Creating a kitchen garden

Its been over 10 years since we had our council allotment, but due to waiting lists, current food costs and trying to eat more plants we wouldn't be able to get another one now for love nor money. We have therefore decided to turn over half of the back garden into a half size allotment, with raised beds.

We still have our original herb bed in situ, but this will be turned around and joined eventually with 5 other beds.

The garden has been looking really lovely in the summer months, but to accommodate the new raised beds we've had to dig up a lot of the plants. Most have been transplanted to the other end of the garden, so hopefully they'll get established and settle in their new positions. The one plant that I haven't moved yet and will hang onto as long as possible is my lilac, it's currently in bud but stands right where a new bed is due to go. I'll be leaving it to flower and hopefully hang on to it where it is until the autumn, before attempting to move it. 

25th March, removing plants

25th March

25th March

27th March - marking out

27th March - marking out

2nd April - two beds in place (shame about the washing)

2nd April

4th April - first grass cutting of the year

4th April - layering the first bed.

By the 4th April we were in the position to finally start filling one of the beds. First a layer of cardboard, then grass clippings and then the hard work of finding excess soil from all over the garden. 

We brought a new shed last year and to accommodate it we had to move 12 sleepers from around a tree . We are now in the process of using the excess soil from around the tree to fill the first bed. It's back breaking work, sieving all of the stones and gravel out but the soils seems to be good.

15th April - sieving

15th April - first filled bed

Whilst we've been working on the beds, we have also been planting seeds. We have some in the bed and some in the conservatory, which is instead of pulling down is now being used as a greenhouse.

Bed One - from back to front

• 3 rows of broad beans
• 1 row of rainbow beetroot
• 1 row breakfast radish
• 1 row red beetroot

Trying to keep the dogs off is a problem we are working on, hence the make do fencing and coverings. Im hoping that once we have growth they will naturally keep off.