This weekend, I spent more time on my garden. It's nice to grow flowers, but I like to grow things I can eat.
I put in strawberries, grapes, tomatoes, and peppers. Some of my seeds that went straight into the ground did not come up, so I transplanted pots grown in the house. I put in four more types of herbs in containers on the patio.
Other seed plants are coming up nicely; spinich, cucumbers and green beans. The ground will have to be tilled soon for the corn and I built three more raised beds.
The grapes took two hours per plant not including soaking and ground preparation. It's the way that it is when you are setting up new "mini arbors" each year.
I am just getting started. I have to track down some new dwarf fruit trees because my normal supplier is out. I was able to snag another mini orange tree though and I am darn glad to have it.
I am no Old MacDonald, but I have been growing food in my yard for over fifteen years. It took a few years, research and lots of trial and error to get it right. And I am still learning.
Let's take a look at the convential prepper now.
He may have his can of non-hybrid seeds from Waltons as recommended online, along with his copy of Bartholomew's "Square Foot Gardening". Figures he's set now and once the SHTF, "The Ladies" will put in a garden (when they are not making him home made bread and beef stew) and oila! A well producing garden full of all the food he will need to get through lean times.
What a moron.
Is the ground ready? Has the soil been amended? Or is he going to drop those seeds in the ground and expect 100% success? Has he grown anything else besides a fat gut watching "Red Dawn" for the fiftieth time? Will he eat what he grows? Will the seeds work in his zone? Or will they wilt in the sun or drown from overwatering?
Forget the seeds. If someone has never grown anything, then seeds will only be a waste of time. Build one raised bed, buy some tomato and pepper plants and keep them alive for a summer. Then try seeds and trays next year.
What about books? "Square Foot Gardening" is swell, but also look for something else written locally. Years ago, my mom gave me some of her gardening books. One featured a guy getting his SPRING garden ready wearing a Carhardt coat, knee high rubber boots and a sweater. Down here we garden in the spring in shorts and a t-shirt. The book was fine if you lived in upper state New York and were putting in some rhubarb, but was virtually worthless where I live.
Here's the deal with gardening. It's fun, rewarding and there is nothing more secure than picking a dozen tomatoes from your garden and eating them fresh for dinner. But it's also work and frustrating. There is more failure than success. And if your kids are counting on that food, you had better get it right the first time.
Forget that can of "miracle seeds" and "square foot shortcuts". Start now, learn, research and work at it. One day in the garden is not enough.
Practice now.
Good luck,
Showing posts with label grow your own food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grow your own food. Show all posts
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Prepare: Garden Time Is Just Around The Corner
There may be snow outside, but now is the time to plan your spring garden and get a jump on the competition. Growing your own food is fun, healthy, saves money and will probably save your life.
The weatherman is predicting snow again, tomorrow. Seems like the last batch just melted here, but it gave me time to scope out my planting area and start making plans. There amongst the brown grass and abandoned raised beds I can see overflowing tomato plants, corn shoots, green beans hiding in the leaves, bell peppers and fresh raspberries.
But this all means nothing if I don't get a start now on my spring garden plans. Most will get the "bug" to grow something sometime around April or May when the first warm days kick in. They wait until Saturday and then wander on down to the super garden center and find the best plants, seeds and supplies are long gone. They end up with two plastic pots and a couple of brown tomato plants for their summer bumper crop.
Don't let this happen to you.
It may be too early to start putting tender seedlings into the ground, but there is no reason not to start seed shopping right now. Seeds can be ordered online or at the retail store. There are hybrid (cross bred seeds which do not re-pollinate) or non-hybrid seeds (original or heirloom seeds which can be reclaimed from the fruit and reused the following season).
I generally pick up my seeds at the retail store and get a mix of hybrid and non-hybrid. I always get extra because they are available and I can save them for later. I keep my seeds in their original packets and store those in large coffee cans. They last well for me as I have used seeds I purchased three and four years ago without a problem.
