Advice for new gardeners Archives

This was written in response to an email from a new gardener with limited room, but I’ve posted it here as other new gardeners might find it useful.

Hi,

I’m seeking some advice about what to purchase from your website. I am just beginning to turn my garden into a space where I can grow a few crops. After reading some of the advice from the ‘no dig organic home and garden’ book (which recommends your website) I have decided to source some local cow manure as a mulch, cover it in polythene, cut a few holes and grow some vegetables. Hopefully this will remove most of the weeds that are currently present. At the moment the planting bed will only be a area of approx 4m by 1.5m in a spot that gets plenty of sun. I think I’d like to grow at least two species of plants, that will provide a good yield plus be comparably resistant to slugs (though I will use methods to remove any I see on a daily basis).

I’m also thinking of planting a few woody shrubs that could provide berries (though it’s a mid light level area). And any edible plants that you would recommend that would be able to tolerate an area behind the house that is east facing and can get very wet.

Advice appreciated, thanks,

Gary

Dear Gary,

The first rule of edible gardening is only grow things you really enjoy eating.

Be careful about the cow manure – there are some herbicides which can pass through a cow’s digestive system and still damage plants. If the cows are not organic, I would test the manure by mixing it with some soil or growing media and then growing a few beans or tomato seedlings – more info here.

Here are some suggestions for your three growing areas:

No-dig planting bed area of approx 4m by 1.5m in a spot that gets plenty of sun

If you want to harvest brassicas in Winter/Spring, you need to plant them in July. I would go with ‘cut & come again’ types – either Black Kale or Westland Winter. They need to be planted 60cm X 60cm, so one pack (5 plants) occupies 1.8 m² out of your total of 6 m².

If you like salads, I would also plant cut & come again lettuces – a Mini Pack (2 each of 5 different lettuce varieties plus wild rocket) would take up about 2.6 m².

You also have a room for a row of 20 leeks (0.9 m²).

The lettuce should last for about 3 months if you use the cut & come again method: 2 -4 weeks after planting, start to harvest by removing the lowest leaves, but always leave at least four leaves in the centre.

You can grow quick crops of radish and true spinach from seed in between rows as they can be harvested before the kales and leeks take up too much space.

In September you could replant with our Winter Salad Mini Pack, or if you like spicy leaves, with our Mini Spicy Salad Pack.

You could also squeeze in a pack of chard (if you like it).

Soft fruit

We only sell strawberry plants – they need full sun. For bush fruits see Welsh Fruit Stocks – ask them if they can recommend anything for partial shade.

East facing and wet

You need to do everything you can do improve the drainage – is it wet because it is receiving run off from roofs or hard landscaping? If so, you might be able to intercept, harvest or divert the rainwater.

If it’s wet because of clay soil and/or poor soil structure then it’s more difficult – maybe try no-dig here too.

Vegetables that will tolerate damp (but not waterlogged) conditions include: celeriac, celery, chicory, Chinese cabbage, corn salad, fennel, land cress, leeks and mizuna.

I hope this is helpful – please come back to me with any further questions. You can sign up to my monthly newsletter on the website. I’m also on:

Twitter @organicplantsuk
Facebook www.facebook.com/organicplants
Instagram @delflandorganic

Happy Gardening,

Jill

Those of you just starting to grow your own vegetables may be wondering what tools you really need. These are my father’s trusty collection. Some of them are over 80 years old and still have their original ash handles. So before you rush out to buy shiny new tools, ask around your family and friends to see if anyone has any spare items, or try local bygones shops or car boot sales. You can also look online, but it is crucial to get the feel of a tool before you buy it – is the handle the correct length and diameter or you? Does it feel right? Does it sound right? (hand-forged spades ‘ring’ when they are struck); how heavy is it? If you are small or not particularly strong, you can buy smaller versions of spades and forks usually described as ‘border’.

Essential Tools

Digging Spade

This spade was given to Dad (new) as a wedding present in 1954. Notice the wear on the bottom corners – you can tell he is right-handed. He had just got his first allotment behind the swimming pool (now a housing estate). If you are buying a new spade, choose the best you can afford. I bought John a stainless steel spade less than 15 years ago and already the plastic handle has broken.

Gardening Which Best Buy was the Joseph Bentley Stainless Steel Digging Spade £26.99. “Suitable for people 5 feet 2 inches to 6 feet tall”. It has a sharp blade – the thinner the blade, the easier the spade pushes into the ground, but it means you have to wear thick-soled boots or shoes to use it comfortably. Also it has a D-shaped handle instead of a T-shaped one, so check it feels comfortable.

See also Burgon and Ball stainless steel digging spade with ash handle.

Link to Burgon and Ball stainless steel digging spade with ash handle (Burgon and Ball website).

Garden Fork

This garden fork is known as a ‘vor-grain prong’ in Wiltshire dialect (vor = four). It is useful for removing deep-rooted weeds such as couch grass and for lifting potatoes. It belonged to Dad’s father. This sort is probably not available as it has very sharp tines.

Which Best Buy for people under about 5 feet 2 inches was the Draper stainless steel garden fork £24 and for taller people the Joseph Bentley Stainless Steel Digging Fork £26.99. Again Burgon and Ball do two sizes: digging fork £29.95 and border fork £27.95.

This is a small fork on a long handle made by Spear & Jackson and given to Dad by my mother. It is useful for cultivating between bedding plants and easier than using a small hand fork.

Hoes

Hoes can be confusing as there are several different sorts designed for different purposes. The one on the left is a Dutch hoe, useful for weeding between rows, but can be tricky to control near plants as you push it away from you.

Burgon & Ball’s Dutch hoe was a Which best buy.

In the middle is a large draw hoe which we think belonged to my maternal grandfather, Victor John (Jack) Brinkworth, another keen vegetable gardener. This has had several new handles over the years. Dad’s tip is to put it in the water butt before use – this makes the wooden handle swell up and stops the head from falling off. This sort of hoe is easier to use close to plants because you draw it towards you (hence ‘draw’ hoe). It is useful for hoeing off weeds and earthing-up potatoes. Draw hoes seem less popular nowadays, but if you look at old photos of agricultural workers this is the sort they will be using, and they would be hoeing for days on end, singling and weeding.


Dutch hoe	Draw hoe	Parsnip hoe

The little hoe on the right is know in the family as a parsnip hoe: the width of the blade = the distance between the plants within the row, which makes it easier to thin out parsnips evenly. It belonged to my Great-Grandfather Palmer and was given to my gran, Lois Palmer when she was a little girl. It is at least 100 years old. Great Grampy Palmer grew enough carrots and parsnips on his allotments to pay the rent on his cottage.

Soil Rake

Soil rake used for making a seed bed and for removing weeds after hoeing. You can also use the back for making a ‘drill’ (shallow trench) for sowing seeds into.

Which Best Buy was Spear & Jackson Select Stainless Steel. This is lightweight and has a long handle so would suit most people.

Dibber

Finally, you will need a dibber to plant your veg plugs – ours is scored at inch intervals to aid with spacing. Most should be planted with the top of the compost level with the soild, but leeks abd brassicas from planting more deeply.

Hand-made Ash Dibber 10″

Advice for new gardeners

Advice for a newbie