Preparedness for when

1Tonsil

It seems the SHTF sooner than we expect according to the news today http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/09/22/syria/16005277/

I fear there may be retaliation on many fronts for this action.


Have a gale force wind today which, thankfully, has taken away some of the high humidity. I went up to our spare bedroom to close the shutters, only to find the wind through the open window had blown the curtains off the curtain rail. After putting them back up I have closed the windows and the shutters..

We had some huge rain drops falling during the night and I heard some hail bouncing off the roof...but no sign of a storm or anything else. We will be ordering our wood for the fire soon as it is definitely getting cooler at night and in the mornings here now.

Our table top sales and car boot sales have started again, so I will be going to look for prepping goodies at bargain prices. Most Greek houses here use the two ring calor gas burners for all their cooking so they are cheap and easy to find. Gas is cheap as well.

I was most disappointed looking at the new clothes for winter in the shops here. They are all dull, muddy looking colours and poor quality, so I will be wearing last year's colours and fashions instead. Unless I can find some dapper fashions of better quality at the car boot sales.....:rotfl:

alice-mary

Is there something wrong with the web-site? None of the threads I read have had any posts published since just after 2pm?

Alice
x

Frugalsod

alice-mary wrote: »

Is there something wrong with the web-site? None of the threads I read have had any posts published since just after 2pm?

Alice
x

There may have been a problem but it would appear fixed now, as you have posted.

alice-mary

Thanks Frugalsod, I was worrying if the S had really HTF and somehow I'd not realized! Hope everybody else in MSE-land is okay!

Alice
x

siegemode

Karmacat wrote: »

Siegemode - I *really* understand about limited energy, so please excuse my delurking - cos I also understand the lure of getting out and doing 5 minutes gardening here and there, it can be lovely.

For your low maintenance edibles - there's lots of choice. Herbs, maybe? Chives, mint, sage, nasturtiums since the flowers are edible. Sorrel? Since the bed is 3' deep, you could have 2 - 3 fruit bushes at the back, or maybe a ballerina tree, a single stem sort of thing. Fig trees also need to be confined - is there a fig tree round near you? This is the time of year to take semi-ripe cuttings search at the RHS website for info).

Container plants: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/aug/15/ten-best-herbs-grow-containers

And fig propagation: http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/figs/fig-propagation.htm

**sits back down again sharpish**

Thanks for de lurking to post.

I've never had much luck with herbs, probably don't pick and use them enough. This last year I haven't had the energy or the inclination to cook as much as I usually do. I love cooking (and eating:o), but seem to have lost the urge and motivation along with my sparkle:(. As I head towards the big 50 and the winter I'm determined to make a few changes and focus on de-cluttering and organising inside and out. Getting back to eating properly is also high on the agenda.
Fruit bushes in pots sound good so will look into that further.
Can I grow kale in pots successfully does anyone know ? I really want to be able to have veggies to pick before next spring or is it too late now ?

As I trundled about the interweb I came across these courses,

http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/events/2014/11/02/woodland-survival-skills

http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/events/2014/10/18/game-preparation-and-outdoor-cooking

There's loads of different ones in each area and they look a lot more reasonable price wise compared to many others I've seen. There's also green woodcraft and coppicing, fungi and foraging and volunteering days etc.

RAS

siegemode wrote: »

Anyway right now I need a little advice as to what I can plant in pots which I will place in the front on the small area of gravel that is the front garden (approx. 3ft x 7 ft and quite sheltered). Mum suggested winter pansies, but I want low maintenance edibles. So this is where you lovely peeps come in, any suggestions ?

siegemode

My first question on this would be, which way does it face? The scope is very different if it gets the sun whenever it shines in winter, or if it is north-facing and very gets the sun.

Also can you start seedlings indoors (south facing window). You only need to get them to the two leaf stage before planting out but it would make a big difference.

The bigger pots the better as always and remember that plants that are close to house walls can get dry even when it rains.

On good place for inspiration is http://www.verticalveg.org.uk/

Do you have a local allotment site? Would anyone there give you a few spring cabbage or kale seedlings?

The other things that you could get going and transplant are:

Swiss chard - Lucellus from Lidl is hardiest and very tender, Bright Lights, Rainbow or Ruby good for winter colour and look lovely on the plate.

Mizuna - great for stirfrys survived minus 19 here. Small leaves also good in salads.

The mustards are also stir fry material and very hardy. You probably only need two or three plants. Warning Giant Red is giant and needs a good 12" at least. Smallest leaves can add bite to a salad.

Corn salad, sow now outside for winter salads - mild flavour.

Land cress can also be germinated outside now.

Also chicories might give you a little harvest and winter lettuce (Winter Density, Valdor) but start as plants indoors.

Try growing pea-shoots in a hanging basket? Stops therodents eating the seeds.

thriftwizard

One much-under-estimated low-maintenance edible is a Japanese Quince or Japonica, also known as Chaenomeles Japonica I think. It's very pretty in flower in Spring, but quite spiky, and the fruits aren't at all attractive, but they smell lovely & make a delicious jam or marmalade. Typically, though, our own one is a male - stunning flowers, but no fruit! However, many of our neighbours' plants do have fruit, probably pollinated by ours, and I'm the only one who uses them...

[Deleted User]

OK, so we're 5 days and 5 hours into the lantern test, and it is still lit.

It doesn't seem to have faded much, over the last few days, but then it's not been terrifically bright, since the first ~ 24 hours after it was switched on.

daz378

bought some more leds yesterday and also an l.e.d keychain from poundland....... going out for a couple tonight practice my german at a stammtisch in Manchester .... a bit chilly and drizzly today.....enjoy your day

Lavandula_Rosemary

daz378 wrote: »

bought an l.e.d keychain from poundland.......

I'm jealous. How am I going to survive the IS threat to world peace without one?