When we bought this place we did so because it had land and we could afford it. There was no worrying about soil type or what was already established here. The fact that it was all on a gentle north facing slope was of no consequence, we still wanted it. |
| The view about 9 the other morning. Lots of frost still on my land but the field in the distance (over the road) is clear of all frost. |
I don't think that the slope makes huge amounts of difference in the warmer months of the year but in the winter it can affect how long things are in the cold for. The other morning was a prime example of this and it was really easy to see.
While our fields were covered in frost the one over the road, facing us slopping south, was frost free.
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| The neighbours field is clear of frost. Full of weeds though but that's another matter! |
I should say that this probably sets us back by at least two weeks in the spring compared to one facing the other way and makes our growing season a little shorter if we don't use fleece or protection of some sort. I guess the solution is to garden smarter and try to work around it. I'm planning on building a big raised bed for asparagus over Christmas and I'll build it up so it slopes the other way if I can, so it should warm up a little faster come the spring.
Anyone else sloping North (in the northern hemisphere! Or South in the southern)? How do you think it affects your growing year? What do you do to fight it?
Having had north facing gardens for our last two house moves and managed them for about 20 years with challanges this time having the space I chose an area SE facing for food growing.
ReplyDeleteNot a bad choice! No choice here though I'm afraid! I picked the bit open to the sun but that doesn't change the slope!
DeleteAbout making your own home made products to sell (the tractor post): I used to make and sell my own stuff, and everyone is right in saying that you don't make anywhere near as much of a profit as is deserved after all the hours of work which is invested in making hand made goods. But I balanced this by psychologically adding on the enjoyment that making my products gave me, that I liked fiddling about, that I enjoyed looking at the end products knowing that I had made them, and that I could apply myself to the making of them whenever I wanted to and was not governed by an employer dictating my working hours. I might not have made a huge profit, but these thoughts stopped me from being disappointed about what money I did actually make. And, anyway, a few pounds profit was better than not having any money coming in at all. There is a particular mindset to being making and selling your own products, and that is you have to add on the creativity and enjoyment that goes with making your own things to sell. Hope this helps with your perspective about making and selling the lovely things you make.
ReplyDeleteI am sure you will be able to sort out some sort of compromise with your land, and at least in the summer your garden is spared some of the roasting that the other fields will have! I think your place is lovely, and you must feel very blessed to be the carer of it.
I've made stuff before to sell and I know what you mean. Being at home is also a big plus for me. I want to be able to make and sell things from home so then my life will fit easier around taking the kids to school when they're older and doing seasonal things here. It needs some careful thought and I'm not going to rush into anything, I'm still working as a carpenter part time and that pays relativity well and the hours are as flexible as I want them to be but it's normally away from home. I have started working more local and that's been a big help.
DeleteSorry Kev, a thought has just arrived in my head: that with a good quantity of frost on your land the bug nasties will be being killed off. We could do with a hard frost here so that the same can happen!
ReplyDeleteIt has it's advantages! I don;t mind it this time of year but when we're on the brink of spring it has its affect!
DeleteOur house is kinda located at the top of a Northward slope with the back part of my pasture and hay field being in a bowl more or less. The other day when I walked down to check my hives I have in the back it was a good 10 to 20 degrees warmer in the bottom of the bowl compared to the top. Up at the house the wind is much worse and the frost hits harder. On the up side drier snows tend to blow away faster though and Summers are much easier.
ReplyDeleteEven on our little slope there can be frost at the bottom on the grass but not at the top, it's amazing that difference in hight and aspect can make. Our house is exposed to the west ward winds but not too bad.
DeleteWe also face north (northsider) on our smallholding Kev. I think veg plots should be placed in the sunniest part of the garden. Not where it is convenient. Vera is right to use the frost to break down the soil and kill off any nasties living in it. Do you dig it over or are you a no dig gardener?
ReplyDeleteMarch is the most deceiving month for us. You think spring is here and then winter is back. I have been wanting to mow my lawns for the last 2 months but the dew never goes. We have to find jobs inside and wait for April, sadly.
I dig a bit but normally to dig in a bit of muck. I like a good hard frost on it so kill the bugs and I've started to cover it all over with cardboard now to suppress the weeds ready for when I want to do some planting.
DeleteYou might build an underground greenhouse and bank the north side.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to but plannign laws would kill me (zoning laws over with you). It would be great though. I've seen some where they keep animals in it in the winter to keep the temperature up. It would work well here to be honest and not be too difficult to build.
DeleteThere is much to be said for having a bit of land and being able to afford it! That's why we ended up where we are, although it's a hard climb to make it productive. Interesting to read the comments to your query. We are fortunate that our garden (slope facing southeast) is protected at the top by a hedgerow. It's protected from bitter winter winds blowing out of the west, so that I can work there comfortably on cold days. For the most part, we just work with what we've got! Have to say I kind of like Gorges Smythe's idea.
ReplyDeleteYour in the same situation as us, your budget dictated what you had to buy. We were lucky to find this place so we'll work with what we've got. I'd love a greenhouse like that as well but the locals would have a fit no doubt!
DeleteSounds like a good location for fruit trees. We are facing the sun but in a low area where cold temperature pools.
ReplyDeleteI have my trees down there as it was the obvious place to put them but I know I'll loose out on years with late frosts as it will have the blossom.
DeleteIt's surprising the difference a few degrees makes to frost and growing things isn't it. We at least are on the 'dry' side of the road we live on, across the road has been known to flood on a regular basis as it has the River Conwy running through it.
ReplyDeleteGale force winds and driving rain here today though so we are all suffering, the chickens have gone back to bed!!
Flooding would be so much worse. I've got a friend who has a huge garden buy the river and she's trying to figure out what to do. She's thinking some really big raised beds to over come it.
DeleteKev - raised beds will help...but also get some tires..or i think they are spelled tyres in your country! because they are black, the tires and the dirt in the tires will heat up even when there is frost on the ground. we do our potatoes in tires and stack them up 4 tires high...there will be frost on the ground in january but no frost in the tires because they are raised from the ground and the black keeps in the warmth. we never harvest all of our potatoes until the end of december. just something to think about.
ReplyDeleteyour friend,
kymber
(oh p.s. - we are in cape breton island, an island that is north of nova scotia in canada)
Raising it up would have its advantages but I'm not sure how the locals would feel about tyres being used! The garden is a bit visible at the moment. I am going to do a big raised bed for asparagus and I was thinking of using galvanised tin for it so it would last as long as the crop!
DeleteNo, we're all south facing, and sloping. How about a tall hedge of the northern limit of your land? Would that help?
ReplyDeleteThere's one already and I'm letting it grow up a bit. The only trouble is I think it can work both ways and the hedge kind of traps in the cold air sometimes.
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