Some advice - pick up extra "big seeds" like corn. There is generally only enough in one packet for a single planting. If you are shopping at the farm supply store and buying 100lb bags of seed, ignore this advice of course.
Lay out the garden on paper how you want it to look but don't plant anything until the danger of frost has passed. Too many gardeners take advantage of an "Indian summer" and plant too early and lose everything when that freak snow shows up.
Planting. Raised beds, pots, or tilling up the ground? What's best? I do all three. For most of my vegetables, I put together raised beds out of bricks, left over lumber and anything else around. I then tear them down at the end of the season. I use pots for herbs on the back patio. I have never had a great harvest growing tomatoes in pots, the ground works better.
I till up a large part of the yard for corn and have several growing areas which I move around.
The more growing space, the bigger the harvest. Take advantage of every corner to grow something edible. I make compost throughout the year. I throw yard and kitchen waste, old potting soil, grass, anything in the compost heap. And I turn it once a week for good effect. I don't water it much as it attracts ants, and even in a drought the heap stays fairly moist.
If rats or mice are a problem in the compost heap, get a couple of inexpensive trash cans with lids and throw the kitchen waste in those things until it breaks down then add them to the big pile.
Other than compost, I don't like to use fertilizers other than soil amendments like green sand, lava sand, earthworm castings. I don't use pesticides at all, but might have to chance that if the garden is life or death. Other than that, attracting birds and hand checking the plants is the natural and best way to get rid of pests.
Save rain water from the down spout. Get trashcans and rig them under the spouts as rain water is always better than hose water for plants. Water when needed but short duration, small waterings as it encourages the roots to grow shallow. Deep roots are the plants best friend.
Like buying food, only plant what you and the family will eat. While growing an Asian mustard plant is interesting, if you hate the taste, don't do it. Also, plant things which will produce a lot and are healthy - like tomatoes.
A garden is healthy for you, a way to save money and most likely will save you and your families' life if things keep going the way they are. Even if we hold the country together, the price of gas alone will make a garden pay for itself is lowered grocery costs and shopping trips.
Mountain House Freeze-Dried Food
The weatherman is predicting snow again, tomorrow. Seems like the last batch just melted here, but it gave me time to scope out my planting area and start making plans. There amongst the brown grass and abandoned raised beds I can see overflowing tomato plants, corn shoots, green beans hiding in the leaves, bell peppers and fresh raspberries.
But this all means nothing if I don't get a start now on my spring garden plans. Most will get the "bug" to grow something sometime around April or May when the first warm days kick in. They wait until Saturday and then wander on down to the super garden center and find the best plants, seeds and supplies are long gone. They end up with two plastic pots and a couple of brown tomato plants for their summer bumper crop.
Don't let this happen to you.
It may be too early to start putting tender seedlings into the ground, but there is no reason not to start seed shopping right now. Seeds can be ordered online or at the retail store. There are hybrid (cross bred seeds which do not re-pollinate) or non-hybrid seeds (original or heirloom seeds which can be reclaimed from the fruit and reused the following season).
I generally pick up my seeds at the retail store and get a mix of hybrid and non-hybrid. I always get extra because they are available and I can save them for later. I keep my seeds in their original packets and store those in large coffee cans. They last well for me as I have used seeds I purchased three and four years ago without a problem.
Some advice - pick up extra "big seeds" like corn. There is generally only enough in one packet for a single planting. If you are shopping at the farm supply store and buying 100lb bags of seed, ignore this advice of course.
Lay out the garden on paper how you want it to look but don't plant anything until the danger of frost has passed. Too many gardeners take advantage of an "Indian summer" and plant too early and lose everything when that freak snow shows up.
Planting. Raised beds, pots, or tilling up the ground? What's best? I do all three. For most of my vegetables, I put together raised beds out of bricks, left over lumber and anything else around. I then tear them down at the end of the season. I use pots for herbs on the back patio. I have never had a great harvest growing tomatoes in pots, the ground works better.
