Thomas Jefferson said, “…though an old man, I am but a young gardener.”
There is always so much to learn in the garden, whether it’s gardening in general or how things specifically work in your own Eden. In fact, when it comes to my garden, I feel like it has a lot in common with this blog: the more I learn, the more I learn that I don’t know. Some days I feel as if I’m approaching idiot status. A huge part of learning is becoming more open-minded to the various solutions out there.
In fact, I think open-mindedness and flexibility will be key to having productive survival gardens. And I say this as someone who generally believes that my way is the right way, and that means as organic as possible. I get into trouble with Becky at times, who has been schooled in the advantages of all the synthetics out there. But again, I think it’s time to become a lot more open-minded to doing what it takes to produce food. In a collapsing society with supply chain issues, Job #1 is surviving--growing whatever we can however we can. Then we can move on to Job #2—growing cleaner, healthier food.
Fertilizers. For the past 15 years, the girls have raised chickens, rabbits, and sheep, and we’ve been able to utilize their waste to boost the productivity of the garden enormously. I’ve also used the DIY complete organic fertilizer I posted about last year. But now Lydia’s going off to school, so the sheep have been sold and there is one lone rabbit who is getting very old and will be passing on any day now. King of the Picky Eaters and Buttercup are beginning their adventures in keeping chickens and have generously offered to share the eggs with us. That offer, unfortunately, does not include the manure, which naturally they need for their own gardens.
While I was extremely fortunate to stumble upon some clearance-priced organic fertilizer at Home Depot at the start of the year, eventually this organic, home-grown manure snob will have to go back to making complete organic fertilizer. I really don’t mind doing that, but for some reason some of the ingredients are really hard to find here. (Supply chain issues? I don’t know.) Or I can go the humanure route, which I really don’t want to do. Or I can condescend to using synthetics. I wish I hadn’t been so snobby about them—I passed on a killer deal on a bunch of Miracle-Gro 18 months ago. I fear I will sorely regret that someday.
Pesticides. I can’t tell you how excited I was to learn that self-rising flour can kill squash bugs. I hate squash bugs. They totally devastated my squash in Missouri, so much so that I gave up and purchased some Sevin, I think the only time to that point I had ever used a synthetic pesticide. A few years later in Antelope Valley, north of Reno, we were invaded by Mormon crickets. Absolutely invaded. Like the ground was black and moving. The girls stood watch and stomped as I raced to the nursery for some cricket bait. Queen of the Picky Eaters claims she has PTSD from the experience. Mormon crickets will wipe out a garden in 24 hours, or less. When they invaded the Salt Lake Valley a few years after the Mormon pioneers settled there, they absolutely devoured the wheat crops of the farmers who, naturally, had no pesticides to combat them.
If it comes down to choosing between a synthetic pesticide on my food, or not eating at all because pests got it, I have to go with the synthetic. As we were threatened with Mormon crickets last year, I picked some up cricket bait to have on hand. I should probably have some Sevin dust as well.
As those commercial options may not be available in the future, it behooves us to also learn about DIY options, like using self-rising flour for squash bugs. I’ve tried it, but only once. The squash bugs didn’t return the following year, and then we moved, so while I think the flour was effective, I’m not certain how effective it was. I’ve recently learned about making codling moth traps and sprays, but I don’t yet have experience using them. DIY aphid sprays will definitely get used this year.
Herbicides. I strongly believe that a great number of health problems in this country can be traced to a poor diet. But there are also those people who eat healthy, and yet can’t tolerate wheat. Some of it is truly a sensitivity to gluten. However, as some are finding, a significant number can do very well if they use organic wheat—wheat that hasn’t been dried down with Roundup.
Thus far, I’ve been able to control the weeds in the areas that grow our food. The driveway, however, gets out of control very quickly. I’m hoping to keep it tamed on my own this year, but heck if I’m not getting older and slower. Home Depot also had a killer deal on some ground clear weed killing concentrate. We’ll have it on hand if we have to use it. But I’d rather not. I fear it will eventually seep down into the aquifer we get our water from.
Our natural options this year include using wood ash and horticultural vinegar. Boiling water sometimes works, but most of the time I think the weeds just laugh at that.
Links to related posts:
DIY Complete Organic Fertilizer
Codling Moth Traps
Some bugs like Morman Crickets are fly in monsters described in biblical plagues. Even major Cropduster cannot really stop them.
ReplyDeleteFood storage is the answer as in 7 fat and 7 lean cows.
BTW for the record I say we are IN the start of 7 lean years.
Most however are local pests.
Squash bugs are best controlled by chickens. Chickens can be bell trained with proper use of treats to do "tricks" like run into the chicken house for you (GREAT if thunderstorm or predators are nearby OR GET OUT OF MY Tomatoes). Sorry to say the get out of my BRIGHT RED tomatoes might need a switch to encourage them :-0!
Planting non-bright red tomatoes IS an effective option. Might even confuse the "I spy a GARDEN folks" a bit.
