Lookin to "expand my farm"

[chickenwhisperer]

So Id like to try my hand at growing a few types of vegetables.
Trouble is, I know next to nothing about vegetable gardening.

I have a rototiller, good soil, and plenty of space.
My plan is to section off a patch of ground with t-stakes and chicken wire, till the inside and voila- instant garden.
What is a good "beginner" size, I dont want to overwhelm myself.

Thats where my plans come to a screeching halt . . .

Heres a list of what Id like to grow, maybe some knowledgeable folks can offer some advice as to when, how, etc to plant!

corn- for around the perimeter of the coop, and to eat
peas/beans- to grow on coop fence
lettuce/kale- to eat and for chickens
carrots- to eat
mustard greens- for chickens
radish- to eat
broccoli- to eat
zuchinni- to eat
potatoes- to eat
Pumpkins/squashes- for halloween, to eat
Bell peppers- to eat
watermelons/cantalope- to eat
Asparagus- to eat
***what else?- to eat, for chickens***

Basically, Id like to just grow my own veggies and be successful at it, can all you farmers help a guy out?
I figure its getting to be that time, spring is just around the corner.
Thankyou all very much

 

[saddina]

look up square foot gardening. I switched the year I was pregnant, and never looked back. Faster, easier and neater-looking. Your library should have a copy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_foot_gardening

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Thankyou for the link, that seems like a pretty reasonable way to set it up.
I dont want to spend any money(other than seeds/plantlings, maybe some fertilizer) so I wont have a raised bed, but it will still work for my purpose.


In my head, I want to be able to go out to my garden and gather ALL my favorite veggies for a salad, or veggies for a meal, etc . . .

Im interested in trying to get an all around harvest, everything ready around the same time.
What good is lettuce if I have no carrots or radishes or broccoli to cut up, etc . . .
I want to be able to dig a potato OR pick an ear of corn, the choice WILL BE mine!

I guess I have a lot of researching to do . . .
Im not too late tho, I havent missed the planting season, have I?

Anybody with particular knowledge about my specific choices, feel free to help!

Example of what Im looking for:
corn- plant (x)" apart, full sun/part shade, water heavily/lightly, ready in (x) weeks/months, etc


Thankyou

 

[saddina]

That's in the book I suggested, however... you've listed both cool and warm crops, so not everything'll be ready at once. For corn I can do 1/sqft in blocks of 16.

I'm in SoCal and it's planting season here, so you should still be ok.

 

[SillyChicken]

Alot will depend on where you live!


The biggest issue with everything coming in at once is you can end up with alot of waste. Try planting in stages. Set aside areas to do second plantings in. That way you'll have a smaller, but steadier supply of food becoming available to eat.

edited to add the sister site found at the bottom of the pages.... TheEasyGarden.com

 

[ChickenToes]

Start by looking up what zone your in, you can use Google to search for the USDA zone map.

Then, look at vegetable seeds that are made to grow in your area. I live way up north, where there is an extremely short growing season, so I can't plant the same corn someone would use in Texas. Make sense? It should say right on the seed packet what zones the seeds are good for.

Then, make sure you have good soil. If you're not sure, remember that it never hurts to add compost, animal manure, and topsoil.

 

[michickenwrangler]

You can also "inter-crop" to increase yields. Carrots & radishes together are common as radishes mature within a few weeks and carrots a few months. Beans and corn are also a good one. Trellises and/or frames for vining plants will reduce horizontal sq. footage needed.

Also, plant some nasturtiums and marigolds among the vegetables--help keep away bad bugs and rabbits.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

All very good advice, thankyou!
It seems I need to give this idea some more thought.

I did alot of researching last night after I posted this, and location and type ARE everything.
I also realize that some things on my list I am too late for, and some things need cooler climates than I will have, plus Im not waiting 3 years for asperagus . . .

I live in Sacramento- area, Ca, not sure what zone that is but this is a useful point.
I need to hit up the nursery and check and see what the seed packets say, and most importantly, which sprouts they offer because that should be a dead giveaway as to what I should plant.

Im definately gonna have to narrow down my list . . .

 

[saddina]

Zone 8, about the only thing it's too late for is alliums: garlic, onions, shallots, those you need to plant in the fall before. I'm zone 9 and it's spring planting season now. If you got the peas/lettuce/radishes planted this weekend you'd have a harvest, you can sow them again in fall. Say Oct 1st for a second harvest. You'll wanna get the long season crops in soon: melons, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, corn.