The Survival Garden: How To Start And What To Prep.

Discussion in 'Gardening' started by DirtDiva, Aug 30, 2021.

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  1. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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  2. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    In centuries past this is what our forefathers used. Garden cloches
    These are now collectors items and cost a small fortune :eek:

    [​IMG]
     
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  3. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    I think you will find they are called BELL cloches due to the shape, used in Victorian walled gardens and like you say cost a small fortune-if you can find any. you can buy plastic replacements on Ebay but its not the same as the antique ones.
    I've always been interested in finding ways of using or rather RE-using stuff so that it dosent go to landfill.
     
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  4. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    Back to our spring garden. As the weather continues to warm around the middle of April keep adding to that garden. Carrots, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower whatever you have room for. By mid May your original crops of beets, green peas and such are at their 60 day mark and are starting to be ready to harvest. So by mid may you are eating fresh spring greens and produce out of your garden. Possibly canning peas and beets and possibly fermenting g kraut.

    Now I will throw a wrench in the mix. Who wants 12 heads of lettuce all coming in at the same time. So I will introduce here a concept called succession planting. How about instead of planting all that lettuce at once we plant 3 or 4 plants every 10 days in succession. It will spread that crop out over a longer period of time for fresh eating. This is an especially useful concept for crops that are pretty well exclusively eaten fresh.

    Notice in the photo below you have new lettuce sets emerging amid lettuce at different stages of development. Thus insuring a steady crop over a longer period of time. This is a concept used heavily in market gardening.

    [​IMG]
     
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    1. TMT Tactical
      Outstanding. I had wondered about stretching out the harvest as there is only the two of us. Great info. Thanks DD.
       
      TMT Tactical, Sep 11, 2021
  5. Max rigger

    Max rigger Master Survivalist
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    If you leave tops on the cloche can get to hot and kill off the delicate seedlings. I used 2l coke bottles and my neighbour told me to take off the tops but keep them in case you had a cold snap for a couple of days. Same with cold frames, open and close the lids at times.
     
  6. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    never had a problem with leaving tops on, its a personal choice, mind you I'm using 1gallon/5 litre bottles not 2litre ones. if we leave the tops on that helps with condensation which waters the plants, most seedlings are hardy enough to survive, we dont put anything in the ground here until the last frosts have been and gone, we had surprise frosts later than usual this year and it killed two of my tomato plants, the patio ones were fine but the ones that came from the nursery greenhouse got hit.
     
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  7. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    Succession planting and season extenders are so important. I see so many people plant bigger and bigger gardens and then get overwhelmed with huge harvests that can not be consumed or preserved in a timely manner. I shoot for small harvest more often and small batch preserving. Also the larger the garden the more weeding, mulching and maintaining is required.

    Instead I challenge gardeners not to go bigger but to learn to schedule, plan and rotate your crops better. That garden is valuable real estate and when managed well can be the difference between starving and not.

    In a survival situation you want to be able to eat fresh from that garden the entire season or as close as possible, plus have enough extra to preserve in small batches, plus save seeds for the coming year. It can be a challenge but it can be done.
     
  8. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    I sit on the boarder of growing zone 6 and 7 . Last winter I discovered I could grow spinach all winter . This winter I am extending my winter garden research and already have young brussels sprouts up and plan to put in spinach again but a different variety of spinach than last year . If this endeavor is successful it will mean that I can grow food for survival all year long except perhaps between dying and emerging crops . This also means a fairly consistent supply of vitamin C to combat scurvy that could arise with nothing but a meat diet . A year long garden combined with preserved garden produce and venison jerky would mean that Grocery buying would be only a spoiled luxury venture .
     
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    1. DirtDiva
      Excellent outcome and a perfect example of the importance of succession planting, extending seasons and WHY. All you newbies take a good look at this example!

      Experimentation leads to discovery.
       
      DirtDiva, Sep 12, 2021
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    2. DirtDiva
      I am in the same zone as well. I also overwinter spinach and can citrus every year for the same reason. I also can greens. All for that vitamin C. I also grow several different fruit high in vitamin C.
       
