I would think that producing 7,000 lbs of food would be time consuming and it seems that the project is a full time job for the entire family, but it is good to know that it is possible to produce a good amount of food on a small amount of land and come up with scaled down versions.
Does anyone vegetable garden?
- Thread starter Lamkins
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Hell-is-like-newark, is that a pic of your previous garden? Can I just call you Hell? Ha.
That urban homestead is gorgeous and interesting. I chuckled at their home brewed “gas”. I didn’t know that was possible.
I’m still several weeks from starting seed, but I’ll be updating and posting pics of this project here as the year goes on. I am going to start some lettuce in a pot tomorrow.
That urban homestead is gorgeous and interesting. I chuckled at their home brewed “gas”. I didn’t know that was possible.
I’m still several weeks from starting seed, but I’ll be updating and posting pics of this project here as the year goes on. I am going to start some lettuce in a pot tomorrow.
Absolutely! I just wonder about the cost-effectiveness of this strategy vs. actually buying rural land somewhere.
For people who are already locked into urban living, it's pretty cool. But I often get the feeling that things like this are popularized for the purpose of making urban living seem more enticing, as though it's a lifestyle that can be adopted without sacrificing the ability to self-sustain -- and to funnel people into "gardening" as a consumer hobby.
I'd be interested to do a breakdown on the actual cost-per-pound of the end-product for a system like this -- taking into consideration things like the cost per square foot of urban vs. rural land and other cost-of-living disparities, relative cost of building and maintaining vertical vs. ground-based gardening systems, etc.
Having done a bit of both myself, I think it's generally safe to say that the average person who sees a system like this and sets about to emulate it will end up paying an astronomical price per pound for the food they produce, for the sake what amounts to a consumer experience/aesthetic/bragging rights.
Growing up we always had a vegetable garden. My favorites were and still are beans. Green, yellow, purple. When I was a kid my mom experimented with all sorts of veggies in the garden, but I don't really remember anything being as successful as our beans. Once I reached high school and college my mom and I were successful with zucchini, which we make into a delightful dessert bread. We also managed to find a good spot for our strawberries, which bloom and ripen throughout the season. After studying abroad in Germany I learned that strawberries and asparagus are friends so my mom and I planted asparagus in our strawberry raised bed. It's been a huge success! The most difficult part with asparagus is that it ripens so quickly. You really have to check up on it daily to make sure it doesn't go to seed. Another shock was our success with broccoli, which is notoriously difficult to grow. We also managed to grow brussel sprouts but they went to seed because we didn't spend as much time on the garden as usual this year due to wedding planning. My mom always grows tomatoes despite our dislike for their taste and texture...she just enjoys giving them away to friends and family. Herbs were a new interest for me this year because I got into natural remedies. We already had established rosemary, thyme, chamomile, multiple types of mint, lemon balm, and lavender. I added hyssop, anise hyssop, basil, and oregano. I know you asked about vegetable gardens but I also love my little wild raspberry and black raspberry plants. Also miraculously two of our blueberry bushes came back from the brink of death. Gardening can be time consuming but the reward of fresh, healthy produce is well worth it. I suggest starting small so you know what you're up against. Especially in a new place. I find that location is the most important factor in gardening. You can do a lot to change the quality of your soil and (to a degree) water access, but plants are very picky when it comes to sunlight (hours, amount of shade, time of day it gets the most/least light, etc). Sorry for the rant lol
Edited to add: Do some research on your plants you plan on growing in potential pots or grow bags. Some veggies grow very deep roots to gather certain nutrients that are vital to growth and add to their flavor. Obviously tomatoes will be fine, which is what most people put in pots.
Edited to add: Do some research on your plants you plan on growing in potential pots or grow bags. Some veggies grow very deep roots to gather certain nutrients that are vital to growth and add to their flavor. Obviously tomatoes will be fine, which is what most people put in pots.
