Plotting, planning and planting for a future
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Fruit | 12 comments
Juicy home grown plums
“You’ve been led astray by Mark Diacono
“No. He’s just shown me new ways of investing in our future!”
There’s no sensible repost to that. If being led astray means that we have harvests of great edibles in the future, count me in. Gilbert agrees. At the moment he’s doing the same, buying trees, fruit canes and shrubs to fill the gaps in their range of fruit. He’s also bought some nut trees as they are a great source of protein. Nuts will have to wait until next year for me as the coffers are not quite as full as I’d like them to be.
This year’s investments will all eventually produce fruit, perennial vegetables and spices for us. Much more reliable than the stock market! A lot of the plants are just sticks at the moment but I’m optimistic – enthusiastically planting them with love and lots of organic matter. The seeds are germinating steadily. We are lucky as we have a big garden but I’m still finding that I have to be a bit creative on how I actually fit them all in.
The great thing about fruit is that it can fuel so many projects. Of course it can just be eaten raw but it can be dehydrated, bottled, frozen, made into jam, chutney and of course wine. Soft fruit is extremely expensive to buy so any excess is great for selling or bartering. BTW if you have some spare cash, invest in some Polka raspberry canes. They are an autumn fruiting strain that is relatively new. The bear more fruit and for longer than Autumn Bliss (the winner of best autumn raspberries until these appeared). They have won awards for taste too.
Why am I doing all this?
I am concerned about the future. The rising price of oil and the resulting hike in the price of everything. We have been trying to become more self sufficient for seven years and I realise that we are so very lucky – having had years to build up some skills without too much pressure. But now I’m firing on all cylinders. Trying to fill in the gaps and prepare for a very different world. It has become something of an obsession. It’s good to be focussing on moving towards a brighter future.
The plotting and planning is fun. And the main focus is on sustainability. I’ve been reading widely on creating the best compost, growing my own fertilisers and insecticides, rainwater/grey water harvesting and getting the best out of all our space. This year I’m planning to experiment more with vertical gardening which could add another 20% to our output.
All this takes time. Having been off sick since July 2009 I have the time and, as always, am happy to share my discoveries here.
There’s one book that I’ve been reading recently that has given me lots of ideas and inspiration on the sustainability front. I will be reviewing the book in a few days time – The Permaculture Garden
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I’m racking my brains, trying to think of perennial vegetables. Can you help, please?
Hi Marion
I’m going to do a post on them next week. Still at the research stage ATM – want it to be as full of information as possible.
Isn’t it funny how one step forward in the direction of sustainability and meaningful frugality leads to another smart step in the same direction?
If that makes sense anyway… I find that one of my greatest joys on this journey is the forward momentum that builds.
Have to agree with everything you said about the world changing and trying to be prepared on whatever level you can.
I’ve almost without knowing quite why been going down a similar path (although on a smaller scale) the last few year with growing, brewing and making my own where possible, your post kind of crystalised the half formed ideas roaming at the back of my head and gave them a name… Thank you! 🙂
Oh and I’ve ended up buying that Mark Diacono book on impulse now after following the link you put up… It looks a great read! lol 🙂
To Mandi – re Polytunnel.
A polytunnel can never be too big!! Go for the biggest one you can – use all the hoops, you won’t regret it!
If you don’t fill it right away with plants, it’s great for storage.
Good luck with the move and venture.
The fella hired a mini digger to move a selection of fruit trees that had been planted too close together in a boggy shady area by the people who lived here before, the trees werent happy & neither was I!! I now have a beautiful (potential) orchard, he got to play with a mini digger that he borrowed for the morning & the chickens have a selection of climbing frames to clamber over, happiness alround. Love that so many people are planting not for this year, but for many years to come
We’ve been planting a lot of fruit this year too – all for long-term investment rather than eating this summer.
We’ve got 13 to-be-bushes in the ground and 12 strawberry runners getting established. We’ve also planted nine fruit trees — mostly apples but a couple of pears & a cherry too. Probably nearly £200 worth of stock but hopefully worth it for future gain – year on year fruit provision without much extra labour (compared to having to start annual veg).
One of my learning priorities this year is to learn how to multiple these bushes/trees through cuttings and grafting etc – to extend our fruit provision here without further expense, and also to ensure that we can take some of our stock with us if we move.
My only regret is that I didn’t start this stuff last year!
My, amittedly small, plan to enhance my veg growing this year is to make a nettle feed. I’ve meant to do it before, but always think about it too late, when the nettles are old and stringy. This year I will get it sorted! Next year – complete restructuring of the raised beds which will give me 1/3 extra growing space.
Looking forward to your book review.
You are way ahead of us too. We try hard but there is room for improvement which probably won’t happen much until we stop work. There just isn’t enough time in the day for everything that I would like to be doing. We too are trying to prepare for the future on a vastly reduced income and with rocketing prices.
I would like to ask for a post about the perennial veg that you mentioned. I’m not sure that I know of many so any info would be gratefully received as they sound right up my (and everybody else here’s) street.
Thanks hopefully….
I have spent the day reading the polytunnel book you rated by joyce russell, and then had a brilliant conversation with the lady who lives at the house where we are moving. She has a full size frame ( 8 hoops) of a polytunnel at the end of the garden, behind the orchard.
She said she will try and get me a cover for it for when we move if I intend to ‘polytunnel’. I don’t think I would want full size as that would end up nearly 50ft long. But I’m sure in the 1 acre garden I could have maybe half a full size polytunnel! I will be looking up loads of facts from your site in months to come fiona so thank you for all your past effort I’m sure your pages will help me make far fewer mistakes than if I ‘went it alone’ in our new venture.
Your reasons are exactly mine as well, except that you are way ahead of me!