      Last edited: Sep 12, 2021
      DirtDiva, Sep 12, 2021
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  9. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    Scheduling Vegetable Plantings for Continuous Harvest
    ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture pdf
    (probably the most useful page in this publication is page 3 with and excellent chart with a list of crops. estimated days till maturity and suggested intervals between plantings.
    https://attra.ncat.org/product/scheduling-vegetable-plantings-for-continuous-harvest/

    Johnny's Selected Seeds
    SUCCESSION PLANTING
    Interval Chart for VEGETABLES

    https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers...ssion-planting-interval-chart-vegetables.html

    Scheduling Succession Plantings
    University of Illinois

    http://newillinoisfarmers.org/pdf/022015scheduling_succession_plantings.pdf

    Vegetable Succession Planting Chart
    University of Illinois

    https://extension.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/vegetable_succession_planting_chart.pdf
     
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  10. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    If it helps chart it out! Here is an excellent example of a chart for succession plantings.

    [​IMG]
     
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  11. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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  12. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    Okay back to my little example garden:

    We started out in March planting our cold weather crops. We are progressing to April and May. The fruit trees are blooming and new growth is exploding around you.

    [​IMG]

    Our example garden here has come along as spring progresses . The peas are running vertically up their fence. Onions have topped out and the potatoes as they grow upward have had loose soil pulled up around the plant to give a loose hill for the young potatoes to form.

    I am going to make a point here to look at the soil. Any mulch has been removed to allow those spring rays to heat the soil up. This is very important in early spring and you need that warmth. Later in the season as it progresses those same areas will be covered in mulches.

    [​IMG]

    This is the leanest time of the year traditionally. The root cellar has been depleted and winter is just leaving. This is the time of the year you are looking for those early crops to fill that need for fresh food. But just in time those perennial crops of asparagus emerge. Don't forget those dandelion greens to forage as well.

    Now a good homesteader/prepper know that this emergence of asparagus also coincides with spring turkey season, morel mushroom season and the spawning of the crappie which is the best time of year to fish for crappie. I have had many a spring feast of fried crappie, breaded fried morels and asparagus spears.

    Now just about the time the weather strts to even out I plant a small patch of leaf lettuce and spinach. Within a couple weeks I will be cutting baby lettuce and spinach as the main ingredient in wilted lettuce salad. A combination of baby greens, spring onions, with boiled eggs and bacon bits. A hot dressing made with the bacon grease and vinegar is poured over the greens to wilt them.

    The greatest meat to serve with wilted lettuce. RABBIT:D:D:D

    This coincides with just about the time that the chicken egg production starts to pick back up with lengthening daylight.

    Important note ** Learn your environment and coordinate your crops to coincide with your hunting and foraging endeavors. This comes with experience and practice.

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    Notice in the picture above your early spring crops are maturing and as spring has progressed you have added spinach, broccoli and cabbage to the mix. And to control those eerging weeds a layer of mulch.

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    As the spring crops mature we now start adding those early summer crops of bush beans and corn. Notice in the lower right corner the post where as the cabbage is harvested tomato cages start to take their place.

    Notice that nowhere is there a bare place in this garden. As soon as something is pulled something immediately takes it's place.
     
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  13. Max rigger

    Max rigger Master Survivalist
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    Diva, sorry if I've missed it but are you using polytunnels?
     
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    1. DirtDiva
      No
       
      DirtDiva, Sep 12, 2021
  14. arctic bill

    arctic bill Master Survivalist
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    In my area the town collect brown waste compost , leaves , kitchen waste ect. every year they allow residents to come and collect compost to use in the gardens. I went three time until it was all gone. I got 24 -5 gallon buckets . This stuff is black gold in a garden . If you can get ahold of this stuff your results will be spectacular.
     
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  15. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    kitchen and garden waste is collected here, they take it off and compost it, but then the general public has to PAY to receive any and I dont know of anyone who has done so.
    I can buy compost and manure cheaper elsewhere than from any recycling depot anyway.
     
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  16. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    It seems irrational to me as to why someone would give good compostable material to the government for free , especially if they grow any kind of plants .
     
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    1. DirtDiva
      I hear that :)
       
      DirtDiva, Sep 13, 2021
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  17. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    I am curious LW what does compost or manure cost there? Here I can buy mushroom compost which comes out of the mushroom farms after they get finished with it for about $45.00 for a bucket load. It originally consisted of horse manure and sawdust. I don't care for it because it is pretty well used up and has very few nutrients left .

