HOMESTEAD PROGRESS, GETTING THINGS DONE AND PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- Last week we finally got round to putting up our new polytunnel. This week we make some more progress on our homestead!
Hi there :) We're Marc & Allys, a couple who left the UK in 2021 to search of somewhere we could build a homestead. This led us to one of Portugal's beautiful natural parks.
Self-sufficiency is important to us, whilst we're not off grid, we're keen to rely less and less on external systems. Follow us as we take on many things for the first time - learning as we go. DIY, Gardening, Growing our own food, Homestead'ing, Studying our land, Learning about permaculture and other farming techniques. We also plan to regenerate our abandoned land and create a thriving ecosystem - which isn't an easy task given we're in Portugal's hottest region (Alentejo!)
Follow us on our journey as we face new challenges, and acquire new skills!
If you enjoy it, hit like and subscribe for future videos :)
Instagram: / rootsdownhomestead
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Hey everyone! Hope you had a lovely time over the festive period :) Thanks so much for the support this year it means a lot! x
You really should be putting stones or broken pots and at the bottom of the pots you're planting up to help with drainage also be careful to avoid over watering different seeds are going to need moisture content for germination usually it'll tell you on the packet what to do to get the best results failing that there's a video on RUclips for everything good luck hope everything comes up should know with in a few weeks 🤞
Nothing to do with the above, but why aren't you mulching your berms, all the other homestead permaculture/food forest practitioners seem to do it?
Hi@@johnwilkinson2604 thanks - we do mulch the berms but we currently have a shortage of mulch - the "berms" of the grape vines are now mulched with pine bark but i would have preferred to use a lighter material to avoid it falling off. Grape vine mounds here in Portugal aren't usually mulched anyway due to the vines rooting more deeply when water closer to ground level is not present :)
The berm in front of the polytunnel, wewanted to do with Hay but it must be off season as no where has any in stock!
@@rootsdownhomestead thank you so much for replying. Best wishes to you both
I can’t give any specific advice on what you are trying to start from seed. But general advice is look for information on the type you are trying to start. Some need cold stratification for a period of time. Some need a specific soil temperature. In which case you may need a heat mat for consistency. Some need light some darkness. Some tree seeds do better if they are scarified, meaning a tiny nick in the outer covering. Some do best in a sterile medium not soil. Well I guess that’s a lot of different thing’s but if you want the best results you’ve got to give them what they need.
thanks so much :)
Hi, I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Christmas, and may the New year bring you joy, peace and good harvests! I planted seeds for trees but it takes so long, specially if you want to have and enjoy picking some fruit from them. And be careful because some seeds produce a barren tree, or not edible fruit, they need a graft, like apples, quinces, plums etc. There is a whole world about grafts!!. Another little problem, at least for me (I´m impatient!), some trees need about 5 years to start producing fruit, so sometimes I think is better to buy/ invest in older fruit trees, so you can enjoy your harvest while the "others" are growing. You have plenty of land, so organize your trees by edible fruits, 2 apple trees, 2 pear trees, 2 cherry trees, etc, some olive trees so you can have your own olive oil, there are automatic oil press machines (I think Amazon sells them). It would be a good idea to go around your neighborhood and see what kind of trees they have, and may be even talk to the owners and check which trees thrive in that climate. Good luck! You are both doing great!!
Thank you :)
You sure got loads done, even if you didn't plan to. Great progress again, can't wait to see what happens with the seeds. I normally have green fingers, but a brown thumb when it come to seeds.👍
Haha yes same here!
Your detailed explanations of the "how and why" in your work make your videos especially interesting and a pleasure to view.
Thank you so much :)
Mulberry and figs grow very well from cuttings and bananas multiply from pups. 😊 that is the fastest way of propagating. Good luck!
