Growing Potatoes

 

On many occasions, we’ve been tempted to grow our own potatoes. They’re fairly low maintenance, can be grown in a pot or in the ground, last a fairly long time if stored properly, and can be very nutritious (high in potassium and vitamin C). Here’s more incentive: according to this article, you can grow 100 pounds of potatoes in 4 sq. feet.

According to this article from the Seattle Times, potatoes planted inside a box with this method can grow up to 100 pounds of potatoes in just 4 square feet. All that is required:
Lumber
Seed potatoes
Soil
Careful attention to watering
The Times’ guide for building a potato growing box yields up to a 100 lbs. of potatoes in a mere 4 square feet is shown below:
Plant as early as April or as late as August 1, with an approximated 3 month till harvest turnaround time.
Cut apart larger seed potatoes, making sure there are at least two eyes in each piece you plant.
Dust the cut pieces with fir dust, which seals the open ends from bacteria.
Fertilize with 10-20-20 fertilizer at planting and a couple of times during the season.
Water so that the plants are kept at an even level of moisture.
Don’t plant in the same area in consecutive years or use the same soil to fill your potato box, as potatoes can attract various diseases.
“To save space, Lutovsky recommends building a box and planting inside it, adding sides to the box as the plant grows and filling the new space with mulch or soil. When the plant blossoms, it starts setting potatoes in this added soil. Soon after that, you can start removing the bottom boards from your box and “robbing” the plant, reaching in carefully and pulling out new potatoes.”

Source:
apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-grow-100-pounds-of-potatoes-in-4-square-feet-81760
seattletimes.com/html/homegarden/2002347126_potatoes25.html

 

Apples

Safe from Monsanto Seed company

Abundant Life Seeds
Amishland Seeds
Annapolis Valley Heritage Seed Company canada
Baker Creek Seed Co.
Berlin Seeds – they don’t have a website. Atleast I didn’t find one.
Botanical Interests
Bountiful Gardens
Diane’s Flower Seeds (she has veggies now,
too)
Fedco Seed Co. – phasing out seminis seeds.

Fisher’s Seeds – 406-388-6052 They don’t have a website, but they will send
you a catalog if you give them your address
PO Box 236, Belgrade, MT 59714
Garden City Seeds
Heirloom Acres Seeds -I’ve heard from
several people thier seed germination is poor and so is thier customer
service.
Heirlooms Evermore Seeds
Heirloom Seeds
High Mowing Seeds
Horizon Herbs
Irish-Eyes
Kitchen Garden Seeds
Lake Valley Seeds
Livingston Seeds
Local Harvest
Mountain Rose Herbs

Native Seeds for the Arid Southwest
Natural Gardening Company
New Hope Seed Company
Organica Seed
Peaceful Valley Farm Supply
Pinetree
Renee’s Garden
Richters Herbs
Sand Hill Preservation Center
Seed Saver’s Exchange
Seeds of Change
Southern Exposure
Sow True
Territorial Seed Company *Tom Johns, the
pres. of Territorial posted in the comments on my blog about Seminis being
owned by Monsanto, and said customer service will provide a list of seeds
they buy from Seminis, so you can avoid them. He also said that Seminis is
providing less varieties every year (typical of Monsanto) and they are
finding suitable replacements. So, don’t count them out completely.* (info
from AdinaL)
Tiny Seeds
Tomato Fest – ask for bubble pack when
ordering from them for seed viability
Trees of Antiquity
Underwood Garden Seeds
Uprising Seeds
Victory Seeds
Wildseed Farms
Wood Prairie Farm <http://www.woodprairie.com

Grow you own trees

 

Some useful links to grow your own trees, including avocado, pumpkin, and 13 other types of plants:
http://positivemed.com/2013/01/28/grow-your-own/
If you can grow some of your own food, you control what’s in it, you know there are no chemicals in there.

Potatoes in a Barrel

 

One potato. Two potato. Grow 100 lbs. of spuds in a barrel! Here’s how: http://bit.ly/12huMFf

Solar drip irrigation

 

Grow vegetables with 10 times less water with Solar Drip Irrigation.

Parsley

Food Fact: Parsley is an anticarcinogen that is also useful as a digestive aid and helps to purify the blood and stimulate the bowels. It contains three times as much vitamin C as oranges, and twice as much iron as spinach. Parsley contains vitamin A and is a good source of copper and manganese. For a natural breath freshener, try a sprig of parsley!

Recycled planters

Plant Alyssum under tomatoes

Plant Alyssum under tomatoes to attract pollinators.

Expert tips->
Plant in full sun and give them at least 1.5′ of space to grow.
Enhance soil with epsom salt to fertilize plants.
Water once weekly, for long soaks.
Surround with Marigolds as well to deter unwanted insects.
Pull suckers (the lower branches which boast no flowers) in order to guide the plant’s energy to making fruit, not growing leaves.

How to Grow World Record Tomatoes: A Guinness Champion Reveals His All-Organic Secrets: http://amzn.to/ZwkotF

Medicinal Plants

1. Aloe Vera:
The aloe vera grows only under the sun with well drained dry or moist soil. Although the plant tastes like turd, it’s still edible. The sap from aloe vera is extremely useful to speed up the healing and reducing the risk of infections for :
-wounds
-cuts
-burns
-eczema
-reducing inflammation

Apart from its external use on the skin, aloe vera is also taken internally in the treatment of :

-ulcerative colitis (drinking aloe vera juice)
-chronic constipation
-poor appetite
-digestive problems

2. Marsh Mallow:

The plant of which marshmallows are made of. The root is taken internally to treat :

-inflammations and irritations of the urinary and respiratory -mucus membranes
-counter excess stomach acid
-peptic ulceration
-gastritis

-Externally, the root is applied to :

-bruises
-sprains
-aching muscles
-insect bites
-skin inflammations
-splinters

The leaves are very edible, unlike the aloe vera. They can be added to salads, boiled, or fried. It is known to help out in the area of cystitis and frequent urination.

Full list here: http://bit.ly/2KFIzo