Fall

Cricket, I'd love to know more about your Square Foot gardening DVD's. We just moved and will be using raised bed for veggies. I'm a newbie gardener and can use all the helpful hints I can find. Your garden looks great, I'm envious. Mine will be much smaller at least to start, less mistakes that way hopefully.

Thanks for keeping us posted on your progress, I don't have any photos to share just yet; but I'm enjoying your commentary on design, function and direction. It is very helpful.

I havent done any more work yet. It got a little cool outside and body parts starting aching due to artharitis. Then ---here comes the rain. Excuses and Excuses. I just needed a break.

I bought some square foot gardening dvds and was well worth the $ from http://www.squarefootgardening.com
by Mel Bartholomew who use to be on tbs tv a long time ago.
His original videos were tossed around and abused for 25 years. They restored them and added some new stuff to them. They are good. But now i want the books because he was not able to put on videos or dvds what he could list in books. Like spacing for all the differant plants and when to start your seeds and timing for transplanting and much much more. STill the videos or dvds are great just to see gardening in action.
His square foot gardening is extensive gardening. Compact. No garden rows---he uses any square footage beds. More food, less space. Personally, since I have plenty of space to grow in, I rather space some things a little further apart for more air circulation between my plants and more sunlight for sturdier plants. But to each his own opinion and situation.

We all take a little of many ideas to come up with what works for ourselves.

It is widely known that you can grow corn plants 8 inches apart. In the square foot method, you make a 4ftx4ft level bed or raised bed and grow 36 corn plants in that one bed spaced 8 inches apart. Depending on which type you grow, you can get 1 to 2 ears per stalk. Thats at least 36 ears of fresh corn in about 75 days give or take.
In my zone, I can get 3 crops of corn in one growing season by starting my first crop 3 weeks early indoors----or in mini greenhouse, using a variety that grows during cool temps, etc.... Now to think I can get 108 ears of corn out of a 4ftx4ft grow bed for my growing season is a nice thought.

In his dvds, he shows how to make your own mini greenhouse covers for each 4x4 bed.
Its pretty neat. And he gives other ideas for mini greenhouses and weather protectors.

cricket,

I had to laugh at your remark that you could get 3 plantings of corn in your zone. I had 8 plantings in my zone this year...and last year too. So, it is possible if you want lots of corn. To tell the truth, I was beginning to tire of corn there at the end. I raise more than one variety for, well, variety!

Indy, you had 8 plantings of corn in the same bed area in one growing season? How did you do that?

I know how other folks get 8 plantings in one growing season but not in the same bed.
They use several beds and plant a new crop every 2 to 3 weeks apart so they always have fresh corn through out the season.
I was only mentioning how many you can get out of one 4x4 bed for those who have limited space.



Kroten, So far I have not had a problem reaching the center of the beds. Maybe cause I am tall and have long arms. The wide beds were put in knowing I would have to go to the other side of the bed to work it because they are wide. My arm alone is 23 inches long.(underside) I am planting my okra down the middle of the beds and planting flowers and veggies that need more evening shade to the east side of the okra. Like Squash, impatiens, touch me nots, begonias. All those can handle morning sun but need evening shade down here. Planting other plants that can handle 1pm to 8 pm scorching sun on the west side of the okra.
I am filling my blocks with soil and putting flowers in them. One in each block hole.
About 3 years ago, i hauled my soil in the trunk of the car too for many years.
I know everyone cannot do this, but I took my car to Chevrolet and traded it in for a Truck with extra doors and back seats, no carpet, and everything manual. Family work truck. My husband always had a truck but he took that to work and I needed one for myself. I got tired of waiting to do things on the weekends.
(Truck : dont leave home without it)

Happy Gardening Dreams

cricket,

I see what you mean now by three plantings the same year in one spot. I could never get more than two and that would be pushing it.

Cricket, I did try planting in the block holes at one point, but was not satisfied with the results. I did not have the time to water as much as was needed, so it did not work out.

I love okra, but it does not work grow well here. Some summers I'll get a modest crop, but most only get 1 or two pods per plant, so I usually don't try. If someone comes out with a new variety that claims it works well in the north, I'll try it, but so far nothing that stands out. I have a similar problem with eggplant. Last year (2007) was a good year, but this year my single plant produced nothing (don't want to give a lot of space to something that usually is not productive).

Raised bed are great - I wish all may planting space was raised. Each year I try to expand them a little bit.

Krowten, I am shocked about your okra. I normally grow Clemson spineless and it produces a lot. I wanted to add some color to the garden this coming Spring and decided to try some Little Lucy from Parks Seed. It has maroon veins and dark maroon tented leaves, grows about 2 - 3 feet tall, and produces early. My grandfather grew some in black 10gallon pots and it did great. Okra does like warm weather.
All my eggplants over produce. If you don't have your own fresh made compost to add to your garden every year, I would suggest using a liquid fertilizer 10-52-10. Bloom Booster. It will increase your yield. If your soil is not right, it will cause production to fail. But since you have been gardening for a while, you Probably already take care of it.
9 times out of 10, its not the plant, its the nutrients. In my opinion the best way to improve the nutrients is to add home made compost that has a little bit of everything in it.
And if you do not have a composting area, bury all the organic matter you can in the garden beds during the winter. A man once told me that he took all his organic kitchen scraps and put them in a blender and chopped them up. He would dig trenches in his garden during the winter and bury it.

