The Self-Sufficient Gardener - Latest Comments

Re: PLEASE BELIEVE ME!!!

Nat — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:29:38 -0000

Not sure if this helps, but some potential ammo in your batte against Squash vine borers.

I read in a book where the author either used empty toilet or paper towel rolls and 'collared' his squash plants an inch or 2 deep to try and keep the SVB away from his squash. He cut the 'collar' open then placed it around the vine, then buried it 2 inches (?) deep.

If you want to get more serious, take the ends off a can of tomatoes, regular OR larger size, depending on the size of your plant and push it an couple inches deep into the soil. Remove the can when the vine is sufficient in diameter to not be affected by the SVB. You can just leave the paper collars as they will decompose with heat, rain and micro organisms.

I am no authority on SVB's and haven't tried it either as I haven't had any in my Northern garden YET, but apparently he had some success.

His other Diamond tip (my designation) is with getting carrots to sprout. I had a heck of a time getting carrots to sprout. He suggested planting the seeds, wetting the soil, then putting a board over top. Check after a few days and evry day after that to see if they have sprouted. Once they have, pull the board off and away you go.

I waited too long to check and the carrots got leggy, but they were fine in no time and I had a great crop of carrots.

I suppose there is nothing magical about the board (maybe there is??) but I imagine you could do the same with any cover that would keep the moisture in. Maybe the wood wouldn't heat up as much as black plastic. I dunno.

The author's name was Cam Mather and his book was 'The All You Can Eat Gardening Handbook'. He is no botanist but a do it yourselfer that has lots of gardening experience. HIs writing tone is much like Jason's - laid back and 'folksy'. He writes extensively on each vegetable he grows in Ontario, Canada and has plenty of paragraphs and info. Its a bit of a different style from a DK book with beautiful glossy photos and bullet point writing. The inside is B and W but the information is there.

I have no affiliation with the author but enjoyed his book and its one of my favorites of the many gardening books I've read or taken out from the library. Feel free to edit this jason if it feels like a shameless plug.

Re: Truly…and I Mean Truly Hacking a Garden

Jim — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:44:42 -0000

I take old wine corks and stick them on the end of my trusty old garden rake, then use the rake to create furrows for carrots, scallions, corn etc. If its just a couple furrows, just put one or two on, or I have even used my 36" wide landscaper rake to create a lot of them very quickly in loose soil. You can space them further based on every other one as well. I sometimes shape plastic corks with a knife to create more of narrow points if needed.

I use it in raised beds and in-ground grow beds.

Re: Episode 177 How Thomas Jefferson Gardened

Jason — Sat, 12 May 2012 01:20:04 -0000

JD
Thanks!

Yes it is quite extensive. Definitely not a curl up with a good book type of book. LOL

I hope to make it to Monticello sometime and see it.
Jason

Re: Episode 177 How Thomas Jefferson Gardened

JD — Fri, 11 May 2012 03:09:40 -0000

Hey Jason...Awesome show! Probably my favorite one in a while, even though I have enjoyed and/or learned something from each one that I have listened to.

I have heard that Jefferson's gardening book is quite extensive and time consuming to read so it is on my winter reading list.

My parents visited Monticello just a few months ago and my mother told me that I would love it since I am into gardening so much. My parents are not but they enjoyed it just the same. I look forward to visiting it in the future.

Re: Episode 175 Square Foot Gardening

JD — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:43:32 -0000

Rally good show Jason. I installed 2 raised beds last year that were 4ft x 8ft and, like you stated, they were fairly expensive to build and fill.

I used cardboard and wood much to line the bottom but I fought weeds all year. Some of this could have been from a small amount of local manure I used as part of my ompost mix but there were a lot of weeds.

I ran into specific spacing issues with the tomatoes and some peppers, just as you said. Also I had issues with them drying out plus I had several different issues with pests.

Overall, raised beds using the SFG method reminded me a lot of container gardening and I had a lot of the same issues. Container gardening is what I did my first year of gardening.

Last year, which was my 2nd year, I did SFG with raised beds and had a lot of frustrations. With what I have invested in time and money, I am bound and determined to make it work this year. I added quality top soil as well as good, seasoned compost and am studying the mistakes that I made last year. I did keep a small journal of my garden last year as you had suggested on one of your earlier episodes and I hope that it helps me to be more successful this year.

Re: From Where We Came

Jason — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:25:13 -0000

I second the more freaked out than the kid part!
Jason

Re: Episode 175 Square Foot Gardening

Jason — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:24:25 -0000

J - you are absolutely right. Don't know what I was doing there!

Re: From Where We Came

Mil — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:50:28 -0000

I think it's good to bring in the circle of life with your discussions with your son. It's easier to understand if there is a purpose rather than the thought IT'S DEAD or YOU'RE GOING TO DIE. Those are heavy concepts out of context.

Re: Episode 175 Square Foot Gardening

J. Kaiser — Tue, 08 May 2012 10:14:28 -0000

First off, I REALLY enjoy your blog and appreciate all the effort you put into it. I think that I benefit greatly from your experience and efforts!

That said, I did want to correct one thing in the article above.

"Each square is not really a square foot that would be .32 x .32"

I think that you are incorrect there. 1ftx1ft is a square foot, not .32ftx.32ft.

A 4ftx4ft bed is 16sq. ft and contains 16 squares. Thus, 1 square=1sq. ft.