Thank you :)
Great job on the seeds. Tree seeds I find this works. Soak them 24 hours in water. Then place them between 2 damp paper towels and the towels inside a black plastic bag. Keep the bag in the dark inside you home to keep them warm. Tree seeds like mesquite, apple and citrus have germinated in 4 - 10 days for me. Works for every vegetable seed I've tried. Once they germinate plant them roots to the side or down. Just fill a pot or seed tray 80% full. Place the seed on top of that soil and cover with soil 1/4 inch thick and water. Then place them in your high tunnel and have fun growing like so many of us do. Good luck what ever you try!
Thanks so much for the tips :)
Glad to see the new poli being filled! Good thinking, planning and executing the build this time ;) Also nice to see you work on your hobby again, irrigation!
Thank you :) Haha my favourite thing to do!
Ive always had success with seeds by putting them in a pots then putting the pots in small plastic bags so the humidity is always at 100% till they have sprouted. Once sprouted you can open the bags every evening so they can breath and don't mould over. Good luck, at least this year you have a polytunnel that hasn't turned into a boat 😊
Interesting thanks!
Looking great, love to see the clean up around the property, hope everything grows like crazy! Lol look forward for your next video!
Thank you so much :)
Such a hard-working horticulture student you are; only I am so reluctant to start from seeds because of the effect called "damping off". Once plants have a mature root structure and mature leaves, they can withstand the fungus or mold that causes root rot. Check it out. I'm sure it's why you see fans in polytunnels that circulate air. Some suggest using sterilized soil, but I have had no success myself even doing that. More power, nonetheless.
Thank you :)
for better seeds germination is worth to cover with foil. would be even better to warm them up from bottom but it might be difficult without electricity close by. Perhaps you can consider building diy solar air heater which might be low cost solution for winter period. I have build one and it works even without fan and electricity. cheers D
Interesting, thanks
Green house is looking good 👍 wishing you both a very Happy New year 🎉🎊🎆🥳🎇
Thank you :) Happy new year to you too!
I think you’re doing a great job with the green house 👍👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you :)
Thanks for sharing another video. From last year to this year, you have learned with ur experiences and adapted. U learned and developed work methods and rythms that suit u. Knowledge is usually hard won and the result of painful experiences in human life. U seem to understand that from the knowledge u gained from experience. Most ppl don't even realise that that may have gained knowledge through their painful experiences. M happy to see that you r surely getting to where u r supposed to be in ur homestead. Season's Greetings n a Happy and Prosperous New Year .
Thanks so much :) Happy new year to you too!
An old carpet makes a good cover for your worm farm.
I also struggle with germinating seeds, and namely vegetables. Have you decided on some veggies to never try and germinate in midsummer again?
I can't believe the transformation of that spot in just a few days!
I know it's changed so much so quickly :) Thanks for the tip on the old carpet!
Some seeds need a period of cold (I.e. the freezer) before planting, others need soaking.. worth browsing each variety one evening to find the best way for each…
Great, thanks
Hi, lots going on in this video, well done! I think the end posts of the wires for your vines will need bracing. They might be OK now, but as the vines grow and get heavy they will pull the wires and the end posts will move. You have a few options on how to brace and tension them. RUclips can help 😂
Great thank you :)
Sow tree seeds in individual pots, like one pot for mahogany and one pot for banana. Sometree seeds might germinate after a year and some after e few weeks. A tray takes up too much space if you are waiting 6 months for the last row to germinate.
Thanks for the tip!
Good job. A few years and you will have a lot of fruit tree. Looking forward to see all the veggies in the tunnel
Thank you :)
what a pleasure you are too follow with your progress . thank you & the best of health & all for " 2024 " to you both .
Thanks so much - you too
FYI: The fabric you're calling potato sack is 'Burlap'. It's a loosely woven fabric that will breathe.
Installing irrigation is a big pain in the keister, to say the least.
Don't over water the seedlings, as you said let the poly-tunnel work as it should, creating moisture (humidity). Only water when the top of the pot looks and feels dry. Also by plunging your finger tip into the soil to feel if it's dry or moist will work, too.
Good luck with all of the seeds, pray you end up having so many big healthy trees one day that you can sell some to make bacpawk a bit for the original outlay.
