Wendy's Veggie Patch

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by Fat Controller, Apr 10, 2020.

  1. Fat Controller

    Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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    Posted on behalf of our lovely new friend @Wendy'sveggiepatch

    Just joined as new to growing veggies. Really could do with some advice.
    Had bought stuff pre lock down to start 4 x 2.4m/1.2m raised veggie beds.
    Bought some top soil (not top grade) and lots of mushroom compost. May have made an error from what I can see on some websites..... I think I have put in far too much mushroom compost. Probably over 60%+
    Then have put less than inch of multipurpose compost on top.

    Just been looking online and think that was wrong and the amount of mushroom compost (still quite strawry) might not be good for seeds or root veg.

    Have one plot I have not completely filled that may be resolvable.

    Was planning to grow:

    Bed 1: sweetcorn, runner beans, peas
    Bed 2: dwarf bean, courgette
    Bed 3 & 4 : Pak choi, spring onion, carrots, onions, red pepper plants,
    I also have swede, parsnips Brussels sprouts to plant.

    Have also got some tomato plants that can grow in the greenhouse separately.

    So hopefully without having to buy more soil/compost as I now don't have any income since C19, will the soil/compost still be ok to plant in or should I leave it this year, cover over the beds & hopefully be OK for next year?

    Any help will be very gratefully received.

    Looking forward to reading top tips
     
  2. rustyroots

    rustyroots Total Gardener

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    Hi Wendy,

    Not sure if carrots and Parsnips would fork. But the rest should be OK. Have a look at some Charles Dowding videos on you tube, very good vids. Someone put a link on another post last night and I ended up sitting up until about 1 am watching them.

    Rusty
     
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    • JWK

      JWK Gardener Staff Member

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      Hi @Wendy'sveggiepatch, how much depth of mushroom compost have you? It is good for improving clay soils but if you have chalky soil it may not be quite so good as it contains lots of added chalk, either way it is better than nothing. If you have a deep layer I would dig it in and mix thoroughly with your existing soil. First though I would try and scoop off the layer of Multipurpose and use that for seed sowing. Sowing separately into small pots and nurture the seedlings until they are big enough to transplant, you can do that with all your seeds except for carrots and parsnips, they need direct sowing. This is the method I use for starting seeds off except for carrots and parsnips, if you have the seed for those then there is no harm in trying it just depends on how much mushroom compost is in the soil.
       
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      • Kristen

        Kristen Under gardener

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        I wouldn't worry about it. The mushroom compost might make the Parsnips fork, but they will taste the same :) but the air might be blue whilst you are peeling them :)

        I think Mushroom Compost is fantastic soil improver. Downside it is alkaline, so not ideal on an Alkaline soil, but so long as you don't do it every year I think the gain far outweighs the Chalk/Calcium boost. Vegetables make soil more acid over time, and need some Lime occasionally ... so ... you're just a bit ahead of the curve :)

        Carrots and Parsnips don't transplant, so if you can be bothered I suggest:

        Carrots:

        Make a v-shaped "trench" about 3" deep and 2" wide at the top (Swan Neck Hoe ideal, or use Spade: push in 3"-4" and wiggle front-to-back to make the "V", move along one spade width, Repeat!) and (**) put some nice fine sandy compost in there (I sift mine ...) and sow the carrots into that row.

        If the Carrots come up way-to-thick then cut (scissors) off the excess leaving a little clump each couple of inches, and then as they grow pull some at intervals along the row to eat as "baby carrots" leaving the remainder at regular spacing to have room to fatten up :)

        (**) Water the "trench" (from a watering can spout, keep it in the trench, not the surrounding soil), so there is plenty of water "under" the seed before you sow it, which will help germination.

        Sweet Candle is my favourite variety.

        Parsnips:

        Make a planting hole 6"deep (I use a bulb planter, but a metal-bar or broom handle stuck in and wiggled round-and-round to make a cone-shaped hole will do, and fill that with the same sifted sandy soil, then sow a few seeds into each planting station. When them come up cut (scissors) off to leave two initially, and then once they are a bit bigger sacrifice the weaker one (the books always say "the weaker one" but I find they are always pretty much the same ...)
         
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        • Wendy'sveggiepatch

          Wendy'sveggiepatch Apprentice Gardener

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          Many thanks for your reply. I have used 2 x 1m cube bags of mushroom compost and only used half a bag of the 1m cube topsoil between the 3 beds so mostly mushroom compost.
          I could weed the rest of my garden this weekend (which needs doing) and move some of the heavy MC soil from the most raised beds into the garden , then add more topsoil.
          Do you think it is worth the effort?
          Certainly building up my arm muscles
           
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          • Wendy'sveggiepatch

            Wendy'sveggiepatch Apprentice Gardener

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            Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Will have a go with the parsnips & carrots in the bed with least compost.
            Back in the garden today in the sunshine.
            Many thanks for your comprehensive reply. Will give them both a go in the bed with the least compost in.
            Will be referring back to your post when I come to do the seeding.

            Off out into the garden
             
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            • Wendy'sveggiepatch

              Wendy'sveggiepatch Apprentice Gardener

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              Thank you Rusty.
              Will look at them for top tips. My daughters are finding my new You Tube viewing of gardening info very amusing.

              Happy gardening.
               
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              • Kristen

                Kristen Under gardener

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                Don't let them watch anything like this in case it sets their expectations!!



                They might like to have a go at this one though (same YouTuber)

                 
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                • Wendy'sveggiepatch

                  Wendy'sveggiepatch Apprentice Gardener

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