Info on Gardening with disabilities

Hi everyone.
Some 15 years ago we had 2 Alotments, were we grew only Vege, for our family.
It was great, 1 plot had a shed, the other had a Greenhouse on it.
But regretfully, we moved from that area, and then We both became disabled.
So I was thinking of growing vege in tubs/ barels.
And I found a 8x 6 greenhouse frame , still in its box,without glass, in a local council recycle dep,going for �£50.
And some benches that can my made into stageing for sale as well.
With the back garden being small, I can only have a section say 16 ft by 9ft for a bed.
And Was thnking of raising that.
You see at times I have to use a wheelchair.
SO All the green fingers please advise.

Q 1 How can I get my clay soil to a fine lome.
Q 2 what kind of mix will I have to put into the tubs for vege.
Q 3 / can you give advise on how to move blackcurrents, and Rasberies, as a neghbour wants to give me some to plant in our garden.

Wish this site was about years ago lollllll.

 

Hi Vege-4-life and welcome to GC.
So good that you are getting back into gardening despite your disbilities.
I would suggest dividing the 16ft x 9ft area into 4 beds of 6ft x 3ft, leaving a pathway between the four of them for the wheechair. This means that you can access across the beds from each side. It also means you will have your 4 beds for rotation.
As you say, you can then raise them using boarding to a manageable height.
You will need to break up the bottom layer of clay and then fill them with as much organic material as you can get, compost, leafmould and well rotted manure and add some grit to help lighten the soil.

Raspberries are quite shallow rooted. Just lift them in clumps and cut off any long trailing roots, divide them into smaller canes and replant a few inches below the soil surface. Cut the tops down to about 12 inches. Just make certain that your friend's raspberries are virus-free, Sometimes it is recommended to only buy certified nursery stock for this reason.

Blackcurrants I don't know about, hopefully someone else can help.
Good luck!

 

Thank you Blackthorn.
I will be takeing all of your ides especialy the 4 beds lol.
We are geting a compost bin from the council 4 a few �£s next week.
And a friend is going to help put up the greenhouse.
May take pics of before and after, for looking at later lol.
Q What part of good old cornwall do you have the fortune to live in ?.
We have a Seasonal Caravan pich in Indian Queens, booked for this may, hopefully for years to come.
I was a lighthouse keeper in Cornwall in the late 60s to 70s.
Gwilym

 

Welcome, Vege-4-life!

Blackthorn's advice is excellent! Definitely follow it! Afraid I don't have any experience of blackcurrants either - just wanted to give you a link that might help. Have you heard of THRIVE?

http://www.thrive.org.uk/

You may get some useful advice from them.

Here's a link to info about blackcurrants - looks like it will be a big job digging them up, but if you're going to do it, during the dormant season is likely to be best.


http://www.powen.freeserve.co.uk/fruit/Blackcurrants.htm

Good luck!

Just noticed that last comment of yours - what a job to have had!! Amazing! Hope you had a head for heights! :D

 

Thanks Dendrobium.
I have put them sites into my Favourites, tolook at and study.

As for head for hights, yep that was needed lolllll. worked all over the uk on over 20 lights till they all went automatic.

 

Goodness V-4-L, what an interesting life you must have had, is there a title for someone like yourself, Master of Lighthouses for instance? :D

We are in North Cornwall near Camelford/Boscastle. I just hope the weather gets better by May for you when you come to your caravan.

Getting back to your garden, just a thought but some Councils sell compost they make from green waste, in quite large quantities and deliver too. Maybe worth a go seeing as they are going to deliver the composters anyway.

Also, if your beds are to be quite deep and you are removing lawn to make them, put the cut turves upside down in the bottom of the beds making sure there are no roots of perennial weeds in them.

By the way, thanks for the nice comment Dendy

 

Thanks again 4 info on garden, and compost, will ask local council.

As for the lighthouses, I left the ships, and joined trinity house, as a S/A/K & WORKED UP TO A PRINCIPAL KEEPER, BOSS MAN ON THE LIGHT LOLLLLLL.
Had some right carectors on them lights.
Could tell you a few stories but not on here lolllll.

 

HI I went to a Pet and Farming, shop yesterday.
And I saw 4ft 6 ins plastic barels, holding horse tack.
So I asked one of the girls, if she had any for sale.
She told me that they had loads of them, and could sell them to me for the price they get for them �£5 each.
What you think guys ?

 

Go for it V-4-L - can't get better for that price.

 

Sounds good, V-4-L! Don't forget to drill some holes, though...... :D

 

Thanks Guys, I got 3 of the tubs today. And made holes lol.
And a friend came over to help dig over the patch were the greenhouse will go.
I marked it out the other day, so it is all turned over now.
My wife had a few vege growing there last year, and the growbags, she used for salad crops, were empted on the patch when finished with.
The council is slow lolllll, bringing the compost bin.
So I have used 1 of the tubs, to start composting.
Put a thin layer of top soil, then old teabags, coffee grounds, stale fruit, weeds grass, eggshells, paper, bit it is less than half full.
I coverd the top with bublerap.
And i gave it a bit of a soak inside.
Hope that will be ok lol.

 

My experience with blackcurrants is they will grow anywhere you let them! They are not rampant like blackberries, but they don't seem to be too fussy about where they live. Mine are sheltered on one side, but some are sheltered from north and some from south (on opposing walls). They both do equally well. Good mulch in autumn/winter and a spring feed.

Good Luck

 

Thanks Badsal72, I will put them down over the next few days