Does anyone here grow some of their own food?

[skydog]

How do you do it?

[ChiDragon]

Plant some seeds in the soil and water it daily. You can also buy some plants in the pot and put them in the ground soil yourself.

Edited March 2, 2014 by ChiDragon

[skydog]

thanks,

[zanshin]

Where do you live? -zone or general area. What is space available?

[BaguaKicksAss]

I don't (slacker) my ALL my neighbors, grow amazing amounts of food in their small city front and backyards! I really should get some photos in the spring. I'm pretty sure none of them buy veggies in the spring, summer and fall.

 

PS

 

[thelerner]

I have 2 small gardens. I think the secret is growing in your front lawn, so you pay proper attention and pride in it. There's a method of planting I learned from Mother Earth magazine. Super simple. Buy 40 lb bags of dirt. Put'em down, lined top to bottom on your lawn. Make one slit along the bottom for drainage and rip open the top. The bags are only about $1.29 each. I also bought one large Miracle Grow and spread that soil along the top of the other 8 as fertilizer/super soil. Note this is easy, but not organic.

So I have 30 feet of good soil, just 10 inches wide. It grows anything beautifully. The lawn under it ends up dying off. At the end of the season you can pull away the plastic bags and throw a thick padding of leaves/mulch on it before winter. Important protection against the harsh sun and cold, and it'll break down a bit into compost over the winter. Putting a boarder around it is good, and that can be anything. Come spring I'll mix the mulch in and spread a single bag of miracle grow on top (its plant steroid).

Cherry tomatoes grow on it like weeds, and I'll usually get new tomato sprouts growing the next year from dropped ones. For lettuce I like the non-head styles and I'll plant it thick so it comes up like a carpet. Its good to give tomatoes space though.

 

Here's the link: http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/no-dig-garden-beds.aspx

and the simple info below:

How to Make Instant No-dig Garden BedsYou can make new garden beds quickly with no digging or tilling by using bags of topsoil.

By Barbara Pleasant June/July 2008

To make a garden in a bag, punch holes in the bottom sides of the bags for drainage before you place them on the ground, cut away the tops. Then you can plant directly into the soil in the bags and mulch the area to cover the bags. In the fall, pull away the bags and reform the beds with a rake.

ELAYNE SEARS

[skydog]

Where do you live? -zone or general area. What is space available?

 

Well Im moving back to England..Im probably gonna live in my parents house for a while and they rent so cant dig up the lawn too much, but I have a local park/forest feels like mine haha...so might just use that or use plants I like kinda suburbs not like proper city central

[skydog]

I don't (slacker) my ALL my neighbors, grow amazing amounts of food in their small city front and backyards! I really should get some photos in the spring. I'm pretty sure none of them buy veggies in the spring, summer and fall.

 

PS

 

 

cool,

[skydog]

I have 2 small gardens. I think the secret is growing in your front lawn, so you pay proper attention and pride for it. I really like a method of planting I learned from Mother Earth magazine. Super simple. Buy 40 lb bags of dirt. Put'em down, lined up your lawn. Make one slit along the bottom for drainage and rip open the top. The bags were only a $1.29 each. I also bought one large Miracle Grow and spread that soil along the top of the other 8 as fertilizer/super soil. Note this is super easy, not organic.

 

So I have 30 feet of good soil, just 10 inches wide. It grows anything beautifully. The lawn under it ends up dying off. At the end of the season you can pull away the plastic bags and throw a thick padding of leaves/mulch on it before winter. Important protection against the harsh sun and cold, and it'll break down a bit into compost over the winter. Putting a boarder around it is good, and that can be anything. Come spring I'll mix the mulch in and spread a single bag of miracle grow on top (its plant steroid).

 

Cherry tomatoes grow on it like weeds, and I'll usually get new tomato sprouts growing the next year from dropped ones. For lettuce I like the non-head styles and I'll plant it thick so it comes up like a carpet. Its good to give tomatoes space though.

