Self sufficiency advice- getting started

[Frokni]

Morning everyone,

I am a fortunate position where I am only working v part-time. I have 2 DDs (aged 4 and 2, if that helps this thread in any way) live on quite a good sized detached property plot and now have access to an allotment a 1 min walk away from November.

I have a few questions/ideas i want to run past a community. I am quite well-read but am very much a novice and not from a green-fingered family (also any links to gardening/self-suffuciency forums would be great too).

• how much space is advisable to have a small cut flower garden?
• what product could i farm on a small scale for a little side hustle? Pea shoots are big in our county at the mo. I was thinking mushrooms- opinions.
• what tips can you give for creating and planning a container garden for the front of my house? What works best and is hardy for a main road.
• WWYD if you could go back to your first time growing something which failed due to lack of planning/knowledge?
• What can i start doing from Nov in my allotment? It will be in ready to go condition.

I live in Northants if anyone also knows any local groups. My plantable/usable space is roughly
Back garden- 10ft x 12ft
Allotment- 14ft x 8ft (to extend 3 times by next year when other tenant has gone)
Front of house - an area of roughly 7ft sq

Thanks so much

i am in a fortunate position

Misspelled first sentence, great! Lol

What a lovely idea OP!

This has been my first year of growing veg so I can't help much with your queries, but have a look at Huw's Nursery on youtube (I think he also has a book out) and the Home Grown Veg channel: gentle old chap going through things slowly for us newbies: www.youtube.com/channel/UCPrZIwOWNvem_IAuGgmIWlg

The RHS Grow Your Own app is useful too, put in what you're growing/ want to grow and it will send you reminders about what you're supposed to be doing. I have DTs aged 4 and we will shortly be planting onions and daffodils. Amazingly some managed to grow last year despite their gardening 'skills'

There's a Facebook group called 'allotment beginners uk' which you may find useful.

Good luck!

Rubyslippers77 thanks for that! Already off to a great start with your suggestions. I actually have an RHS journal from years ago so will dig that out too :-)

Thnx again x

I'm at the beginning of my learning curve (got my allotment in February) so can't really help much with the growing stuff, I'm afraid. How would you sell your produce? Farmers markets?

You might want to check the terms and conditions for your allotment. Mine specifies no commercial growing. I'm hoping that doesn't go as far as selling jam made with the fruit at a school fair to raise funds for the PTA, because that's next year's tentative plan to do something useful with the avalanche of raspberries and blackberries I got this year.