Annual update on progress at 'The Farmette'

Polytunnels, cold frames, greenhouses, propagators & more. How to get the best out of yours...

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Ricard with an H
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Oh what a lovely encouraging post though I have to remind you that you-all have been almost at my elbow most of the way and there has been lots to read from past postings.

When my first cabbages blew away and then my lovely Molly started helping herself to anything crunchy, carrots, radish and bush beans were her favourite and having a crop of those few were my early target it all seemed hard work. Each and every time I found someone else had overcome the same problem and so things slowly evolve into what they are now.

The sea buckthorne hedge was recommended by a forum-er and though that was a massive planting task for me that hedge now offers a windbreak around my first area of raised beds. The second area with the hooped raised beds will have to manage with enviromesh, and thats something else I learnt from you-lot. Enviromesh other than keeping the critters out is just as valuable as a wind-break.

So thanks again for the praise, my job has been to learn by example.

Regarding my DIY skills, mostly those skills are not so much DIY as skills learnt earning a living for a wife and three daughters so I'm lucky to have not only those skills but also some professional tools to make it easy. As far as tools are concerned, I have tools to operate tools. Or as you ladies often say, "Boys toys".

Lets look at a simple job like cutting that blue pipe, mostly you would use a hacksaw which leaves a nasty burr inside and outside the tube which has to be removed carefully if you're providing a water service. I have a special cutting tool that slices straight through leaving a clean cut and zero swarf. (Swarf is what a hacksaw leaves behind)

And so-on, etc-etc. Just cutting the timbers accurately for my log store is easy, the hard bit is all the walking, lifting and carrying.

I forgot to say, both rows of potato are up, one row of Charlotte and a row of pink fir. Once again down to your encouragement.
How are you supposed to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle if it completely removes a wine lover’s reason to live?
Richard.
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retropants
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All is looking flipping marvellous Richard! I really do enjoy seeing the pics you post, maybe I am a bit nosy, but I find it fascinating seeing what other people are up to now their plots!
I will second the idea of looking for an unwanted greenhouse, either in your local paper or eBay (when you are ready) we have an old cedar one that was part of a house clearance. It is 1930's a bit worn now, as we have had it for nearly 20 years. It is huge, almost as big as a poly tunnel. We also have a 10x6 ft aluminium one that we got for free, we had to go and dismantle it and take it away, but it has been great for the chillis, aubergines and cucumbers. The large cedar one we use for tomatoes, and overwintering dahlias.
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Ricard with an H
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I would love to get a wooden one, repairs wouldn't be a problem for me and to be perfectly honest at a time I had to give up sporting activities being able to use the skills I have is very important to me.

I do have the means and skills to build one and a few prototypes have been on paper though this year the conservatory roof and wood store were more important. Then comes the issue of planning consent, the vague rules on what can and what cannot be done irritate me.

Local farmer says to put one up and just go ahead to use the space. The easiest solution would be a change of use for the whole paddock.

Most greenhouse construction I have seen wouldn't last very long here, a polytunnel might do better but we don't want a polytunnel. The barns adjacent to us are testament to the capabilities of wind damage at this lovely spot, they are slowely being ripped apart though that is made worse by no repairs being done as each season goes by.

Thanks for your encouragement though Emma.
How are you supposed to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle if it completely removes a wine lover’s reason to live?
Richard.
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Ricard with an H
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The new raised beds already had a light-hearted-removing of the biggest stones though I imagine for root crops I need to do a lot more work with the rotosieve and thanks agin to Geoff for the recommendation because it is a good tool. But hard work and I'm sure plenty will find a good and sensible reason for avoiding the work.

I have beds that I sieved and beds I didn't, the results drive me on.

So, photos, rotosieved soil is lovely and the weeds come out easily, the tool is a quality tool and worth the investment.

The other photo is of my nutrient bed, other than rhubarb at the ends that does like all the poo I shove in there it's all comfrey and borage which apparently breaks down into the same nutrients.
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How are you supposed to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle if it completely removes a wine lover’s reason to live?
Richard.
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Primrose
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I would love to have all that sieved earth ! Our ground is so stoney here. Over the many years we have lived here the annual emptying of the compost bins onto veg patch and borders has raised their height by a few inches but I suspect if all the stones were to be removed the soil levwl would probably drop by about 12 inches! Then there is always the problem of how and where to dispose of all the stones when you have a compararively small growing area.

. When we first moved here we were taking buckets full of them to the council tip every week but every time it rained it seemed that another layer would come to the surface. Sometimes you just can't defeat nature and have to learn to live with it. But I do sometimes get some very weird shaped parsnips!
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Ricard with an H
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I suppose stones are just a problem with roots crops, our stone population is just as you describe though I do have plenty of places to dump stones though I created a stone-dump on the basis I may one day need lots of stones.

I just cannot throw stuff away.

When I was digging the planting trench for the sea buckthorne I was doing just what you describe, removing a barrow of stones for every barrow of soil to be retained then I had to find soil to fill what I had taken out.

Kitchen gardening, easy, isn't it.

I'm getting there and hopefully as I slow to a crawl in the coming couple of years I won't have much to do.
How are you supposed to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle if it completely removes a wine lover’s reason to live?
Richard.
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