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Kitty Tantrum, I‘ve been thinking about that too. So far I have about $40 in seed, although I’ll be saving seed from these if they’re successful. We need to put up supports for the vining stuff, buy a few grow bags, and buy soil for those. I already have the seed starting equipment. Fortunately, this is all stuff that will be reused, so it’s a one-time cost. The cost is one reason I decided against big raised beds. Even filling the bottom half with old straw like I planned it’d cost a fortune to fill them with soil. I’m still deciding if we need to fence it all in which would be very costly. We do have critters out here. It adds up fast! :X
There’s a lady I’ve watched on YouTube who has her front yard turned into a vegetable garden. It’s nowhere near as huge as the homesteader one, but I suspect she feeds her family on those veggies all year.
Mrs.Daniel, that was so interesting. My plan this year regarding grow pots is to test them. For instance, I’ll plant the same variety of tomato in a grow pot next to one in the ground. Same with cucumbers and beans and cantaloupe. They’re 7 gallons, so they should be fine. The only close-to-being-level yard section is on the south side of the house, thank goodness. If I like them I’ll buy weed cloth and sew my own for cheap.
There’s a lady I’ve watched on YouTube who has her front yard turned into a vegetable garden. It’s nowhere near as huge as the homesteader one, but I suspect she feeds her family on those veggies all year.
Mrs.Daniel, that was so interesting. My plan this year regarding grow pots is to test them. For instance, I’ll plant the same variety of tomato in a grow pot next to one in the ground. Same with cucumbers and beans and cantaloupe. They’re 7 gallons, so they should be fine. The only close-to-being-level yard section is on the south side of the house, thank goodness. If I like them I’ll buy weed cloth and sew my own for cheap.
According to the Urban Homesteaders, not only are they able to feed themselves on $2 (each) a day (mostly vegetarian diet), they sell $20,000 of their produce a year.
I don’t imagine a lot of areas of the country would be successful due to the winter down season. I’m assuming they can garden year round at the urban homesteader. It’s still interesting to consider. I could have supplied us in fruits and veggies with lots of extras if I’d turned my back yard into a big garden. We were on your typical quarter-acre lot, but the house was set closer to the road leaving a massive back yard.
Now we have acreage but few flat areas. I suspect come August I’ll be glad my garden area is small.
Now we have acreage but few flat areas. I suspect come August I’ll be glad my garden area is small.
Well, I visited the Urban Homesteader’s YouTube channel hoping for some garden porn, and the idiots are wearing face diapers outside while homesteading, feeling incredibly self-righteous no doubt. I didn’t watch any videos cause I don’t want to give them views.
Planted our first veggie seeds indoors, and flowering bulbs (paperwhites and amaryllis). The bulbs are already blooming.
This is a great hobby for the winter months.
Between planting and caring for seeds and bulbs it is nice to have houseplants as a hobby too.
Our home has over 46 varieties of houseplants, and a few kitchen herbs.
Taking care and progreating houseplants is very time consuming, but rewarding.
You mentioned you too care for houseplants. Do you have any flowering varieties? Or favourites and/or suggestions?
Forty six?!! Wow! I love houseplants too. I have a couple in my craft room, but none that flower, a spider plant, a pathos, and a philodendron. I’ve grown paper whites and amaryllis in the past and so enjoyed them.
I did the math, and my first veggie seeds get planted mid February. In the past I’ve just grown things from plants I bought. This is my first years of being serious about seed starting.
Yeah.. from 3+ years ago. Just a hobby. It was nice to have vine ripened tomatoes, fresh basil, dill, etc. right off my roof deck. Did strawberries, but they got hit with some sort of blight and all died suddenly after doing so well...
Hydroponics outdoors is more difficult due to temperature control issues (excess heat). If your nutrient solution gets too hot, bad bacteria grows, and the roots die.
