10 Best Garden Crops for Beginners

For how to grow potatoes in straw, check out this recent post in
the Whole Foods & Cooking
section:http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/whole_foods/when-to-plant-potatoes_421-1.html

The only herb that survived the move indoors for the winter is
rue. I know it is good for discouraging flies but whatelse can it
be used for? How can I grow better garlic. Last year it was very
small and not in tight bulbs. Thanks
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BHarrisFor really hot weather vegs, try looking at the zone
requirements in any seed catalog. I'm guessing you will want zones
8 and above. You will be looking at crops like tomatoes, peppers,
basil, melons, etc. One suggestion I could make is to mulch your
pots heavily and have deep water trays under every thing. Enough
water to allow the plants transpiration will be your biggest
challenge. Using deeper pots may help so you can mulch
deep.

FJohnsonThis is a great way to grow potatoes. My small son and I
did this a couple years ago, when I was pregnant and did not want
to have to dig the potatoes. We put cages made of wire right on the
ground, and dug a shallow hole in the ground under it to retain
water(we did this in our hard-packed front yard). We put in the
potatoes, straw, and a little manure. When harvest time came we
just unhooked the wire and pushed over the pile. It was wonderfully
easy. The only thing I will do differently next time is to get some
root crop fertilizer. Plain manure really grows great tops. Ha Ha.
Also, if it's windy you might have to put a sheet or something to
keep them from drying out. I had no trouble at all covering them in
severe cold weather, though. The wire cages are easy to pin plastic
or old sheets to.Good Luck!

Yes lay the potatoes on the ground then cover them with the
hay/straw. A little manure, compost, or fertilizer can be added at
this time. It is a good idea to allow the straw to remain on the
ground after harvest to rot.Just keep adding more hay each yr. as
needed. After a few yrs. no other fertilizer need be added. Your
soil will become rich, black, and full of earth worms. Household
garbage can be buried in the ground under the straw, this will add
to your soil's fertility.

Thanks for all the great tips and advice :) I think I am going
to give this a try this year! I do have just one more quick
question. Do you lay the potatoes on the ground and cover them with
hay, or put them in it after you have it laid down? I am thinking
you would lay them on the ground so they can reach the soil more
quickly. Am I right. Thanks again for all your help:)

I've seen this given before but don't know how much straw, etc.
but you'd need to have it probably at least 8-12 inches I think
because you'd need it deep enough to allow the tubers to grow and
still be covered by straw. If you aren't sure you could use a
mixture of straw and soil or compost. You have to have enough
structure for the plants to hold themselves up as they grow. I
wonder what you could find out by doing a search on wikipedia or
organic gardenings website. have you tried a search on this website
to see if the info is printed somewhere else?If you plant above
ground in straw you'd have to water frequently because the water
would run through to the soil beneath. i think.

I have a question for anyone out there that may know the answer.
In #10 of "10 Best Garden Crops For Beginners" It states that it is
simpler to plant your potatoes in straw rather than soil. Can
anyone explain how to do this? Any special way the straw has to be
laid out, How deep or wide it should be, ect... Any and all answers
are appreciated :)Posted by: FJOHNSON/December 31,2006

Sorry, forgot this. How much water should they get since they
would be above ground? As you most likely have already figured out,
I am new to this:) So it would probably be easier to just give the
directions from start to finish. Would be a lot easier for us
"Blonde" gardeners LOL! Thanks Again!

Potatoes grown under hay or straw should be covered by at least
eight inches of straw, ten is better. And you can add more straw as
the tops grow taller. The straw in the row should be at least two
ft. wide. But it is better to cover the ground completely with
straw in the area you plan to plant your potatoes, this helps with
weed control and moisture retention. It is better to till the
ground the first year you use this method, especially if you have
heavy grass or weed growth. Here in Maine where we have abundant
rain fall it is not necessary to water the potatoes, as the roots
from your seed tubers will grow down into the ground and find
plenty of moisture. In dryer states maybe watering is necessary, I
dont know about that. In any case watering wont hurt. Just put your
hand under the straw, if it feels moist no need to water. also keep
watch of the tops, if they look green and healthy your ok. Hope
this helps and just remember the thicker the layer of straw the
better. As long as the tops can grow up to the surface you are
fine.

