Vegetable patch

[icklekid]

My dh has been talking about having a veg patch for years- we have an area that had previously been used for one but currently only has rhubarb! I was thinking of getting him things to make one with for christmas!

Currently thinking of getting something like this raised beds with liners and then a book to get us started something like this any suggestions?

[shovetheholly]

Oooh, what a great present!

How much do you have to invest in this, if that's not too indelicate a question? If the veg garden is going to be very posh and ornamental, Harrod Horticultural do some really great beds. Ideally, you want pressure-treated timber, because it's just so much more resistant to rot and will last so much longer. If you're working on a budget (like me!) then you can buy gravel board at B&Q that is pressure treated. It comes in 3 metre (£7) and 2.4 metre (£5, but currently £4 if you buy 5 or more) lengths, and if you saw the 2.4 metre in half, you basically have a bed that's an ideal size - 3 x 1.2 metres for £18. It's not so wide that you can't reach into the middle, but there's length to ensure a proper crop. You just screw the sections together with long screws (Aldi £2) and you can add corner reinforcers (Aldi £2) for extra strength if you want. Once you've got the hang, it takes literally just a few minutes for the two of you to get one together!

Other ideas - you can get raspberries, strawberries and currants for the garden and plant them in ready for next season! (This is nice because it feels like you actually have stuff growing, not just a structure). Also, bare root fruit trees. Again, if you are on a budget, Aldi do the trees and currants very cheap (£3 for a tree, £2 for a fruit bush). It may be cheaper, however, to buy raspberry canes from an online retailer - Kings Seeds are inexpensive, but tend to be in larger lots, Thompson and Morgan are more expensive but I think they do an 'all season' collection which takes you from the first fruiters right into the autumn.

[icklekid]

Thank you don't mind spending a bit - was thinking up to £100 all in. We have quite a lot of fruit trees- pear, apple, plums already so more veg am interested in growing. Some useful tips though thank you!

[bookbook]

I think shove has covered most bases, but books
have a look at this one here but also , I always suggest popping to the library, and seeing what is there . It gives you a chance to see what is available, and how easy/informative it is for you :)