# Small private gardens producing 40% of this nation's food



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

Interesting read

Dacha gardeners feeding the Russian nation

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dacha


----------



## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

This is where the US was a hundred years ago. We need to do this also.


----------



## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

One day we might be back to that situation but not by choice.


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

I think the small garden movement is gaining strength, at least in Canada, I see a lot more people cultivating eatable plants now than 10 years ago.


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

Sanctions are a great reason to continue gardening and preserve


----------



## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

You can do this and still have a conventional looking suburban property. I did it for years. Blueberry and raspberry bushes instead of yews. Cherry and apple trees instead of dogwoods and maples. Vegetable plants in pots on the deck. Decorative herbs on the windowsills. It's easy.


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

Agreed, that's what we're doing 
Strawberries, onions, garlic, kale...etc instead of flowers, we don't even have a lawn, every spot has something useful growing.


----------



## Mule13 (Dec 30, 2012)

I have had a garden all my life  i love growing food.
i recently learned a new method called permaculture.Its pretty much like sidekahr said. you grow fruits nuts vines(cucumbers squash) vegetables and herbs all together in whats called a food forest. it can be done on a single lot or over 100 acres. Anyone interested in gardening or growing their own food i highly recommend looking at a few permaculture videos on youtube. it has completely changed my gardening habits.


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

You can pair-plant (not sure the right English frase) to create insect-repellant environment. Permaculture has so many benefits, great point.


----------



## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Mule13 said:


> ...you grow fruits nuts vines(cucumbers squash) vegetables and herbs all together in whats called a food forest. it can be done on a single lot or over 100 acres. Anyone interested in gardening or growing their own food i highly recommend looking at a few permaculture videos on youtube. it has completely changed my gardening habits.


There is evidence that some Amanozian tribes did this in pre-colonial times over wide areas of the rainforrest. It would be the equivalent of The Garden of Eden, if you think about it. Wherever you go, there is food.


----------



## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Problem is it does not feed them very well in many cases. You do what you gota do but to feed large numbers of people takes a lot more than a garden plot.


----------



## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Smitty901 said:


> Problem is it does not feed them very well in many cases. You do what you gota do but to feed large numbers of people takes a lot more than a garden plot.


You are right. To feed the world population of today, we need monoculture, machinery, and OIL.


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

No, not just gardens. Sour cream, raw milk, butter, cheese, smoked fish, poultry., goat (goat milk, cheese and other products), mushrooms..etc all home processed.


----------



## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

Companion planting is the usual English phrase, TG. And I think your observation is true here in north Missouri too; there seem to be noticeably more gardens around town this year than in years past. I just wish more people would plant trees. The weird weather has been taking out lots of trees and too few are replanted. I've got the opposite problem; it's getting tough to find a spot for another tree or another 4 ft garden that isn't in too much shade. If I had to do it over again, I'd do 4 x 16 strips instead of 4 x 4 plots.


----------



## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

TG, you mentioned not having a lawn. I don't want you to compromise OPSEC so can you post pictures from google images that are representative of what you are doing?


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

Spice said:


> Companion planting is the usual English phrase, TG. And I think your observation is true here in north Missouri too; there seem to be noticeably more gardens around town this year than in years past. I just wish more people would plant trees. The weird weather has been taking out lots of trees and too few are replanted. I've got the opposite problem; it's getting tough to find a spot for another tree or another 4 ft garden that isn't in too much shade. If I had to do it over again, I'd do 4 x 16 strips instead of 4 x 4 plots.


Companion planting! That's right, thanks!


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

tinkerhell said:


> TG, you mentioned not having a lawn. I don't want you to compromise OPSEC so can you post pictures from google images that are representative of what you are doing?


I live in Toronto where realestate is absolutely ridiculous but we managed to buy a small house just on the outskirts of the city. Unfortunately it's a long narrow lot with other houses just 2 feet away on both sides, so not much space for planting. I got rid of the lawn and seeded all kinds of herbs, strawberry plants, things that will still look mostly greeen without it looking like a gaden, added some "decorative" rocks here and there lol.
You can still have eatable plants instead of a lawn while following the city rules, as long as it looks neat, not a lot of people here can recognize strawberry plants 
Our backyard is a different story, lots of veggies.

