Gardening 101

First of all
Vegetable gardening is ALL OUT WAR.

I am creating this thread due to the prodding of member Salchanra.

Second ,Where do you live on this planet? Reason being that it is really completely
wrong and difficult to argue with (Shall I Say Her).

So Google or Encyclopedia your Zone. I am in Zone 5, so I will give you that.

Next, is immediate Location. This is important. This is not a matter of convenience.

For best Results, a 20x20 foot location in good what we call "Bottom Ground".

Reason Being, when you find out how much work this entails, you really wont

want to start over at a new location. The actual dimensions could be 2000 feet X

2000 feet or more, anything less than 6x12 feet will do, but it will be difficult to

work in. Remember, energy doesn't like to be crowded. Find Maximum Sun Spot.

Third, Fencing: Good fences make good Neighbors. Fence your garden

Including a gate, and don't let anyone give you a hard time about it.

Fourth, Have access to water. Spickets and hoses are excellent. Otherwise, be

more than willing to transport H2O to your garden by Tank in Truck or Milk Jugs

By hand. That would mean as many milk jugs as it would take by every child in the

neighborhood. Keep em busy and out of trouble. Otherwise Hose access is the way.

Fifth, Soil. Generally the darker the soil the better. Light colored soil is either sandy

or lacking in nutrients....to be continued if you folks are interested. Wildmanimal

I am most certainly interested...please continue

Also more details would be great...like what kind of crop layout (meaning what are we growing) are we talking?

Great post! Thank you

The only thing I can grow is a mean bell pepper plant.

star now..
possibly a flag later if you post more in the future and take it from the ametuer to avid level in steps for those out there who want to learn, and those out there like me who might gain something from a step by step refresher.

and all real gardeners live for those little tiny gems of wisdom,that they havent yet managed to come across before, that turn an average yield into a magnificent one. i look forward to plucking some gems from your stream of knowledge.

farming is learning..

so..
MORE..


~meathead

I am eager to see this thread expand... I hope it does.

I have all raised bed gardens. I live in a rural area, but the soil is stony, and with raised bed gardens, you control the soil content completely, so that no weed seeds get in, and if any do blow in, they are quickly and easily removed.

You can grow a TON of food in raised bed gardens without tilling a speck of ground and killing yourself pulling sod, rocks, and etc...

Please flag this so that we all can benefit. Thanks for starting it!!

Love gardening, I am already eating my tomatoes and squash and green beans.

What does bottom ground mean? Could you explain that?

And if you are an experienced gardener, when want to save seeds for next year instead of buying them, do you just dry them in the sun? Or is there some special way to do it?

Thanks

reply to post by Dennislp3


Thanks for your interest, my next step would be to try to explain soil
conditions. I am basically trying to educate people on how to grow Vegetables
within their climate. It is a lot of work and practice. As great as the "Survival
Seed" tubs for sale on the internet are, if you do not know what you are doing,
you will starve. As far as other plants, I would be willing to advise you on
perpetuating endangered species indigenous to the Territorial boundaries
of The United States of America.

At your Service, Wildmanimal

All out war!

Best three words to describe gardening I've ever heard!

In my world, if I don't grow (it) I don't eat - so - I'd better have all my ducks in a row or I go hungry.

I hope I can contribute something helpful to the thread, but, I've a feeling I'll be 'taking' more from it than giving!

Thanks for a great thread topic!

peace

ADDED NOTE to Illusionsaregrander:

I've done great drying seed like zucchini, long zucchini, cumber in the sun, but not allowing them to get too hot of course - shaded sun.

BUT!

I think I'm paying the price for it this year with tomatoes.
I tried starting my tomatoes from seeds form last year and they are horrible tasting.
I'm growing them exactly like always (never grow tomatoes in the same spot more than every three years) and this year they're horrible. All woolly tasting.
I mean they look great, really great, just taste like tomatoes flavored socks.
I searched all over the internet to find out WHY this is happening and the only thing I could come up with is the seeds lost something in the replanting.

peace


[edit on 27-6-2010 by silo13]

reply to post by Wildmanimal

As great as the "Survival
Seed" tubs for sale on the internet are, if you do not know what you are doing,
you will starve.

Am I glad you posted that or what!

THANK YOU!

I was listening the other day to one of those adds just shaking my head...and really pissed too!

