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#1
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Suggestions for a first planting in new raised beds
Hello all
I am constructing a couple of small raised beds (around 1.2m x 1m) for our small garden; we want to experiment with growing a few vegetables & salads etc. at home. I've dug over the area and put down the frames, and I plan to fill them with a mixture of (cheapish) topsoil, and compost from our home composters. I'm guessing that it would be a good idea to plant a sort of ... sacrificial ... crop to begin with, to ... erm, amalgamate the soil properly and get it all settled in, kinda thing. But I'm willing to be told I'm wrong! Any suggestions a to a good 'first planting' to take us through to next spring, when we should be in a position to plan our sowing a bit better? We're on the South coast, & the beds face south, but are shaded from the sun for part of the day. Thanks for your thoughts Jon N |
#2
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Suggestions for a first planting in new raised beds
On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 08:59:46 +0100, jkn wrote
(in article . com): Hello all I am constructing a couple of small raised beds (around 1.2m x 1m) for our small garden; we want to experiment with growing a few vegetables & salads etc. at home. I've dug over the area and put down the frames, and I plan to fill them with a mixture of (cheapish) topsoil, and compost from our home composters. I'm guessing that it would be a good idea to plant a sort of ... sacrificial ... crop to begin with, to ... erm, amalgamate the soil properly and get it all settled in, kinda thing. But I'm willing to be told I'm wrong! Any suggestions a to a good 'first planting' to take us through to next spring, when we should be in a position to plan our sowing a bit better? We're on the South coast, & the beds face south, but are shaded from the sun for part of the day. You can't beat the taste of your own vegetables, picked just before you eat them! If you don't want to use the beds for anything else during the winter, you might consider growing a green manure. Details and information are he http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_51. Just dig it in in the spring. -- Sally in Shropshire, UK Burne-Jones/William Morris window in Shropshire church with conservation churchyard: http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk |
#3
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Suggestions for a first planting in new raised beds
jkn wrote:
Hello all I am constructing a couple of small raised beds (around 1.2m x 1m) for our small garden; we want to experiment with growing a few vegetables & salads etc. at home. I've dug over the area and put down the frames, and I plan to fill them with a mixture of (cheapish) topsoil, and compost from our home composters. I'm guessing that it would be a good idea to plant a sort of ... sacrificial ... crop to begin with, to ... erm, amalgamate the soil properly and get it all settled in, kinda thing. But I'm willing to be told I'm wrong! I didn't. Last spring I built raised beds, filled them with compost and started sowing seeds immediately. I got some good crops. Any suggestions a to a good 'first planting' to take us through to next spring, when we should be in a position to plan our sowing a bit better? We're on the South coast, & the beds face south, but are shaded from the sun for part of the day. You could try some late crops like lettuces, or a green manure that you can dig in in the spring. |
#4
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Suggestions for a first planting in new raised beds
Hi Mary
You can't beat the taste of your own vegetables, picked just before you eat them! If you don't want to use the beds for anything else during the winter, you might consider growing a green manure. Details and information are he http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_51. Just dig it in in the spring. Thanks for the suggestion. Originally i had thought of a 'green compost', but then (I thought) learned that this was a different thing. Have you any suggestions as to what would a good thing to sow now-ish time, from the list at the link you've given me? Thanks a lot Jon N |
#5
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Suggestions for a first planting in new raised beds
On Wed, 12 Sep 2007 12:57:02 +0100, jkn wrote
(in article .com): Hi Mary You can't beat the taste of your own vegetables, picked just before you eat them! If you don't want to use the beds for anything else during the winter, you might consider growing a green manure. Details and information are he http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_51. Just dig it in in the spring. Thanks for the suggestion. Originally i had thought of a 'green compost', but then (I thought) learned that this was a different thing. Have you any suggestions as to what would a good thing to sow now-ish time, from the list at the link you've given me? I'm Sally, but I forgive you :-) You can sow Phacelia or Tares between March and September; you can keep some for next year if your beds are not large enough. -- Sally in Shropshire, UK Burne-Jones/William Morris window in Shropshire church with conservation churchyard: http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk |
#6
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Suggestions for a first planting in new raised beds
I'm Sally, but I forgive you :-)
oops! I had someone in another newsgroup in my head as I typed that. I had a childhood sweetheart called Sally ... ;-) You can sow Phacelia or Tares between March and September; you can keep some for next year if your beds are not large enough. Thanks, that's all very useful. Cheers Jon N -- Sally in Shropshire, UK Burne-Jones/William Morris window in Shropshire church with conservation churchyard:http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk |
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