They can be gently herded to snap up bugs and back out of the squash patch before they tear up the plants. Just DONOT put them in there when the flowers and tiny squash is out. HAND PICK the bugs then. Bag them for the girls.
BEFORE and AFTER the growing season you use chicken tractors to clear all debris and BUG EGGS out of that patch.
Please don't use Roundup. Weeds pulled before seeds is green mulch. If you use roundup contaminated greens, you will destroy your heirloom veggies for up to 2 years AFTER the roundup was used. I ruined a raised bed using roundup sprayed straw for mulch. Took 3 years of fallow before it stopped killing seedlings.
Many cases of gluten sensitivity have been "Cured" by organic non roundup wheat. It's poison, ok?
Oh, the Mormon cricket bait WILL stop those beasts. You just have to have it on hand. I think it takes about 10 minutes to kill them. Feed and ranch stores and nurseries in affected areas stock it. Or they used to. I sure wouldn't plan on being able to get it when needed in the future.
DeleteYou've got some good thoughts there. I'd say we're at the start of the lean years as well.
I am a decent composter & gardener, but missing the animal piece. So now am stashing extra bonemeal, bloodmeal, etc as I can. I enjoy your articles SO much Jennifer, and Michael's comments too��!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ruby. And yes, Michael's comments are fabulous!
DeleteAside from massive eating machines like Morman Crickets most gardener troubles come from one of several factors. My list is not intended to be complete, that's several articles not a comment.
ReplyDeletePoor Soil, Dirt isn't soil. Dirt is mostly dead leftover from housebuilding lawn on massive chemical driven Life support stuff. Soil is teaming with earthworms, dandelions grow wildly, plenty of organic life there.
My driveway isn't soil per say, it's packed down dirt with some weeds growing in it.
Most dirt can be restored with TLC and plenty of compost into soil. Exceptions occur like chemically polluted soils, like an old auto repair shop lot. "Lawn Chemicals" like Roundup that needs yearly applications to kill weeds destroys heirloom veggies for years after the weeds have taken over the place. Thus most "Scotts Yards"(tm) lawns will not be a good garden spot for years. Same with parks and golf courses. Compost and TIME (Years sorry) can degrade roundup toxins until heirloom veggies can grow there.
THATS why they have GMO AG Creations to grow on Roundup farmers' fields.
WARNING DO NOT USE Lawn Clippings from Scotts Yards on your garden. It's roundup troubles. I'm just getting one of my raised beds back into action after two plus years of compost and laying fallow as it KILLED Seedlings I planted.
Dandelions (ALL parts edible) were imported by our European Forefathers as a spring tonic plant. Looks for dandelions to indicate decent soil for a garden. Still think when last roundup and such were applied as dandelions can survive roundup (barely).
Too much or too little water, Plant roots need water AND AIR. Yes, you can drown them. Plants have a very limited communication skillset. They yellow when overwatered, they yellow and wilt when underwatered.
If you're wondering stick your fingers 2 knuckles deep into that soil. Damp NOT WET, Ok?
Some soil is sandy and water and nutrients just run away ADD Compost to improve water retention.
Some soils are silty-clay in nature, holds water TOO WELL, ADD Compost to improve drainage.
Some Soils are too acid or too alkaline for the plants to properly adsorb nutrients. ADD Compost to improve. Quicker THIS YEAR results with lime for acid and sulfur for alkaline but Compost is Ph Neutral and is long term fix.
Most "Dirt" problems can be improved by ADDING Compost. That gives Soil it's LIFE. You can make good compost, but I cannot mine and process lime and sulfur.
Lacking crop rotation as to prevent the year to year pests and viruses from having their favorite host to eat upon. ALL Gardens have some level of viruses and bugs. Small troubles that HEALTHY Soil Plants mostly ignore. Flea beetles making lacey of my potatoes leaves is a small problem IF those plants are in good soil. I STILL GET Plenty of Potatoes. BUT If I fail to rotate those Nightshades OUT OF that Grow Area (Potatoes-peppers and Tomatoes are ALL Nightshades OK? NO Tomatoes in the Potato Patch that's NOT ROTATION) those LITTLE Problems are far more than Doubled NEXT Season. 2 Year rotation for nightshades please and NEVER Compost Nightshades for use ON Nightshades.
Chickens are your best friend here. Running the girls on the garden EATS most of those flea beetle (and other troubles) EGGS awaiting next year's fun. Adding some Iron Rake work to break up the tough soil for them gives them even more success for you. Chicken tractors keeps the destructive nature of chickens limited to where YOU WANT IT. You don't allow your teenager to rototill randomly across your garden and lawn do you?
Really good thought on being careful with the grass clippings. My husband hasn't used anything on the grass in years due to the sheep sometimes grazing on it, so it hadn't occurred to me that using herbicide-treated lawn clippings could be a bad idea. Thanks for the heads up there.
DeleteI keep getting tempted by the idea of raising chickens again. But my son and daughter-in-law have offered to bring us eggs. I think I'll just have to go with their offer, since they're only 10 minutes away and come here 2-3 times each week anyway. If we really need chickens here, I'm sure they'd give us a couple.