The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

MingVase

What kind of compost suits blueberries DfV?

[Deleted User]

It's not as though there's anything we can do to change the situation is there? we have what we have and all the dire warnings in the world aren't going to change the fact that we have a deadly virus running unheeded through the world population and that many people have lost their lives because they caught it and there is no effective treatment or cure or preventative available to stop it in it's tracks! Instead of wailing 'oh woe is me the economy is in a precarious state and we're all going to be in for hard times' much more use will be a mindset that says no matter what happens it is out of our control and we had far better start to make provision for ourselves in the future NOW, TODAY and do all we can to ensure that if we live through this unprecedented time and emerge in the future to a much changed world we have the frame of mind that says I will make the best of what there is to the best of my ability.  I am looking on e.bay for winter shoes for next year as I don't suppose we will be in a position to go to the shops even if the shops have stock in them and are open. Try to think ahead to what you might need and if possible and if you have the resources get it now while it's still available, makes so much sense.  I shall also be buying new Wellies, I've got a decent waterproof coat but I will aquire some warmer gloves and a double wall fleece hat and some new warm socks too and I know we're just going into the warmer weather but that's the best time to buy cold weather gear.

euronorris

Well, good news here. Which is nice, as I awoke feeling very irritable this morning! Lol

The 16kg bread flour and 1kg fresh yeast has been delivered. Wahoo!!

Then my boss called. Work has picked up considerably again, so they need me back working full time (remotely) from Monday. So purpose and structure, and back to full pay from Monday! Yesss!!!! Very pleased and relieved!

Love and hugs to all! Xx

[Deleted User]

MrsLurcherwalker said:

Squirrelgirl make jam, jelly, chutney, ketchup, sauces, pickled veg, pickled fruit, relishes and anything of that kind.  I never throw away a jar with a plastic sealed lid as I make loads. Like the dehydrated food they don't need power to keep them viable and recently we used jam made in 2008 (I KNOW! EEEEEKKKK!) but it was fine and we're still here!  Fruit cordials are lovely, store them in plastic bottles in the freezer with an air gap left at the top for liquid expansion when it freezes, elderflower, any summer fruit, elderberries, plums, damsons all make a lovely cordial which is nice hot in cold weather and best, best, best of all is elderflower champagne made in screw top glass wine bottles (not pvc, please not pvc, ask me how I know!!!!!) and it is quintessentially summer in a glass.  Home made ginger beer is good and goes on and on and on etc. as you can keep the plant going for years. Ginger cordial from fresh ginger is also delicious but expensive to make. So much fun to be had and so much to do.....but if we're shut in on lockdown we'll have the time we need to do it and it will stop us feeling cross, being productive is a good panacea to crossness caused by lock downs!

MrsLW, thankfully I do most of this already (although I use my damsons and a lot of my soft fruits in making flavoured gins and vodkas 😉) must admit I've never tried making ginger cordial - definitely something I'll be trying this year though, thank you! 😁 
I'm very lucky as I live in a rural area so have a good selection of unpolluted hedgerows for foraging too - there are a multitude of sloes within a 2 minute walk which I enjoy picking in the autumn and my daughters neighbour has a damson that they don't use and are happy for me to raid 😁 
I am starting to collect jars from family and friends (not physically- I'll pick them up once the lockdown allows) so intend to make this year a bumper one for my preserving/dehydrating and general prepping! 

Si_Clist

boultdj said:

I agree with mothernerd with the toilet rolls, I also plant runner beans, broad beans and French beans in them as they don't like their roots disturbed.

Funnily enough we did that for 6-8 years but finally realised that the roots tend not to spread - or at least our veg plants didn't.  Last year we ditched the toilet roll middles and the plants certainly seemed relieved!

jk0

Si_Clist said:

boultdj said:

I agree with mothernerd with the toilet rolls, I also plant runner beans, broad beans and French beans in them as they don't like their roots disturbed.

Funnily enough we did that for 6-8 years but finally realised that the roots tend not to spread - or at least our veg plants didn't.  Last year we ditched the toilet roll middles and the plants certainly seemed relieved!

T'would have been worse still if you'd actually used toilet rolls.

DigForVictory

MingVase said:

What kind of compost suits blueberries DfV?

I read they only really thrive in ericaceous compost. So while I have the big pots to migrate 2 plants over, I lack the ericaceous compost to move them. Still barely a year old so not a massive cropping year anyway!

MingVase

I think I'll work on growing some of these. Thanks xx

Si_Clist

DigForVictory said:

MingVase said:

What kind of compost suits blueberries DfV?

I read they only really thrive in ericaceous compost.

Our three blueberries outgrew their pots about 8 years ago, so we bought three medium-sized plastic dustbins, made lots of drainage holes on them, and sank them in holes in the garden.  (Yes, it was a lot of work.) We then filled them with ericaceous compost and rehoused the bushes.  They've thrived ever since, they're now over 6ft tall, and they're still cropping like mad.  Don't let them even think about drying out, and be aware that they're an absolute blackbird magnet.  (They look lovely in the autumn, btw.)

MrsCD

jamanda said:

MrsCD said:

Update on the steepy peas experiment. They are now about a foot tall in the kitchen window, but I'm waiting to put them outside until next week as the weatherman said it's going to be very cold at the weekend. I had to put some sticks in for them to grow up, they've grown so quickly! Should I be pinching them out of something?

I'd leave them alone, I think.  If you start pinching them out you might end up with a pea free bush

mothernerd said:

MrsCD If you do the peas again plant them in toilet rolls - collect toilet rolls, stand them upright in a container (I usually have an old washing up bowl that is no longer fit for it's old purpose so regenerates into it's new form), fill with compost and push peas in to about an inch from the top (they get lovely strong roots and the toilet roll can be planted in the ground as well). I do peas for pea shoots on the windowsill. I use one of the boxes that you buy mushrooms in (for those of us that can't get them loose), put half an inch (1.5 cm) of compost in the bottom, soak peas and keep them wet, cut to eat at 4 - 5 inches tall (takes a few days to a couple of weeks depending on the time of year/ available light).
I did once 'treat' myself to some rootrainers (£16 *!**, £16) but for some reason, all my stuff grows better in reclaimed household tat rather than expensive purpose bought stuff. 

Thanks for the advice. I have some in toilet roll middles, but didn't have enough, so I used yogurt pots with holes punched through. I've put some homemade compost mixed with some bought into a large storage box in the garden, ready to plant out next week hopefully. I'm opening the window every day to acclimatise them. I also put some compost mix in a big dumpy bag that gravel was delivered in. I rolled the sides down and I'm going to try growing lettuce and carrots. I think it will be deep enough, it's about a foot deep.