    I can go down to the stables with my truck and small trailer and haul as much horse manure from the stalls as I want for free mixed with bedding, hay and feed.

    There are no collections of brown waste or kitchen scraps in my rural area.
     
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  18. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    I can buy bags of manure for £1.50 each, stable muck costs £1 per bag but thats mostly used for mulch as there is a lot of bedding mixed in, compost costs anything from those prices up to anything you want to pay, all prices are buyer collects.
     
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  19. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    To be continued............................

    I am hip deep right now but will be back! Two cookers and a dehydrator going plus the pressure cooker is full. No rest for the wicked.

    [​IMG]

    Picking now tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, sweet peppers, okra, blackberries and figs.
     
  20. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    blimey, thats a lot of food.
     
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  21. Max rigger

    Max rigger Master Survivalist
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    Diva, I love that picture and hope one day to be in a similar predicament ;)

    Compost in the UK? All the big supermarkets sell bags of it now anywhere from 5l to 40l in volume. This year I got the 40l bags for £4 which at the current (very good for brits) exchange rate is about $5.50. Its quite hard packed so out of the bag you get more than 40l if you understand what I mean. I'll be looking at using manure in the future but at the moment I'm mostly growing in bags and containers and times against me, I'm only home literally for half the time so I'm using commercial liquid feed...please don't shoot me.

    My garden is pretty much done now, few toms showing but in my little polytunnel I've got peppers, cherry toms (doing really well) and one last cucumber plant producing fruit. I've got pots of herbs indoors and a couple of chili plants, will they overwinter in a warm house and sunlight?
     
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    1. DirtDiva
      Lol I promise not to shoot :)

      In a nice sunny window maybe. I have grown basil and thyme indoors before successfully. Never tried chili's indoors overwintering.
       
      DirtDiva, Sep 14, 2021
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    2. DirtDiva
      I am finishing up green beans and just put my last batch of tomato sauce in the water bath canner. I will dehydrate the remaining tomatoes for tomato powder and have my second batch of that in the dehydrator. Still need to ferment my kraut with the cabbage in the garden and will freeze the remaining peppers that trickle in. I already have plenty peppers dehydrated. Have carrots and mustard greens coming on as cool weather crops along with Romaine. Figs and blackberries finishing out the season till first frost about 6 weeks away. Still have to dig sweet potatoes too!
       
      DirtDiva, Sep 14, 2021
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  22. Max rigger

    Max rigger Master Survivalist
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    Looking online my leafy herbs will be fine but doubtful the chili plant will do much, I'll leave in place as an ornamental plant and if it fruits its a bonus. I'm in the process of buying a retirement home (for around 2035) in Spain, offer accepted, money paid now just waiting on Spanish bureaucracy to run its course and the Spanish love paperwork but I've been promised completion no later the 15th Oct but could be as early as the 1st. Its in the hills at around 1400', 18,000 sqm so around 4.5 acres and is a fixer upper for sure, main farmhouse and outbuildings but there is no rush so I can take my time. I'll be looking at polytunnel growing out there. Wish me luck and promise I'll use manure.
     
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    1. DirtDiva
      Sounds beautiful! May I ask why you are using polytunnels?
       
      DirtDiva, Sep 15, 2021
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  23. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    I dont know how much fixing up you can get done.
    as from 1/1/2021 British citizens became 3rd world nationals and cannot spend more than 90 days in any 180 day period in an EU country.
    I suppose you could apply for dual nationality but that probably takes forever in Spain.
     
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  24. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    Okay back to succession cropping in our little garden. Our spring plantings of peas in the original garden mature between 60 and 75 days. They have been picked and preserved. The onions dug and left to dry for a day or two then moved to dry in a covered shed. Eventually they will be chopped and frozen or dehydrated. Many will be used fresh throughout the summer. For those in the U.S. pay close attention to the onions you are planting depending on where you live in the country on if you should be planting long day or short day onions.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Spring progresses into early summer and the broccoli is harvested also.

    [​IMG]

    We have added a row of mustard greens and bokchoy. Both a little more heat tolerant to stand a little early summer rising temps. The crops to the right beans and corn for the summer. Most of these crops will go in somewhere from June 1 to the middle of June.

    [​IMG]

    Remember those peas that we harvested. Now that same fence will provide support for summer cucumbers.

