"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
I have spent the winter clearing an area for new vegetable beds. The
land had been covered with brambles, ivy and grass for about 15 years.

The soil is moderately sandy and alkaline. I've added composted horse
manure and some multi-purpose compost.

What soil deficiencies or pests am I likely to encounter?


Well, firstly you should make sure that all remnants of any perennial roots
have been removed, as they can regenerate - this is especially vital when
dealing with weeds like bindweed. - But presumably, since you've not
mentioned it, it'll probably bee fine. As for pests, it really depends on
your area. Soil deficiencies, well, to ensure you have all bases covered,
add some well rotted, composted green manures too, if you can.

Are you going be Organic? What are you going to grow?

In article ,
(AST) wrote:

you should make sure that all remnants of any perennial roots
have been removed,

What method do you find works? On one patch, I put the soil through a
1/2 inch sieve and it's still got lots of stringy bits :-(

My experience last year of doing an ornamental garden on a similar site
is that mulching with weed control fabric and bark has been 99%
successful (dog rose punctures the fabric)

To try and avoid a need for fabric with the veg, I've dug and sifted a
LOT.

Are you going be Organic? What are you going to grow?

Not to excess :-) (plan) Growing beans, courgettes, tomato, sprouts,
radish, salsify, hamburg parsley, land cress, tomatillos or cape
gooseberry





Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(AST) wrote:

you should make sure that all remnants of any perennial roots
have been removed,

What method do you find works? On one patch, I put the soil through a
1/2 inch sieve and it's still got lots of stringy bits :-(

Well...as long as you don't have anything dangerously vigorous (as I
mentioned previously-BINDWEED!)
It should well be ok...making sure all the large sections of root have been
removed.

My experience last year of doing an ornamental garden on a similar site
is that mulching with weed control fabric and bark has been 99%
successful (dog rose punctures the fabric)

To try and avoid a need for fabric with the veg, I've dug and sifted a
LOT.

Also, it may be very difficult/impossible to use fabric with certain veg
growth - especially for root vegs.

Are you going be Organic? What are you going to grow?

Not to excess :-)

Shame! If you can get nettles and comfrey leaves do make a liquid fertiliser
with them - it's far far better than anything chemical you can get - But be
warned...IT REEKS (Sp?) - Just fill a water butt or dustbin(make sure it
hasn't been impregnated with any pesticides or fungicides) with water and
add as much comfrey and nettle leaves as you can find (or just comfrey or
nettles - if you can't find one or the other) and leave it to rot
down...stir it up every so often, with a broom handle or something and when
it's really ripe (and you'll know when!) use it. Not too often...and you can
dilute it. There is a FAQ on the URG Website...the address of
which...has...slipped my mind whoops... but someone will undoubtedly
respond to this and chastise me.

(plan) Growing beans, courgettes, tomato, sprouts,
radish, salsify, hamburg parsley, land cress, tomatillos or cape
gooseberry

No Lettuce? No Spinach? No...Cucumber? No....Onions? TutTutTut!

You not gonna be planting none of those 'orrible F1's are ye? :@)

Oh..and just a tip, the land was used for lawn, you may find that you have
some lawn borne pests (how many and which ones can vary from none to
millions, depending on a multitude of factors, and luck) some include
wireworms and chafer grubs but they're not necessarily common. But the worst
pests(in my opinion) come whether you had lawn or not - Bl***y Snails! We
get
millions of the flippin things.

Well anyway, you may well have no need for this information...let's hope so.

Oh and over next winter, I'd recommend planting some green manures, issue in
august or September and leave to rot over winter, then dig in does good.

--
AST
"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough." - Albert Einstein
(For success, change 'anti#spam' to 'perigee_apogee')

In article ,
(AST) wrote:

No Lettuce? No Spinach? No...Cucumber? No....Onions? TutTutTut!

Don't particularly like 'em! I'm growing what I like to eat! Curious
system I know ...

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

On Fri, 14 Feb 2003 11:58:00 +0000, Steve Harris wrote:

Don't particularly like 'em! I'm growing what I like to eat! Curious
system I know ...

