Does anyone else suck at growing veg?

Anyone else want to join my "I suck at growing veg" gang?

Well i wouldn't say "suck" as such, i think i've just gone about it totaly the wrong way.

Earlier this year i wanted to try growing my own produce for many reasons. Economical, i use a lot of veg for me and the kids so i wanted to reduce my bills a little. Also as a nice feature of the garden and for my girls to keep an interest in.

Mainly though, so i knew how to do it should i need to if the SHTF and i had to start afresh with no shops around.

So i started with basic container veg gardening as i am very impatient when it comes to growing things and i figured it would take ages to prepare beds properly.

Mistakes i seem to have made have been....

1. Growing veg that whilst easy to grow, i rarely use it. It's almost as though i grew it just for the novelty of growing it, rather than using it

2. Not doing enough research about when to pick them and replant.

3. Not being consistant with the watering....yes i know a most important part of growing anything, but just a few days missed can waste a lot of work.

4. Being daunted by the apparent expertise needed to prepare and maintain a proper vegetable patch or raised patch.

Yes i know the more proficient growers here will be chuckling their socks off at this , but why does something so simple seem such a big thing to get right?

I am determined to learn more about this, learn from my mistakes and by next year have a nice little vegetable patch, even if it's one of those "square foot veg garden" efforts.

Does this happen to anyone else here?

Maybe it's not "happening" as the urgency is not there, if it goes pear shaped i can pop down the shops for some veg. I know if the SHTF and we had to start from scratch, i'd have to get it right.

I've been refered by friends to a few good veg growing sites, so i think i'll spend a bit more time on those until i learn more. For some reason i think i'm making it all far more complicated than it has to be.

CX.



[edit on 29/8/09 by CX]

I had some luck but some not so great moments as well.

I did the square foot gardening thing with 4 4'X4' boxes. I invested in the nicer wood and some end pieces, I even stained them and made them look really attractive. I also bought some trellis for beans and such that are the decorative ones as well.

Some things never even came up and some things I had so much I gave away.

Definitely look over your grocery receipts to determine what you normally buy..if you don't buy it don't grow it.

Using the weather.com site ...they have a nifty garden/water function that tells you you should water today.

I think making it a fun project as well as functional helped me.

I went more with potager style with some design to it as well as function.

My meemaw told me to continue every year even if I failed.

I can relate to some of your post, OP. For me it depends which veg. If it needs much looking after, its usually turned out to have not been worth the effort, but things that can just be got going & left, I've done pretty well.
I think its probably because I start off all enthusiastic & put plenty of effort into preparing the soil with composted manure, maybe a bit of sand or limestone if it needs it. Pretty much as soon as the seedlings get going tho, the novelty of seeing them wears off, so apart from the occasional weeding/watering when I remember, they get bugger all! Mulch seems to help with this haphazard style.
Potatoes, carrots, turnip, broad beans, courgette, most herbs: all good. Tomatoes, Bell Pepper, leeks, large onions, lettuce, cabbage: hopeless...

Okay that reminds me. Peppers and Tomatoes, I have found grow better from a plant not from seed. Of course in a survival situation that won't be an option.

You can try googling winter sowing. The concept: you start your seeds in recyclable containers outside about Feb and allow the snow and such to fall on them. It supposedly makes them stronger seedlings and naturally grow. I tried a few of those too.

Sometimes I have the strangest things happen. Last year I planted 2 rows of carrots in my raised garden.

Each row about 6 foot long and the two rows about a foot and a half apart.

Same dirt, same ammount of water, same amount of sunlight, planted from same pack of seeds at the same time, etc.

One row grew tops twice as tall as the other and carrots twice as big as the other.

Go to the grocery store and in the magazine section, buy a 2 dollar copy
of the Farmer's Almanac.

In it you will find info on planting by the moon signs - it works.

If you plant against the signs, crops will not produce.

My parents, grandparents and beyond have all adhered to this and
with perfect results. The moon has a huge affect on plants and
food crops.

This magazine information has been around since 1792 - so it's achieved a proven track record.
I'm sure the current pole shift issue is whacking around with the accuracy now though - but give it a try.



