Homesteaders

[OrganicFarmWife]

yes, raised sifted beds remove rocks from root veggie grow space.

I see, that is probably why I so rarely see them except for in magazines and here. We really do not have many rocks in our soil. I was just wondering what the advantages were for it.

 

[KlopKlop]

I see, that is probably why I so rarely see them except for in magazines and here. We really do not have many rocks in our soil. I was just wondering what the advantages were for it.

Yes, I think the quality of your native soil plays into what you would gain from building raised beds and bringing in/making soil for them

 

[Chicken girl 15]

I see, that is probably why I so rarely see them except for in magazines and here. We really do not have many rocks in our soil. I was just wondering what the advantages were for it.

rock removal is only one benefit. It also keeps the beds from being walked on, therefore cutting tilling out of the equation. I can plant my raised beds multiple times in a season, as to a traditional garden gets planted once and sits after harvest until next season. Every time you pick something from a box add a bit of compost and fresh soil and plant a new seed. I grow fast growing suck as lettuce under my tomatoes. Look up square foot gardening. I will post later the title of the book I have but it is wonderful.

Mind you I've only been at this for 3 years but every year I try 3 ways to do each thing. The one that works best transfers to the following year and I try 2 new methods. Its all trial and error. There is no one perfect water to do anything garden or farm or homestead related. Its all what works best for your needs.

 

[rancher hicks]

Is that the advantage to a raised box? a way to remove the rocks?

I do raised beds due to the junk in my yard and not having the strength to dig it all out. Too it's good for backs and weeding. What I'd suggest for in ground root growing is to double dig and sift out all rocks. Dig a nice 12-18" trench. Add sand, peat moss and compost. A good soil can be dug with your bare hands, but not recommended if you're concerned about painting your nails.

I've homesteaded off grid in my formative years~100 acres, log cabins, no utilities or running water, etc.~ and have done it on grid ever since then down through the years. Good to see others interested in it, it's a good way of life. I'd have no other.

Off the grid can be a good thing but the internet offers some benefits too. Folks didn't have a bathroom for each bedroom and a TV in every room and houses as big as we do now. Point all these things increase our use of natural resources and our utility bills. We don't hang out laundry and those driers use a lot of energy. FYI, that lint is really fabric being eaten away by the heat.

My point? We can all reduce and save. Seems to me the time I spend here is time I'm not spending doing chores and quite frankly TV's and computers are brain drains.

Socializing is healthy so if you've got a neighbor or family you can stand go and visit them. I took the GK's for a walk on the Erie canal and my GD said, "this is the best day ever!" We just walked and she picked weeds and we sang and talked. I have to agree it was a good day.

 

[rancher hicks]

I see, that is probably why I so rarely see them except for in magazines and here. We really do not have many rocks in our soil. I was just wondering what the advantages were for it.

Yes, I think the quality of your native soil plays into what you would gain from building raised beds and bringing in/making soil for them

I see, that is probably why I so rarely see them except for in magazines and here. We really do not have many rocks in our soil. I was just wondering what the advantages were for it.

rock removal is only one benefit. It also keeps the beds from being walked on, therefore cutting tilling out of the equation. I can plant my raised beds multiple times in a season, as to a traditional garden gets planted once and sits after harvest until next season. Every time you pick something from a box add a bit of compost and fresh soil and plant a new seed. I grow fast growing suck as lettuce under my tomatoes. Look up square foot gardening. I will post later the title of the book I have but it is wonderful.

Mind you I've only been at this for 3 years but every year I try 3 ways to do each thing. The one that works best transfers to the following year and I try 2 new methods. Its all trial and error. There is no one perfect water to do anything garden or farm or homestead related. Its all what works best for your needs.

Chicken Girl has the idea. Keeping your beds whether raised or not from being walked on helps plant roots. I've recently been reading that over tilling your garden kills much needed organisms. The idea being that you bring these organisms to the top and they dry out and die.

Of course good mulching can hold in moisture and reduce the need for tilling.

Some crops can be done in raised beds but if you're planting for a large big family sized crop it might not be reasonable.

This is why I asked about potatoes. We'd need a large quantity of Potatoes, carrots, celery and onions.

I figured someone would have pics of "potato towers". How many pounds of taters can I grow in one tower? How tall with the tower have to be?

I'd like to reduce our dependence on store bought produce if I can. Of course I need some storage ideas too. Hint: Do not store onions near potatoes. It causes them to sprout.

( I read a lot)

 

[KlopKlop]

Chicken Girl has the idea. Keeping your beds whether raised or not from being walked on helps plant roots. I've recently been reading that over tilling your garden kills much needed organisms. The idea being that you bring these organisms to the top and they dry out and die.

Of course good mulching can hold in moisture and reduce the need for tilling.

Some crops can be done in raised beds but if you're planting for a large big family sized crop it might not be reasonable.

This is why I asked about potatoes. We'd need a large quantity of Potatoes, carrots, celery and onions.

I figured someone would have pics of "potato towers". How many pounds of taters can I grow in one tower? How tall with the tower have to be?

I'd like to reduce our dependence on store bought produce if I can. Of course I need some storage ideas too. Hint: Do not store onions near potatoes. It causes them to sprout.

( I read a lot)

I personally haven't had luck with potato towers, but from this years 'lessons' I might be using the wrong type of potato. Every time I have ended up with potatoes in the bottom 12" only and nothing in the rest. I guess some kinds of potatoes are good at 'climbing' and some are not.

 

[Loc20chick]

Give me some time, I think it got buried. I will get to looking for it though, I did like that book. I also had a great one that talked about planting an orchard and creating an edible yard, I am sure they are togeather.
Potatoes are great, I plant 2 rows about 20 feet long. That gets us through most of winter (I need to start storing them better and they would last longer) I have yet to have luck with carrots, I know they do best in sandy soil.I highly recommend winter onions, for anyone looking. They are a perennial plant. I still have green growing from those onions and it has been 20s here.

Had not heard of them but could be because I have not grown onions yet. I'll see if they sell them in our farmers store.

I see, that is probably why I so rarely see them except for in magazines and here. We really do not have many rocks in our soil. I was just wondering what the advantages were for it.

I do raised gardens in some areas that do no have very good drainage. Also with the few ones I have done I get better results.

 

[Raech]

I don't thin my carrots out, last year I spaced them out and got bigger ones, but I was rushing this year and just scattered seeds. Got some baby baby carrots that went to the rabbit, some that were ok in size and a few monsters. Might make one of the poke boards just for carrots where they are spaced 2 inches apart, then put a seed in each dip and cover. My problem with thining seeds is that I am esentially throwing away good seeds, and my budget is tight enough that it's not really an option. Also if you want carrot seeds leave some carrots in over winter and the tops "should" go to seed the following year, haven't tried it but might next year.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

So do you rotate your beds each year?

 

[Raech]

I try to rotate, but this is my first year at the new place. I'm adding beds and finding areas so my onions can go in the ground instead of in my "prime" locations. My tomatoes were in the same places every year, at the last place, I had onions in the same place for 3 years with no problems. If I can get more garden beds done this spring I will have more rotation, but if not they will be in pretty much the same place with added bunny poop. I know Grandpa and Dad plant the same places and same plants every year, but they do row gardens and heavy fertilization when tilling. Plus they have horses to go in and add fertilization to the garden area all winter.