Please help a beginner with phobias and a mad jungle

NualaBuala

Hi everyone,

It's taken me a while to pluck up the courage to post here so please be gentle with me!

The Good:
I have inherited a house with a north-east facing back garden that gets a lot of sun in summer but not as much in the winter. It's a mature garden with lots of shrubs, a crab apple tree and a pear tree. These have lovely blossoms in spring and the red fruit on the crab apple tree looks lovely in autumn. The fruit trees are in the bottom half which used to be a fruit and veg plot. The other half is grass bordered by shrubs.

The south-west front garden is smaller and gets full sun from about 11am till sunset at the mo. It has 2 nice hydrangea bushes and a few others with nice berries and flowers.

There is a nice pink rose bush sort of climbing over the fence.

There is a pile where the grass clippings have been dumped for a couple of years. I have started adding a mix of compostables to it and have turned it a little. The bottom and middle are brown and I saw a few worms.


The Bad:
The "veg plot" is completely overgrown with brambles (there were loganberries at the end of the garden and I think these might have come from there), weird small trees/saplings? and who knows what else. It is a mad jungle. What is the worst you can imagine? Well it is worse than that.

The trees and shrubs are out of shape and completely overgrown.

The "nice pink rose bush" has spots on its leaves and is straggly and sort of falling off the fence. It came from my Nana's house though so I'd like to keep it.

The grass and "flower beds" are overgrown and weed-infested.

The front garden has 2 "dwarf conifers" that are ~12 foot high now. I used to jump over them when I was a kid! They are out of control and add nothing to the garden.

The budget is tight.


The Ugly:
The gardens are infested with slugs and snails. I mean really infested. And I have a serious phobia of them which I am trying to tackle (inspired by MegansMum). I swear that every mollusc in the neighbourhood has migrated to my garden, and why wouldn't they with all that lush overgrowth. Please don't mock me or tell tell me to ignore it - it will take time to overcome but I promise that I will work on it. It will make my efforts more difficult though.


So that's what I've got to work with. What I would like is to make the garden into a nice space that I use. I am interested in growing food - so far I've confined myself to sprouting seeds and growing some chives, parsley and basil from seed indoors (because of the phobias).

In the long run I would like a sensory garden with nice sounds (a water feature, wind through grasses/bamboos?, windchimes), nice smelling (like lavender), tasting, feeling (like those lamb's ears) and colourful plants. I'd like it to be a tranquil Zen-like space. I don't mind how long it takes to get there - because of the phobias and the amount of work to be done I know it will take a long time. I haven't been living here long so it's nice to see how it changes throughout the year and notice what I'd like to keep, how the sun falls etc. So it's not a problem to do this slowly.

I would like to be as green/organic/kind to wildlife as possible. Even the slimy beasties.

To build my confidence and get some instantish gratification I was thinking of starting with a few containers. I have no idea what can be planted in containers and when (or how!). I would like to start with a pot by the front door which is at the side of the house and gets sun from about 11/12 for several hours. It is quite sheltered. Would lavender work? i adore the smell. Also, I like geraniums and colourful flowers.

In terms of edibles, what might work in containers? Something easy preferably!

If poss, I'd rather plant stuff that the slugs and snails don't like like and minimise stuff that will harbour them.

I thought my next project might be to weed out the flower bed in the front garden as it has weeds as opposed to brambles and saplings (these looked a lot easier to manage when they were bare in the winter - maybe I could leave them till then?) I have some flower seeds (love in a mist) that came free with cereal. They are past the date - might they still be ok? Otherwise I adore cornflowers, poppies and those wildflower mixes - I'd be happy to turn the bed over to them.

I don't know what the soil is like - it used to be good I think as my late Mum grew lots of fruit and veg without any problems. But it has been neglected for decades and I've no idea now.

Sorry this is so long and thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think.

Nuala

misskool

Lots of things can be planted in containers. What do you like to eat?

You can grow salad leaves (buy mixed packets) nice and easy, round carrots in containers, courgettes are prolific producers, you can get dwarf beans and tomatoes. It's a touch late to sow tomatoes but you can buy young plants and grow them up. I'm growing courgettes, mixed salads, some tomatoes, chillies, peppers, aubergines in pots.

