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After three years of abundance, I have probably come last in the "vegetable self sufficency" race this year. My previously succesful policy of throwing some seed on the floor and then wandering out a few months later to harvest the rewards is no longer working and my Ladybird book of farming doesn't have any hints on what to do next, so does anyone have suggestions on what prep I can be doing in November to boost my chances next spring please?
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Hi there,
what advice do you want? The best thing to do now is planning....what do you want to grow?
Also you dont mention what amount of land? Allotment? Garden? Container?
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Advice will depend on what you have done or not done, i.e. feeding the ground etc.
ColinPotty by name Potty by nature.
By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.
We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.
Aesop 620BC-560BC
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Why not? Did slugs eat everything? Was it too cold/wet or too hot/dry?Originally posted by ghostbreeder View Post
Give us a clue
All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.Comment
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......................................or it will be Blankety BlankOriginally posted by Two_Sheds View Post
Give us a clue
I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives....
...utterly nutterly
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Ahh, the devil is in the detail. Thank you all.
I have a plot approx 12 metres by 4 metres. Much of the brassica were devoured by beasties (except for the sprouts). A dozen tomato plants of different varieties succumbed to blight (at least I think that is what it was, they turned brown and withered away). Peas and beans were ok, as were onion and garlic. Salad leaves were moderately succesful in the early part of the year and then gave up the ghost. Spuds were the size of duck eggs. The plot was bramble/bindweed covered for about 10 years before I resurrected it 4 years ago, the only thing that has been dug in is my own compost. There's a decent sized and bountiful strawberry bed and a (hopefully) flourishing asparagus bed.
The plot is on some abandoned ground secreted behind my house and so I have no-one to compare results with regarding what has done well on neighbouring plots.Comment
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It just goes to show even the slugs aren't fussed on sprouts...
I would say, start with the premise that this year was a very poor one, I'm expecting huge veg hikes over the winter in the supermarkets as stocks diminish. If your system has worked for 3 years I'd say you have a fair grasp on what you need to do, its OK to give a year up as a lost cause sometimes.
I'm always learning from my mistakes,...... well I'm always learning at least.I'm only here cos I got on the wrong bus.Comment
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Any chance you can get a large amont of manure dropped off? Will do wonders for the soil.Last edited by redser; 14-11-2012, 08:59 AM.Comment
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I wish!Originally posted by redser View Post
Seriously I agree with the above, its been a rubbish year, and at least you can take heart that everyone else is in the same boat!Comment
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Me thinks your soil fertility may be dropping off a bit also. I would check the ph and have the soil analysed. Compost forked in will always be a plus.The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies.
Gertrude Jekyll
************NUTTERS' CLUB MEMBER************
The Mad Hatter: Have I gone mad?
Alice Kingsley: I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll
tell you a secret. All the best people are.Comment
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Farm manure isn't essential: I've never used it.Originally posted by ghostbreeder View Post
Have you thought about green manures?
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...dig_68158.html
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ons_60036.html
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ure_68356.html
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...res_67933.htmlAll gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.Comment
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Are there any green manures it's not too late to plant? I only managed to seed a couple of beds earlier, and I still have about 3 left to dig over... Rather than having bare soil over winter, would it be better to leave the weeds and stuff in there, cover with cardboard and dig in in the spring?Originally posted by Two_Sheds View PostsigpicGardening in France rocks!Comment
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Thank you everybody for your comments and encouragement. There's no access to my plot other than through the house and down mutliple steps. Mrs Ghostbreeder pulled rather a strange face when I suggested wheeling barrow loads of horse poo through the kitchen, can't think why! I shall pay a visit to the local GC and see what 3 for 2 deals are happening on compost, dig it in and wait impatiently to start sowing again.Comment
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How unreasonable of her...!!Originally posted by ghostbreeder View Post
Whilst there are plenty of advocates of no dig methods, maybe yours could do with a good double dig and at the same time incorporate in some more compost, bagged manure etc....I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives....
...utterly nutterly
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Try and get some chicken manure pellets whilst your at the GC - they are the cheapest and I'm my opinion one of the best (I can get a 3kg bag of chicken pellets for £1.50 at my local society)
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