Selfsufficientish.com

Hi all

I am new here, some gardening experience and a lot of library book reading over winter sees me about to take on my first house that will be 'mine' offering both stability and space that allows me to grow fruit and veg [and chickens eventually] for my 2 children and myself.

However... the house is a total fixer and I will be super busy getting the interior sorted out [mostly myself as money is tight too] so we can make a comfortable simple home, as well as working and doing kids stuff after school.

What will be the veg patch is now covered in buttercups and possibly ground elder so will need considerable work to prepare it. I know the best thing is to cover with cardboard and thoroughly dig over in sections, but time will be limited given the house's needs. I really dont want to spray, altho am not adverse to spot treatment with glyphosate so looking for advice.

I have a few things in pots that I have been given by family and friends [rhubarb, gooseberries, asparagus, raspberries etc] so would like to get them in spring/summer.

If anyone has suggestions/advice/warnings/bright ideas or offers of help I would love to hear from you.

Thanks in advance

Sarah

Hello and Welcome, Sarah

Try potatoes. They're wonderful at breaking up new ground. And you don't have to dig anything except the planting holes. Plant them closer together than normal and they'll also provide good weed suppression (although for the things you mention, you'll still have to get in there at times and pull some up). Because the potatoes are close planted, you won't get a great crop - but you will get some, and all of the time, they'll be working for you by making the ground more easily workable. You can restrict your gardening efforts to a smaller patch which you have time to prepare thoroughly - and if you REALLY have a bit of spare time from the renovations, try to get in a raised bed or two.

Enjoy ... Mike

If you have got ground elder you can eat it. In similar ways to asparagus or spinach. Don't eat the buttercup plants though!

If you use cardboard then you're going to have to leave it for at least a year for it to kill your weeds. I would suggest that you work on a few smaller areas ( by weeding them I'm afraid) to get your potted plants in and start a few veg and cover larger areas with cardboard that can be opened up as and when you're ready to tackle them.

You also mentioned after school time with the kids - get them involved, they may really enjoy it and they'll be so chuffed when they eat the first food they grew themselves.

Hi Sarah, it might be a good idea to try & establish what your soil-type is, (roughly). That way, you won't be wasting time trying to grow stuff that might struggle........ i.e. generally speaking soft fruit plants like a more acidic soil, brassicas tend to do better in more limey soils, etc. These are not hard & fast rules but may give you an idea. Good luck, Andrew

You are not going to get rid of pernicious weeds like ground elder, creeping buttercuop, couch grass, bindweed, etc with cardboard. In fact it will take a couple of years even if you cover the ground with something like Mypek.

Although if you cover the cardboard with about 15cm of organic material such as tree prunings (if you have tree pruners in your area they will probably give you a truck load for nothing), grass clippings, manure, etc this will be almost as effective as Mypek but will also be enriching the soil. Any weeds that do come through will be weakened and easily removed, but you will have to keep hoeing them off. Replenish this layer of mulch each year and within a couple of years you will have beautiful soil and be almost weed free.

You will be able to plant potatoes just under the mulch, but I would not plant for instance perenial soft fruit bushes until you are confident there are no perenial weeds still growing in that area.

Hi Sarah, I would go for the chickens first.

They will soon scrap over the ground, eat bugs, fertalize the ground, and give you eggs.

All the best

Fred

I would agree with what Fred said, when I first had chickens they cleared their rather overgrown run within a month, you could temporarily put their house and a pen on what is to be your veg patch, good luck

Thanks guys

Pumpy, judging by the rhododendrons and azaleas and conifers, I think the fruit will do well.

And everyone else, yeah, my plan is to firstly figure out a plan/layout, then dig some, cover some and set the chickens on the rest and alternate.

My children have already picked out their patches; daughter is doing the flower bed by the front door, once I get the grass out, so lots of nice scented and pretty annuals this year and son wants to fill the greenhouse with tomatoes. They are excited and will be 'some' help certainly

First day of stripping wallpaper today. everything outside is under snow

Sarah