Daydream thread continues.....

rozeepozee

Rummer wrote: »

I am not trying to beat it, more looking for ways to work alongside it more successfully

There must be a way to develop our gardening methods to suit the changing weather.

Is this just another way for you to do some armchair planning, Rum?

Davesnave

OK here. It hammered down for a long time last night, but we wouldn't go out after dark on a day like yesterday.

This morning the stream that temporarily ran under the hen house has stopped and our brook is running clear, so I'd guess its been dry for six hours, at least.

The Taw at Umberleigh is about where it was last time, so the water will be on the road there, but it's lower than it was last night:

http://www.farsondigitalwatercams.com/live-webcams/south/Taw/Umberleigh

Rummer

rozeepozee wrote: »

Is this just another way for you to do some armchair planning, Rum?

How could you think so little of me :rotfl::rotfl: I think I just want the hard work I put in to be useful, damage limitation

So sorry to hear that so many of you are being badly affected by the weather.

Today is going to be a very busy day!

Davesnave

rozeepozee wrote: »

Is this just another way for you to do some armchair planning, Rum?

I think Rummer has asked some good questions. With the apparent onset of more extreme weather, it's fair to assume that gardening will have to change to reflect this.

In our case, a change of location has made the situation even more challenging. We are still finding out what will survive among our ornamentals, but we haven't lost sleep over those which have faded away. I keep about half a dozen tenderish things alive with special treatment, and that has to be it.

It's not possible for everyone to have a big polytunnel, but something like our tall frame, where we used to store sensitive potted perennial plants in winter, would be cheap enough for most people to construct. Though not important this year, water harvesting might be something to think about too.

Round here, the dire autumn resulted in a reduction in the maize harvest of about 40% and late sown seed has just rotted in the ground. It will be a while, but consumers will have to pick up the tab for that in due course.

In other words, it seems very probable that food prices will continue to rise, so growing your own will still make sense, provided techniques and crops are modified to cope with less cooperative weather.

Davesnave

Rummer wrote: »

I think I just want the hard work I put in to be useful, damage limitation

Armchair gardening or armchair anything can be useful, but ultimately, when you know enough to get going, then doing that is more productive.

For example, here I am typing this, when I could have put in a whole hour of hedging by now! :rotfl:

Rummer

Davesnave wrote: »

I think Rummer has asked some good questions. With the apparent onset of more extreme weather, it's fair to assume that gardening will have to change to reflect this.

:j I am glad you think so as my OH just laughed!

Mind you I do agree that I need to get working this year and I think that I have been on the right path all along. Raised beds, cold frame and greenhouse with extra hedging to provide shelter all seem sensible decisions.

Next year I am going to work on increasing our compost production and water storage as well as using things to hand for feed like our endless nettles.

Attracting bees and other beneficial insects is also going to be a priority for us as last year we saw worryingly few. I know this is a national/global issue however we are going to do what we can through planting and other (as yet unknown) approaches.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

I have/am a bit of an armchair gardener/smallholder:D BUT i found it was the confidence that sort of holds me back, thinking 'am i putting this plant in the right place, what if i put it in the wrong place, can i move it... i get very unsure of my decisions when it comes to the garden:cool::D

same with the pigs i read loads, but i still asked the questions i had the answere to ( from internet and books) I must have sounded like a total noup:p BUT i found even though i knew the answeres to the questions i had a realistic and personal view point from others, and this gave me more insight and more depth to it. hope that makes sense.

Itismehonest

LIR & CTC - Thanks for your concern I'm fine although I feel like my back has been put through a mangle :rotfl:

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

up at the ranch... when it rains heavy, there is water coming from the ground in once place, and runs down the public foot path. it sort of comes from nowhere, would it be some sort of water table? spring? or just water running from the fields underground, and when it gets too much comes to the surface?

It could well be a spring, CTC. Water is a law unto itself. Some springs are almost eternal, others pop up occasionally when the water table is high & some show once & never seem to reappear.
As Rhiw said they've been known to suddenly appear in the middle of people's houses.
We have old stone culverts under the house which we've joined into modern drainage so should be OK but with water one never knows for sure.

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

they also tried selling us their 7 month old donkey for £70.... I thought donkeys were to be kept in groups or at least a pair?

We had one donkey but she did have the ponies to keep company. You'll often find one donkey with one or two horses. The donkeys get very protective of them :rotfl: Ours also thought she was the goat's warden

Although a totally valid discussion (about climate change & crops) I still don't know how anyone can tell what pattern of weather we will actually have. We've had predominantly stable climate & seasons for several hundred years - since the mini Ice Age in Elizabethan times, I think. We sort of knew what to expect in spring, summer, autumn & winter. We can't hedge all our bets or we'd have to devote something like a quarter of our land to eah possibility. We'd end up wasting 3/4 of our patch whatever size it is.
We can do certain things - as we always have. Greenhouses, polytunnels, cold frames, cloches, raised beds etc but that isn't actually addressing the problem if we, for instance, have constantly high (or low) water tables, long scorching summers or long freezing winters.
We don't even know if the plants we are used to growing will be the plants we can continue to grow. Fish, birds & animals are shifting from their normal territories. Plants will have to do the same.

As I said before, even farmers have problems knowing what to do.
Here's a rather sad but interesting article mentioning just one or two of the problems they can face.
http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/Westcountry-farmers-driven-close-suicide/story-17626753-detail/story.html

COOLTRIKERCHICK

davesnave

I have sort of been browsing at polytunnels, nothing definate, but maybe down the line in the future,

what do you think of these ones?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150805856149?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Davesnave

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

davesnave

I have sort of been browsing at polytunnels, nothing definate, but maybe down the line in the future,

what do you think of these ones?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150805856149?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

No time to look properly now, but at 18' wide I'd want the next size of steel. i.e. 51mm. but I guess these will stay up OK. The major problem would be ventilation. Doors on the ends aren't enough really.