tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post8156488926809943948..comments2024-03-19T00:54:49.043-05:00Comments on In My Kitchen Garden: A Question for Kitchen Gardeners: How Big Is Your Garden and How Much Food Does It Provide?Farmgirl Susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04851855517852917202noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-60418213201853826012009-05-11T18:35:00.000-05:002009-05-11T18:35:00.000-05:00Well, first off I live in Pearl City, Hawaii. I pe...Well, first off I live in Pearl City, Hawaii. I personally have never seen the temperature drop below 60 on this island, and never above 90. We only have two seasons: the rainy season (winter) and the windy season(summer). I've just started a small 4'x20' garden along the side of my house. <br /><br />I have two okra plants that are doing ridiculously well. They are already nearing 2' high and have only been growing 3 weeks. You get 1 pod for every 2", and the plants regularly get up to 7 feet high, so about 42 pods per plant. I've also got 3 tomato plants up and fruiting already, one cherry, one grape, and one regular. I'm expecting 10 regular tomatoes, 30 cherry tomatoes, and maybe 30 grape tomatoes. I've got 3 zuchinni plants, and 5 bush bean plants which are only about 6" high. I've got one watermelon vine going, one cantaloupe vine going, along with some eggplant seedlings, cucumber seedlings, and bell pepper seedlings. I have peas and lettuce, but I don't have much hope for them because the average temperature around here is 78 degrees F. I also have about 10 herbs, and they provide me with enough that I never have to buy any, and I cook a lot. I may have to expand my garden to make room for some of these.<br /><br />The wonderful thing about Hawaii is that you can plant and grow all the summer crops year round, and they do very well. So when I do get everything organized, I can stagger the crops and have all the vegetables I need year-round.<br /><br />I also grow some tropicals and exotics, like mango, kiwi, guava, passion fruit, coffee, and tea. I am not very experienced with these, but I can give you some information if you like. kljones@hawaii.eduAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-29546324756377838172009-04-23T22:15:00.000-05:002009-04-23T22:15:00.000-05:00Well, I am a little late on the bandwagon, but her...Well, I am a little late on the bandwagon, but here it goes anyway.<br /><br />Let me start out by saying that I get a weekly box of CSA veggies and fruits, but the garden supplements it nicely and is therapy for me. <br /><br />My little 8ftx4ft garden is supplemented by a few window sill boxes of herbs. I am in Socorro, New Mexico, where we can get in at least three plantings if I am on my toes.<br /><br />Here is the general breakdown and crop yield:<br />mid March-April: lettuce (leaf usually), spinach, basil, other herbs, onions, carrots, beets, etc.<br /><br />Mid May-June: TOMATOES! corn, peppers, another round of herbs, heat tolerant squash/melons<br /><br />Mid July-August: more lettuce, garlic, chard, onions, same tomatoes and peppers, cool crops.<br /><br />I have learned that things here in the high desert MUST be able to deal with 50-60 degree temperature swings in one day. But I don't have to worry about slugs :)<br /><br />The garden keeps my family of three, and occasionally more, in veggies most of the year. The basil plots mean that we have fresh pesto available most days, year round. This year I plan to try canning the extra tomatoes instead of letting them waste away.Castalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03407553953656489236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-68628381753162464432009-04-07T11:51:00.000-05:002009-04-07T11:51:00.000-05:00We garden in about 600 sf on the Kitsap Peninsula ...We garden in about 600 sf on the Kitsap Peninsula in WA State. Its just my husband and me, so theoretically, we could grow enough for our own use throughout the year...provided I was more organized about harvesting and putting things "up". Like a lot of gardeners, seems that everything is ready all at once and it usually coincides with the one week we plan to go camping or visit family! I'm trying to plant on a better rotation this year. We tend to stick with the tried and true veggies that don't require a lot of fuss and do well in the shorter/cooler growing season...pole beans, bush beans, peas, beets, root