[spade or shovel?]

Hello all, I have marked out, de topsoiled, dug well over my new plot ( please remember I am a complete novice at this ) I am hoping my manure will be here by the weekend so I can get that all dug over / in . So my two questions are:
a, is that it till next year regarding me being ready ( I know I will need to clear weeds )
b, I am really keen to grow some garlic, I know it needs to be English and I was advised that buying already started plants was a safer option for a newbie like me, so where and when would you good people plant it, tubs? pots? do I plant some in the newly manured plot? Sorry for the questions just dont want to make any silly mistakes.

Thanks as always

Regards

Dave

[DD.]

I'm a bit concerned by the words "de topsoiled". What exactly do you mean by this? I sincerly hope that you not done what first sprang to mind.

As for garlic - it's easy enough to grow direct into the soil, no need for tubs or ready started plants.

[Salmo]

If you want to grow carrots and parsnips next year do not manure where they are going.

Buy garlic bulbs from a garden centre, split the individual cloves and plant 3 inches deep any time from now straight into the ground.

[paintedlady]

re: manure ... if it's coming straight from a farmer's yard, it might be a bit too fresh to dig in, even now for planting next spring.  Manure should ideally be well rotted down.

In some ways I think getting a new plot now rather than in spring is much easier - in spring you have to dive in, dig, clear, sow, plant and weed all in such a short time, but at this time of year at least you can pause to plan where things will go, read up on what you want to grow and get the plot all cleared up and ready well in time for spring.  Then you could also start thinking about collecting things ... pea sticks, netting, canes, seed trays, and oh, seed catalogues and online websites to visit.

As well as growing overwintering garlic, you can also plant overwintering onion sets to harvest about June/July.  And rather than leave the plot all bald and open to the elements leaching out nutrients over winter, you could try sowing some overwintering green manure about now to dig in at spring time.

Fruit - strawberry plants, fruit bushes and raspberry canes can be planted out in autumn (easier than mid-winter when the ground is frozen) 

[spade or shovel?]

I'm a bit concerned by the words "de topsoiled". What exactly do you mean by this? I sincerly hope that you not done what first sprang to mind.

Sorry what I meant was I took off all the grass  not the top soil! First mistake sorry for the confusion  

Take care

Dave

[spade or shovel?]

oh and the manure is 3 years old apparently so I would say that was well rotted ? best of all its free 

Take care

Dave

[paintedlady]

oh and the manure is 3 years old apparently so I would say that was well rotted ? best of all its free 

 

[spade or shovel?]

my next door neighbours dad has a farm, when I asked if I could buy some manure he looked at my 15x9 ft plot belly laughed and said he would drop a couple of bags round for me, I do think however my good lady has sent a large homemade chocolate cake in his direction 

[Yorkie]

That's the way to do it 

[Goosegirl]

If you want to grow carrots and parsnips next year do not manure where they are going.

Buy garlic bulbs from a garden centre, split the individual cloves and plant 3 inches deep any time from now straight into the ground.

I usually wait until late Oct - Nov to plant garlic - as Salmo said - split the cloves and out them in so the tops are about 1/2" deep below the soil. I alsp spread manure on top of my raised beds to overwinter, but in my roots bed, I don't dig it in - I just move it away from where my drills will be for sowing carrots and parsnips - works for me.