How can I grow more of my own food?

did a bit of research, the pvc ones look nice. Maybe ground the ends with cement blocks and double up with something more durable

 

I used to work in polytunnels... they'll withstand a lot if you buy the highest grade of agricultural polythene and if they're put together well [dug into the ground, etc].

Cheaper polythene, the Sun weakens it and the wind finishes off the job. If you're lucky you might get a year or two.

Our allotment site is very windy - you see people erect cheap tunnels in the Summer... by next March they're in shreds.

For me, amount of land is the issue - I just dont have any spare room for one anyway.

 

Keep an eye on your local freecycle group, greenhouses come up from time to time which are free if you can dismantle them. That way you can grow hardy salad leafs year round in them (even in Scotland)

 

Exactly.... You could always build your own greenhouse from recycled windows. Check out your local restore shop. And check the side of the road for ones thrown away. A friend of mind dud thiers for free. All windows looked very cool when they were done. Good luck!

 

With Hydroponics you will be able to grow vegetables all year round and have access to fresh and nutritious fruits and vegetables. Many growers and indoor gardeners are considering growing plants using hydroponics. It is an advanced method which is useful in growing plants without soil. :daisy:

 

Hydroponics - I would suggest taking a close look at hydroponics as the best method available for growing a lot of food crops and plants for other purposes within a limited amount of space, in much less time, and with recyclable water, than more "traditional" methods with soil.

It does take a bit of work and attention to really make hydroponics function to its fullest potential, but when it is done right, the results can be quite amazing.

Essentially, hydroponics is growing plants without soil of any kind, but rather having the roots immersed in or sprayed with nutrient solution. The result is much less energy (and time) spent on generating extensive root structures, but rather spent on generating more plant material, flowers and fruits.

There's lots of info about this on the internet, and I can offer a bit of my own personal observations and experience with hydroponics, if interested. In my opinion, hydroponics is absolutely the way to go for "urban" farmers, and folks who want to grow their own in limited conditions.

 

In England and many places that far north, you want to extend the growing season by much of the means you have seen in this thread: southern exposures, raised beds, enclosed spaces big and small passively heated by the sun or with heating units, either by heating air space or heating coils in the soil. Straw and other mulch can insulate soil to protect root crops.

Microclimate: a south-facing brick wall can allow you to grow figs and grapes in parts of England that would otherwise be too cold.

With the low light levels in winter, people in northwestern Europe should try to build glass houses if they can afford it. Visqueen type plasticine (greenhouse plastic), fiberglass, and similar products just don't transmit as much light as glass, although some plexiglass comes close. But with the soft rolls of cheap plastic the constant patching and replacing gets to be a hassle. I know that the better grades of plastic last longer. I am at 34 degrees north and I get more winter light than England; I am mostly trying to conserve heat.

Talk to local gardeners, as many as you can. Perhaps the older folks know what can survive the harshest winters.
Around here the old guys told me to plant collard greens. Sure enough, it was still alive in March following a winter when even the broccoli got killed by the extreme cold.
Our mountain people grow cabbages in autumn and spring, but I think collards are the toughest plant of all. Well, parsley and rosemary can take our winters too.

 

I like root vegatabes. You can keep them in the ground all winter and take them out when you need them. Potatoes provide the most calories per acre at 17.8 million. Carrots are also good.

 

The Canadians grow rutabagas and then wax them after harvest to allow them to last a long time in root cellars. Bees wax is healthier and better for the environment.
You might try this with turnips as well.
I love potatoes. I support the idea of keeping them in the ground until needed.
Watch for gophers as the weather warms! They are greedy large rodents that can rob your garden when they wake up from hibernation.

I saw a television show about a Boston Mass. garden. This guy was digging root crops out during periods in incredible cold and snow. He used heavy mulch in raised rows to protect his veggies from the bitter cold and soggy conditions.

I would like to move beyond the general concept to the specifics of what is needed to preserve the quality of your crop until spring.

I am not sure if people in the American Midwest who experience temperatures as low as -28C can hope to keep root crops in the ground, but maybe they would be better served by deep root cellars below the frost line.