Potential chicken owner

[Sue]

Hello to you out there - never been on a "chat" forum before but hey what the heck, I was introduced to this website at Betty Tigers in Sheffield (he hates being called a hairdressers)
I find it difficult to fit in time to start digging my small patch of lawn which I want to change into a veggie patch - although I have put a piece of old carpet over it to kill the very stubborn tough Yorkshire (I can grow through anything) grass.
Anyone get any ideas on the best way to start a veg garden - I love rocket and my dad knows nothing about it so need advice on that please (or do I have to keep spending lots of cash at the market to buy it) I want to grow onions, garlic, peas maybe if I can do it without the rows of tatty sticks which do my head in (although I love bamboo so I'm just fickle I guess) Oh and potatoes...
what else? well I want to do it organically if at all possible, did invest 50p at a car boot on the Readers Digest gardeners year book which is supposed to be a bible to gardeners, so I have all the right intentions.
I have no room for a green house etc, but how about my kitchen window sill - will that suit peppers and what else?? I have tried every year to grow herbs in a pot and failed miserably - who says herbs are easy I don't think so! My daughter loves mint sauce but I know that has to stay in a pot - would my window sill be the best place? Or the veg plot?
How should I prepare my soil which is next to a small conifer hedge so I guess will dry out quite quickly?
Well - just asked so many things I hope someone is listening - any cheap books in mind for me which would help - or I could splash out some xmas money but I want to save some for my seeds. Again I guess investing in good seeds is money well spent?
glad to meet you all - as for the title - well one day when I have a lottery win I will get a plot so I can keep chickens

[Andy Hamilton]

Hello there Sue welcome to the forum

Good idea about putting the carpet down I have same on my allotment at the moment. You can also double dig, but it sounds like you don't really want to do that.

Rocket and other salad plants tend not to grow too well in a sandy or really dry plot, you will need to add manure or a good compost to aid growth and salad crops need to grow in a sunny or partically shaded spot. It might be an idea to start some off in pots before you plant them out so that slugs and such don't get the early crop.

YOu could grow peas up sunflowers if you don't want to use bamboo. Garlic is pretty easy to grow have a look at the garlic article on the main site

http://www.selfsufficientish.com/garlic.htm there is also an article on onions http://www.selfsufficientish.com/onion.htm and there is also one on spuds http://www.selfsufficientish.com/potatoes.htm

Kitchen windowsill will suit peppers but be careful with what you buy my mate ended up having a plant that was as big as him. Which hers are you trying to grow as some are easier than others? I think that there is nothing wrong with getting a head start and buying a young plant from a garden centre or off a generous friend.

Cheap books try charity shops they normally have loads, soem of the older books will not be that orgainc, I have one that tells me to use DDT
But they still have other advice in them that will never change.

There are a few seeds on the seed swap section of the forum, it might be worth putting a post on there asking for some. Never know someone might have a glut of seed, I could part with some sunflower seeds if you want some.

[Sue]

thanks - what a speedy response - and very helpful
I need to spend a while trawling round your site (excellent by the way - easy to move around etc) the articles you referred to were very helpful
I know what you mean with early books - so am trying to memorise the "green" bits and ignore the "blitx those bugs with lethal chemicals at all times" bits.
There is just so much to learn - so I am starting out from bare piece of grass with intentions of being a succesful thriving small holder in years to come. I will keep the pennies I save by growing my own garlic (your garlic bread recipe will be used very soon) and put them towards an old bench so I can sit and sup my brew whilst watching the sun set behind my onions and sunflowers! Never heard of growing peas up sunflowers either - what a great idea!
thanks again - I'm sure I'll be back soon pickingyour brains - have a great New Year