Selfsufficientish.com

Hi All,

My Garden is going to be cut in half in a couple of weeks...and I'll be losing the half with all the apple/plum trees and well as an established covered fruit area consiting of strawberrys etc... So I started digging up the plants as carefully as poss and transfering them to my end of the garden...needless to say I'm running out of space soooo.....

My hubbby asked the farmer he rents his unit from if he had any spare land I could rent...he said he will sort out about 1/4-1/2 an acre- AND Plow it ready for me!!

Yes the farmer IS going to recieve loadsa kisses on his forehead (! !) but here where I'd Really appriecate your help:


The plot is about half an hour from my house and I can dedicate about 2-4days per week there (So that rules out livestock)

I'm reluctatant to take all my fruity stuff down there in case my plot has to "move" (I havent figured out the timescale for keeping the land as yet- Farmer said it'll be on a bit he never uses)

Also my plan is to grow enough veg to stock my family (Of 5) and my mum and dad and if possible to sell at my local monthly farmers market (I'm setting it up so it'll be cheap! lol)

Any input will be showered with gratitude ... SO ExCiTeD!! :violent2:

With out knowing the position or soil, it sounds like quite a bit of land that will suddenly have a lot of exposed soil for weeds to get into. Also it sounds like you wont have a supply of water near by, so you'll need to grow things that can look after themselves.

I suggest planting stuff that needs to be planted at this time of year, so that you get ground cover ASAP.

Potatoes will grow any where and apart fron the planting and earthing up are relatively trouble free, they will also out compete weeds., and break up the soil for you.

Peas and beans can be broad cast sown in a large area and will improve the soil.

Beetroot, perpetual spinach easy. Leeks are good and could be broad cast sown.

I wouldn't sow carrots and parsnips until you sort out an area of soil that weed and stone free and a nice tilth. They can be a bit of a pain.

Same with the brassica's, you really need to grow them from seed and plant out. The might be plaqued by pidgeons

[quote="Cheezy"]With out knowing the position or soil, it sounds like quite a bit of land that will suddenly have a lot of exposed soil for weeds to get into. Also it sounds like you wont have a supply of water near by, so you'll need to grow things that can look after themselves.[/quote]

Hi Cheezy, Thanks for your reply, I have no idea what the land will be like...I was thinking about doing the same as what I did at home...to cover the land that will not be used straight away with paper and manure but defo want potatoes so if they benefit the ground - everyones happy! I'll also need an area for compost....guess I should wait to see the land before I make plans but I am so excited- just wanna get out there!

I do know there is a tap nearby so that will make things easier!
x

Congratulations, I'd just love an opportunity like that. The best advice is to grow what you and your family personally like, and definitely use potatoes as a pioneer crop, Also remember that you don't have to plant it all up straight away so cover any unused ground. Please let us know how you get on, it would be really interesting to hear how it progresses when you're starting from scratch like this.

If you can't lay hands on manure immediately you could plant a green manure which could be turned in later as a soil improver. I had one half of an allotment that I couldn't get to last year due to work and weather so it spent summer under buckwheat (bring on the local pigeons mind - they love it) and winter tares till February. I'm now planting it up knowing that at least it grows crops and that it has been helped along somewhat.

Silly system that we have lets you on to the local allotments in February. Ho hum - accountants year not gardeners year.

One strategy is put crops that you can harvest at your convience and that keep for at least several days at the more remote site. (potatoes, onions, beets, carrots, parsnips, turnips, winter squash, radishes, garlic, grains, sunflowers, nuts, apples, pears, grapes for drying)


Then put the crops that are best harvested on a daily basis or that are delicate and don't travel well in your home garden. (salad mix, mangetout, strawberries, raspberries, basil, cherries, plums, tomatoes in greenhouse, french beans, summer squash)