Jim A wrote:
I'm new here, so 'Hi Everyone' and many thanks for the faqs - I've been
inspired to empty and refill my compost bin today to get it going
properly this year.

I have a small garden in Wiltshire. There's not a great deal of space
for growing food, and the small sunny areas there are I've devoted
mainly to pretty things (with the occasional tomato plant which didn't
do too well last year, but I'll try & learn from what went wrong for
this year).

I have one bed, about 7 foot by two which doesn't have anything in it at
all yet. I'd like to grow some veg or fruit, but am not sure what would
thrive on a limited amount of sunshine - it gets only a short amount of
sun in the evening. Any ideas what I should consider? I don't want to
grow anything taller than the standard fence panel as I don't want to
steal any of my neighbours' precious sunshine either.

Blackberries, raspberries and gooseberries will tolerate a fair amount
of shade - they do like some sun though.

I hesitate to suggest nettles and ground elder, both of which are good
green veg (IMO!). I'm about to plant a big shallow tub (when I find one)
with ground elder, so I can spray the unwanted invasive regiments of it.

--
Rusty

On 18 Apr, 17:20, Rusty Hinge
wrote:
Jim A wrote:
I'm new here, so 'Hi Everyone' and many thanks for the faqs - I've been
inspired to empty and refill my compost bin today to get it going
properly this year.

I have a small garden in Wiltshire. *There's not a great deal of space
for growing food, and the small sunny areas there are I've devoted
mainly to pretty things (with the occasional tomato plant which didn't
do too well last year, but I'll try & learn from what went wrong for
this year).

I have one bed, about 7 foot by two which doesn't have anything in it at
all yet. *I'd like to grow some veg or fruit, but am not sure what would
thrive on a limited amount of sunshine - it gets only a short amount of
sun in the evening. *Any ideas what I should consider? *I don't want to
grow anything taller than the standard fence panel as I don't want to
steal any of my neighbours' precious sunshine either.

Blackberries, raspberries and gooseberries will tolerate a fair amount
of shade - they do like some sun though.

I hesitate to suggest nettles and ground elder, both of which are good
green veg (IMO!). I'm about to plant a big shallow tub (when I find one)
with ground elder, so I can spray the unwanted invasive regiments of it.

--
Rusty- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You said you grow flowers in most of the garden, then why not mix in
some veg. Carrout make a great foliage plant as do Beetroot (and with
Beetroot you can eat the leaves as well as the roots.
Climbing french or runner beans can be mixed with Sweet peas.
Parsley, chives left to flower, and nasturtiums can be used in salads.
Swis chartd is very ornimental and can be mixed in as can artichokes.
David Hill

Rusty Hinge wrote:
Blackberries, raspberries and gooseberries will tolerate a fair amount
of shade - they do like some sun though.

I hesitate to suggest nettles and ground elder, both of which are good
green veg (IMO!). I'm about to plant a big shallow tub (when I find one)
with ground elder, so I can spray the unwanted invasive regiments of it.

I already have a thornless bramble - the fruit was very tart last year
so I think it needs more sunshine. I'm glad you mentioned it I might
transplant it or take a cutting to put it somewhere with more light.

And nettles, yes indeed. I planted one last year expecting it to
multiply and give me a bumper crop, but it hasn't much yet. I'll go
find a few more as I like nettle tea and feel rather stupid buying
teabags for it.

--
www.slowbicyclemovement.org - enjoy the ride

"Jim A" wrote in message
...
And nettles, yes indeed. I planted one last year expecting it to
multiply and give me a bumper crop, but it hasn't much yet. I'll go find
a few more as I like nettle tea and feel rather stupid buying teabags for
it.


I could send you a few..
Nettles just love my soil and I spend hours hacking them out but I do leave
quite a few to feed the peacock, comma, and small tortoiseshell butterfly
larvae which reward me by being spectacular on my buddlieas later in the
year.
The idea that you want nettles while I spend half my life trying to get rid
of them is amazing;-)
I'm trying to get my chickens to eat nettles but they don't seem that keen.
If I throw them into their run they go "no way, we were hoping for a
dandelion.."
Tina

Christina Websell wrote:
If I throw them into their run they go "no way, we were hoping for a
dandelion.."

Hmm, I haven't tried them with nettles, but there are definitely some weeds
more than others that they like. I haven't noticed them being fond of
dandelions, though.
Mind you, the annoying things are now turning their noses up at the angelica
I planted for them last year that they used to love!
Today they were happy munching through a handful of spent sprout + broccoli
plants from the allotment. I think they enjoyed them!

wrote:
Christina Websell wrote:
If I throw them into their run they go "no way, we were hoping for a
dandelion.."

Hmm, I haven't tried them with nettles, but there are definitely some weeds
more than others that they like. I haven't noticed them being fond of
dandelions, though.

