Grow your own dinner 2014

zafiro1984

Mansars:- Some good, some not so good, a bit like the rest of us. You are correct in that 'life' gets in the way of what we set out to achieve. However, the list of your fruit harvest is better than mine. I've only managed blackcurrents from your list, but I've done pretty well foraging this year, I've collected another bucket full of chestnuts yesterday.

Solar tunnel arrived yesterday, when it's up it should be 20' x 10' but it looks so small in the packages!! Hope to get it up by the end of November, raised beds have to be done first but more important than all that is that we have to repair several fences where trees have taken them out. Hope the weather holds.

Happygreen

Mansars, may I ask you how you are growing Goji and Aronia?? In pots or in the ground, greenhouse or outdoors? From seed, cuttings or bought plants? I tried Gojis before but they disappeared between the weeds and were never seen again

Dizzy_Ditzy

:eek: :eek: :eek:

We're getting another allotment

It's in so much better condition than the one I took on in June. We had a look a couple of evenings ago but it was getting dark very quickly, so we're going back on Saturday during the day for a better look. Half of it is covered, there is already rhubarb and raspberries, compost bin and bays. It's a triangular shape so it's gonna be a different challenge but it's one I'm looking forward to

And even better, if we can sort out the fresh water issue, wen will be getting chickens :j :j :j

mansars

Happygreen wrote: »

Mansars, may I ask you how you are growing Goji and Aronia?? In pots or in the ground, greenhouse or outdoors? From seed, cuttings or bought plants? I tried Gojis before but they disappeared between the weeds and were never seen again

I'm growing them in the ground and they came as small plants in a small plant deal through a voucher I had for Gardening Express.

The aronia was in a pot, until March, but struggled so I planted it out. The goji went nuts last year but was poor this.... I probably went to far with pruning last year.

zafiro1984

queen_of_cheap wrote: »

:eek: :eek: :eek:

We're getting another allotment

How did the Saturday visit go? Good time of the year to get an allotment - no excuse next year for not being ready !!!! lol.

I've not been on my patch for several days except to pick some carrots - I don't really want to get behind and I can't use the weather as an excuse - but I just don't feel like it at the moment. Instead, I've been cleaning out the hen houses and moving their waterers to a clean place, and I want to paint the outside of them. (animal friendly preservative). Afternoons have been really busy with helping to mend fences - all that, and I've lit the Esse Ironheart as I cook on that in the winter. I'm absolutely bushed at the end of the day - I usually fall asleep in front of the TV. Must go on a diet as I need more energy:D

Dizzy_Ditzy

The visit at the weekend was fab :j

We measured up and had a good look around- we found gooseberries too :j but there are brambles :mad: in the same bed

It's gonna be hard work but it won't need anywhere near as much clearing as Plot 1 did. Bit of turning over and the beds will be ready to go by the looks of it :j

Happygreen

How have the last few sunny days been, folks? Keep posting on your autumn jobs.

I managed to find some more potatoes, hoping for another good day tomorrow to finish the job. I've also now have 2 large trays of lettuces in the tunnel, I hope they'll pick up well in spring.
Maybe I give some gardening friends my own harvested seeds for Christmas - parsnip, lovage and sunflowers I keep forgetting to take bags for them when I go to the plot

Jazee

I had a productive day in the garden yesterday. All tidy and have planted broad beans, peas and garlic. Ate the last cucumber yesterday and dug up the tomatoes, putting those of a decent size in the greenhouse to ripen. Also took up the surviving carrots and leeks.

The spring onions are still doing ok and I've been taking leaves off the little gem lettuces in the greenhouse for our salads.

DH likes colour in the garden in spring so I had been intending to plant bulbs today, but it's pouring with rain.

moneyistooshorttomention

Will finally be able to "get a good run" at growing food in my garden at last soon. Not sure how much longer it will take to turf the squatter off part of my garden:( (hopefully she will be history by this time next year) - but most of it nearly ready for serious foodgrowing (rather than just putting in what I can manage).

I've had a reasonable amount of food out of it so far.

Out of interest, for those who are getting the vast majority of their fruit and veggies from their own garden = what size growing space do you feel you need to achieve this per (adult size) appetite?

Dizzy_Ditzy

If you can do pots, probably less space than you think!

I've had dwarf beans, potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes do well in pots, although the potatoes were proper slug fodder :mad: you can do carrots, garlic and onions in pots too.

How much space do you have, and what do you want to grow?