Becoming self sufficient from scratch-my diary

flugellover

Just wanted to say hello - having managed to grow some potatoes and tomatoes last year, got a couple of herb pots up and running and nursed through the winter I am going for an increase in range and volume of crop this year! I will be really interesed to hear how you get on Moozle - I am in scotland too - east coast though.
Spent most of this afternoon digging in a small plot I have identified in a split sun/shade spot in the garden. Was thinking to put rasps in - maybe I am a bit early yet - have we really got past the frosts?? Also bought one of those strawb/herb pots today to grow strawbs in, but again am a little reluctant to plant out yet incase we get a cold snap! Tomorrow, I am going to identify some empty compost bags to start my first early potatoes in....

On another note Moozle, time to spend in the garden is a bit of an issue for me too - no kids, I just seem to be busy! I tend to find that if I can get even 15 mins in every day or so, things are a lot more manageable and takes less time at the weekend. Every 5 mins helps!

Will look forward to seeing how you get on

fiftyeighter_2

you lot are so insperational. I have a smallish shaded from 12 noonish veg plot but dont take enough advantage of it bt hey ho have now lost my job (closures) so will have time on my hands. i'm determined to use it sucessfully. i dont have greenhouse or pollytunnel but will seed up veg as best as i can. i would love to become as self sufficient as possible (now i have no choice) i have kept chicks for some time now and adore it but end up giving a lot away as with only 3 of us in the house they would be wasted otherwise. I am really interested in making wine etc as have elderberry tree in my garden and other fruits at hand. any one please help anovice get started. Anyway good luck to all of you and a very fruitfull year.

SEE

Here's my plot from last year.

MSE UPDATE - sorry had to remove photo as it was too wide. Please can you load back as two images.

betterlife

looks great see!

choille

Hi There,
good luck with all your plans.

I have a croft in NW Scotland. Weather dictates quite a lot of what I can grow. I have raised beds because of the wet, but last year was so hot & dry that I had to water everything - a pain, but not usual.

I will hopefully get my poly-tunnel re-skined soon so that will enable me to grow more & longer. I had it wreaked in a gale & haven't gotten round to fixing it as yet.
I have hens, but have problems with predators so have to be careful about shutting them in at dark.
All the best.

nodwah

O wondered how that Monty Hall had so many good days for his filming in Applecross!!

tigerlily

Hi and good luck in your efforts. I am in Cornwall and trying to do the same as yourself! I think I have possibly the smallest garden know to man though. I built myself a veggie patch last summer, this year I have got myself some chickens (3 light sussex, Minnie, Millie and Meg).
Last year I grew cabbages, cauli's, runner beans, beetroots, tomatoes and peas (believe it or not they were grown from a bag of frozen peas!!) and herbs. This year I have planted some rasberry and strawberry plants aswell. If you have an abundance of gravel save it as it will do for your chicken run, its easy to disinfect and re-use, so that will save you a bit of money! If its any help Wickes have cage and aviary wire at half price at the moment. They were by far the cheapest for all the fence and posts etc I have needed so far and cheapest for chicken food are agricultural stores. I feed my chooks organic food, Pets at home organic layers pellets 5kg = £5.99, Agricultural stores organic layers pellets 25kg = £12.53!! A massive difference, of course non organic will be cheaper again.

betterlife

wow got a step closer to self sefficiency today as i found 3 eggs in my duck house! i was so surprised, i got my ducks about 4 weeks ago and knew the female had a few more weeks to go before she`d lay eggs, i had been checking daily as ducks are known to lay anywhere, but when i went to clean there house today neatly under the straw was 3 eggs, i notice early evening when i went to get them in there house for the night she was already in there sitting on her eggs happily. ive decided as i wanted more ducks anyway females anyway im going to mark the eggs and let her hatch the 1st 7 or 8 then take the eggs after that for eating, oh how exciting! with ducklings and my cat being pregnant it will be like having my own farm lol.

Moozle_2

Wow, betterlife the first egg finds must be so exciting! I take it one of your ducks must be male or the eggs would not be fertilized.:T
SEE, the pics of your plot are most impressive. Its a good idea to take pics through the seasons.;)

Well, I had a busy weekend, I managed to dig over the whole patch and lifted my compost bin to find some excellent crumbly, slightly soggy compost which I worked into the patch, which improved it no end. I have planted the potatoes..... hopefully i'm not too early with that upon reading more about it I perhaps should have chosen early varieties. Oh well fingers crossed.
I've put an ad up on my local freecycle for garden fencing/chicken wire and large planters so hopefully some response from that. Garden netting is so expensive:( and I need to get an area fenced off for the chickens.

To do:
Rejuggle garden- Move some ornamentals to clear up space for more veg beds.
Move compost bin to better location.
Strt clearing chicken run area.
List items on ebay-still not done this:mad: but need to as no cash for anything.
Going to Aldi today so will look out for some bargains.

Happy gardening everyone!!XX:rotfl:

SEE

Moozle wrote: »

Wow, betterlife the first egg finds must be so exciting! I take it one of your ducks must be male or the eggs would not be fertilized.:T
SEE, the pics of your plot are most impressive. Its a good idea to take pics through the seasons.;)

Well, I had a busy weekend, I managed to dig over the whole patch and lifted my compost bin to find some excellent crumbly, slightly soggy compost which I worked into the patch, which improved it no end. I have planted the potatoes..... hopefully i'm not too early with that upon reading more about it I perhaps should have chosen early varieties. Oh well fingers crossed.
I've put an ad up on my local freecycle for garden fencing/chicken wire and large planters so hopefully some response from that. Garden netting is so expensive:( and I need to get an area fenced off for the chickens.

To do:
Rejuggle garden- Move some ornamentals to clear up space for more veg beds.
Move compost bin to better location.
Strt clearing chicken run area.
List items on ebay-still not done this:mad: but need to as no cash for anything.
Going to Aldi today so will look out for some bargains.

Happy gardening everyone!!XX:rotfl:

Thank you Moozle. I intend to start taking photos again tomorrow. If nothing else they give you something to look forward to on cold winter days. I love spring, summer, and autumn, but you can keep the winter:p