The Poultry Keeper

NannyP · Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 5:30 pm Post subject: Advice please

I cannot surf the web for loads of info, as I am still on PAYG dial up.

What do I need to do for the veggie patch at this time of the year. It looks overgown and uncultivated, probably for at least 2 years. Don't want to rotavate, as I think I read that this just spreads the weeds.
If, of course when the ground has warmed up, Mark and I dig, should we use a fork? If a fork, should we work away from ourselves? What can I plant in Feb/Mar? Or do I need to wait until April?

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1325 Location: Leicestershire

Part of it could do with digging now - not rotovating as you say it just chops the weeds and spreads them, but a turnover dig removing clumps of weeds as you go then leave, frost will break it down to a nice workable tilth, an area which you want to grow brassicas needs to be firm so don't dig that, you could perhaps rake it and pull up any clumps of weeds and then finally you can dig and manure an area which will grow say beans and stuff like that - not roots as they need to be grown on ground that was manured the year before, an alternative if you don't fancy that is to grow potatoes on it all this year (depends how big it is) just leave (remove big clumps of weeds) and then when it warms up a bit work holes in it and plant chitted seed potato and earth up as much as possible, potatoes are a very good crop for clearing the ground.

To get technical, it needs to be divided into 3 and then the crops can be rotated every year, as above, 1)dug & manured for beans, tomatoes marrows etc, followed next year by the root crop & then the next brassicas. 2)Dug & root crop - brassicas - dug & manured. 3)leave - brassicas - dug & manured - dug & roots. Hope you follow.

You'll probably be better to dig using a spade the first year, it will be hard going using a fork but really only you can tell that as it depends on the ground and the kind of weeds as well - twitch, bindweed, dandelion & dock need the roots all out so it may be best to use a fork as it doesn't break them.

Itsybitsy

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2062 Location: North Cornwall

If it was my garden I would wait a few more weeks until the weed are really growing, and then spray the whole lot with weed killer. Leave for the recommended time and if it looks as if some things are still alive spray it again.

Then I would rotavate, let it dry a bit then rotavate it again. This would be the only time you would use weed killer. You can then grow your veg by which ever method you choose.

A lot of show organic gardens are cleaned by this method before they turn organic and it is the one recommended by Bob Flowerdew

Buy yourselves a good stainless steel fork, spade and hoe if you haven't got them already and you're well away Very Happy

Lovely, veg gardening is fantastic. Pushing your hoe through the rows of veg on a warm summers evening is hard to beat. Oh, and try and fix up plenty of water butts to collect water.
Have a lovely time getting it round Very Happy

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

I wouldn't put weed killer on personally,

If you can it is far better to double dig a new plot than anything else,
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0105/double_digging.asp

NannyP · Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 10:09 am Post subject:

Thanks for all your advice, it's really helpful. Anymore for anymore, all gratefully received. Very Happy

mojo · Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 11:19 am Post subject:

Jan has the best idea......least toil ....useable soil..........edible spoil......all in 3 months

mcleod-girls · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 2:15 pm Post subject:

Hi nannyp

I only grow things we especially like and that are expensive in the shops as we are quite exposed and have lost a lot of effort on things haven't come to much. I would look carefully at where you are planting, we plant in sheltered places against a south facing wall. good luck!

ps we spray if we have to, we inherited a lot of overgrown land and the weeds swamped everything, especially the newly planted trees. constant strimming and mowing is slowly turning the tide, the rest is chicken paradise!

We also mulch, but have heard that cocoa shells which we usually use (slugs and cats dont like them) are poisonous for chickens? Any one else heard this? although I was hoping to keep chickens out of veggie patch ...

CP · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:21 pm Post subject:

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6895 Location: isle of lewis

if you are not going to spary do it a bit at a time,and plant something so it looks as if you are getting somewhere ,
since i lived here the garden has been taken over by ducks and chickens ,well they are going in pens now Evil or Very Mad

after 3 years of no fresh veg after having 3 allotments and only eatting our own veg i'm fed up with it Wink

,i'm dividing up the plot using rails to make raised beds ,from post and rail fencing which i just found out are £2.80 for 12 feet Very Happy

that way i can cope with digging one in an afternoon if i want .and each bed can be manured ect the way the veg in that bed likes Wink

i like using what my grandma calls a zappa for my digging Very Happy

it's like a chilton hoe but pointed ,i also use it for hoeing
clearing ditches and scrapping out the hen house Cool

what weeds have you got and what's the soil like
sorry when i brought this house oh looked at the house in photos and i looked at weeds so i could work out i could grow Embarassed

,and i went to bed with pen and paper yesterday ,

NannyP · Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 10:32 pm Post subject:

Well, having had a good look at the old, exhisting plot, I realise it hasn't been used for 2 or 3 years, and is mainly grass and weeds. So have decided to do the weedkiller idea, then rotavate. I think the plot size is about 500sqm and is in the North East corner of the garden. Bearing in mind this is France, it is probably best placed for staying as moist as possible and luckily there is a massive water tank nearby. Not sure how the water tank gets it's water (it's certainly not mains fed). Mark still has to climb a ladder to look. So, I bought RoundUp today and a sprayer, will probably spray this weekend, as the weather is v. mild and sunny. Then spray again in a few weeks if necessary. Have 2 lots of seed potatoes chitting upstairs.
Will also try carrots I think, I wasn't succesful last time I tried them but this is a good time whilst there is no new manure in the soil. Oh and onions, shallots and sweet potatoes.
I will then consider what I won't be able to buy easliy in the shops. But mainly, this is about learning, working outside and enjoying the fruits of our labour.
Thanks for the advice, it;s so helpful. I wish I had a book like my Dad had, ?The Gardening Year, I think it was called..........hmmm, maybe I'll I have a look on eBay.

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2062 Location: North Cornwall

If the grass is long, it might pay to strim it off or mow it first, at anyrate before you rotavate because long grass tends to get wrapped round the blades of the rotavater and clog it up.

Got my seed pots yesterday, Foremost and Kestrel. What did you get NannyP.

stephen · Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 2:57 pm Post subject:

NannyP · Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 4:28 pm Post subject:

Ooh, I might try that. I haven't looked at seeds yet. I look forward to doing that next time I'm out.

Okay, so we have to strim the grass, will need to persuade mon amour that I need him to do that Laughing

Problem is, we need a heavy duty strimmer, and funds won't allow that until March Sad

Oh, I know, I'll ask our friends if they have one we can borrow Very Happy

stephen · Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2007 4:47 pm Post subject:

mojo · Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 10:52 am Post subject:

thompson and morgan have a french site.......try out your french