Dig for Victory - Mark II

Primrose

silvercharming - yes, it is sometimes frustrating that a lot of people don't seem to be able to relate the production of food to their own circumstances. I suspect that one day, possibly in our own lifetimes, the food shortage for the word's population will be so acute that everybody on the planet will have to start growing a few edibles on whatever small parcels of land they have. When we get to that point, the ones who have already been doing it and have learned the skills, will have the edge. And those who have been most affected by the economic downturn will also find themselves looking to grow their own to save money. We have so much land in this country going to waste. Can you imagine how much more we could grow in this country if our backs were to the wall and we had to rely on being self sufficient? If everybody were on strict rations but had the chance to improve their situation by growing additional stuff themselves, the nation's attitude to growing their own veggies would probably change overnight.

C1aire

This is the first time I've had a bit of garden to take advantage of so I have a monster amount of tomato plants (over zealous sowing...), some peppers, some beetroot and I am trying to find space for some onions and carrots that I want to interplant as I gather they get on well together.

I think the realisation is slowly dawning on people that supermarkets don't sustain a population, the land does. That and simple economics - go look at the price of a lettuce, then at the price of seeds for cut-and-come-again-salad. How much better would life be if the supermarket land banks were turned into allotments...?

ceridwen

Some very good points made above.:T

I think people are coming round gradually. I can see from my own experience that its not necessarily easy to make a start - but I do think silvercharming has a good point that if people are just given a bit of a "helping hand" and example then that is a very good way to approach things.

I certainly am aware that I probably dont know a huge amount of very basic information about how to do my own foodgrowing and am seeing what I can pick up from a variety of sources (M.S.E. being one of them). Its a slow process - and I am trying to learn myself.

Personally - I just hope we have time to "throw things into reverse" - we see that there is now food shortages emerging (we are all aware of that one), we see the attempts to foist G.M. food onto us, there is Monsanto and the like out there (ie giant firms trying to patent seeds for foods.........expletive deleted!) and I think many of us have read of the health benefits of organic food.

There comes a time when we have to stop hoping/anticipating that "They" (ie the Government) will "do something". When you get to my age...you know "they" won't. Its up to us at an individual level.

Right...now I think one of my tomato plants could do with a bit more earth in its container...anyone know whether I should try and stop the growth in height of the tomato plants at any point and, if so, how? (I do know about pinching out the sideshoots - done - tick box).

Lotus-eater

ceridwen wrote: »

Right...now I think one of my tomato plants could do with a bit more earth in its container...anyone know whether I should try and stop the growth in height of the tomato plants at any point and, if so, how? (I do know about pinching out the sideshoots - done - tick box).

If your plants are outside, most say you are supposed to stop them after 4 trusses, 3 for beefsteak.
Greenhouse toms after 6 or 7 trusses.
Just pinch out the top growing tip.

Lotus-eater

Primrose wrote: »

silvercharming - yes, it is sometimes frustrating that a lot of people don't seem to be able to relate the production of food to their own circumstances. I suspect that one day, possibly in our own lifetimes, the food shortage for the word's population will be so acute that everybody on the planet will have to start growing a few edibles on whatever small parcels of land they have. When we get to that point, the ones who have already been doing it and have learned the skills, will have the edge. And those who have been most affected by the economic downturn will also find themselves looking to grow their own to save money. We have so much land in this country going to waste. Can you imagine how much more we could grow in this country if our backs were to the wall and we had to rely on being self sufficient? If everybody were on strict rations but had the chance to improve their situation by growing additional stuff themselves, the nation's attitude to growing their own veggies would probably change overnight.

Its true we have loads of land lying bare, that could be used for food growing, you only have to look at HFW's latest tv thing on the housing estate, to see that.
What worries me, is that those who may be going hungry in the future, may not bother growing their own, just take what they need from others that do so.

shandypants5

Hi everyone, good thread.

I am thinking of having a go at container gardening, as it seems easier than digging up my lawn.

I am a complete newbie to gardening (have done tomatoes in bags once) so any advice welcome.

Am I too late to start growing lettuce this year or carrots?
What should I plant now that will yeild good eating this year?

MRSMCAWBER

Morning all

This is my 2nd year of growing my own and im addicted already so much so that we are already planning on selling our house in the Uk when we move back and going for a house with a bigger garden -even if it means losing space indoors to get it :T .... we just want enough room for a proper veggie plot and a few chickens.... i am doing rather well to say everything is in tubs but the thought of having proper beds is soooo exciting ..i really am easily pleased

What cerediwen says about not feeling that she knows much about the basics strikes a chord with me... i have turned into a human sponge.. absorbing as much as i can..especially from my lovely mum.. its crazy as i am 1 of 5 and the only one who seems to be interested in what my mum knows-I have also taken on board all her old recipes (which i still love and recreate)..and its the same with gardening..most of my knowledge (which isn't THAT much im sure ) has come from things i remember seeing my grandad/dad do in the garden when i was tiny and from my mum..who has virtually all her garden now turned over to raised beds, green houses and a shed.
the thought of all this information/recipes etc being lost when anything happens to my mum is terrifying..so im making it my mission to keep it going.

Shandypants..
No you aren't too late for salad leaves, carrots etc. Salad leaves are great if you get through salad stuff like we do...they are sooo expensive to buy :eek: i set a few more seeds every couple of weeks and rather than use them as whole lettuces i take off the outside leaves to use and let the rest carry on growing (called cut and come again)
If you are short of space then I would think of what you use most of and what is the most expensive to buy and go from there
be warned though...its addictive

C1aire

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

the thought of all this information/recipes etc being lost when anything happens to my mum is terrifying..so im making it my mission to keep it going.

MrsM I know exactly what you mean! My Mum already regrets not absorbing more info from her parents - though she built her own dry stone walled beds so she obviously learnt something unique from my grandfather (a dry stone waller) I am on a similar mission - I've already told her I don't want her material possessions when she's gone, I want her know-how when she's alive!

Davesnave

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Its true we have loads of land lying bare, that could be used for food growing, you only have to look at HFW's latest tv thing on the housing estate, to see that. quote]

The problem is that on many housing estates, decent sized gardens are non-existent. The concept of a modern house with around a quarter acre, which would allow a good deal of self-sufficiency, is something that came and went very quickly as the suburbs swallowed-up vast swathes of countryside and land rose in price. Now, 12 to 20 houses per acre is the sort of density striven for!

I can see the argument for containing urban sprawl, but there is a counter argument that says our 'garden city' areas are probably more wildlife-friendly than many a field, offering great diversity of habitat. They could certainly be more productive if 'farmed' by their owners too.

In the future I forsee, people will, of necessity, return to growing more as food price rises take a much greater slice of their income. Local authorities will be forced to provide allotment space as residents, unable to 'get away' for the weekend, need somewhere local to chill out other than the pathetic little patch behind their house. This already happens in parts of Europe, where the wooden chalet and allotment form a focus for family life. Nobody thinks the Germans are 'backward' because they have this tradition where flat-dwelling is the norm.

Far from being 'doom & gloom,' a return to a more sustainable lifestyle could put people back in touch with nature, and the sort of simple pleasures that keep many of us gardeners sane.

JWF

I've been surprised this year by the number of people who have had a go at growing their own, even if only a few spuds in bags and a growbag with tomatoes in. It's also surprising how some of the people I know that I'd never have expected to try growing their own have been doing it this year - saying that though no-one at work thought that I would be doing it either!