    [​IMG]

    Through out this time we have planted pockets of lettuce or maybe even spinach. Eaten fresh in salads and frozen spinach will eventually go to seed in the heat. We allow some to set seed but any remaining becomes treats for the chickens. Same with the lettuce. This particular lettuce is Black Seeded Simpson.
     
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  25. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    Now on that same particular property I am going to swing over to the garden next to it. Welcome to the summer garden!

    [​IMG]

    Tomatoes, beans of all kinds, corn, winter and summer squash, sweet potatoes, okra and melons.

    [​IMG]

    Progressing into July and August these crops grow, mature and are harvested. Now remember at this time I was feeding a family of 7.

    [​IMG]

    And as crops mature and are taken out you inevitably end up with gaps.

    [​IMG]

    SO you again drag out your jugs and fill those gaps in with short season cool weather crops. Falling back on your 30 to 60 day crops. cabbage, beets, lettuce, spinach, mustard greens and turnips and possibly another round of cucumbers or even green peas. You have again come full circle. These crops should bring you into frost and you are simply rotating crops through the entire season.

    You are eating fresh and canning, dehydrating, fermenting or root cellaring all surplus.
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2021
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  26. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    [​IMG]

    Dry and cure your root crops.

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    Fill your pantry with the canned and dehydrated surplus



    [​IMG]

    Add some berry bushes to the mix.

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    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  27. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    Add some Perennials

    [​IMG]

    Things like rhubarb

    [​IMG]

    Grapes


    [​IMG]

    Strawberries

    [​IMG]

    And asparagus
     
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  28. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    Let us not forget the fruit trees. Growing on my present property at the moment
    pears
    plums
    peaches
    mulberry
    pawpaw
    fig
    elderberry
    juneberry/saskatoon
    cold hardy apricot
    blueberry
    blackberry
    grape
    highbush cranberry
    gooseberry
    black currant
    cornelian cherry
    nanking cherry

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  29. arctic bill

    arctic bill Master Survivalist
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    up north we are having a warm fall, i still am waiting to harvest, hoping that i can get a few more weeks growing season before the frost , the news says it will continue until early October. My tomatoes are Turing red on the vine , very rare.
     
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    1. DirtDiva
      My first frost is normally about the middle of October so I have about a month left give or take. Like you I continue to finish up my summer vegetables. I am still picking tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, okra, cabbage, figs, blackberries. I have allowed the squash to go to seed and also some green beans to go to seed. I have lettuce, mustard greens and carrots up and growing for a fall harvest. The countdown is on. I also still have sweet potatoes to dig.
       
      Last edited: Sep 15, 2021
      DirtDiva, Sep 15, 2021
  30. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    I am going to add to the mix small animal stock. Chickens, rabbits. ducks, turkey, geese. All traditional barnyard stock providing meat, eggs and manure.


    [​IMG]



    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    ****************************************************************************
    I am going to add in here a good barn cat and a pair of scottish terriers are a godsend on the rodent and pest control front. And a pair of porch hounds make killer burglar alarms. I don't want viscous I just want some that put on a good show for deterrent.
     
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  31. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    And last but not least let's add in a little foraging.

    [​IMG]

    Mushrooms

    [​IMG]

    Native pecans

    [​IMG]

    Walnuts

    Add a large supply of rice, oats, dried beans and pasta and other traditional preps to that and regardless if you live on 2 acres or 20 is a huge effort at food security. Regardless of what disaster transpires there is food.

    I am going to stop here and let everyone catch up. Ask questions if you have them and I will move on to another gardening subject.

    DD
     
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  32. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    off to buy some more horse manure and some more bamboo canes this morning, got a couple of rolls of garden fleece coming tomorrow.
     
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  33. Max rigger

    Max rigger Master Survivalist
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    You assume I don't hold an EU passport ;)

    Dual nationality is not a viable option for most.

    You can go for a NLV, Non Lucrative Visa which is a retirement visa, your can't work. You need to show a net income of around €30,000 a year and show full medical insurance covering you for everything including pre-existing condition plus an extra €9k a year plus insurance for your partner. Before brexit you could just turn up and live or work in Spain. All a pensioner had to do was get an S1 form signed by the UK DWP and bingo you got medical cover and other benefits.

