Monday 21 October 2013

rambling on about . . . a few snatched moments

Although it has been raining pretty much all week I have managed to snatch a few moments to carry on tidying and clearing the summers’ accumulated detritus.  Empty pots stacked, supporting canes pulled out and stored, tomato plants removed and composted.  Things are beginning to look a little more shipshape in the veg plot.

SDC18987-001

Now I can get down to planning for next year and how I can fit everything in to make full use of the space that I have.

SDC18984

It isn’t going to be easy, now that I don’t have my allotment I won’t be able to grow as much as I did, and maybe not as much variety.

SDC18989

But I am going to give it a darn good try, using as much ingenuity as I can muster.

SDC18991

I am inspired by Jono at Real Men Sow who is in, more or less, the same situation as me and he seems pretty chipper about it.  I have to think positive – I have been growing veg, one way or another, for most of my adult life – this is just another challenge.  I couldn’t contemplate not growing my own food, for me it is unthinkable.

SDC18986

Sorry about the quality of the photographs but the weather outside is dire at the moment and I have had to use heavy editing to get even these poor pictures.  So onwards and upwards, as they say; as Flighty mentions in a recent post – it is time to start looking through seed catalogues, checking what I already have and what is needed – and you know what, it isn’t going to be as bad as I feared.

21 comments:

  1. Maybe time to try square foot gardening?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow I can't even imagine all the hard work that goes into this Elaine. I am always inspired by all that you put into this!

    ReplyDelete
  3. There is nothing like a good seed catalogue to get you inspired! And just as well really because the weather forecast for this week is dire!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've no doubt that you'll do well next year with some ingenious planning.
    Thanks for the mention. Flighty xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. You will be amazes at how much you can grow in a small place. A new challenge to keep life interesting. Let's see what you grow next year!

    ReplyDelete
  6. You have some lovely sturdy pots there. Do let us know what seeds you choose so that we can shamelessly copy you.

    ReplyDelete
  7. like you I couldn't imagine not growing my own food.....I'm sure you'll get really creative and a new challenge always makes it fun.
    Good to hear your cleanup is going well......sighs I......my garden is more like a bomb site at the moment. Enjoy your root through the catalogs!xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  8. There are certainly some good ideas on the internet about growing vegetables in limited space, but it looks like you have a good size area to me. I'm sure you'll come up with all sorts of good ideas during your cleaning up and planning stages :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Why are you giving up the allotment? You can also grow veggies in pots. That's where I grow all of mine. I'm sure you'll find a creative solution. If not, just blog about it and we'll all put our heads together to help you. :o)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Long story - (see post A Woman of the Soil). I have always grown a few veg at home in containers etc. but will just have to re-think everything with not so much space to play with.

      Delete
  10. My problem has always been growing too much of one thing, and not enough of another. So, next year's resolution will be to 'prioritise'. Pity that doesn't come in catalogues too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Look forward to seeing what you do! I also enjoy planning for the coming year - the highlight of winter gardening. It's dark here, too, today, with lots of heavy, grey cloud. I'm really missing the summer light.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm sure you will have plenty of ideas for next year and I'm sure the veg will grow happily alongside the none veggies. I spent yesterday morning in the shed sorting seeds, due to the incessant rain, over the past 3 days. Glad I've got tye big jobs done.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Where there's a will there's a way - and I'm sure your garden will prove to be just as productive as ever next year Elaine.
    Patricia s

    ReplyDelete
  14. I see the whole of my garden as the area behind the potting shed - where pots stack and sacks wait and a few weeds grow. A little disorder can be a great comfort.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Good to hear you sounding more positive about your enforced downsizing, with all your experience I'm sure you will find ingenious ways to maximise your growing space.

    ReplyDelete
  16. It will be a great challenge to reorganize the space you have in your garden and I am sure you still can grow a nice variety of vegetables as you reduce the quantity of what you are sowing. Wish you many happy autumn or winter evenings, thinking, reading seed catalogues and designing your new vegetable beds in combination with flowers.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Your garden space looks great to me and lots of potential. I see the leaves are falling as they are here, and soon to be on top of my 'to do' list (clearing leaves).

    ReplyDelete
  18. Like you have been tidying up pulling up tomato plants and so.... many leaves to sweep up. Happy planning looking at the seed catalogues. Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
  19. Ah, seed catalogues, aren't they seductive! I'll be fascinated to find out which vegetables you will choose to grow and which to abandon. My 'must grow' includes "Blue Lake' climbing French bean and a good mange tout.

    ReplyDelete