veggies, squash, strawberries, lots of greens of all sorts, corn, and tomatoes. I've tried heirloom tomatoes and I always come back to my Early Girls and Sweet 100's. They taste best with a slight dusting of pollen on them, still warm from the sun. My mouth is watering just thinking about them!Melindanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-21441133007506404072009-03-25T19:34:00.000-05:002009-03-25T19:34:00.000-05:00We have a 12 by 16 foot community plot in ca, and ...We have a 12 by 16 foot community plot in ca, and a backyard garden with about four planter boxes full of lettuce, chives, and spring onions. There's two pomegranate trees (giving about 250 fruit a yr), a lemon tree, kumquat tree, and a persimmon. We have trellised cucumbers and pole beans, three types of potatoes, heirloom tomatoes, trombetta squash, zucchini, fennel, carrots,italian oregano, chocolate mint, marjoram, and tree peppers. It's quite a lot, but all the food is soo much better than storebought. Kumquat marmalade is really good too. We make about 6 pints with four pounds of kumquats.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-86081041162308528042009-03-15T16:54:00.000-05:002009-03-15T16:54:00.000-05:00We have 272 sq ft of garden (2 8x8 beds, 1 6x8 bed...We have 272 sq ft of garden (2 8x8 beds, 1 6x8 bed, 1 4x24 bed) and generally eat from it every day. We are in the deeeeeep south, which means lots of rain in the fall and precludes a lot of root veggies. However, last year we planted okra 2 rows 6 ft long and had TONS of okra - totally delish since the store bought is rare and icky. Green beans, tomatoes, lettuces, squash galore. This year we should get 2x the yield since we are planting more, better and earlier. We are still newbies.Carol@KeepingUpWithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07871321912848663903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-3275415125445032782009-03-14T13:40:00.000-05:002009-03-14T13:40:00.000-05:00I'm in Brighton, UK, which is apparently zone 9A. ...I'm in Brighton, UK, which is apparently zone 9A. I am on top of a chalk hill though, so not great growing conditions. There are full photos of my garden here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eam31/tags/monthly/ but it is roughly 6mx6m front and back. Around 800 square feet? I had a bad year last year (http://www.martiandaze.net/blog/2008/9/24/garden-fail.html for details!), but I normally go for a little of everything rather than true sufficiency.Ellie Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11925438695497776801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-76749567066196146812009-03-13T13:30:00.000-05:002009-03-13T13:30:00.000-05:00Hi Susan,I'm so excited for you about your book de...Hi Susan,<BR/>I'm so excited for you about your book deal. I can't think of a more enjoyable writer and person worthy of this new adventure!<BR/><BR/>When we moved to the foggy northern coast of California 15 years ago, I left a garden near Davis, CA that was 50 feet long and 25 feet wide. That's 1250 square feet - as big as some houses! In it were an apricot, peach and apple tree as well as rows where I grew green successive plantings of green beans, several kinds of eggplant, tomatoes, corn, numerous kinds of peppers. Summer temps often climbed to over 100-degrees with night temps dipping to the low to mid-70s. Herbs grew rampant and tall. Then, we were a family of five with three growing boys and the garden kept us well fed.<BR/>Now, in my roughly 500 sq. ft. garden up against the south-facing wall of the greenhouse, I grow any kind of lettuce I can think of. chards, kales, shallots, carrots, beets, peas - both shelling and pod, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and many more cool-weather crops that escape me at the moment. Herbs like parsley and mint grow well here, as does thyme, rosemary, sage and tarragon. I amend our very acid soil (redwoods grow right up to the garden) with composted chicken and horse manure.<BR/>This summer I have some French pole beans I'm going to try. I know potatoes grow well here but I haven't tried them yet. Cilantro self-seeds here and grows year-round even though we got snow several times this winter and heavy frosts. I tried my hand at growing both golden and green zucchini plus some Cinderella pumpkins. The golden zucchini produced through November, the green didn't do well at all, and the pumpkins plants gave me 4 pumpkins. Oh, and I have gophers, moles and voles that burrow through the garden and munch the root veggies so I may not plant them again.