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sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 9:01 am Post subject: Garden advice needed

Ok, following on from this mornings miseryguts session, I trotted out into the garden armed with shears and hacked back some brambles, then took some images of the garden. Hopefully, this will let me see how it progresses. Could do with some advice on how to tackle it, especially the raspberry patch.
Pics and running commentry here:
https://www.sallypointer.com/garden

I think in teh long run I could have a very productive garden here, its just knowing how to start, and I really do only have a few hours a week to do this, so all advice will be gratefully received.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45431
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 9:10 am Post subject:
I'm trying to get my head round the geography of it. I'll come back when I understand a bit more.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45431
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 9:33 am Post subject:
How bigs the courtyard,is it all paved and does it get much sun? Once you climb the steps up to the garden is it fairly level, how wide and deep is it? Is it fairly sunny?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45431
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 9:35 am Post subject:
Those stones could make nice reatining walls for raised beds

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 9:45 am Post subject:

Courtyard is intermittently sunny, usually late afternoon in the summer- did wonder about a training grape vine under the plastic roof thing- the hot air vent from the central heating comes out there too so it stays relatively warmer in winter. Courtyard is probably about 6ft by 15ft roughly. Once up the steps, the garden is reasonably level for the first 12 foot then rises steadily, I suppose about 1in 5 perhaps?

Just been out there and cut some of the dead stuff out of the raspberry patch, looks like we will end up with a long oval patch of rasps about 12 foot by 4 foot running up the garden. Gareth thinks he can put a dry stone wall round the patch which will use some of the stone.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45431
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 9:48 am Post subject:
Definitely try a grape vine. I'd be tempted to glyphosate most of the area after clearing and then usie the stone to build walls for raised beds. You'll need to bring some topsoil and compost in though. You could terrace the sloping section, again using the stone, this'd make it much easier to work.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 10:18 am Post subject:
I'll take a look when I get home. Personally I would never use weed killers. What are the main weeds after brambles? I find if the soil is thin then brambles can be pulled out quite easily. If you terrace with the stone work you will probably get quite a few slugs and snails hiding in them.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45431
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 10:25 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

I'll take a look when I get home. Personally I would never use weed killers.

She said she has a lack of time, and glyphosate does break down almost immediately. I've never used weedkillers but I might be tempted just to get started.

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 11:11 am Post subject:

Raspberries: fill a biggish pot with soil, cut the raspberry canes and make as many cuttings from them as you can, which you then stick in the pot. Then clear the area where they were! This way, you can blitz it, in whatever way you choose, and will have raspberry plants to go into the garden when you have an area cleared for them.

If I were you, I'd work on a small area at a time: that way you'll soon see results, and can do the work in small chunks of time. Start near the door or where you can see from the kitchen window, then you'll be able to see your progress and it'll spur you on. That's what I always tell clients, and it's what I've done in the past in my own gardens.

The courtyard: just the place for a vine, as long as the soil's right or you can use a huge pot. I know people who have something very similar and get quite a bit of fruit each year.

Of course, the first thing you should be doing is making a wish list. Don't worry hos extreme or strange some of the things are: you'd be surprised what is possible. Don't forget to include the things you MUST have, though, e.g. washing line, compost, storage, whatever.

Then you need to clear away clutter: things you don't need or are never going to use. Either give them away, sell them, junk them, or build a shed to store them! As long as anything that's not a garden feature is out of sight. Sheds, of course, can be attractive, so if it needs to be somewhere visible, make it fetching: climbers, paint, anything as long as it 'belongs'.

Weeds, from brambles to dandelions, must go, but again, do an area at a time. The thing is, having cleared an area, don't let the weeds recolonise. You may need to use a woven membrane to plant through, with mulch on top.

I could go on for ever, but if you want more help pm me! I'll gladly to another barter! (Thinks: must do an advert...)

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 11:29 am Post subject:

tahir wrote:

Treacodactyl wrote:

I'll take a look when I get home. Personally I would never use weed killers.

She said she has a lack of time, and glyphosate does break down almost immediately. I've never used weedkillers but I might be tempted just to get started.

I'm not saying everyone shouldn't, just that I wouldn't. One thing to remember, if you splat the whole area but only have time to cultivate small pieces is that by the time you come to cultivate the rest weeds may have re-grown.

I would go for cultivating small parts first and then expand as time allows.

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 11:32 am Post subject:
Absolutely right, Treac. Start small...

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45431
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 11:40 am Post subject:
Good point about the regrowth but what if the rest of the plot is full of weeds that are in flower and spreading seed???

Naomi

Joined: 26 Mar 2005
Posts: 1945

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 11:51 am Post subject:

Try drawing a plan view of the area and aim to grow your veggies in the sunniest part. The first thing to do then is create a couple of big compost bins and start composting all your veg peelings, fallen leaves ,grass trimmings and any non perennial, not gone to seed or non woody weedings.
This will give you eventually something to add to your raised beds.
I would then cut back almost everything and cover with carpet or black plastic mulch matting and give it time to kill the worst of the weeds.
Then one area at a time, as it is cleared, add raised beds ,using wooden surrounds, as that won't leave too many hiding spaces for slugs etc.The driest stoniest area may well be ok to grow herbs in as they cope better with dry soil than vegetables.The patio area could support a grapevine or if it gets a fair amount of sun grow veggies in containers to keep you going until the ground is clear and workable.
If you leave mulch plastic on the pathway areas you can cover this with gravel etc that then leaves you free to concentrate on one veg bed at a time.
Tackling it all at once will leave you frustrated and disappointed, so aim to get one project finished before you start the next.
That's how I would tackle it anyway!

ButteryHOLsomeness

Joined: 03 Apr 2005
Posts: 770

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 3:41 pm Post subject:

i don't suppose you live anywhere near the sea? if so i can definately suggest collecting dried seaweed (the wet stuff is far too heavy!) and use that in your raised beds when you make them, gives off a great heat and is excellent for the soil

as for the raspberries, if you save some of the canes to plant elsewhere you could put them on the sloped section (assuming you would still be able to get to them to pick them) and then you've not wasted any space in the veg garden. brambles can be rehomed in the woods, no sense wasting them but also no sense wasting your precious growing space on something that would probably take root darn near anywhere!

i can definately suggest terracing, we did some on skye and it really makes life easier and gives you so much more growing space.

selfsufficientish

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 364
Location: Bristol

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 4:59 pm Post subject:

I notice that you seem to have a concreate section as soon as you leave the house (1st photo), is that correct? I would be temted to use that area for container planting. All stuff that looks good and inspiring.

I asume that this is the way into your garden. If you are imediately confronted with plantings that are good on the eye it might make you want to tackle the rest of the garden with a bit more oomph.

Good luck

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