PS. I'm always amazed at the care you take to make everything look appealing~attractive, but that sure cuts into your working hours.
Hope you, Alice and the pups had a great Christmas and Your New Year is fruitful. ~ All the best ~ Lacy, Mike & Hamish 🐾🤗💖
Thank you so much for the tips and your kind words :) Happy new year to you all :)
A successful day. The irrigation looks like a nice setup.
Very productive :) Thank you!
I wonder if your tropical seeds might like another little 'tunnel' over them to give them their own micro climate, and perhaps an overhead misting spray?
Something to consider :)
My experience with paulownia seeds is that they need several cold weeks (some frost is not a problem) before a rise in temperature to germinate. You may consider to leave them outside making sure water is not accumulating in the pot. Congratulations for the amount of works!
Interesting thanks!
Awesome job.
Thank you :)
Brilliant as always, Marco! Don't forget to have a rest.
Thanks :)
Fantastic work 👏👏👏
Thanks :)
Here in Australia some plants need smoke to germinate….maybe some of your plants need this…..more googling 😉
Interesting! thanks
You need lots of light for bananas, pine apple and other tropical plants. Eucalyptus is invasive, you may want check to see if it is okay for Portugal. They tend to take over. When I put down cardboard, it took about a year for the mildew smell to go away. I don't know what I did wrong, but I did not have good luck with it
Thank you :) Yeah we have an established pineapple and some bananas, they will need a lot of light
Eucalpytus can be problematic if not managed correctly. In a video i did over a year ago, we cut down many we have already on the land!
Growing trees from seeds...i have germinated a few thousands, mostly "natives", and its...tricky. some need a long waiting time, and can germinate 1 year later..other germinate bettter right after colected from tree. Some need stratifiying, etc.
There s no other way then trying. Failing and keep going. You seem to be doing a nice job.
Try cuttings (in sand) too, works great in many cases.
Thank you :)
Last comment for today… 🤣😬 you have so many pots, I would be very tempted to set up a drip watering system sooner rather than later… it will provide more consistent watering especially as the poly tunnel will be warm…
Edit. Oops… should have watched to the end👍🤪
thanks :)
Nice work around your property! My only suggestion is to be careful what non-native plants you put in. Eucalyptus is invasive in Southern California where I live and causes lots of problems, even death when people plant them close to homes and roads (the limbs fall frequently when they are mature and can be easily .5 meters or more in diameter). The seeds spread like wildfire and will smother any plants you have nearby. The leaves acidify the soil and also can reduce water absorption.
Thanks a lot :)
Yeah we are cautious of these types - we already have very old eucyptus on the land and we actually cut most of them down. However, if managed properly they can be useful but i'm overly cautious with these as they can take over if given the space!
Your potato mating is commonly called Hessian, I used it in my upholstery trade, I noticed someone said it was burlap, depends what country you are in I guess
Yes I remembered after :) thank you
Good time of year for chestnut trees seeds, fig cuttings , apple seeds , lime, lemon seeds,
Thanks!
Great comments very constructive, doing a great job marc and Ally's
Thank you :)
How about making an extension for your table saw… as you seem to work on your own 🙄 it would speed up future woodworking projects saving you from moving around the other side as you cut long planks.
Thanks!
Just found your channel today and am binge-watching from the beginning. Just wanted to say tho I recognised your accent right away, fellow Bristolian here living up in the Scottish Highlands for 15 years now. Loving watching your journey, could not believe those floods in the early days😵💫Your quinta is my long-term dream (and the tractor, obvs)!
Amazing, thanks so much for landing on the channel and watching the videos!
Haha yes a Bristolian can recognise the accent a mile off.
Scottish highlands? Wow! If I could tolerate the cold that would 100% be an option.
Hope everything is going well for you!
Hopefully you dont block the sun for your green house with your grape vines in time.
This area doesn't get much shade, so in the hot summers we will need some shading which is why we've put the grape vines here :)
I can see that you're very committed and working hard on your land. Pray that you will have much success and abundance in harvest ❤❤🎉🎉 in the coming years!
