the daydream fund challenge thread

alfie_1

i used old car tyres layed down on a strip of old carpet and planted all my herbs in them, stops weeds and from them spreading to much. they did really well . i also did new potatoes in them. they seem to insulate the soil aswell as most of my herbs are sprouting again??
iv put them in amongst the flower beds aswell so they are a bit raised and dont get swamped by flowers, it contains plants and prevents spread. iv had runner beans ,everything in fact has had a turn.....

saves on having to dig a bed and they are moveable if you want them somewhere els....very labour saving!!

Rummer

lostinrates wrote: »

edit:rummer...come and helpme...they'd eaten through the hay again...so I guess this is it till spring wrestling haynets 2-3times day

I would love to spend my days tending animals and working on my own small holding . Mind you the grass is always greener isn't it :rotfl:

Rummer

alfie_1 wrote: »

i used old car tyres layed down on a strip of old carpet and planted all my herbs in them, stops weeds and from them spreading to much. they did really well . i also did new potatoes in them. they seem to insulate the soil aswell as most of my herbs are sprouting again??
iv put them in amongst the flower beds aswell so they are a bit raised and dont get swamped by flowers, it contains plants and prevents spread. iv had runner beans ,everything in fact has had a turn.....

saves on having to dig a bed and they are moveable if you want them somewhere els....very labour saving!!

we have used these successfully in the past and are planning on using more on an area of the garden that keeps flooding. Our local garage is really happy for us to take them as it costs them to have them removed.

Poosmate

Hello again, I'm watching the bear programme so tissues at the ready!

I may have to read the posts to catch up and take my mind off the sad bits that I know will come and post again afterwards when I am more composed.

I may just give a running comentary like last night though! lol

Poo (Not after Winnie the Pooh by the way!)

COOLTRIKERCHICK

I was wondering if any of you know..

what do they mean by a 'registered' smallholding? rather than a house with land etc?

also how do you go about registering a smallholding?

Going htrough estate agents etc, and some are saying 'registered smallholding'

If Del boy trotter bottled 'peckham water' I am sure you could sell your rain water.....lol....:D

choille

RAS wrote: »

I might set fire to the allotment bonfire, now there is some dry sticks (nice prickly loganberry and raspberry) to get it going?

Do you think that will be visible from Little Loch Broom? or deepest Devonshire?

Anyway, the more celebration we can have the better.

Hoping for news of the wassail at the end of the month (Hic!).

There's something about fire in the middle of Winter don't you think? I love setting fire to clippings & old jiggered cardboard boxes, paperwork.

Wassail.....I'd forgot what that was until I wiki - ed it. Sounds like a sensible thing to do......I'll get the cider in.

Alfie I've planted tatties in tyres before. Kept adding a tyre & earthing up the shaws that way.

LIR - I've done no digging & will have to scrub two veg beds as they are too near the house build & will be too shaded come Summer. My gardens a complete disgrace - I blame the weather. I think you can plant in your flower bed - it's all allowed.

RAS - Sorry to hear of you having to hospital visit - Hope it all works out for the patient.

A vine eh? I plan to have one once the house is built. Plant one out & feed it into a porch...possibly.

Yes - there's still colour in Mid-Winter, sometimes very stark. It's all this being in the close confines of indoors for rather more hours than I care to. Oh, for even stairs to run up & down.........a room of my own. It is worse in the short days but I did notice that it was a slightly longer day - twenty to Five before it got dark.

choille

CTC - I think it will be similar to a croft in that it will have regulations attached to it - burdens, but may be eligible for grants - possibly.

alfie_1

forum.downsizer.net/.../what-size-is-a-smallholding__o_t__t_20337.html -

dont know if this will help... im half asleep [long day!] and may have read wrong!! iv just realised i have my shirt on inside out ! sums my day up.....

Rummer

Today has been a day of big decisions for me! Not life changing but they will make my life easier in the long term if not at the moment. Decided to put off the seed exploration until the weekend when I can sit down at leisure and go through the box of them and make sketches of the garden. The OH has said that he will help more this year and that we will clear the greenhouse together. For some reason last year it filled with nettles and they all need cleared away. I foolishly removed most of my greenhouse staging when I moved in as I had planned to grow things in it but I could do with the staging now, does anyone know a good place to get it cheaply?

Last year my mum gave me some mini poly tunnels and I haven't used them as yet but I was thinking they might be useful at the start of the year to get things going when they leave the greenhouse? We also have a cold frame that we have never used, again because it filled with nettles (horrible things) so maybe see if I can get it cleared as well. I built a pond two years ago but it has developed a hole somewhere in the lining as it drained out last year. Probably for the best as I didn't make it as level as it should be so I am planning on fixing that.

Also I would like some of those willow bean training wigwam thingies for sweetpeas, does anyone know a good place to get them online? I think for the beans I am going to use really long canes this year. We previously used metal arches but they were destroyed by the wind so I think canes might be best, unless any one has any better suggestions?

alfie_1

also how do you go about registering a smallholding?

i know that you can get a "holding" number by ringing DEFRA. this entitles you to keep "4 foots"...
when/if you get the animals you just fill in thier details [bearing in mind you need a "movement order" which a legit seller will give you the details and the forms will be in your defra pack] any additions ie births , you just contact defra and add to your "list"....
they say that a smallholding is what you make of it ie ..check it doesnt make problems re the tax man, if you "make money" from it...then its in the realm of a business... handy if you want to sell your wares at the gate ???