"Joseph Byrns" wrote in message
k...
I am considering starting a vegetable garden (I am completely new to
gardening). I was thinking of starting with a 10'x10' one. The patch I
have selected gets the most sun but it is currently a lawn, so I need to
know what I should do here?

Do I remove the lawn in the section in question and put new topsoil down
(this seems like an expensive option)

Do I plough the lawn into the soil?

Or is there something else I should do?

Also I live in the North of England and summer is over, is there a
preferred
time of year to prepare the patch?

Thanks.

Joseph, I am going to suggest 2 ways. Which one may be more useful, if at
all, depends on what your soil is like and how quickly you want to get
underway.

If you have a deep layer of topsoil (maybe 200-300mm or more), and the grass
grows well, and you want to start immediately then dig spits of sod up and
turn them upside down so the grass faces downward. You can break the sod up
a little with a spade until it is loosish. The grass root will still be in
the sod and this will take a little time to break down as the grass dies
off. As it does the soil will loosen up. Much of the grass will die off as
it is upside down, all of it won't. You will need to kill off the remainder
the the grass either by chemical spray if you must (a glyphosate weed killer
is safest although I personally wouldn't use a weed killer around my vege
patch) or some form of mulch such as straw, hay, shredded leaves, mature
compost, dried grass clippings that will block out the sun light and kill
the residual grass. When you plant in to this, fairly rough, garden you
would be best to use already started plants as seed germination may be
haphazard and the grass may compete. When any crops are at a 1/2 decent
height mulch around them. Veges planted from a tuber like potatos and garlic
can go straight in. The mulch will break down and add organic matter top
your soil which will also help break it up.

The other alternative mentioned is some form of raised or lazanga garden.
You can either make this with ready to go ingrediants if you want to plant
out immediately or you can slowly build it up and let things break down via
nature for planting in your spring. This is good if your soil is shit.

If the former case you will need things already composted. Cardboard goes
down first or you can use several sheets of newspaper, this kills off the
grass. Mature animal poop or compost or leaves goes in. You can layer it
down or simply scatter it well together. There is no one set way. Anyone who
tells you it has to be a certain process is lying. Essential requirement
however is that the organic material is composted or well rotted. If you can
lay your hands on some free well rotted horse/sheep/cow/chicken poop or some
nice mature backyard compost (check the maker has not added any chemicals or
cat/dog poop in) and some nicely rotted leaves or some old pasture hay or
straw or some matured mauchroom compost you are away laughing. Mix it all
together and plant away. Just ensure the top 4-6 inchs is nice fine compost
or top soil or something similar. You can plant (even seeds I reckon)
straight in to that. It does not matter really how high you make the garden.
I have put in a number of raised gardens using wooden sleepers 300mm to
400mm high.

If you have time to let things rot down over autumn and winter then simply
toss it all in and walk away for a season. Grass clippings, household food
scraps, leaves, animal poops, hay or straw, partly composed compost, used
coffee grounds, scrap fruit and veges from the local fruiter whatever
whatever. If it is free and not tainted by chemicals take it. Some will tell
you to use peat moss or lime, that costs money. You can likely all
ingredients you need free as waste product. You not only divert waste from a
landfill but you save your hard earned money for things like seedlings and
beer. Coffee grounds from local cafes, fruit/vege scraps from fruit shops,
grass either your own or a neighbours (just make sure they don't spray the
shit out of their lawn. If so, check what with), leaves from around the
neighbourhood, poop from stables or farms or hen houses, straw or hay from a
local farm, 1/2 rotten compost from a neighbour who makes it but don't use
it etc. It will break down over time mind and likely be 1/2 as high as the
raw ingredients. DONT use bark chips. They take an age to break down.

Thus url shows the actual building process. You don't need to make your as
high as this. They use lime and peat moss, I don't as it costs money. They
layer it, I just bunged things in the garden and mixed it all up with a
garden fork and left it over winter. I have planted in to my 'chuck and
leave' raised gardens this spring and things are doing fine.
http://www.fbga.net/Lasagna%20gardening%202004.htm
http://www.ourgardengang.com/lasagna_gardening.htm

It is recommended by many I have spoken to that you make several gardens,
not one big one. Each garden should only be as wide as you can easily access
from either side without stepping on to the garden itself. Have pathways
either side of the garden. 1 to 1.5 metre wide gardens do me ok. I can
service them either side without stepping on them and compacting the soil.

good luck, happy growing.

rob