Gardening plans 2026 ?

[Nicos]

I was just wondering what people are planning to do differently this year in the garden…be it different techniques, creating new beds, water collection, different mullching….

I try to have a bit of a project each year .

Last year was more patio orientated so we had somewhere more relaxing to sit and enjoy the results of our gardening…both looking at our achievements over the years and enjoying home grown crops!

This year we really need to get our heads around mulching. Frustratingly the supplier of our organic straw had none to spare as the weather had been too dry and he needed it all for his cow bedding….so this year we’ll need to look at alternatives.
Hard to think of impending droughts during this very wet and blustery winter but even our massive rainwater reserves and thick layers of straw mulching, we near enough ran out of stored water last year.
I know my potagers are too exposed to the sun, so maybe some better, temporary shading is the way to go …powerful gusty winds permitting

Anyway…just some thoughts at the back of my mind

Anyone else pondering on changes…..?….

[burnie]

No real changes to last year for me, only thing I might play with is an automatic irrigation system for the greenhouse for any holiday time away from the garden.

[Snoop Puss]

I'm planning on having a new rainwater tank built once the risk of frost has passed. With any luck, this will facilitate the installation of a proper, rather than makeshift, irrigation system using weeper hose. We're also going to have a small covered area for sitting outdoors built alongside the house.

As for the actual gardening side, I'm going to be a bit more realistic and not try and expand my plot into the fields, not this year at least. And I'm going to call on help to make sure things actually get done, rather than trying to do it all myself and failing.

[smallblueplanet]

This might be the year I finally get a 'water feature' for the patio. Been looking for a wall mounted one for ages, but they all look so fake. Or they cost the earth, seen some lovely 'Moroccan style' tiled wall fountains. Or a self-contained terracotta pot style one.

Oh and maybe some new hanging baskets, spend the Christmas/birthday garden vouchers.

Oh, oh last year for the first time we went to the Gardeners World Spring Show, it was enjoyable, but partly because it was at Beaulieu. Might try the RHS Spring show this year. I'd like to try Chelsea but the cost and the huge number of people, I think not, easier on the tele.

[Containergardener]

I'm debating a third bed. Bit of work to put in and they arnt raised ones just cut into the grass . Only thing is what I'd grow in it.
I'd love broccoli, sprouts, etc but realistically to have it covered from white butterfly may be tricky as it's so exposed here.
Courgettes and squash ..hmm they don't do great but maybe what I'm doing.

Other hand I could container things instead in same area.
Still undecided.

[Andraste]

Plans coming out of the wazoo here - although how many will come to fruition remains to be seen lol

We absolutely have to divide & relocate a big lump of Rhubarb (been on the cards for 3 years at least now - divided one lump but not this one).

Finish levelling off the bit at the top of the plot & maybe add another pallet collar bed.

Try to insert a root barrier to our Autumn Raspberries to stop them escaping from our plot (stole the idea from Penellype )

Techniques: am going to have a good bash at sowing some things earlier, successional sow & make a concerted effort to pot on/plant out without delays. No pea/bean soaking here this year (tried for the first time last year & had a lot of rotting issues). Bought some bags designed for strawberries that can be hug on our fenceposts so will be shoving some self-rooted runners into those to see how they cope water-wise.

[rary]

Intend putting an arch between two of my raised beds. to grow peas/beans on one bed and cucumber in the other, more likely to go for the French beans rather than peas

[Andraste]

We grew CFBs over our arch a few years back (the tay & loganberries are too big to do it again) - they did really well & looked ever so pretty as they had lovely purple flowers (can't remember the variety now)

[Containergardener]

Like the arch idea rary might pinch that

[Andraste]

Latest new plan: install a wildlife pond.

We were initially thinking of utilising a washing-up bowl (we only have a 1/2 plot so it will need to be on a small scale) but are now thinking of repurposing a washtub/tin bath we inherited with the plot that we've never grown anything in very successfully - probably because it warms up too much in the sun.

Once we've finished debating where the best place is to put it, we'll dig a hole for it to go into then line it with black plastic sheet (there are holes in the bottom). Will need to gather up some big rocks for things to get in & out too.

There's a decent sized supposed 'wildlife pond' on our site (although as it's got fish in it, it's not really a wildlife pond) that I'm sure we can beg a few pond plant divisions from..............