Thanks so much! Fingers crossed :)
When I got my allotment a guy told me not to water seeds in the evening as they sit in the damp and can start to rot. I've always planted seeds out in the morning then watered, I have never had one fail..... Oh that bit's a lie some do and some don't but it seemed to be logical so I stick with it..
Interesting! Thanks
staples and water wont last long 1 try to think of something that doesn`t pierce the plastic , clamps so you can take it off to get rid of the smelly muck that will accumulate,
Thanks!
Just believe in what you are doing. Love gardening
Thank you :)
Thanks for your vid 😇💟💟💟 Love and bless you guys.
Thanks for tuning in :)
Grafting of course is a frugal way of growing fruit trees and it is much faster than from a seed for sure.
Absolutely
I would be tempted to lay down some flat stones at the foot of those taps, if you have any available.
Yeah that’s a great idea, think we have some from our wall project!
Great to see how all your hard work is paying off.
It really is! Coming together slowly :)
The method is working well. Great use of Burlap.
You're doing a great job 💪👍 kudos
Thank you :)
Take cuttings of the trees you would like to grow and put them in small pots to start and do not let them dry out ! Put them in your tunnel! 💁🙏😘🇺🇸🐾👍
We have quite a few cuttings on the go - great way to utilise resources :)
It looks like hessian. 👍
Yes :)
Great work as always 👌Just a warning as I have seen many green houses blown away in the wind. I hope you have pinned it down very very well.
Thanks, we done alot of work to ensure this doesn't happen - fingers crossed :)
Make sure that the species that you seed or plant are not considered as illegal invasive species. You are not completely free to introduce seeds or species that have not been given a special treatment against diseases and such, or clearance for planting by the government. There are rules and laws for that. Invasive species are a big problem for existing ecosystems, and a big contributing factor to the mass extinction of species.
With hat being said, some species need their seeds to undergo what is called a stratification process, which means that they need to be exposed to cold temperatures for a certain amount of time. Which can be replicated by putting seeds in the refrigerator for a couple of months if a certain species needs that kind of treatment. You can find more info about how that works online. For some seeds the lack of cold weather can be a limiting factor for the success rate of the germination. Other seeds might even need to be exposed to fire before they germinate. Also, for higher germination success rates seeds need to have a very strict and consequent watering regime. Whatever a species need for water, it needs to happen very regularly.
And they like constant temperatures and moisture levels and very constant general conditions. No big sudden changes in moisture or temperature or hours of daylight or exposure to the sun after seeding in the soil.
Some species like more acidic soil than others. Each species has its own manual and need for certain conditions.
In addition to my previous comment I want to share a video with you that was published yesterday on this channel Stefan Sobkowiak - The Permaculture Orchard. This man is a professional fruit grower. In his latest video he shares some great tips about seeding tree seeds, and what methods you can use to make them grow much faster as normal. The video is called, A SECRET TECHNIQUE to growing plants from SEED (you NEED to try THIS!)
That is the entire title. Again, this man is a professional fruit grower, and very knowledgeable about growing fruit trees and how to make them grow healthy without fertilizers and chemicals. He shares tons of very usable information with his viewers.
Thank you! Great point, there is quite a number of species which are banned, which is why we only buy from Portuguese companies as they only sell those which are legal - better to be safe than sorry.
Ah really, i never knew that - especially exposed to fire for example! Let's see how these seeds do, based on my last attempt not so hopeful, although 3 seeds have germinated already from different varieties !:)
That's great advice, thank you! I'll check this out as seems like it could be a valuable resource :)
@@rootsdownhomestead Very nice, congrats with the new trees. It always puts a smile on my face when something that I seeded pops up. It is a bit like a Christmas gift isn't it? Especially when you have little expectations. 👍
I wouldn't plant any eucalyptus Marc . They are highly flammable because of the oils. We are OK in the UK because we have so much wet weather.
Thanks Margaret, i was completely against them (and even chopped many down myself) but they can be useful is managed properly, especially for regenerating land. They will be temporary and removed once the forest is established :)
Happy new year!
