After my post about about having to divide the veg patch to conquer it I thought I'd give you all an update an to say I followed the general consensus to make it into beds.
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| A picture taken on the 12th of April |
I've done this with more slabs. I brought new ones and then I've been given another 15 second hand since, with more to hopefully follow (be good for the new greenhouse floor as well when I get it up).
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| Picture taken yesterday - Starting to look better! |
This has meant that I've now divided the veg garden into 16 different beds to work on a 6 year rotation (more about that in another post). One is already given over to herbs and another will probably be left as a sandpit/toy playing area bed for the children. For once it really feels as though I might be able to get on top of the garden this year and not loose the war to the weeds (although the soft fruit garden is another matter!).
I also like the look of it now it's all divided up, it looks like a backbone with ribs from a distance.
How is everyone else coping with the weeds this year? It seems we're having to fight the war a couple of months earlier this year in the UK.
I am very impressed, Kev. It looks like the vegetable garden on Gardeners World or some other gardening show. I use concrete pig slats and planks to get about on my veg plot. The great thing about planks is you can move them about. Especially if you are going to plant a root crop there next season.
ReplyDeleteI find fym like cow dung is a cold manure and it's full of weeds, especially nettles, dock and couch grass. I also find sowing my seeds in bought in compost helps to give them a better start than in just soil.
I think if you saw a few close ups of some of the beds you might not think that! Although it's a good compliment!
DeleteIt's been cold cow manure that I've added and like you said it's full of weeds. Maybe I need to make a pasteuriser for it using heat? Although then it would probably kill all the worms as well. I sow into B&Q's own compost and it seems pretty good stuff.
Looks fab my biggest 'weed' at the moment is the grass, keeping up with mowing the orchard and woodland is a day a week job, we have sheep arriving soon to hopefully help but until then................ one woman went to mow!
ReplyDeleteGrass is terrible for encroaching on your plot. When we had an allotment we had grass paths on it. It was so much work to keep it back that I decided we'd never have grass paths in a veg plot again!
DeleteLooking good!
ReplyDeleteCheers gorges
DeleteIt looks good and tidy and easy to sweep the soil back into the beds.
ReplyDeleteIt should be. It also guides a two year old where to walk so keeps her off my veg!
DeleteWow! such a change. It looks fantastic and I like the idea of leaving a bed empty for little hands to dig in xxx
ReplyDeleteIt works for me because it means that we can all be in the garden and all entertained while I get some jobs done.
DeleteGreat idea. The weeds ran me out last year. It's always wet here winter & spring.
ReplyDeleteThey certainly got the better of me as well! This year I will be better at keeping on top of them (he says...)
DeleteWhat a tidy veg plot! Ours is tidy too, only because Lester has been ploughing it with his new little tractor. However, greenery is now peeping through the soil, and not where the seeds were sown, which means that the weeds are fighting back after having been subjected to a few thrashings about as the blades of the rotovator chomped over them!
ReplyDeleteThe fruit garden is a disgrace though and there's still alone way to go with the veg plot (notice how there are no close up shots!)
DeleteAlso I find that when I rotovate any weeds it can spread them worse. This time I've been digging out all the perennials before I rotovate.
DeleteI think this is a very good idea. Each individual bed could be dug over in very little time, making the task seem so much easier. I'm desperate to get back onto my plot with the rotovator, but it's too bloody WET.
ReplyDeleteIt really is mind over matter. Everything just seems more manageable now. The ground has dried out quite a bit now so it's much easier to work.
DeleteIt's a well organised garden!
ReplyDeleteIt's getting there slowly!
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