First Questions...

[SallyA]

Bear with me....... ;D

My plot is really tiny - the full size plots are only 100 square metres, but mine is a tiny plot in the corner, just 7.5x4.5 metres. Which is great for me cos I haven't got a lot of time and I'm a complete beginner. However it wasn't used for a good while before I took over on 1st August and is thick with weeds including some very deep dock roots and what I think might be couch grass. There's also a couple of sleeping policemen I think! The ground is very  uneven.

I've started clearing it, a little at a time, in the evenings after the boys have all gone to bed, so it's slow going at the moment. I've ordered some brassicas from Dobies in the hope that I can get one bed ready and get something growing to keep the enthusiasm up!

However, my husband and I have got different ideas on the best way to approach the plot, at the moment. I think the best thing would be to clear and prepare one bed, while the rest is under plastic, and then move onto a second etc. He thinks that raised beds would be better.

I think my method would be slower, and harder work, but more thorough, plus I think his method would be more expensive and I'm not sure how deep we'd have to make the beds to make sure that nothing starts growing back through?

So my first question is - which method would you take?


Secondly - I've got some raspberry canes taking up a fair amount of space in one corner. It looks like they've been left there for a couple of years at least and are pretty untamed! Out of the five of us in my family, there's only me who likes them, so much as I'd like to keep them there, I'm not sure it's a good use of space in my tiny plot! What  would you do with them? Should I dig them up, or just cut them back severely and try to keep them under control.

Any advice would be very very  gratefully received!

Thanks!

Sal
x

[SallyA]

[Kepouros]

First Question - definitely your method, `instant gardening` rarely works as well in the long run.

Second Question - Only you can really decide, but as you`ve still got the rest of the plot to clean up why not tidy up the raspberies and give them one more year while you decide.  Properly pruned and trained they won`t take up half as much space.  Have a good look at them for signs of fruit.  If this is all on the older canes then they`re are summer fruiting; come October cut out all the old canes and aim for about 5 or 6 of the strongest of this year`s - cut the tips off these.  They will do best with a post at each end of the row and horizontal wires about 9 inches apart.
If there is fruit on this year`s canes then they are autumn fruiting and pruning should be left until February, when everything should be cut back to ground level.

[wardy]

I think as you've ordered your brassica collection (as have I) you should get your bed ready (I haven't yet) and then put em in.  I'm planting in mine in the area where the spuds were.  They were grown on cardboard and manure on chopped down weeds.  The weeds and cardboard have gone as they've been deprived of light for ages so I'm planting the brassicas (when they arrive) straight into undug soil using a bulb planter.  I could spend the rest of my life getting a weed free, fined tilthed plot but I want to eat veg this year  ;D
There will be room for a raised bed as well  :)  As raised bed doesn't have to be edged with anything.  It can be soil (or manure only) heaped up to give more depth
I don't see anything wrong with instant gardening if it produces crops as that's the whole point after all  ;D  That's just me though as I don't dig but do like to eat vegetables :)

[Ed^Chigliak]

Docks will grow up through a good depth of additional top soil and in the process the roots will be deeper. Dig them up as best you can.

If you have defined beds and paths marked but not physically raised it's a simpler and cheaper approach and in time as you add manure and compost they will become raised. The paths can be a pain to keep weed free depending how you approach the task. It's certainly quick to get started.

If you construct raised beds, lay landscape fabric between them and dress the paths with bark chippings it will be more involved and rather expensive but the end result should look pretty good. A bit of a slow start due to all the DIY but it has the potential to be lower maintenance. Take care choosing building materials so as not to poison yourself or the plants.

I like a raised bed to defend certain crops against slugs and snails but for other crops I don't see much point. I mix of both open and raised beds works for me. It would probably work for you too since you have different ideas and there are pros and cons to each.

[wardy]

I've got a few raised beds and the grass paths are a pain in the neck and will be gone as soon as I get round to either weed killing them or putting some black sheet mulch over them which might be preferable as it can be walked on (good quality Tenax red stripe or similar)   The grass paths look nice but too much like hard work.

[redimp]

Due to the quantity of stone (both large and small) in my lottie, I am paving my paths in an old style rustic fashion.

[wardy]

OOh that sounds lovely RC.  My lotty neighbour has just had a birthday present of a load of slabs and her old man has made her a path right from the middle of her plot and has planted lavenders either side.  Lucky thing  :)   It was a complete surprise for her and it looks beautiful

[redimp]

I am assured by others on this site that I will require some of those stylish kneeling pads  ;D

[SallyA]

Thanks all....I've informed my husband that we're doing it my way  ;D I'm also trying to persuade my brother in law to come over and give us a hand to clear the weeds one of the weekends!

The raspberry canes have been given a temporary stay of execution - they're summer fruiting, so I'll tidy them up in October

Thanks for the help!

Sal
x

[wardy]

Good luck with it Sal.  Don't forget to post pics when you've cleared it with Dan the Man  :)

RC  Yep, knee pads required for sure.  You could always put them under your trousers so no one can see em  ;D

[Kepouros]

No use, Wardy. She`d come back and find it covered in decking, with the fence painted purple.

[wardy]

Heee hee Kepouros  ;D