I see articles of people growing an obvious vegetable garden (instead of the front lawn) in the city and complaining that the city is asking them to remove it, that's unfortunate, I didn't want to deal with that.


----------



## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Just some pics of our setup that some of you may have seen.

View attachment 12078
View attachment 12077
View attachment 12076
View attachment 12075


----------



## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

We also grow some Eastern Wild Turkey, but harvesting them is much more difficult that picking tomatoes.

View attachment 12079


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

It's Mulberry season right now, my neighbour is complaining about his beautiful Mulberry tree because it's ruining the perfect green of his lawn, I told him that he can eat the berries and he looked at me like I was from another planet. 

So I'm basically harvesting his whole tree for the second year in a row  . So far I've made mulberry perogies, turnovers, pies, froze a few for Winter, made jam, sold some to a Ukrainian deli...etc Some people just don't make a connection that they can easily be fed with what's naturally growing on their own lawn.


----------



## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

I've got 4 mulberry trees. 3 are loaded with berries, the last one is too immature yet. Black walnuts, black berries, apples and cherries do well too.


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

Camel923 said:


> I've got 4 mulberry trees. 3 are loaded with berries, the last one is too immature yet. Black walnuts, black berries, apples and cherries do well too.


Amazing!

I have a few neighbours with all kinds of fruit trees on their property, rich harvest every time but they ignore it and let it all rot and go to waste, it's appalling to me. I always ask to take some fruit, sometimes they let me. All this fruit can also be donated to a local food bank, the one near by has a small produce/fruit section.


----------



## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

TG said:


> It's Mulberry season right now, my neighbour is complaining about his beautiful Mulberry tree because it's ruining the perfect green of his lawn, I told him that he can eat the berries and he looked at me like I was from another planet.
> 
> So I'm basically harvesting his whole tree for the second year in a row  . So far I've made mulberry perogies, turnovers, pies, froze a few for Winter, made jam, sold some to a Ukrainian deli...etc Some people just don't make a connection that they can easily be fed with what's naturally growing on their own lawn.


We have several mullberry trees. One is huge and much older than I. The berries are much like blackberries and the birds love them too, so much so that they totally leave my blueberries alone in favor of the mullberries. The old mother tree has produced progeny which we avoid with the lawn mower and transplant to new locations, we have several grown up trees now. Only problem is many of the berries are hard to get to, unless you are a bird or squirrel.


----------



## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

sideKahr said:


> This is where the US was a hundred years ago. We need to do this also.


Prior to WWII there were many, many small farms. 
Since then Big Corporate farms have been buying up farmland at a rapid rate, helped out by the obscene inheritance tax rate of 50% on amounts over on million dollars.
"That only affects rich people, bankers, Wall Street types" you say. "Those people can afford it" you say. Not so.
Families today inheriting the several thousand acre family farm when granddad passes away simply can't afford the tax and end up selling half, or more, of the land to pay the ever greedy government.
Montsanto and ConAgra salivate over the thought.

The Death Tax needs to be abolished.


----------



## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Smitty901 said:


> Problem is it does not feed them very well in many cases. You do what you gota do but to feed large numbers of people takes a lot more than a garden plot.


But if_ everyone_ had at least a small plot it would be substantial. Think if everyone did?

My plot is bigger and I eat well.

I am lucky enough to have my parents old farm. Much of what is growing there I helped plant as a child.

My feeling now is plant what you can eat. I see no use for annual flowers, but we do have small perennial gardens my Mom planted with things like lilies, iris, rose, peonies. They don't take much work and you can eat the lillie blossoms and the rose hips.

We have an orchard: many apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries. Berries: elderberry, black/red raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries.

Perrenials established: Rhubarb , horseraddish, asparagus, leeks, garlic, onions, oregano, sage, several grape arbors.

