Garden newbie

swatki

hi want to get some extra advice, seems there is an endless amount of information iut there on c=gardening in general,just trying to get my head around it all.
im in planning stages of trying to get a garden going in this area beside my house, its in the city , the ground is really bad, good number of weeds, completely covered with stones, so far ive been buying some native bulbs that i was told like stoney soil. ,
my game plan is to make some seed starters out of recycled items ,bottles etc and maybe force the bulbs indoors in pots before putting them out
,also obtained cherry blossom trees ,and window box plants.
i really have no idea where to start , im going out tommorrow to put in the cherry bloosoms but dont know where to go from there with regards to treating the soil so i could possible use the whole area to grow stuff,
i wud even bee happy with just growing wildflowers .
i was also thinking that it wud be a tremendos job to remove all stones, as for now im working alone , so i was thinking of making raised beds any advie accepted
on the general topic and also about
raised beds
mulch?
and getting started
thanks
elly

Thanos

Hi,

For any one who is starting gardening I would always say, start yourself a compost heap, compost bin or the like. You will always use the rotted compost for something and save you buying something to do the job all your plant and vergetable waste can do.

As for creating any areas for growing plants, putting the time in at the start is well worth it. Clearing out stones is the first thing i would do. You would need some sort of riddle to remove the larger items. As you are doing this you are alos breaking up the soil. If it is very dense you can add sand to help drainage and add in some compost and peatmoss.
(compost lower down and peatmoss nearer the surface.)

As for growing the seeds and giving them a head start, that is always a good idea. Try to imagine what you want (height and general size) and pick plants that match that. Last thing you want is some that starts out small and then takes over an area.

Beruthiel

As Thanos says, clear out the stones and use a fork to mix the soil with peatmoss.
Before planting anything, pay attention to how much sun the area gets. That is very important with regards to the type of plants which will grow best.
Always investigate what the eventual size of any plant or tree before planting.
The amount of people who don't consider the size of a tree in 30 years time always amuses me.

Gordon Gekko

Thanos wrote: »

add in some compost and peatmoss.
(compost lower down and peatmoss nearer the surface.)

Beruthiel wrote: »

As Thanos says, clear out the stones and use a fork to mix the soil with peatmoss.

Good advice from Thanos and Beruthiel, but please don't use peatmoss - it's a non-renewable resource and causes the destruction of Ireland's peat bogs, one of the most unique habitats on earth. There are plenty of non-peat alternatives to use in the garden that are in fact better soil conditioners than peat, and they'll also feed your soil, something peat won't do (it has no nutrients) - your local garden centre will be able to advise further.

swatki

thanks for all advice so far , could you give me some tips on starting a compost heap, i was thinking of just buying a bin and cutting the bottom of and putting it in the area with lid on top,wud it be good to put wood chips on the botton and then all my kitchen waste?
we had a self built compost heap at our house before but had to stop because of neglect and flies,
can anybody give me advice on native seed or bulb varities so far ive got crocosmia ?
also has anybody out there ever tried sheet mulching a place? its a permaculture practice for neglected ground
what is the best potting compost to use for my starters ,they all seem to be peat in my local hardware store
also i have asked for advice in my local hardware store , the guy told me to put down a thick layer of topsol over the stones followed by mulch etc wud this be advisable?
thanks again

Minder

Some local councils sell plastic moulded compost bins at reduced rates - check their website.

The art of making good compost seems to be a bit of a black art.
Some people appear to have the knack, others don't. In our experience, compost doesn't always turn out like that shown on TV gardening programmes! Below are some suggestions, hints and tips that should help but its likely that you'll have to experiment and find out the best methods to suit you. If the compost is not perfectly as you would like don't despair, dig it in as early as possible and the end results will probably be very rewarding.
What's Good to Compost

Basically, all organic waste from your garden and kitchen. All fruit, vegetables and waste from these, flowers and leaves, tea and tea bags, coffee grounds, egg shells (preferably crushed). Weeds, grass, soft cuttings and prunings.
Shredded twigs, prunings and cuttings. Waste paper including tissues, kitchen towels, newspaper, printer paper, corrugated paper/card and cardboard but not too much; it should all be torn up or crumpled and well mixed in with the rest of the compost.

What's Bad to Compost

Meat, fish, dairy produce, fat, egg, bread, cake, biscuits, pastry and things containing these; they rot and attract vermin. Nearly all cooked food, for the same reason. We think you shouldn't compost tomato plants and tops of potato plants; we understand that they can transmit disease (the actual tomatoes and potatoes are fine). Cat and dog faeces, because it could carry/transmit disease. Plastics, shiny paper and card. Coarse cuttings, prunings, stalks and twigs, as unless they are shredded they'll take too long to decompose.

Big roots and roots of dandelions, ground elder, mares tail, couch grass, bindweed etc as these will re-grow. Diseased plants or leaves, like those with black spot, mildew, rust or other visible diseases. Grass cuttings, moss or other garden waste recently treated with chemicals; you should follow instructions on the packet/tin etc regarding composting following treatment.
Soil. Small quantities are acceptable, and may be beneficial if well distributed, but you should shake or knock excess soil off plant roots before composting them.

Tips to Improve your Compost

You should compost things with a range of textures; you need a mix of soft waste material as well as coarser rougher stuff. This helps to aerate the compost. One way to aid this is to compost waste paper/card and cardboard but not too much; it should all be torn up or crumpled and mixed in with the rest of the compost. The Composting Tip Sheet from CAT (see our site) gives more details, emphasising the benefits of composting paper and card, stating that you should recycle what paper and card you can and compost all the rest that's suitable.

Mixing and turning the compost also helps it decompose faster. Organic waste will turn into compost faster if it's in small pieces. A compost shredder is useful to chop up larger and coarser material so that it's suitable to put in the composter.

The above tips all help to introduce and maintain oxygen into the compost; this helps the organic matter to decompose faster. Grass cuttings can be composted but you should not put thick layers in the compost bin without mixing other, coarser materials in with the grass to get oxygen into the mixture. Grass cuttings in large quantities will compact and form a thatch, restricting air flow and slowing down decomposition of the grass as well as other waste and will eventually end up as a slimy, smelly mass.
The compost in the container should be moist, but not too wet. If it's too dry, you can just water it. If it's too wet and soggy, maybe liquid cannot drain away from the bottom; you could try standing your compost container on paving slabs with a slight slope and small gaps between; this will also make it easier to to remove your compost from the bottom. It can be helpful to pack small pieces of tile or slate under the legs to get the container upright and also delay the onset of wet-rot if they are wooden.
Organic waste turns into compost faster if it's warm. Positioning your composter where it gets some sunshine is beneficial; if it's in full sun this may dry out the compost too much.

Wood chips take a long time to break down and don't offer a lot of nutritional value to compost but are good for structure. I've found that used potting compost is great when added in layers. Also stir it up occassionally and water it if it gets dry.