    Golden visa, buy a property for IIRC over €300k

    The 90/180 would not be an issue for me at the moment anyway because of work but thankfully I'm not stuck with that. The buildings were re-roofed seven years ago and most windows and doors replaced but I doubt it had been touched in decades prior to that so I've got my work cut out but as I said I'm in no rush, won't get much done this year apart from some guttering repair that needs doing.
     
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  34. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    I'm assuming you have a new British one, the old EU passport became defunct on January 1st at least if you were a Brit it did, if it had less than 6 months on it you had to get a new one.
    I never had a full passport, I had one of those British Visitors passports when I went to Canada , that was 35 years ago, those BVP cards dont exist anymore.
    make sure the house hasnt got an debts on it Max, I understand in the Spanish system any debt or mortgages goes with the building not the person so a new owner could end up with an old owners debts. the Spanish are buggers for that.
    their planning laws are a bit odd too.
    got my bags of horse manure this morning plus some more canes-got quite a stock of bamboo canes now, when I was off grid I had a stand of Bamboo-didnt buy a single cane the whole time I was there, no such luck now, have to buy them or cut Hazel or Ash ones instead.
     
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    1. DirtDiva
      You are using bamboo for plant supports?
       
      DirtDiva, Sep 16, 2021
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  35. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    yes, bamboo canes for plant supports have been traditional in the UK for the last 50-60 years.
    probably longer.
     
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  36. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    Crop Succession ( Same Crop )

    Most of the examples of crop succession thus far have been planting different crops successively to extend your harvest and take advantage of the changing seasons and available space as it opens up.

    There is also an example of succession planting the same crop at different intervals to allow the gardener to have regular harvests through out the season resulting in smaller harvests thus extending fresh food availability.

    [​IMG]

    Notice in these raised beds in the picture above there are 3 separate crops of open pollinated green (bush) beans. The variety is Jade and it typically is ready for harvest in 60 to 70 days. Also to note is that I generally get 2 pickings out of each planting of these beans.

    The oldest planting is in the far right bed. Planted first and here ready to harvest and pull up for compost.
    ( In the lower right corner of the picture) Once the bean plants are composted the beds will be cleaned and compost added and will be planted in garlic which will overwinter and be harvested next summer.


    The next planting was planted in the center bed 3 weeks later. Again the beans will provide fresh green beans and surplus to be canned in jars.

    The third (partial) planting you can see in the upper center of the photo planted at the end of the last bed in front of tomatoes. It was also planted yet again 3 weeks later. At the time of this posting it is the last of this crop to remain. It will be allowed to dry on the bush and will be harvested strictly to replenish the seeds for up coming years.

    The perfect example of succession cropping or some call it relay planting within the same crop to extend the harvest.
     
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  37. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    DD Tip

    Now a tip I am going to stick in here is that I always add about 10 to 14 days to my timing for fall crops. So lets say you plant lettuce that according to the back of the seed pack matures in 30 days. If planting in the fall plan on it to take an additional 10 to 14 days. Reason: shorter day length, cooler temps and different sun angles.
     
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  38. TMT Tactical

    TMT Tactical The Great Lizard ! Staff Member
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    Thanks DD, more great info. I am beginning to get a small glimmer of hope that I will actually be able to grow some food. Looking forward to all your great posts.
     
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  39. poltiregist

    poltiregist Legendary Survivalist
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    I have found after putting the seeds into the dirt , then packing the dirt helps insure a good stand . I have used my hand and have used the back of my hoe to pack the dirt . In most cases , in the likely event it is not fixing to rain , gently wet the just packed dirt so as to start the sprouting process of the seeds . If wetting the dirt is not a practical option , then I suppose you will be waiting for the next rain to start the seeds sprouting .
     
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    1. DirtDiva
      Some seeds I presoak also. Okra, beets and squash are perfect examples. It helps to swell the seed and speed up germination. But I always try to wet the soil after planting also. Ideal scenario is to plant right before a rain.
       
      DirtDiva, Sep 16, 2021
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  40. Max rigger

    Max rigger Master Survivalist
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    I'm sorted on staying 365 if I want. Your absolutely right about debts tied to property, you can buy a place then the bank can turn up and demand payment on a loan defaulted on so I've employed a good property specialist/Gestor and payed that bit more for a full and complete search and this is why the purchase is taking a bit longer than usual (still faster than in the UK though). The 'Finca' is one I looked at last year but the family would not consider a lower offer on the property (they inherited) then eight months later I get an email asking if I'm still interested. They should have taken my first offer because I've paid less this time round.