BHARRIS maybe you could use garden netting to shade your veggies
from the sun. That would reduce the heat problem some. also would
help with water retention. Good luck, Richard

For local conditions and plants.... consult the local garden
club and the local county extention agent... and check out garden
info in the local newspaper.

anyone out there know anything about veggie gardens in Tucson,
AZ??? It gets a little hot here in the summer, but that lets us get
in an additional crop. I haven't done this in years, and need some
advice on the type of veggies that will do well here. Thanks for
your time, Larry

I was raised on a farm and grew my own vegs and raised animals
for another 16 yrs but I have a problem that I need help with... In
a garden plants don't get as hot as they would on a balcony which
is where I'd like to raise something. It is on the 3rd floor and
faces the south and it gets too hot for me in the summer but I am
hoping that it's not too hot to raise some kind of vegs....anyone
have any idea which vegs would be able to tolerate very high temps
and full sun? Anything besides corn because I don't eat corn.
Thanks for any suggestions.

I need help with how to ask a different question. I noticed that
much of the issue was on alternative energy but nothing that I saw
talked about using the ambient temp of the earth. A friend designed
a courthouse in OK that had double walls and under ground it had
pipes that air was circulated through by means of a solar powered
fan which pulled the air from the pipes into the building.... it
kept the inside temp of the courthouse at 68 degrees all year
round. that meant that in the winter they only needed a small
amount of energy to suppliment this and raise the temp to a
slightly more comfortable level and in the summer it kept it the
same temp. Now what do you call this and how can we learn more
about it? When people are building a new house why would they do
anything else? Yes it takes more to build because you have to have
a foundation that goes down lower than most houses but this would
solve so much of your energy needs.anyone know what I'm talking
about?

Thanks, I'll search online for geothermal exchange...and I
appreciate the other response regarding pots, etc. but that's not
the issue as far as raising plants is concerned...the MAIN issue is
WHAT vegs can handle this kind of heat? I've built all kinds of
pots, raised beds, etc...just need to know what vegs can handle the
direct sun and high temps. It's especially going to be important
with global warming.Oh, and it's not WALLA but the French for there
you have it is Voila!sorry, 2 yrs of french, never used it except
for noticing that most people don't know how to pronounce the
french word...dang me for noticing that and for mentioning
it...

Thanks for the geothermal exchange term..I forgot that you can
find all kinds of stuff on Wikipedia...where I found it is also
called Ground source heat exchange or heat pump...some use fluid
that runs through the pipes in the ground and some use air. I'd
think that air would be cheaper than having to maintain a fluid,
etc. Why go to the extra expense and maintenance problems I
think.Maybe i can find out my answer on vegs
also...hmmmm.

Dear Fellow Mother Earth Readers; I sure hope that you all enjoy
your winterseason and I would like to offer you this veryefficient
planting method," free of charge " OFCOURSE, Most everyone has
heard of the "earthbox growing method, it really does work. I
haveconcocked my own version of this wonderful invention. Why not
try it this way? Five gallonpails are available everywhere, usually
free.Drill a 3/4" hole about 3" down from the top and another about
the same up from the bottom. Get a piece of 5/8" black irrigation
tubing about 6"long and place it through the lower hole and intothe
upper side of a small plastic container, like a margerine tub. I
used worn out 8" pots cut downto about 4" high. Next you will need
a 16" or sopiece of that same tubing. Install it through the upper
hole in the bucket side and down into the top of your inner
container. This will allow you to pour your water into the upper
tube and down into the empty space you have created in the middle
of your 5 gallon earth pot. Fill with yourfavorite blend of sand,
manure, compost or whatever you need for your choice of plants.
Install a piece of plastic sheeting over the top with a small hole
in it for the plant to protrude through and " WALLA ". You have
just made an excellent earth box for just a little effort and a
heck-of-a-lot less money than store bought. " Toomuchfun " Joe
Clarke

BHarris, what you're describing is a kind of geothermal
exchange. Our local (rural W. Co.) electric association is
encouraging consumers to install such a system in either new
construction or as a retro-fit.