What are you growing?

[murphman]

Last year was my first year of any sort of vegetable gardening. This year I am really trying to learn and develop the skill because not will it only save money and produce a better product over store bought, it is a necessary SHTF skill. So this year I have 4 celebrity, 2 better bush and one husky cherry tomato plant going. I have two sugar baby watermelons growing from seed. I had some old potatoes that I planted mid January. Man did those potato plants take off but the unfortunate and rare late Feb early March deep freezes ended them. The potatoes were more of an experiment just to see what happens instead of throwing bad potatoes away.



This season I am growing from smartpots and the ground in two 8x2 sections. Next season I plan to build some raised beds and am in the process of converting 7.62x54R spam can crates into planting pots. The crates already have handles and just need to be built deeper and with legs.

So my question is what are yall growing this year and in what type of garden set up? If you are one of those people with a sexy looking vegetable garden by all means please post pics

[68W]

We have 3 raised garden boxes. We will have 9 total tomato plants of a few varieties. Last year we had a plant of a cherry tomato sized breed that is bright orange when ripe that produced like crazy and was so good to just sit and eat! We'll do that one again. We will have one zucchini plant again (one is definitely enough), probably a squash of sorts, spinach, lettuce, bell pepper, onion, cucumber, cilantro, oregano, parsley, basil, I'm probably missing something. I am going to dabble with potatoes this year in barrels. Apparently planting in a barrel or a tire and then continuing to mound dirt up on the root system as it proliferates is high yield in a smaller space than the conventional rows of potato method like all the farms I grew up around in ID. I don't know, we'll see. I have never tried to grow potatoes and I thought that I should seeing as how I grew up in ID and it is arguably the single best crop for sustenance gardening due to their caloric AND vitamin density and long storage life. I also just built and planted a ton of strawberries in a rain gutter planter system I saw on the internet. I've got over 55 linear feet of strawberries on the side of my garage now, both June-bearing and ever-bearing varieties. I hope it works, my kids (4 and 2 yrs old) will eat a plat of 2 lbs of strawberries in an afternoon right after coming home from Costco to buy them. It beats candy and junk so hopefully I can satiate the addiction.

This is the method we use for our gardens. Last year was our first year in a home of our own, thus our first year growing and it was very effective:
http://www.amazon.com/All-New-Square.../dp/1591862027

If you're interested in the rain gutter thing you can google "strawberries in rain gutters" and you'll get a million pics on google images. I hope it works.

RE your potatoes, just replant them. If you have so long a growing season that you started in Jan you can easily get another crop started this year. In the Rockies they thrive with the last frost often not until mid to late May.

[murphman]

Yeah I can probably replant the potatoes but since they died I am using that space for tomatoes and sugar baby water melon. In that short month that they grew 24 inches tall after dying from the freeze I was able to dig up 40 or so potatoes from 10-14 plants ranging from marble to golf ball size. Right now I am seeing if the larger ones will put off little eyes and if so I will just find a place to replant.

The strawberries in rain gutters sounds and looks really cool, I might have to give this one a try.

I just got home and while checking up on my avocado tree that is only 4 1/2ft tall it has put off roughly 30-50 avocados. Now we will just have to see how many fall or die off.

[davidz71]

Eighteen 32 ft. rows stretched out over a 70 ft. wide garden. I usually plant 20 tomato plants (Big Daddy and a couple more types this year) in two rows, one row of Pic-n-pic crookneck squash, two rows of sugar snap type peas, six rows of Silver Queen corn, two rows of a sugar enhanced corn for the squirrels (who stripped 4 of my 6 rows of Silver Queen last year){I have a plan with this}, one row of two different types of long cucumbers, no beans or onions this year, two rows of King Arthur and Super Heavyweight bell peppers; two rows containing Ancho, Jalapeno, Big Guy and Sweet Heat hot peppers. I have a couple eggplants slated for the squash row but somehow I am missing a row of something. When corn comes out, broccoli seeds go in two rows and will be thinned out to at least six rows. Three years ago I had an entire bathtub full of broccoli heads soaking in salt water and the wife was mad!

[murphman]

Eighteen 32 ft. rows stretched out over a 70 ft. wide garden. I usually plant 20 tomato plants (Big Daddy and a couple more types this year) in two rows, one row of Pic-n-pic crookneck squash, two rows of sugar snap type peas, six rows of Silver Queen corn, two rows of a sugar enhanced corn for the squirrels (who stripped 4 of my 6 rows of Silver Queen last year){I have a plan with this}, one row of two different types of long cucumbers, no beans or onions this year, two rows of King Arthur and Super Heavyweight bell peppers; two rows containing Ancho, Jalapeno, Big Guy and Sweet Heat hot peppers. I have a couple eggplants slated for the squash row but somehow I am missing a row of something. When corn comes out, broccoli seeds go in two rows and will be thinned out to at least six rows. Three years ago I had an entire bathtub full of broccoli heads soaking in salt water and the wife was mad!

