Continuing on from last month’s ‘challenging plot’ with Linda Sambell from Overt Locke, this is chapter two! (Click here for chapter one)
Dreaming up an idea is one thing, it is quite another to put it into action: action equals muscle movement!
Towards the end of March – and dusting off the garden spade – the weed infested mound that resided in the corner of my garden was tackled. Each laden spade of soil was lifted, sifted and shifted until the entire plot was cleared. The transformation was complete when the raised beds (made from packing crates) were positioned and filled with the prepared soil.
The ‘before and after’ effect…
At this point in the telling I must confess that, while the original idea was to see how much one small plot could yield, once cleared, the area was bigger than anticipated and could happily house another. With this in mind, one bed will be dedicated to vegetable growing while the other will be devoted to fruit.
Scanning the internet, pouring over various publications and chatting to seasoned gardeners eventually yielded little gems of advice that have formed the foundation of my planting scheme. (Until this point the amount of information has been overwhelming and more than a little confusing!) First, plant for the foods you eat; second, maximise your space by planting high yielding crops; and third, consider succession planting – for example sow a small number of lettuce seeds followed by a few more a week later to lengthen the possible harvest.
Lacking a greenhouse like me?
Another useful tip is to purchase vegetable plants raised in a nursery and garden-ready. However, this challenge is all about learning through the growing process and so my kitchen windowsill is set to be home for seedlings over the coming weeks. With the ground prepared, I am off to ponder my seed selection.
Plot on…