Square Foot Gardening.

[tiny1]

I love to grow food.  The difference between the quality of home grown veggies and store bought, is staggering.   I simply cannot eat a grocery store tomato.  I'd rather do without.
But, many of us are under the impression that you need an acre of land to grow a garden.  Simply not the case.   
There is a growing trend toward Square foot Gardening.

http://www.squarefootgardening.org/?page_id=1607
Check it out.  Those of you who are interested, I'll help anyway I can.   you can effectively grow what you need, in 20% of the normally designated space.  Just two 4 X 8 raised beds, can give you nearly all the veggies two people need.  And the taste is significantly better.  Corn loses half its flavor in the few short hours after harvest, before freezing.   Almost all  fruits and veggies do that.
You can save dollars, and eat better, healthier food, all at the same time.   Doesn't take loads of time, either.
Who's up for an adventure?

[Chris_]

My brother is putting in a raised garden after tearing out some dead bushes from the front of the house.  It should be interesting, but he will probably limit it to herbs small plants.

[IassaFTots]

My sunroom is reserved for hydroponic gardening, not THAT kind.  I am currently growing basil, dill, lettuce and swiss chard year round.  My backyard is 1/2 garden- potatoes, corn, beans, tomatoes, peppers, squash and melons.  I love to have my own fresh produce.   

[tiny1]

My brother is putting in a raised garden after tearing out some dead bushes from the front of the house.  It should be interesting, but he will probably limit it to herbs small plants.

He can do both.  
That is the beauty of this method.   If you plan, you can grow a crop of cool weather goods, from February, through April. (Lettuce, onions, peas, carrots, greens and beets).  Then, May through Sept. you grow tomatoes, corn, squash, melons, pole beans, peppers, eggplant, etc.   In the Fall, you go back to lettuce, greens, Brussel sprouts, etc.
Use 8 inch X 16 inch cinder blocks to set the edge.   Till up the ground, and add amendments.  Till completely.   Fill the holes in the blocks with soil, and plant herbs, and/or flowers(edible or for pest control).  That leaves 32 squares for planting.  

Nothing beats vine fresh veggies and fruits.  Nothing.

[tiny1]

My sunroom is reserved for hydroponic gardening, not THAT kind.  I am currently growing basil, dill, lettuce and swiss chard year round.  My backyard is 1/2 garden- potatoes, corn, beans, tomatoes, peppers, squash and melons.  I love to have my own fresh produce.   

Nothing is better.  I also have a fruit orchard with peaches, pears, 4 kinds of apples and pomegranates.  Next season, I'll be adding blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.   Maybe a few strawberries.
Have you ever had ground cherries?  Kin to a tomato, but sweet like a cherry.  Awesome.

[IassaFTots]

Nothing is better.  I also have a fruit orchard with peaches, pears, 4 kinds of apples and pomegranates.  Next season, I'll be adding blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.   Maybe a few strawberries.
Have you ever had ground cherries?  Kin to a tomato, but sweet like a cherry.  Awesome.

I have heard of them, but haven't had any.  I forgot, we also planted two apple trees.  My darling is going to electrocute the whole garden to keep the squirrels away....   We have a lot of squirrels, being that we all have pecan trees in the neighborhood.

[tiny1]

I have heard of them, but haven't had any.  I forgot, we also planted two apple trees.  My darling is going to electrocute the whole garden to keep the squirrels away....   We have a lot of squirrels, being that we all have pecan trees in the neighborhood.

Marigolds are natures squirrel repellant.  Moth balls also work.  But, by far the best thing, Red Fox Urine.  Buy it at gardening stores or online.  10-12 bucks for an 8 oz. bottle.

[Dori]

I live near the beach, so it gets a little tricky with the soil.  We have raised beds and have put in all kinds of soil amendments.  The problem always seems to be the plants getting enough sun and water.  Two years ago we barely had a summer and didn't get much from the garden.

The best crops for here and the amount of space we have is tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, egg plant, zucchini and other summer squash.  We also have herbs like parsley, taragon, sage, basil and cilantro.  

We also have small lime and orange trees.  But they aren't very prolific.  Tried raspberrys, grapes and strawberries, but we don't get much yeild from them either.

I would love other things, but field crops like onions, potatoes and corn don't seem to be in the cards here.


 

[tiny1]

I live near the beach, so it gets a little tricky with the soil.  We have raised beds and have put in all kinds of soil amendments.  The problem always seems to be the plants getting enough sun and water.  Two years ago we barely had a summer and didn't get much from the garden.

The best crops for here and the amount of space we have is tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, egg plant, zucchini and other summer squash.  We also have herbs like parsley, taragon, sage, basil and cilantro.  

We also have small lime and orange trees.  But they aren't very prolific.  Tried raspberrys, grapes and strawberries, but we don't get much yeild from them either.

I would love other things, but field crops like onions, potatoes and corn don't seem to be in the cards here.

Some crops do not require full sun.

First step for building a vegetable garden in the shade is to lay out a space which supports the vegetables that need less sun.   There are many different vegetables which will grow well in low light.  Generally speaking, if the plant is being grown for stems and/or leaves, then it should perform good in shade.   Plants that produce fruits or larger vegetables (like watermelons) do not typically do well in shade. Below is a list of less light veggies.

