Growing your own veg

Lesley

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  1. Vegan newbie
I've just taken over an allotment plot to grow my own veg and a couple of fruit trees, I live in Scotland so there's plenty of rain:)
Just wondering if any one else has taken on a project like this. I'm doing plenty of research, however it tends to differ depending on the site.
Any advice and tips for a novice are much appreciated.
 
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Hi Lesley, the best advice I can give you is to get to know other gardeners in your area. Look at other gardens / allotments near you to get an idea of what will grow. Look for local gardening groups too. What do your neighbouring allotments use in their garden, do they garden organically, do they use weedkillers or pesticides ? You will get lots of conflicting advice so listen to everyone but then decide what you want. If it doesn't work then it's a lesson learned and move on to an alternative.

I live in a warm climate so really have no idea about your climate. But I like my garden a bit wild, I don't dig my soil just raise the beds with layers of hay, compost, mulched up wood. Even old cotton clothes, sheets, etc get used as well. I don't pull out old plants , just cut them off close to the ground, toss a few seeds there cover with a scatter of compost.
 
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Keeping a diary of what you do is helpful too, what worked, what didn't. Take photos of insects you are not sure of and look them up to see if they are helpful or a pest. If they are a pest attracting natural predator for them, or planting companion plants to deter them can be useful.
 
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Thanks for the replies. I've made a plan of what veg to plant and what flowers to grow to attract beneficial insects.
My allotment neighbours seem really friendly so I hope to get some good advice.
I like the idea of not pulling up old plants and a great idea about taking photos of insects.
 
I think such climate is good for apple trees. Speaking about vegetables, maybe it would be better to build a greenhouse in order to protect them from an excessive water.
 
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I've just taken over an allotment plot to grow my own veg and a couple of fruit trees, I live in Scotland so there's plenty of rain:)
Just wondering if any one else has taken on a project like this. I'm doing plenty of research, however it tends to differ depending on the site.
Any advice and tips for a novice are much appreciated.
what will y say for
Would you continue to be vegan if you had to grow vegetables you wanted to eat? Why for other
 
Currently, I grow tomatoes. I still have experience from my youth when I was growing other plants ^^
I eat mostly tomatoes from the store, because my balcony is too small.
 
I've just taken over an allotment plot to grow my own veg and a couple of fruit trees, I live in Scotland so there's plenty of rain:)
Just wondering if any one else has taken on a project like this. I'm doing plenty of research, however it tends to differ depending on the site.
Any advice and tips for a novice are much appreciated.

Some things I've learned (general plant growing):

- Careful not to over water. I've made this mistake in various forms with some plants. One in particular will hardly grow as the soil is saturated while another of the same type is thriving and the soil is only cool when you poke your finger in.

- You can grow plants using urine, but if it's not diluted to 10% (with water) it can kill them if applied directly to the plants. Undiluted urine can be added to soil for NPK.

- Save the ash from any paper or wood that you burn. It's full of minerals you can add to soil.

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Currently I've adopted the Ruth Stout method of gardening, and it's working. I have 8 potato plants growing just in hay, with at least as many germinating/ready to sprout. Also am attempting to grow garlic, onions, lettuce (all planted but yet to spout at this point), and have seedlings of tomatoes and pinto beans which will be ready to transplant in a few weeks. Broccoli not yet planted but I intend to soon.

If you try the Ruth Stout method, make sure to lay your hay on thick, and don't put anything underneath that can let sunlight through (to the grass /weeds you're trying to avoid), like small tree branches that can prop up some parts. Laying such branches and not using a thick enough layer of hay meant some grass poking through in mine.

Ruth Stout method (done properly) is said to be one of the easiest forms of gardening. I've found that so far mostly it is, and most of my work came from the aforementioned mistakes and I had to plow some areas because of them. It is also good if rain is sparse - the hay protects your plant seeds from the sun, and it also keeps the underneath areas moist.