Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>]

Comments in between, for what it's worth ;-)
paul tradingpost@lobo.net

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

On 11/21/2010 at 9:46 AM mobius wrote:

>I'm at the very bottom of the hill on this learning curve.  This was my
>third year gardening and the first I got any produce to speak of.  I've
>been working on soil amendments and composting using what I have learned
>from groups like this one (primarily this one).
>We have chickens, so that helps.  I mulch everything with gleaned hay from
>a neighbors operation, he raises buffalo.

Chickens help in many ways but it's not in the cards here. Trust me, there 
are days when I feel I'm at the bottom of the curve too. Getting free mulch 
is an on again off again thing here, but totally essential in dry climate.

>I had some corn, winter squash and tomatoes that just went wild this year.
> Unfortunately, most of the tomatoes started coming in too late.  Okra
>too, I got some but most ended up freezing before it ripened.

If you can manage it determinate tomatoes can be canned or frozen and it's 
over before frost. Sweet corn they say is best if you have the water boiling 
when you pick it. We find the Delicata taste gets raves from repeat 
customers. Nuttier flavor and keeps all winter.

>The winter squash did real well but it ended up crawling all over
>everything (tomatoes and beans) and trying to knock them down.

Unfortunately seed packets don't tell how much room things will need outside 
where they're planted. I check several sources online for all the specifics 
on each variety of veggies and still don't trust them.

>I'm not trying to grow for market, only to feed family of 6 (soon 7).  I
>can see I need to develop some sort of plan but I barely now enough to
>even begin.  I think a more permanent structure for tomatoes an beans to
>grow on is on the agenda for next year.  I need to try and train the
>winter squash to radiate out of the garden (it's round) and not attack the
>tomatoes, if that's even possible.

6 soon 7? You have your work cut out for you! What kind of structures, 
trellis, fences? Others must have good advice on these things, anyone? I 
build cheap lumber-plastic greenhouses for tomatoes and peppers. But inside 
there's uprights from 4'x12' beds to the roof and I string clothesline around 
and across beds to tie up branches. Cages would be a bad joke. And it's a 
mess to cut down and haul out now, but no alternative. Tomatoes end up a 
jungle 12' high and still producing after Oct. I transplanted too close this 
spring but they bring lots of repeat customers year after year. We only grow 
Costoluto Genovese. http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/5429/
http://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/costoluto-genovese-tomato
The peppers need a frame above each bed to tie up heavy branches too. They're 
the only hybrid we grow, Giant Marconi. They're positively addictive grilled, 
no skinning needed.
http://www.burpee.com/vegetables/peppers/sweet-peppers/italian-peppers/pepper-sweet-giant-marconi-hybrid-prod000830.html
I just realized this morning it'll be a pain to reamend those six beds with 
the upper frames in the way.

>My flint corn did real well and looks great hanging in braids.  I parch it
>for trail snacks.  If I get more of it next year I hope to use it in
>traditional recipes.
>
>The newest garden gets morning and evening shade so I need to figure out
>what to put in there that will have a chance.  The soil isn't much in it
>yet but my compost pile is the biggest yet so I have high hopes for next
>year.
>
>I thought I'd speak up.  I like Mitch's idea about planning hints and I'm
>sure there are many folks here on the bottom of the curve, like me, who
>also lurk and learn.  We can use all the help we can get.

Can't we all.

>Fred
>--
>MOLON LABE