Dang that is a nice sounding crop, something that I would like to do myself but space is minimal at this time. It is funny you bring up those pesky squirrels. My good friends parents purchased land a year or two ago, his father hates squirrels and was destined to remove all of them. One day I was over at his parents house and he opened the freezer and there was some 10-15 frozen squirrels. One squirrel too little as there was one who always got away. Most of our trips out to his parents land yielded no sight of the elusive squirrel but then there was just a few days he would remind up he is still watching. Just last week he sent me a text and said hey there is a nice bobcat out at my parents land. I said send me some pics since he got a few shots on a game cam. The first picture I saw I died laughing instead of saying nice cat, can you guess why?

[68W]

Eighteen 32 ft. rows stretched out over a 70 ft. wide garden. I usually plant 20 tomato plants (Big Daddy and a couple more types this year) in two rows, one row of Pic-n-pic crookneck squash, two rows of sugar snap type peas, six rows of Silver Queen corn, two rows of a sugar enhanced corn for the squirrels (who stripped 4 of my 6 rows of Silver Queen last year){I have a plan with this}, one row of two different types of long cucumbers, no beans or onions this year, two rows of King Arthur and Super Heavyweight bell peppers; two rows containing Ancho, Jalapeno, Big Guy and Sweet Heat hot peppers. I have a couple eggplants slated for the squash row but somehow I am missing a row of something. When corn comes out, broccoli seeds go in two rows and will be thinned out to at least six rows. Three years ago I had an entire bathtub full of broccoli heads soaking in salt water and the wife was mad!

That's a lot of garden. I assume you sell or trade off some of it? There's no way my family could consume that much squash, peppers, corn, beans....Especially since each crop begins to yield in the same window giving you a ton of xyz veggie all at once essentially. Squash is the one that really comes to mind for me. My experience with one squash plant is that we can't eat all of it. Good for you, you are dedicated.

[cinco]

2nd year garden: 30' x 120'

Just bought a 21 qt. All American Pressure Can System and am looking forward to a bunch of good salsa, okra, corn and sweet potatoes this winter!

Also invested in a tiller that is OH SO NICE - making it so much easier this year. After fall harvest, I plan on tilling in a bunch of mushroom compost plus other organics to get it squared away for next year.

Hot Peppers x 17:
(2) Dragon Cayenne
(2) Tabasco
(2) Serrano
(3) Hot Banana
(2) Hot Golden Cayenne
(4) Jalapeno
(2) Mexibelle (mild)
(-) Bunch of old mixed pepper seeds random sown in bed

Sweet Peppers x 17:
(4) Sweet Banana
(4) Gypsy
(2) Big Bertha
(2) Bonnie Green Bell
(2) Orange Bell
(3) Yummy Bell
(-) Bunch of old sweet pepper seeds random sown in bed

Summer Squash x 2:
(2) Yellow Crookneck

Cabbage x 8:
(8) Bonnie Hybrid Red

Eggplant x 3:
(3) Black Beauty

Tomato x 23:
(10) Better Boy
(9) Sun Gold Cherry
(2) Yellow Boy (I think as I lost the tag)
(2) Yellow Pear
(-) Thessoloniki Greek (random sown seed from last year)

Onions x approx. 500:
(75) White
(75) Yellow
(75) Red
(300) Texas Sweet
- Curious how these will turn out as some bulbs are small

Sweet Corn x 64 (will plant this weekend):
(64) Silver Queen

Okra x 24 (will plant this weekend):
(24) Clemson Spineless

Sweet Potato x 25 (will plant upon delivery next week):
(25) Beauregard

Melons x 10:
(5) Orangeglo
(5) Missouri Gold

Blackberry x 5 (added to 5 planted last year):
(5) Triple Crown

Apple x 2 (added to 2 planted last year, Golden Del. died):
(2) Red Delicious

Trees/shrubs planted last year:
(5) Blackberry - Triple Crown
(2) Butternut saplings - died
(2) Chestnuts - Chinese
(2) Hall's Hardy Almond
(2) Apricot
(1) Apple - Red Delicious
(1) Apple - Golden Delicious - died
(2) Blueberry - Top Hat
(2) Blueberry - forget variety

Depending upon space it's likely I'll add more plants as I still have room with everything spread out and separated depending upon compatibility.

[murphman]

2nd year garden: 30' x 120'

Just bought a 21 qt. All American Pressure Can System and am looking forward to a bunch of good salsa, okra, corn and sweet potatoes this winter!