Camphor is considered a pest tree here in Australia. Which is kinda sad, because they have amazing wood for furniture and woodworks.
Oh really? Didn't know they were a pest, i did read it was good for wood when i was selecting some seeds, i guess we will see if they come up!
Happy new year :)
Happy Newyear and lots of happiness, good luck and a good health 🥳🥂👏👍🍀💐🌟
And to you too - thanks!
Hi Mark you & your brother did a really good job putting up the polly tunnel , I see by your plastered fingers you had a few mishaps, no pain no gain 😂😂😂❤
Anyway this time you have worked out what could happen with flooding & set solutions to minimise future flooding , thumbs up to you 👍 keep up the good work .. Victoria from Australia ❤
Thanks Victoria! Yeah lots of plasters, my hands are covered in cuts - but as you say, no pain no gain :D
Happy new year!
Hey just wanted to ask …
How come you don’t cement any post in…
Just a small question…
Love watching your show
Hey :) thanks for watching!
Good question! We try to avoid cement where possible, especially around areas we are growing edible plants and veggies! I may regret not cementing them in further down the line ;)
Happy new year!
Hi Marc so sorry not sure how I missed this video I have notifications on, never mind here now 😂
You both should be very proud of yourselves 😊 the things you have achieved this year is amazing. I can't really give much advice on germinating trees only person I have seen try to grow them is Ben Hollar and he just chucks them in a pot from what I have seen 😂😂
Your farm is just looking amazing.
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and here we are 2024 I really hope it brings you everything you could wish for xx
No worries - don't apologise, really appreciaate the support for the channel :)
It's been a hard year, lots done but lots to do :)
Maybe i'll do some more research on seeding haha.
Happy new year and all the best for 2024 :)
Hi, We are in a natural park, Serra De Estrella too and have been told we have to get permission from ICNF to erect a poly tunnel, have you done this and can you give us some pointers? Thanks in advance :)
Wow, what a lovely place to live :)
I'm not sure, there was already a polytunnel on our land, so we just replaced it (the other one was taken down). I guess it's just technically a temporary structure. Sorry i couldn't be more help there! Happy new year!
For seed starting. Each packet should have specific directions, temperature, length of time to germination/harvest. Soil requirements and climate or temperature/shade requirements post germination. Some things need to be warm, some cold, some come up in days, some in weeks. It would probably be helpful to translate key gardening words and write them down on a grease board or something until you have gotten them memorized. It would make reading those seed packets faster. Good luck
Thank you! We got them from an independant supplier so it didn't have that informaton on the packs :( I think i will need to do more research!
In UK and Europe also Australia and New Zealand the material you are using is called hessian . Burlap in US and Canada.
Thank you :)
What are the wire brackets you have used on the fencing please. Thanks
Thanks Anne, they were just fence tensioners we got from an agriculture shop :)
I've enjoyed a number of your videos and found them inspiring and informative as I'm year one into a similar project near Mangualde, further north. I can get overwhelmed at times, but your story's and attitude helps. It will be great to see these plants in the soil as part of your land regeneration. From what I know and plan to do, the diverse plants will perform their miracles and have organisms to do the best for your soils. Thanks
Thank you :)
Great to plan well ahead for trees. As someone has already mentioned, different seeds require different conditions. See what you get from this planting, and then if specific types don’t germinate well, give them more specific conditions for your next round.
thank you :)
Tropical trees or plans will not make it if temperature is below 10c...
Thank you :)
Use different colors when tagging plants
Good tip, thanks :)
brilliant mate, Elsa&Henry London.
Thank you!
Is there a particular reason you want to grow exotic plants, or is it just for fun?
Kind of for fun but also I’m interested in syntropic agroforestry, would be good to experiment 😊
That is, 40 hours of cold temperatures in order to mature.
Thank you :)
Most seeds, at least those grown in the temperate zone, need a rest of at leas 40 hours (all told) in order to germinate the year after being developed on its tree. I know different things MAY be required in the tropics, and I don't know about them. Best of fortunes. I enjoy seeing your progress.
