Farmer to be and Miss's

[Rlee]

Well I have been trying to become more self dependant and thought that growing some food items would be kind of nice. So I picked up some seeds at Menards over the weekend and was looking for any and ALL advice over the subject.

I bought some Corn,watermelon,brocolli,tomatoes and mush melon (forget the proper name). I will update the thread with some pics this weekend. I'm in the middle of town and going to be growing corn, I'm a hick

 

[melensdad]

Pick up the book SQUARE FOOT GARDENING. There are 2 editions, don't get the original but rather pick up the newest update. Author is Mel Bartholemew.

 

[Rlee]

Ebaying it right now... Will report back if I make the purchase, then I just have to learn to read it huh?

Edit: Bought it for $15.05 shipped

 

[melensdad]

It is probably the best ever urban gardening book.

The author has expanded his techniques and now teaches his methods to high production planting in small raised beds to villagers in impoverished nations where most land is arid. Its an amazing system, well thought out, easy to follow, and highly productive. In fact I live on a modest property, have the back of my land leased out to a real farmer, but am considering converting my 1+ acre garden area into a much smaller, and probably much easier to maintain and more productive garden that would be 1/5th the size by using his methods.

I read his first book back in my suburban living days (1/6th acre lot in Highland/20 years ago) and it is one of only 2 garden books that I can recall by title and the only book I can recall by author.

I've only been getting serious about SHTF over the past year or two, but the Square Foot Gardening method is ideal for anyone and especially for those concerned about any sort of mild to catastrophic SHTF scenario.

 

[jennybird]

Broccoli is a cool weather crop... you can plant that much sooner than the rest. Everything else you mention should probably wait until May. Mother's Day is the general rule-of-thumb.

Melons will REALLY appreciate sandy soil... and lots of water. Planting them on mounds seems to work best. When the fruit practically falls off the stem by itself, it's ready to eat.

Tomatoes... if you're growing from seed, I suggest starting them indoors. Then, when it's time to transplant them, plant them deep... right up to the top section of leaves. They'll grow a bigger, stronger root system this way. They also need daily watering (minimum every other day) or the fruits will crack. Toms are actually heavy vines and will grow better if you train them up a very sturdy stake. We use 1" wooden stakes that are about 7 feet long, tie them together at the top to form a teepee and jam them in the ground with the Tom growing right up the middle. Same thing works great for beans and cucumbers too.

Corn... must be grown in rows. Even if they're short rows. (Do not start this indoors, it must be sown directly into the ground.) If you're not the organic type, a good fertilizer made for corn works wonders. The old rule-of-thumb... if it's "knee high by the 4th of July" then you're good. When the corn is ready, you can cut it off the cob, throw it in some heavy baggies, freeze, and eat it all winter long. YUM!!!

Biggest things to remember is to keep those weeds out of the garden. It's hard work, especially during the hotter days, but it's worth it in the end. Don't use weed killers... do it the old fashioned way.

My personal favorite: To avoid bad bugs... bathe your plants every so often with soapy water. A touch of dish soap in a watering can does wonders! Get it all over the leaves and stems too. The bugs hate it and the plants love it. If you happen to get tomato horn worms, don't panic. It simply means your plants are healthy. They're evil lookin things but again are best plucked off by hand instead of using insecticides.

I could go on for days about this stuff... but you asked!

 

[Dr Falken]

Pick up the book SQUARE FOOT GARDENING. There are 2 editions, don't get the original but rather pick up the newest update. Author is Mel Bartholemew.

Reps to you and good advice on the book. We have it too, and makes it real easy to figure out how and where to plant.

 

[smokingman]

Well I have been trying to become more self dependant and thought that growing some food items would be kind of nice. So I picked up some seeds at Menards over the weekend and was looking for any and ALL advice over the subject.

I bought some Corn,watermelon,brocolli,tomatoes and mush melon (forget the proper name). I will update the thread with some pics this weekend. I'm in the middle of town and going to be growing corn, I'm a hick

You need to get the tomatoes,mush melon,watermelon,and broccoli started in seed trays I would start most anything you plan on growing now indoors.Few exceptions would be corn or potatoes,they do not need a "head start".
Here is our current trays

and our new addition to the garden 20x30 of additional space

 

[indyjoe]

Edit: Bought it for $15.05 shipped

If you are getting enough to have free shipping, it is about $12 on Amazon.

 

[Stove]

I grow a few acres of vegetables. I'm going to be starting my cantaloupe in 50 ct plug trays next week. About 3500 plants. The only reason to start in trays is for the ability to transplant in plastic mulch. Otherwise seeds and plugs will put off fruit in about the same time. It would be much less labor intense to just plant seeds, but they struggle making their way through the plastic, so I just do plants and use a mechanical transplanter. Cantaloupe is a cucurbit, related to cucumbers so let your research begin with the cucurbit family. Some of the best cantaloupe will be grown in dark loamy soil. It is just easier to control mositure in sandy soil.

I just measured off ground for 60 or so acres of sweet corn. Mostly bi-color, with a few acres of white. You will need multiple plants to get proper pollination. If it is planted in an area that will not get wind, you will need to shake the tassles when corn starts to silk. You will battle ear worm no matter what you do unless you use chemicals. My goal is to be pulling corn by the 4th of July!