 

Thanks for sharing Ill look into that sounds cool

[zanshin]

If I was in rental, I'd do herbs in strawberry pots. That's a big pot with little spaces molded into sides. You can also do cherry tomatoes or of course strawberries in them. Now might be right time to start summer vegetable like tomatoes and peppers for seeds for England, but they can't go outside if near freezing temps. Lettuce is cool season so might be able to grow that in spring if you have room for a little flower bed. Trellisable plants might fit your space, peas for cool season, beans in summer- or you can do squash, cucumbers or tomatoes on a trellis too.

 

Good potting soil and miracle gro probably easiest, eventually if more permanent space then it's fun to geek out with composting, soil amendments and cultivation.

 

Forest gardening can be fun. I am thinking about trying shitake mushrooms now that we own some wooded land. Probably lots of edible food already growing in your forest and park. You'd have to research specific to your area and what to look for seasonally. Probably fruit and nut trees. Be careful to understand what mushroom and berries for your area are safe before you eat them. You might have wild grapes and you can make things like dolmades with the leaves. You might have wild garlic or onions. You probably have edible greens that are great for health in early spring as long as he park staff isn't spraying chemicals.

[zanshin]

Plant some seeds in the soil and water it daily. You can also buy some plants in the pot and put them in the ground soil yourself.

You can do plastic wrap over seed planted in starter pots in moist soil and will start a little quicker with less watering than no covered. Take wrap off once sprouted. Almost nothing should be watered daily, keep little seedlings moist but not wet. As they get bigger allow to dry out a little between waterings, this will help develop strong roots. Constant wet feet will cause the roots to rot.

[Nungali]

Yep ... I just came back inside with handsfull of Qcumbers and pockets full of mini toms ... later I will get the various lettuces and roquette for lunch salad (mixed with peeled sliced firm pear and walnuts. )

 

I have a small garden and am conscious of soil regeneration, health and vitalisation - sustainability and PH (it is a high acid area)

 

I recently dug up a bone pit (full of the interior bones from cow horns.) after many years they are soft enough to hand crumble on the soil as a alkaline / calcium addative. I also make my own solid and ( 3 types of ) liquid compost.

 

I concentrate on things I eat a lot of that will grow easily (example I only eat about 3 cabbages a year and they are hard to grow here, so I just buy one when I want one. Many things stay fresh in ground for a long time, more so than in a refrigerator (like carrots). And I replant a lot (re. post # 5 ) ... shallot bottoms work great like that .

 

Tiny toms and banana capsicum regrow well as self seeders. At the moment I have a lot of small carrot, leeks and red onions , parsley and coriander in for the approaching winter.

 

Veggies aint natural ... they like lots of good soil with compost and organic matter and good Ph / liming.

 

I also use bio-dynamic preps when I can. I used to make them for a job ( BD preps assistant and, for a while, manager for BD Agriculture Australia) but nowadays that requires more time and effort than I can manage (also I don't get paid for it anymore) .

[joeblast]

my basil's jammin in the window there. my garlic in the pantry's sprouting some stuff, so I might just plant that too

 

if you want more plants without burning through more seed, clone 'em. take a cutting from a branch that has 3, 4 nodes on it, cross cut it at the joint you decide to be the bottom, and put it in a (solid color-no light) plastic cup with some...what's that white stuff, perlite...poke a hole half an inch up, strip off any lower branches, water 'em. if its cold get a clear plastic tub or something so the humidity stays up enough. maybe add a little sugar to the water. watch em good for a couple weeks and you should have some rootlets growing, give them a gentle tug, if they hold then put them into the soil, if not tuck 'em back in gently.

 

similar trick to BKA's post up there, but you can do it with your live plants that way.

[grady]

I'd conservatively estimate that we grow somewhere around 80-90% of the food we consume here at the hospital ourselves.

