modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
> 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.

You might want to check with your local state agricultural agent and see
what grows best in your area and how much sun it needs. There are many
good books on the market for beginning gardeners.