I would like to learn, starting from almost total gardening ignorance, how to grow a substantial percentage of my family's diet in my back yard. Any suggestions on good books or other educational resources?
Any comments on Bartholomew's "Square Foot Gardening" or Jeavon's "Grow More Vegetables"?
Some things to think about.
Why don't you start out by planting a few foods that your family likes and increase from that. You may find that it takes a lot of time to produce and preserve food.
I have been doing what you want to do for a few years now. I find it very rewarding. the books you are considering are good books. Since you are looking at those, I am guessing you don't have a lot of room. It would help if you specified the zone, area to be cultivated, number of people in family, how many hours of sun, and soil. some general comments (if you need to know more, just ask):
1) for intensive gardening, the soil has to be very good. High organic content, nice nutrient profile, and the texture that comes from years of compost or organic mulch (and thousands of earthworms). so go ahead, get a complete test, and then no matter what they say a little rock phosphate and two years of manuring to get things going. Keep in mind that the limiting factor for growth is almost always a macro- or micro-nutrient. 2) some veggies produce a lot, some produce little. much of that "grow more vegetables" is simply "grow more productive vegetables". If you have a small area, you better like lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, chard, or french beans. 3) drip irrigation strongly recommended. I just installed my system and I can't believe I used to be without. check one of my past posts for how to. 4) some people can, some people have a root cellar, some people freeze, some people dry, and I extend my season with hoophouses over the beds. you can do all, of course, and some veggies are well suited to some of the techniques (zucchini are great dry, but don't freeze. peas are exceelent frozen, etc.). I pick my veggies well into january, and back again in march. I am emotionally attached to veggies, such as collard and radicchio, that keep top eating quality for months in the middle of winter at temperatures of 15F. 5) go with the soil, the seasons, and the zone. some stuff just grows well in your place, and some does not. Lettuce will grow in the fall, but just not as well as in the spring. Just about every other salad green will grow better in the fall. carrots in heavy clay are not great, and favas in sand are poor. Okra does not grow in Seattle, and zucchini resent part shade. Chard does not like acidic soil, and potatoes alkaline. zucchini may regularly catch a disease but tomatoes grow if only given sun and water. etc. etc. 6) you will need some equipment and you will have a learning curve. It now takes me minutes to start a tray with 288 seedlings. It would take me half an hour years ago. When you plan your garden, keep efficiency in mind. 7) perennial herb patch a must.8) mulch everywhere you will start plants. I just weeded a bed where the soil was left bare (I ran out of leaves). It took four hours, and the radicchio had successfully closed its canopy, else it would have been much worse. Leave bare soil only where you will direct seed. it is very efficient, as it will reduce your watering and fertilizing, and alomst eliminate your weeding.
I like Square Foot Gardening. It's a good place to start, with plenty of information, and well thought-out advice about how to garden logically and efficiently. I've adopted the system for my garden and use the 4 X 4 foot beds.
This is very possible, as long as you don't include grains, dairy products, and oils.
Hardly ever mentioned in books, though, is the most time-consuming part of all--harvesting, processing (culling, washing, chopping, etc.) and preserving your harvest.
Jeavons' Grow More Vegetables is excellent, but his yield calculations don't seem to take into account the inevitable bumps along the way--poor weather, insects, etc.
There's always something. :)
I don't have his book but there is lots of info on the net. I'm doing SFG for the first time this year. I have 2 - 8' x 10' 1 8" deep and 3 -
8' x 10' x 10" deep raised beds as well as a temporary unraised bed. So far, everything is growing and healthy. Most of what I have growing was started from seed. Add a greenhouse if possible. However, I have already begun pinpointing some of those veggies that aren't producing as much or are taking up too much room as I would like so I won't be growing that variety next year. In general, the overall outcome has been very good though. Some general comments on SFG: planning is a good thing, look for veggies that can be staked and grown upwards instead of sprawling, go organic if at all possible, be creative especially for trellises, dowels are cheap, and have fun! You will quickly be able to find out what will work for you and what won't.
chicken are a useful item in the garden. Let them loose into the garden the month of april, and they will get all earwigs, many if not most weed seeds, all grubs, and all slugs. Of course, you have to have another place where to put them after you plant things.
that's why I prefer tunnels, and fresh salads. Ten minutes of work every night, or twenty on a winter sunday (harvesting for the whole week), feel like nothing. the best way to preserve veggies is to leave them in the garden.
it takes maybe five years to become 90% efficient. In the meantime, one learns to do away with all crops except those that are foolproof. Plus, I always seed a tray of mixed greens in late june (288 seedlings), to fill gaps in july. my garden does not look nearly like those in gardening books, all perfect rows of uniform seedlings...
Dan,
There are 101 books on sustainable gardening, all will provide you with a wealth of information, but the most knowledge you will receive is through trial and error, observation and experience.
However, it can be hard to start for some so :
As you haven't mentioned the size of your property, or how much of the land you are willing to 'give up' to sustainable gardening. My advice if you are have less that 3ha, is as much as possible, and this will require consideration in regards to design, and a basic knowledge of the requirements of the plants you decide to use.
Personally, I have always found permaculture the most well rounded concept in regards to sustainable gardening as it includes a comprehensive and holistic approach to design. And while I also use other sources, especially when it comes to plant biology/process/yield, I like the 'cover all aspects ' that Permaculture presents.
There are many books written on permaculture, but a nice 'simple' one, without the 'rhetoric' or the 'original's is "earth users guide to permaculture' by Rosemary Morrow and 'The Permaculture Home garden' by Linda Woodrow.
I also find the Botanical's Pocket Organic Gardening (for the Australian Gardener) very useful. There may be an version for the country you reside in!! Another favourite is 'The Rodale Book of Composting', as compost is very important for sustainability.
A good web sites by a family who have logged their own experiences progress is :
A few other sites I like are that all tie in with sustainable gardening in some way are :
We eat anywhere between 20% to 80% of our own food per day. We spend roughly $120 a week on food for 2 people 2 cats. 1/2 of this is probably cat food. The food we do buy is organic and slightly more expensive. We don't eat a great deal of meat. About once a week to once a fortnight. We don't give much of our surplus food away, we preserve it by either canning/freezing. We will be trying to cold store root crops this year. We aren't sustainable, but in under 3 years we have made a big impact on our 'food' costs, though this was never the primary or even secondary reasons for applying sustainable 'living'.
At present we spend about $70 a season on heirloom seeds. This is probably excessive but I like to try new varieties to test 'yields/quality/storing capabilities etc. We are saving seeds from some of these stock, so over time this cost will reduce.
Our fruit trees are not fully productive yet, except the lemon tree, so this is a yield that we will obtain in the near future.
Kirsty
instead of purchasing expensive books (unless you can find some in thrift stores), why don't you lurk around the news groups and also go to
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