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market-farming - Re: squash bugs

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: cross-r-ranch AT juno.com
  • To: market-farming AT franklin.metalab.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: squash bugs
  • Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2002 20:09:22 -0400


Gosh - someone would ask that, lol. Shoulda known. <G> What I do is
plant the hill of squash, and at the same time, plant a circle of 6 to 8
seeds of corn around the edge of the hill. Outside THAT, once the corn
has germinated, I plant 12 to 16 beans. The corn grows up pretty
quickly, and provides support for both the squash and beans, and the
squash and bean leaves provied plenty of shade below to keep the weeds
down. Something about it keeps the critters off, as the worst thing I've
had on them is ants. It kind of looks like this when done (forgive the
ASCII art - I'm not really good at it!). S - squash, C - corn, B - beans
(any bean will work, but pole beans seem to really love this method).







B

C
B B

B C C B


B SS B
SS


B C C B


B B
C

B


Several of these hills take up quite a bit of space, but actually less
than than planting them all separately. Hence, I have no need to have
poles for the beans, or netting for the squash. The corn's deep root
system easily supports the cornstalks and the squash and beans growing up
them, the squash get a place to grow up without me losing part of the
crop to rot, and the beans provide a terrific source of nitrogen for
everything. Also, planting in the circular formation makes it easier I
think, for the corn to pollinate itself. Very little is lost to being
blown away by breezes, it tends to all fall down onto the parent stalk or
one directly neiboring it.

Hope this helps someone out!

Heather R
cross-r-ranch AT juno.com
Get paid to read email! - Click here for more info:
http://www.cross-r-ranch.freeservers.com/paidemail.htm
I've got so many of them, I had to make a webpage for them all! Tips and
hints on how to make it profitable.




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