Becoming self sufficient from scratch-my diary

Moozle_2

Update: Hen house made up. Hens ordered, 2 Black Rock, 2 Isa Brown, 2 Speckledy. (So excited!!) Will be delivered in 3 weeks.

Started digging over another 2 beds for veg.

Have made £12.00 on ebay stuff, possible £40 selling 2 old chimneys found in clearout of outbuildings:D

Ken68

hardpressed wrote: »

Can you explain about growing potatoes on the surface, I've got plenty of mowings, sound like it might save some digging.

Place the seed potato in a shallow hole, put on some compost, grass mowings(weedkiller free) or newspaper or a mixture. As the taters grow, just add more compost. They will grow into the compost, and you can harvest as they grow without digging them up. Take one or two from each plant. Finally dig up at the latest possible. This allows the taters to 'bulk up' and give maximum crop.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicgardening/nd_spuds.php

bonsibabe

Well he did it! Hubby went out yesterday even though it was windy and slightly wet and dug up a corner of the garden and got my compost bin in its rightful place and it is well and truly started off! We went to a certain DIY place that starts with B in the city yesterday morning and bought some wire fencing, they sell it in small squares and used that under the bin to stop the vermin from getting in, and used some bush clippings from my mum to start it off. He was digging away and has half filled my normal wheelie bin with the stuff he was digging up - knickers, tights, shoes etc ... he was half expecting to dig up a body lol. But no excitement after that just lovely soil full of worms so bonus there. While we were there, I bought a seed tray thing and some herb seeds so am going to try and grow my herbs from scratch although OH is wanting them now so he can use them in his cooking! And he got a bay tree and my neighbour has used a couple of leaves already! In return she is keeping all her veg peelings and tea bags etc for my compost bin! Fair swap I think! But the bin is looking good so far, lots of veg peelings and my dad came by today with a bag of mulch, he used half of it and has no use for the rest so he tipped it in the bin to see if that would help it start off! And he is keeping all his tea bags and going to take them home from work for me!

I'm a bit sad I know, but this composting has had me so excited over the last week! I've been like a big kid making sure that the kids keep all their paper and put it in a big bag to shred and add to the compost bin.

Moozle, well done on the ebay front - I just can't seem to shift anything lately! But I won't stop trying, I'll just wait a while before listing again, but my books seem to be flying away on Play so hopefully I will have a few quids to add to the gardening fund soon! xx

TheBees

Just found this thread after searching for some MSE gardening advice so I've made it a favourite now.

We have a smallish garden in East Devon which faces north so near the back of the house never gets the sun but the far end of the garden and sides gets it from around 10 til 5.

This year I'm using growbags and pots but am monitoring exactly where the sun shines with a view to maybe having a small raised bed on the edge of the lawn next year.

Yesterday I planted up some more potatoes (in buckets), spring onions (in growbag), lettuces (growbag) and dwarf beans (pot). I've raised some tomatoes from seed which are on the lounge windowsill and some cucumber plants too..(Too early for them to go out I think). Need to look for support for these.

Happy gardening all..

ALIBOBSY

Loving this thread. Spent the weekend in the garden. Last year we had 2 raised beds and loads of pots, but the rain washed alot of our efforts out. Mind you had some early spuds and toms before the blight hit. Didn't buy any salad leaves for most of the summer, and enjoyed some unusual salad leaves such as beetroot tops and radish tops plus plenty of herbs. We had problems with the brassicas and cabbage white caterpillers so going for netting this year.

Decided to go the whole hog this year and convert the back into a cottage garden. First job was OH digging out drainage, mostly done now. Going for raised beds as soil is full of clay (hence drainage). We weedkillered the lawn a few weeks ago, and have weed membrane ready to go. Spent alot of time at weekend potting on seedlings and giving them time outside to start hardening off, and sowing new seeds. Set up two compost bins and DD1 has been really happy putting bits in all day lol.

Got alot of supplies from B&Q this weekend in the sale. Anyone else see the 75l of potting compost for £3 a bag.

Going to get the rest done over the long weekend next week hopefully.
Mind you Oh just rang and says he might try to do some each night so we can get going quicker.
Left a space for a greenhouse, but still debating which to buy. With 3 kids and one on the way glass isn't suitable and OH reckons he can take one of the cheap PC norfolk ones and by using silicone to stick the panels in, some extra bracing and fixing it down solidly make it solid. At least then we could get the GH now instead of saving some more (and clear out my window sills lol).

Think I will take some photos of the garden as is and then at each stage just for fun.

Also cut down some tree saplings which had dropped down behind a conifer hedge and were growing through it. Will make free nice looking "green" bean/pea/sunflower supports.

Ali x
Plus the other good news hit 13 wks pregnancy and don't feel nearly as sick now so can get much more done hurrah!

ALIBOBSY

Also found a couple of old dustbins up the side of the garden (from before when weelie bins came in). Although we have put some spuds in pots going to clean these out and try the "bin" method for some more.

ali x

Moozle_2

Wow, everyones getting motivated in the garden. Bonisbabe, you are off to a flying start, you will have some fab compost in no time at all! (and welldone for getting the husband motivated;)) Herbs is definately a good place to start... I have just potted some supermarket bought ones up and they are doing really well and look lovely in blue pots on my steps. Much more useful than the usual bedding I put in there.

To do:
Find cheap fencing/chicken wire :rolleyes:
Sow more seeds
List more stuff ebay :mad:
DooYoo for amazon vouchers for little greenhouse :rolleyes:
Digging!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:cool:

I wish I could just carry on with the gardening bit without the fundraising bit, but hopefully the extra effort will make my home produce all the nicer! I need to find the £60 or so for the chickens which are coming in 3 weeks:huh:
Happy gardening!

Moozle_2

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

Think I will take some photos of the garden as is and then at each stage just for fun.

Also cut down some tree saplings which had dropped down behind a conifer hedge and were growing through it. Will make free nice looking "green" bean/pea/sunflower supports.

Ali x
Plus the other good news hit 13 wks pregnancy and don't feel nearly as sick now so can get much more done hurrah!

Photos would be good:D

You can see mine further up the thread, i'm going to take photos the first week of each month and post them.:D

ALIBOBSY

Am I the only one who was drooling over poppets lovely big greenhouse and garden.
How lovely poppet, our dream has long been to sell up and buy a smallholding or at least a house with a much bigger garden. Going to do things on a smaller scale for now.

Can't believe we had an allotment 5 years ago and due to me getting pregnant and us moving house had to give it up without really doing much on it. We decided unless we could walk to it we wouldn't use it. I would be happy to drive 20 mins to it now lol.

ali x

k66yla

I too have decided to grow my own this year, only the basic salad stuff to start off with, also have planted a few flower seeds, including Marigolds which I hear keep the greenfly down . I am in the process of rearranging my garden so I can also get some chickens, hopefully it won't take too long to save up for a coop, I did wonder about seeing if I could find an old greenhouse frame that no one wants so it could be made into a run for the chickens :idea:, all I would have to do then is add strong chicken wire to make it secure from predators. Its great to see everyone enjoying their outside space