Educate yourself people!

peace

reply to post by silo13


"I'd better have all my ducks in a row or I go hungry. "


if i didnt know you better silo13 i would assume that was a vieled commericial for waterfowl...

_on topic_

silo were those seeds hierloom?


~meathead

reply to post by thegoodearth


Raised Beds Are Ideal for Sure. Just remember to actually dig out (with a shovel) all the contents of your raised beds/planter boxes. Yearly. You say you have a lot of rocky soil. Have a friend /or carpenter build you a soil screener.
This is basically a 2x4inch stud wooden frame 3x5 feet rectangular with a
what is called "Hardware Cloth" or 1/2 "x1/2" mesh (kinda like chicken wire).
And Basically you shovel the soil over it, and it screens out the rocks/sticks.
This whole rectangular is on an angle so that the Grain is separated from the
chaff so to speak. Please forgive me as I am a new member, and haven't
had a chance to figure out how to add photos and links yet.

At your service, Wildmanimal

reply to post by Dennislp3


I intend to, I will expand to Gardening 201 and try to add pix for you all
If you could help me understand how to do ATS style "Links"
I would be grateful. Thanks, Wildmanimal

reply to post by Illusionsaregrander


The land spreads before us in hills and valleys. Bottom ground is in those
valleys . It is age old runoff from the mountains and hills. BUT NOT SWAMP!
Do not try to garden in a swamp or soggy bottom ground, unless you are
skilled at growing rice,arrowroot, or mosquitoes!

My tomatoes do well with a clay mixture. I do add some top soil, but they do like the clay mix. During the winter, we also put ashes from the fireplace and egg shells, banana peels and a few rounds of coffee grounds and till in early spring.

reply to post by Illusionsaregrander


As Far as Saving seeds,,, SEPARATE them by species. They can dry on your
desk in the open. Harvest seeds on a Sunny Dry Day. Not wet, but if so be,
arrange them by cultivar on newspaper. Leave them alone. They will let you
know when they are ready. Then put them in airtight containers or plastic
bags, better yet Both. Then store them in you rfreezer until you are ready
next. Kinda Like the Norway Seed Bank. Pick the seeds from your best Plants.
Don't worry about the rest. Wildmanimal

reply to post by silo13


Hey There, I will be expanding on this thread from now to eternity.
Thanks for your compliments on my Poetry. As far as your tomatoes,
what seeds are you re establishing? If you are re-generating Hybrids,
you will have to cross pollinate with new non hybrid DNA. Otherwise you
will end up with imbred and tasteless offspring. But then your plants may
be vigorous and resistant to Late Blight ,Virticillium wilt and Athracnose.
But if it Doesn't make their eyes shine and their souls fly,
What good would that be? Don't give up, the best is yet to ripen.

Hi everyone,

To the OP, interesting thread and I am sure the following ones will be awesome too.

I would like more info about vertical gardens and portable greenhouses and which plants would be good to grow in them. That would be very helpful for many people. Youtube has some cool videos about vertical gardens and there is an awful lot of sunshine and land just going to waste in the UK. When I see empty space I imagine its packed with banks of lights and racks of plants all growing nice foods - but getting good at gardening takes a lifetime - to get proficient would not take long- but finding the right information is very difficult, for me at least

So if its not one question too far, say you had an attic, and all the other right equipment, what would be the best things to grow do you think? Some sort of 80/20 thinking would be great, 80% of results come from 20% of effort you know the rest...

Thanks a lot, I don't say it lightly when I say this could be in the top 5 thread ideas ever on ATS.

Peace out now and forever



[edit on 27-6-2010 by yyyyyyyyyy]

reply to post by Mike Stivic


Thanks for your post. I will most surely be going into detail in ALL aspects
of gardening. As for now, I am trying to direct those interested into site
location, fencing,and access to water. Even these topics could become chapters
of their own, but wish to keep the ball rolling. Along the way, I would be more
than happy to answer any questions of yours.

reply to post by silo13


We live in most precarious times, I wish I didn't have to say that, but at the same time , it is a relief to know that there are others out there like you
who comprehend that.

Thanks,,,Wildmanimal

reply to post by yyyyyyyyyy


Thanks for your interest. I would have to say in a situation like that , you
are trying to be lazy,and reap the maximum reward from the minimal effort. If you wish to proceed successfully in this manner, you may want to reconsider
your approach as human being. After all ,you will be gone in a blink of an eye.
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