I grow cacti and african violets inside. I have Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus, and easter cactus. Got my mom's Christmas cactus to finally bloom this year after years of dormancy. Two colors of violets too. It brings me so much joy to see the "fruit" of my labors. I also have a few other succulents, although I overwater them then forget about them so don't know how long they will last haha
My MIL gave me a new flowering houseplant Anthurium. It's supposed to have constant blooms, which has held up so far (3 months in). It's pretty easy to take care of too. Just leave in a sunny spot, give an ice cube or two per day and its good.
I can't believe you have 46! Kudos to you being able to stay on top of their care. What are your favorites?
Always wanted to try african violets, but like @Lamkins I may have assisted with an early expiration date for a plant or two.
And I may have over watered my rosemary - they are so fussy houseplants in the winter - but you can cut to propagate in water, and it actually worked. Cyclamens are like african violets they have to be watered from the bottom, and should not receive moisture on the crown. Need to get another one of those.
Most of the plants are small to medium, and of the 46 there are about 7 large floor plants. They are clustered together around the house windows, kitchen and bookshelves. I find houseplants care very therapeutic, especially in the winter time when we have to close down our three season room.
Seeing colourful blooms in the winter help with missing the summer and warmer weather.
Kalanchoe tend to be easy to grow and flower most of the year. And orchids will keep blooms for months.
As a teenager I worked at a plant nursery and always wanted house plants, but had no room at home. Then I worked at a bookstore during college and brought home books on houseplants and gardening. So in a sense I guess my collections are houseplants and books.
I have my grandfather's Thanksgiving cactus (or Easter I get those confused) it does a great job blooming in summer until Thanksgiving time. For sentimental reason this is one of my favourites along with his Dracaena Marginata (palm). Over the years the two have grown beautifully; very tall.
The favourite right now is the pink and white Shrimp Plant Houseplant (Justicia brandegeana). The blooms are out of this world!
Further interesting information
How Animals and Plants feel and communicate Brian J. Ford Fromm International, New York, 1999 - PDF
[link]
Interior Plants May Improve Worker Productivity and Reduce Stress in a Windowless Environment | Journal of Environmental Horticulture | Allen Press [link]
The Intelligent Behavior of Plants | Trends in Plant Science | Leendert C. van Loon [link]
That is very impressive. Looking forward to hearing how it goes when you get it up and running. What works and what are some great methods.
Here’s a massive pathos plant I saw locally last year. Note how it’s grown into the next room!
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I have to admit the african violet success has nothing to do with me lol we have a large window that they love. If we move them anywhere else in the house they get sad and start dying.Always wanted to try african violets, but like @Lamkins I may have assisted with an early expiration date for a plant or two.
I love orchids, but I am an orchid murderer. I cannot keep them blooming or alive. I admire them at other people's houses and that's how it has to be.
Just looked up the shrimp plant. That's out of this world! How neat. God is so creative!
At least the thing about orchids is faux ones look so real. I have several. They require dusting occasionally but otherwise are impossible to murder. My husband laughs at me buying up faux greenery, but he’s not priced it!
I’m envious of those of you blessed with green thumbs. I have awful luck with growing plants and veggies. I’ve pretty much given up as I can’t even keep a small herb garden alive.
My compromise is to get fresh, organic produce from vegetable co-ops and support the many local farms in my area. Incidentally, I’m also looking into going in on shares of meat through local butchers. A few families of friends plan to split a cow and pig this year so we all have locally raised meat.
Btw, I understand African Violets are notoriously difficult to keep alive. I won’t even go there lol!
My compromise is to get fresh, organic produce from vegetable co-ops and support the many local farms in my area. Incidentally, I’m also looking into going in on shares of meat through local butchers. A few families of friends plan to split a cow and pig this year so we all have locally raised meat.
Btw, I understand African Violets are notoriously difficult to keep alive. I won’t even go there lol!
I used to think brown thumbs were just someone who didn’t know what they were doing, but after seeing my mom kills innumerable house and garden plants I’ve changed my mind. Some people really are death to plants, lol. She’s not allowed to touch anything I put in a pot or the ground, and I don’t even like her looking at them, haha.
We have talked about the idea of splitting a cow but never got around to it. We may be forced into it.