Rocky Plot

[Jenegade]

Hi,

I'm new on here and this is my first post!

I'm also fairly new to vegetable gardening, had carrots and peas (and strawberrys) this year, but I'm now in the process of creating a good size plot in my garden.

I didn't have much choice of where to put the plot (I share the garden with the flat downstairs) and half of the plot is full of large stones - I think there used to be a track down to the burn from the next door field. I've been doing my best to get trid of as many stones as possible (most of the boulder size ones are out!), but I don't think I'll be able to get out every last one.

Could someone tell me what types of vegetables would be ok to grow in rocky'ish' soil?

Ta muchly!

[lynda66]

welcome to the vine, my soil is quite shallow in places, and rocky/ bricky underneath .... the only things i've had problems with really are the carrots (and maybe parsnips, but i've not dug them up yet as they have been weird shapes cos of the stones, (still yum though)the potatoes were fine, as i just piled soil on top of them, and everything else has grown ok too, i have added extra soil and compost where necessary, and when available, and pull out bricks and stuff when i dig, but have given up obsessing over it.

i've grown beetroot, turnips, broccoli, courgettes, squash, pumpkin .... ok just about everything i could think of lol

[Hazel at the Hill]

Welcome to the vine Jenegade.

I'd just pull big stones out 'as and when' too - the more you work the soil (adding manure when you have it too) the better it will be in time - and I'd grow things which grow up and not down!

That might mean you don't do much in the way of root veg until the soil is a bit more manageable, but think of the lovely peas/beans/spinach/sweetcorn/brassicas/squash/tomatoes etc etc that you can look forward to!

[tootles]

My plots are very rocky too. I will be spending any spare bright days this winter rotovating until I am happy!
Having said that, raised beds might be the way to go too....

[lynda66]

won't the rotavator break on the rocks ??

[tootles]

won't the rotavator break on the rocks ??

Nope, just your legs as it flings them out at you!

[lynda66]

cool think i'll get my son to rotavate then, give me something to watch

[Jenegade]

I like the idea of not having to dig all those rocks out!

Fortunately the area I want to plant carrots and onions is not too bad, but if I'm going to grow Beetroot they will have to be in the rocky section! Fingers crossed they wont mind too much!

I'll follow your advice and pile on as much compost as I can get hold of!

Ta muchly!

[lynda66]

the beetroot and onions grow near the top of the soil, so they should be fine try to make the carrot bed at least a foot deep, should be ok.

[tootles]

Short stumpy carrots like chantenay will stand a better chance in rocky ground.

[lynda66]

OR wot she^^ said ...... mind you, i kinda like my weird shaped carrots, it's only peeling them when they have 5 legs that's a bit of a hassle

[HayleyB]

I can't be bothered with carrots in the ground the clay is too hard so after successfully growing in trugs this year I'll be investing in more trugs for next year

[Gwen11ian]

You might be able to get some compost from your council.. then just pile it up on top of everything and do some digging to mix it around a bit.

[Jenegade]

You might be able to get some compost from your council.. then just pile it up on top of everything and do some digging to mix it around a bit.

Yup, I can get free compost from the council, been once already, will go back and get enough to pile it all up! I also got some used coffee grains from Starbucks, that will hopefully add some nice nutrients to the soil too!

[Flummery]

Sounds like you are going the right way about it. Raised beds are a good idea on poor soil - but most of the top crops, leafy stuff and beans etc, will cope ok. However, the more bulk you can add the better - your own compost or the free stuff from the council will all help. You could end up with a nice little wall round your plot with all the stones you shift!
Welcome to the grapevine, by the way.