Growing own fruit veg

ttnov77 · 23-03-2023 7:27pm #1

Looks like the veg production is dropping while costs are rising.... https://www.growtrade.ie/field-vegetable-production-estimated-to-drop-7-in-2023-says-teagasc all bit of upside down? As someone from background with strong growing your own culture, I always wondered about lack of people growing own food in Ireland. I think its best time to give it a go?

We have only small garden (7x11m) but growing huge variety of food from tomatoes, salads, beetroot, radish, beans, peas, onions and garlic, kale, broccoli, spinach, 7 different berries and currants varieties, rhubarb, 3 only young fruit trees...

Nowhere near self sufficient but some produce we dont need to buy for months :)

corsav6 · 23-03-2023 7:35pm

Our place is sitting on 2 acre so plenty of available land for growing. The issue is time, we simply don't have enough to maintain a grow of any significance. We grow some herbs as they pretty much look after themselves and strawberries most years.

We'd both love to grow more and someday we will, but for now work life and other commitments simply don't allow it.

ttnov77 · 23-03-2023 8:59pm

@corsav6 I think people are somewhat overwhelmed and overestimate time needed to grow food. The biggest time takes the set up, and with no dig approach is quite simple and the maintenance is actually very low too.

Fruit trees and perennial veg is very easy to grow, even tomatoes doesn’t require much attention apart of watering and some good organic feed every so often.

Its much easier than people think

cute geoge · 23-03-2023 9:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120393324#Comment_120393324

Pick out a few low maintenance aggressive and easy to grow fruit trees and veg to get a lad started.I see lidl have rhubarb and strawberries on offer next week and I will chance these along with what ever you advise

looksee · 23-03-2023 10:47pm

You are probably more likely to grow fruit and veg in a smaller plot than in a big garden. In our various suburban back gardens we grew a good range of veg mostly as well as strawberries and a small amount of raspberries. Now I have an acre I have not so far had chance to consider much veg as the rest of it takes most of our time (that, and I am not getting any younger! 😀 ) Also it is much more exposed than the snug little estate garden, and there are crows and rabbits which eat absolutely everything you plant.

scarepanda · 24-03-2023 3:55pm

Buy and plant the rhubarb this year but don't use it until next year, and only lightly. You'll get a full and proper harvest starting in 2 years time. To have a healthy rhubarb plant that will produce for years it needs a minimum of 1 year to settle in. Feed well in spring with well rotted manure and harvest until June/early July.

Strawberries will give you a decent harvest this year.

There's feck all to do with onions. Get sets now, plonk them into the ground and leave them to it till july-ish time. Just give them a good water if it gets very dry.

I love growing salads, especially loose leaf Varieties. Although if you have slug pressure it can be a pain in the butt. But they can be grown anywhere, especially in semi shaded areas or pots, can direct sow from now on. They do need a good water a couple days a week especially if it's hot. But they are definitely a crop that is head and shoulders above anything you can buy in a store. They are also one of the most cost effective crops.

ttnov77 · 29-03-2023 11:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120393391#Comment_120393391

Blackcurrants, gooseberries, raspberries in fact any fruit is very easy to grow. Salads, radish, tomatoes, kale, rainbow or swiss chard, courgettes, spuds, cucumbers are also very easy although tomatoes and cucumbers like warmth so better grown in greenhouse or pollytunnel.

Important is to get the sowing right, not too early

ttnov77 · 29-03-2023 11:34am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120393760#Comment_120393760

Oh I wish to have few acres :) maybe you can do small native micro forest and wildflower meadow? Meadow needs cut once a year and trees take care for themselves if planted small saplings 2-3ft in bare root season.

tom1ie · 29-03-2023 11:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120414877#Comment_120414877

Before covid I built a raised bed and put a hinged greenhouse type lid on it.

I grew lots of stuff in it but I haven’t had a chance to do anything with it in a couple of years now.

What should I be looking at planting at this time of year? Maybe tomatoes from seed?

Also can you get blackcurrant and gooseberries seeds?

Stephen_Maturin · 30-03-2023 2:12pm

Between a small 3m x 4m polytunnel and a couple of static planters I’ll be growing tomatoes, chillies, cucumbers, courgettes, bok Choi, lettuce, radish, sugarsnap peas, dill, chives, basil, strawberries and spring onions

So satisfying, and the tomatoes you get really are a cut above anything you’ll get in the supermarket

Hopefully all goes well, only got most things in the soil a couple of days ago, worried I might be a bit late!