There are 5 seeds for £1.99 p&p here
http://shop.telegraph.co.uk/jj-tlw678/
or this one is £3.99 for tomato plants and fertiliser and basil seed
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/plants1/product/pwr87674/1.html

sorry, don't know much about flower

Mortal

Hi Nuala.
You have the bones of a fantastic garden there, and it sounds like you already have a good idea of how to achieve your plans.
I think your idea of pots by the door will work fine. Google is your friend. Have a look on there to see what plants would work well in your chosen spot.
I would suggest strawberries and some veg in hanging baskets for now while you work on the garden.

I would take the garden section by section so it doesn't overwhelm you...don't compost any diseased stuff you cut back, as it will spread it all over the garden.

As for the phobias, I'd wear gloves. Once you start clearing the space, they may well decided it's no fun anymore and clear off to somewhere where they can hide.

There are lots of ways you can collect up the wee slimys, like slug pubs and copper tape or vaseline can prove useful on your pots.

Lotus-eater

Good post, don't worry we are friendly here.
I remember you from the megansmum thread, good that you are tackling your phobia.
Containers? Carrots do well, most things will survive. I suppose I don't need to tell you that almost all plants will be happier in the soil instead of pots?
Go and get some organic slug pellets, they work really well. See Squeaky's post about having 5000 slugs and snails over a short time period, you are not alone.
If I was you I would clear a small area in the old veg garden and sow a couple of courgette seeds, put slug pellets round it. It will bring instant gratification, they are really easy to grow and give loads of fruit for little effort.
Sounds a lovely garden.

purplepardalis

I'm turning my garden into a veg garden and found the remnants of snail city under a couple of shrub/bush things. I dug them up and I now have fewer holes in my plants so having a look at the shrubs that they live in and getting rid of them will help.

As for your phobia - well I don't mind them, but slugs I use a trowel to pick them up and whizz them over the fence. Snails I pick up by the shell. I know this may seem like a hellish thing to do but see if you can work on it! The shells just feel dry and a bit cold and the snail will do a retracting thing. I was out like a mad woman the other night with my head torch on picking them up and throwing them over the fence. I must've done about 30!

I did think about saving them and eating them but I read that common garden snails aren't that great tasting even after you purge them...

ALIBOBSY

I am still not very keen on slugs and snails but my DD1 will pick anything up lol. Actually picked a snail up the other day gets easier as it goes along. Still hate woodlice tho.

Defo recommend gloves, I find it helps. Been using eggshells,coffee grounds and doing the picking off thing for the slugs, but been quite lucky in that we have alot of birds here who love slugs and snails (found loads of empty shells).

good luck
ali x

rhiwfield

Nuala, it sounds like you have the makings of a really nice garden and I think you are right to take it slowly.

If you are going to wait until winter to tackle the bramble (which will need to be dug out by the roots) you might want to control it now by cutting down above ground growth with a lopper (or a brushcutter if you have access to one). This should stop it spreading too much this year. The saplings will need to be dug out as well before they root too much, ash and sycamore saplings establish very quickly.

The pink rose probably has blackspot, a very common disease of roses that normally doesnt harm the plant too much but is unsightly. If it appears to be weakening the plant you can try sprays from the garden centre but I'm told that chive tea or a baking soda mix have some anti fungal properties so might be worth a try. Tried these on mildew on courgettes last year and it had some effect

The conifers can be cut down to ground level using a bow saw. From a wildlife viewpoint you could use the trunk to make a small log pile in a corner to provide shelter (good for frogs/toads and beetles)

You mention a water feature and a small wildlife pond could give you the best of both worlds, peace and tranquility and an attraction for slug gobbling amphibians, birds and dragonflies.

You can put a weed suppressant fabric on the flower beds for the rest of the year and this should smother most weeds. The lawn can be cut regularly and the cuttings left to rot in place if you want. In 20+ years I havent collected grass cuttings from our lawn or tried to get out all weeds and it looks fine if not magazine perfect.

You will probably want to design your gardens and a plan set down on paper can be really useful for ensuring everything fits together.

For the containers the cheapest anti-slug solution is to put a ring of vaseline round which the slugs wont cross. Alternatively copper tape can be used but is more expensive, if less messy. Misskool mentioned salad leaves and dwarf french beans, both very cheap and not too late to sow. Put some canes in a pot in a wigwam shape and you could grown climbing beans, or runner beans which will give a nice flower display. Put in a few sweet peas as well for the perfume and to attract bees.

Best of luck

Lotus-eater

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

but been quite lucky in that we have alot of birds here who love slugs and snails (found loads of empty shells).

Ummm, where did you find the shells?

