The all new good, bad and ugly of growing your own in 2020

Suffolk_lass

I meant to say that the problem with paraffin heaters is finding a supplier who can supply sensible amounts economically. Not sure where you are but the fuel station near me that used to have a forecourt pump has done away with it because of falling sales. There is a place about 30 miles away but we would need to be going near there for another reason to make that economical. Of course if you are near Rye...

You could potentially use heating oil in a paraffin device but as I understand it, paraffin is slightly more refined and less likely to smut-up. We are prepared to use heating oil in our (outdoor use) paraffin flame weed gun but I would not do so indoors. I remember my Grandma's in the early 1970s when it all went badly wrong!

crv1963

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

I would be most concerned about the running costs for a 2.8kw heater. Our 4-oven electric Aga runs up our electricity (we don't have gas) bill significantly in the winter months and with three-quarters of a ton of cast iron it relies on stored heat and does keep the whole house warm (not radiators, just open doors) but costs approx £40 per week and I recall being told it was like having your (1kw) iron on permanently. Obviously 5 degrees means it won't be on all the time but offset against your costs of production of what you are growing it will increase your costs dramatically.

I don't mind some extra cost because I like home-grown food but it is worth considering.

I know the costs rise dramatically the more I potentially use the heater, hence my setting it to 5.2 degrees or setting 2 of 10 on the heater. If we have a cold spell (likely) and it runs for days on end (also likely) and it costs a fortune I'll turn it down to setting 1 or 2.6 degrees to remain simply frost free. Propagator will be turned down to 15 degrees once all the chillis are through (not even sown yet!).

I'm reluctant to use the parafin heater due to cost and that it is damp heat so more likely to kill off my plants.

I never had this problem when I didn't have a useable greenhouse!

Suffolk_lass

crv1963 wrote: »

I know the costs rise dramatically the more I potentially use the heater, hence my setting it to 5.2 degrees or setting 2 of 10 on the heater. If we have a cold spell (likely) and it runs for days on end (also likely) and it costs a fortune I'll turn it down to setting 1 or 2.6 degrees to remain simply frost free. Propagator will be turned down to 15 degrees once all the chillis are through (not even sown yet!).

I'm reluctant to use the parafin heater due to cost and that it is damp heat so more likely to kill off my plants.

I never had this problem when I didn't have a useable greenhouse!

Me too! My old greenhouse is a 6x8 thing that has a twisted frame and in winter gales it distributed all the (replacement perspex) roofing over neighbouring fields and gardens in gales but continued to house my over-wintered pelargoniums and chilli plants with mice being the worst invaders. Ho hum - that's progress that is...

Pablosmummy

I have sowed my first plants of 2020! Just some chilli's but nice to start something for the year. Now I'll start my obsessive checking of the propagator for signs of life. Also did a bit more tidying up outside but it so cold I gave up and wrapped myself in a blanket instead... Sorry garden.

SSW83

Hello all. I'd like to join in also, please.

I have just moved house, with the intention of becoming self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables, if that's possible given the amount of land I have. Me and my partner have recently gone vegan, and our aim is to grow all of our own organic produce. We have moved from having a small back yard to a rather sizeable garden:

From this


To this


So, quite a step up!

So far, I have garlic in the ground, which is already pushing through, along with broad beans (both planted direct and sown in modules, as an experiment). I've also just sown some chilli seeds, and have several fruit trees planted. In fact, the newest tree is a Medlar tree, which I'm really intrigued to taste the fruit of.

Anyway, I'll be checking in regularly to update on my progress, good and bad, and to see how everyone else is getting on. I'm hoping to pick up some tips too, as I am very much a novice!

Simon

unrecordings

Looks like a lovely new garden. Looks like the photo is facing West ? So South is on the left of the photo ?

unrecordings

Operation Feeling Chipper continued apace today as the replacement workshop door handles arrived and we fixed the door. Mrs Un dragged the xmas tree into the workshop ready to be chipped, which might happen at the weekend, rain & stamina permitting. I need to do a bit more tidying before I can commit to sowing anything, but I fancy putting some leeks in trays in the greenhouse. I've a pack of Musselburgh seeds screaming to be first out of the traps. I've also got several buckets & tubs of last year's gritty home made compost that I'm going to mix up & re-use around the garden once i've picked the roots out. It's mainly come from pots of cornflower and similar annuals, and will go into areas designated for the same kind of stuff, maybe a little lawn filling where I don't mind/want to encourage a little bit of random

Suffolk_lass

That looks great SSW83 - just a couple of queries re your plot - you seem to have a fence on the left of the picture with "stuff" banked up against it. Watch out for rotting fence or vermin (they love freshly moved).

You say you have planted a medlar to try? We used to have one. You are meant to wait for the fruits to "mature" (semi-rot) before using them. It was too much for our taste. I hope you like it - a lot of time and money to wait for a medlar to mature enough to produce fruits only to find you don't like them... You should have plenty of room to be self sufficient, especially if you get your succession planting sorted - we are very good at "glut and gap" planting - giving away masses and then bare beds for part of the year!

Suffolk_lass

I have ordered lots of seeds from T&M at £1 a packet and 4 for 3 offer - I am looking forward to doing my seed audit and getting my plans written

I must get my bug zapper (aka bottom heat kitchen propagator) sorted - after almost electrocuting me it has been unplugged all winter and we have not (yet) had the invasion of flies that had become an annual feature indoors. I was trying to change the bulbs - I hope I didn't blow something major...

crv1963

I went down to the Greenhouse last night and now have leeks through as well as onions! I bought some more seeds yesterday and will have to sort through and make a list of what I have. An abundance of Carrot seeds and I'm going to try them in 10 inch pots.

I've sown some Sweet Peas in root trainer pots and ordered the timber from the local timber yard to make the next four cold frames. Pouring with rain here today so I'll pick up the timber but not sure I'll make them today- although I have promised one for my Mother so I'll have to do them this week!

I too ordered some seeds from Browns and T&M, not arrived yet. My large pots/ tubs have arrived and so having problems getting into the shed!