Gardeners: What to Plant in Small Field Next to House? VOTE

[greenfamilyfarms]

We have a small field next to our house that has a natural gas right of way, so we can't place any structures in that area. In the past, we have let it grow up (weeds, tall grasses, etc) and it generally looked really bad. I'm thinking about doing something different this year to make it prettier and to provide some extra nutrients for our chickens and bees. So, here are the options I have thought of:

Plant Assorted Wildflowers
Plant Mammoth Giant Sunflowers
Plant a cover crop (peas, turnips, clover...)
Just mow it

The last commercial crop that was planted on it was in 2007 (soybeans). So, what would you plant?

 

[acid_chipmunk]

I would plant cover crop. Your chickens would like it much better, plus if you plant peas, your family can enjoy, too.

 

[ranchhand]

How fun! I'd do everything but mow! Plant some areas with peas, beans, peanuts, etc. And have big areas of flowers with the sunflowers all along the far side. (so they don't block your view)

 

[HHandbasket]

Given the chance, I'd plant more food or something that the chickens would enjoy, as you suggested. Perhaps something that can help cut down your feed costs??? Plant something you will enjoy, though. I love mammoth sunflowers, and your family AND your chickens can benefit from the seeds. You have a lot of great ideas. Hard to choose just one. If the field is big enough, maybe you can plant part of it with ground cover plants & part with a vegetable or flowering fruit? Grapes? Blackberries? The possibilities are endless!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

We are doing raised bed gardening (aka square foot gardening) this year, also, with basic garden plants and herbs. We won't have to use a tractor or tiller = less gas, better for the environment. We have 8 tons of topsoil for our beds coming tomorrow, so I'll be doing A LOT of shoveling to fill them up.

We'll only have to use the tractor to plow the field this year.

 

[Mattemma]

Various tall flowers is my vote or food for the chickens.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Remember if you plant sunflowers they will face east. I wanted to do our frontage so badly, but realized they'd be facing the wrong way

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

My first year, I planted sunflowers in raised beds (with corn) AND just anywhere in the front lawn. Looked great, and helped our soil at THAT house (we had clay). The root system of the sunflowers goes way down, so plant ONLY if there won't be a problem with pipes, etc.

I plant giant sunflowers for my goats, my chickens, and us humans.

When they start to bend over and dry out, place a brown paper bag over head and tie it on. Prevents birds from eating the goodies. After the sunflowers die (head dries out and bends over completely), harvest by cutting most of stalk off, then hang upside down in rafters or drying rack.

In the winter, cut off the head and give to chickens or goats (minus the bag). The stalk goes to the goats or you can use it as firewood.

I'm planting a whole lot more sunflowers this year than I did last year. We've run out already!