Trowel and Error

[absley]

aka the 2023 gardening thread. What have you got planned?

For the first time in almost a decade I have a garden and I'm thrilled; it was one of the main reasons we bought this house. It wraps around three sides of the house, has trees and the back quarter or so is set up for fruit and veg. It was obviously the previous owner's pride and joy but it's been left for at least a year with limited care, and who knows how long before then.

I am completely out of my depth, so my plan is to see what emerges and try and take care of things as appropriate, as I identify them. I also want to grow veggies (need to decide what and order some seeds), work out how a greenhouse works (it's actually glass, which surprised and slightly worries me as it's currently covered in moss with various cracked panes), work out composting (there are two boxes set up) and work out how to grow more of the kinds of plants I like (softer and looser planting with fewer bushy shrubs, plus flowers to cut for the house).

I also need to find out what tools and footwear to buy! So far I have secateurs and a small saw; I also made a DIY 'rake/broom' using trimmed bendy branches, like our Malawian gardeners used to use.

Today I pruned two gooseberry bushes, cut back roses and removed the straight shoots that had emerged in a corkscrew hazel tree. I also accidentally stood on some rhubarb that is just beginning to emerge.

[lazzbo]

I assumed this was the beauty thread.

[baargain]

Ah exciting!!

Info on composting. https://www.rhs.org.uk/soil-composts-mulches/composting

https://charlesdowding.co.uk/compost-using-and-making/ I found this chap a couple of years ago, he has some great videos/info on the no dig approach to veg gardening. I would definitely recommend it, and haven't dug over the veg patch in forever now. I have to water less often, and there are fewer weeds.

The rhs site is good for all sorts of info. It's great for straightforward instructions, and look out for their AGM award when buying plants.

I have wellies, crocs (one pair with holes, one pair with a furry/sheepskin type lining, tevas and converse. They all work for different types of gardening in different weather. You probably don't need all of them

You can probably buy replacement glass for the greenhouse, or with my old one, I replaced the broken panes with polycarbonate sheets. You can wash it with a cheap sponge style mop (I bought it for the house, and it's shit, so I've claimed it for greenhouse cleansing instead). I ordered this https://www.gardening-naturally.com/nat ... en-cleaner

IMG20230102140226.jpg

I planted some carrots very late (just to use up the seed), they're hilariously small, but the parsnips are LONG.

My 2023 plans include redoing the beds behind the pond, using allllll of the allotment space and growing so much veg that I overflow the freezers. I've ordered a polytunnel frame, and will use net on it. It's going down to the allotment, and will protect plants from pigeons and caterpillars. I figure a rounded net structure will be less likely to take off in any gales.

Since I have the allotment, I'm going to claim a home bed back from veg, and plants dahlias. My friend grew some beautiful ones last year.

[baargain]

Crocus' website has some good bundles of plants for specific types of soil/style/light etc. They're pricey, but good for ideas of combinations.

https://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/plcid ... anorder.1/

[absley]

Lazz!

Thanks for all of those links, Baa I shall have a read. I came across the No Dig book a while ago but haven't properly read up on it - good to know it is working for you as I liked the sound of it. There was another one about compost by The Land Gardners that I also want to look at.

How much of the allotment is currently in use and what does moving to all of it mean? Lovely that you can reclaim space at home too, dahlias can be so beautiful.

[baargain]

To be fair, there is not too much more to sort. Just a patch at the very front that is full of bloody primroses and nettles. I think I probably used 50-75% last year. I took it on in may, so didn't get the full year's worth of planting. I feel like I should probably do a plan or draw a map or something, rather than just wanging it all in.

No dig is great, it makes so much sense and is so much easier! It's better for soil structure and funghi and bugs and all that jazz. I had not heard it the Land Gardeners, I will investigate!

The dahlias will look a lot nicer than onions and radishes

[lazzbo]

Lazz!

It's definitely the way I wear make-up these days. I shall leave you to it now, as a gardenless individual.

[Luna]

Your parsnips look fab!

My only plan is more salad which won’t be planted for ages yet.