I till up a large part of the yard for corn and have several growing areas which I move around.
The more growing space, the bigger the harvest. Take advantage of every corner to grow something edible. I make compost throughout the year. I throw yard and kitchen waste, old potting soil, grass, anything in the compost heap. And I turn it once a week for good effect. I don't water it much as it attracts ants, and even in a drought the heap stays fairly moist.
If rats or mice are a problem in the compost heap, get a couple of inexpensive trash cans with lids and throw the kitchen waste in those things until it breaks down then add them to the big pile.
Other than compost, I don't like to use fertilizers other than soil amendments like green sand, lava sand, earthworm castings. I don't use pesticides at all, but might have to chance that if the garden is life or death. Other than that, attracting birds and hand checking the plants is the natural and best way to get rid of pests.
Save rain water from the down spout. Get trashcans and rig them under the spouts as rain water is always better than hose water for plants. Water when needed but short duration, small waterings as it encourages the roots to grow shallow. Deep roots are the plants best friend.
Like buying food, only plant what you and the family will eat. While growing an Asian mustard plant is interesting, if you hate the taste, don't do it. Also, plant things which will produce a lot and are healthy - like tomatoes.
A garden is healthy for you, a way to save money and most likely will save you and your families' life if things keep going the way they are. Even if we hold the country together, the price of gas alone will make a garden pay for itself is lowered grocery costs and shopping trips.
Mountain House Freeze-Dried Food
Friday, December 12, 2008
SHTF: Survival Garden
This topic comes up frequently at Prepare and I have written about it before here.
We all know to store food and water and other consumables. But after the balloon goes up, we will go through our stored food. Knowing this, we have been told over and again to plan on growing and harvesting some of our own food.
Unless we live in a rural area surrounded by 5 of more acres, the rest of us are forced to make due with our back and front yards for food production.
Now, if you have never gardened before, you are in for a surprise. I think gardening is easy and fun myself, having been an avid vegetable gardener for more than ten years.
But, if you have never grown anything more than mold in your fridge, gardening food is not easy. Especially if you want to grow enough for a family.
There are numerous websites out there which point out the best way to get started, so I won't repeat the obvious, only the answers to questions people with our mindset want to know.
How much space do I need to have to feed a family of four?
With enough space, year round growing and good soil, a 100 x 200 can feed a family with a few big BUTS thrown in.
- This is vegetables with a few fruits thrown in. No wheat, large amounts of corn and limited potatoes. That means hardly any starches which can be converted to breads and stored.
- Where you live is a big part of it too. For most it means tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and melons in the warm months and carrots, squash, potatoes, in the cool months.
- Colder climates would do well having cold frames or a green house for longer grow times.
- Leafy vegetables can be grown but only during cooler "shoulder" months like early spring and fall - these vegetables do not do well in the hot summer. Grow mustard greens though.
How much space do I need to grow wheat?
Wheat takes a lot of space to grow enough for adequate production yields. A great article in Organic Farming I read about 10 years ago had a backyard farmer producing 75-100 pounds of flour from one acre of wheat. That is a low harvest for a manual (he harvested everything with a scythe to prove he could do it) crop.
So what carbohydrates should I grow?
Corn. Remember though it takes several rows clumped together to pollinate - i know because of my crop this summer.
Also, corn loves water - pray for rain or have a good supply on hand in the survival garden.
Also, potatoes. Plant them in a raised 3x8 bed about 12" deep at least. Have plenty of enriched (compost) soil. After they grow tall greens, bury everything in 6-12" of straw. In this situation, you can harvest as many as 100-200 potatoes (I have done this before).
What about this Mel Bartholomew book all the preppers talk about?
Here it is, All New Square Foot Gardening
. Prep writers love to cite it but I don't know if they have used it.
The idea behind square foot gardening is to create a producing garden in a limited amount of space. It is done using a grid, built and placed over a garden area. Seeds or seedlings are placed within each section of the grid and cultivated. Bartholomew's website has several examples of success stories using Square Foot Gardening.