<BR/>In the greenhouse, where the chickens are currently residing awaiting their new chicken house, I was successful in growing tomatoes, peppers and basil. The eggplant didn't do well, it's not hot enough. Our average temperature here, less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean and 60 miles from the Oregon border, is 52 degrees. Not a hot weather climate at all and in the summer it's often foggy rather than sunny.<BR/>The garden feeds my husband and I with some left over for the neighbors. And even though our garden produces enough salad greens for an army, we still go to the farmers market spring through fall for items that they can grow better than I. Plus we like to support our local farmers and fisherfolk.Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04269469384082089761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-24342849474666112902009-03-07T21:56:00.000-06:002009-03-07T21:56:00.000-06:00The vegetable garden is 8 feet X 5 feet. The herb ...The vegetable garden is 8 feet X 5 feet. The herb garden is 4 feet X 5 feet. We end up drying, canning or freezing about 1/3 of the produce. Good luck with your book. Be sure to include the donkeys.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-71260384376835191062009-03-05T13:03:00.000-06:002009-03-05T13:03:00.000-06:00Our northern Alabama garden is not large: three, r...Our northern Alabama garden is not large: three, raised 6x6 boxes full of compost and loam. Plus fruit bushes and trees everywhere we can fit them: fig, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry and an ancient apple tree ("Cannon" apples, I think). Also, I gave up investing in flowers and ornamental plants last year and this year have filled deck planters with leeks, cabbage, spinach, lettuce and Brussels sprouts. <BR/><BR/>Two weekends ago - before our bizarre two inches of snow - I planted onions, cabbage and sprouts in the garden boxes - only to have the squirrels mow them down. Who knew squirrels loved lettuce?! Am also still harvesting carrots planted last fall.<BR/><BR/>In the summer I can my own cucumber pickles and green tomato pickles. I make apple butter, apple sauce and apple turnover from the figs (kidding)...acutally I freeze the figs.<BR/><BR/>EVERY YEAR I plant rhubarb and every year it dies. I don't know what to do.<BR/><BR/>Our garden barely, really, feeds the two of us and I supplement from the farmer's market. I'd love to have a much, much bigger garden, but we live "in town."wineandroastshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10706227811429388824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-34802934877013518312009-03-05T07:55:00.000-06:002009-03-05T07:55:00.000-06:00We live in a townhouse-type apt. in CT, so my gard...We live in a townhouse-type apt. in CT, so my garden is about 8'x3'. I have a few perennial herbs: echinacia, comfrey, sage, and I put in several annual herbs and veggies with not the greatest results. I think it just doesn't get enough sun, and I'm constantly competing with bugs (I quite gladly sacrificed my seed-parsley to two swallowtail caterpillars last year). I'm learning new tricks so perhaps this year will be better. The parsley in a 10" pot next to the kitchen sink does great though! In spring it will go to the garden and grow seed for the year after.<BR/>~AiliAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-24460924160914439902009-03-03T10:37:00.000-06:002009-03-03T10:37:00.000-06:00I live in Davis, CA and my garden is a community g...I live in Davis, CA and my garden is a community garden plot that is supposedly 20 feet by 18 feet. We definitely get enough to feed the two of us, although certain things I buy at the farmer's market for various reasons. I've only had the garden 2.5 years, so I've been gradually phasing some things in and out or adjusting when I plant them.<BR/><BR/>Tomatoes are the most important. The first summer, I planted 24 romas for sauce and 76 heirlooms. We had more than enough heirlooms for us for the season plus plenty to give away, and enough sauce tomatoes to make sauce and ketchup for more than a year. Last year, unfortunately, I planted the same and got less than half the amount, so I had to buy tomatoes to supplement.<BR/><BR/>Otherwise, in the summer I plant 24-36 sweet peppers, one hot pepper, around 2 zucchini plants, approx. 