My 15 yo daughter told me yesterday that I am not planting the garden correctly. Straight rows waste space. Guess who is now in charge of our 2021 main garden? Gave her the list of what I want in it. Told her to design it all out and show me. That I need a list of any of new/different plants she wants to add by the end of the week so we can get them ordered. Also informed her that means she is in charge of maintenance ie weeding. I am intrigued to see what she comes up with.
Misc/Chat Cant do it right
- Thread starter mecoastie
- Start date
Could be very interesting!
I've tried most methods (although we never had a need to "save space") but always went back to a hybrid model of regular rows and wide rows. Things like carrots, beets and greens are planted in blocks... these days, in 3 1/2' square raised beds, but before I had them, I grew them in 18" wide rows in the main garden. I still grow onions in the wide rows.
I put down 4' wide strips of black plastic, but only tomatoes and vines are planted in a single row down the center. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower are planted in a 3:2:3 grid pattern. Peppers do well with that spacing as well.
Peas and beans are planted in double rows (4" apart) with stock panels between the rows. Corn and potatoes are grown in the traditional rows.
I can grow a LOT of food in a fairly small area! (But I'll admit, Square Foot Gardening was an utter flop- our rich soil means plants need a lot more space than the author allots in his raised beds)
Summerthyme
I've tried most methods (although we never had a need to "save space") but always went back to a hybrid model of regular rows and wide rows. Things like carrots, beets and greens are planted in blocks... these days, in 3 1/2' square raised beds, but before I had them, I grew them in 18" wide rows in the main garden. I still grow onions in the wide rows.
I put down 4' wide strips of black plastic, but only tomatoes and vines are planted in a single row down the center. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower are planted in a 3:2:3 grid pattern. Peppers do well with that spacing as well.
Peas and beans are planted in double rows (4" apart) with stock panels between the rows. Corn and potatoes are grown in the traditional rows.
I can grow a LOT of food in a fairly small area! (But I'll admit, Square Foot Gardening was an utter flop- our rich soil means plants need a lot more space than the author allots in his raised beds)
Summerthyme
For most of our stuff I do almost the exact same thing just on a smaller scale. I am keeping a separate potato and corn patch although she wants to try a different popcorn this year.
I am very intrigued to see what she comes up with. I collect gardening books so I have almost every method imaginable and she has read them all. Either way it is a good lesson for her.
I am very intrigued to see what she comes up with. I collect gardening books so I have almost every method imaginable and she has read them all. Either way it is a good lesson for her.
Oh, it will be an invaluable experience for her! I'm impressed that she's interested...
We always treated our kids as valuable contributors. We listened to their ideas from their earliest years... and it was surprising how young they were when they actually were coming up with workable suggestions.
When our youngest son was 14, he asked for permission to tear down our John Deere 2840 (85 up main tractor) and "fix it right". The thing had faulty steering pretty much from the factory. The dealer "fixed" it twice (over $1000 each time)mand it came off the truck in the same (bad) sjape as it went to them. We'd given up... but having to spin the steering wheel four or five full turns before the wheels started to turn was exhausting and dangerous.
So, figuring he couldn't make it much worse, we let him split the tractor into two parts and disassemble the steering. He took one look at it, pronounced the entire design "junk", and proceeded to redesign it. By evening, it was back together and steered perfectly until we sold it 10 years later.
All of our kids have thanked us for raising them the way we did, and the freedom to learn "adult" things while their peers were playing video games was one of the things they mentioned.
Summerthyme
We always treated our kids as valuable contributors. We listened to their ideas from their earliest years... and it was surprising how young they were when they actually were coming up with workable suggestions.
When our youngest son was 14, he asked for permission to tear down our John Deere 2840 (85 up main tractor) and "fix it right". The thing had faulty steering pretty much from the factory. The dealer "fixed" it twice (over $1000 each time)mand it came off the truck in the same (bad) sjape as it went to them. We'd given up... but having to spin the steering wheel four or five full turns before the wheels started to turn was exhausting and dangerous.
So, figuring he couldn't make it much worse, we let him split the tractor into two parts and disassemble the steering. He took one look at it, pronounced the entire design "junk", and proceeded to redesign it. By evening, it was back together and steered perfectly until we sold it 10 years later.
All of our kids have thanked us for raising them the way we did, and the freedom to learn "adult" things while their peers were playing video games was one of the things they mentioned.
Summerthyme
So apparently Dad isnt as wrong as she thought. She designed the garden and lo and behold it has rows and blocks!!! However she wants to add more flowers and pretty stuff as well as do more interplanting. Seeds are ordered. All OP or heirloom. Some of them sound very interesting.
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Is she going to do Companion Planting? I like the idea that certain plants grow better around a companion, or fight pests, or don't bolt as easily. It's all different. Certain pretty flower plants are companions to the food plants. So you get a decent meal and eye candy. That's always a plus.
Mulch with hay that has been in a Rabbit cage and you have mulch and instant natural Osmakote. Bunny Berries are usable right out of the hutch and won't burn the roots. In hot weather, this hay mulch holds the water in the soil longer and doesn't let it evaporate as it would without the mulch. The last plus I can think of is very little weeding is necessary.
I am strictly the order man and the tiller man and more than likely the weeding man. Some companion planting but a lot of it is more efficient use of space. Lettuce/carrots between the tomatoes etc. The design has been finalized and she is going t o mark it out in the next couple weeks. I want her to get an idea of what the real space is going to be like so she can make changes if needed. She is very excited to try the Glass Gem popcorn. We have grown the Pennsylvania Dutch the last couple of year but she wants to try something different. My philosophy is if it works why change but she wants to experiment. I cant wait to see how this comes out and if she follows thru. To be honest if she does it will be a very impressive garden. My stuff has been relegated to the old corn patch. Potatoes, dry beans and peas.
Plenty of rabbit poop. Its been getting dumped up there all winter. The dogs love it.
Seeker22
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I am always amazed at the beginning when the seedlings are first planted or sprouted, how big those wide open spaces are in the garden. Then all of a sudden, the whole thing goes poof and you barely have room to step between plants?! That tells me I have done something right. Puny plants mean a poor harvest. Bushy vibrant plants may can stand against this South Texas heat. Bunny Berries give me huge veggies. The stuff is good enough, I don't bother with synthetic fertilizer.
I got the large crates and the sources lined up for Angora Rabbits because I wanted to harvest the fur to spin. Too hot here. My Californias and Giant Checkers have a tough enough time with ice bottles in the crate in Summer, those long haired bunnies aren't going to happen until I get a climate controlled Rabbitry. Heat makes them sterile. All I am getting is some beautiful companions and fertilizer so far, but I'm good with it.
I got the large crates and the sources lined up for Angora Rabbits because I wanted to harvest the fur to spin. Too hot here. My Californias and Giant Checkers have a tough enough time with ice bottles in the crate in Summer, those long haired bunnies aren't going to happen until I get a climate controlled Rabbitry. Heat makes them sterile. All I am getting is some beautiful companions and fertilizer so far, but I'm good with it.