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Force_Multiplier
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2012 04:41
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I realize this will be regional, I'm in SE Oklahoma.
does anyone have any ideas for a garden that doesn't need tending, something that can go a week or two without care.
fruit trees, berry vines, native edibles...
there are wild plums on my land, blackberry vines, poke salad (pokeweed), pecans... that I know of, so moving them to an area that is easily accessed is doable...
grapes, apple and pear trees also grow well here, so they're doable...
strawberries would probably grow, tomatoes grow fairly easily with out constant care....
what else?
I know a fair amount would be lost to animals and insects, fences and such can help w/ that...
the basic idea here is that "live food doesn't spoil", but a lot of us only use our places on weekends, others don't necessarily want to "work" a garden all the time. so if we can have some food growing, then w/ trapping and hunting/fishing, I personally wouldn't have to haul much food at all in, and would have much less of a need for refrigeration.
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turkeyhunter
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2012 07:02
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i have a row of about 12 to 15 blue berry bushes---you can pick them with even bending over--high bush type---
i went out, last evening and had a nice desert after supper of fresh blueberries from vine to mouth!!!!!!
also i have 4 fig bushes---not maint. required--my grape vines do well--i pruen them every year or 2.
also my bartlet pear trees really produce!!!!
as far as a garden i went raised bed garden and it produces more veggies than when i had a large garden. because i can manage weeds--etc.
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Force_Multiplier
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2012 07:28
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thanks TH,
I figured fruit trees, bushes, and vines would do really well...
it's been years since I've had much of a garden at the house, and when we do plant, it a hobby, so we do something w/ the garden almost daily.
so I have limited experience w/ how much care various plants really need... for example potatoes, I've never grown them, do they take daily care, weekly, etc?
I can grow the heck out of some tomatoes, okra, squash... but I'll just have to experiment w/ how tomatoes and okra produce only getting messed w/ every week or 2, I know I'll lose a lot, but if I plant a tomato plant and okra plant, and get to the cabin after a couple of weeks gone and have 1 or 2 good tomatoes and a bowl of okra, it's worth it to me...
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Sustainusfarm
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2012 08:56
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Potatoes were going to be one of my choices...They are very easy and need tending only weekly or bi weekly to hill them...That is as the green tops grow you keep piling soil up around the stems burying them ever deeper so the produce more potatoes.. They require nice sandy soil thought to grow large...
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Force_Multiplier
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2012 09:09
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great to hear about potatoes... I can make a meal out of meat and potatoes... lol
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justincasei812
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2012 10:29
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My thought would be to try planting a few plants/ veggies of choice in pots. These will not require tilling and weeding should be a breeze  . It would limit how much you can grow but if you are only up for the weekend this may be a good choice. Most herbs do well in pots and some flower, chives have a purple flower if you don't cut them often. Herbs also have a decent fragrance/ sent as they grow as well.
Kevin
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Force_Multiplier
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2012 10:42
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just,
I actually thought about 5 gallon buckets hanging from pullies...
it'd get them up and away from a LOT of the animals that would feed on them...
maybe even some really raised beds...
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VTweekender
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2012 11:11
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cucumbers grow easily without much or no care...
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steveqvs
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2012 11:12 - Edited by: steveqvs
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We do square foot gardening. Its a mixture of peat moss, vermiculite, and compost in a raised bed garden. pretty low maintenance as gardens go. Never need to rototill, never walk on the dirt. the beds are 4x8 and we can sit on the stones and reach half way in from either side. You plant carefully and you would be surprised at how much food you can get from a small plot like that. For potatoes i used something that looked like a snow fence... plant potatoes in the bottom. as they grow upward you add dirt till the whole thing is filled up with dirt and you end up with several layers of potatos. Look it up in google. there are several books out. This works well on our city lot. Some fencing would probably be needed for the country. Once watered in good it doesn't seem to need a lot of water... I guess mileage would vary on weather conditions!
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flyrdr
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2012 12:43
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In my area in New England one of the most limiting factor would be watering. If you can't get up to water often you need to have lots of compost or peat in the soil, use lots of mulch, plant drought resistant plants and provide shade for any shade tolerant plants so the soil won't dry up as fast. If you get enough rain none of that is a problem.
If you have running water at your cabin you can grow things in self watering containers with automatic watering systems. A little pricey to set up but once done it's pretty much "set it and forget it". As for growing things in conventional containers if you can't water often don't bother. Even the most forgiving plants will suffer.
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justincasei812
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2012 15:05
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Force,
I like the bucket idea as long as the plants can get some water. Never thought about the pully system.... seems like it would keep most critters out other than a squirrel depending on how you have it rigid.
Steve I like the raised beds they look nice. Question..... do the bricks cause the contents (dirt/ plants/ etc) to heat up more than you would like? In the spring it would be great to maintain the warmth of the day and I am guessing fencing it in would be pretty easy too.
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naturelover66
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2012 16:00
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At the cabin this year i did 4x8 raised beds.... and rigged up a Drip Irrigation system from my Rainbarrel. Up in Northern Michigan we have been getting enough rain to keep my veggies growing. I fenced everything off really well.....
I planted Yukon Gold Seed Potatoes.... they grow well in sandy soil.
And i used five gallon buckets to drip irrigate my new apple trees....... I am hoping they all survive.
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exsailor
Member
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# Posted: 28 Jun 2012 12:27
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There is a technique for growing potatoes that you might like. It involves growing vertical and bottom harvesting. Sustainusfarm touched on it. Here is the link http://tipnut.com/grow-potatoes/ . The great part about it is the vertical posts could support protective fencing to keep out deer and such.
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Force_Multiplier
Member
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# Posted: 28 Jun 2012 13:33
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thanks again ex...
that's what I was thinking, we used to call them potato boxes when i was a kid
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cabingal3
Member
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# Posted: 28 Jun 2012 14:21
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Quoting: Force_Multiplier I actually thought about 5 gallon buckets hanging from pullies
oh my word.this is the answer in need for our woods.i can get some things started out there that way.grand idea.thank u so much!
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justincasei812
Member
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# Posted: 28 Jun 2012 15:13
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I will be trying the potato boxes next growing season. Even passed the idea to a few of my co workers who garden as well. THANKS
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