12 month Grow your own planting plans

JayJay14

Mum of 4 - I'm just about to PM you - I would be really grateful for the plan, we built 3 deep beds in our garden in last summer in preperation for 2009 but I haven't a clue when to plant things.

The only thing we really succeeded with last year were our raspberry canes - ans oh how I do love fresh rasps!!!!

I shall be bookmarking this thread to keep an eye on you all:D

mum_of_4

JayJay14 wrote: »

I shall be bookmarking this thread to keep an eye on you all:D

Please do, as i really would like to know how people get on and how much they have saved.

i'll be going through the pm's in a moment I'm just waiting for my first attempot at ice cream. One of my Christmas presents from the children was an ice cream maker so I guess i won't be selling as many eggs and my waist is going to get a little bit wider. :rolleyes:

furball

Just got the file. Thankyou so much it must have taken you ages to work out. It makes so much more sense when you see it on a graph, you clever thing. Thankyou again, raised beds look out.:j

TwinkleTwinkle_2

Thanks so much for the plan! Me and my Mum are going to start planning at weekend-you have really inspired me!

mrspoons

Just sent a PM for the plan.

Got loads of compost from the chickens and vegetable scraps that I need to use

mum_of_4

I lot of members are asking me how they should be able to save.

Some may not save a huge amount in the first year but save more each year like myself. Others will have great success but it's not just about how much you grow it's what you do with it once you harvest your produce.

If you are unlikely to cook with it before it gets thrown in the bin then get in the habit of freezing it at the point of harvest. Don't grow what you don't really like. I can't stand kale and so what if the guys down the plot say ' your not groing any kale :eek: ' I grow something else that we do eat.

For example.

All the veg for the Christmas holidays came from the plot. I only bought the turkey, sausages, 900g of ham (which was on offer for £5.00) and a few tubs of double cream and cheese including blue stilton. Since christmas I have only bought milk. The veg has been supplied by the plot and if you see my ealier thread i've made the Christmas food last almost 20 meals.

The ham, leek and potato pie only needs 100g of ham so the 900g of ham would make 9 pies. Pastry is very easy to make so 9 meals for just over say £6.00

So you may hear people say you can save a few hundred pounds but it goes deeper than that you will do more of your own cooking because you want to make the most of your harvest and you will also find that some meals will be all veggie and with no complaints.

As I said to some members I used to spend near on £400 a month but now it would be £25 - £35 a week and in the summer months often less. Si if you assume that the weekly spen is £35 over the year then that's a saving of £2980 a year, although it could be as much as £3500. When I can increase my fruit harvest then I expect it to be nearer £4000. Now when you think that it's nearing 3000 members who have the planting plans if we all only save half of the amounts suggested that's a lot of money not being passed to the supermarkets.

I also don't spen much on the plot I buy 95% of my seeds in the Autumn in a 50p a packet sale and save a lot of seed myself.

Also the above savings do not include savings made from homemade jams and chutney's.

oliveoyl

I've just received a copy of your plans... very impressive!

A couple of questions if you don't mind (apologies if already asked)...

How many people does the plot feed?
How long does it take to maintain (approx how many hours per week during growing season)?

TIA

mum_of_4

well i go daily in the summer but remember i have 1/4 of my plot undercover and the plot is 3 min's from the school so easy to fit in with the school run. About three mornings I would put in 1 1/2 and try and pop down for a few hours at the weekend.

It feed two adults and the children, my OH is an athlete so I would say he eats more than the average person. I also normally hand stuff out to the neighbours and my parents when they visit. The one thing I let myself down on is fruit but this year i hope to get a good blueberry, strawberry and raspberry harvest as I've increased my cane stock this year. We have community apple trees so apple pies are free, we also have an endless supply of blackberrys, these cover five old plots. Although not my tree I normally end up with a few kilo's of plums.

Of the full productive plots on the site people tend to them a few hours everyother day but they are very, very productive. Other people visit say once in the middle of the week spending more time at the weekend. If you keep your plot full then should stay ontop of the weeds, normally problems occur when there are large areas of vacant soil.

I hope that is want you wanted to hear.

Annie021063

Hi mumof4
We are starting to think about our allotment for next spring. This will be our third year of growing and I really dont feel we have made the most of it yet. I would like to have a more regular supply of veg throughout the year but seem to fail. Could I take a look at your plan? It might inspire us to try for a better yield, we are lucky enough to have a greenhouse but this is at home 20 mins from the allotment.
Thanks

Swipe

Received the file. Many thanks