On Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:44:26 -0500, George Shirley
> wrote:
>modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
>> On Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:09:39 -0500, George Shirley
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
>>>> Do any RFC-ers practice edible landscaping at home?
>>>>
>>>> http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1255.html
>>>>
>>>> Fritz Haeg did a project down in Austin last year as part of his
>>>> "Edible Estates" series:
>>>> http://www.fritzhaeg.com/garden/init...ates/main.html
>>>>
>>>> Am I alone in my interest in this idea?
>>> Our entire backyard is edible landscaping. We have nine fruit trees,
>>> black berries, blue berries, a herb garden, a large vegetable garden,
>>> and long strip beds along the fence line that are generally put into a
>>> mix of edible flowers, ornamental flowers, and vegetables.
>>>
>>> If DW would allow it I would plant more fruit trees in the front yard
>>> plus turn the flower beds into decorative vegetable gardens AND flower
>>> beds. I guess I could always eat the roses like we do the pansies and
>>> nasturtiums.
>>
>> Do you find it to be a lot of work caring for all that?
>
>Not really, we both grew up in gardening and farming families and
>communities and are used to it. The gardening strips are small enough we
>sold our tiller and just use a shovel on the rare occasions when we need
>to turn the soil. Ordinarily we don't bother. We mulch between rows with
>layers of newspaper, covered with leaves we've picked up with the
>mulching mower and the grass from the mowing season. Under the newspaper
>are soaker hoses as we often get dry spells. Not right now, we've been
>getting from one to four inches of rain daily lately.
Crazy summer ain't it? We got a bigass storm last night. This late in
August should be dead dry, but not this time around.
I think this fall, I'm going to start small and see how it fits with
my routine. But my first attempt at a garden here wasn't a good plan.
Too far from the kitchen and too big. (We have about 1 1/2 acres, and
my garden was out by a fig tree because it was just there -- or
something.) The next patch will be much closer to the kitchen door and
smaller. I got a line on mulch through the community garden, and I'm
going to have it delivered here, not there, in the coming months.
>
>The fruit trees need dormant oil spray in the winter plus a winter
>pruning and then there are small prunings going on all year. Putting
>fertilizer out takes a very little time. I'm retired so have all the
>time I need, DW will retire in 2011 as she is determined to teach art
>for at least one year in a school with an actual art classroom - her
>school is being closed and a new one is being built to open in the fall
>of 2010. She is bumping 70 yo and is only teaching half-time but she
>loves teaching elementary students art.
>
Good for her! I taught art at the college level for over 20 years.
>>
>> My gardening this summer has been mostly confined to the community
>> garden here in Cow Hill, and I'm not sure I have the gumption to take
>> on more just now.
>>
>> Still lawns seem sillier and sillier to me. I mean what's the point?
>
>That's the way I am, we never had lawns when I was a kid. We had grass
>but the cows ate that when we turned them into the "yard." Ie. the
>fenced yard around the house. The rest of my Dad's ten acres was in
>pasture or money crops, such as three acres of crowder peas one year and
>tomatoes the next year. When DW and I married and moved to Texas we
>lived on a half-acre on the back of Dad's property as he had given each
>of we three kids that much land to build on. He was getting on in years
>so for our twenties and thirties we farmed the rest of the property
>and/or ran stock on it. Our kids grew up with chores in the garden or
>the barn and enjoyed it. I think it is a matter of what your mind set is
>more than anything. If you enjoy gardening do it, DW says it relieves a
>lot of the tension that builds up in her from dealing with the school
>bureaucracy. I was the same way when I was in corporate management, come
>home and beat the hell out of the soil instead of slapping some stupid
>person around at work.
Usually good policy. But sometimes whacking dummies AND dirt makes
sense.
Re edible lawns: I guess that I'll start small and see how it feels.
If one or two 4 x 12 beds work okay, I'll push on for more.
Many thanks for your insight.
--
modom