Food for thought

[Raidingtime]

hey all,

Starters:
I'm an avid novice gardener that has been diving into the vegy world full force for the past 3 years. I've been posting small things about gardening here and there but wanted a more focused group. I hope to collaborate and learn from each other through this forum. Plus it's enjoyable to swap garden ideas and photos.



To get thing started:
What are you all growing this year?

My background/knowledge:
- suburbanite
- has chickens/ducks and they lay eggs (5- ones on death row currently)
- have a vegetable and berrie garden- all kinds of things! They have all been started from seeds cuz I don't cheat
- set up drip irrigation/raised beds
- set up a 330 gallon rain water collection system with a small electrical generator below it that can be powered via gravity (not a big output but it's cool)
- indoor grow lights

Read More

 

[Sgt Nambu]

General vegitables
Blueberrys and Raspberrys a few Strawberrys
Apple tree espaliered on large arbor
We stick veg's within the flower gardens
150gal rainwater catchment
Drip and soak hoses
A lot of bamboo in containers
Lots a Herbs

PS: We have been working and amending this soil, organically for 38yrs.

 

[bgdawgrr]

Planted some more veggies today! 2 varieties of tomates, 2 varieties of cucumber. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, herbs, carrots, beets already in.
Planted 3 differnt variety of blue berries in pots (for better cross pollination), have strawberries, and a cherry tree.
Did square foot gardening last year, but toning it down this year.
Have some blue orchard bee houses set up by the garden and looking to get some lady bugs and maybe mantis eggs.

 

[Raidingtime]

General vegitables
Blueberrys and Raspberrys a few Strawberrys
Apple tree espaliered on large arbor
We stick veg's within the flower gardens
150gal rainwater catchment
Drip and soak hoses
A lot of bamboo in containers
Lots a Herbs

PS: We have been working and amending this soil, organically for 38yrs.

That's awesome. I've only lived in my house for 2 years and the previous owner wasn't much of a gardener/landscaper. I recently had to cut down a crab apple tree, remove an enormous amount of rock, and run an underground water line out to the back fence to set up my current grow area.

What's with the bamboo in containers?

 

[Raidingtime]

Planted some more veggies today! 2 varieties of tomates, 2 varieties of cucumber. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, herbs, carrots, beets already in.
Planted 3 differnt variety of blue berries in pots (for better cross pollination), have strawberries, and a cherry tree.
Did square foot gardening last year, but toning it down this year.
Have some blue bonnet bee houses set up by the garden and looking to get some lady bugs and maybe mantis eggs.

what's the process of setting up bee hives? What varieties of tomatoes do you have? I'm growing potatoes for the first time this year and they're already going crazy. I thought the were weeds until I tore up the root on one. Radishes have seemed to be getting a head start too.

 

[Just Jim]

Used to garden all the time when wife was alive, not much now. I really think a garden is going to be a big deal and encourage all to learn to garden and can those foods. Better food and makes you self reliant.

 

[erudne]

I am essentially a 'natural' gardener, that is I do not use pesticides or vegicides near my garden plots, I like heirloom veggies but not to exclusion. I have done the 100% organic thing before, even to the point of organic manure, OK for those that like the labor but I have not the time needed. I am now into raised beds with wire mesh bottoms to keep gophers out. Once the beds are built you can control exactly what goes into them. Pitch a clear plastic tarp over them and they are like a green house.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

The bamboo is primarily decorative, however I am able to harvest a lot of culms (canes) every year and I have a pretty huge stash in the rafters of my garage. They are useful for a lot of things, privacy screens, plant stakes, small or tempory arbors, hanging the wife's quilts, punji stakes, etc. in Asia people use it as scaffolding up too 300' in the air!
Last fall I took two likely looking culms and taught my grandson how to make a defensive spear and a fishing/small game giging spear,complete with barbs! Bamboo is good stuff, attractive too, it's in containers (whiskey barrels,etc) because most of its very invasive! Get a start of Giant Timber Bamboo and plant it in a wine/whiskey barrel and place it on your patio. I'm betting you'll like it a lot!

 

[Raidingtime]

The bamboo is primarily decorative, however I am able to harvest a lot of culms (canes) every year and I have a pretty huge stash in the rafters of my garage. They are useful for a lot of things, privacy screens, plant stakes, small or tempory arbors, hanging the wife's quilts, punji stakes, etc. in Asia people use it as scaffolding up too 300' in the air!
Last fall I took two likely looking culms and taught my grandson how to make a defensive spear and a fishing/small game giging spear,complete with barbs! Bamboo is good stuff, attractive too, it's in containers (whiskey barrels,etc) because most of its very invasive! Get a start of Giant Timber Bamboo and plant it in a wine/whiskey barrel and place it on your patio. I'm betting you'll like it a lot!