Trees: Mullberry, hazelnuts, oaks, walnuts, butternuts, hickory.

The garden: potatoes many varieties, turnips, beets, carrots, several types of winter squash: acorn butternut blue hubbard, several types of summer squash: yellows zhuchinni, pumpkin (edible not for jack-O-lanterns),cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, kale, bush beans , pole beans: kentucky wonder scarlet runner, several types of corn early through late, parsley, basil, thyme, many types of peppers, many types of tomato.

A plot of buckwheat, mostly to keep the deer out of the garden, but easy to grow and harvest. Need to expand this as a source of nutritious flour.

I can, dry/dehydrate, freeze, ferment, make ciders/wine, and use a root cellar.

We "grow" the wild turkeys and whitetails too. Sometimes at the expense of the garden.

I can a least feed my family. No not large numbers of people, but my family won't go hungry.


----------



## alexus (May 31, 2015)

I have definitely seen an increase in back yard gardens where I live. I usually plant a large garden, but due to injuries I have a much smaller garden this year. I am getting a fair amount of produce though. My dream is to grow enough to not have to purchase veggies from the store, but I have a lot to learn still. Many of you are way ahead of me with gardening skills.


----------



## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

alexus said:


> I have definitely seen an increase in back yard gardens where I live. I usually plant a large garden, but due to injuries I have a much smaller garden this year. I am getting a fair amount of produce though. My dream is to grow enough to not have to purchase veggies from the store, but I have a lot to learn still. Many of you are way ahead of me with gardening skills.


I don't think that anyone truly masters the skill of gardening! Because of that, I like to call it The "Practice" of Gardening...


----------



## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

A hurdle to jump through is maximizing the efficiency of my porch. Creating a multi tiered mini farm with chicken wire is what I want to get set up...once I settle at my next apartment.


----------



## Hawaii Volcano Squad (Sep 25, 2013)

Being a condo dweller, I am reduced to Staples runs, but they do have some local produce. Farmers Markets in Hawaii are awesome, because of the pure rainwater direct from the pacific ocean.


----------



## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

TG said:


> I think the small garden movement is gaining strength, at least in Canada, I see a lot more people cultivating eatable plants now than 10 years ago.


ya but in canada you can only grow things between july 1st and sept 5th


----------



## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

In Nova Scotia, I'm further south than Maine. How is the gardening up there?


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

Maine-Marine said:


> ya but in canada you can only grow things between july 1st and sept 5th


Canada, just like US has a variety of climates. In Toronto, we plant in late April and harvest up to late October.


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

tinkerhell said:


> In Nova Scotia, I'm further south than Maine. How is the gardening up there?


Nova Scotia is amazing, you can grow almost as much as in Ontario, a bit of frost still in April so they plant in mid May.


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

OctopusPrime said:


> A hurdle to jump through is maximizing the efficiency of my porch. Creating a multi tiered mini farm with chicken wire is what I want to get set up...once I settle at my next apartment.


I lived in a microscopic condo before I married and had sweet peppers growing along my one and only window with herbs right behind them, I didn't even had a balcony  Sounds like you'll have a lot more space!


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

alexus said:


> I have definitely seen an increase in back yard gardens where I live. I usually plant a large garden, but due to injuries I have a much smaller garden this year. I am getting a fair amount of produce though. My dream is to grow enough to not have to purchase veggies from the store, but I have a lot to learn still. Many of you are way ahead of me with gardening skills.


I'm sorry you're going through a rough time, wish you a speedy recovery.


----------



## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Tonight will be fried Zucchini from the property. I did not say garden because we just plant the Zucchini all over the place. seems to work out better like that than trying to grow it all in one place. Fried is the only way I like it but will eat it cooked other ways.


----------



## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

TG said:


> Nova Scotia is amazing, you can grow almost as much as in Ontario, a bit of frost still in April so they plant in mid May.


This year we were a month late with the winter thaw. During that time, my son was actually snow showing in the woods with the scouts, and it was 5 ft deep in some areas.


