Considerations while planning the garden

[Nonesuch Melissa]

we are planning our garden space and there seem to be more considerations this year than ever before. We have limited space and really want to make the best of it as well as maybe grow some extra things for family. I have kind of a running list of things I want to try and things I have grown that I want to grow more or less of. I would love to hear how others are planning to plant and how they plan to use what is grown. Some of the questions I have been asking my self while deciding what to plant are:

1. Will my family really eat it? -this was a big one for me. I love beautiful and exotic veggies and fruits and in our climate many of those things will grow here. Many in my family prefer more traditional veggies and last year I had a huge overage of exotic looking things that went to the pigs. Purple greenbeans are cute but they can lose lose their charm.

2. Do I have the time, space, knowledge to preserve the excess? This was an issue with some things we grew a boat load of... what to do with all that extra eggplant? (Appreciating the pigs more here).

3. Can I buy an equivalent for the same or less money than I can grow it?- And when I say 'the equivalent' that is a touchy question. My veggies at home are heirloom, they are organic, they have value to me above anything I can get in the store... BUT they also come ripe at the same time as many of my friends and neighbors gardens are full of produce, at the same time as so many of the local farm stands are overflowing with low cost produce. I am also very close to the Mexico border relatively speaking and a lot of super cheap produce comes up from there to my area.

I recently found a list of what it is worth to buy certified organic and what may just be OK to buy right off the supermarket shelf so I thought i'd share that too. This may influence what I grow. For instance I have always dedicated a large space to onions but do i really need to? For anyone interested I'll post the list in another thread. Since this thread is more about how to use space than organic verses non-organic.

So whatchall plantin'?

[Liz]

Really, really valid points Melissa.

We are only growing things that we will eat, that the livestock will eat and I pick one "new" thing to grow each year/season just for the fun of it. This year I went over board and ordered ginger, wasabi and rhubarb.

I don't grow okra anymore, because it does very well here, but I am the only one that will eat it; so I am off the hook to grow it. Maybe someone will develop a dwarf okra variety?

The point about onions is well taken, and really, potatoes may fall into that category, and in our area watermelons are readily available (that's one that cows will eat!)

The garden should provide nutrition, enjoyment, exercise, relaxation, and not too much stress. I am ok with covering up part of it when the weeds get to be too much, or I just can't "deal".

Thanks for the post and things to think about!

[Tammy]

Jan 30, 2011 7:51:22 GMT -5 Liz said:

I don't grow okra anymore, because it does very well here, but I am the only one that will eat it; so I am off the hook to grow it. Maybe someone will develop a dwarf okra variety?

There are dwarf varities of okra.

www.reimerseeds.com/search.aspx?keyword=dwarf+okra


Great post, Melissa.

[Selden]

It is a great post. I wish I could grow ANYTHING! This week it is due to go down to 20 below zero again.

On the thought of what to grow organically, I remember a cabbage farmer telling me many years ago that cabbages received so many sprayings that commercial cabbages were essentially "a pesticide sandwich."

[kristi]

The first couple of years I gardened I planted ALL kinds of things that sounded really neat and I thought they would be fabulous! Unfortunately, the last two years in the garden has been a real disappointment with the extreme heat we've had. It doesn't matter how much I water, the poor things just "cook".

This year I went off a list of the vegetables that are supposed to grow well in my specific area. AND I cut back to the basics, no more unnecessary, "fru-fru" stuff. What with the limited space we have we've decided to grow what we know we'll eat. The difficulty for me is having the space in the freezers or the number of jars needed to process what we have.

This year we're adding mangles and sweet potatoes for the animals. I'm thinking hard about having sunflowers as well, but those are really more of an experiment and won't get much space.

I only work outside the house 2-3 days a week. For those of you who work full time and garden and have the animals I understand where you are coming from (this is the first year in my life I've not worked full-time) with your concerns about what to do with your produce that all becomes ready at one time. There are only so many hours in a day, and so many are already filled with things that HAVE to be done, ie. work, milking, feeding, cooking, cleaning, washing, etc.

Melissa, I think the list you mentioned could possibly be a true help. If it helps you to decide what you really need to grow as opposed to what you can purchase and save yourself time, energy and stress that would be worth it.

[BasleeBackwoodsFarm]

Yes, Melissa; I would like to see the list too! Thanks.

[BasleeBackwoodsFarm]

Thanks Melissa. I just found the list.