Out in the open, birds. Under anything, or around the edges of the garden, rats.
Sorry

NualaBuala

Thank you so much my gardening guru friends!:beer:
I can't muster up a proper reply now, have a nasty headache so need to lie down for a bit but I'll be back...

BTW, I touched a snail on its shell today - my first time ever. It was one of the very small ones with nicer coloured shells.

ALIBOBSY

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Ummm, where did you find the shells?

Out in the open, birds. Under anything, or around the edges of the garden, rats.
Sorry

Out in the open. Definately birds as saw one of them bashing one against the edge of the fence.

ali x

NualaBuala

Well it took me a whle but I'm back - bet you all thought I'd been attacked by a giant slug!

First of all I want to say a proper thank you to you all for taking the time and trouble to advise me. I really am clueless and don't have any friends who are into gardening so it's great to be able to ask here.

misskool, good point. I love tomatoes, herbs, scallions, carrots, berries but will eat anything. I had been thinking of what I'd be able to grow but it makes sense to try to grow what I like eating.

Mortal, yes - I think gloves, or preferably full body armour will aid me in my battle against the slimy blighters! Thanks for the advice re diseased plants - I wouldn't have copped on to that. Our council is supposed to providing us with brown bins this summer so that will help. Strawberries are a great idea. Never mind a slug pub though, I think I will need all the booze myself to settle my nerves. I will take Lotus Eater's advice and go for the organic slug pellets I think! :beer: Lotus Eater, I remember you too: you are my gardening oracle! Yes I do need you to tell me that plants prefer soil to pots. Of course it makes sense now that I think of it but I just didn't think of it. Silly Nuala! I think I will try a two-pronged approach with pots and a tiny bit of garden with plenty of vaseline, slug pellets and whatever else I can lay my hands on to fend off the beasties. Thanks for the encouragement.

purplepardalis, I shuddered at the thought of being on the other side of your fence with flying slimies landing on me! It was you who inspired me to have a go at touching a snail the other day. I read your description and knowing what to expect helped. It was just a small one but it's a start. Eating them? I'd sooner gnaw my big toe and eat that!:rotfl:

Ooh er ALIBOBSY, you are brave! And I do hope it's just the birds and not rats. My neighbour has lots of bird feeders out so they probably prefer those to the slimey creatures and who can blame them?! Nonetheless, I think they do eat some, I often see blackbirds pecking about near the bushes and I hope they are gorging on them.

rhiwfield, I checked and I'm not sure if my saplings are now trees or just big saplings. They're not sycamore but I can't identify them as belonging to any tree I see growing nearby. I think I read something about fruit trees being grafted onto easy growing trunks - could they have come from the trunk of the crab apple or pear tree I wonder? Never mind, in any case they will have to go. The brambles have become even bigger and bushier in the past week. They are loving all this rain and that end of the garden looks impenetrable now. I'm sure you are right but I'm afraid I might be engulfed by triffids if I venture down there before they die back! You mentioned various tools which is a great help as I don't know what tools are used for which jobs. I'm going to make a list and buy them in order of priority as I can afford them so any suggestons would be great. Are there any good brands I should look for? I'm going to make a rough sketch of the garden but I think it will be a while before I'm sure where I want permanent fixtures like ponds to be sited which is just as well as this garden isn't going to be sorted any time soon! I love the idea of having frogs and stuff so a pond is the way to go. You are spot on about the black spot - I googled it and that's what it is so I will try the kitchen remedies. There are some new shoots that look healthy. I wonder would taking a cutting work?

I picked up a geranium or pelargonium (there was some confusion as to which it was) at a fete at the weekend. They told me it was quite hardy and would be happy in a pot or in the ground. So far, I haven't killed it but it is still in my kitchen. I also got a pot with a bit of rosemary in it. I thought that might go in a pot too. I have a packet of seeds for scallions bought on impulse, also still in the kitchen.

So I need to do a bit of shopping and get myself organised.

• gloves/gauntlets/suit of armour
• compost for pots (I was going to get peat free - is that ok?)
• pots
• some kind of tools for digging and weeding. A garden fork? My starting spot is an overgrown flower bed in the front garden and I think the weeds there could be pulled by hand but am not sure. They are quite big and I'm not sure how deep the roots are.
• shredder (I will have to save for this but I think it might be worth it)
• most important - organic slug pellets.
• oh yeah, plants and seeds. Nearly forgot

Thanks again to you all for the encouragement and advice. :T:T:T