4 eggplants, lots of basil, one or two cucumbers (not a lot of luck with these), one winter squash, one or two melons, and an assortment of things that I plant from seed (radishes, carrots, beets, etc.). In the cooler months, I've tried with varying success: cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, chard, carrots, beets, turnips, leeks, garlic (great success!), and shallots. This year for the first time I'm growing fava beans and onions. We have lettuce in the spring and fall. I'm hoping to try potatoes, too, but possibly at a friend's garden b/c of the space issue. We can and freeze quite a bit of food, and I find that I mostly don't ever have to buy anything I can otherwise grow.sunflowerchildehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05376313910816560117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-41740421580340461692009-03-02T23:06:00.000-06:002009-03-02T23:06:00.000-06:00Susan, your blogs are so inspirational! We live ...Susan, your blogs are so inspirational! We live in the Finger Lakes of upstate NY. Our garden is about 150 ft. by 40 ft. and we grow about the same veggies as the other posters. We have a small orchard with pears, apples, and an asian pear called Chojuro. It is a dwarf tree, and the deer ate every pear in 2007. So, in 2008, we clothespinned mesh/onion bags on the branches, and got 35 pears! They are supposed to hang on the tree until ripe in Sept...and the taste is superb! We had lots of blackberries in 08 which made great sauce for ice cream. Red raspberries were frozen IQF and the relatives ate the rest at a picnic here. Our asparagus bed is 32 years old, so I started a new one last year. We had 3 bushels of peaches for pies last year, and none the year before. We freeze green peppers unblanched for winter, and make sauce with tomatoes, using a Victorio from 1970. It separates the pulp from seeds/skins and makes sauce prep very easy! The best cherry tomato we ever had was a yellow sugar one (2008)from Pinetree seeds. Deeelicious! Good luck with your 2009 garden!Your writing is suberb and your pictures are great!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04205894141577396420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-14658657824969904442009-03-02T00:16:00.000-06:002009-03-02T00:16:00.000-06:00Susan -Congrats! Long time reader on both farmgir...Susan -<BR/>Congrats! Long time reader on both farmgirl fare and this blog, first time poster. I really enjoy your writing and look forward to a cookbook!<BR/><BR/>Live in Dundee, Oregon (in the Willamette Valley). Our garden is 4 x 28 feet and we are trying square foot gardening this year. We've usually had enough for two and some to put away but now with an increase in our family size we have finished up my frozen stores early! My blog, which is gardening, baby stuff, and whatever else is happening in my life can be found at jaredandamy.com.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-31560773243311825272009-02-28T21:20:00.000-06:002009-02-28T21:20:00.000-06:00Well, first off, I'm in Australia so the seasons a...Well, first off, I'm in Australia so the seasons are reversed. We are edging into autumn. This year my garden was a bust because I was in the states in Oct/Nov which is planting season, and then we had 3 weeks of over 35C weather and everything that was alive died. We are also on permanent water restrictions so I sometimes use grey water (rinse water from the washer) to supplement rain (ha) and regular watering. I have 2 raised beds about a meter by 4m. They are partially shaded. I have a large L-shaped bed that runs around the edges of the back yard. I have made about a spade's depth of soil in it. Underneath Canberra soil is a hard rocky clay. In addition I have 3 plum trees, one a very mature Satsuma, and 2 that are like Italian prune plums (which is what I was aiming for). I have raspberry, loganberry, blackberry and boysonberry bushes. I also have a pear tree but I'm afraid the parrots eat more than I do. I net the big plum tree to minimize loss. In a good year I am giving away beans and zucchini to all, and making pickles, jam and chutney. My garden is small compared to the garden I had in the US which was 100' square. I also have assorted herbs: rosemary, sage, oregano and bay.Swanknitterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06801796808525538417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-48466063286969706372009-02-28T07:01:00.000-06:002009-02-28T07:01:00.000-06:00We