[Mountain Goat]

Hello! I need to think about my garden this year, it's typically new build boxy, with borders round the edge that the developers planted ( sensible but uninspiring shrubs, mainly), plus some squared off paving for seating. I prefer something softer and less lawn centric, with more planting but I'm not good at working out how to make that work. ( I was thinking about getting someone in until I watched Your Garden Made Perfect and saw them sucking their teeth at paltry 20k budgets). All I've planted so far is some essential herbs, as I don't want to lose nice plants if I rejig everything.

I do have my compost bin though ( no compost ready yet so success still to be seen).

I want wildlife friendly, lots of flowers, and a solid amount of herbs/ salad veg/ leafy greens. And nice places to sit.

[absley]

That'll be for the whole thing though Goat, surely, rather than just a design? One of the gardeners that I love on insta and will be wanting to channel is Cameron Gardens - their website says they charge from £3.5k for a design. Still a lot though!

I'm going to do a plan, Baa - I need to map what we have with what I need to do & when, plus I need a veg plan as I have much less space for that - 3 beds, I think, each c1x2.5m.

[Derek Nimmo]

Could you ask around for a good local gardener Goat? It doesn't sound like you want anything super-complicated, and you're starting from a pretty blank canvass, so even if they don't offer a full design service they should be able to give you some good foundation ideas and advice.

[Mountain Goat]

I think that is what I need to do, and get some starting point ideas myself too ( I'll have a look at that insta: I follow a few but struggle to translate the designs to my garden - just because of how my brain works rather than because it's tricky). I think I need help with the basic layout, I can figure out the planting reasonably.

[baargain]

The rhs has a good general garden planning book. Something like that might give you a good idea of bed placement and that kind of shebang. RHS Encyclopedia of Garden Design: Planning, Building and Planting Your Perfect Outdoor Space https://amzn.eu/d/4865i7b

[Disco]

Your garden sounds lovely Abs! How exciting to make all the new discoveries spring will bring!

[Wiggle]

I love the thread name and reading about everyone's plans.

Does anyone have experience of growing vegetables in containers? I can grow veg above the soil (peas, beans etc) quite well but struggle with veg below the soile level (onions, garlic, carrots). Any tips are much appreciated.

[Mountain Goat]

Thank you Baa, that looks great and has also reminded me of the shelves of gardening books I have, some of which I'm sure have garden design sections (if monstrously outdated, but basic principles mustn't change too much)

[baargain]

Goat, yeah, I think the overall styles and principles will still work!

Wiggle, the bigger the better is key I expect. Also, it's harder to keep containers consistently watered. I use that gel water retaining stuff to keep my hanging baskets/window boxes going. Also, I think onions and garlic like to have a bit of space, if they're too close together, then their size gets limited, so just check you're not trying to squish too many in.

Carrots like poor soil, so I lobbed a load of sand into my carrot container, and that seemed to help.

[Duophonic]

Can anyone recommend a free online garden planner, a garden design tool is what I'm looking for.

After 3 years, big plans and nothing happening I'm going to take matters into my own hands and actually try and plan a cottage garden.

We have a large rectangular garden which Mr D promised he would maintain but all he's done is dig holes, not fill them back in, plonk plants here and there (they've mostly died) and moan that all we have is an expanse of grass.

I'd be better off actually doing it myself.

[absley]

Your garden sounds lovely Abs! How exciting to make all the new discoveries spring will bring!

Thank you! The crazy thing is we've seen it (albeit briefly) in every season despite having only just moved in, as we viewed and were outbid in both spring and summer; a¹utumn was when we offered for the final time and we moved in as it snowed! The garden does make me think of you as it has acers, which I always remember you talking about (not sure if that was this or a previous garden for you).

Goat, we started watching Your Garden Made Perfect, thanks for the tip! I need more gardening shows so I can lure D into being more interested!

Luna, did you do your garden redesign yourselves?

[Mountain Goat]

I have just been out for a walk with a friend who has a friend who does garden designs, bingo. He has a day job as a gardener and does some private design work on the side, so no upsell to 20k makeovers, and his own garden ( down the road) started off much like mine and is now the kind of style I'm after; I think we're like minded.