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Concerned... - 7/4/2008 10:32:22 PM
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teachered
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Is there any one else out there who is concerned about the ecomomy & hight costs of food? I am really considering starting to grow my own lettuce, some other veggies & herbs.
If any of you have grown any of there own veggies please give me some advice as to what I should try to grow. I live in GA We pretty much have all four seasons. I do live in a subdivision, so must of what I grow will have to be in pots or a small garden.
Blessings!
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RE: Concerned... - 7/5/2008 4:09:17 AM
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at-home
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Oh, yes, we are all noticing the high costs of food! Growing some of your own food is a great idea....not only more economical, healthier, too. There are many things you could grow in containers (or in a small garden). Lettuce, herbs, squash, cucumber, tomatoes, green beans.....go ahead and take the plunge!
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RE: Concerned... - 7/5/2008 9:25:55 AM
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creationtalk
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we are growing beans and zucchini in pots. We have had better luck with our potted zucchini than any of our neighbors have had with their garden squash. We live in S. Mississippi.
See the thread on container gardening for more ideas.
You can also grow potatoes in a garbage can (takes two; one for the extra dirt and one for the plants)--I haven't done it myself, but I was told that you could grow almost as many in a single large garbage can as you could in a fair sized plot. The key is to start with a little soil in the bottom (6-8 inches) then as the plant grows add more soil--keeping the top leaves out of the dirt--until the plants / dirt reach the top of the garbage can. Because of diseases that attack potatoes, you cannot use the same soil two years in a row. So what you would do is use the soil used with the other plants for the potatoes the second year and the potato soil for the other plants.
One other idea to consider is combining your vegetable garden with your flower garden. Some herbs and vegetable plants are beautiful and look great with flowers...and putting them with flowers helps attract bees and other beneficial insects. Use strawberry plants for a border along your walkways. Plant only fruit trees or berry bushes when you are planting for landscaping. Put in a decorative arch on a walkway and plant grapes or vining vegetables around it so that they grow up over it.
Look into some of the non-traditional ways to garden--like close-in planting where you combine something like carrots with beans planted close together to reduce the need to weed because sunlight doesn't get between the plants as easily. Visit the library and look at gardening books. I have "no-dig, no-weed" gardening. Also look at companion planting. Some plants do well together, others do not.
Start a compost pile. If you are concerned about the neighbors complaining, use black garbage can(s) with a lid that can be secured down. Put the compost materials in it, then when you need to turn the compost, you can do it by rolling the garbage can around. Don't fill the garbage can more than 2/3 full or you won't be able to mix the contents by rolling it (and you do not want to have to empty the contents, mix them, then shovel them back in).
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RE: Concerned... - 7/5/2008 1:20:17 PM
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flowerz
Posts: 325
Joined: 1/6/2006
From: Canada
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I'm not concerned about the economy where I live, but I am concerned about the high cost of food. I have three teens, two of them boys and it is getting harder and harder to keep the kitchen stocked from payday to payday.
I grow some vegetables but not enough to make much impact.
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RE: Concerned... - 7/5/2008 5:31:54 PM
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Mrs.Wifey
Posts: 5060
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From: The Gorgeous plains of Colorado
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We can't grow enough to really make a difference, besides... it's meat that is expensive. Veggies I can get for cheap during the summer.
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RE: Concerned... - 7/5/2008 8:35:55 PM
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agapetos
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From: This side of the lil duck pond!
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quote:
See the thread on container gardening for more ideas. I agree. It's here.
I'm growing a lot in pots, raised beds or hanging baskets and my potatoes are growing (hopefully) in bags!
quote:
Because of diseases that attack potatoes, you cannot use the same soil two years in a row. So what you would do is use the soil used with the other plants for the potatoes the second year and the potato soil for the other plants. There are few (if any) crops that can be grown repeatedly on the same ground (or in the same pot) each year because of disease. Most gardening books will tell you how to rotate various groups of vegetables to benefit you the most.
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RE: Concerned... - 7/5/2008 9:13:36 PM
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betterisoneday
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I'm stationed in GA right now and only have a tiny yard (that the landlord doesn't want anything planted in) so we're just using one of those plastic little kid pools with some holes drilled in the bottom and some potting soil. So far the tomatoes, green beans and sweet peas are doing great (oh, and basil too). The spinach, carrots and dill are doing alright and I've never seen zucchini not do well anywhere.
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