----------



## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I have recently started to grow some Tomatoes and peppers. Just getting started with this gardening. I have much to learn. I am the sort who kills fake plants, My thumb is not green.


----------



## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

We did not make time for a major garden in 2013 and 14. I felt miserable alone sad depressed and sexual ly deprived.

We have our fenced in garden full of veggies this year. And there is a sense of pride and satisfaction that comes from it for me. Being out there helping my girls learn how to plant and fertilizer and weeding is really fun for me. I go set in the morning with the birds chirping in my grape vines while I weed and feel the enjoyment of just being there.


----------



## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

we started a planter garden in 2013, it did well, but we produced less than $30 worth of produce for almost $75 spent at the walmart garden centre.

in 2014, our planter garden failed to produce anything. I blamed it on the year old seeds.

in 2015, got new seeds, all of them sprouted quite nicely, but our planter garden failed shortly after. I notice that weeds didn't even grow well in the planters.

Theory: I think it is my soil. With new soil and new seeds, I did well.

If I'm correct: a soil management strategy could be a very good idea.......maybe start a compost pile.......accelerate my plans to get into rabbit farming


----------



## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

tinkerhell said:


> we started a planter garden in 2013, it did well, but we produced less than $30 worth of produce for almost $75 spent at the walmart garden centre.
> 
> in 2014, our planter garden failed to produce anything. I blamed it on the year old seeds.
> 
> ...


I buy seed from bulk bins at a farmer supply store. You get 10 X the seeds for 1/2 the price. Most seeds will store several years if taken care of, some last longer than others. Store in a cool dry place out of light, you can double zip lock and store in the frig. If you are unsure test a few seeds late winter to check viability ( I get some really early tomato and pepper this way)

For planters or buckets start with a good topsoil and test it for nutrients, you don't need to buy potting soil. Adjust the pH with dolmitic limestone (has Mg too) and add composted manure (cheaper/free from a farmer), greensand, and bone meal as needed to get the nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous right. Do this in advance as the lime can burn seedlings.

Manage your water carefully, too much and sprouts will damp off and not enough and they wither.

Recycle and renew your soil each year and it will get more fertile. Compost leaves as they are great mulch and if rotted enough will harbor a population of worms that further fertilize and amend the soil.

On my big garden we get a few truckloads of manure each year, save the ashes from the woodstove, and use all the leaves raked in the fall as mulch once plants are established (two year old manure and mulch is best). This garden was started by my parents over 60 years ago, the last time I took a sample to the extension service for testing I asked what the soil needed, they replied nothing.


----------



## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

I read that it is safe to create a matt of box board on the foot paths. The article said the inks are soy based and don't pose a toxicity risk. Makes sense, since I'm allowed to add them to my curbside biowaste bin.

But I preferr to get my info from multiple sources. Can anyone confirm that this is true?


----------



## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

tinkerhell said:


> we started a planter garden in 2013, it did well, but we produced less than $30 worth of produce for almost $75 spent at the walmart garden centre.
> 
> in 2014, our planter garden failed to produce anything. I blamed it on the year old seeds.
> 
> ...


Soil is the key and I would suggest you look up some of RNPrepper's Compost Posts, she is the compost Queen.

When I started my raised beds I laid a sheet of porous landscape fibers down first then put a thin base of small 5-7 stone, then a layer of sand, then a layer of Wheat straw (no seeds) and Pine Straw. Then I began my planting layer of Conditioned Garden Soil bought by the pickup truck load from my local Garden Supply guy, compost, vermiculite or agricultural gypsum dust and some beds have spangum peat moss mixed in. I water thoroughly and fertilize with a basic slow release 8-8-8 or another equally weighted fertilizer before planting.

Once you get your soil in your bed established, NEVER walk on it or compress it. Rake it and mix it in at the end of the harvest and make sure you get all rotten fruit/veggies out of there or you may have a rogue plant next season!

Did I overthink it? Probably. Do I ever have a failed crop? Yes, this year it was squash. Do I ever use old seeds? Yes, often and they usually take. But 8 times out of 10, I have a successful healthy crop.

