Hi from north london

[kathycam]

Hi, been reading the boards for a while, but just thought I'd register. In recent years I'd been a windowsill/ balcony gardener, then my boyfriend introduced me to a community permaculture gardening project. We had a nice harvest the first summer and spent the winter building raised beds and building up the project, only to find out we were going to loose the land. A little battle went on, but in the end we lost heart.

Luckily I managed to get a 5 pole plot, which was a lot closer to me than the permaculture place. We got that last september and have since taken it from land that was uncultivated for 2 years, to land that is managed. We're trying grow a lot of perrenial veg in polybeds mixed together with annual crops. Its a mish mash, but looks interesting. We also have soft fruit growing to one side to try and break the wind a bit. At the moment our biggest battles are with bindweed and slugs, but at least we are not alone.

I'll try and add some pictures up in time. It's amazing how quickly the gardening has taken over my life. I'm constantly on the search for new and interesting things to grow. I think I'm mostly looking forward to the quninoa which should provide enough grain to last a year. The purple potatoes are good too, shame they are a little slug eaten.

Hoping for some less wet weather and we may get a decent growing season yet!

Kathy

[veggiechicken]

Hello Kathy and welcome to the Forum. Like the sound of your plot - I'm a fan of permaculture too Look forward to seeing your photos!

[kathycam]

Hi think these will show in the wrong order. But they should show the plot at various stages. So the grass/ weed covered plot we took on (part of neighbours plot in shot too)

The halfway there and then one from a month or so back. Will try and get a more recent one soon.

Cheers for the welcomes.

[veggiechicken]

Unrecognisable!! Well done, Kathy

[akashicdevi]

Nice plot. Are you going to grow beans or mini squash over the archway or something more permanent and bee-tastic?
I love growing weird and wonderful things as well. Have you checked out the realseeds website. I love their selection and finding veg I never knew existed!

[kathycam]

Cheers. At the moment there are a few sweat peas climbing up the archway. Was supposed to be either beans or summer squash too, but what with the weather, not everything went to plan. The parsnips next to it, are growing up a treat though! Yes realseeds is great, I must order more stuff from them. I also order lots of bits from ebay, as you can find all sorts. I can't say hand on heart I'm fully permaculture or fully organic, but I try to be as much as poss. We certainly recycle a lot of stuff. Our purple potatoes were grown in a mountain made from upside down grass/mud dug from one of the beds, which was covered in manure and council compost. I'm lucky my allotment is really good at getting stuff, there is an abudence of woodchip, council compost, often manure, a shop and recently scaffold boards and straw all at good prices. And everyone is friendly too.

[MyLifeWithAndrew]

Hello and welcome, Kathy.
Great job on your plot.

[Glutton4...]

Hello, and welcome to the Madhouse!

[Jeanied]

Welcome to the vine Kathy - from another London lottie holder

[Peas'n'Kews]

Hello and welcome! I think you are going to contribute some very interesting ideas and anecdotes and I look forward to reading them. If the squashes etc don't work out you could cover the dome and have a sweat lodge.....

[kathycam]

Ha ha, sounds good. Thanks for the welcomes. My sweet mama earth squash is doing pretty well, so will have some squash at least. And hopefully the sun will come out soon. Still not much sign of it here.

[Florence Fennel]

Hello Kathy and a very warm welcome to the Vine