Also invested in a tiller that is OH SO NICE - making it so much easier this year. After fall harvest, I plan on tilling in a bunch of mushroom compost plus other organics to get it squared away for next year.

Hot Peppers x 17:
(2) Dragon Cayenne
(2) Tabasco
(2) Serrano
(3) Hot Banana
(2) Hot Golden Cayenne
(4) Jalapeno
(2) Mexibelle (mild)
(-) Bunch of old mixed pepper seeds random sown in bed

Sweet Peppers x 17:
(4) Sweet Banana
(4) Gypsy
(2) Big Bertha
(2) Bonnie Green Bell
(2) Orange Bell
(3) Yummy Bell
(-) Bunch of old sweet pepper seeds random sown in bed

Summer Squash x 2:
(2) Yellow Crookneck

Cabbage x 8:
(8) Bonnie Hybrid Red

Eggplant x 3:
(3) Black Beauty

Tomato x 23:
(10) Better Boy
(9) Sun Gold Cherry
(2) Yellow Boy (I think as I lost the tag)
(2) Yellow Pear
(-) Thessoloniki Greek (random sown seed from last year)

Onions x approx. 500:
(75) White
(75) Yellow
(75) Red
(300) Texas Sweet
- Curious how these will turn out as some bulbs are small

Sweet Corn x 64 (will plant this weekend):
(64) Silver Queen

Okra x 24 (will plant this weekend):
(24) Clemson Spineless

Sweet Potato x 25 (will plant upon delivery next week):
(25) Beauregard

Melons x 10:
(5) Orangeglo
(5) Missouri Gold

Blackberry x 5 (added to 5 planted last year):
(5) Triple Crown

Apple x 2 (added to 2 planted last year, Golden Del. died):
(2) Red Delicious

Trees/shrubs planted last year:
(5) Blackberry - Triple Crown
(2) Butternut saplings - died
(2) Chestnuts - Chinese
(2) Hall's Hardy Almond
(2) Apricot
(1) Apple - Red Delicious
(1) Apple - Golden Delicious - died
(2) Blueberry - Top Hat
(2) Blueberry - forget variety

Depending upon space it's likely I'll add more plants as I still have room with everything spread out and separated depending upon compatibility.

That is fantastic, you must have a good bit of room.

Currently I have succumbed to a bad case of green thumb and have a hard time not picking up another tomato plant or two when I swing by Home Depot. I think I mentioned in my initial post the I am giving smart pots a try this year. As of today when comparing them to the tomatoes I have planted in ground the smart pots are not doing nearly as well. One of the tomatoes is a better bush and it is not looking so good, still have a few tomatoes on it with one nearly ready for picking. I also have another better bush in the smart pot and a Husky cherry, both look much better and the cherry as it sits has around 12 on it right now. Unfortunately I am finding the tomato plants in the smart pots seem stunted compared to what I have planted in ground. Has anyone used smart pots before?

Below is what I have going currently. I never would have thought I would get green thumb but then again farming is in my family.

Tomatoes:
Better Bush x2
Husky Cherry x3
Better Boy x5
Homestead
Pink Brandywine
Celebrity x4
Early Girl x2
Tumbling Tom


Melon:
Sugar Baby x4

Zucchini x3
Crookneck x2
Egg Plant x2

Strawberry x5

All plants have been in the ground or planted no more then a month ago. Currently have over 50 tomatoes on the vine, half the plants are not mature yet. They probably have a few weeks till they start putting off flowers.

[tb-av]

Have any of you looked into aguagardening... might have the term incorrect. Basically you get a tank of Talapia, then a soilless garden system. You use a computer and some sensors to pump water back and forth. The dirty fish water fertilizes the whole deal. The yields these people talk about are quite large.... and you can eat the fish if you want.

here is but one video and using the terms you can find many more.... this particular guy is aiming towards a commercial venture but many are simply home setups. Some even up north in a small greenhouse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2wWTadsBDA

[murphman]

Have any of you looked into aguagardening... might have the term incorrect. Basically you get a tank of Talapia, then a soilless garden system. You use a computer and some sensors to pump water back and forth. The dirty fish water fertilizes the whole deal. The yields these people talk about are quite large.... and you can eat the fish if you want.

here is but one video and using the terms you can find many more.... this particular guy is aiming towards a commercial venture but many are simply home setups. Some even up north in a small greenhouse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2wWTadsBDA

I believe they call that aquaponics. I have looked into it and it seems once set up there quite sustainable.

My only advice is if you go that route make your purchases with cash. I have seen many people get raided for making purchases of hydo and aquaponics suplies. Seems growing pot takes to these systems quite well