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Veg plot in field
Enkay
Posts: 17
in Fruit & veg
I am lucky enough to have a field in front of my house in northern France, that I want to convert some area into a veg plot.
i am fencing off the area I can manage, to keep chickens etc away, but I am very daunted by the digging, especially without a rotivator.
i was hoping to either skim the top growth off and then cover it or kill the top growth and then cover it, ready for next spring.
Previously I have grown spuds and sweet corn under membrane. I would like opinions as to the best way forward and what veg can be successfully grown under membrane.
0
Posts
" if you fail to prepare: you should prepare to fail"
You only have to do it once, I'd dig, or get help.
Spuds are a good idea. Plot by plot increase the area under cultivation. Do not try to do it all at once, you will become daunted.
You mention chickens; use them to clear plots. Fold them on the areas you want cleared. Then dig.
I can't believe I didn't think of using the chickens. Thanks. good idea.
Can you borrow some pigs for a week or two? They'll work over the ground and eat all the plants and uproot weeds looking for grubs and goodies. Then let the chickens loose to get rid of the inevitable weed seeds and then there's nothing for it but you have to at least fork over the ground to uproot any persistent weed roots and stones.
If you can get all that done by mid November you ca then fork over a good layer of well rotted manure and then cover it with cardboard. Over the winter the worms will work in the manure and the cardboard will rot down and and to the mix whilst excluding light to deter weed seeds from germinating and growing.
Come the spring it should be ready for a good raking level and then sowing and/or planting.
Pigs love couch grass roots. But not nettles or thistles...
Glyphosate to kill weeds, then cover with compost ready for spring. Sadly it might be a bit late for glyphosate, not sure. Check out no-dig, Charles Dowding's web site has information. He won't advocate glyphosate as he is organic, but I am happy to use it to clear an area.
Hi
Hard work ahead however once cleared and planted you have the opportunity to be self supplied in the fruit and veg you want to grow and provide for you and your family.
Some fruit and veg is very expensive so look at what you need and plan ahead what you want to grow.
When i took on my allotment it had not been worked for at least five years hence four feet tall and weed bound.
True grit as they say as this was what i had waited for five years and what ever faced me it was not going to beat me.
Photographs attached show high stacks or coffins as i call them which i built by cutting the top turfs in 2ft by 1ft strips like laying bricks and ended up with three however after filling them with rotted compost are the most prolific growing areas of my garden.
in two years they will be broken down and returned to the garden
Go for it and enjoy what ever you produce think about the satisfaction you will get from where you started and please please do take photographs in stages so you havethe memory of what you started with
happy gardening
have a look at Charles Dowding no dig gardening page
http://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/
no dig doesn't mean no work, but I find it useful as I have a friendly horse stable near my plot so it was easy to get beds set up!
Just to add, I use no dig on heavy clay which was lawn. It costs in terms of compost, but if you have cheap manure, that is a bonus. No dig means less work, and few weeds. And excellent crops. Despite my heavy clay soil almost everything grows well the only poor one being squash, where yields are neither good nor bad. It might be not enough manure/compost as they are greedy. But carrots, beans, pak choi, courgettes etc all do well.
I love this site. I learn new stuff and am reminded of things I had forgotten. having read some of Charles dowding information I think I am going to give it a go. Start small I think. But if I start now, I may have something ready to plant in by spring.
thanks so much everyone.