What to grow?

[Claripup]

Hi,

We're new to this "grow your own food" thing and we have a quick question for all you knowledgeable folks.

We have a south facing garden with clay soil and a huge cherry tree which shades a lot of the garden, what fruit/veg should we be trying to grow?

Thanks
Clari

[Annpan]

It really depends on what you like, peas, mange-tout, runner beans etc would grow well in Clay soil (someone correct me if I'm wrong) Although your main task will be to incorporate some organic material (compost and manure) onto the ground. Carrots will need quite a deep bed of organic material but lettuce should grow well in a shallow bed.

So... what do you like to eat?
What do you like that is expensive to buy? (most people steer clear of potatoes and onions for this reason)

If you cook a lot then herbs should be top of the list.

There are a few things that are notoriously difficult to grow, but most things are worth a try if it is what you like.

[Claripup]

Well so far we are gonna try potatoes, califlower, leeks, onions, carrots and as many berry bushes as I can get hold of (so far gooseberries & raspberries, but I would like to add strawberries, blueberries and blackcurrants to that list)

I'm hoping to provide a good few of the 'normal' veg we buy every week from the garden this year... and have fruit for jam/wine making.

My main worry is whether the drainage will good enough and the lack of sunlight in large portions of the garden due to the cherry tree.

Also I suspct the dogs will provide a challenge as we have one who loves digging up my plants... and my efforts to train her to weed for me have so far been completely ignored

[Millymollymandy]

Lettuce should be happy enough in the more shady areas, especially in mid summer. I'm not sure what other veg will grow in shade because my veg patch is in mostly full sun. I don't know anything about clay soil either having the complete opposite! But good luck anyway and I'm sure you have lots of fun!

[Flo]

Things will get better over the years soil wise if you keep adding compost and well rotted manure to improve it.

[SarahJane]

Radishes tend to grow anywhere......( or they do in my garden)

[DeneciePie]

You might try planting things in little bits a la "square foot gardening" instead of long rows of the same thing so you can find out what does well in which spot. We are starting out in a new place and my OH is a retired civil engineer so he did a "sun study" to see where our best spots were LOL, but not everyone wants to go that length. We have clay, and other than holding lots of water, untill it is suddenly bone-dry and cracked, it grows well! Lots of organic material is good good advice.

[Claripup]

Well money is an issue (isn't it always!!) so while I have started a compost heap its only about 1 inch high... and there isn't all that much we can do to improve the soil this year, top soil being expensive and the only stables I know round here charges for manure. But Thanks all for the advice, I'm gonna go with the "try it and see if it works" approach... I'm sure I will find out very quickly what doesn't work.

Wish us luck

[Peggy Sue]

You might find until you've got some years of added compost Cauli don't really suceed, same with many brassicas, they like food!
Broad beans will be easy- got them in my clay, and apparently all soft fruit do well on clay (my raspberries are very healthy)
I think onions need lots of light so try to get them out of your cherry shade if you can. If you are south facing then tomatoes will love it!