 

We compost the dregs from our herbal decoctions to use as fertilizer; it's like steroids for vegetables.

 

We keep chickens, ducks, and geese for eggs and meat, as well as a peacock that a well-intentioned local government official thought we might want to eat (he continues to insist that it tastes like ostrich but better).

 

The geese double as an exceedingly efficient burglar alarm.

 

The waterfowl like to play in a small lake fed by an underground stream that supplements us with freshwater fish (mostly grass carp and something which resembles a Chinese crappie) and the occasional soft-shelled turtle.

 

We get regular supplies of 石鸡 "rock chicken" (a variety of frog which inhabits mountain streams considered to be a delicacy) from a local grower whose gout we cured.

 

We make our own tofu here, a dried and sauce-marinated variety (豆腐干) particular to Shifu's hometown, in a small outbuilding that also serves as storage for dried/cured/smoked meats & fishes.

 

Shifu goes to the local Chinese version of a farmer's market almost every single morning for fruits and anything else we need for the menu he's chosen that day, never buying for more than a day or two at a time.

 

More often than not the freshness of your diet is more important than the composition of your diet.

Edited March 3, 2014 by leandro

[thelerner]

I'm a big believer in the magic of coffee grounds for better gardening. Starbucks and other coffee shops give it away by the bag and bucketful. Very good nitrogen source, not so good by itself, but mixed with leaves and other 'brown's' it makes great compost.

 

In early fall I'll try to throw in piles of leaves, then coffee grounds, and repeat, by spring its nice compost. Smaller or shredded leaves work better then large whole ones.

 

 

The science:

Summary: Use of Starbucks coffee grounds in amending mineral soils up to 35 percent by volume coffee grounds will improve soil structure over the short-term and over the long-term. Use of the coffee grounds at the specified incorporation rates (rototilled into a 6- to 8-inch depth) will substantially improve availabilities of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and copper and will probably negate the need for chemical sources of these plant essential elements.

 

.. However, the availabilities of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and copper are each sufficiently high that there will be a very positive impact on improving availabilities of these elements where the coffee grounds are used as a mineral soil amendment. The coffee grounds will negate the need for additional sources of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and copper when blended with mineral soils. ..

The nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium "guaranteed analyses" would be as follows for the coffee grounds:

Nitrogen: 2.28 percent
Phosphorus: 0.06 percent
Potassium: 0.6 percent

Available nutrient levels: The pH or reaction of the coffee grounds is considered slightly acidic and in a favorable range at 6.2 on the pH scale.

[Nungali]

http://www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v300/n6/full/scientificamerican0609-54.html

 

http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/

[Torus]

I'm not sure how much money you have, but if you can save up and invest in aqua-ponics the return will be worth it. These basically use fish to fertilize the plants because their poop contains bacteria that converts ammonia into nitrate or something useful for plants. It may take a while to properly set up but it is very efficient.

[Starjumper]

I'm growing as much of my own food as possible. That's the reason I moved to Southern Ecuador, to be in a place where the weather is fantastic all year for growing. So I got around 70 acres of mountain land very close to the crest of the Andes Mountain range, within easy hiking distance. I've started an organic permaculture farm / food forest, along with reforesting with native trees. It's amazing here at 7000 ft, the spring and rain water is absolutely pure, the sky is super blue, the air sparkles with the cleanest energy in the world, and the sounds of nature heal the spirit.

 

In addition to a farm I'm also building a Taoist hermitage here a Taoist hermitge is kind of like a Buddhist monastery, but more casual, a lot more casual.

 

... and I just started looking for volunteers to live here for free, in case you want to learn about growing your own food. Which is something everyone should be doing, and real soon too.

 

I made a page about the place, it still needs work ... http://www.tienshan.net/retreat.html

 

We want to experiment with a fishponics setup too.