Here's some for Sept and Oct:

Source

August 2009
29th-31st. Cut Winter Wood, Do Clearing And Plowing, But No Planting.

September 2009
1st-2nd. Any Above ground Crops That Can Be Planted Now Will Do Well.

3rd-4th. Poor Planting Days. Kill Plant Pests

5th-6th. Good Days For Planting Root Crops. Fine For Vine Crops.

7th-8th. Seeds Planted Now Will Grow Poorly And Yield Little.

9th-10th. Good Days For Planting Root Crops.

11th-12th. Seeds Planted Now Tend To Rot In Ground.

13th-14th. Fine Planting Days For Fall Potatoes, Turnips, Onions, Carrots, Beets, And Other Root Crops. Also Plant Seedbeds And Flower Gardens.

15th-19th. A Most Barren Period, Best For Killing Plant Pests Or Doing Chores Around The Farm.

20th-22nd. Good Days For Planting Peas, Beans, Tomatoes, Peppers, And Other Above ground Crops In Southern Florida, Texas, And California. Excellent For Sowing Grains, Hay, And Forage Crops. Plant Flowers.

23rd-24th. Excellent Time For Planting Above ground Crops That Can Be Planted Now, Including Leafy Vegetables, Which Will Do Well. Start Seedbeds.

25th-27th. Clear Fence Rows, Woodlots, And Fields, But Do No Planting.

28th-29th. Any Above ground Crops That Can Be Planted Now Will Do Well. 30th. Poor Planting Day. Kill Plant Pests.

October 2009
1st. Poor Planting Day. Kill Poison Ivy, Weeds, Clear Land, But Do No Planting.

2nd-3rd. Good Days For Planting Above ground Crops, Extra Good For Vine Crops, Where Climate Is Suitable.

4th-5th. A Barren Period.

6th-7th. Good Days For Planting Beets, Carrots, Onions, Turnips, And Other Hardy Root Crops, Where Climate Is Suitable.

8th-9th. Poor Days For Planting, Seeds Tend To Rot In Ground.

10th-12th. Best Planting Days For Fall Potatoes, Turnips, Onions, Carrots, Beets, And Other Root Crops, Where Climate Is Suitable. Also Plant Seedbeds, Flower Gardens.

13th-17th. Grub Out Weeds, Briars And Other Plant Pests.

18th-19th. Favorable Days For Planting Beans, Peas, Squash, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, And Other Above ground Crops In Southern Florida, Texas, And California. Fine For Sowing Grains, Hay, And Forage Crops. Plant Flowers.

20th-22nd. Good Days For Planting Above ground Crops And Leafy Vegetables Such As Lettuce, Cabbage, Kale, And Celery, Where Climate Is Suitable. Start Seedbeds.

23rd-24th. Do Clearing And Plowing, But No Planting.

25th-27th. Plant Tomatoes, Peas, Beans, And Other Above ground Crops, Indoors In The North, Outdoors In Lower South.



[edit on 29-8-2009 by nomorecruelty]

Can I be president?

All I seem to manage is carrots. Even this, this year I harvested them to freeze them the next day. Then I got the flu so they went bad.

Our soil is horrible. We really need to just buy it. And I am having trouble figuring out who likes how much sunlight.

reply to post by nomorecruelty


what area is this for?

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by nomorecruelty

 

what area is this for?

It's for any area - all areas. It isn't the "area" -
it's the moon that makes the difference.

I'm not sure if the Farmer's Almanac is area
catered - meaning they have different information
for different areas. I do know that it's full of weather
wisdom and predictions, etc.
It isn't a new magazine - been around for generations.
The info has been passed down through the generations.

My dad uses it for his garden - and his corn stalks are about
6 feet or over - ........ they can food and freeze it as well.

I have had AMAZING gardens in years past.......I have 37 YEARS EXPERIENCE growing home gardens.....
This year in my garden I have YET to pick a single tomato.......my zucchini's have given me 3 zucchinis......the carrots were harder than wood and could not be bitten....
I have been blaming the terrible growing to chem trails for fogging up the direct sun garden so badly needed. MAYBE its NOT chem trails...but something strange IS going on.......creating a LACK of actual vegetable production, but what ELSE is going on in the sky that is cutting back on the direct sunlight we so badly need????
I LOOK like an ammature gardener if you see my garden and its obvious LACK of production.

