The all new 2019 growing your own thread!

-taff

Crushed eggshells don't really work, although they're ok in the compost. I got some from the wroks canteen before, i used about a bucketful, they still chomped my plants.
You can buy nematodes online, add water to them and water the earth, it kills them, nothing for your DD to worry about.

ancientmum

Hello,

I saw this recommended in the weekly e mail on the day I was offered an allotment, so I have read all through and hope that I can join in. My previous attempts at growing food has been mainly confined to potatoes in bags, and runner beans and tomatoes in the borders so I am looking forward to being more adventurous now that I am almost retired

I know it will be hard work, the plot has been left for a good few months although I have been told that there are raspberry canes, gooseberry bushes and a fig tree.. Looking at previous discussions I will start by pruning down the raspberries and see what happens. The gooseberries are already in leaf bud so I will leave them for this year. Thi bits not covered in black plastic are covered in weeds, so I have my work cut out to get started on planting. I am aiming to work out a rotation system, and start this month with potatoes and onion sets. I am going to start off some seeds on window sills this weekend.
I'm hoping that I can learn from the lovely people on here, and enjoy some home grown veg this summer.

Slowdown

Hello gardening chums,

Haven't been too busy this week in the garden though, weather permitting, I shall be out there tomorrow popping in my peas under cover. They are delightfully strong young ones and I'm hoping they'll do well. I'm also going to be planting more seeds this weekend indoors. Looking forward to getting the soil under my nails.

I phoned the local council to see if I could get a second garden recycling bin as we constantly fill ours up and leave piles of stuff for the following week. It means our bin is full all the time. We have a 350ft long garden that is about 35/40ft wide and full of mature deciduous trees and hedges, lots of grass, lots of shrubs and bushes, the veg plot and a pond with little pools that are connected with a little channel with a pump. There's a huge willow tree on the border line and a large rockery that seems to need lots of attention for some reason. The council told me they would send round an assessor! I was not expecting that. He is coming on Monday to measure the plot, check on our recycling techniques, check we have plants etc that require trimming and that we are doing everything properly before they give us an extra bin. I was surprised to say the least. We have four compost bins, a sectioned off area for dumping other garden waste, a leaf mould bin and make trips to the dump. Does anyone else have a second bin? Did you go through this to get it?

fatbelly

Slowdown wrote: »

Hello gardening chums,

Haven't been too busy this week in the garden though, weather permitting, I shall be out there tomorrow popping in my peas under cover. They are delightfully strong young ones and I'm hoping they'll do well. I'm also going to be planting more seeds this weekend indoors. Looking forward to getting the soil under my nails.

I phoned the local council to see if I could get a second garden recycling bin as we constantly fill ours up and leave piles of stuff for the following week. It means our bin is full all the time. We have a 350ft long garden that is about 35/40ft wide and full of mature deciduous trees and hedges, lots of grass, lots of shrubs and bushes, the veg plot and a pond with little pools that are connected with a little channel with a pump. There's a huge willow tree on the border line and a large rockery that seems to need lots of attention for some reason. The council told me they would send round an assessor! I was not expecting that. He is coming on Monday to measure the plot, check on our recycling techniques, check we have plants etc that require trimming and that we are doing everything properly before they give us an extra bin. I was surprised to say the least. We have four compost bins, a sectioned off area for dumping other garden waste, a leaf mould bin and make trips to the dump. Does anyone else have a second bin? Did you go through this to get it?

Are you trying to put the council's Waste and Recycling Bin Usage Assessor out of a job?

Suffolk_lass

Welcome ancientmum - you will find everyone helpful and friendly on here. You mention a rotation of crops. I expect you are aware of the four plot traditional rotation of crops -

potatoes -> roots -> brassicas -> legumes

My novice mistake was to not realise that tomatoes and potatoes are the same family. I used to tip my spent pots from the tomatoes onto the beds until I got blight!

My book suggests the rotation beds are run N-S to maximise sunlight, with compost, manure, comfrey, an extra water butt, soft fruit and a wildlife area at one end of the plot, then paths wide enough for a barrow, down past the rotation beds to taller screening plants, non-prickly cane fruits and bush fruit. Then the architectural things - shed, water buts, greenhouse, seedbed/cpld frame, benching facing West, with a bed for flowers, ornamental vegetables and bee attracting herbs for scent - and a seat. It also talks about a pond but I have never put one in.

