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Reviving a very old veg plot

_MH__MH_ Posts: 16
edited July 2018 in Fruit & veg
Hi everyone,

I recently moved into a new house with a sizeable mature garden and there's what I assume to be an overgrown fruit/veg plot that I'd like to revive for next year.  It's sort of raised - roof tiles edge-on into the ground raise it a few inches but I might use some old pallet boards or somesuch to make it even higher (and possibly split it into 2 or 3 beds). 

My question is what is the best way to make this ready for planting some basic fruit/veg next year (I'm a pretty inexperienced gardener so want to start simple).  Dig up the top 2 inches of the turf and turn it over?  Cover it all in cardboard?  Dig the whole lot out and replace with garden compost?  Something else?

Any suggestions much appreciated!  Mike

 

Posts

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 30
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • _MH__MH_ Posts: 16
    Thanks Scroggin - that's immensely helpful.  I've tried to re-add the photos just in case that helps add context.  As, over the years, it's become more of a grassy/weedy/mossy lawn than a soil bed does that change anything?
  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    Scroggins got it spot on. If you can't get the manure, ususually a grassed area will grow a good crop the following year, after which you need to replenish the soil and or add growmore
  • _MH__MH_ Posts: 16
    Thought I would follow up with a picture of the finished beds - turf turned upside down, garden compost laid on top and covered in plastic for the worms to do their work over winter.  Thanks for the help above which got me to where I am.  One quick, stupid question - presumably I'm ok to put a few holes in the plastic to prevent them turning into 3 paddling pools whenever it rains!


  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    No pics but, instead of plastic, why not try cardboard?  You can probably pick it up from shops that sell items like fridges and freezers.  It covers the bare soil so keeps the light off weed seeds and weed shoots so they don't grow; gives a level of insulation that helps keep beneficial microbes and organisms warm in winter and will mostly rot down by spring or you can just plant thru it.   You can weigh it down with garden compost or manure or just stones or metal U pegs according to what you have available.

    If you pierce the plastic you'll let the water thru, but patchily, and weeds will take advantage of even the teeniest bit of light and you'll have to roll itall up and dispose of it next spring.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    I let the water stay on my plastic it helps hold it down. but you'll soon find enough holes in it anyway or at least I do, dog/cat/bird/vole/deer.. everything and it's pet seems able to put holes in it! I do not like cardboard I do not find it rots over winter and it blows away at the slightest provocation, requiring more things on it to hold it down than you could possible imagine.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I expect you're a bit windier than we are as our potager is failry sheltered.   We do have a huge sheet of green plastic on one part  - fture fruit cage - but that was offered by our farmer neighbour who would otherwise just have taken it to the dump.  I'm hoping it's weakening pernicious bindweed and other horrors. 

    We do use cardboard on the raised beds we've made so far as it's the right shape and size.  OH piles on some half rotted garden compost to hold it down.   Worked well for us last winter and we also have it down in the half of polytunnel not yet culitvated but covered in pots sheltering till spring.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • _MH__MH_ Posts: 16
    edited October 2018
    Thanks for your comments, chaps - I'm honoured to have help from all over Europe! I do have a garage full of cardboard boxes so will look into that.  Also, point taken about weeds finding any crack of light so if I do stick to the plastic, I'll need to be a bit more meticulous about the gaps at the corners  Here's what I hope are some working photos for reference.


  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    They look good - well made and good sizes.   I think they're shallow enough and small enough at the mo to absorb plenty of water from below and not worry about it sitting on the surface.   

    As they will be planted and cropped quite intensively it's important to add well-rotted garden compost or manure every year to beef up the fertility and that will gradually increase the depth.  Cardboard can be used later on too.   
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • MyrtleSMyrtleS Posts: 8
    Obelixx has got the best idea. We have been using cardboard topped with compost or manure or recycled green waste etc for a number of years and it works excellently on what was originally heavy clay soil. We just plant through it in spring. We go for the no dig method now and wish we had done so from the start. Other plot holders admire the quality of our soil (not meaning to brag!). See Charles Dowding's web site for more help with no dig etc. https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/


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