I feel that I wasted all my time on this years garden.

Maybe you DON'T suck at gardening at all, and we are being thwarted in our gardening attempts by 'something' unnatural in the sky.....if chem trails ARE causing morgellens disease, then surely it could be effecting the soil and of course our gardens.





[edit on 29-8-2009 by theRiverGoddess]

This is what the magazine
looks like - and the price is 3.99 - inflation I guess? lol

But if you Google "Farmer's Almanac food planting signs"
you can probably find as much information - but the
book/mag actually has sooo much more helpful info in it.

Originally posted by nixie_nox
reply to post by nomorecruelty

 

what area is this for?

Sorry for the multiple posts but I just found this page on the
Farmer's Almanac site.....

Apparently you can get some of the information detailed to
the area you live in........
HERE

Always amazes me when people think they can just throw in
some seeds, grow a killer garden and it will be all good!
Even after YEARS of practice it is hard to have consistent success!
So many variables to be aware of, its incredible.
Some devote entire lifetimes to it and they still have trouble every year!
Just when you get it going good, mama nature throws you a curveball anyway usually. Especially with the changing climate and crazy weather.
Not to mention dealing with your local climate or growing zone, soil amendments and differences, bugs, pests, seed types, etc.
Much easier just to go to wallyworld and load the cart up!
Instead, at least buy from your local farmers!
If you really must try, one book I've heard is a must read is this one:
www.amazon.com...
Good luck with your green thumb! (keep practicing, you'll get it)

[edit on 29-8-2009 by dodadoom]

Found this page on their site as well...... enter your zip code in and
see what info there is.

Link


One liners are not our friend.

reply to post by nomorecruelty


The almanacs are a pretty good guide, and helps to organize those getting started in growing veg. but you do need to know what climate zones you are in even with the moon cycle deal..

The Farmers Almanac Gardening by the Moon Calendar is determined by our age-old formula and applies generally to regions where the climate is favorable.

Me, being in the shenandoah valley, would be getting ready to start fall crop such as broccoli, cauliflower, collards, mustard greens, cabbage etc.

But this is not time for me to be planting any tomatoes, by the time the plant gets to the stage of flowering, it is nearly time for the first frost here.

So use the almanac as a guide, each one usually has a few pages on climate zones to help you know what & when to plant according to their charts.

I would think down south, this is prime time to start some veg growing

Good tip with the almanac though, looks like I have some tilling to do before the 31st of AUG

reply to post by JacKatMtn


See the post above re entering in your particular
zip code..... didn't see that when I first responded.

I guess it would matter which side of the moon you're
on.

reply to post by nomorecruelty


Okay that is really neat. I am gonna add it to my collection.

Learning has been a great bonding experience too. I talked to my grands and asked their advice [some stuff you cant get out of a book]. My kids have really enjoyed digging around and then eating the stuff they have picked.

I don't use pesticides though, so would be interested if any of you have some more natural recipes for pests.

reply to post by nomorecruelty


It's all good, we need everyone to know how to grow their own produce...

Now is the time to struggle and learn, not when the SHTF..

It takes alot of time and sweat to get from seed to harvest.

Thanks again for the tips

I do know that my parents always, always go buy tomato plants
to replant in the garden - they don't start from seeds on tomatoes.

The canning of foods, which is a whole other monster, is great for
storing up food - the freezing of foods ..... dunno unless it's cold enough
when you find that you "need" them - then you can set them outside.

Canning foods has to be done with a pressure cooker - you can buy those
at Walmart. And then learn how. lol I've never done it but have watched
my Mom for decades.

Re grandparent's knowledge - another awesome
magazine is Foxfire. They also have numerous books out that are subject specified. And you can read past magazine issues off that link as well.

They are located in Rabun County, Ga up in the mountains.

ALOT of great 'grandparent' type of things covered:

Food canning
Gardening
Plowing
Weather
Crafts
Survival
Etc.

I'm starting to think I missed my calling as a book salespeep.