Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

Very useful question; I've been expecting someone to bring it up. It can
look complicated at first, but everyone doesn't raise all the possible
varieties and that simplifies it. 

First list the kinds of produce you want to grow to eat or market where you
are. That shortens the list of possibilities. Then narrow it down further
by cutting out the things that won't grow well in your climate (kale?) or
just take too much room (watermelons?), or just won't sell in your area (do
they really want globe artichokes in Austin?). Put aside the perennials
that will take up garden space all year. Sunchokes, asparagus, berries,
grapes, etc. That leaves a few cool and warm weather crops, just about
enough to manage. 

Now identify which crops will work for cut-and-come-again. Which months
will they be in the ground? Plan for crops that will follow them in summer
heat. And which crops need succession planting - a bed or two then another,
then another every two weeks or so? Which months will they be in the
ground? Now which crops can occupy ground in cooler months and be done
before summer heat? Which ones will need the space all summer? Which ones
can be put out among summer plants before they're finished, to grow in fall
weather? Which can grow vertically on trellises and where should they be to
avoid shading the fruiting plants? Otherwise, I wouldn't be overly
concerned with which ones compete for root space or nutrients and all that.


All this divides the problem into workable parts. You might want to lay it
out for the list to see. I want to hear how you work it in central TX
climate. Let's remember that we may not get it all planned the first
season, and we can always do it differently next time. But ANY progress in
keeping plants growing in all beds all season beats the old way of planting
everything at once in single rows and leaving them bare the rest of the
year. With deep beds of healthy soil, intensive planting like this may get
you four to eight times the production from the space you have, and save
water besides. And why bother growing at all if you don't want the best
results for your time and effort? 

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 2/22/2007 at 7:49 AM E. E. Mitchamore Jr wrote:

>Time grows short for garden planning, and it's clear I have too much to
>learn, given the time.  I've been studying Rodale's Getting the Most from
>Your Garden, and wondering if anyone has developed succession charts for
>our Central Texas climate.  Given that it is a multi-dimensional problem,
>it begs for a computerized planner.  Anyone ever hear of a computerized
>intensive vegetable garden planner?  Anyone willing to design one in their
>spare time?
>
>It seems to me that this is one case where technology could be used to
>great advantage to "jump start" a lot of people who are intimidated by the
>complexities of high-yield gardening.  Yes, I know it's not "necessary",
>but in this age of instant gratification, it might just get some gardening
>going that wouldn't happen otherwise.  Also, the larger the operation, the
>more such a program would help.  It's like an accounting program: You can
>do your personal business in a checkbook, but even the smallest business
>is aided by a computerized system, allowing the entrepreneur more time to
>do what he or she needs to do.  and, it's a superior way to keep records
>of what you have done.
>
>E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore
>www.hillcountrynatives.biz
>
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