Starting Out

[Tony P]

Hi all,

After 4 years I’ve finally been able to purchase the property I’ve been renting, and having found Charles’ YouTube videos I’ve been inspired to have a go at No-Dig veg growing (having previously had to grow everything in containers, due to renting!)

It’s not a particularly large garden – approx 5m by 8m but I’ve laid out 3 provisional beds. Two north/south against the west and east boundaries (3.7m x 1m, and 6.2m x 0.8m) and one that’s aligned east/west against a wall (3m x 1m). Rough plot layout is hopefully attached.

The east/west bed gets little direct sun (which worked to its favour in the recent hot weather, it was the only part of the garden still green!), the other two beds get full sun from mid morning / late afternoon and early morning / mid-afternoon respectively during the summer months.

I have a number of fruiting plants already in planters (Raspberry which did very well this year), a 1 y/o Blueberry and some strawberries) which I was considering putting into the bed that gets most sun, but after watching Charles’ videos I now wonder if that might be a bit of a waste of space given they’re seemingly doing OK in planters.

The underlying soil is a fairly heavy clay, which I was going to dig out a few inches and filling in with 300mm high of a nice topsoil/compost blend. This is likely going to happen during September/October, would it be too soon to plant a few over-winter broad beans? Or should I let it all settle over winter?

I’m just looking for a sanity check and any thoughts/suggestions before I get stuck in!

Also, I spotted Charles has an open day on the 2nd of September which as I’m fairly local (Bristol) I would like to pop in and have a look. Do we need to book / arrange a time?

Thanks in advance 🙂

Tony

[charles]

I would forget the gravel, horrible stuff for a garden and soil.
Otherwise fine.
Yes the open day is open, come along.

[Tony P]

Hi Charles,

Many thanks for taking time to respond, much appreciated. Glad I can get way with getting something in for Winter 🙂

The plan shows gravel, but since drawing it I’d settled on using some larger rounded white pebbles, mainly for decoration. I needed something to provide a bit of separation between the bed and the boundary fence, I’ll look again at what options there are at the local garden center.

Thanks again,

Tony

[Cleansweep]

Tony,
Seeing that the Open day is just 3 weeks away, I suggest you delay design/materials purchase until after, for I think you may come away with revised ideas… Highly recommend the chance to see Charles’s truly inspirational plot ; and maybe meet up with you there.
Cleansweep

[Tony P]

Aye, that’s the plan as it happens. We don’t complete the sale until the end of the month, which coincides nicely with the open day. I’ll likely be the one with a camera and a wife/child in tow 🙂

[Tony P]

Has anyone tried using a concrete base of a wood fence as one side of a raised bed before? The fences on either side of the garden have them and just wondering if they’d be up to the task. It’d save a bit in cost of wood and also give a slightly larger bed, but I’m concerned that if the fence falls over then it might cause problems?

[Cleansweep]

Tony,
The concrete gravel board would provide a back support but consider the aspect regarding suitability to plant closely. The fence will provide a shadow which may restrict growth of crops. It may be best to route a path around the east-south-west perimeter. There is no especial need to provide a hard wooden edge to a raised bed beyond guiding your child away from cultivated areas!! They tend to harbour slugs and pests.

[Tony P]

Hi Cleansweep,

Thanks for the reply 🙂

The garden will indeed be shared with my young daughter and my wife’s guinea pigs – so front/side boards are going to be needed I think! None of the beds are going to get dawn to dusk sun, so have already resigned myself to having a lower yield as a result of the fencing. It’s a consequence of the semi-urban location.

Moving the path would require more effort/funds than I have at the moment as it’s a deep-set concrete path, but it’s something I will consider for future improvement.

If you’re going to be at Charles’ open day I’d love to have a quick chat and compare notes 🙂

Tony

[Tony P]

I was able to visit Home Acres today, very impressed! I was also surprised at just how many people had come out to visit Homeacres, I even chatted to someone who is on holiday in the UK from Tasmania!

I was particularly interested in the small garden plan, as its footprint looks to be about the same as the area of my beds. I did spot Charles doing the rounds and talking to people, but didn’t want to interrupt – so just bought a couple of his books instead 🙂

Took Charles’ advice and I’ve just finished putting in some paving slabs instead of gravel up the top near the bins, and down near the house to provide enough of a hard surface to put my daughter’s Wendy house on.

A daughter who incidentally was ecstatic to spot an apple tree with her name (Katie/Katy), to the point where I’m now being strong-armed into putting in a small (and pink!) flower bed at the bottom of the raised bed nearest her Wendy house..!

The wood for my raised beds arrives tomorrow, settled on some basic waney-edged untreated planking (which came in at £80 all in), which I’ll put some basic water based anti-rot treatment on. I’ve got some strong weed fabric which I’ll put on the compost side just to eek a bit more life out of it.

Now the fun begins 🙂

[Author]

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