That's good advice. My neighbor has a bunch of bamboo and may let me borrow some. Depends on if he's figured out why there has been so many lifeless squirrels in his yard... Bamboo would be a great building/project medium. Good foresight with the buckets. They seem to be as hardy as blackberry bushes

 

[Sgt Nambu]

^^^^^ Easily as hardy and invasive depending on species.

 

[erudne]

I'm thinking of it as a food source

 

[Raidingtime]

I'm thinking of it as a food source

Yes because the world needs more pandas

 

[Mike aka BandAid]

The bamboo is primarily decorative, however I am able to harvest a lot of culms (canes) every year and I have a pretty huge stash in the rafters of my garage. They are useful for a lot of things, privacy screens, plant stakes, small or tempory arbors, hanging the wife's quilts, punji stakes, etc. in Asia people use it as scaffolding up too 300' in the air!
Last fall I took two likely looking culms and taught my grandson how to make a defensive spear and a fishing/small game giging spear,complete with barbs! Bamboo is good stuff, attractive too, it's in containers (whiskey barrels,etc) because most of its very invasive! Get a start of Giant Timber Bamboo and plant it in a wine/whiskey barrel and place it on your patio. I'm betting you'll like it a lot!

Where did you get your bamboo starts? I am in love with this idea of yours! Thank you!

 

[CoastRange57]

That's good advice. My neighbor has a bunch of bamboo and may let me borrow some.

If he has it planted in the ground, you will have it soon enough. Uncontainerized bamboo will destroy a landscape.

My garden is 100 feet raspberries, 100 feet blueberries 200 feet strawberries, 50 feet of grapes, tomatoes, 150 of potatoes, 150 of onions, 100 of beets, 100 of pole beans, 500 feet of squash, 500 feet of pumpkins.

All drip irrigated with recovered and stored water pumped from my pond 500 feet away.

 

[Raidingtime]

If he has it planted in the ground, you will have it soon enough. Uncontainerized bamboo will destroy a landscape.

My garden is 100 feet raspberries, 100 feet blueberries 200 feet strawberries, 50 feet of grapes, tomatoes, 150 of potatoes, 150 of onions, 100 of beets, 100 of pole beans, 500 feet of squash, 500 feet of pumpkins.

All drip irrigated with recovered and stored water pumped from my pond 500 feet away.

I envy the bubblegum out of your yard! I want to do a similar thing when I get more land along with goats and more birds

 

[erudne]

Yes because the world needs more pandas

Pandas are delicious

 

[Raidingtime]

This is my first year planting potatoes, sweet/Russell, and dang them things grow like weeds! They're getting big quick along with my radishes.

 

[ROC]

We have apple,plum, pear, black walnut, and mulberry trees. My garden has gotten bigger this year and includes basic staples. I added radishes this year, a claimed 22 day to table.

We bought chicks this year too.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Where did you get your bamboo starts? I am in love with this idea of yours! Thank you!

Gal. pot starts of bamboo, and larger, are available at good nurserys and on Craig's List. I built up my collection by stopping at houses with interesting bamboo and knocked and asked for a start. Was never turned down! Let me say also that there are bamboo that are far less invasive than they're land gobbling brethren! These are called clumping bamboo, but you still must keep ahead of them and don't let them grow uncontrolably. They just spread more slowly. Clumpers tend to be smaller than the more invasive varietys. Good luck!

 

[bgdawgrr]

what's the process of setting up bee hives? What varieties of tomatoes do you have? I'm growing potatoes for the first time this year and they're already going crazy. I thought the were weeds until I tore up the root on one. Radishes have seemed to be getting a head start too.

They are mason bees (blue orchard bees). No honey, but great pollinators. You can get some tubes sealed with eggs before spring and make a house. Very simple way is to drill 1/2 holes in a 4x4 (not pressure treated). You can line them with tubes if you want, or just let them use the wood.
https://www.parentmap.com/article/keeping-mason-bees-10-expert-tips-for-families
For tomatoes, I planted Early Girls and Beef stake. Added an Old German tomato plant today along with two varieties of sweet peppers and some walla walla sweet onions.

Learned an important lesson about mint in my herb garden. Mint spreads prolifically. Should have planted it in a container in the ground to contain it.