[Jenn]

I grow potatoes now so I can have something OTHER than Russets.<G> You can get "golds", sometimes, but they tend to be green already when I find them.

I decided to NOT plant zucchini this year because we don't really eat enough to justify the space. I'd rather have another 2 or 3 tomato plants.

I am also contemplating removing the asparagus bed. Horrors, I know, but for whatever reason, I can't seem to get them picked before they are 2 feet tall and over mature.

-Jenn

[Nonesuch Melissa]

I posted the list in the food and nutrition section... sorry I forgot to say.

The zucchini is one of those things I am not going to plant much of... everybody and their brother grows it here and by the time I have some I can not give it away and everywhere I go someone wants to give me some.... besides that there just are not that many ways to store it...

Now tomatoes... can't get enough good heritage tomatoes... I can (and do) eat them with every meal and I they are easy to can...tomatoes, sauce, paste, salsa, relish... the uses are endless and prices here have been ridiculous for the past couple of years.

Just thinking about real tomatoes is making me wish for warmer weather.

[treatlisa]

Ohhhh.....a table of tomatoes like that is my DREAM!!! Nice Melissa! My tomatoes have been a struggle but I am gaining.... We spend our summers at 7000 ft and we have to help our tomatoes along a little.... Some day I hope to have a picture like that though!!! Lisa

[39chicks1cow]

UPS just brought my heirloom seed delivery today. You would probably all be horrified at how much money I spent. I decided to go with Seed Savers Exchange.

Last year was my very first garden. We went with about 100' x 75'. For us that is pretty large. I grew green beans and canned about 12 quarts. This was my worst veggie. I grew 6 rows of crowder peas. Can you tell I really love those? We shelled and filled 1/3 of the freezer with lots of those. My family loves okra so we have tons of that and kept my parents in okra for the year also. I did lots of jalapenos and cayenne peppers. I cut them into slices and pickled them to fuel my Mexican food addiction. I did cucumbers, squash, and a few more. The only veggie I wanted lots more of was tomatoes. I planted half a row last year. This year- I'm planting 3 whole rows! I don't want to purchase another can of tomatoes ever. I could eat them every day. I'm a tomato freak.
My mom is going to plant some of the things she is really good at, and I'll plant stuff I'm good at and then we'll share! I can't wait to get started! It's time to start those seeds inside!
Jennifer

[Nonesuch Melissa]

Sounds awesome Jennifer.

Potatoes go in the ground this weekend. Starts are growing. Come on spring!

[Leimana]

My dh put in another bed today! That makes 3- 4x12 beds. I know that may seem like a piddly amount to some of you but to me here in jungle land where everything you plant within a foot of the ground gets swallowed in a weeks time, this is a grand thing!!!! All our beds are about 24 inches tall. We are building one bed at a time and our food is actually growing!!!!!! Its for real this time, no more kind-of gardens but ones that are making a difference in our grocery bill! So far this year we are harvesting huge turnips and their greens and kale, wax beans, basil, cilantro, mustard, parsley, eggplant just set fruit and now I started watermelons, squash, pumpkins, kale, beans, thyme, basil, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers and so much more that I cant remember AND to top it off all my popsicle sticks that my dd wrote the names of the seeds I was starting washed off because it wasnt permanent marker! So now its guess the start game as they come up!

[Nonesuch Melissa]

Feb 12, 2011 0:50:27 GMT -5 Leimana said:

My dh put in another bed today! That makes 3- 4x12 beds. I know that may seem like a piddly amount to some of you but to me here in jungle land where everything you plant within a foot of the ground gets swallowed in a weeks time, this is a grand thing!!!! All our beds are about 24 inches tall. We are building one bed at a time and our food is actually growing!!!!!! Its for real this time, no more kind-of gardens but ones that are making a difference in our grocery bill! So far this year we are harvesting huge turnips and their greens and kale, wax beans, basil, cilantro, mustard, parsley, eggplant just set fruit and now I started watermelons, squash, pumpkins, kale, beans, thyme, basil, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers and so much more that I cant remember AND to top it off all my popsicle sticks that my dd wrote the names of the seeds I was starting washed off because it wasnt permanent marker! So now its guess the start game as they come up!

Congrats! It is such a good feeling to actually provide for your family!

We have played the guessing starts game too... soon there will be no doubt what you have as it matures and sets fruit.

Really nice to hear from someone that is ahead of us in the season... I get tired of being the early bird!

