Tell me how your garden grows :)

[Dace]

Here is my plan...I am going to lean on a Grow Biointensive method based on a 4 year plan. "The first year includes the easiest to grow crops in 100 square feet, based on yields expected of a good gardener. The second year the square footage doubles and more difficult crops are added. The third and forth years, trees, herbs, strawberries and asparagus are included- permanent plantings that are placed in soil that has now been worked and improved for 2 years- and a third (garden bed) is added'

I love this theory because I tend to get ahead of myself and this will keep me going at a slow and steady pace, although I will be upping the total square footage year to year because my family is large...but I will use the same concept. If we end up buying this house then I will be ready for trees in the third year and if not I will start over where ever I am

Has anyone else built up their gardens using this method? Is your garden as large as you would like? or are you still expanding??

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Mine is actually too big. We have five 150' rows. The corn is all down at the end of the 5 rows, in hills of 3-4. We spaced things out further than I would like because the soil isn't that great and we didn't want to spend a ton on fertilizer. That, and I couldn't talk DH into small, intensive planted lasagna beds. Too much work he says!! Of course, after he tilled up our hard as rock, heavy clay soil, then had to go back & use a pickaxe, he came inside & said "I think we should do lasagna beds next year"

I like the idea of an ever expanding garden. I too end up diving in headfirst and taking on too much. Babysteps! Got any links for more info on this?

 

[Dace]

Here you go my dear.....

http://www.growbiointensive.org/

http://www.johnjeavons.info/

http://www.commongroundinpaloalto.org/gardeningtips.htm

 

[Lovechooks]

My garden grows fairly slowly at the moment!

Basically I do everything in it, and it's not that high maintenance but there's always something to do out there. DH will do the mowning and build the odd chair. He's interest in SS is more the buy as many water tanks as we can fit on the property and he designed the greywater system and put all the taps in.

I do all the weeding (we won't use poisons) and the planting, propagating, vegie garden stuff, pruning and watering. Compost turning and stoking. Also look after the chickens

I have 2 large vegie beds and will get another made if I can twist DH's arm over the next few months.

I also have 12 fruit trees that I look after too, although now they are established there's not a lot involved.

The front garden is all cottage style to blend in with the house, and as my business is run from there it has to look pretty good at all times.

I have mostly roses and hedges planted out there and some trees.

 

[2dream]

Some things in my garden are doing well - others not so good. My tomato plants are over 6' tall and have some really nice fruit. I will be busy canning in another week or so. The corn looks good too. Most of my stalks have 3 ears. My peas are a little stunted due to the rabbits but they seem to be trying to catch up. My lima beans were mostly rabbit food but I still have a few that will make it. Not much to can but we will have a few to eat. Green beans are really making me mad. They have always done well here but not this year. The rabbits got them too in the beginning but they came back and then just quite growing. Peppers are looking good though. Can't wait to break down my first potato basket. I am about to die to see how they have done.

 

[Beekissed]

My garden is just starting out as everyone has been late getting gardens in....heavy frosts and constant rain has prevented much garden action. I still don't have all my corn, pumpkins and beans in yet. Nor have I got all my mulching done and the weeds are reigning supreme in all this rain. As soon as the sun shines, its WAR!

My tomatoes are spindly and suffering from too much rain, the potatoes are doing fine, the peppers are yellowed and small from all the rain also. This same thing happened last year and the year before, so I'm not too alarmed. We just have rain nearly every day in the spring. Its better than the alternative, I guess. Everything eventually dries up and grows like crazy in the warm sun and I can start worrying about being able to can it on time!

 

[Woodland Woman]

I use lots of compost! My garden is doing well except for too much rain lately. The rain drowned my potato plants and some of my plants are starting to grow small leaves. I have harvested lots already.

 

[OkieAnnie]

Dace - Thank you for this thread. I don't know much about gardening, this is my first year getting anything to grow . .. I have learned allot from the links you added, thank you.

So, we got peas, but since we are over 100 already (whew it's hot) my peas are now gone. However, (big excitement for me here) my carrots, corn, cucumbers, tomatos and and some pinto beans that Joshua started as a science experiment from dried pinto beans in the pantry)

My challenge now is, how do I know when the carrots are ready to harvest?

Anyway, I hope to have a bigger garden next year and I am trying to figure out what I can plant here in the fall. I hope to have a cold frame with lettuce, spinich over the winter.

 

[miss_thenorth]

To answer your question--it doesn't grow as well at all. I'm about ready to give up (not really--just frustrated). I have replanted my tomatoes and peppers twice. The WIND killed my tomatoes. The birds picked off every leaf off of my pepper plants. I gave them enough time to see if they would recover, but only two out of twelve tomatoe plants survived, -no peppers survived. The lettuces and spinach are coming up, but not very well. I attribute that to the lack of rain and my meager watering. I don't know whether it was cats, or chickens that dug up all my cukes, and melons. So--how does my garden grow----- GRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

(ok--breathe.........)

Your plan sounds really neat. I had a similar idea, just a summer salad garden the first few years (I changed it to a few-b/c last year we had too much rain that my garden completely flooded and was standing water for about a month, then this years misfortune). but I already planted an apple and pear tree last spring. I also got rhubarb in last year. I plan on expanding based on my successes, similar to what your plan is.

I have never heard of the biointensive garden--I will have to check out those links.

 

[Farmfresh]

Tomatoes are going SLOW - peppers the same. Onions and potatoes doing well. Corn and cabbages ... coming along. Still need to plant pumpkins, more okra and lima beans. Need to plant additional carrots and beets as well.

Grapes looking good. Peaches not so much. Apricots froze. Apples are being destroyed by squirrels ... again.

Still need more mulch but can find no one with straw for sale.