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Reap what you sow
I think I've talked Paul, my partner, into giving me a hand, with the old "as you sow, so shall you reap" reminder that if he wants a garage full of produce come the autumn, we'd better get it all in the ground now.
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Gardeners' World Web User
16/07/2007 at 10:33
I notice your raised beds are similar to my 3M x 3M bed in my garden and I too battle with slugs. Even after nematode applications and regular night-time garden sorties to catch them, last night I found 20 or so of the critters but not in my raised beds. The defence in part I am sure is due to copper piping attached all around the edge. So, the 20-30 types of vegetables I'm growing this year are safe-ish. One night I did find a brave slug stretching more than double it's body length over the piping to my young pea plants but not getting right inside the defence!
Gardeners' World Web User
17/07/2007 at 12:01
I too used to have such a problem with slugs, but I think I have beaten them at last. I lash on loads of Vaseline all roung the edge of the pots, fence work etc and NO they cannot get up due to being so slippy (shame isn't it). I look forward to hearing if it works for you too. Best of luck!!!
Gardeners' World Web User
17/07/2007 at 12:45
I am a new allotment owner and have managed to get a late crop going in a couple of raised beds that were already in my plot. I have had tomato plants growing under a cloche for the past few weeks in a brick raised bed. When I took the cloche off yesterday I noticed an ant nest. As a new gardener I am not quite sure how to deal with the problem. Can anyone help with some advice?
Gardeners' World Web User
20/07/2007 at 21:20
One recommendation for Luplily (if ants aren't affecting the roots of the plants?). You could leave them be as they do no real harm and are food for some birds including green woodpeckers, and actually quite fascinating to watch coming and going. I've managed to move one ant colony on by keeping the area of their nest more moist as they prefer drier conditions and sandy soils.
Gardeners' World Web User
22/10/2007 at 21:34
Hi. I need help I have just got my first alottment and I need some advice on what to do now. its the end of October what would be the best veg to plant now?
Gardeners' World Web User
03/01/2008 at 18:50
I have allocated a part of my garden to put in some raised beds. My question is do I need to remove the turf before putting the compost in to make the raised beds? Also would you suggest any particular veg to start off with, I am a total beginner! Wish me luck.
Gardeners' World Web User
09/01/2008 at 16:12
Being a newby allotmenteer can anybody let me know if there is anything in the veg. line I can be sowing now. I have bought alot of brassica seedlings and planted those and also leeks which Ive planted. What time of year do these sellers sow their seeds to be able to sell young plants now or it seems like nearly all year around. Can I sow any of these or other seeds now or next month. Please help.
Gardeners' World Web User
15/01/2008 at 15:14
Regarding turf under raised beds, the grass should die off but being a layer of turf it might be quite compacted below the surface from years of wear. So if you really can't face digging it over, and to ensure drainage is not affected I would at least loosen the earth with a fork and perhaps add some horticultural sand into the new crevices. As you are loosen it, try and remove any weeds that look like they'll grow up through the new layer of compost.

What veg start to off with? I think you need some quick wins to get you going so potatoes are relatively easy (try and go for blight resistant varieties), lettuce and runner beans (but being sure you have slug and snail protection). Also, courgettes are relatively easy and you only need 2 or 3 plants to keep you going through the summer. Finally, spinach and chard are pretty easy to grow too. Good luck with this and I bet you'll soon be hooked, so trying to plan ahead and researching crop rotations would be worth investing time in during this wet weather.

Gardeners' World Web User
22/01/2008 at 13:10
Needing some advice please. Just cleared a massively overgrown plot to start growing, but on digging it over into separate beds I find there are about ten million roots left in the soil which I simply don?t have the time to take out. The soil is very clayey and sifting through a sieve isn?t an option. I?ve also noted that it is also very boggy so have decided to create raised beds for the whole plot which will leave me six 16? by 5? plots in total all 9? deep.

Questions I have are as follows.

Will the weeds and grass roots left in the original soil underneath the planned raised beds still eventually grow through or will 8? to 9? of soil on top of the old ground be enough to ensure they remain dormant and eventually rot away?