Oh, and after you clean the bed after the harvest, plant some clover or something that will die off after winter and enrich the soil. Remember the Principles of Crop Rotation too!


----------



## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

tinkerhell said:


> I read that it is safe to create a matt of box board on the foot paths. The article said the inks are soy based and don't pose a toxicity risk. Makes sense, since I'm allowed to add them to my curbside biowaste bin.
> 
> But I preferr to get my info from multiple sources. Can anyone confirm that this is true?


Not sure about the inks, but slugs and snails will love to hide under them during the day. This is a good time to collect them and put in a jar of slightly soapy water, when they are dead add them to the compost, or take them alive for fishing bait.

Black plastic is an alternative that will also "solarize" the soil (kills soil pathogens like early and late blight, mildews, molds).


----------



## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

TG said:


> I lived in a microscopic condo before I married and had sweet peppers growing along my one and only window with herbs right behind them, I didn't even had a balcony  Sounds like you'll have a lot more space!


Ya I have enough space if I can get creative. I have a giant sequoia seedling I am growing from a seedling. It is doing very well. other than that I have herbs mostly and flowers as well as a large pot with sugar peas growing. Now my sugar peas are coming out.. can't wait to use them in a stir fry! ^^. Peppers are fun to grow usually when I grow them I plant hot ones.


----------



## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

Looking for a more bright apartment so I have a little greenhouse effect, converting part of it into a sunroom. Hydroponic growing is on the books too with tomatoes, peppers, and peas for winter growth.


----------



## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

OctopusPrime said:


> Looking for a more bright apartment so I have a little greenhouse effect, converting part of it into a sunroom. Hydroponic growing is on the books too with tomatoes, peppers, and peas for winter growth.


I've taken tomato and pepper inside in large pots in garden soil and they overwintered. Had one pepper that lasted several years and the stalk became almost tree-like. Had ripe tomatoes in February


----------



## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

Mad Trapper said:


> I've taken tomato and pepper inside in large pots in garden soil and they overwintered. Had one pepper that lasted several years and the stalk became almost tree-like. Had ripe tomatoes in February


How large were the pots you used for each plant? I found 2 very large pots someone put beside a dumpster..They looked very useful to me. Its like Christmas some days.


----------



## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

OctopusPrime said:


> How large were the pots you used for each plant? I found 2 very large pots someone put beside a dumpster..They looked very useful to me. Its like Christmas some days.


The tomatoes were about two gallons. The peppers got by with smaller, about a gallon. When the peppers got big after a year they moved into two gallon. When I transplanted I added composted manure, greensand, and bonemeal to the pots.

The peppers have brought aphids in several times and you need to eliminate them asap. Insecticidal soap does the trick.


----------



## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

ah ok ic ^^. I get the little green house set ups when I am growing from seeds. Do you know of any natural ways to prevent fungus...mold from growing on the plants soil? In Houston I would have that problem in a lot of my plants. they still grew just fine but that irritating mold would be present. Another issue in Houston was gnats would be around the plants.


----------



## shan.shahan (Jul 20, 2015)

I live in a city and a few years ago put in two raised beds in my back yard. I grow enough for us to eat off of during the growing season plus I dehydrate everything I can to use during the winter. Because my space is small it is hard to rotate crops correctly to maintain my soil. What I do is feed my soil all winter with coffee grounds, Epsom salt (mixed with water) and I make "quick" compost out of all of my vegetable scraps during the winter (quick compost consists of veggie scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells and water in my vita mix blended smooth). My soil stays fabulous and everything I grow produces mass amounts of fruit / veggies. I have also gone to foodscaping in other parts of my yard (1/3 of an acre with a house and double garage). Every time I need to replace a plant I do it with some edible. I have asparagus growing in the front yard next to my roses, raspberries where I took out a bush, comfrey in a corner, and spearmint and laveder behind the house. I lost another bush this winter and replaced it with a dwarf apple tree.


----------



## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

Welcome to the forum, Shan! Please feel free to post an intro


----------