have about a 150 sq ft garden in Central Florid...We have about a 150 sq ft garden in Central Florida - Zone 9b. We have only successfully grown radishes and a handful of peanuts. Everything. else. died. So I have the most intense case of black thumb. LOL - guess I'm no good to you. Every tomato died - every squash, green bean, pea, cucumber, pumpkin - everything. I just plain don't "get" gardening...I almost don't want to replant this month for the Spring because it costs a lot of money to get the garden ready and have everything die again. Sigh ... I suppose we will replant, but...Kate and Crewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11342619603185671644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-64101488118935572782009-02-27T11:14:00.000-06:002009-02-27T11:14:00.000-06:00Our garden is very small - a postage stamp, really...Our garden is very small - a postage stamp, really. But somehow, we've managed to squeeze in an espalier apple tree, a grape vine, some strawberry plants (in pots), blueberries (in pots). Here's a question that I'd love to have you address: My grandmother just passed away, and she has a great lemon tree that we'd like to take a cutting from and try to plant in a pot. Is that feasible?Drew & Ericahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15622197253625190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-84563056555483149672009-02-26T17:08:00.000-06:002009-02-26T17:08:00.000-06:00i have a wee city garden. we've got half of our ba...i have a wee city garden. we've got half of our back yard covered by a 6x6 raised bed, and new this year a 4x8 raised bed. plus potted tomatoes and a 2x8 asparagus patch. the asparagus is an investment - we won't have any to speak of for another year or two. last year was our first kitchen garden with the 6x6 bed. it produced enough greens, beans, and otherwise to keep two people relatively well fed, but without much left for putting up. (we did freeze excess beet greens, braising greens and a ton of tomatillos). interestingly, though, my next door neighbor had even more bed space than we did but - with far less light - had very little harvest a lot. clearly conditions play a huge role in yield.<BR/><BR/>we ended up buying a veggies from the farmers market to put up for the winter and discovered that we go through at least forty pounds of canned tomatoes over the winter. <BR/><BR/>although i'm looking forward to a bigger and more productive garden this year, there's no way i won't be buying tomatoes from the farmer's market as long as i'm in a city house with a tiny yard.Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07177560653732739363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-37552375367398866642009-02-25T22:43:00.000-06:002009-02-25T22:43:00.000-06:00Hi, there! I used to have an enormous garden (400...Hi, there!<BR/><BR/> I used to have an enormous garden (4000 square feet) years ago, but I'm a lot older and we have less land, so now I've turned a space 20'x50' into a potager, with ten raised beds--most are 4'x8' but a few are larger, L-shaped and three are smaller. Behind this I have an asparagus bed that's about 12 feet long.<BR/><BR/> You can see pics of it here: <BR/><BR/>http://s33.photobucket.com/albums/d57/beckyleach/Gardening/Kitchen%20Garden/<BR/><BR/> I grow tomatoes (heirloom and modern), summer squashes, melons, cucumbers, bell peppers, eggplants, kale, collards, chard, spinach, beans, snap peas, garlic, radishes, turnips (for the greens), strawberries, lettuces, oriental greens, and a tiny patch of potatoes. This year I'm cutting back on the tomatoes a bit and adding okra and am going to try and fit in a watermelon. <BR/><BR/> We NEVER have to buy any produce during May-June-July-August-September (except for corn), but our growing season is short, so we do have to buy fresh produce the rest of the year. Honestly, I don't find that this size garden (despite the intensive planting style I'm using now) produces MUCH in the way of excess for canning or freezing (however, I always get about a dozen jars of spaghetti sauce, plenty of pickles, and pepper relish each year)....but maybe I'm just spoiled, remember the days of BUSHELS of produce from the Too Big gardens we used to have. <BR/><BR/> However, my potager is far more attractive than was my traditional, hoe-the-rows setup, so I spend a little time out there every day, enjoying the beauty. Weeds