Newbie just starting out on a slope!

  • 15 Replies
  • 5396 Views
*

Ka_ka

  • Newbie
  • *
  • 7
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« on: May 24, 2008, 21:22 »
Hi,

My husband and I have a large space where we would love to grow some food!
It's on a slope and we can't be bothered to terrace it and really want want to get going. We only want to grow a few veggies to begin with (carrots/runner beans/potatoes/onions). We're just going to put some seedlings in and see what happens. We can decide between us whether to plant across the slope or up and down the slope.

Please help us - one day I'd love to be Felicity Kendal!
Karen

*

DD.

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Loughborough. a/k/a Digger Dave. Prettiest Pumpkin prizewinner 2011
  • 30465
  • Pea God & Founder Member of The NFGG
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2008, 21:26 »
Hi Karen & welcome both.

I'd plant across the slope, something ridged like spuds would stop the water running down the slope & eroding the soil.

At least I think that's what they told us at school, but it was a long time ago!
Did it really tell you to do THAT on the packet?

*

owein

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: North Wales
  • 111
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2008, 21:59 »
what direction does your slope face?

*

gobs

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Chesterfield, UK
  • 8466
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2008, 22:09 »
Planting across is as good as DD says to stop erosion. Welcome.

I don't think I should say what your name is in Hungarian, but it does not stop me giggling.
"Words... I know exactly what words I'm wanting to say, but somehow or other they is always getting squiff-squiddled around." R Dahl

*

woodburner

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Deepest essex
  • 1468
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2008, 00:17 »
I have a similar problem but I'm doing kind of lazy bed terracing, I can't be bothered with bits of wood either ;)
I demand the right to buy seed of varieties that are not "distinct, uniform and stable".

*

Ka_ka

  • Newbie
  • *
  • 7
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2008, 11:28 »
It's sunny from midday throught to evening - is that south facing?
Gosh I really am a novice!

What do you mean by lazy terracing? sounds interesting.

Do you mean screen name or real name? I worked in a nursery and one of the children couldn't say Karen so said Ka Ka. Has kind of stuck.

thanks for all the advice
Karen

*

woodburner

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Deepest essex
  • 1468
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2008, 12:18 »
Lazy beds are a bit like raised beds except that you don't use wood and you dig out the paths to add to the beds.  
Sort of like this, but the sides cant be banked that steeply
.______. . . _____. . . ._____
/. . . . . .\__/. . . . . .\__/. . . . . \

So what I'm planning should look a bit like this:
_____
. . . . . .\_______
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .\______
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\______

Whether this is appropriate for your site depends on just how much of a slope you have to deal with, although I recall seeing terraces for olives in France on some pretty steep slopes and they don't use wood either.  :o

Edit :ignore the dots  :?

*

owein

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: North Wales
  • 111
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2008, 15:39 »
woodburner, That's exactly what I have done - it is working realy well.

The advice about planting across and not down is worth noting, It makes a massive difference. The beds catch the water as it runs downhill.

If you have sun from midday till evening I should imagine it is west facing, I was just hoping it wasn't north facing!

*

jacnal

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Location: West London
  • 734
    • http://jacnal.blogspot.com/
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2008, 17:23 »
Quote from: "gobs"
Planting across is as good as DD says to stop erosion. Welcome.

I don't think I should say what your name is in Hungarian, but it does not stop me giggling.


In Swahili too, but I won't say... :wink:

Welcome Ka-Ka!
Jac

Trying organic gardening. Hoping to stick to it.

*

gobs

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Chesterfield, UK
  • 8466
Re: Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2008, 19:59 »
Quote from: "Ka_ka"

It's on a slope and we can't be bothered to terrace it and really want want to get going.

We can decide between us whether to plant across the slope or up and down the slope.

Karen


If you can't and won't terrace - and it's not necessary depending on angle, also can be really difficult and expensive depending on soil type and quality - planting across is much better than with the slope.

*

Ka_ka

  • Newbie
  • *
  • 7
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2008, 22:52 »
Wood burner - I get the second picture but not the first. Is it a birds eye view?!? I may try the digging out if the weather is nice tomorrow - Bank holiday = not a chance!

I really wnat to know what my name means :( or I'll be sad forever!

*

woodburner

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Deepest essex
  • 1468
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #11 on: May 25, 2008, 23:25 »
Maybe it's not come out right on your comp, I had several attempts, even after I realised more than one space was getting ignored. It should look like shallowish steps with sloping fronts.

I'm aiming for 5ft deep steps, 1ft path at the back and 4ft bed then a drop of however much to teh next path.

Edit: D'oh misread your post. :oops: First pic is just ordinary lazy beds on level ground.

*

gobs

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Chesterfield, UK
  • 8466
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2008, 08:31 »
5 ft steps? :shock:  :shock:

Reinforced concrete support surely. :lol:

*

Ka_ka

  • Newbie
  • *
  • 7
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2008, 11:02 »
Thanks,
Will get digging, who needs the gym membership!!!!

*

gardgydja

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Skane, Sweden
  • 153
Newbie just starting out on a slope!
« Reply #14 on: May 26, 2008, 14:58 »
My family always grew melons on a south-facing slope and they were very happy (both the melons and the family).

"Kaka" means "cake" in Icelandic :)


xx
Digging on a slope

Started by Hadakare on Grow Your Own

3 Replies
1643 Views
Last post February 01, 2015, 18:12
by 3759allen
xx
Growing on a slope

Started by kermit on Grow Your Own

10 Replies
3869 Views
Last post April 01, 2011, 06:22
by Growster...
xx
Plot on a slope?

Started by Becci W on Grow Your Own

11 Replies
4465 Views
Last post March 08, 2011, 18:35
by Dreamer@45
xx
Growing on a slope advice please

Started by purplebean on Grow Your Own

4 Replies
1975 Views
Last post May 18, 2015, 20:23
by purplebean
 

Page created in 0.627 seconds with 36 queries.

Powered by SMFPacks Social Login Mod
Powered by SMFPacks SEO Pro Mod |