Re: From Where We Came

Just a Guest — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:01:29 -0000

I do hope you'll share with him what happens to your soul once your body become soil.

Re: From Where We Came

Chris L. Robinson — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:49:38 -0000

This. So glad I'm not alone. My son is almost 4 years old and I struggle with the exact same thing. Recently I bought a bunch of starter fish for our new fish tank. We fed them that morning and they were dead when we got home that evening. I struggled to help him understand what happened without being in conflict with my church-going wife's teachings.

I went the Lion King "Circle of Life" route.

It turned out that I was more freaked out than he was.

Kid's already asking why he can't stay home with me on Sundays.

It's going to be interesting.

Re: PLEASE BELIEVE ME!!!

Jason — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:25:55 -0000

J - I love this story. Not just because it backs up what I'm saying here but that you found success.

Jason

Re: PLEASE BELIEVE ME!!!

Jason — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:25:13 -0000

I know here it was entirely too hot for them to make a dent. I saw a lot of snails though but they were in cooler areas. Strange how little changes have big effects.

Re: PLEASE BELIEVE ME!!!

Jason — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:24:34 -0000

Sorry Nat. LOL

Re: PLEASE BELIEVE ME!!!

Jason — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:24:13 -0000

Re: PLEASE BELIEVE ME!!!

Jason — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:24:08 -0000

Yeah the vine borers seem to be very specific on pumpkins and larger vined squash. Sometimes the only solution is to not provide an environment for the problem. So I completely agree with you.
Jason

Re: PLEASE BELIEVE ME!!!

Jcolliard — Sat, 05 May 2012 15:46:20 -0000

I just started listening and became a member a few months ago. (Got a new iPod for Xmas and thought I would put it to good use!) Thanks for opening my eyes (literally!) to fostering a habitat for beneficials. I hadn't been spraying (well my husband did on occasion use pyrethrum on thrips and spider mites) but I'd been obsessively weeding until this year I realized I had hundreds of ladybugs and lacewings laying eggs and living in my "weeds"! I probably would have never thought about clumps of weeds being much of a habitat unless I had listened to your shows. I am actually going to leave several perennial rows of wildflowers strategically in the garden where I don't weed as much with the hope that it becomes a true habitat for my beneficials in the years to come. Also, I had aphids all over my chard, which was covered with fabric to bulk it up a bit. I decided to uncover it and let the ladybugs have access to it once I heard that they need to feed on aphids in order to reproduce. Now my chard is on its way back to health and I'm hoping I have quite a large ladybug colony after this. So far seems to be working. I snapped a bunch of photos the other day as well.

Re: PLEASE BELIEVE ME!!!

Kenny — Fri, 04 May 2012 23:08:23 -0000

I've stumbled into permaculture the lazy way and learn more all the time. I have yet to see any large slugs this year. Either it's been too cool or the young, small tender slugs I've seen are getting consumed. If I was a crow, I'd eat them!

Re: Episode 174 Building a Garden Pond

eric — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:08:21 -0000

Jason,

Good luck, looking forward to future updates. Thanks for all the inspiring shows, keep it up!

Eric

Re: Episode 174 Building a Garden Pond

Jason — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:59:17 -0000

Eric

The thought has crossed my mind. I really haven't added too much. Doing it in a measured pace.

The lilies and lotuses should shade out some of the algae - I hope!Jason

Re: Episode 174 Building a Garden Pond

Jason — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:58:20 -0000

Rob

Mine is really suffering during the drought we are having here. So I've been gleying it with straw much the same way. I need to fence some pigs in there!

Jason

Re: Episode 174 Building a Garden Pond

eric — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:27:44 -0000

Jason,

Awesome content as usual! Was wondering if you are concerned about algee bloom and possible oxygen kill with all the organic matter you are putting in the pond?

Eric

Re: Episode 163 The Sustainability of Meat

Jason — Thu, 03 May 2012 21:32:13 -0000

I haven't seen that yet. I totally agree. Yards, highway medians, there's tons of places to grow food that people don't utilize.

I was in the same shape you are a year ago. I could literally see cows from my front porch but I had to hide my chickens in the garage. Crazy what some people consider normal.
Jason

Re: Episode 163 The Sustainability of Meat

Tim E. — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:41:25 -0000

Did you see the Google talk Joel gave recently? He said in the talk that there are around 35 million acres of lawn in America. Can you imagine how much food that would produce if everyone just put in a simple veggie garden? Wow!

The city I live in allows gardens but not chickens, rabbits, or apiaries. The HOA I am under doesn't allow front or side yard gardens either. Plus, I am supposed to get every tree approved by the HOA before I plant it. Silly huh? We can have dogs and cats pooping foul stool and exotic noisy birds, but not rabbits or chickens. Heck, my HOA won't even let me sow clover in my front yard...

The funny thing is that 3 blocks over is a small farm with bees and cows. That is where the bees come from that pollinate my flowers.

Re: Episode 163 The Sustainability of Meat

Tim E. — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:26:09 -0000

"
Fortunately, meat can be much more sustainable than people give it credit for, especially on a smaller homestead scale. The recent interviews with Rise and Shine rabbitry are a perfect example as food items for rabbits that can be grown or harvested wild were discussed in detail on the most recent episode."

Totally agree.

Sounds like a cool grandfather you got there :)