New to gardening and need tips and advice please ...

[Martin H]

What BigMally says.

The tip from the other plot-owner was probably meant to help you not get discouraged if you don't make rapid progress. Depending on your natural pace, thoroughess and time available it may well take you a long time to get everything done so don't spoil your enjoyment by putting yourself under unnecessary time pressure.

I got my plot in March 2013 and there's still a little bit of jungle I've yet to clear! The rest of it though has given me great pleasure and a decent quantity of lovely veg and fruit.

Good luck, keep at it and you'll get there. Keep us informed, though...

[Greenleaves]

Like Martin says I think your neighbour was saying tackle it in bite size chunks to avoid disappointment in the progress. The most important advice I can give is enjoy it

[Nicos]

I love your enthusiasm Andy!
I'm sure you'll have a great success with it

Do you gave a list of crops you're hoping to grow?
You'll find that some fruit and veg will do better than others depending on your soil type...might be worth having a natter with your neighbours so at least you are aware of any expected low/ high cropping rates....just for interest!

[Bigmallly]

Wow that's is a real achievement there
I am just wanting to start building my shed and chicken coop now but the day has gone before I know it but I am really looking forward to starting it and getting stuck into the challenge next year and I know I will be fine because I have you guys helping me along the way

Thanks so much Andy

Aye, you can count on that Andy, that's the beauty of the vine.

[Andiwiddow]

Hiya everyone I am just wondering am I best off getting all my strawberry patch dug over and ready to plant by January because I have lots of runners available and lots potted ready to plant ?.

Thanks Andy

[Guest]

Hiya everyone I am just wondering am I best off getting all my strawberry patch dug over and ready to plant by January because I have lots of runners available and lots potted ready to plant ?.

Thanks Andy

By all means get the patch ready, but if your plants are happily hibernating in pots then I wouldn't bother planting them out till March/April. If you plant in Mar/April they get to romp away quite quickly (in line with better growing conditions) , if planted in Jan they may sulk at being in cold snotty soil and may even rot off. (IMO)

[Andiwiddow]

By all means get the patch ready, but if your plants are happily hibernating in pots then I wouldn't bother planting them out till March/April. If you plant in Mar/April they get to romp away quite quickly (in line with better growing conditions) , if planted in Jan they may sulk at being in cold snotty soil and may even rot off. (IMO)

Thanks very much I'll jot that down to remember and when are early potatoes planted?.

Thanks Andy

[Bigmallly]

All potatoes are planted at the same time. "Early" just means they take less time to mature. Some folk use Good Friday as a rule, others use St Patricks Day...............no reason that I know of, the main thing is that all risk of frost has passed.

[hamesy]

Thanks very much I'll jot that down to remember and when are early potatoes planted?.

Thanks Andy

Andy, I normally plant my potatoes around Easter time, sometimes a little early, sometimes a little later. It depends on what the weather is doing. Early varieties mature quicker meaning you'll be digging them up before your main crop. I normally plant my early and main crop potatoes at the same time.

[Kristen]

Some folk use Good Friday as a rule ... no reason that I know of

Way back when workers didn't get enough time off to plant spuds they did it on Good Friday.

The date for Easter moves between 22-March and 25-April, and for that reason I don't think Good Friday is a good guide to planting date in modern times.

My advice would be to plant Spuds at a time that means they either avoid the last frost, or you can protect them from frost (so not working shift work and able to get to the plot on nights that frost is forecast to earth them up or cover them in fleece / similar).

First Early spuds grow more quickly [than 2nd's and Mains] so will be above ground, and susceptible to frost, sooner. I used to plant them at the earliest possible date in order to get the earliest possible "New Potatoes". 1st earlies were often so tall if we had a late-ish last frost (May would be a nightmare ...) that I had to scavenge grass cuttings sufficient to cover the plants completely. It was a lot of faff ...

Now I only grow my super-early 1st earlies (like Rocket) in bags / containers. These start off in the utility room, warm enough to kick start the growth, and until they are earthed up to the top of the containers they can stay in reasonable warmth and in the dark. By that date the greenhouse will normally be warm enough to keep them frost free, so they go in there - in an emergency, if serious cold is forecast, I can bring the containers in for a night and day or two - even in the dark. I plant 1st earlies, and my other spuds, outside a fair bit later than I used to, so that they are not up until last frost is pretty much past (and I can easily earth them up to protect them as the plants are not too big for that). My container-grown spuds provide super-early New Potatoes and just as we start to run out of the container-grown ones the outdoor 1st earliest start to be ready ... and then the 2nd earlies and then finally the Salads and Mains.

[Andiwiddow]

Hiya everyone as you proberly know I haven't had any chance to get down to my plot with this stinking weather can't believe it has snowed this much and settled I really wanted to get loads done before u went back to work

[Florence Fennel]

Hello and a very warm, if somewhat belated welcome to the Vine. I must try and keep up

[Andiwiddow]

Hiya everyone how are you all ?.
I am happy to announce my album is up and running check it out in the albums section under community ....
Thanks Andy