[navybloke]

Hello to all on the forum.  I've recently returned from Afghanistan and am furiously labouring on our new house (not yet lived in, flooded over Christmas ) to make it habitable for moving in mid-April.  It's in Harefield, just inside the M25.  The previous owner was a professional chef who had created a very good veg plot on the latter half of the garden - problem is, he left nine months ago and the garden has been fallow since.  The only real features discernible amongst the grass and the litter are strawberry plants, chives, and a couple of very old and gnarled blackcurrant bushes which are sending out runners and canes like nobody's business.  I have a vision of nice raised beds (I've got the scaffolding planks), woodchip paths and orderly blackcurrants on a wire trellis, a corner of tranquility (and, hopefully, productivity) where all is well with the world.  However, it's a long way to that vision from where the site is now - namely, a bomb site with a hint of former usage.  The questions will, no doubt, be many and varied, so thanks in advance for any patience and help you can all spare.

[Fleecewife]

  Glad you got back safely    Hope you have time to sort the veggie plot before you find yourself in the Med 

Just one thing - blackcurrants don't usually grow on wires - in fact they are usually gnarled, prehistoric-looking bushes, as yours seem to be    They just need a bit of judicious pruning and a large dollop of manure.  The veg patch sounds a lovely project and it's just the right time of year to be tackling it.  Have fun 

[Cinderhills]

Hi and welcome from North Yorkshire. 

[JulieS]

Hello and welcome from Devon. 

[Hilarysmum]

Hi from France, hope your veg patch becomes very productive this year.  Mine always produces a wonderful crop of weeds.

[Rosemary]

Hi and welcome from sunny Carnoustie 

Start looking for blackcurrant recipes - these two bushes may well crop heavily  The strawberries my well crop too, if the worst of the weeds are cleared away.

Raised beds are great - easy to keep, once the initial work is done. You could do some growing in pots this year to get your hand in and keep you motivated while you sort out the main growing area otherwise it may seem like all work and no munching.

We've put in 5 beds - 4 for the veggies and one for a green manure, but four would be fine plus an area for soft fruit. I'd always have raspberries - they're my favourite, fresh on Bran Flakes, with full cream milk 

[bloomer]

hi and welcome from the midlands

raised beds are simple and will allow you to overcome a multitude of issues in your veg area and get producing soon.

hope your staying in the country long enough to enjoy the fruits of your labours!!!

[little blue]

hello and welcome