Homesteaders

[Loc20chick]

Compost is a gift. I have 2 going. 1 is yard/kitchen/horse poo the other is the chicken run. Lots of woodchips veggie scraps and chicken poo. I have to move my 1 closer to my garden though. Hubby set it up to far away.

Do you have a picture of your set up? I compost in the chicken run so I really don't have a designated compost bin but would like to build a very simple and frugal one.

 

[rancher hicks]

I do rotate my beds each year. This year the garlic is where they tomatoes were. I've only usually grown tomatoes and garlic.

I do have an herb garden but of course they don't get rotated. I'll be redoing that whole garden next year. Building new beds.

The perennial herbs will be moved to around my chicken runs. The chickens don't bother some herbs, so they should be good there.

An enclosed chicken run makes a good place for composting. I just dumped some peat moss and grass clippings in one of mine. Too when cleaning the coop you can just toss the cleanings into the run. I just realized this year that it was a good idea when cleaning this run. Everything was pretty much broke down. Good compost doesn't smell and this was great. Nice and light. At least one bale of that hay will be used to keep the floor of the run dry this winter.

Keep in mind not all things work for everyone. Good compost needs moisture too. So if you live in a dry area a little water can help.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Do you have a picture of your set up? I compost in the chicken run so I really don't have a designated compost bin but would like to build a very simple and frugal one.

I don't have any pictures sorry. All I did though was make a box out of 4 wood pallets screwed together. I like the pallets because the openings give small critters a way in to "rotate" my compost for me. I lay an extra pallet on top in super wet weather to keep out some water but not all.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Not great pictures but an idea. The corn is not in a box because we need A LOT of corn, but everything else is. I have a family of 7 but grow for a family of 20 . I have lots of friends who enjoy fresh. The boxes pictured are last year's so only 1 2×6 high. This coming season some will stay 1 level a lot will expand to 2 making a 12 inch deep box. My boxes are 3×3 or 4×4 because I'm short and with that size I can reach into the middle without bothering riots or soil.

As to rotation, no I don't rotate annually. I rotate every time I pick something. When 1 thing comes out to be eaten something else is planted there, never the same thing twice. Planting the same item repeated depletes the nutrients in the soil. Always rotate.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

That is an amazing book. There are a ton of new ones about square foot gardening, however this one is dummy proof. It tells all about companion planting and all kinds of other neat stuff.

 

[rancher hicks]

Not great pictures but an idea. The corn is not in a box because we need A LOT of corn, but everything else is. I have a family of 7 but grow for a family of 20 . I have lots of friends who enjoy fresh. The boxes pictured are last year's so only 1 2×6 high. This coming season some will stay 1 level a lot will expand to 2 making a 12 inch deep box. My boxes are 3×3 or 4×4 because I'm short and with that size I can reach into the middle without bothering riots or soil.

As to rotation, no I don't rotate annually. I rotate every time I pick something. When 1 thing comes out to be eaten something else is planted there, never the same thing twice. Planting the same item repeated depletes the nutrients in the soil. Always rotate.

Looks good to me. Now I never thought of planting something new after pulling something out. Thanks for that.

Can I plant greens around the base of my tomatoes?

I don't do corn. What's the least amount of space I need? I'd like to do Squash but the squirrels gave me a hard time last time. I think I'd need a separate garden just for squash. That would mean making sure the chickens couldn't get to it. I did plant Butternut and the skin was so tough the chickens couldn't eat it, but we didn't like Butternut.

Anyone got advice on growing squash?

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Looks good to me. Now I never thought of planting something new after pulling something out. Thanks for that.  

Can I plant greens around the base of my tomatoes?  

I don't do corn. What's the least amount of space I need?  I'd like to do Squash but the squirrels gave me a hard time last time.  I think I'd need a separate garden just for squash. That would mean making sure the chickens couldn't get to it. I did plant Butternut and the skin was so tough the chickens couldn't eat it, but we didn't like Butternut.  

Anyone got advice on growing squash?  

for a 3×3 box you will want a 4×4 area. You need a walk way.

To keep critters out make a cage out of 1×1 and plastic bird netting that fits either just inside or just outside your box all the way around.

For viny things I make a wall of netting for it to climb.

Yes greens can go with tomatoes. Herbs go with everything. Sprinkle a few carrot seeds in each box. Go crazy have fun. Mine changes almost weekly.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Type the authors name in your Google bar and it pulls lots up. Very good to know stuff.

AGAIN I MENTION I'M NOT A PROFESSIONAL. I just want the best garden I can have so I experiment. Take the ideas yall need and please ask questions, who knows I might not know and we learn together. I spend rediculous amount of time researching gardening. Someone here can probably tell me a better way. Please share . I'm open to suggestions.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Looks good to me. Now I never thought of planting something new after pulling something out. Thanks for that.  

Can I plant greens around the base of my tomatoes?  

I don't do corn. What's the least amount of space I need?  I'd like to do Squash but the squirrels gave me a hard time last time.  I think I'd need a separate garden just for squash. That would mean making sure the chickens couldn't get to it. I did plant Butternut and the skin was so tough the chickens couldn't eat it, but we didn't like Butternut.  

Anyone got advice on growing squash?  

squash will grow good in boxes. Cover it with the 1×1 wood frame with bird netting. Works good.

 

[rancher hicks]

Type the authors name in your Google bar and it pulls lots up. Very good to know stuff.

AGAIN I MENTION I'M NOT A PROFESSIONAL. I just want the best garden I can have so I experiment. Take the ideas yall need and please ask questions, who knows I might not know and we learn together. I spend ridiculous amount of time researching gardening. Someone here can probably tell me a better way. Please share . I'm open to suggestions.

I usually state that no one idea works for everyone. So post your pics and ideas without fear. I'm not a professional either but I do read a lot and buy a lot of magazines.

I get books from the library and if I feel it's one I can use a lot I will buy it. Lord knows there are plenty of books on a lot of stuff. I may write my own someday.

I will say this too, YOU NEED A TRUCK! It's not a want it's a need when you're homesteading. I hate to think of the number of times when I've seen things on the side of the road I could use. Mostly pallets, but other stuff too. Not to mention free stuff on CL.

There is a Dr. office nearby with huge pumpkins they put out for Halloween and I'd like to stop and see if I could have them now that the season is passed.