.
Oh wow, didn't know that! Thank you. I think i need to do some more research :)
Happy new year!
Happy New Year to you both. Best of fortunes!@@rootsdownhomestead
One tip for growing trees from seed. Some seeds need cold stratification. For example chestnut seeds, apple seeds and I believe also pine. But I am not sure about the rest.
Before watering the trays again, validate that they are not soggy just to make sere you are not over watering.
I think you have come a long way and it is great that the pollytunnel is up, it creates opportunities 👍
By the way, I was in Porto last week. I went bonkers when I saw citrus trees full of fruit. That is when I really felt jealous of all the goodness that exists outside of Sweden 😁
Thanks a lot - seems i'll have to do more research on growing from seed - perhaps I should have started with less varities! :)
Amazing, hope you enjoyed your trip to Porto :)
Happy new year!
Don't worry about it! It might work anyway :) the seeds might have been in a cold fridge before they were sent to you, might be enough :)
Porto was amazing! I am looking forward to traveling there during the summer. Who knows, maybe it will be my second home during the Swedish winter 😁
HESSIAN
Thank you! Got it :)
Great work; What a fun and interesting lot of trees you have chosen. I haven't seen you plant any nitrogen fixers, which are often planted as nursery trees and sacrificial to chop and drop to keep the organic matter/mulching up. Ice cream bean is a fun tree, a nitrogen fixer too, which would probably grow in your area, though it does grow huge. There are plenty of nitrogen fixer trees to chose from, some that produce beautiful flowers also.
Thanks a lot :)
We have some Silky oak for nitrogen fixing and hope to plant a lot of cover crops - clover and alfalfa plus beans also. I'll check out the ice cream bean! Do you recommend any other trees or shrubs good for nitrogen fixing?
We can't get hold of black locust or alder unfortunately as they were my initial choices!
@@rootsdownhomestead There are numerous nitrogen fixer trees and shrubs to choose from. If you are able to supply plenty of water to get them established, you could choose areas that have similar temperatures. I would think Australian trees would thrive, as they are usually pretty tough. You could also air layer some from the area you live in, if you are friendly with the neighbors. Any you can get from you own area will probably do best.
My list would consist of mainly fruit and forage nitrogen fixers, , with a few that have pretty flowers. There are a ton of you tube videos on the nitrogen fixers.
I am in a different climate to you, as I live in New Zealand, which is a sub-tropical climate in my area. The main difference in our climate is probably, we have plenty of rainfall for most of the year.
@@rootsdownhomestead This guy discusses the science of nitrogen fixers.
ruclips.net/video/gRN7LxJbgNs/видео.html
Growing from seeds, follow suppliers' guidelines. Next observe what grows well on your land. Walk around, dig out seedling plants, transfer tobpoly tent until bigger or replant adequately spaced on your homestead. Check with local schools, universities, nurseries, plant stores, farmers' markets, neighbors for recommended seeds, plants, tips. Internet, marketplace, heirloom suppliers/distributors.
Start simple, get success then progressively diversify. Trees - pines, cedars, oaks, cork. Fruits: olives, oranges, pears, tangerines, peaches, mandarin, plums, grapes, berries - all varieties (blue, strawberry, mulberry, raspberry, blackberry, mulberry, etc). Herbs, vegetables, spices, seasonings, peppers, etc.
Try using starter trays with covers. Better humidity and minimal watering, less messy, time savings. Transfer seedlings as they grow. Another is to create a reusable drip tray collection system. Totes that drain to a recycable collection system. E.G. DIY: large tote, some bricks/stones, chicken mesh or wire, drain, collection bucket. Lay stone in tote. Cover with mesh. At a lower point in the tote cut out and install a drain plug/tap/hose. Place smaller plants, pots, totes on the mesh. Water as required. Manual drain or overflow drain for excess water.
Learn by doing. Use what you have. Adapt, experiment.
brilliant, appreciate the tips :)
Hi there!