I really want to grow some pumpkins, I haven't bothered before in the raised beds as they take up so much space.
Now the pigs have gone we have a lovely space of cleared ground
My plan for this area is to grow some food for the goats over winter, part of the area I thought would be good for pumpkins they will have plenty of place to sprawl.
I thought I would try a no dig method, I have been reading a bit about it and makes a lot of sense, but different to how I have gardened before, the pigs have already turned and cleared the ground, one of the compost bins was ready to be emptied, it was mounded up over the area
and covered in membrane creating two ridges to plant into. This also means I don't have to weed the area and the plants wont be competing with weeds.
The pumpkins have been planted through the membrane along with lots of surplus squash plants I had.
next to planted in the pig area is some brassicas and sunflowers that will also be goat food. I plan to move the Jerusalem Artichokes over here they will have plenty of room to multiply and help filter the wind.
Harvesting is on the way
Red and white strawberries from the poly tunnel, I have been picking then for the past week, I really don't know if its worth giving poly tunnel space to them just to harvest a month earlier, something I have to think about.
lunch was home reared and cured ham, lettuce and red onions from the poly tunnel with some home made bread.
last night I pulled up a few of the new potatoes from the poly tunnel to have with my dinner, they were lovely, I didn't take the plants up just put my hand in and pulled out some tubers, there is something special about the first potatoes of the season.
I think we'll have our first tators next week hopefully. Like your expanded patch, your as bad as me for always taking on more growing space! I've just added a beds to the front garden as well now!
ReplyDeleteThis area is for growing food to supplement the animals there is still another area to be claimed this autumn
DeleteI'd like to go for the 'no dig' approach, it's always appealed to me :D I've always done really well with pumpkins, especially on the muck heap one year!
ReplyDeleteyes no digging appeals as you get older and it saves your back
DeleteWe tried strawberries in the polytunnel one year but they produced lots of leaf and not many strawbs, we decided the space was better used for stuff we could sell
ReplyDeleteIts nice to have a few early ones but takes space that could be used better
DeleteI grow pumpkins very successfully in neat alpaca poo filled bins. All I do is top up the bins during winter, plant the pumpkin seedlings in the beds in Spring, and the alpaca poo and water takes care of the rest ;)
ReplyDeleteBe warned though - top up the bins really full (over fill) as the poo "subsides" during summer as the pumpkin plant roots spread throughout the bin.
our compost is a mixture of animal bedding, alpaca poo and anything I put in there
DeleteI'm so envious of the space you have. Love the way you try new techniques too.
ReplyDeleteThats part of the fun trying new things
DeleteOh I have a little spot mind for pumpkins but have not managed to get the seeds to germinate for some reason. Really peeved about that. Your patch looks great. Spuds look great! I hope to have early spuds soon but none of mine have been in the poly house so will be a little while yet.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing is pumpkin and squashes like to sprawl and take up lots of space
DeleteMy potatoes are a couple of weeks away yet but the strawberries in the greenhouse are very prolific. I don't have the space for pumpkins or squash plants although I could trail a couple round the apple trees.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing like the first potatoes of the year
DeleteHi Dawn :) It's very inspiring to see your delicious meals come directly from your home. I really envy that and congrats on the self-sufficiency, it's motivating!
ReplyDeleteMost of what we eat is now home produced the taste is far more superior with no food miles
Delete