tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7953049132013675153.post5813112864774761870..comments2023-08-25T03:27:16.738-04:00Comments on Dear Lissy: Time to Garden!Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587923490122317045noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7953049132013675153.post-63845097435585708692011-04-19T15:16:07.938-04:002011-04-19T15:16:07.938-04:00I found your blog from the Homestead Barn Hop. I ...I found your blog from the Homestead Barn Hop. I love the concept for writing letters to your daughter :) My least successful attempt at homesteading is in the garden so any basic tips are fantastic.Improbable Farmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14524361288809448908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7953049132013675153.post-30308847648676827482011-04-19T14:01:04.383-04:002011-04-19T14:01:04.383-04:00This is the only reliable and frugal method for co...This is the only reliable and frugal method for corn that I know of for organic home gardening. I've never purchased her seeds being from a different region of the country, but her method is right on. I prefer to plant the squash in it's own hill as she diagrams here rather than planting it on the side of the corn and bean hill. http://www.reneesgarden.com/articles/3sisters.html.<br />Corn is a grass, and as such requires enormous volumes of both water and a broad spectrum fertilizer like fish emulsion throughout the growing season. We've found that we put more money into the crop than the corn is worth when we plant it in rows. Corn depends on wind to pollinate, but you can take off the female tassels once they're covered in pollen and bang them on the male ears for better corn production. <br />If you're determined to have a "corn patch", dress the area with a full inch of compost or composted manure before planting. Plant in squares rather than rows for best results. Plan on regular irrigation, fertilizing and cultivating every 2 weeks, and some hand pollination, especially around the edges. Water extra heavily from flowering to harvest.<br />Grass thrives on nitrogen, so beans are great companions. Bush beans will keep corn's "feet" moist and cool, which it loves. <br />Corn is one of my favorite garden veggies, and well worth growing. Grown in "three sisters" formation, it does very, very well with just a little extra water.<br />I hope this helps! :-)Rebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14587923490122317045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7953049132013675153.post-13195549447816170492011-04-19T13:19:13.278-04:002011-04-19T13:19:13.278-04:00I loved your pictures of your beds...with the snow...I loved your pictures of your beds...with the snow surrounding them. I realize a lot of the nation is still getting snow...while we are getting humidity and high temps already...and lately strong southerly winds! <br />I love the phrase "Gardener's Shadow" AS BEING THE BEST THING FOR THE GARDEN. Man is meant to work the ground now... so, it makes sense to me that I need to be out there. Some of my Honey's and My best days are spent outdoors working in the garden. <br />Any tips for companion gardening to corn? <br />My corn bed isn't very plentiful. Some of my kernals didn't sprout... so i have some room for something else. <br />Just outside the bed, along the edge of the box... I planted Sunflowers... any suggestions? <br /><br />Thanks for the post, over from the Barn Hop<br />PatPatricia @ 9th and Denverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04786692442689958889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7953049132013675153.post-2994716754413142962011-04-18T17:26:59.421-04:002011-04-18T17:26:59.421-04:00I agree with Andrea, your raised beds are gorgeous...I agree with Andrea, your raised beds are gorgeous! I have heard of square foot gardening, Im not doing it this year, but maybe next year, it looks like such a great idea:) By the way, I love the reason for your blog(Letters to your daughter) that is such a great idea.. I have 3 little girls myself, and hope some day they will read my blog.. From now on I think I will write mine for them:) May the Lord richly bless you!A Heritage From The Lordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06679312519697079699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7953049132013675153.post-74653579519617550402011-04-18T12:14:49.228-04:002011-04-18T12:14:49.228-04:00Love your raised beds! We use them too. Yesterday...Love your raised beds! We use them too. Yesterday DH and I helped mother nature out a bit and shoveled 2 feet of snow off of our raised beds yesterday, and covered them with some plastic to hopefully speed things along. We are having a slow spring. I think the neighbors must have thought we were a bit crazy shoveling snow in the middle of our yard LOL.Homemade Alaskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12850923290333398684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7953049132013675153.post-90257733882642135242011-04-01T10:46:22.141-04:002011-04-01T10:46:22.141-04:00Those were my mother's day gift last year from...Those were my mother's day gift last year from Forest and the boys (who built the actual boxes). What you can't see is a series of sockets built into each box so I can easily put up trellises, hoop houses, and teepees. My men are the best!!!!Rebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14587923490122317045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7953049132013675153.post-40790788737349161092011-04-01T10:30:22.311-04:002011-04-01T10:30:22.311-04:00your raised beds are gorgeous!your raised beds are gorgeous!Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03811543156206097119noreply@blogger.com