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Recommendations

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sim
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Recommendations

Postby sim » Sun Jan 23, 2011 1:06 pm

Can anyone recommend a decent book for a novice gardener (me) that will tell me what to do when with a veggie patch and maybe some fruit plants? We are planning to put some 1m x 1m raised wooden beds, pots and hanging pots in the backyard to try and grow our own veg / strawberries / herbs with Ewan but need a step by step guide for dummies.

Also, I have heard marigolds keep pests away from veggies - any truth to this or other suggestions on co-planting to avoid pests and chemicals?

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tracedw
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Re: Recommendations

Postby tracedw » Sun Jan 23, 2011 1:55 pm

Cant really recommend a book, there are some great monthly gardening/veg growing mags out though.
All i would say is make sure you place the raised beds in the sunniest part of the garden away from any trees or fencing. If you want fairly instant/quick results go for salads during the summer months, spring onions,radishes , rocket are all great.
Courgettes are really fast growing and produce loads but they do spread out and so may cover most of a 3ft raised bed, look for smaller sized varieties if you want these.
Tomatoes are fine in pots, try a patio version for cherry toms, but these need lots of watering especially in the height of summer, probably need to be watered twice a day.
Flat leaf parsley is the one to choose over curly parsley, basil is fantastic to grow to but likes full sun.
Try new potatoes in a large bin and drill holes underneath ,also keep pototoes and tomatoes apart, they are from the same family and get blight easily , usually in August, if one gets its and they are together , you may lose the lot, i did this once and lost all my toms and potatoes overnight :cry:
Strawberries are easy to grow but you may not get much of a crop for a year or two until the plants establish.

Have fun
Tracy x

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tracedw
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Re: Recommendations

Postby tracedw » Sun Jan 23, 2011 2:21 pm

Just dug out my fave ever book , its step by step veg growing and tons of great recipes too, the best book i have and i have loads :wine:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Organic-Kitchen ... 296&sr=8-2

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gayleygoo
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Re: Recommendations

Postby gayleygoo » Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:24 pm

Someone recommended me this book, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetable-Herb- ... b_title_bk , I haven't got it yet so will let you know when it arrives!

I think marigolds keep slugs etc away from your veggies etc, as they love to eat marigolds and hopefully wont bother with the lettuces :wink: I use neem oil to make up in a spray to keep pests away, and hope to make a nettle fertiliser (nettles and water in a lidded bucket/bottle, leave a few weeks then diliute 1:10 with water to feed)

I got seeds from www.moreveg.co.uk as the seeds are sold in small quantities and are good value (so I bought waaaay too many seeds :oops: ) and plastic polypots from ebay, the bigger the pot the better when you're growing veggies! Certain kinds of tomato seeds are "trailing" or bushy, so ideal for hanging baskets etc

I'm hoping to get at least a few plates of salad this year, so i wish you luck! :D

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Amanda
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Re: Recommendations

Postby Amanda » Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:29 pm

Connor's doing a mini-project on winter vegetables at school so we got a book out of the library for him to find out which were winter crops. I'm actually going to order it from amazon as it has everything I want from a grow-your-own book, including recipes and a gardening calendar. It's Reader's Digest 'Food From Your Garden and Allotment' http://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Garden-All ... 348&sr=8-1

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MumOf1
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Re: Recommendations

Postby MumOf1 » Sat Mar 12, 2011 11:58 am

Don't know if you've already ordered seeds or started planting etc but just wanted to tell you I thought marshalls seeds were really good. I've ordered from them the last two years and found them really good value and quick delivery. I got a dwarf peach tree this year so I can keep it in a pot on the patio as Emily loves her fruit so I thought it might keep costs down in the long term.

As far as co planting against pests, plant onions near to carrots as the onions keep carrot fly away and my carrots have always turned out perfect. I was also told to plant beans and peas near to lettuces and cabbages as the butterflys and other pests will prefer the pea leaves and leave your cabbages etc. Don't know if that works or if it affect the pea harvest as I haven't tried it.

We're really bad for slugs and snails as I have a field over the back wall so will be trying broken egg shells in with my pots this year to hopefully stop them, although didn't have too much bother last year, I think because of my resident garden toad, who I'm hoping made it through the winter.

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Asta
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Re: Recommendations

Postby Asta » Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:24 pm

I was like you, total novice, actually I had no interest in gardening at all, my sister got me this book, it inspired me and we had a very successful 1st year, a moderately successful 2nd year (Esmé was about 2 months old at sowing season so I didn't have much spare time) and I intend this year to be the best yet!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grow-Your-Own-V ... 576&sr=1-1

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ems
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Re: Recommendations

Postby ems » Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:13 pm



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