[loosey]

Hi All

We moved to our place last June and have just started getting our garden sorted. We have a huge row of conifers (I think that's what they are!) which we are taking down this weekend, which will give us loads more sun lights during the day and lovely views up the fields. We also have 5 or 6 old metal bath tubs which the old owners used to use as water toughs and I'd like to paint them up and plant things in them!

The problem: I'm not good at growing things! So far my plan is to use all the old rubble from building trhe stables to up the level in the bath's and then to mix some top soil (our soil is apparantly wonderful ) with some well rotted (9 months) manure ... and that's as far as I've got! I have the following questions if anyone would be kind enough to answer them?!

What can I plant during April and onwards, which is fairly "easy to grow?" and when could I expect to harvest?
Will I need to provide shelter form the wind?
What about pests? Will I need to spray anything on my plants?
Last one - What can I out i my old pig paddock at this time of year ... they will be going back in there around October time so something they can eat ideally!?

Thanks in advance, and apologies for being a bit rubbish!!

[Frieslandfilly]

Courgettes are very easy to grow, produce lots of crops (the pigs love them)  harvest from around June/july time if you plant them now. will need a little protection from wind and frosts but a bit of fleece thrown over will do, also a beer trap for slugs until the plants establish themselves. Should be able to grow them in the tubs easily enough.

Strawberries would be another easy one, plant in the tubs and net when the fruit appears so the birds dont eat them, just squash any greenfly on the leaves.

Dwarf runner beans also fairly easy, dont need staking and few pests once they get going

Raddish and spinach grow quickly and dont require much other than watering, or herbs such as sage, chives, garlic all fairly simple.

[loosey]

Ooooh garlic! We get through loads of it!

I'd love strawberries! Am also going to have some seperate higher up barrels for growing herbs (everything needs to be up high in case the dogs get in the garden!).

Probably a stupid question but I presume I need something for the runner beans to grow up?

Is there a best place to buy seeds? Locally at plant centres or online etc?

I'm getting a bit excited!!

[doganjo]

There's a thread on here about raised beds.  Most people mean just a  few inches high, but I have dogs too and mine were about 2 feet high, filled with rubble and anything else I want rid of, and topped up with soil.  Never need digging.  I used builders one ton dumpy bags last year but they don't look very pretty.

[Beewyched]

Why don't you take the opportunity to top-up your baths with ereacasious (spelling?) compost & grow some Blueberries underplanted with cranberries? 

[loosey]

Beewyched ... that sounds amazing and exactly what I'd like to do ... if I had any idea idea what any of this meant!

Could you try and imagine the most useless gardner possible, then times it by 10 and post again by any chance?! My OH will go crazy if I manage to grow Blueberries ... they're his absolute favourite!

[Beewyched]

Ok Loosey 

Eracacious (sp?) is basically acid-loving plants - heather, rhododendrons, most Magnolias, BLUEBERRIES  , etc.  They don't thrive & will probably die eventually   
You can get the eracacious compost, usually sold for Rhododendrons & Azaleas, at most garden centres - about 2 for £10.

Blueberries do well in pots too & oh, only water them with RAINWATER not tap water - that'll make them ill too (get a water butt or an old dustbin to catch the rainwater).  You can get several types - I've got 2 of each, so they pollinate each other & you get a longer cropping season.  They don't need potting-up into anything much bigger than the pots they're sold in, so you can get 2 in a tin bath (with or without a cranberry or 2).

They are really simple to care for - just let them grow away, very little pruning - the only problem you should have is who will get to the berries first - the birds or your OH