When we kept hens (1945 - 1950) I used to go gathering chickweed,
groundsel and suchlike for them. They also like garlic mustard,
shepherd's purse, the cresses, rocket (again!), charlock etc, mallow,
clover, willow herb, many umbellifers, especially hogweed, goosegrass,
hawkweeds, chenopodia of all orts, rowan berries, most other fruit too,
and in those days, we used to go out gleaning after harvest and bring
home plenty of wheat and barley for them.

Nowadays, combine harvesters have left lean pickings.

It's worth spending some time gathering wild food for hens as the eggs
are so much better. (Until I was thirteen I could eat them, but then I
developed a mild allergy to them)

The greengrocer will usually give you trimmings from cauliflowers and
stuff not saleable. When I had a smallholding I used to get loads of
that for the goats and fowl.

Mind you, the annoying things are now turning their noses up at the angelica
I planted for them last year that they used to love!

Candy the young shoots then!

Today they were happy munching through a handful of spent sprout + broccoli
plants from the allotment. I think they enjoyed them!

They will. But not if you tell them it really improves their flavour on
the table...

--
Rusty

Jim A wrote:
Rusty Hinge wrote:
Blackberries, raspberries and gooseberries will tolerate a fair amount
of shade - they do like some sun though.

I hesitate to suggest nettles and ground elder, both of which are good
green veg (IMO!). I'm about to plant a big shallow tub (when I find
one) with ground elder, so I can spray the unwanted invasive regiments
of it.

I already have a thornless bramble - the fruit was very tart last year
so I think it needs more sunshine. I'm glad you mentioned it I might
transplant it or take a cutting to put it somewhere with more light.

And nettles, yes indeed. I planted one last year expecting it to
multiply and give me a bumper crop, but it hasn't much yet. I'll go
find a few more as I like nettle tea and feel rather stupid buying
teabags for it.

Want me to send you a few bales of nettle roots?

Another excellent wild food is almost the entire family of Chenopodia -
fat hen, good King Henry, hastate orache, samphire and many others.

Blackberries grow nicely along the tops of fences. Ideally, they should
have vicious thorns to discourage intruders. Remember, if you have a
suitable position, you can always put in a tall stout stake and grow
blackberries vertically.

--
Rusty

Rusty Hinge wrote:

Jim A wrote:
Rusty Hinge wrote:
Blackberries, raspberries and gooseberries will tolerate a fair amount
of shade - they do like some sun though.

I hesitate to suggest nettles and ground elder, both of which are good
green veg (IMO!). I'm about to plant a big shallow tub (when I find
one) with ground elder, so I can spray the unwanted invasive regiments
of it.

I already have a thornless bramble - the fruit was very tart last year
so I think it needs more sunshine. I'm glad you mentioned it I might
transplant it or take a cutting to put it somewhere with more light.

And nettles, yes indeed. I planted one last year expecting it to
multiply and give me a bumper crop, but it hasn't much yet. I'll go
find a few more as I like nettle tea and feel rather stupid buying
teabags for it.

Want me to send you a few bales of nettle roots?

Another excellent wild food is almost the entire family of Chenopodia -
fat hen, good King Henry, hastate orache, samphire and many others.

Blackberries grow nicely along the tops of fences. Ideally, they should
have vicious thorns to discourage intruders. Remember, if you have a
suitable position, you can always put in a tall stout stake and grow
blackberries vertically.

We have some red currant bushes growing against a NW facing fence. They
receive very little sun; this year, judging by the flowers, we are in
for a bumper crop.

Larry

Larry Stoter wrote:

We have some red currant bushes growing against a NW facing fence. They
receive very little sun; this year, judging by the flowers, we are in
for a bumper crop.

Doing their darndest under adverse conditions to produce a currant or two.

The blackbirds will have them, anyway...

Redan white currant will tolerate some shade, being (I am informed) a
sub-hedgerow shrub.

--
Rusty

Larry Stoter wrote:
We have some red currant bushes growing against a NW facing fence. They
receive very little sun; this year, judging by the flowers, we are in
for a bumper crop.

Completely off topic to the current conversation, but I was weeding under
the currant bushes at the weekend (amazing how the little buggers go from
perfectly weeded to matted over in a week or two!) and the smell as I
brushed past them was absolutely gorgeous .. !

Rusty Hinge wrote:
Want me to send you a few bales of nettle roots?

Thanks, but there are plenty just down the road :-)


Another excellent wild food is almost the entire family of Chenopodia -

Cheno-what? Don't worry - I'll google it.

fat hen, good King Henry, hastate orache, samphire and many others.

Blackberries grow nicely along the tops of fences. Ideally, they should
have vicious thorns to discourage intruders. Remember, if you have a
suitable position, you can always put in a tall stout stake and grow
blackberries vertically.

Neat Idea! I'll just let it grow to the top of the wall where it will
find plenty of sunshine.

Cheers!

--
www.slowbicyclemovement.org - enjoy the ride