Hi,

I've a patch of ground that looks suitable for a nice vegetable garden. Thing is, I've heard the ground needs to be prepared months in advance of sowing with composting and manure etc. This would be new ground of course. It's been dug up a bit already (there was a jcb working in the area) and there's no grass on top. I just need to cultivate it and prepare beds/drills but will anything grow in it??

Or what might be the best choice of vegetables at this stage? It's in a good location with a slight bit of shelter and the sun should get it nicely too.
The top layer of the soil is very black like peat or turf. I think the drainage is reasonable too. Any help and advice would be much appreciated ladies and gents.

Thanks!

Go for it it sounds like you are well on the way to success already.

I recall a few years ago I took over an allotment in March and I had it ready for planting out ion May (see it here) http://thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Pic...um%20Index.htm



More or less anything you like at this time of the year, have a look at the vegetable section here;

http://thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/

Sounds ideal!

At this time of year you can stick anything in

What doesn't grow in 20 days just sow again

You will not get show veg but you will get tasty veg

Just go to lidles and by some cheap seed

Come back and tell us how well did

.......................Leslie



"Padraig D'Arcy" wrote in message
...

Hi,

I've a patch of ground that looks suitable for a nice vegetable garden.
Thing is, I've heard the ground needs to be prepared months in advance
of sowing with composting and manure etc. This would be new ground of
course. It's been dug up a bit already (there was a jcb working in the
area) and there's no grass on top. I just need to cultivate it and
prepare beds/drills but will anything grow in it??

Or what might be the best choice of vegetables at this stage? It's in a
good location with a slight bit of shelter and the sun should get it
nicely too.
The top layer of the soil is very black like peat or turf. I think the
drainage is reasonable too. Any help and advice would be much
appreciated ladies and gents.

Thanks!


--
Padraig D'Arcy

Go for it.
At the very least you could plant mid early & main crop potatoes. You can't
beat home grown potatoes but hurry before the garden shops / diy stores sell
out of seed potatoes.
Try any veg you like, if it doesn't grow try something else. Don't forget
runner beans - plenty of time to prepare the ground and plant after the
frost late May.

Have fun.

SH.
"Leslie" wrote in message
...
At this time of year you can stick anything in

What doesn't grow in 20 days just sow again

You will not get show veg but you will get tasty veg

Just go to lidles and by some cheap seed

Come back and tell us how well did

.......................Leslie



"Padraig D'Arcy" wrote in
message ...

Hi,

I've a patch of ground that looks suitable for a nice vegetable garden.
Thing is, I've heard the ground needs to be prepared months in advance
of sowing with composting and manure etc. This would be new ground of
course. It's been dug up a bit already (there was a jcb working in the
area) and there's no grass on top. I just need to cultivate it and
prepare beds/drills but will anything grow in it??

Or what might be the best choice of vegetables at this stage? It's in a
good location with a slight bit of shelter and the sun should get it
nicely too.
The top layer of the soil is very black like peat or turf. I think the
drainage is reasonable too. Any help and advice would be much
appreciated ladies and gents.

Thanks!


--
Padraig D'Arcy

"Springtime" wrote in message
...
Go for it.
At the very least you could plant mid early & main crop potatoes. You can't
beat home grown potatoes but hurry before the garden shops / diy stores sell
out of seed potatoes.
Try any veg you like, if it doesn't grow try something else. Don't forget
runner beans - plenty of time to prepare the ground and plant after the
frost late May.

Have fun.

SH.
"Leslie" wrote in message
...
At this time of year you can stick anything in

What doesn't grow in 20 days just sow again

You will not get show veg but you will get tasty veg

Just go to lidles and by some cheap seed

Come back and tell us how well did

.......................Leslie



"Padraig D'Arcy" wrote in
message ...

Hi,

I've a patch of ground that looks suitable for a nice vegetable garden.
Thing is, I've heard the ground needs to be prepared months in advance
of sowing with composting and manure etc. This would be new ground of
course. It's been dug up a bit already (there was a jcb working in the
area) and there's no grass on top. I just need to cultivate it and
prepare beds/drills but will anything grow in it??

Or what might be the best choice of vegetables at this stage? It's in a
good location with a slight bit of shelter and the sun should get it
nicely too.
The top layer of the soil is very black like peat or turf. I think the
drainage is reasonable too. Any help and advice would be much
appreciated ladies and gents.

Thanks!


--
Padraig D'Arcy



Hi Padraig

Its my first year in my first ever garden - just walked through the door
after going out at 8.20am! I dont have lots of knowledge, just going on
instinct really. I have sowed lots of flowers & bulbs of course, but though
I'd give a few vegs a go too. I planted some onions, have put a home made
cloche over those (not sure if this is good, but my instinct said yes) and I
have just sowed some cauliflower in my mini greenhouse. I have no idea what
I am doing but I am loving it! Yippeeee!

Good luck - hope you get a nice crop. Let us know what you sowed and how
things go


--
*..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ .·´ -:¦:- *Jackie* -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*

"Padraig D'Arcy" wrote
I've a patch of ground that looks suitable for a nice vegetable garden.
Thing is, I've heard the ground needs to be prepared months in advance
of sowing with composting and manure etc. This would be new ground of
course. It's been dug up a bit already (there was a jcb working in the
area) and there's no grass on top. I just need to cultivate it and
prepare beds/drills but will anything grow in it??

Or what might be the best choice of vegetables at this stage? It's in a
good location with a slight bit of shelter and the sun should get it
nicely too.
The top layer of the soil is very black like peat or turf. I think the
drainage is reasonable too. Any help and advice would be much
appreciated ladies and gents.

As the ground has not been used for a while it will be fertile enough so
plant stuff and enjoy. You can manure etc as you crop so next year it will
be perfect.
Onions need only a small depth of soil anyway.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

Scotia wrote:
Padraig D'Arcy Wrote:

Hi,

I've heard the ground needs to be prepared months in advance of sowing
with composting and manure etc.

This would be new ground of course. It's been dug up a bit already
(there was a jcb working in the area) and there's no grass on top. I
just need to cultivate it and prepare beds/drills but will anything
grow in it??


Go for it it sounds like you are well on the way to success already.

I recall a few years ago I took over an allotment in March and I had it
ready for planting out ion May (see it here) http://tinyurl.com/ly5wp

Agreed. Even if the plot isn't ready yet you can start most stuff off
in containers and plant out later.

Or what might be the best choice of vegetables at this stage?

More or less anything you like at this time of the year, have a look at
the vegetable section here;

http://thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/

Yup. There aren't many things that *must* be planted before April.

James

Thank you so much: James, Bob, Scotia, Leslie and Jackie Brown, Springtime (SH). You were all really helpful and knowledgeable in your replies. Scotia, I checked out the link you sent. The pictures are lovely - an inspiration. I look forward to looking through them all later. I'm confident to go ahead with this now and I'll let you all know how it's going and of course will post any questions I have, and can't find the answers to, here.

Sincerely,
Pádraig D'Arcy