Self sufficiency

mink35

You must try growing your own runner beans! A few babmboo training poles for them to grow up. They are so much nice than shop bought. And let any that feel tough with really big beans keep growing. Then pick them and dry the beans on some kitchen towel and store to grow next year! They need soaking in water over night before planting.

Agree that they're easy-peasy to grow and taste much nicer than bought ones. Also keep tough beans for following year but have never had to soak them in water before planting - just put in compost in shed or greenhouse and plant out after all frost.

culpepper

Ive just got a book from our library called
The indoor kitchen garden by Joy O I Spocszynska
It has good ideas for being self sufficient when you dont have a big garden.
My dad used to grow Tomato plants on our window sills when I was little (we lived in a flat),this book goes much further.

mink35

They do tomato plants now (I think they're called Tumbling Tom) that you grow in a hanging basket. They are small cherry ones.

halloweenqueen_2

I have a bamboo in my garden so will nick free sticks from that! I have bought some tomato seeds, they ae sort of idiot ones where you don't have to cut of side shoots? You just transfer the and let them grow, I got a free packet of pepper seeds with the carrots and tomatoes. Hoping to have enough peppers to freeze. Does anyone know how to make cayenne peppers into the powder you get!!????

Yoga_Girl

Here are some websites you might find useful:

http://www.selfsufficientish.com/

http://downsizer.net/

http://www.rivercottage.net/index.jsp

If you're looking for cheap vegetable seeds try:

http://www.alanromans.com

I havn't actually ordered any seeds yet from this site as I only discovered it yesterday, however it looks like you can get stuff pretty cheaply.

halloweenqueen_2

Thanks for those yoga, they will keep me going - I'll have agood nose at the seeds for sale as well - Cheers ;D

scrimperjan

Thanks yoga girl, very interesting sites, lots of good stuff.........had to give the ironing a miss and have a good browse.

Debt_Free_Chick

I was nosing around Amazon and saw a book by a guy called John Seymour on self sufficiency - does anybody have this book - is it any good. Thought this would be a good time of year to really start planning  akitchen garden, have started on herbs etc and i am hoping to go into growing more than a few peppers and a tomato.
I don't have a huge garden but have bought some carrot seed that will grow happily in containers. Would love any help and tips, how to preserve stuff by canning/pickling would be a great help (getting cocky here now haven't even grown anything to preserve yet!).
I'm trying to get into things like making soap etc.
Any suggestions?

I think you'll find the JS book a bit OTT. It goes into things like keeping livestock and making a composting loo! It's ideal for those who want to be completely self-suffficient, but your needs seem somewhat more modest

I had the JS book and just gave it away to some friends who bought a plot of land in NZ and have built a timber framed house with solar powered energy and, yes, a composting loo!

The other websites posted are excellent, but for growing food I would also add the following

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/yabbse/

http://www.keirg.freeserve.co.uk/diary/default.html

HTH

Caterina

The guy who does the gardening guild has also written a very good book on self reliance, called, surprise surprise, 'Self Reliance'!

Amazon sell it and here is the link

He has also written other gardening books but I cannot comment on those as I haven't read them.

Caterina

halloweenqueen_2

Thanks for that! ;D