Today’s episode is all about planning. In the past I used to jump right into things, and often pay the price. Especially when dealing with 13,000 square feet in a home I OWN, I want to make sure I think through everything that’s going to be built on the property.
First up, storage. I have a 1 car garage that I’d like to turn into a workshop eventually, so I need storage on the property. My current “shed” is a 9’x7′, about 60 sqft less than the maximum unpermitted size of 10’x12′. So the shed has to go, a new one has to come in, and that new one needs a better location.
I also share some thoughts on the preliminary design of the orchard, as well as the front garden.
As always, any suggestions, leave them in the comments…I’m learning as I go!
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48 Comments
What do you think of the preliminary plan! Anything I'm missing this early on? I'd love some fresh ideas, so drop them below 🙂 – Kevin
Hey Kevin I was just wondering, what brand is your drip irrigation system?
That shed would make an awesome chicken coop.👌
Love hearing how the plan is going to develop, just reminds me of all the things to think about in a new garden. 🙂 So really helpful.
As a fellow San Diegan, I am very excited for you! As you consider your orchard plans, I would encourage you to read a beautifully written book titled, Grow a LIttle Fruit Tree by Ann Ralph. It really is a must have read! (David The Good–youtuber–recommended it.) I look forward to watching your progress. Given the scope of your future plans and size of your property, I assume you will plan for more water harvesting from the roof of your home. How about a grey-water system too?
Can you make sure to create a video as you develop the compost system you will use? I'm wondering if you will have multiple compost systems. I have a black plastic spin style which creates pretty quickly for mostly food stuff but then I have a lazy pile that just breaks down super slow. I am trying to learn more nd be better at compost. Thanks
I bought two of those stirrup hoes while on holiday in L.A. , and brought them to south Africa, they are fantastic and we don't get them here.
Your property is lovely can't wait to see all that you do on your land be blessed and keep growing
I just started my garden this year (all started from store bought plants), and I have been binge watching your channel to learn everything I can. My hope is next years garden will be better, and more organized. I am also looking to start most from seeds in the years to come. Thank you for all the information so far.
Build a food forest!
You might want to check your zoning. They might have been fixing that shed up for chickens. Home grown fertilizer! Just a thought. LOL
I am so excited for you and I am so excited to come along this journey! 🎉
It always amazes me how practical Americans are. You can just buy a customized shed on the internet! That's so cool! Hope all the best, man.
Can you just replace the roof and make it a little higher?
Hi Kevin, could you share the link or name of the tool that cut weed, please. Where did you buy it? It will be handle for me to clean up my garden. Thank you.
I'm so happy for You 🙂 Grats 👏👏👏🤩❤️😊
Check out what Gary is doing in Robbie and Gary gardening Easy channel. They are in Irvine, I think.
Maybe a few wooden shade structures, pergolas, providing about 50% shade, with garden beds and maybe a seating area.
The lean to style shed would also be easier to sweep the fallen leaves off.
have you posted plans for your prep table? Or where did you buy it?
I am sooo happy for you. I went to San Diego State and now live a Los Angeles Beach community. I love your podcasts etc. because it is about small space gardening and you are in Zone 10B like me. I look forward to seeing how you go about developing this new “homestead” you have purchased. Bravo for you!!!
You should consider a peg board for your garage. It's really handy to hang over a work table and be able to see the tools you most frequently use so you can grab them quickly.
Mango plz. I can't grow them in 8b.
Wow I swore I subscribe the first video, now I have 3 videos to watch or 4
Plan sounds great, but you need to add another To-Do to you list: Get rid of the pepper trees!! Even if they're your neighbor's trees, cut the limbs back to the property line, dig down and kill all of the roots on your side of the property, and throw it all in the trash–do not put in greens bin or compost. They are evil, awful, invasive giant weeds. They are too close to your foundation, and they destroy foundations. Even after digging down three feet along two sides of my house to extract pepper tree roots, I am still finding runners and sprouts years later. Sorry to sounds like a nut, but trying to save you some misery.
Get chickensssss
Amazing amount of space. Since you have so much space and so many projects, you actually could do some cardboard and lasagna gardening. Wood chips over the cardboard. Its amazing to see how much those earthworms do under that cardboard. My concern for you: water bill. Will you be using gray water from your laundry?
