2023 - the good, the not so good but hopefully not ugly of growing your own!

Suffolk_lass

We made compost bins from pallets here. It's easy but ideally you need either a corner that is protected (to stop it rotting your fence) or four pallets to start, back, and two sides tied or screwed together - old electrical cable is good and then a lift-able front so you can get the well-rotted bottom stuff out. Then only three needed to attach next time to add a second bin, as you butt against the side wall of the first.

All our garden clippings and any grass, old roots of things like potted vegetables), spent compost and shredded paper go in there. We don't put weeds because things like bindweed or creeping wood-sorrel as they regenerate too easily. My childhood where we had problems with rats in the "dump" as we referred to the compost heap, deters me from adding vegetable kitchen waste, but we were backing on to a railway in my childhood, and there were always rats there.

YBR

Our compost bins are a slatted design similar to the pallet idea. we have three - stuff gets thrown into the first, layered/mixed properly into the second, and sieved out into the third where it's ready to use. All leaves, clippings, grass, shredded paper go in if they're not too woody, along with tea leaves, veg peal and such kitchen waste.

I've been feeling rather behind with gardening, but this weekend I've finally managed to dig over the remaining part of our small vegetable bed, adding some of the aforementioned compost. I've found enough over-wintered parsnips to make a batch of soup, and a number of feral onions/garlic from last year! Also managed to drag the dead tomato plants out of the greenhouse and start pruning the bay tree.

This bay was a huge shrub when we moved in, and I've gradually brought its height down to something I can reach, trimmed its sides to not over-flow the bed, and cleared the lower branches up to waist height. This year I want to take some out of the middle too as it's very tangled. Unfortunately for me it seems to thrive after vigorous pruning and is 10ft high again every season. It was squeezing out a rosemary underneath but now I have bee able to plant other things in the bed - I've got some strawberries growing under it. As it's shady they ripen later than my other patch which is a good thing!

MissRikkiC

Well I tried to plan the garden growing system last night and I think I’m done but I do find it difficult. 

I’ve ordered nasturtiums this time to plant with the brassicas to hopefully deter the cabbage whites. Does anyone know if you can just Chuck them in-between? And do you need to plant less of the veg to leave space? I may also look into making a cage top for each bed that can just be lifted off. 

droopsnoot

I have the first signs of three tomato plants in my seed tray, and planted some onions and chives yesterday. Also mowed the lawn as they had grown quite long and it was dry enough.

Farway

MissRikkiC said:

Well I tried to plan the garden growing system last night and I think I’m done but I do find it difficult. 

I’ve ordered nasturtiums this time to plant with the brassicas to hopefully deter the cabbage whites. Does anyone know if you can just Chuck them in-between? And do you need to plant less of the veg to leave space? I may also look into making a cage top for each bed that can just be lifted off. 

Nasturtiums are one you can just chuck down, if they like it, they'll romp away

Spacing, depends on what sort of nasturtiums, my trailing / climbing ones would swamp any veg, the bush type would be fine

BTW, they don't deter the cabbage whites, they are just more tasty to them and so chose them for egg laying, however once the caterpillars have chomped all the nasturtiums they'll start on the brassicas

Suffolk_lass

Farway said:

MissRikkiC said:

Well I tried to plan the garden growing system last night and I think I’m done but I do find it difficult. 

I’ve ordered nasturtiums this time to plant with the brassicas to hopefully deter the cabbage whites. Does anyone know if you can just Chuck them in-between? And do you need to plant less of the veg to leave space? I may also look into making a cage top for each bed that can just be lifted off. 

Nasturtiums are one you can just chuck down, if they like it, they'll romp away

Spacing, depends on what sort of nasturtiums, my trailing / climbing ones would swamp any veg, the bush type would be fine

BTW, they don't deter the cabbage whites, they are just more tasty to them and so chose them for egg laying, however once the caterpillars have chomped all the nasturtiums they'll start on the brassicas

I read an article to that effect this weekend and the organic gardener who spoke to our bee group last week suggested she has abandoned planting them together as it attracts more. The exception to companion planting is roses at the end of grape vine rows, because the fungal diseases attack them first

carinjo

Another week gone and managed a bit more clearing. The sunken area where the trellis squash will go, has been covered with cardboard and about 20 rubble bags of bark! Will see how it settles next month or so. Ms C cleared the grass under the gooseberries and around the plum tree, mulch is next and then filling a raised bed for the T&M MSE special discounted flower bulbs on their way this week. 
The rhubarb was rotten, managed to dig most of it out till snapped my fork handle! 
I've looked into buying some compost/topsoil mix for the raised planters, but even a 1cubic bag feels like an unnessesary spend, since can get free horse manure, will decide after payday this week. 
TPTB have send most of us a letter saying we have 5weeks to clean up our plots, bit harsh seeing it just gone february. Some of the folks been there for over 30years, they are not amused! Oh well, can only do what we can do.

MissRikkiC

Thanks both. I’ll see if I can fashion something from bamboo, hosing pipe and mesh. I don’t want a walk in cage as I think it will make the garden look unsightly although it would keep the children out!

carinjo

You have all inspired me to do a bit extra this week! Build a new compost bin using pallets, staked and wired new poles for the blackberry. Bought my potatoes (in dark cupboard for now) and some seeds from local garden centre. 
Planning on planting the leeks in trays this weekend.

Glittering_M

Have most of the seeds I want now, just waiting to plant them . Particularly frustrating me is anything that wants a particularly warm environment to germinate in, our house was 8c today and we can't have the heating on the whole time.