If the answer to the above is yes they will grow back, what should I cover the original plot with before constructing the raised beds. Obviously if I use plastic then the new raised beds could become waterlogged and it presumably also means I am restricted to the types of crops I can grow as the plant roots wont be able to grow any deeper than 8? to 9? where they will meet whatever barrier I put in..

Gardeners' World Web User
23/01/2008 at 12:15
Reply to simpson-allen

Hi there, I wouldn't advise just building raised beds on top of your soil. If you use plastic to prevent weeds coming through, the beds will become waterlogged, as you say, but the plastic will also prevent worms entering the beds, which are vital for mixing in organic matter, bringing nutrients to the soil etc.

I would grow a large patch of potatoes in your weed-root-infested soil. They will help to break up the soil (improving drainage) and prevent the growth of the weed roots, allowing you to concentrate on digging a smaller area. And I'm sorry to say that the best thing you can do for your soil and your vegetables is to just dig a small patch at a time and remove the weed roots. It's quite satisfying!

Do use your soil...if your plot hasn't been touched for 18 months then it's likely to be organic, full of earthworms and plenty of organic matter and nutrients. It's also likely to have a high clay content if its waterlogged, which means it will be even more packed with nutrients (digging it and adding organic matter will improve drainage).

Good luck and keep at it, the results are well worth it.

Gardeners' World Web User
09/02/2008 at 20:53
is it possible for someone to tell me who is responsible for the cost of supplying mains water to anew allotment? Thank you
Gardeners' World Web User
29/03/2008 at 17:49
Help! I have just returned to growing veg and fruit after 10 years away. I cannot seem to find a supplier of pelleted seeds. Is there one or has this useful aide been discontinued? Thanks
Gardeners' World Web User
12/04/2008 at 20:35
If the ground is boggy you might have Mares Tail, the roots are very good at holding the clay together. I have so far dug half my plot, once with manure and that has got out nearly all of it. Just got the other half to do now!! I also had to put in 2 drainage channels over to the waste area opposite. Little decorative conifers and fruit trees can help as well.
Gardeners' World Web User
25/05/2008 at 13:09
I am growing leeks from seed and find that they are slow to grow. Is it too early to worry, should they not be outside. I started them off in small peat pots and planted those in large pot with well drained soil. Am I on the right track this is my first attempt at growing veg in post and most other things are doing great.
Gardeners' World Web User
25/05/2008 at 17:18
We have started to grow veg on our allotment which we obtained in Feb this year, so this is our first attempt,what I would like to know if anyone can help me, is how to store over the winter Beans, pototoes,Beetroot, onions red & white. I have already made rhubarb and raisin jam for the first time,and we have a lot of fruit bushes growing which I will make jam also as well as lots of fruit puddings.
Gardeners' World Web User
28/05/2008 at 21:04
Hello, how can I keep slugs off my spinach, I have a small patch of spinach growing in my garden, I have tried pellets but have not been lucky, what else can I do? Any help appreciated
Gardeners' World Web User
11/06/2008 at 19:09
I have something attacking my peas. The leaves are being munched almost as though a caterpillar attack but no signs of caterpillars. Defintely not slugs as I have gravel all around the bed and also gorwing french marigolds which are untouched as are the sweet peas and french beans. Thought it may be mice and have surrounded with chicken wire (the cats tend to catch mice every so often - we have a railway line behind the garden). I have seen aphids but the munching looks too big to be tiny aphids or am I being a little naive? Any suggestions - this is my first attempt at veg and everything else is doing great.
Gardeners' World Web User
08/07/2008 at 19:01
How do you over winter potatoes turnips & carrots
Gardeners' World Web User
22/08/2008 at 12:00
Granny H, we tend to store all our potatoes in paper sacks in the shed. just make sure you don't store any damaged ones as they will rot and take the others in the bag with them.We use all the damaged potatoes first and check the stored sacks regularly.I am just learning myself ans have gone through many books on storage and freezing and preserving, I found my mums land army books the other day and they have a few ideas on them too, I will need to test them first to see if they are successful.
Gardeners' World Web User
24/08/2008 at 11:19
As a beginner I am wondering if it is too early to lift main crop potatoes. All the tops have rotted down and with the wet weather I did think they might start to go rotten. I am still harvesting the second earlies and they seem to be alright, although they are quite big for new potatoes. Can anyone advise me?
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