In article <7tce245u9lrf5t879ol5c9pfcdsiopuljc@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>, Charlie wrote:
> On Sun, 11 May 2008 10:29:10 -0700, Billy <wildbilly@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
> >In article <_aadnXd3pukgoLvVnZ2dnUVZ_q7inZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
> > "Him" <hfh1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> >
> >> Hi group. NJ zone 6 here. For the past several years I have gotten
> >> greedy
> >> and end up planting my plants way too close together. The peppers in
> >> particular don't like this, end up tall with small peppers if any.
The
> >> tomato patch was so crowded they could not get picked and spoiled.
> >>
> >> This year I have vowed to reform. Now, how crowded is safe? I don't
have
> >> a
> >> lot to work with. I have two 10 by 12 plots seperated by a 3 ft
wooden
> >> walkway.
> >>
> >> I plan to dedicate one entire side to tomatoes. How many and what
> >> configuration would you suggest? Any ideas for the peppers on the
other
> >> plot plus other stuff like squash, peas, greens?
> >>
> >> Thanks for your ideas.
> >
> >Follow recommended spacing for peppers but remember, pepper plants like
> >to hold hands (leaves of mature plants should just touch). This will
> >also block sunlight to the ground, discouraging weeds. Investigate
> >companion planting and you don't need to grow in rows, beds are more
> >effective for preventing weeds.
>
> Every year, my garden is looking more hodge-podgey, stuff growing kinda
> wherever I can stick something in. I'd still like to have the space
> somewhere to try Bill's broadcast method. That sounds way easy.
>
> >I'll second Charlie's recommendation of John Jeavon's "How to Grow More
> >Vegetables Than You Ever Thought Possible On Less Land Than You Can
> >Imagine".
>
> The *only* problem I have with the biointensive method, as espoused by
> Jeavons and others, is the double diggy thingie. That is just too
> damned much work.
Even in lasagna gardening, I think the idea is to dig the first year to
jump start the organic soil and after than you just stack mulch and
other PLANT FOOD (PO4, NH4, K, compost tea, ect.) on, rotate the crops,
and try to grow cover crops, and let Ma Nature take her head.
> I think doing the lasagna thing and loosening the
> soil in reverse, by building *up* is much easier, though it will take a
> bit longer. Len, in Oz, has a great idea for doing this. Check this
> out, if you haven't.
>
> http://www.lensgarden.com.au/straw_bale_garden.htm
>
> >If you don't want to make new paths in your garden right away (4' wide
> >plots mean that you only have to reach 2' to weed or harvest), you
might
> >use 2'X 2' stepping stones, to avoid compacting the gardens soil.
>
> Good idea.
>
> >At recommended spacing for caged tomatoes, you could potentially grow
> >30 tomato plants. Do you need that many? Are you canning? A couple of
> >cherry tomato plants would keep you in salad and a half dozen others
for
> >sandwiches.
> >
> >Save some space to try something different.
> >
> >Have fun:-)
>
> Charlie
--
Billy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTfcAyYGg&ref=patrick.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo59c7zU&feature=related
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