Edited March 3, 2014 by Starjumper

[yabyum24]

I don't bother much with root veg, as it's cheap enough to buy and quite a lot of work to look after. I stick with herbs and garlic, it's easy and tasty. Sage, rosemary, thyme and oregano look after themselves once planted. Basil is good indoors in pots in spring but then if you put it outside the leaves change and the flavour becomes more intense.

 

Peas grow in pots with sticks and netting to climb up. I also have tree onions (not many people know about them). All easy to look after and good for adding to food.

 

I'd start with easy stuff in pots and get more adventurous if the mood takes you.

[skydog]

I'm growing as much of my own food as possible. That's the reason I moved to Southern Ecuador, to be in a place where the weather is fantastic all year for growing. So I got around 70 acres of mountain land very close to the crest of the Andes Mountain range, within easy hiking distance. I've started an organic permaculture farm / food forest, along with reforesting with native trees. It's amazing here at 7000 ft, the spring and rain water is absolutely pure, the sky is super blue, the air sparkles with the cleanest energy in the world, and the sounds of nature heal the spirit.

 

In addition to a farm I'm also building a Taoist hermitage here a Taoist hermitge is kind of like a Buddhist monastery, but more casual, a lot more casual.

 

... and I just started looking for volunteers to live here for free, in case you want to learn about growing your own food. Which is something everyone should be doing, and real soon too.

 

I made a page about the place, it still needs work ... http://www.tienshan.net/retreat.html

 

We want to experiment with a fishponics setup too.

 

 

Wow thats really cool man, had a look at your page, and the whole setup and ideas look awesome...

 

Will definately consider going there but maybe in time say a few months for a few reasons...wow really cool.

 

Actually might be kind of synchronistic because I get all these crazy ideas/designs/motivation to create and design futuristic sustainable homes, and there is a lot of art that is similar to mine in that area of south america so might be cool to explore that area too also the qigong, anyways Ill get back to you on that

 

cheers

[Clarity]

We have raised beds in the front yard (where we replaced our lawn) for growing. More bed space in the back yard for the herb garden. And now more space in front, where my wife has created some space in the ground.

 

I agree about growing stuff in pots, it's easy and they are portable.

 

Personally, I find growing from seed to be a PITA (melons and cucurbits are easier). I only do it if I can't find a small starter plant at our local herb/veggie nursery.

 

We had a lot of fun with the lettuce and kale this year. Made many veggie pies with the kale, they are yummy!

Edited March 3, 2014 by Clarity

[Nungali]

I'm not sure how much money you have, but if you can save up and invest in aqua-ponics the return will be worth it. These basically use fish to fertilize the plants because their poop contains bacteria that converts ammonia into nitrate or something useful for plants. It may take a while to properly set up but it is very efficient.

 

They been doing that for a loooooooong time in Asia.

[Nungali]

I don't bother much with root veg, as it's cheap enough to buy and quite a lot of work to look after.

 

 

?

 

 

I've found them easier to look after. Especially Peruvian ground apple or yacon ... its sweet and crunchy and can be eaten raw. I just leave em in the ground ( carrots potatoes beets) and they look after themselves.

[yabyum24]

 

Now I do. Thanks for mentioning!

 

From wikipedia:

"Young plants may be used as scallions in the spring."

 

Do you find this to be true? (BTW, Scallions are super easy to "regrow" once you put the roots of a cut plant in water.)

Well, sort of. What I do is remove the leaves, down to the base and chop them into salads. I don't dig up the onion itself, as there is no need. When the small onions sprout on top, then they can also be eaten in salads or planted.

 

What I do at the end of every season, is dig them up and replant them in another spot. This stops them getting too crowded and they grow much better in the following year.

 

I always plant my weakest garlic cloves into pots and treat them like spring onions. They can be harvested in their entirety and eaten when they look about the size of a spring onion. Very tasty with a fresh mild flavour.

[Starjumper]

They been doing that for a loooooooong time in Asia.

 

Could you share their method please. I like primitive engineering, it works so well out in the boonies.