From Jungle to Garden - A (very slow) work in progress!!

Lotus-eater

I'm going to be honest with you, having that lot down to fruit and veg is going to be a fair amount of work to keep going well. I'm beginning to wonder if you really want to do that? You don't sound like you are very interested in it tbh.
There is a thing called landshare where you can offer your garden to other people to use, you can share in the produce. It's only fair to offer it to them for a guaranteed few years use, as it takes time to get a good veg garden going.

kate83

I don't know how you'd feel about this - but how about sharing your garden?

If you put a notice up on landshare http://landshare.channel4.com/
You could have someone (or a few) come and help you clear your garden properly and plant it up, in return for a place to grow some food. It doesn't have to be forever, you arrange the contract so you could say it's just for the next couple of years or so (or arrange it on a year by year basis) - you can then spend that £500 on buying a greenhouse and some fruit and veg plants

edit - lotuseater, great minds think alike!

harib0uk

jo1972 wrote: »

Over where the wheelbarrow is there is sort of concrete strips which are full of dirt (and brambles!) which I think would be perfect for my DS's herbs (?) but I think they look awful, probably look better when it's organised and stuff that should be growing is growing and looking nice.

Once the brambles are removed and the dirt dug over in those beds a bit of manure and some compost mixed in they would be ideal for a herb garden... the concrete could be painted nice bright colours!

jo1972

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I'm beginning to wonder if you really want to do that? You don't sound like you are very interested in it tbh

I am interested in it but looking at it just seemed overwhelming to me. Since posting on here I have felt excited about the prospect of doing small sections at a time, something that never occurred to me before.

What garden tools do I need then, obviously the gloves and a fork, anything else?

jo1972

harib0uk wrote: »

the concrete could be painted nice bright colours!

That's a great idea, my kids would love that!

So, that's the area I'm going to start in then!

Lotus-eater

jo1972 wrote: »

I am interested in it but looking at it just seemed overwhelming to me. Since posting on here I have felt excited about the prospect of doing small sections at a time, something that never occurred to me before.

What garden tools do I need then, obviously the gloves and a fork, anything else?

Well in that case, start with small sections and plant them up, see how you feel about it.
Good gloves, for you and the kids, a decent fork, not a cheap one with that lot to clear, otherwise it will be bent before you can say, damn I wish I'd bought a better one....
That should be it for the moment. Buy more when you find you need them, borrow one off someone first if you can, to see if you really need one of whatever it is.

Clear off the top growth, definately try to get your OH in to help you, it will make it much much easier, offer treats, anything to get his muscle in. When the top growth is gone, it won't be so bad, the brambles will have to go to the tip, but everything else you can pile up and compost

choille

I'd get some pruners - secaters{sp?} For pruning the brambles if you can't pull them out. You have a wheel barrow - which are very handy things. A fork, spade & a hand fork & trowel as well as the very thick gauntlets will be necessary.

If you can get a matock - used like a pick - they're great for getting out bramble roots & breaking up compacted soil.
It looks as if someone at one time had it well planned out with the beds all ready made. I'd be tempted to concentrate on one at a time & the paths. Once you've cleared a bed & dug it over, added some manure you can get some stuff in. If you manage to get any brambles out & dried & burnt add that to the soil too. If the soil is clay you will be need to work some well rotted manure in - usually seen advertised free for the up lift.
You'll be as fit as a fiddle soon!

Lotus-eater

choille is absolutely right, secateurs would be very handy, so would a mattock when you are trying to clear the garden, I've never found a hand fork useful, but a good trowel will last you a very long time indeed and be your best friend. Don't buy the cheap 99p ones, it will last five minutes.

You could have a fire with the brambles if you manage to get enough dry ones and it will also kill off any weed seeds where you have the fire, be careful that thorns don't survive the fire. The ash is very good for the garden.

harib0uk

Jo, Is it possible for you to draw a layout of the garden, with the paths and concrete section showing, so we have an idea of how it is? I did this quickly with paint.. just to get an idea and to give you an idea of what I'm thinking... nice grassed (turfed) area for the kids to play and teenage daughter to sunbathe!

jo1972

Blimey Harib0, you're clever!! I shall do this when I'm at 'work' tomorrow

Thoughts of the garden have been buzzing around my head and now I'm all excited

Popped into the downstairs neighbours as she is an avid gardener and asked if she had any tools I could use. Her husband recommended a saw that he has for the thicker brambles, she's got forks, spades, secaters (sp?!) and gloves but I think I need the gloves that you were talking about choille as I don't think normal garden gloves would be much good. I'll stop off at B&Q tomorrow on the way home to get those.

Whilst I was in there her husband said that his son was out of work and looking for quick money makers and he would probably be interested in coming round to clear it over a couple of days £50 a day...£200 max. He's going to come round at some point this week to have a look and let me know what he thinks. I know you all think I should do it myself and up to this point I was quite happy to plod along slowly with it, but if someone could help come round and clear it and literally clear the woods from the trees then I think this will be a great motivation boost for me!

I'm looking for a new hobby, I spend all my life working and looking after the house and kids and now I want something that I can do that will excite me and make me proud.

Thanks for all your help so far