Hi everyone

[Jiskoot]

Hi everyone,

My partner and I have just purchased a smallholding in Devon and we're hoping to start growing our own fruit and veg. A bit late to make a start for this year but there is an existing veg plot (15 x 20m) on site that is very overgrown that we're going to clear out (and cover?) for now but we would like to expand more once we're settled.

The house/land also used to have a historic orchard that we are hoping to reinstate so would love some more info about orchards in general

I will hold my hands up to being a virtual novice but we're very keen. I've grown a few things at our current house (tomatoes, courgettes, strawberries and some herbs) but the scale of the planting at the new house is a tad overwhelming. Most of my experience so far is via books and the internet. Don't really know where to start so am hoping these forums will be of invaluable reading!

[chillithyme]

Welcome Jiskoot

Wishing you happy adventures on your new small holding

[Two_Sheds]

Lucky you. I’m from South Devon: Ivybridge area

- start a list of fruit and veg you like to eat
- cross bananas and mangoes off that list
- buy seeds (Real Seeds website is great info)
- buy a 12 month planner/file, and put seed packs in the appropriate month

The Plot
- Nature hates bare soil, so when you clear some ground, cover it with crops or mulch
- if you can afford 125gsm weed membrane, it’ll save you lots of pain (c.£1 a sq metre) & staples
- clear the easiest bits first, leave the tough bits under plastic until spring

[Small pumpkin]

Welcome to the vine
Congratulations on the new smallholding. It must be very exciting.

[Chestnut]

Welcome to the vine
Given how excited I was with getting half an allotment, you must have been bouncing round the room for days!
Take a bit of time to wander round and get a feel for where is light, windy, soggy in winter etc - and enjoy making some plans :-)

[Baldy]

Welcome along...

Good choice of County

[burnie]

Plan well it will save work later, see if you can find a source for some manure and you can build a compost bin ready for next year. Think about water, if we get another summer like we've just had, collecting water over the winter could be a good plan. What would you be doing livestock wise?

[Jiskoot]

Thanks for the responses, appreciate the input!

It's been a long time coming and doesn't seem that real at the moment, the house needs work so we're not going down full time until at least Spring. Will be using this time to get organised and plan it all out. Apparently I'm on garden duty and am itching to just plant a load of veg but am aware this is not a good idea! I've got excel sheets coming out of my ears but am struggling to set up one that covers what I need...the year plan showing when to sow/plant/harvest, succession planting, info on the crops and how much I actually end up planting and the yields etc. I think I'm overthinking...!

The plan, and please tell me if this is rubbish, is to de-weed as much as possible and clear it all, then rotovate. Then either just leave it all uncovered and rotovate each time we're down (once a month) or just cover and leave it till Spring.

There is a farm down the road so we're going to pay them a visit to see if they have spare manure and there is a stream alongside another of our fields but we need to have a think about water in general.

Animals...not sure yet. Definitely chickens, and either goats or alpacas. Would love some pigs but am not sure about that yet....not sure I'd be able to send them off when the time comes!

Need to set aside a couple of weeks just to read through this forum!

[Greenleaves]

Sounds very exciting, where in south Devon? Like Two Sheds it's my home county.

Are you doing it to be self-sufficient or for a small business?

Enjoy and good luck

[noviceveggrower]

Hello and welcome to the vine

[Bren In Pots]

hello and welcome to the vine Jiskoot its sounds like exciting times ahead for you both

[Guest]

Hi, welcome to the vine and grats on your small holding. From experience (although mine is more of a micro holding) I would say plan, focus on your long term (trees) and a small area of something else (veg patch) so you can do bare min. on everything else (mow grass and weeds) then do another small area as you get established.

If you are quick hunt around for some apple days around yours so you can try different varieties that you can add to your orchard project. During the dark days you can buy bare root trees which will be cheaper and more likely to establish better. You could even have a bash at grafting your own (I know it seems daunting but it is actually quite easy) There are things to consider such as rootstock (helps govern finished size of tree and disease resistance) and scion (the type of fruit you want, will also govern disease and size) Also if you are planting in the same spot as the old orchard you may need to just be aware or replant disease (but the trees may be long gone and you will be fine)

Now that I have just bombarded you and you are thinking what is this person on. Feel free to ask no matter how daft something seems. Everyone here is great

[Nicos]

Hi there, and welcome to the Vine from sunny Normandy