
What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Planning what I’m going to do in the garden this year. I’m a novice vegetable gardener and have experienced both successes and huge failures the last couple of years. A couple of years ago, I bought some sets of ‘heirloom’ seeds, popped them in my preps box and thought “right that’s longer term food solution sorted”. OMG how little did I know?! I decided I’d better start having a go at actually growing the stuff and have been on a very steep learning curve ever since. I’ve always been very successful in growing flowers etc and (arrogantly) assumed that growing veg would be easy …
Last year my potatoes got blight, my cauliflower had one floret each and the slugs won the battle in the salad race. I was much more successful with onions, leeks, radishes and spinach (until it bolted in the heat). Feels really important for me to keep going and learn what I can (and can’t) grow in this very damp climate in Cumbria. Enjoying the process though and have a new hobby - and hopefully one day, skill-set!

“Rotation, rotation, rotation”
You never get a disappointed pessimist.
You never get a disappointed pessimist.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
That was my thinking also Andy. It will also half the time to fill all containers in an emergency if I also use the full length hose.Yorkshire Andy wrote: ↑Sat Feb 01, 2025 8:47 am
Be handy for filling water containers im a heathen and just use a length of hose I leave running for 5 mins first![]()
Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Been properly clearing a bed for all the garlic I just bought
from the Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight. I need more space, but I'm hoping to set that up in the front border.

Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
I’ve never grown garlic - is it easy to grow?
“Rotation, rotation, rotation”
You never get a disappointed pessimist.
You never get a disappointed pessimist.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Supposedly


What sort of soil do you have, mcprepper?
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
It’s quite peaty and slightly acidic - the moorland heather and gorse behind the house love it! Most of my veg attempts have been in containers/raised beds so at least I can try to control it - just have to deal with a LOT of rain here (and slugs!).Arzosah wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2025 10:45 amSupposedlyI think that's true as long as the soil is well-drained. My soil is clay (dig up a lump and call it a brick, that sort of soil) and its recommended to use grit. Don't have any grit
but I have a lot of roasted and bashed up eggshells. Its a moot point right now, we have a deep frost this morning, I'm not planting anything in this, sadly.
What sort of soil do you have, mcprepper?

“Rotation, rotation, rotation”
You never get a disappointed pessimist.
You never get a disappointed pessimist.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Mcprepper - am I right in thinking you're in Shetland? I'm on an exposed hillside in aberdeenshire, I've found this book to be helpful -mcprepper wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:15 pmIt’s quite peaty and slightly acidic - the moorland heather and gorse behind the house love it! Most of my veg attempts have been in containers/raised beds so at least I can try to control it - just have to deal with a LOT of rain here (and slugs!).Arzosah wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2025 10:45 amSupposedlyI think that's true as long as the soil is well-drained. My soil is clay (dig up a lump and call it a brick, that sort of soil) and its recommended to use grit. Don't have any grit
but I have a lot of roasted and bashed up eggshells. Its a moot point right now, we have a deep frost this morning, I'm not planting anything in this, sadly.
What sort of soil do you have, mcprepper?![]()
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Mcprepper - am I right in thinking you're in Shetland? I'm on an exposed hillside in aberdeenshire, I've found this book to be helpful - 20250202_143307.jpgNurseandy wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:37 pmIt’s quite peaty and slightly acidic - the moorland heather and gorse behind the house love it! Most of my veg attempts have been in containers/raised beds so at least I can try to controlmcprepper wrote: ↑Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:15 pm [quote=Arzosah post_id=239219 time=1738493159 user_id=1714]
SupposedlyI think that's true as long as the soil is well-drained. My soil is clay (dig up a lump and call it a brick, that sort of soil) and its recommended to use grit. Don't have any grit
but I have a lot of roasted and bashed up eggshells. Its a moot point right now, we have a deep frost this morning, I'm not planting anything in this, sadly.
What sort of soil do you have, mcprepper?it - just have to deal with a LOT of rain here (and slugs!).
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[/quote]
I wish!

No we’re in Southern Lake District but I think soil and climatic conditions could be quite similar to those in that book so I’ll check it out - thanks. Biggest problem we face is exposure to wind (top of a hill - lots of windmills round here) and rain. We collect a lot of rain water in multiple water butts (also useful from a preppy point of view). Your location sounds great!

“Rotation, rotation, rotation”
You never get a disappointed pessimist.
You never get a disappointed pessimist.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
Both locations sound wonderful - though I know how troublesome wind is for plants (grew up a mile from the Irish Sea, up a 300' hill). I live near the Channel, there are the South Downs and a few wild commons here and there, but its basically lots of towns all joined up with one another.
Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12
I have not had much joy with garlic. It may be my soil (chalky) but it seems to be a bit too fussy for me. Dont let it get swamped by weeds, make sure the soil has some goodness in it and keep the slugs away and you may do better than my micro-cloves.