I think the Lean To was a good choice. It'll look good with the home
I want a saturn peach tree in the future
Thats a beautiful space!
Make a door from your garage to the shed!
Hi Kevin, I love both of your channels, love watching and learning from them. I have an area where I want to get a temporary garden with grow bags and love your set up. Where did you get your bags? I found some on amazon but not sure size and quality, and I also love how colorful yours are. This year I only have tomatoes and herbs but maybe I can still get a few late summer/ fall things growing if I hurry and get the grow bags fast. Can you help with this info please?
For us old folk that is a hula hoe.
Would you ever grow passion fruit ? Also where do you buy or recommend getting grow bags ?
So I had an idea. I think you should get a farm bot and program it and compete with it to grow. Theyre pretty cool and encouraging gardening in any form is positive.
Definitely take the time you need to think things through and plan things out! Great video – it's exciting (and educational) to listen to your thought process
Awesome planning and many great projects ahead! I'm late to the party, but have a few thoughts to share:
The Shed – From what I've seen on construction blogs and YT channels, pier-and-beam concrete foundations are pretty stable and maybe require less building material. I think the main things to consider are the land you're building on and seismic requirements? Also I seem to remember that pier-and-beam foundations allow you a bit of flexibility to move the structure later if you ever need to. Ask your professionals, though, because I could be totally wrong!
Fire prevention – No idea what that might look like in your area, but as a native Californian I'm horrified to see the increasing wildfires in the West and wonder if there's anything you can build in from the beginning to protect your homestead?
The ADU – Why did you choose the NE corner? If you put it closer to the main driveway, you can maybe reduce the land area required for walking paths, and make it more attractive to a renter to have a shorter distance to haul furniture and groceries? Then less disruption to surrounding beds and plants as well. Or maybe that person's a fellow homesteader and enthusiastic about living off the product of your plot! Obviously you have more details, but that's just a consideration.
There is a guy I saw in Canada, he was showcased on the great American Farm tour with Justin Rhodes. He plants in trios, 2 fruit, and 1 tree that gives essential foods to the other trees. In between, he did food forest foods. A pepper plant here a tomato pant there etc. It was pretty cool. I just found you and subbed I am looking forward to watching future and past stuff.
I've gone through this transformation with two homes so far. It is really fun to take the property and imagine the possibilities. I've lived in my current home on 1 acre for 5 1/2 years and it is finally getting close to being "finished", where I can switch from improvements to maintenance. I have a couple of suggestions, but I'm not sure what your ordinances are. I've always managed to buy properties just outside the city limits, so things are much looser on restrictions. It is important to think about what you need to eat for a self-sufficient diet. Veggies and fruits are wonderful, but not generally good sources of protein. I highly suggest getting some laying chickens. They are a wonderful addition, so much fun, create great manure for compost, and supply you with eggs. They also eat almost anything. I've never had roosters because of the noise factor. Also, one thing I find really helpful is to have a clothesline to dry my laundry. Cuts WAY down on energy needs. BUT, they take up space and both create shade as well as need full sun, so the location is important. It is helpful to have it not TOO far from the house, also. I enjoy watching your plans and what you are doing to transform your place. BTW, I used pallets to make my compost pile. 4 x 4's in the corners and just screw the pallets into the 4 x 4's.
My Uncle Otto had a tree farm on his space near same size as yours and he added 2 small frog ponds among the trees and it was spectacular ! Rains basically filled them, wildlife took charge of keeping alive and keeping the bug situation in control. Just a thought.
I thought my 30 gallon grow bag was big. They are for my dwarf apple trees to be re potted in winter
Instead of a rooftop garden, take advantage of the sun and add solar panels.
An exciting time ….best of luck in your journey !
Can’t wait to see it transform. Would love to see some loquat recipes down the line. We’ve got loquat trees in LA everywhere!
I really love that fence! Would like a bit more info on it if you have it?
I love that you’re taking the time to figure out all your options before jumping into it. It feels to me that you’re uncovering the perfection of the space…my opinion is that if you listen, it will tell you exactly what it’s always wanted. It just was waiting for YOU to show up! Well Done.
Your knowledge is absolutely amazing. I'm so excited to have found your channel at this point. To watch your process from start to fruition. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful journey with us!
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