are rarely a problem, because of this familiarity, and due to the fact I've mulched all the paths with cedar chips, and the beds are planted so closely most weeds are smothered out. <BR/><BR/> Oh, we live in lower zone 4, in NW Iowa. <BR/><BR/> Additionally, on my 2/3 of an acre (which we moved to five years ago) I've planted these food crops: <BR/><BR/> 7 semi-dwarf apples (Spitzenburg, Cox Orange Pippin, Winesap, Honey Crisp, Honey Gold, Roxbury Russet, and a 4-on-1 Heirloom)<BR/><BR/> 3 semi-dwarf pears: bosc, d'anjou, and one whose name I've forgotten. <BR/><BR/> A Reliance peach, an apricot for the north (forgot the name ;-), a Black Gold Cherry, and a plum-cherry. <BR/><BR/> Also six gooseberry plants (primarily Invicta and Hinnoki Red), three rhubarb plants, 7 highbush blueberries, red, purple and gold raspberries, some Prime Jim blackberries, black and red currants, York and Nova elderberries (6 bushes), serviceberries of various kinds, and some native hazelnuts.<BR/><BR/> The apples bore a VERY modest crop last year, we got ONE peach and one apricot (well, it's a start!), the asparagus bed was old enough to harvest (I wish I'd planted a bigger one; there are three of us and we could eat asparagus several times a week), the strawberries and raspberries are starting to come into their own, and the blackberries produced a large crop which, sadly, did not ripen before the first freeze. <BR/><BR/> I'd say that within the next year or two things should really be humming along, and we'll be almost self-sufficient re: fruits and vegetables nearly half the year.Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13274758883956599124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-84608533699469369392009-02-25T16:05:00.000-06:002009-02-25T16:05:00.000-06:00I can't wait for the cook book! My garden is in zo...I can't wait for the cook book! <BR/>My garden is in zone 6a/b and about 15' x 30' plus I have 2 half barrels and several window boxes for the lettuce.<BR/><BR/>We plant a huge amount of tomatoes (all sizes- the kids love the cherry ones) and either can or freeze sauce. There is also zucchini, crook neck, Hot peppers (several types),bell peppers, potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, lettuce, Chard, spinach and this year fennel. We also have raspberry, blackberries and apples. In the herb garden there are the regulars - thyme, oregano, sage and a couple others.<BR/><BR/>Each year several friend and I get together figure out what we are each planting and then plan on sharing! This makes all the work a lot more fun.Gypsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12731726069704616467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-91970634570203627322009-02-25T13:06:00.000-06:002009-02-25T13:06:00.000-06:00Congrats on the cookbook! I can't wait to see it!I...Congrats on the cookbook! I can't wait to see it!<BR/><BR/>I live in zone 4. Iowa. Decent soil, decent rainfall, but extremes in heat and cold are common.<BR/>My gardening space is very piecemeal. I have a community plot on the other side of town that's around 120 square feet. I try and keep that full of root veggies, so I don't have to drive over to tend it as often. 50 garlic and 100 onions last us till the lettuce starts producing in spring.<BR/><BR/>I have a dozen+ containers on the south side of our rental house with herbs and greens and flowers. That includes the coldframe which houses most of the spinach/lettuce that I grow. The 2x3 foot coldframe provides all the lettuce my husband and I can eat from March till it all bolts in May/June. And then when I get the timing right on fall plantings that same coldframe can keep spinach alive all winter (not growing, but alive).<BR/><BR/>The bulk of my garden is an hour North on my best friends acreage. We have an agreement where I start the transplants and save/buy seed and help her get it all in the ground in the spring, then she helps with the day to day maintenance and I go up 4 or 5 times a month and help with the heavy weeding or harvesting. I get a portion of the output, she gets a portion of the output and then we sell everything else to a local organic food co-op. That plot is 600 square feet, but I only get a small portion of the output.<BR/><BR/>Very piecemeal, and not very efficient, but it gets me organic heirloom veggies in bulk, which is something I couldn't do on my rental property.Jenniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03994844081172979101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-23570348164376099682009-02-25T13:00:00.000-06:002009-02-25T13:00:00.000-06:00Hi Susan!I have a very small 4' by 6' urban plot i...Hi Susan!