2023 - the good, the not so good but hopefully not ugly of growing your own!

Glittering_M

Happy new year!

Last year was our first year in our current garden and it was sporadic.. This year I hope to get properly set up.

Herbs (Rosemary, thyme, lavender, bay, chives (put in/started last year), sage and some more obscure ones like horehound, myrtle, bergamot). I'd love to be able to learn more about herbal remedies for general stuff but not in a ignore modern medicine way/super out there way if that makes sense?? Will supplement with annuals - fenugreek, basil, thai basil and coriander - mixed success with these last year. Planted coriander seeds inside the other week and it is leggy before the true leaf has come and seems to have slowed down their growth so shall see. I have moved them to a different window sill that gets a bit more light. I don't want to use a light.

Veg (from seed unless stated) - last year our courgettes did well as did potatoes (grown from forgotten about potatoes from a friend) but nothing else! Our leeks are ok, our kale and spring onion did nothing (I tend to now just regrow spring onions from the cuttings in water inside. Our aubergine (got as a plant) grew one flower but that is it) and our sweet corn got to about 1 foot and then did nothing. This year, I will plant less courgette plants (will keep just 1 as we don't like them that much for the amount we got last year) and put it in a pot as it took over the plot last year. I hope to try - beans (not sure what type yet, ones to dry), spinach, leeks, sweet corn, potatoes, savoy cabbage, normal green cabbage, kale. On the maybe list are = tomatoes, aubergine, celery, spring onions, sweet potatoes and strawberries. White (or are they brown?) onions were a maybe as a we eat a lot, but I don't see how it is possible to grow them for a similar cost as it is in the supermarket (about 50p for (I think) a kilo. 

I also have some ideas of trying to grow stuff to make oats or flour with. I have done some initial reading online and apparently you don't need that much space (apparently 1/2 a tennis court size (not that we have that to spare at the moment) produces enough to become flour for 90 loaves!). Even with my reading though, I don't fully understand what it is I actually would be needing to plant. Is it oats, is it barley or something else?? This would be for oats for porridge and/or to make flour with, possibly some of the more expensive stuff like rye? Or is this all really too much faff. I know you'd need space for it to dry.

Also want to grow flowers so I can have cuttings for the house and also to help bees and butterflies etc. No idea what apart from  sweet peas.

I also want to try and make a wildlife pond, initially in a old bath. It won't be sunk though as we'd never get it out again so not sure how much benefit it would have even with the various ramps etc. I want to jump in fully with a dug pond (and use the bath for something else), but I have never had a pond of any kind and I want to take things steady.

Also need to look at trying to create a cold frame and getting a water butt (although I didn't realise how costly they are!!!)

Compost is getting there but some bits haven't seemed to have broken down well. I have given it a good stir today.

Saying all of this, I am conscious about being too ambitious so I probably will actually attempt some of this, given I need to dig some more beds first, I work full time, I don't like de-weeding much and have limited experience! I am also very frugal so this may have an impact!

Looking forward to hearing about your exploits!

KajiKita

@Glittering_M how about edible flowers like borage, nasturtium calendula etc. The insects love them and you can eat them in salad as well 😊

KK

alicef

Hi!

I would love to join in! 

My significant failing is not planning succession sowing.  I end up with gluts that go into the freezer but then don't get used up.  This must end in '23. 

I also have a tendency to grow things that don't do that well for me - aubergines and melons spring to mind.  I just don't give them the time they need.  

A realistic planting plan of the raised beds/poly tunnel with succession - that's my goal.

KajiKita

alicef said:

Hi!

I would love to join in! 

My significant failing is not planning succession sowing.  I end up with gluts that go into the freezer but then don't get used up.  This must end in '23. 

I also have a tendency to grow things that don't do that well for me - aubergines and melons spring to mind.  I just don't give them the time they need.  

A realistic planting plan of the raised beds/poly tunnel with succession - that's my goal.

Oh, I am soooooo with you on not managing succession sowing or planting! That is one of the main reasons I am here tbh …

KK

Glittering_M

KajiKita said:

@Glittering_M how about edible flowers like borage, nasturtium calendula etc. The insects love them and you can eat them in salad as well 😊

KK

Thanks, borage and nasturtiums already on my list, is borage best for a container? I seem to remember reading it spreads?

alicef

@KajiKita We'll crack the succession sowing this year!

@Glittering_M Re:  borage - usually the annual tho' think there is a perennial form? Mine doesn't spread during the growing season but it does self seed prolifically so I haven't needed to re-sow.  The bees love it.

KajiKita

@Glittering_M mint spreads like crazy but borage doesn’t, just seeds itself around as alicef said 😊 The seedlings are fairly easy to identify and extract in early spring if they are where you don’t want them. 

KK

KajiKita

alicef said:

@KajiKita We'll crack the succession sowing this year!

@Glittering_M Re:  borage - usually the annual tho' think there is a perennial form? Mine doesn't spread during the growing season but it does self seed prolifically so I haven't needed to re-sow.  The bees love it.

I’ll hold you to that!! 👍💪😉

KK

Coffeekup

KajiKita said:

Thank you @Dizzy_Ditzy, I shall be joining in here this year for prompts, advice and encouragement 😊

And to show willing here’s a before and after of one of my veggie beds …..
-snip- 

KK

Are you going for no dig?

KajiKita

Coffeekup said:

KajiKita said:

Thank you @Dizzy_Ditzy, I shall be joining in here this year for prompts, advice and encouragement 😊

And to show willing here’s a before and after of one of my veggie beds …..
-snip- 

KK

Are you going for no dig?

Yes 😊 As best I can, though on this bed, there were so many tap rooty weeds it got to be quite dig! 😉 I aim to be fully organic and vegan as well, as far as possible. 

KK