I totally agree with you! I'm about to start Year 2 in the kithcen garden
on the same principles as Year 1 - I'm going to grow what we want to eat,
plus comfrey and nettles for obvious reasons, and nothing else!

For me that means I won't be growing cabages, leeks, sprouts etc..

OTOH, I love cucmber, but I don't think its practical for me to grow as I
have no greenhouse, and you can't freeze a glut, so thats one thing I'm
not going to grow, although I want to eat it.

Sarah

In article ,
(Sarah Dale) wrote:

OTOH, I love cucmber, but I don't think its practical for me to grow
as I have no greenhouse, and you can't freeze a glut

According to Hessayon, "The outdoor cucumber has come of age" and
advises cutting before fruits reach maximum size in order to encourage
further fruiting.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(AST) wrote:

No Lettuce? No Spinach? No...Cucumber? No....Onions? TutTutTut!

Don't particularly like 'em! I'm growing what I like to eat! Curious
system I know ...

Just pulling your leg! :@)

Thought it might be for reasons beyond your control, plot size or other
reason.

--
AST
"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough." - Albert Einstein
(For success, change 'anti#spam' to 'perigee_apogee')

In article , Sarah
Dale writes

OTOH, I love cucmber, but I don't think its practical for me to grow as I
have no greenhouse, and you can't freeze a glut, so thats one thing I'm
not going to grow, although I want to eat it.

Our alternative to cucumber is to grow courgettes (zucchinis) instead.
They are quite easy to grow outside and they are much more controllable
in cropping than cu's if they are taken and eaten very small. When eaten
in salad or sandwiches I prefer their drier nutty taste to the wetness
of cucumber slices. Courgettes can also be cooked in several interesting
ways, especially in Mediterranean style dishes. As with cucumbers though
they are not good for freezing.

We had a terrific glut of cucumbers one year when some Telegraph just
went out of control. We hate dumping any grown crops, even on our
compost heap, so in desperation I sliced a lot of them into a large bowl
and let them drain for a day or so. Then I used the neat cucumber juice
to make two gallons of wine, not really expecting it to be very
palatable. It turned out to be a very good dry white table wine and I
suspect it would be equally good if made sparkling.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

On Sat, 15 Feb 2003 06:47:33 +0000, Alan Gould wrote:

Our alternative to cucumber is to grow courgettes (zucchinis) instead.
They are quite easy to grow outside and they are much more controllable

I grew courgettes last year, and will do so again this year. Both of us
love eating courgettes, and although only one of my courgette plants made
it to cropping, the results were very good for a beginner! I'm going to
start more seeds off this year, in the hopes of achieving 2 or 3 croppiong
plants as there is only the two of us to eat them. (Last year I planted 3
seeds, got 2 plants, one plant just never did anything, the other tried to
take over the garden path!)

and let them drain for a day or so. Then I used the neat cucumber juice
to make two gallons of wine, not really expecting it to be very
palatable. It turned out to be a very good dry white table wine and I
suspect it would be equally good if made sparkling.

We're not into making wine, perhaps it is interesting memories of my Dad's
efforts at making wine when I was small that are deterring me!!! ;-)

Many thanks for your advice Alan, it has been much appreciated over the
last 18 months or so as I have developed my kitchen garden. Heres to Year
2!

Sarah

On Fri, 14 Feb 2003 20:44:35 +0000, "Sarah Dale"
wrote:



OTOH, I love cucmber, but I don't think its practical for me to grow as I
have no greenhouse, and you can't freeze a glut, so thats one thing I'm
not going to grow, although I want to eat it.


You could try pickling any excess. Just sprinkle cut slices with large
amounts of salt and leave them to drain in a collander for a couple of
hours then bung them into jars with a bit of dill and some pepper
corns after rinsing under the tap and patting dry with kitchen paper
and fill the jars up with white vineger, pet the top on and leave it
for a month or two and you've got really tasty pickles for next to
nothing.

--
Pete The Gardener
A room without books is like a body without a soul.