Starting a vegetable garden and how our MyGardenTeam service can help

If you are starting or planning a vegetable garden at first it can be a bit of an uphill struggle
As you have to take on lots of new knowledge. The GardenAdvice MyGardenTeam service helps you sort cut the stage in acquiring the knowledge by appointing you your own specialist garden advisor to help you every stage of the way for further details click here
 
Weed control on you vegetable beds
If your vegetable garden or area is new often weeds can be a problem.

• Rotavating your new plot is an option but to deep and too much rotovating can destructure and damage the soil. Digging to start with is often better but is hard and time consuming
• If you have the time or have areas you are not going to use straight away covering with black plastic sheeting with small hole cut into it with potatoes planted into the area will clean up the soil and next season you will start with a friable text soil once the sheeting is removed ideal for planting and sowing.

 
Raised beds for growing vegetables
The benefits of raised beds are clear for growing vegetables and fruit crops.

• The raise beds helps the soil to warm up earlier
• Raised beds are a great way to improve your soil if you have a clay or sand soil be allowing to to use the raised bed to add organic matter such as well rotted manure or spent mushroom compost which is very useful on clay soil because it contains large quantities of lime.
• Raised beds often provide used to provide greater access to people with limited or restricted mobility  
• It’s worth remembering with raised beds you are creating a small ecosystem so it’s important to add and consider such items as worms which are a key fact in improving and maintaining soil

 
Slugs
Slugs can be a problem but with a bit of effort they can be brought under control

• Encourage birds to visit your vegetable garden will help to reduce the numbers of larger slug numbers
• Beer traps although old fashioned are a great way to control slugs
• For small slugs using a biological control method with nematodes which is a small worm which travels in the soil moisture to attack the small slugs  

 
Composting basics
Composting is not as hard as a lot of people make out. The keys are

• Helping the bacteria, fungus and other soil organisms to break down the organic matter in your compost heap by keeping it moist but not overly wet. Keeping it warm in the winter with a cover and cool in the summer.
• You compost heap is working correctly if its warm to the touch when you hold a handful of compost
• Feeding is key adding a handful of Growmore every couple of weeks in the spring and summer helps the compost heap working at maximum efficiency.
• Worms in a compost heap are useful as they are naturally the first stage in Breaking down organic matter

Gardening course for beginners from GardenAdvice

One day gardening courses especially created for beginners run in your own garden by the GardenAdvice expert gardeners. Available as a gift voucher for the gardener in your life. Become a gardener with the GardenAdvice Gardening Course. If you are new to gardening it can all seem a bit complicated at first with all the Latin names and the gardening terminology. GardenAdvice.co.uk have developed a especially designed short one day course to be able to teach you all the basic skills of gardening to get you started. The courses in your own garden cover such basic skills as pruning, correct digging methods, growing your own shrubs and creating the perfect lawn. See some of our clients our gardening course and our MyGardenTeam service on Instagram and the client section on the GardenAdvice website. For further information visit or gardening courses section.