[Dreich Pete]

***UPDATE***

Back in the fold, on the horse, and on the market (not really).

After a couple of years of failed attempts to get my 4 acres productive, I've had a less-than-successful 2020, but at least I know I'm not exceptional in that. Early on I got some straw bales and prepared a small area for some experimenting. It didn't go to plan, and the best crops I got were peas that were planted in tubs on my patio - so much for straw bale gardening! The upside, apart from learning a few things, is that I will have a lot of mulch for a much bigger area for next year. I also learned that the plot I was using (because it was out of sight of the house, which I wanted to landscape for recreational use) is far too exposed to the winds howling down off the Cairngorms, so I've moved the plan around the corner and will attempt something else in the windy spot.

So basically, that's me back around and raring to keep up with the forums, learn from some people, help some people, and generally share the experience of working towards some sort of self-sufficiency. I'll be watching The Good Life over the winter (yet again).

[Rosemary]

Ach, that's half the fun 

[Fleecewife]

Hi Dreich Pete, I didn't meet you first time around so hello .  Maybe you should now change your name to 'Positive Peat' to reflect your new enthusiasm and success in your production from now on      .


We are windy here too but it comes from every direction.  With your ex straw bales, spread them on your new beds now and cover for the winter with a tarp or similar and the soil will be lovely to plant in by spring.

[sabrina]

It is never that easy growing in the North of Scotland. This summer we had drought in the Spring, some wet and windy days that you would expect coming up to winter. Even my pollytunnl has not done well this year. It is a case that there is always next year and I live in hope. !

[alang]

I've actually had a decent year growing here in Moray. My beetroot, runner beans, carrots, radishes and parsnip have been bumper this season. The only thing that didn't do so well was my green beans. But that is because i forgot to stake them so they got wind damaged.

Even my seed grown rhubarb has done fantastic.

[Dreich Pete]

Ach, that's half the fun 

Whatever you tell yourself to make it through the year!I've learned more than I expected, but not necessarily in the subjects I expected. It's great!

[Dreich Pete]

Hi Dreich Pete, I didn't meet you first time around so hello .  Maybe you should now change your name to 'Positive Peat' to reflect your new enthusiasm and success in your production from now on      .

We are windy here too but it comes from every direction.  With your ex straw bales, spread them on your new beds now and cover for the winter with a tarp or similar and the soil will be lovely to plant in by spring.

The name actually reflects the name of my home, not my mood (generally speaking). The plan was always to use the 'spent' bales as mulch for another patch, and year on year the plan was that I would get a much larger area prepped for veg. I can't do much bending down work, hence the bales, and although my first attempt at raised beds was ok, I found them more work than expected. Then again, I think every gardening method is more work than you're lead to believe.

I was lucky enough to get a farmer over to cut about 1.5 acres of my meadow, after he finished with the big field next door, but he never came back with the baler so I'm left with a lot of mixed grass hay in rows. I'm currently moving it into a new area to use as mulch over the winter. It may not be ideal but it'll give me a start when it comes to turning the soil - for the first time in over a decade. I may try to flag down another farmer when they come around ploughing.

[Dreich Pete]

It is never that easy growing in the North of Scotland. This summer we had drought in the Spring, some wet and windy days that you would expect coming up to winter. Even my pollytunnl has not done well this year. It is a case that there is always next year and I live in hope. !

My sister-in-law got her poly this year and has had amazing success with it, considering she had hardly grown anything before. They've had fresh veg every day for the last couple of months. I started the straw bales about the same time as they started their tunnel. The comparison simply isn't worth making.