    The thing with Spain is there are literally tens of thousands of empty properties so it really is a buyers market there, the complete opposite to the UK

    Bamboo canes are great supports for plants, tough, lightweight and easy to lash together. I've used them on toms/cucumbers/chili this year plus I lashed 3x6' together to hang an antenna on (2m antenna) started off as a temporary fix but its working so I'll just keep using it...save a few pounds for the new house ;)
     
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  41. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    not really of any interest to me, I'm not leaving Devon again and we will only be buying property when we win the lottery.
    I originally started using bamboo canes for support when I was growing Runner Beans about 40 years ago, of course my father was using them long before I did.
     
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  42. TMT Tactical

    TMT Tactical The Great Lizard ! Staff Member
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    I had some bamboo growing in the wrong part of my back yard. I have relocated the bamboo and hope they will survive transplanting. I plan to use the bamboo as a privacy / anti-intruder fence and also for future plant stakes.
     
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    1. Old Geezer
      In a small city less than 50 miles from here, I've seen bamboo fence-lines turn into small groves. They effectively form a wall. The altitude of that place is around 600 ft above sea level and is well south of the Mason Dixon Line.
       
      Old Geezer, Sep 17, 2021
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  43. Max rigger

    Max rigger Master Survivalist
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    What variety of lettuce do you grow diva, loose leaf or the compact 'Iceberg' type?
     
    1. DirtDiva
      If I am growing a leaf type it is usually Black Seeded Simpson but my favorite is a Romaine called Jericho. Jericho is an open pollinated variety originally from Israel and is really heat tolerant. Black Seeded Simpson is an heirloom leaf type and open pollinated as well.
       
      DirtDiva, Sep 18, 2021
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  44. TMT Tactical

    TMT Tactical The Great Lizard ! Staff Member
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    Is it harder to grow the iceberg type? I am not a big fan of loose leaf lettuce. Is there a heirloom / open pollinated iceberg type? I wish I was better at searches and did not need to put this extra work on you. Thanks for all your hard work here.
     
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    1. DirtDiva
      Ice Queen also known as Reined De Glaces is an heirloom iceberg type.
       
      DirtDiva, Sep 18, 2021
    2. DirtDiva
      Loose leaf is probably the easiest to grow but they are all pretty simple and it is just a matter of personal taste and what you like to eat. I think head lettuce tends to hold up in the field better than loose leaf. It also can hold up to slugs and rains better as well depending on the variety. I also like the little Tom Thumb or Tennis Ball head lettuces as well. They are considered a butter crunch lettuce.
       
      Last edited: Sep 19, 2021
      DirtDiva, Sep 19, 2021
  45. Max rigger

    Max rigger Master Survivalist
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    I'm thinking of the Iceberg type from a slug control point of view, you've got a chance of ending up with something to eat at least. No real flavor with an iceberg but they coat well with a good salad dressing and stay crisp, its easy to turn loose leaf limp if you over do the dressing.
     
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  46. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    I have grown the "Little Gem" loose leaf lettuce this year, I dont like Iceberg lettuces and wont eat them, I lost a couple of leaves to slug damage but it wasnt a major worry.
     
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  47. Max rigger

    Max rigger Master Survivalist
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    I had peas growing nicely in containers and one container (just the one) got hit with slugs and they destroyed the plants literally overnight. I'd put slug pellets down but I think they ate them as well, so why only the one tub, any ideas?
     
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  48. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    nobody knows why slugs do anything!:D slug pellets usually work, if not try a beer trap.
     
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  49. lonewolf

    lonewolf Societal Collapse Survivalist. Staff Member
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    no one knows why slugs do anything, just luck of the draw I guess, I dont know why they ate one of my lettuces and not the others and yes I put slug pellets down too.
    they had a go at my Broad Beans too but that was before I used the slug pellets.
     
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  50. DirtDiva

    DirtDiva Master Survivalist
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    With an average of rainfall of 56.3 inches and living on a property with lots of trees and shade I struggle with slugs. The best thing I ever did was buy a small flock of ducks. I have 4 Khaki Campbell hens and 1 drake. Good lord they put away some slugs as well as other bugs, grubs and worms. Best thing I have ever done in the garden.
     
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