Charlies first attempt 2012

[charlie&archie]

Hi im new(ish) to the site have been a lurker for a while! we moved to this house april last year and its the first time weve had our own garden we didnt do much other then clear it back a bit as i was heavily pregnant at the time. i grew some courgettes and peas in pots but they got a bit neglected ended up i couldnt do anything much as i had baby out through the sun roof lol.
Im really excited about this year i think i would like to try and grow some runner beans, courgettes, tomatoes, peas, butternut squash, onions and leeks
i would like to try parsnip/celeriac but i think the ground will be to rough.sweetcoorn but the garden is very shelterd and they need wind? and sweet peppers but i dont no if that will be to hard?
Ive started digging over my 11' by 7' "patch" at the top of the garden but its soooooo full of gravel its hard going. And ive washed all my pots ready to go on the patio.
Are there any plants that like roug ground?
we should also be getting chickens this month. yay!

[AL37]

Hi Charlie,
Sounds like an exciting ime your going to have.
With the parsnips could you use a small area and riddle the soil first? That way you can sea how you get on with them and maybe do a larger area next year. As for the peppers I have always given them more or less the same treatment/conditions as tomatoes and had pretty good results.

[Homemade]

Personally I would avoid celeriac , butternut squash and peppers your first year. The rest should be fine.
And sweetcorn are wind pollinated but they do not need to be in an exposed position. If they have a sunny spot they will do well. Plant them in a block not in a line and they will get pollinated.

[Richard]

Hi,

The best year I had with Squash, they were on rubbish soil, a stony old bonfire mound. It's too far gone so, so can't do it.
Squash and Courgettes like to be planted on top of a little mound

Good luck with it - way to go!

Richard