Hi Everyone! I'm new here!

squarefoot_lulu 4/10/2011, 7:46 pm

Hello from Colchester, Essex, UK!

I'm just about to start SFG after a break of several years and can't wait! I have three raised beds, each measuring about 6'x18"x18" which I just put together this weekend. I've filled them with the best mix of 'stuff' I could get, including liberal amounts of well rotted manure! I've started a few seeds off in my polythene greenhouse and they're coming along quite nicely! I ca'twait to get planting now!

One of my friends has given me two raspberry canes (fab!) I'm thinking that they may just take over my beds if I plant them there! I've got an enormous plant pot I could grow them in ... would that be a better idea?

I've enjoyed looking at the threads on this forum and look forward to being a member here!
ttfn,

Lulu Smile

sherryeo 4/10/2011, 8:37 pm

Hi Lulu,

Glad to see you join us. There are so many super-nice folks here that are so knowledgeable and willing to help and answer any questions. I think you'll love it. As for your question about raspberry canes - I'm not even sure what those are, so I'm afraid I won't be much help with that. I'm new, too. And we don't grow raspberry canes here in the Deep South of the USA (where I live) so far as I know. Maybe somebody else can speak to that or you may find someone who knows by going to your "regional" forum where folks from your area might know - there's a drop-down menu down toward the bottom of each forum page where you can choose your region or any number of other subject forums. Again, welcome to the forum and to square foot gardening!

Goosegirl 4/10/2011, 9:33 pm

Welcome to the gang! What are you planting and what is your weather like? I am in South Dakota, USA and we just had most of our snow melt but my compost pile is still an icy chunk!

TC

Old Hippie 4/10/2011, 9:43 pm

So glad you joined us. The group from the UK is growing fast. I am in Canada in central British Columbia. Our snow is just about all gone and I am looking forward to the ground thawing out. Maybe by the end of this week if we don't get a sudden cold spell.

Raspberries are wonderful and so delicious but can be pretty invasive. I am hoping to get some this year too but want to put them in some kind of container that will keep them from spreading all over the garden. I know some varieties are worse than others for spreading but most of the ones that are hardy for where I live are invasive. To be on the safe side I would try them in a large container.

Gwynn

**sfg4uKim** 4/11/2011, 9:43 am

Welcome Lulu. Hope you have a great time here on the Forum.

Kim

**Furbalsmom** 4/11/2011, 2:52 pm

LuLu

Glad to have another gardener from UK.

Please keep us updated on your progress, and share pictures too!

squarefoot_lulu 4/11/2011, 6:13 pm

Thank you for the welcome! I have planted my canes in the plant pot in the photo below! Today I constructed my upright supports for vertical climbers from plastic plumbing tube and bamboo canes. It's been a hive of activity here over the last couple of days and my neighbour is highly intrigued! He says he's going to pinch my raspberries and beans and wants me to put my strawberry planter a bit closer to the fence too! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Looking forward to getting some more things planted soon!

Thanks again for the welcome!

Lulu Smile

squarefoot_lulu 4/11/2011, 6:28 pm

Thanks for the welcome TC! It's been really nice for most of today, sunny and warm at 21 degrees and then a slight shower this afternoon. I've got seeds started for courgette, runner beans, french beans, aubergine, sweet pepper, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, honeydew melon and also herbs basil, oregano, mint, some marigolds for companion planting. Also some garlic! I've got some potatoes in grow bags too and strawberries in a pot!

I will be sowing carrots, spinach, baby leaves and radishes soon under polythene as there is still a chance of frost.

ttfn

Lulu Smile

squarefoot_lulu 4/11/2011, 6:38 pm

Thank you for the welcome!

The raspberries I have are Malling Promise, I've never grown raspberries before and have opted to put them in an oversize plant pot just in case! I love raspberries and so being over run with them sounds quite a delicious idea but since I have limited space and I started off the other seeds it seemed a good idea to limit their potential!

I tried to post a photo in my reply to Sherry which doesn't seem to have materialised ... I'll try again!

ttfn,

Lulu Smile

squarefoot_lulu 4/11/2011, 6:40 pm

Thank you for the welcome!

... I'm lovin' it!

ttfn,

Lulu Smile

jumiclads 4/11/2011, 7:00 pm

Hi Lulu,

Welcome to the Forum. This is a great place to come to when you need advice or some ideas.

