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Hey folks, I'm not really sure where to post this - I thought maybe Feeling Fruity but then it possibly covers other areas too... so "chit chat" it is - unless a mod can shift it to an appropriate spot.
I got 8 of those Lidl "4 for £5" fruit bushes, and following a trip to B&M after reading they had them too I added a couple of blackcurrant to the collection taking the total to 10. Now there's every possibility I'll run out of room and have to get rid of some - but either way they are going to be taking up rather a large amount of space on my plot. That, combined with my thinking along "square foot gardening" lines has me wondering if there's a way to use the ground around them for something.
I like the idea of having the soil covered with something - something pretty would be nice, something that crops would be all the better. I wouldn't want something that was going to be in too much competition with the fruit bushes though.
A low growing berry like strawberries could be a possibility, but I think the ground might be too shady below the bushes... salad leaves might be an option, but aren't they quite thirsty? What about something like a wild flower mix? I know Garden Organic do a shade loving "woodland" one but they don't give any details... of course, we quite rudely call a lot of wildflowers "weeds" so that might be an issue too. Do they deal with top-dressing all that well? That's something I'll be doing to keep the fruit happy anyway.
Any input on this would be appreciated... I'd just rather use it for something worthwhile rather than leaving it as bare soil and having to fight against weeds so much.
Ideas?
I got 8 of those Lidl "4 for £5" fruit bushes, and following a trip to B&M after reading they had them too I added a couple of blackcurrant to the collection taking the total to 10. Now there's every possibility I'll run out of room and have to get rid of some - but either way they are going to be taking up rather a large amount of space on my plot. That, combined with my thinking along "square foot gardening" lines has me wondering if there's a way to use the ground around them for something.
I like the idea of having the soil covered with something - something pretty would be nice, something that crops would be all the better. I wouldn't want something that was going to be in too much competition with the fruit bushes though.
A low growing berry like strawberries could be a possibility, but I think the ground might be too shady below the bushes... salad leaves might be an option, but aren't they quite thirsty? What about something like a wild flower mix? I know Garden Organic do a shade loving "woodland" one but they don't give any details... of course, we quite rudely call a lot of wildflowers "weeds" so that might be an issue too. Do they deal with top-dressing all that well? That's something I'll be doing to keep the fruit happy anyway.
Any input on this would be appreciated... I'd just rather use it for something worthwhile rather than leaving it as bare soil and having to fight against weeds so much.
Ideas?
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