Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 9:06 pm Post subject: farming
Originally Posted by Tambora View Post
I plan to plant a couple of fruit trees - pear and peach.
You could also grown apples, warm climate varieties. I recommend a Dorset Golden apple tree and Anna apple tree. The Dorset Golden apple originated in the Bahamas and the Anna apple was bred in Israel. They should do fine in Texas.
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Originally Posted by Tambora View Post
And I plan to have a vegetable garden with plants that grow well in this area soil type.
Squash does well, and I love squash.
Cantelope or watermelon do well also.
They all have thick skins, so insects are not a big problem with them.
You can companion plant to repel insects. I have success with that method. Presently, my tomatoes are planted with onions, marigolds and nasturtiums. You can plant those same plants around the base of your fruit trees to repel insects.
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Originally Posted by Tambora View Post
Corn does well, but it's hard to keep the ants from covering them. So I may skip the corn.
People use Neem oil to repel insects. You can buy a derivative of Neem in a product called Azamax. It's considered safe enough to spray the day before harvest. It's inexpensive.
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Originally Posted by Tambora View Post
Onions do OK. The ground is a bit hard, but they still get to a nice size.
I may try a few herbs. Not so much for eating, but for remedies.
I hear bay leaves are good for pest control.
The onions are good for pest control, too.
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Originally Posted by Tambora View Post
I am just going to till and plant (and water).
I don't have the money for additives to the soil. Which is why I will start with things that grow well in this type soil.
Here's how you can get free top-quality soil:
Call some tree service companies and the county. Tell them you would like them to dump their wood chips at your place. Many times they are happy to have a place to dump. Get enough to cover a garden area to a thickness over 1 foot and no less than 8 inches. Use recycled newspapers under the chips to prevent weeds under the chips. In a few years you can plant into that. A perfect growing medium will develop under the top layer of chips. You will not have to water that garden much, and you will never have to fertilize it. It doesn't get any better than that, imo.
If you want to see the method in action, go to YouTube and search for the Back to Eden gardening method. That's basically what I described to you. We have a section of property that we are developing that way while we use raised beds similar to what Sozo showed you (ours are made of wood).
Regarding the PVC hoops, on our beds we use the outdoor electrical conduit, the grey stuff that is UV resistant. In the late Fall, we cover them with 6 mil painters plastic and grow kale and lettuce all Winter. _________________ YHWH is my God and Jesus is my Lord
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