<BR/><BR/>I have a very small 4' by 6' urban plot in Atlanta GA that supplements my summer produce shopping with garden tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, okra, beans, and herbs.<BR/><BR/>Good luck with the book!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06447499016707646823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-12108993064168813742009-02-25T11:57:00.000-06:002009-02-25T11:57:00.000-06:00I live in barbados in the West Indies, and my gard...I live in barbados in the West Indies, and my garden is 100' x 20' and divided into two parts. About three quarters is devoted to my fruit trees: bananas, limes, gooseberry avocado, acerola, papaya, starfruit. The rest of the garden is planted with lots of veggies. there are several types of hot peppers, and bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, edible pod peas, blackeye and yardlong beans, four types of okra, cucumbers, and squashes(four types). I also have eggplant, spinach, lettuces carrots, beetroot and herbs. I practice vertical gardening, so I tend to get alot of plants in, especially with the cucumbers and other runners. <BR/><BR/>We dont buy any veggies from the market at all, since we cannot guarantee that they have not been sprayed. We compost as much as we can, and we use chicken and sheep manure as fertiliser when necessary.<BR/><BR/>We do get some trouble occasionally from the native green monkeys found here on our island. They are cute to look at, but they like fruit and vegetables just as much as we do.<BR/><BR/>I am looking forward to your cookbook, good luck.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12328034611286045839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-57555044494388669902009-02-25T07:59:00.000-06:002009-02-25T07:59:00.000-06:00Congrats on the book Susan! I'm an "Urban Gardener...Congrats on the book Susan! <BR/><BR/>I'm an "Urban Gardener" and with the hot summers here and watering restrictions, I've kept my garden to a 6x8 patch. I grow tomatoes, peppers and herbs mostly but need a few more "idiot-proof" ideas. <BR/><BR/>I'd love a chapter- or perhaps notes within your chapters- for those of us "challenged" gardeners who would still like to experience home-grown goodness. Like- what foods taste better, are better for you, basically how to get more bang for my little buck of a garden. <BR/><BR/>I look forward to you book!StylinGirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11529899389780712001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-34554819718084056662009-02-24T21:25:00.000-06:002009-02-24T21:25:00.000-06:00Last year, we had a ton of containers and a 2 ft x...Last year, we had a ton of containers and a 2 ft x 15 ft strip on the side of the house that was Totally Tomatoes. This year, we'll be adding a 13x15 plot, plus more containers. It's hard to estimate how much we produced; we dried and froze some tomatoes, ate them daily, and gave a lot away, got a steady supply of lettuce and peppers, and still have hot peppers and a few tomatoes in the freezer. The containers didn't all work as hoped, but I've learned a lot and hope to do better this year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21318605.post-89826814972230324672009-02-24T15:31:00.000-06:002009-02-24T15:31:00.000-06:00My husband and I actually run a CSA in southeast W...My husband and I actually run a CSA in southeast Wisconsin (http://www.middleburyhills.com). With the help of an unheated hoophouse and a very small greenhouse for germination, we deliver June through October in our Zone 4/5. Last year we fed around 200 families off of approximately 3 acres-and that, like some other people have mentioned, included a lot of room given over for potatoes, corn, pumpkins, and the like. This year, we'll be planting in 6 acres, hope to grow to about 270 families, and hope to provide a bit more than we were able to last year. And we're hoping our fledgling orchard will finally begin to produce as well!<BR/>Can't wait for your cookbook—I've already sent many of our CSA members to your blog and included some of your recipes (with credit of course!) in our newsletters . . .Camelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13177171569100114871noreply@blogger.com