Spring Growing

 

Survival is just as much about how to survive in a future where the powers in control have total control over everything we need for that survival. In such a future time - not so far off by the look of it - we will need to be able to grow our own food for the use of the individual, family or group. Of course, an idea was brought before the EU to try to stop the individual growing food, but was thrown out. However, what seems totally insane today becomes reality tomorrow. Whatever happens, learning to become self-reliant through food-growing will never be a waste of time, because no matter what happens this can be done through Guerilla Gardening using land which is not used and which is out of the way enough not to be noticed easily. We should think of the worst that can happen and plan for this, if it does not happen that way we shall not have wasted our time.

Seed trays with small 'plug' compartments are useful for growing at the earliest stage, and this can be done in February-March-April. I started early with some of mine, even as early as late January, and using the poly-tunnel has been a boon for this year. The seed-tray above was planted later and the seedlings are just coming through.

Onion sets were planted in the poly-tunnel in early February and this is how they are now; this has put them well ahead, though this could mean some going to seed. Red Onions, I am told, can do this, and some I planted are Red Onions, so we shall see. This is the advantage of having many options as to the use of covers such as a greenhouse, poly-tunnel, cloches, or mini-greenhouses, all of which will produce food much earlier. These are used to create a longer growing season, the object of trying to become more self-sufficient.

These are peas grown in a pot, using small sticks which they will climb up; the peas I used were dried peas from a supermarket, much cheaper than the packets from seed-suppliers. These are the first sown and I have a lot more in seed-trays and pots, some using Lord Leicester variety which is an old heritage seed, but which last year did not do too well. I think this was because of the location I set up the pea-canes, but I had enough seeds to save for this year to try again. I have also sown peas in an old piece of guttering with the ends shut off: this is then easily tipped out sideways to form a pea-row. Another experiment.

The raised bed in the front garden has been planted with spring onions and different varieties of lettuce. I intended to do a Welsh form of planting spring onions, where a greater number of seeds are planted together in a pot and then transplanted into place, producing a cluster of plants close together. The tops can be harvested this way. But I forgot this and will try a second crop later; spring onions have never done well for me I am afraid, and rarely do I get any decent ones. Last year I cut the tops off regularly and they grow again, and this way seems to work better for me. 

I have a tub of peppermint in the front garden, and a tub of spearmint in the back garden, and these get rather tangled and 'leggy' each year. Now I get the roots up and break them into small pieces, thus being able to produce a number of pots of new plants each year. 

These lettuce grew from the seeds produced by last year's crops, and I transplanted them into the poly-tunnel; they have grown bigger now and will soon be ready to harvest. This will be much earlier than the seeds sown in this spring, thus again lengthening the growing season, which is the aim for this year. It seems best to give yourself some kind of goal to achieve each year, trying evermore to grow more and lengthen the season's growing.

This is yet another experiment I have done this year; when cutting off the top and bottom of an onion to use in cooking, don't throw away the pieces. Keep the rooted part and plant it in some compost. This is growing now, and may produce an onion, but if not the tops can be used. First try this so I am not sure what happens. 

 

The above shows seed-trays with more dried peas growing, and I have done quite a lot of these. Peas need only some type of twigs (better than canes) which they can wrap around to grow upwards. They use a lot of nitrogen though and need feeding; dig the roots into the ground (like runner beans) to get the nitrogen back into the soil. 

This is the strawberry-barrel which is coming on well this year, after being put into the poly-tunnel for a month or so at the end of the winter. These have never done well in a barrel, but this year I shall try to give more attention and feeding. I have a strawberry bed in the front garden but I am considering the future of this since these did badly last year too. They are well behind those in the barrel, and nowhere near as healthy-looking. Maybe the bed could be put to better use. This is something to consider when having to grow in small areas, since something that is not worth growing is merely taking space for another thing that is. 

I have put up sticks for growing runner beans, but these have to be started later because they are not frost-hardy. They like a little shade and cool rather than too hot, and need lots of watering. I have different types in different areas, but set up sticks and canes early so as to be well ahead this year. 

I have a platner which my mum had when she was alive, and this is filled with strawberries and is here placed in the strawberry bed, which I have made smaller this year after some losses. This planter has also never done well, so need to rethink the strawberry growing. The large pot has lettuce in it.

An area in the corner next to a shed is where I intend to grow Lord Leicester pease this year, so I have set up canes and poles and have put seeds behind these. Next to these will grow Polestar runner-beans, but we can have frosts until, mid-May so cannot plant now. A few leeks are growing from last year, and I'll leave these where they are - no need to be too neat and tidy with growing, a bit of Chaos never hurts.

A small gooseberry bush grows in a pot for now; some of my fruit bushes and fruit trees went over to the woodlands where they grow now. This may well join them later, but for now it can grow on here. 

Lastly, as an experiment this year I am going to try to grow Whippets; as you can see here I have planted one in a small raised bed next to the pea-canes. If this works we'll have hunting-dogs for the future - until they ban hunting altogether, of course. 

From the world-situation and how things are panning out we shall see catastrophic change and social upheaval, and maybe even some sort of breakdown of society, just as long predicted. Whatever the case, Covid-1984 has shown how we need to forge ahead with the drive for self-reliance and self-sufficiency, and growing our own food goes some way towards our aims.