Best advise is plant when ground temps get to 60 or high 50's. Don't over water, and feed your plants.

It will be a learning experince. Good luck.

 

[slow1911s]

FWIW - if you are a tobacco user and you grow tomatoes or related crops, wash your hands before handling the plants or fruit. Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is easily transmittable to the nightshade family

 

[Timjoebillybob]

I read his first book back in my suburban living days (1/6th acre lot in Highland/20 years ago) and it is one of only 2 garden books that I can recall by title and the only book I can recall by author.

Thanks for the info on the book. And your a Highland transplant? What part? I grew up on Farmer Dr.

Toms are actually heavy vines and will grow better if you train them up a very sturdy stake. We use 1" wooden stakes that are about 7 feet long, tie them together at the top to form a teepee and jam them in the ground with the Tom growing right up the middle. Same thing works great for beans and cucumbers too.

I haven't tried stakes like that tomatoes yet I might have give it a try this year. But they do work great for pole beans. What I use for tomatoes that seems to work pretty well also, is get some of the fencing with the 4-6" openings and make cages out of those. You can also wrap a foot or so of fine chicken wire around the bottoms to keep out rabbits and such.

 

[Rlee]

Wow guys, you have all blown away me expectations of finding information. It's such a great feeling to find others that are willing to help with no payback. I will post pics this weekend of my little area (Not going to be enough room I know now) that I have to work with.

But thanks alot for all your help and tips, any more tips are greatly appreciated.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

But thanks alot for all your help and tips, any more tips are greatly appreciated.

Mulch, mulch and more mulch just keep it away from the stalks. Helps to keep down weeds and retain moisture. And as it breaks down adds fertilizer to the garden. I use grass clippings, straw dang near anything organic. Then till it in at the end of the year(if I get around to it) or as early as possible in the pre-season. Which reminds me my wife needs to get the out and get me moving.

 

[csaws]

You need to get the tomatoes,mush melon,watermelon,and broccoli started in seed trays I would start most anything you plan on growing now indoors.Few exceptions would be corn or potatoes,they do not need a "head start".
Here is our current trays

and our new addition to the garden 20x30 of additional space

smokinman how big is your garden

length and width?

We are farmers now too, we have been gardening for three years now. I say we are farmers now as we are raising 9 chickens now too (8 hens and a rooster)

 

[csaws]

Well I have been trying to become more self dependant and thought that growing some food items would be kind of nice. So I picked up some seeds at Menards over the weekend and was looking for any and ALL advice over the subject.

I bought some Corn,watermelon,brocolli,tomatoes and mush melon (forget the proper name). I will update the thread with some pics this weekend. I'm in the middle of town and going to be growing corn, I'm a hick

We built our raised garden beds that we used last year out of cedar (almost $400 worth of lumber) so they would last forever... this year we just tilled up a 35 x 25 foot spot in our yard. Part of the old bed frames will be our kids new sand box, but the rest we just have lying around, rlee (or anyone else for that matter) if you would be interested in what is left we will make ya a deal on the wood.

 

[smokingman]

smokinman how big is your garden

length and width?

We are farmers now too, we have been gardening for three years now. I say we are farmers now as we are raising 9 chickens now too (8 hens and a rooster)

The new area is 20x30 foot(it says so under the picture :P the old one is 8x12 you can see part of it in the picture also).We also planted blue berry's,raspberry,winter Kiwi,and grape vines last year.The winter Kiwi is rather nice as we can have fresh Kiwi and the frost does not kill them(from Lowes). The raspberry had fruit last year,and we hope the grapes and blue berry's will this year.We are going to have pea's,green beans,green peppers,onions,carrots,cayenne peppers,corn,strawberry's,tons of different lettuce,cucumbers,tomatoes,celery(the smallest seeds I have ever seen in the lower left hand of the middle tray...need to seperate them out some very soon),melons,and we have another area that is 10x10 for patotoes and yams.There are also the herbs we started growing year around in the house.I probably left something out,but it is a start.We are going to be canning and dehydrating much more this year than we ever have before.Oh and the new bed was around 350 dollars. 300 for the garden mix(8 yards of topsoil compost mix)and 50 for the lumber.To off set some of that cost we will set up a little stand at the end of the drive with cucumbers and tomatoes for sale All of my neighbors had gardens last year,and all seem to be getting much larger this year.

 

[Rlee]

We built our raised garden beds that we used last year out of cedar (almost $400 worth of lumber) so they would last forever... this year we just tilled up a 35 x 25 foot spot in our yard. Part of the old bed frames will be our kids new sand box, but the rest we just have lying around, rlee (or anyone else for that matter) if you would be interested in what is left we will make ya a deal on the wood.

What size is it? I don't have much space honestly... I'll do some measuring.

 

[cox7215]

only "seeds" I ever planted was in high school, didnt grow very well not like you see on TV.....LOL

 

[Rlee]

only "seeds" I ever planted was in high school, didnt grow very well not like you see on TV.....LOL

Tisk tisk on you

Guess you didn't have a green thumb?

 

[csaws]

rlee they (2) are 12X4 I may also still have a 4x4. Good thing about them though is they are wood... so they can be cut smaller. You could build all 4x4 beds if ya wanted. Hell I would even cut them to the size ya want, if you can't do it.