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Pigs and vegetable gardens
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welsh veg grower



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 2030
Location: here today but tomorrow...
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 7:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Cathryn wrote:
No. It's my other option and on balance seems like far less fuss.

Actually there is another option which is to ignore it for another year and just grow what I feel like in the greenhouse. This one is currently winning but I do tend to get the urge to plant something out there. I've put blackcurrants in and a gooseberry. They can hold there own but it might not be enough for me.


get pigs they are so cute and they will make a great start for you. I had three on a large plot and if we had picked out the turf's when they had liften them it wouldnt have taken much to make the area into a veg bed afterwards. You could put them on over the spring and early summer then plant late poatoes it would help break it up some more.

lottie



Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 7:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Pigs and covering over pollutants every time. i ALWAYS FOUND old carpet[friends and tip] better than black plastic anytime.

Last edited by lottie on Fri Apr 06, 12 8:00 pm; edited 1 time in total

TTouch Homestead



Joined: 13 Oct 2011
Posts: 703
Location: Cardigan, West Wales
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Or you could do the cardboard mulch system that sepp holzer uses.

Tons of cardboard over what you don't want to grow, top with manure or mulch/soil on top, and eventually all weeds die underneath and compost into the soil.

We had a terrible problem with bindweed and that grass that spreads like wildfire by its root system. Sodding stuff was like white worms everywhere. Had to pick every piece out we could, dry it, then burn it. We covered all our beds with cardboard and on top I put the goat/ bedding. This is working well in the soft fruit cage too- which was like a scene from wilderness takes over!

The guy we bought off had used carpet to try and block weeds. Nightmare- it was horrible, the weeds had grown on it, and down into the ground, and as it was nylon, tufts everywhere when it disintegrated. We are still finding hidden carpet deposits...

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19862
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

welsh veg grower wrote:


get pigs they are so cute


This is a concern.

lottie



Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Don't use nylon.I cleared 2 badly overgrown allotments in a year with old carpets very efficiently. At first we just dug holes through on one half and planted soft fruit[currants,gooseberrries,tayberriesetc] through--it worked brilliantly.the non fruit half we left a year and just ripped it off wuith vegetation,then I used my flame gun on the lot.[not the car;pet]

Last edited by lottie on Fri Apr 06, 12 8:07 pm; edited 1 time in total

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19862
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

TTouch Homestead wrote:
Or you could do the cardboard mulch system that sepp holzer uses.

Tons of cardboard over what you don't want to grow, top with manure or mulch/soil on top, and eventually all weeds die underneath and compost into the soil.

We had a terrible problem with bindweed and that grass that spreads like wildfire by its root system. Sodding stuff was like white worms everywhere. Had to pick every piece out we could, dry it, then burn it. We covered all our beds with cardboard and on top I put the goat/ bedding. This is working well in the soft fruit cage too- which was like a scene from wilderness takes over!

The guy we bought off had used carpet to try and block weeds. Nightmare- it was horrible, the weeds had grown on it, and down into the ground, and as it was nylon, tufts everywhere when it disintegrated. We are still finding hidden carpet deposits...


I am consdiering this as well - in small areas so I'm not exhausted and overwhelmed by it. Fortunately I have quite a lot of non nylon carpet some of which has already rotted in and disappeared amonsgst the weeds. A cardboard layer as well would have helped.

The other bit is that I am a gardener and not a smallholder despite the hens and inadvertently falling in love with a farmer. I like pork but I am not sure if I wouldn't prefer to keep buying it from Faithmead.

lottie



Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

my own pork was a revalation and the thing I've most enjoyed doing. especially the taste and the sausages and just how nice the pigs are We were getting another pair of weaners this spring--but men plan,the gods laugh etc--I'd do it again like a shot.

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19862
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

You're a proper smallholder though, through and through.

I don't want to feel tied too much here this year despite the sheep. My daughter is growing up and I want get many more opportunities to drag her away for weeks and longer. Pigs would mean being here to water them if nothing else.

I am thinking about it though.

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22790
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The greenhouse sounds like a plan.
Is it worth taking the plastic off and removing the thistles that have come up (a lot easier than without the plastic), and then putting it back again for another year?

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19862
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I seem to be unable to write a coherent post. I would edit my last one to make sense but it doesn't seem worth it.

Yes, I will nerve myself and look under the black plastic sometime this week and decide how much I can deal with this year.

welsh veg grower



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 2030
Location: here today but tomorrow...
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Cathryn wrote:
welsh veg grower wrote:


get pigs they are so cute


This is a concern.


why i loved ours but we still ate them

welsh veg grower



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 2030
Location: here today but tomorrow...
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Cathryn wrote:
TTouch Homestead wrote:
Or you could do the cardboard mulch system that sepp holzer uses.

Tons of cardboard over what you don't want to grow, top with manure or mulch/soil on top, and eventually all weeds die underneath and compost into the soil.

We had a terrible problem with bindweed and that grass that spreads like wildfire by its root system. Sodding stuff was like white worms everywhere. Had to pick every piece out we could, dry it, then burn it. We covered all our beds with cardboard and on top I put the goat/ bedding. This is working well in the soft fruit cage too- which was like a scene from wilderness takes over!

The guy we bought off had used carpet to try and block weeds. Nightmare- it was horrible, the weeds had grown on it, and down into the ground, and as it was nylon, tufts everywhere when it disintegrated. We are still finding hidden carpet deposits...


I am consdiering this as well - in small areas so I'm not exhausted and overwhelmed by it. Fortunately I have quite a lot of non nylon carpet some of which has already rotted in and disappeared amonsgst the weeds. A cardboard layer as well would have helped.

The other bit is that I am a gardener and not a smallholder despite the hens and inadvertently falling in love with a farmer. I like pork but I am not sure if I wouldn't prefer to keep buying it from Faithmead.


yep I do know what your saying how about borrowing a few pigs from faithmead for a short while to clear the area.

BTW had some of faithmead's pork for tea lovely. Had last bit of her lamb the other day so will need some more soon.

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19862
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It isn't just me for once but I imagine that we would manage it.

lottie



Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

[quote="Cathryn:1236051"]I seem to be unable to write a coherent post. /quote]
Welcome to my world.

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19862
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 12 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Our neighbours are planning on keeping pigs. This really is about clearing the vegetable patch.

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