Minimal gardening does work, people in other countries have done it for years. I remember seeing small gardens all over Europe when i was stationed there. Old and young alike worked the backyard plots and produced beautiful produce. They have to because they have so little land to work and the prices are high.
But you have to practice with this method of agriculture first.
Can I grow fruit trees?
Yes, but they take years to produce fruits. Most fruit trees require more than one tree for pollination. There are dwarf fruit trees, but read the fine print on those you purchase online. Sometimes they are 2-3 years from producing fruit. Bottom line - an orchard of producing fruit trees take years from planting to production. Also, fruit trees require lots of care and maintenance.
Try growing melons and berries in the meantime. Both can be grown in one season.
After the SHTF, where am I going to get fertilizer and chemicals to treat my plants once my stocks run out?
From the same place our forefathers did. First, build a compost heap now. Compost is a natural fertilizer that no self-respecting farmer does without. Take some chicken wire and fence off a 4X4 area. Put leaves, then soil, then kitchen waste (vegetable and fruit peelings, eggs shells, coffee grounds, etc. but no grease, meat or people/dog/cat waste) in layers. Keep somewhat moist and turn once a week or so.
If pests (rats or mice) show up in the heap, move it to a closed container. I use an old trashcan with a lid and it works great for me.
Also, google Dirt Doctor for Howard Garrett's organic methods for fertilizer and pest control. Most of the supplies can be bought now cheaply and last forever. Others can be obtained naturally long after the SHTF.
Also, many garden pests can be controlled by our egg and meat machines - chickens, goose and ducks.
What do I do in the winter?
Some edibles grow fine in the winter. Kale, garlic, onions. Also, google cold frame and put a couple together on the patio during cold months. Or bring a container garden inside and place by a window.
Don't forget to grow herbs! Sure they make food taste better, but some have medicinal properties. Herbs can be grown in containers easily.
Finally, learn how to store what you grow. Too many gardeners toss or giveaway their surplus during the summer months. Canning and drying brings the bounty of summer home in the winter. Besides, after the SHTF, you won't be tossing anything out I am guessing.
Plan on starting some gardening now in the winter with a window sill garden. During the winter, measure out and plan on garden spaces around your home. Start with a 6x6 area, build, plant in the spring and then build another. By the summer, you should have 3 or 4 of these producing beds around your home. Cover the patio with containers full of herbs, tomatoes, and peppers. Use a side yard running on the east side of your home for a 3 row spread of corn.
Whatever you decide to do, make your plans now, buy the seeds and tools and get busy. By this time next year, having a home garden may be your best bet for fresh produce and food in the troubled future.
Get your non-hybrid garden seeds here now!
We all know to store food and water and other consumables. But after the balloon goes up, we will go through our stored food. Knowing this, we have been told over and again to plan on growing and harvesting some of our own food.
Unless we live in a rural area surrounded by 5 of more acres, the rest of us are forced to make due with our back and front yards for food production.
Now, if you have never gardened before, you are in for a surprise. I think gardening is easy and fun myself, having been an avid vegetable gardener for more than ten years.
But, if you have never grown anything more than mold in your fridge, gardening food is not easy. Especially if you want to grow enough for a family.
There are numerous websites out there which point out the best way to get started, so I won't repeat the obvious, only the answers to questions people with our mindset want to know.
How much space do I need to have to feed a family of four?
With enough space, year round growing and good soil, a 100 x 200 can feed a family with a few big BUTS thrown in.
- This is vegetables with a few fruits thrown in. No wheat, large amounts of corn and limited potatoes. That means hardly any starches which can be converted to breads and stored.
- Where you live is a big part of it too. For most it means tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and melons in the warm months and carrots, squash, potatoes, in the cool months.
- Colder climates would do well having cold frames or a green house for longer grow times.
