Soil

AllieBallie

Hey everyone, i usually lurk of the DFW board so forgive me if this topic has been covered somewhere else!:o

I started attempting to tame our wild garden a few months back as it was horrendously overgrown and ideally I'd like to grow veggies in one bit and some pretty but low maintenence shrubs/plants/flowers in the other bits of the garden. At the moment the garden is overrun with weeds (although im getting there with removing them completely) and i was just wondering what i should be adding to the soil to make it suitable for veggies and other shrubs. I'm not particularly greenfingered myself but I know the basics! The soil is good, forms 'breadcrumbs' easily and isn't clay-like but compacted after many years of not being turned over. I have compost but I don't know what else I may or may not need in order for my plants/veggies to flourish!

Also, this year im not expecting to plant veg as I'd rather put extra work in to get the soil up to standard but would it be worth me planting some flowers in the veggies patch?:o

Lotus-eater

Be worth you planting a green manure, certainly. Search for it on google.

When you dig it in, cover the soil with cardboard or a tarpaulin until you are ready to sow or plant your crops. Then away you go!

You want to get hold of as much organic stuff as you can and dig it in, or just leave it on the surface, garden compost, old compost from pots, leaf mulch, manure (see google and threads on here for problems with aminopyralid).

AllieBallie

Thanks for this, I'll have a look for the green manure and i'll make sure I cover the ground with tarpaulin before i plant - is this to keep the weeds at bay?

the compost i have is organic at least it says on the bag it's organic ("borrowed" a bag of it from my Mum!) not sure if this is what you mean or not though

Lotus-eater

No I don't mean organic like that.

Soil is basically rock dust, to make it what we call soil and to be able to grow stuff in it, you need organic matter in it, basically something that was once alive, either plants or animals.
More or less, the more organic matter, the healthier the soil will be.

It's called humus and it gets used up, so you have to keep putting more in it.

The ideal soil is one present in nature, in a forest for example, the leaves, plants and animals die after taking nutrients and life from the soil, so by dying the nutrients are put back into the soil, the soil also builds up a great deal of humus, walk on any forest floor and feel how springy it is, that's the humus.

Well, what happens in a garden, is that we break that cycle, we clear up and don't let things die and go back into the soil. So it is almost a given that your soil will be very humus poor and you want some, lots of some
It will make your soil good for growing vegetables.

The green manure will help a bit, adding humus, will break up the soil (cos you have to dig it ) then yes when you lay your cardboard (actually best because it will rot down adding a bit of...... yes you've guessed it, humus ) or tarpaulin down, that will keep the weeds down and the nutrients in the soil from being washed away by the rain, so that when you are ready to sow you can lift off and off you go.

You probably will need some fertiliser as well as the organic matter, I would recommend blood fish and bone if you want to be organic and growmore if you don't, add a couple of weeks before planting.

Alot of people use sectioned off beds and permanent paths, this stops you from walking on the soil, which compacts it and is bad for it, it also means the organic matter goes further, as it has less soil to be spread on.

I've probably gone over too much for a beginner, but you are doing it the right way, starting with the soil and building your way up. Next year you will be in a very strong place to start growing. Anything else I can help with, just ask, no question is a stupid one.

balloo_2

I get a horrible feeling when people say overgrown with WEEDS make sure they are not them dreaded Japanese Knotweed if it is get professional advice. If the magority of your garden is not going to get done this year try and turn it over later on so that the frost can get at the roots. Also any grass, weeds and twigs if possible make a bonfire (a small one) and throw watever you have pulled up on and let it smoulder away and use the ash to cover the garden and dig it in.

AllieBallie

Wow, firstly thanks Lotus-eater for that epic post - I might print it for future reference!

I now follow what you mean with 'organic' I was thinking the other type of organic! green manure sounds nice and smelly so i'll be getting me some of that! I'll also look into fertilisers and fish blood and bone - doesnt that sound delightful?! (does it smell like what i imagine it to smell like?!:D)

The veggie patch (to be!) is only about 8ft by 4ft and accessible on 3 sides so im not sure i need paths as such as i can reach the edges fine but i think having a small 'paved' bit might actually help with layout and planning for optimal veggie positioning!

I'm sure I'll be taking advantage of the 'no questions is a stupid one'!

AllieBallie

balloo wrote: »

I get a horrible feeling when people say overgrown with WEEDS make sure they are not them dreaded Japanese Knotweed if it is get professional advice. If the magority of your garden is not going to get done this year try and turn it over later on so that the frost can get at the roots. Also any grass, weeds and twigs if possible make a bonfire (a small one) and throw watever you have pulled up on and let it smoulder away and use the ash to cover the garden and dig it in.

:eek::eek::eek:

I've looked this fella (knotweed) up after reading about it in a veggie growing book and I went out to the garden armed with pictures and info and I don't think i have it but part of the reason for waiting before planting veggies is to see what all grows back and if anything like it does pop up then i'll be calling out to the specialists and to you peeps on here!:D

i'll bear in mind turning the soil over later in the year to get the frost at the roots - to be honest, with the climate up here that could be next week as soon as 'summer' is over! :rotfl: i like the ash idea too - proper recycling and presumably good for the ground too?