Actually mine is rather more haphazard (but is a garden, rather than an allotment).

Slowdown, I am sure they are checking to see that you are already doing your bit (you are!)

euronorris

-taff wrote: »

Crushed eggshells don't really work, although they're ok in the compost. I got some from the wroks canteen before, i used about a bucketful, they still chomped my plants.
You can buy nematodes online, add water to them and water the earth, it kills them, nothing for your DD to worry about.

Thanks Taff. And everyone else for your suggestions. I'm not down for the little electric fence, with a 2.5 year old in the garden. So I think I will have a look into the nematodes.


I already have the copper tape, so will still put that in place and hope for once that I can avoid being a clumsy one and not cut myself (not usually my strong point!) lol.

CAFCGirl

slowdown He'll probably leave with plenty of hints and tips to pass on to others! They probably want to make sure you're not a business with a gardeners can on the driveway trying to get around business rates.

ancientmum Welcome! Sounds like a good plan you have in your mind. Congrats on getting your plot! Most new tenants are granted a full year to get their plot cultivated so the general advice is little and often, cover what's not being worked and peel it back but by bit. It's so easy to want to get it all done in a weekend but your body won't thank you for it.
Although I'm hardly one to offer advice, 4 years on and I'm only just looking like I've done something with mine LOL

Spent the windy rainy afternoon yesterday drawing up my plan. Heading g up today for a few hours, plan is to continue digging and levelling out the area for the seating by the pond, and start clearing area where the growtunnel is going, organising my pallet collars for storage. That lot should keep me occupied for today. Hoping for some wood chip delivery soon. I keep looking in at the communal area but nothing as yet.

unrecordings

-taff wrote: »

Crushed eggshells don't really work, although they're ok in the compost. I got some from the wroks canteen before, i used about a bucketful, they still chomped my plants.
You can buy nematodes online, add water to them and water the earth, it kills them, nothing for your DD to worry about.

AFAIK nematodes disrupt the reproductive cycle by predating on baby slugs (or slug eggs ?). They don't kill the large U-Boat sized slugs, I'm not even sure they kill small adult slugs. I use nematodes I try to do it in wet weather, which makes watering in easier (a treatment of nematodes should last around 3 months)

unrecordings

Slowdown wrote: »

a pond with little pools that are connected with a little channel with a pump.

Envious!!!

spadoosh

Just picked up aprils Grow Your Own magazine which includes 10 free seed packets. £5.99 for the magazine. :T

Sweet peppers have popped up in the last few days, planted loads of strawberry seeds (cant stand strawberries, heathen i know but we took the little one strawberry picking last year and she loves it and them). Leeks keep popping up, beans arent too far from getting planted out. Put some horse manure on the new bed, not as well rotted as i wouldve hoped (ie not at all rotted) stilll needs quite a bit fo filling up so hoping if i top it up with MPC that anythign i plant will be able to avoid the horse manure initially until it breaks down a bit more. At worst itll be right for next year and i lose a few seeds.

Need to get seed potatoes and was in B&Q the other day and their rhubarbs look quite good at £4 each so trying to find a spot for one or two. They also had loads of varieties of bare root fruit bushes at £4 each which im thinking i should plant around the old tree stumps.

From that, i had a few conifers removed early last year (cut tot he stump). The ground is starting to recover, its seeing growth for the first time in a long time. Any idea on how long i should leave it before planting? The ground hasnt been cared for since they where removed but as mentioned things are starting to grow their (grass and weeds) so im thinking i might get away with it sooner rather than later? Im thinking if i dig out a big hole and fill with nice fluffy compost then the bushes could establish them self before trying to root through the more dense clay like soil around it. ANy help or ideas greatly appreciated.


Edit to add, does anyone have any recommendations for youtube channels? Came across an Irish lady who has a beautiful permaculture garden, she was growing nectarines under tunnel, plums the lot. Really impressive, will try and find who it was.... channel link. I also love Huws Nursery, and does anyone do their own garden vlogging?