    Arugula
    Basil
    Beans
    Beets
    Celery
    Collards
    Corn Mache(leafy veggie that tastes like nutty butter head lettuce.)
    Cucumbers
    Herbs (i.e. chives, cilantro, lemon balm, mint, oregano, parsley, scallions)
    Kale (all types)
    Lettuces (all types)
    Mustard Greens
    Pak Choi
    Peas
    Potatoes
    Radishes
    Rhubarb
    Spinach
    Swiss Chard

You can find a sunny spot for fruiting plants, and grow which ever of these you like.


 

[vesta111]

I have heard of them, but haven't had any.  I forgot, we also planted two apple trees.  My darling is going to electrocute the whole garden to keep the squirrels away....   We have a lot of squirrels, being that we all have pecan trees in the neighborhood.

My Dad did that one year quite a while ago.  He out in a 2 foot high very small bed and planted of all things corn, he lived in Maine.   He was a PIP I tell you, the corn did well and for all his hard work he may have gotten only 4 dozen ears out of it, but he had his methods. He would put a large pot of water on the stove an bring to a boil, run out and pick a few ears shucking them on the run back to the kitchen.  

If he could get the corn from stalk to the pot in 5 minutes, he was happy.

 Seems we had a running battle since I was 13 and took HomeEC. in school on the proper way to cook a corn cob.  I was taught to steam the cobs not to cook in water.   Matter of fact I was taught to steam all vegetables even those bought frozen in bags or boxes.

Home gardens are fun, I planted some container hot peppers on my deck last year, they did so-so- but I am wondering about planting eatable foods as a source of about the yard and house as a decorative idea.   Say pole beans covering an arbor, cucumber vines covering the back of the garage.  
Any IDEAS of what would look great,  feed us , and not get the neighbors in a snit ????


      

[tiny1]

My Dad did that one year quite a while ago.  He out in a 2 foot high very small bed and planted of all things corn, he lived in Maine.   He was a PIP I tell you, the corn did well and for all his hard work he may have gotten only 4 dozen ears out of it, but he had his methods. He would put a large pot of water on the stove an bring to a boil, run out and pick a few ears shucking them on the run back to the kitchen.  

If he could get the corn from stalk to the pot in 5 minutes, he was happy.

 Seems we had a running battle since I was 13 and took HomeEC. in school on the proper way to cook a corn cob.  I was taught to steam the cobs not to cook in water.   Matter of fact I was taught to steam all vegetables even those bought frozen in bags or boxes.

Home gardens are fun, I planted some container hot peppers on my deck last year, they did so-so- but I am wondering about planting eatable foods as a source of about the yard and house as a decorative idea.   Say pole beans covering an arbor, cucumber vines covering the back of the garage.  
Any IDEAS of what would look great,  feed us , and not get the neighbors in a snit ????


      

A challenge, to say the least, but it would redefine "cool". 
If the neighbors are a difficult lot, arbors of berries, work well.  They flower, then produce succulent berries, which are perennial.  So surprising them with a cobbler or a pie, may have lasting public relations advantages.  Grapes, passion fruit or kiwi works too. 
If you are an ale drinker, you can grow hops.  Buy a kit and make your own ale.

If you want to grow a variety of seasonal veggies, you can do  beans, peas, melons, cucumber, squash, chayote and nasturtiums. You might, for instance, plant peas in January or February, beans or melons in May and sugar snaps or Malabar spinach  in September or October. (By the way, Malabar spinach isn't a spinach at all but a member of the Basellaceae family.   Grows well in hot weather.  It is best served cooked.)

[Wineslob]

We (read I) put in a garden last Fall, just so it could lie fallow, if only for a short time. I tilled up a 14 X 18 foot area, and added all the compost I had from a 4 foot square "bin". It's fenced since we have deer that can jump the fence around the yard.

So far I've only put in 4 tomato plants, Cilantro, Italian Parsley, a few vine veggies (can't remember what they are right now) just to see what they do this season. They seem to be doing OK, but because of the shade we usually get good looking plants, but very little in the way of fruit. So, we shall see.

[tiny1]

We (read I) put in a garden last Fall, just so it could lie fallow, if only for a short time. I tilled up a 14 X 18 foot area, and added all the compost I had from a 4 foot square "bin". It's fenced since we have deer that can jump the fence around the yard.

So far I've only put in 4 tomato plants, Cilantro, Italian Parsley, a few vine veggies (can't remember what they are right now) just to see what they do this season. They seem to be doing OK, but because of the shade we usually get good looking plants, but very little in the way of fruit. So, we shall see.

So, is this an organic concern, or are you going to use traditional ferts?

[Dori]

   I was taught to steam the cobs not to cook in water.   Matter of fact I was taught to steam all vegetables even those bought frozen in bags or boxes.

I steam almost all of mine too.  But I do like corn on the cob in the micro.  I break them in half, lather them up with butter, salt and pepper.  Put them is a micro dish with a lid on hi for about 7 min.  They are so tender you could even eat the cob if you wanted to and they have already been buttered and seasoned.  They also seem to stay hotter longer too.   

[tiny1]

I steam almost all of mine too.  But I do like corn on the cob in the micro.  I break them in half, lather them up with butter, salt and pepper.  Put them is a micro dish with a lid on hi for about 7 min.  They are so tender you could even eat the cob if you wanted to and they have already been buttered and seasoned.  They also seem to stay hotter longer too.   

Ever try it raw, in the garden?  You will never taste sweeter corn, than that.

[Wineslob]

So, is this an organic concern, or are you going to use traditional ferts?

Strictly sunlight, or lack thereof. Even as a "good spot" in the yard, it's in dappled shade sometimes. Not "full sun".