for your veg plot, it promotes healthy growth and wards off fungul diseases. It can also be cut back in autumn and the leaves dug in to the plot. No veg plot should be with out them!

[mandyballantyne]

Thanks Andrewo,

Sounds like it is a must have, hopefully I will be able to think about planting soon.

Cheers,

Mandy

[rosheen]

Good luck with the new plot Mandy, I suggest you throw a digging party with lots of beer and wine. Tell the men it is a race and they'll beat the heads off each other with shovels to finish first!! Put some tomatoes lettuce and onions in growbags, this will give you a quick crop - very satisfying. I would love to grow comfrey but have been unable to source it near by.

[ilex]

I'm clearing a large area of wasteland as well at the moment but the long grass and brambles are what are making it most difficult!
Any tips on clearing this sort of ground?
Thanks

[mandyballantyne]

Hi Ilex,

I have done this in Feburary, not sure if it is the best way but after a lot of sore backs it seems to have worked.

My main problem was brambles too, I cut them done to about 1 foot from the ground so that I could see where they started and started digging them out.

I had to dig about 2 foot down as the brambles had been there for 70+ years.

The roots seem to go in all directions so you will need to keep going and get every last bits or they will start to grow again.

It took 2 of us 3 weekends to clear a 30x30 area and was hard work but worth it. We now have a garden and a veg plot and things are looking and tasting great.

I would suggest clearing half of your area now rather than go for the full thing as it can be soul destroying but addictive

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Mandy

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi everyone!
Some more useful advice on clearing a plot is in new shoots, newbie seeking help. dexterdog

[Sunbeam]

I dug my first veg patch - well rotivated it first,as it was very very heavy clay...then dug it over about a half dozen times removing roots etc as I did and digging in masses upon masses of compost & manure as I went....and tday when I went out to dig it over again after harvesting my caulis/peas etc I am proud to announce that my nasty clay has become a very manageable, quite airy soil - still a few heavy patcheds, but in general it is unrecognisable as the solid mass I began with....I am a very happy girl!! Many thanks to all who replied to my cry for help back in April!!!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Well done Sunbeam! especially with all your hard work in this very hot weather! Hope it all comes together soon. Best wishes dexterdog

[Sunbeam]

Can I let you into a secret??? I actually find digging the garden quite theraputic...especially when you can turn around and see how much you've done. I was out there this morning at about 730am giving it a good going over!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi Sunbeam! I've just finished sorting out the last small plot in my back garden - it's a great feeling now its all finished! It makes all the aching bones worth it. If you look closely at the new photo you can see Dexter lying on all my hard work! maybe he was just testing it out. bless him! dexterdog

[nick the grief]

Can I let you into a secret??? I actually find digging the garden quite theraputic...especially when you can turn around and see how much you've done. I was out there this morning at about 730am giving it a good going over!

Thats quite sad Sunbeam, I'm usually in the Greenhouse arounnd then

[Sunbeam]

I know, I think the neighbours are thinking of having me certified - I was still in my jarmies!!!

[Sunbeam]

Hi Sunbeam! I've just finished sorting out the last small plot in my back garden - it's a great feeling now its all finished! It makes all the aching bones worth it. If you look closely at the new photo you can see Dexter lying on all my hard work! maybe he was just testing it out. bless him! dexterdog

Hi DD - well done to you too!! I love the way pets assume all your hard work is for their benefit - I dug in loads of compost yesterday (my very first 'homemade' batch) the chickens went mad for all the creepy crawlies in it!!