[ellie]

This thread is making me drool. Just last night I went daydreaming online and emailed myself this list of fun things to try:

purslane: www.localharvest.org/herb-seeds-purslane-golden-organic-C15474

valerian www.localharvest.org/valerian-seed-C16578

cotton www.localharvest.org/cotton-seeds-nankeen-organic-C4115

luffas: www.localharvest.org/luffa-seeds-C10778

The cotton is for pure fun - maybe I'd plant three plants outside my garden somewhere. The luffas because I hate buying plastic scrubbies. Grow your own recyclable scrubbies! Other than those odd things, I'll grow tomatoes, green beans, peppers, zuchs, greens, sugar snaps (Oh time to get those soaking), sunflowers (for my husband), and assorted herbs with lots of basil. And garlic. And cukes. I hate to pay for anything that grows so prolifically.

[39chicks1cow]

I never thought to grow my own scrubbies! Cool!

How do people start their seeds inside? I don't have a sunny spot big enough to put all my seeds. I know you can get a lamp- can someone elaborate on that? Thanks! I'm so excited about starting them!

Jennifer

[Nonesuch Melissa]

The luffas will blow your mind! We had some vines come up over our back fence... I thought they were some kind of squash but they were inedible... then they literally got the size of baseball bats. They were so cool looking that I left them... One day a friend was over who is like the garden queen of the world (and knows everything else too so I asked her what they were, thinking I had her stumped for sure. She, of course, happily replied "luffa"... which turned out to be what I call 'loofa' and she showed me how to dry them and make real loofas for the the bath. I used them in gift baskets with my first (and only) milk soap that year. Very cool and made me feel like Earth Mother!

[Nonesuch Melissa]

Feb 12, 2011 10:28:03 GMT -5 39chicks1cow said:

I never thought to grow my own scrubbies! Cool!

How do people start their seeds inside? I don't have a sunny spot big enough to put all my seeds. I know you can get a lamp- can someone elaborate on that? Thanks! I'm so excited about starting them!

Jennifer

I use the plantable pots and a starter mix because I am always pressed for time... put them on those cheap plastic snap together shelves and put a grow light over them with a clamp-lamp. Start them at the top under the brightest light and once they are leafed up move them down... the ones on the bottom shelf are headed outside for planting.

[39chicks1cow]

Thanks! I'll have to go to Home Depot and get a grow light this week. Can't wait to get started! I might try to get my hands on some of the loofa seeds. Sounds fun! I need to order some soap making supplies- between the grow light and the lye ( I didn't know until my husband told me lye is used to make meth) the police will be hunting me down.
Jennifer

[Stacy]

Uggh..I just read this post for the first time Melissa! Do you HAVE to be the voice of reason in this??? I LOVE pretty veggies and unique things.
But of course, after reading this, I realized, you're absolutely right! I always stink at onions, why grow them? Same with potatoes and carrots. I love growing sweet potatoes and those always do well here, but honestly, I can buy them by the TON (literally if I wanted to!) around here. They do take up quite a bit of room.
I can buy watermelons that taste fantastic, but they are always the BIG ONES. We prefer the sugar babies and Mike sells those at work like nuts. People like fridge sized melons.
Tomatoes are a HUGE thing here and we can NEVER grow enough, even when I'm done with them, fried green tomatoes, salsa, fresh, on salads, sauce, etc. I still have people asking for them! Mike even had a senior chief at work remind him that when the tomatoes and cukes are ready, he's to bring them to her! LOL!
Cukes, oh I LOVE fresh cukes and I love making pickles, till I get sick of making pickles anyway. I grow a few diff. kinds of cukes every years and except for last year, always have plenty.
I love snow peas and really, should grow more. We hardly ever end up with more than a handful in the house. We graze through the dang garden. Snow peas are usually ready first here and the kids and I chow!
I love fresh greenbeans. I can't seem to get tasty greenbeans here so those are worth growing, as well as the yellow wax beans.
Peppers! Can't grow enough of those either!
Same with herbs. Any and all herbs.
I love crooked necked squash but have been having a heck of a time with squash bugs lately. There's a old guy that pulls his mower and wagon up to the ATM in town and sells them super cheap and they are just as tasty.
So I guess if I had to be HONEST with myself...
It'd be a pretty narrowed list, wouldn't it?


Time to go back and look over my list of seeds I picked out to order again and take some stuff out...

PS. I always grow about three eggplants! I eat maybe ONE egg plant from them, but I just love growing them! So I'll sneak those in anyway!