Sindy's Blue Garden Cottage - suburban homesteading and self-reliance content

Season of Plenty By Sindy Wakeham  It's that time of year again when everything looks wetter, days get shorter and nights longer. We lament the passing of summer and it's lovely warm weather and long days but at the same time anticipate the approaching season of harvests, celebrations and seasonal decoration.  There's excitement and energy only tainted by the looming doom and gloom outside of our control between geopolitical and financial forecasts.  Are we going to let that get in the way of abundance in this season? Not in my home! Yes, we are keeping an eye on the situation but we aren't allowing it to become the only concern which could easily become so big an issue that it leaves us frozen...rabbit in the headlights and not doing anything. What are hubby and I doing? We are continuing the harvests, sowing more seeds for the 'hungry gap' and building our store cupboard ready for winter and early spring abundance as well as doing the usual winter preparation ...

 What's so important about 72Hrs? By Sindy Wakeham Look, I'm not going to tell you the news, or hypothesise about what is or isn't imminent or likely to happen. I don't have a crystal ball and if I did, it would make a lovely garden ornament.  Doom and Gloom news has always been the main focus for getting views because its what people react to most. People love drama! We can't help it. That's because we personalise things. We put ourselves in the shoes of others and feel compassion for them or fear it would happen to us. Both compassion and fear spur us on to action, not always action in the right direction. You've seen me discuss scarcity and positive mindset before too. THIS is where I want to give you some perspective and a new spin on prepping, including 72hr emergency packs.  WHY? Why the packs and why the 72hrs is the right question.  72 Hours is literally if you need to get out of your home immediately in an emergency and this is the amount of time ge...

  If you're eager, ready and waiting to get your seeds in the soil but don't have the space for the amount of seeds you intend over sowing (who doesn't sow too many?!) then this is the article for you.  Seed Snails! I have only recently discovered this crazy method of sowing seeds. No idea why it has taken me this long to discover it but if like me it's new to you, read on. This method is amazing. I give full credit to the lady who posted it on her Instagram at the end of this article.  So what's a seed snail? Quickly and simply, it's a roll of something with compost in it that you sow your seeds in. As per the picture at the top of this article. I say 'something' because from all the other sources I've found since, you can use any thing that will keep moisture and soil in and to a degree, insulate.  How is it made?  Look, it's simpler and easier if I show you. Here are some images I took while making my first one with what and how I did it. Mate...

Suburban Self-Sufficiency Workshop Fit for the 21st Century. (By Sindy Wakeham) How can you make your home and garden into a self-sufficiency homestead while still living a modern lifestyle?  I have launched my first in-person workshop in Cardiff, South Wales for Wed, 22nd January 2025, 12am till 14:00pm. It will answer that question and many more about living self-sufficiently in your suburban home and garden in the 21st century, in a more appropriate and sustainable way.  I'm happy to share one of my mistakes too. I forked out a fair bit on flyers, put the bargain discounted price on and then the end of the month arrived so now I have to go and make the discount permanent or the flyers will be void and useless!😂 So the workshop will have to be reduced for this one. Well, you live and learn. Note to self... don't put the price on the flyer! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1104454335649?aff=oddtdtcreator I am so excited about this and there's only two weeks to go so plenty ...

By Sindy Wakeham You can't grow food plants during the winter in the UK, can you?    Yes, you can!  You've probably got to have all sorts of expensive equipment and lots of space to compensate for the climate.  NO. You can start right where you are and with what you might already have.  In this blog, we will see just how simple and affordable it can be. You will see how you can still grow nutritionally dense food indoors. Of course you could also go all in and get technical if you want. You have the choice. I like to keep it simple myself. It takes some clever hacks, maybe technology (not necessary) and remembering the four general rules. Rethink what you call veggies and change your ideas about gardening indoors, and how to grow vegetables to harvest during the winter and early spring.  How Can You Grow Food Indoors? Greenhouses, summerhouses, conservatories and windowsills all   make very good spaces for growing plants for harvest during the colder m...

  Living By the Seasons  By Sindy Wakeham With the weather changed to blustery, cold and more often than not, very wet, being outside and gardening is not where you want to be. It’s our natural cycle to respond to the patterns of the seasons and perform applicable activities. We're normally indoors processing and storing our harvests from the garden and preparing for letting the garden sleep over winter ready for the next growing season while we 'hibernate' from the cold. Modern understanding and growing methods has shortened that ‘hibernation’ period for those of us who cannot bear to be away from the soil for a whole winter, which in the UK can feel like 6 months! For those of us who simply HAVE to be able to garden all year round, there’s always a way. Year Round Gardening We can make hot beds like the Victorians and now we can even grow indoors with grow towers designed for indoor gardening. We can make tunnel cloches over vegetable beds or cover them in plastic and ...