I am planting my garden to full capacity (for the first time) this year. That's a 1600 square foot plot. I'm planting it in order to give it away to neighbors and friends this summer. This is mostly to build neighborly relations in general but also if (when?) things go to shit. And it's already working. My two neighbors have already volunteered that "If you ever need anything..."
I have extended the invitation to my garden to friends as well and will be extending it to my landscapers (a useful and hard working lot).
Inventory:
2 regular tomato plants 2 cherry tomato plants 3 cucumber plants 3 watermelon plants 5 bell pepper (2 green, 2 red, 1 yellow) 4 yellow squash 175 corn (that would be 350+ ears at harvest) 175 green bean plants (companion planted) 150 snow pea plants
Fruit:
5 peach trees absolutely loaded with baby peaches ("buds") right now 1 apple tree, still small, loaded 1 crab apple tree, still small, loaded 1 grape vine (I stopped counting at 60 little baby bunches)
Herbs:
Sage Italian oregano chocolate mint (mint, but tastes like chocolate mint)
Planned additions for this summer:
2 more regular tomato plants 5 more bell pepper plants, sprouted from seeds saved last year 1 cantaloupe plant, sprouted from seed 4 eggplant plants, sprouted from seed one catnip plant, just because I have a cat 2 black birch trees if I can get the seeds to sprout (good for wintergreen oil)
Cantaloupe and eggplant are from seed because no one is selling that shit this year.
I still need to get a yard/garden toolbox-whatever-it's-called to put shears/scissors in, plastic bags for people to use so they don't rip shit off the plant. I still need to print and laminate and then mount some signs identifying plants and noting when they should be ripe, how to tell if.
Edit: I'm using blossom set on all of it. It is a plant hormone that forces flowers to produce. All of them. Faster, larger.
Edit edit: For those curious, I have included in my soil prep:
A layer of mulch to amend the soil, hold in moisture, block weeds Eggshells for calcium (prevents blossom end rot) Bone meal Blood meal Potash
This is my first year I'm giving it a go. I'm not sure whether I like it or not. I've got my son involved, I thought it would be a neat activity for us to do together. I'd like him to learn hard work pays off.
Ffat20 0 points 3.2 years ago
This is my first year I'm giving it a go. I'm not sure whether I like it or not. I've got my son involved, I thought it would be a neat activity for us to do together. I'd like him to learn hard work pays off.