Ex Archive: Mini Homesteading

[Carrot Cruncher]

mini homsteading
by dugg42 » Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:31 pm

ok, how many of you have gardens 30ft or over?
there are several different ways in which you can turn these into mini homesteads, raised beds is 1, poly tunnels is another, hanging gardens is yet another!
you dont have to have vast acreage, you just have to be willing to work with what youve got...

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mini homsteading
by dugg42 » Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:26 pm

The 1st one i mentioned is raised beds,
1st you need to draw the outline of your garden with measurements.
2nd draw a scale down line inside the outer line, leaving gaps for house doors and garden gates.
3rd draw another scale down line inside that line.

This, in profile view, gives you a step running around the outside of the garden. The depth of each step can be any width (to scale of size of garden) from 6inchs upwards.

The height can be user preferance, top step can be half body height.

Depending on garden size,this will determine how many steps you should build, remembering that to be comfortable you should only stretch arms lenght (for me being 6ft 5 this would be 3ft),if your a hardcore gardener you can extend these measurements to suite.

Now, the centre area is left, so how about half barrels(wooden beer barrels cut in half) arranged for spuds,carrots,swedes,parsnips,cabbages,caulis,tomatoes,courgettes,ruebarb,gooseberries the list is endless.

The steps can be used for herbs, peas, beans,berries of all types again the list is endless.

A water butt can be installed into a down pipe(these can be superspacesavers or 50gallon drum size)to provide water from our luverly climate...when times are hot or if the mains is lost.

Basically this garden can be expanded to suit any size plot.

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Re: mini homsteading
by dugg42 » Mon Apr 26, 2010 4:12 pm

2nd. Poly tunnels.

Realy easy this one,
1st, make sure your plot(any size remember) is clear of rubbish etc so you have a clear work space.

2nd, mark out strips of land about 12-16inchs wide with 1x1posts and string.

3rd turn over soil adding a fertilizer (you chose, some are cheaper than others) and leave after watering.

4th purchase concertina poly tunnels from a garden centre (wyevales have great bargins most of the year or hilliers, big in the sth, or any independents)

5th stretch out poly tunnels next to plotsto see what you can get under it.

6th plant out your seeds and cuttings spacing them for max cultivation, adding plant feeds and water.

7 place poly tunnel over plants, get the kids helping or your other half.

8 retire to a comfey seat to observe your HARD work.

tip. if you have a water butt, layout a purfirated hose up and down your plots under the poly tunnels so that every day watering becomes easy, just attach hose to butt and turn on for 10-15 mins or longer if plots are larger.

you can if you like hoe your plots once or twice a week to keep any weeds down and see how your 'fruits' are growing.

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Re: mini homsteading
by dugg42 » Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:23 pm

The 3rd mentioned is hanging gardens.
This involves alot more work to assemble, so here goes....

Basicallly what your doing is building a frame around your plot using scaffold poles, because they are strong enough to surpport the weight, and you will need to work out were to put braces and extra supports.

Uprights will need to be securely fixed ie concreted into the ground.
Tyes around the outside will need to be welded into place to make a sturdy upper frame.
Tyes that go into this outer frame can be fixed with scaffold fixings (wonderful items allowing multi positioning!).

Now there are several choices as to what to use for suspended support, there are nets(useally fishing nets are great for this),wooden or ally troughs, or hanging baskets(found in garden centres although you will need alot).

I have seen a moveable pully system used, basically like chicken shed feeders.

Now you would normally grow veg that doesnt need to much depth for its roots, things like tomatoes,courgettes,peas, beans,baby carrots,swedes baby parsnips etc.

For large veg ,potatoes, normal carrots,normal swedes normal parsnips, these can be planted in half barrells on the floor space, you could grow rubarb, mini fruit trees, and such like.

watering can be done with a hose or if you use a pully system a watering can.

[diamond lil]

Oh brilliant CC, I was just going to ask for posts on this. Next year I'm hoping to do a lot more, if only we get some help from the sons...