This is my first year as well. At the moment I have 3 8x4 beds and a greenhouse. You will see how much work I have been doing to get my plot ready if you take a look at my thread "Jumiclads SFG - Well here goes - with updates"

I am going to be trying raspberries myself as soon as I can find a few canes to plant. I also want to plant a few of each of popular dwarf fruit trees and bushes.

squarefoot_lulu 4/11/2011, 7:03 pm

Hi Everyone! I'm new here! 5610823679_5aefd7719e

Thank you for the welcome! OK so here's a pic of my planters, my raspberry canes in the pot in the foreground and the vertical supports that I constructed today!

ttfn,

Lulu Smile

Old Hippie 4/11/2011, 7:09 pm

Oh my goodness! That is absolutely GORGEOUS! Hi Everyone! I'm new here! 5571

What a great job you have done. The rest of the yard looks lovely too. I love the stain that you have used to make your beds tie in with the fence and the gravelled path is great! Good job.

And congrats on figuring out how to post the pics too. Hi Everyone! I'm new here! 485967

Gwynn

squarefoot_lulu 4/11/2011, 7:13 pm

Thank you for the welcome! Well it seems that spring is well and truely here at last and I'm just so happy to be getting going on my garden! Fruit trees sound great, you can't plant too many of those to the square foot can you !!!

ttfn,

Lulu Smile

jumiclads 4/11/2011, 7:20 pm

They would have to be really dwarf fruit trees to plant them in the SFG. I thought maybe a mini orchard down the south end of the plot. The plot didn't look very big when I was going to do row gardening but now I have found SFGing it's massive. I said to Adam my son today, "Crikey what are we going to plant in the rest of this area. I was originally going to have some chickens but changed my mind cos I have an bad allergy to pigeons and thought they would probably affect me the same. So now its a fruit garden instead

squarefoot_lulu 4/11/2011, 7:28 pm

Hi Everyone! I'm new here! 5611035047_08a3ae7c15

Look! Another picture! You're going to erroneously believe that I know what I'm doing at this rate!!! EEEK!

More luck than judgement on both scores I'm afraid!!! Ha! Ha! Thanks for your kind words!

Lulu Smile

Old Hippie 4/11/2011, 7:30 pm

Look up "espaliering fruit trees". That is what I eventually hope to do with some fruit trees in my yard. You can do a LOT in a small space that way. I just have to find varieties that will winter over in my climate and then get my son-in-law up here to help me with the set-up. He is very good with it.

http://www.nurseriesonline.co.uk/mailOrderSpecialist/fruitTrees.htm

This site in the UK lists espalier on their homepage but I have not checked it out.

Gwynn

Old Hippie 4/11/2011, 7:32 pm

Wow!

Keep pretending. You are doing great!

What is in the two planters in the foreground?

Gwynn

squarefoot_lulu 4/11/2011, 7:49 pm

I worked in France many moons ago and they are very into espaliering fruit trees, pear trees in particular in Normandy (the home of Calvados). Maybe there are some French SFGs here that know more? I could be tempted as I have a south facing wall up close to the house but, I may need to put another shed there!

In answer to your question the the pot on the left hand side is a strawberry pot and some are in flower now. The pot on the right is a bay tree which was given to me today! I'm very lucky people seem to be giving me really nice plants left, right and centre at the moment ... I don't know what I've done?! But it's very nice all the same!

Lu Smile

middlemamma 4/12/2011, 12:50 am

squarefoot_lulu 4/12/2011, 6:17 pm

Thank you for the welcome Middlemamma!

Lulu Smile

boffer 4/12/2011, 6:23 pm

LOL Very clever avatar on so many levels. Welcome!

I'm curious. What is the actual rain fall at the driest place in England?

squarefoot_lulu 4/12/2011, 6:58 pm

Aww thanks! You know I have no idea exactly! I'll find out! What I do know is, that I have to water my garden A LOT in summer! Talking of rainfall and water retention, I picked up some expanding, water retaining crystals to mix into compost for flowering hanging baskets, do you know if anyone has tried adding this stuff to Mel's magic mix? I might try it! I've never used it before! What do you think?

Lulu Smile

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