- Leafy vegetables can be grown but only during cooler "shoulder" months like early spring and fall - these vegetables do not do well in the hot summer. Grow mustard greens though.
How much space do I need to grow wheat?
Wheat takes a lot of space to grow enough for adequate production yields. A great article in Organic Farming I read about 10 years ago had a backyard farmer producing 75-100 pounds of flour from one acre of wheat. That is a low harvest for a manual (he harvested everything with a scythe to prove he could do it) crop.
So what carbohydrates should I grow?
Corn. Remember though it takes several rows clumped together to pollinate - i know because of my crop this summer.
Also, corn loves water - pray for rain or have a good supply on hand in the survival garden.
Also, potatoes. Plant them in a raised 3x8 bed about 12" deep at least. Have plenty of enriched (compost) soil. After they grow tall greens, bury everything in 6-12" of straw. In this situation, you can harvest as many as 100-200 potatoes (I have done this before).
What about this Mel Bartholomew book all the preppers talk about?
Here it is, All New Square Foot Gardening
. Prep writers love to cite it but I don't know if they have used it. The idea behind square foot gardening is to create a producing garden in a limited amount of space. It is done using a grid, built and placed over a garden area. Seeds or seedlings are placed within each section of the grid and cultivated. Bartholomew's website has several examples of success stories using Square Foot Gardening.
Minimal gardening does work, people in other countries have done it for years. I remember seeing small gardens all over Europe when i was stationed there. Old and young alike worked the backyard plots and produced beautiful produce. They have to because they have so little land to work and the prices are high.
But you have to practice with this method of agriculture first.
Can I grow fruit trees?
Yes, but they take years to produce fruits. Most fruit trees require more than one tree for pollination. There are dwarf fruit trees, but read the fine print on those you purchase online. Sometimes they are 2-3 years from producing fruit. Bottom line - an orchard of producing fruit trees take years from planting to production. Also, fruit trees require lots of care and maintenance.
Try growing melons and berries in the meantime. Both can be grown in one season.
After the SHTF, where am I going to get fertilizer and chemicals to treat my plants once my stocks run out?
From the same place our forefathers did. First, build a compost heap now. Compost is a natural fertilizer that no self-respecting farmer does without. Take some chicken wire and fence off a 4X4 area. Put leaves, then soil, then kitchen waste (vegetable and fruit peelings, eggs shells, coffee grounds, etc. but no grease, meat or people/dog/cat waste) in layers. Keep somewhat moist and turn once a week or so.
If pests (rats or mice) show up in the heap, move it to a closed container. I use an old trashcan with a lid and it works great for me.
Also, google Dirt Doctor for Howard Garrett's organic methods for fertilizer and pest control. Most of the supplies can be bought now cheaply and last forever. Others can be obtained naturally long after the SHTF.
Also, many garden pests can be controlled by our egg and meat machines - chickens, goose and ducks.
What do I do in the winter?
Some edibles grow fine in the winter. Kale, garlic, onions. Also, google cold frame and put a couple together on the patio during cold months. Or bring a container garden inside and place by a window.
Don't forget to grow herbs! Sure they make food taste better, but some have medicinal properties. Herbs can be grown in containers easily.
Finally, learn how to store what you grow. Too many gardeners toss or giveaway their surplus during the summer months. Canning and drying brings the bounty of summer home in the winter. Besides, after the SHTF, you won't be tossing anything out I am guessing.
Plan on starting some gardening now in the winter with a window sill garden. During the winter, measure out and plan on garden spaces around your home. Start with a 6x6 area, build, plant in the spring and then build another. By the summer, you should have 3 or 4 of these producing beds around your home. Cover the patio with containers full of herbs, tomatoes, and peppers. Use a side yard running on the east side of your home for a 3 row spread of corn.
Whatever you decide to do, make your plans now, buy the seeds and tools and get busy. By this time next year, having a home garden may be your best bet for fresh produce and food in the troubled future.
Get your non-hybrid garden seeds here now!
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