I probably got carried away with my thoughts. Long winded.


Cricket

Cricket, No problem, always open to ideas. I do compost - actually have 3 earth machines and a fourth I picked up this summer with similar approach but different design. I do put compost in my raised beds each spring, to help maintain the amount of growing media and provide nutrients.

I think with okra it is the weather, mostly. I did see Little Lucy advertised, but did not try it yet. For me, it is easier to buy it in the stores, even though it is not as good. I tend to grow it when I cannot find it in the stores.

With eggplant, it is flea beetles. I do not like to spray, so grow physallis species near the eggplant to try to divert some of their attention from the egg plant. Eggplant also likes heat. I think I mentioned that some years I get too much eggplant and other years nothing.

krowten

due to computer virus, computer will be in shop soon,
Be Back Later

Loved this thread and wanted to push it up!! I wonder how it all turned out and i wonder what Cricket is adding or deleting this coming season!

I think planting in the holes is a bad idea, you would have to water like crazy, I think would dry out very quickly especially with them heating up with the sun on it. I also think that filling the holes would help to secure the blocks so that they do not heave much in the winter. I like the idea of using a cap stone over the top to edge it.

I noticed a Mimosa tree ? in one of the pics very close to the beds. I had a Conservation agent tell me they are quite invasive and the roots can ruin things, so not sure if that would be good planted so close.

the pond is lovely!

Well, about the time my computer was acting up---we started getting rain that lasted forever and a day.
Where the garden is at stays extra wet during winter. I was almost through with laying out the blocks. I only had two corners to finish. Kinda frustrating.

I have pretty much decided to move the mimosa tree. I don't know where to yet.........
I think the hibiscus roots are goin to be a bigger problem than the mimosa. Their roots are more shallow and abundant....

As for the holes within the concrete blocks------it is a battle within my self ---to do or not to do.
The battle is comparison. I grow plants in 6 inch pots and they need water every single day. But also those 6 inch pots do not have access to the ground and they are extremely thin compared to concrete blocks. And if the concrete block holes had vermiculite mixed in the soil--- questioning my self---wouldn't that retain the water it needs? Another thought is---there are a lot of window box gardens out there. Surely if one can grow in those---one can grow in block holes. Trying to finger out how to grow in the blocks instead of talking my self out of it. I even came up with a soil mixture. 1/2 compost, 3/8 peat moss, 1/8 vermiculite. We shall see.
I personally have never felt of a hot concrete block. They are always cool to touch. Besides that---we are buying that Elastimeric? Cool Seal to paint the blocks---it is white and rubbery when dry. It fills cracks and holds out moisture so hopefull it will hold in moisture. And it is no more costly than a good can of regular paint.


I have already started my pepper seeds for that garden plot. Sowed my cole crop yesterday.
There is going to be alot of trellised plants in that garden. Will put those to the outer edges so when you enter the garden---you feel isolated and hidden from the rest of the world. ( yeh right!)

Happy Gardening

I look at those holes and imagine herbs, dwarf peppers, short marigolds and those extra lovely Magellan zinnias. Also need something with a somewhat trailing habit to soften the look.

There are those water-absorbing crystals that might be better than the vermiculite. Although cost might be a problem.

I am thinking of doing what you are now doing CricketsGarden. With Cinder blocks and all. My main question is wouldnt wood be cheaper?? That is the only thing my mind lingers on.

Something about the same design and size as yours but maybe out of railroad ties or something. Time will tell when it comes time to plan it all .... lol

With wood i could do step beds and all ... but then again you could do that with cinder too. With Cinder though you have all them extra planting holes ... lol


I have heard people surrounding their ponds, hot tobs or jacuzzi with cinder blocks then filling the holes with dirt and planting in them afterwards so i dont see why you couldnt use your cinder holes for plant space!

I don't know how much wood is in your area---but 2x8 was about $9 or so when i wanted to do this bed. The concrete blocks costed about $11.50 for same length. (8ft) The blocks were slightly more but I wanted it to last forever. I knew blocks was a better set up so I just did it. Wood works just fine. I have had many wood grow beds in my life time. I had to replace them every 3 to 4 years but that is all i could aford at the time.

I have water crystals now. Left over from last year. I buy a $25 dollar bottle of crystals each spring. They work great in containers but ----- I had a problem with them making the soil overly wet during heavy rain periods. They just keep on absorbing water. I am not sure really just how big those little things can get.
I would have to use less, that is for sure. ( a pinch at the bottom of every block) hmmmmmmmm.


Concrete Block holes::::::::: I was thinking wave petunias too--------and thought about using them for the veggies that get replanted alot like------radishes, lettuce, spinach, etc......................

Fill them with sand and grow carrots?

Will carrots grow in plain sandy----or just make it extra sandy? Add water crystals?

1 carrot per hole. Seal the outside of the blocks, but leave the dirt side of the block (bed side) and bottom unsealed. This will help balance the moisture level in the holes by sharing the moisture level of the dirt in the bed as well as the ground. I think carrots need some nutrition more than sand will provide. In any case, sand will not provide the balanced moisture levels that carrots need.