Maximizing Garden Yields

beaglechaser@aol.com · Jul 28, 2011

Yesterday, I planted some pickles and baby lima beans. The limas are 65 days so that may be cutting it close for SW Michigan. I may cover the rows with a "cold frame" if it gets cold. These plantings followed a patch of green and yellow beans. I also plan to plant some beets and snow peas. It really got me thinking about how to get the most out of the garden and utilize the season the best. We have maybe 150 growing days.

For example, early peas could be planted along the edge of a tomato mesh cage. The peas would be done before the tomatoes needed the space. Early potatoes could be followed by a fall crop of broccoli or peas, etc. What do most of you do? I've really enjoyed my garden this year. We've had plenty for our own use and plenty to share. I hate to see bare ground if something besides weeds can grow.

Larry

Anonymous-0 · Jul 28, 2011

Good ideas if I didn't have this black thumb............ Like your handle tho, used to have several beagles just to hear them sing before coming over here.

Dave

Traditional Farmer · Jul 28, 2011

Not me I plant rows 6ft apart gives me plenty of room for between the row cultivation on the garden tractors and plenty of room to havest.Still have squash plants that almost touch.

fordtractor2000 · Jul 28, 2011

hmm let me know how those pickles that you planted came out LOL....don t mean to be a wise *** but I have made the same mistake, I usually plant several planting of beans, i m in NY and here we can start planting about mid may and for beans you can go up until about mid august and still have time to get in a crop, I personally do 4 ft rows, the tomatoes bush out and make it a little tight, and squash well I think and 8 foot row would be ideal, although they probably would take that over.
I have heard of people planting squash and corn together or corn and gourds, haven t heard the peas trick with tomatoes, but I will tell you to save space this year I let my cucumbers grow up a peice of wire fence, keeps things off the ground and easier to find the little buggers !!

El Toro · Jul 28, 2011

I just planted more Blue Lake bush beans should bear by late Sept. We need rain. Hal

Dieselrider · Jul 28, 2011

You might want to pick up Elliot Coleman"s book an growing inside high tunnels. That could extend your season at both ends. He plants several times a year in Maine and sells to restaurants and grocery stores in Maine. He harvests all winter. One book is Four Season Harvest and the other I have is The Winter Harvest Handbook. He may have more out. He has some interesting ideas and makes it work for him.

DownSouth · Jul 28, 2011

"It really got me thinking about how to get the most out of the garden and utilize the season the best."

I took care of that problem by moving to deep south Texas where we can garden 50+ weeks per year.

ChrisinMO · Jul 28, 2011

We planted green beans early in August last year. If they became anything, we were going to sell them at the farmers market. The last part of September here the nights start getting cooler. So I covered them with plastic at night. We picked a lot of beans for three weeks and a little more on a fourth week. Nice weather in October sure helped. Let's just say that we were the only ones at the farmers market with fresh picked beans and could name our price. In addition, the yields were very good and were probably the best beans we've ever grown.

Christopher

U.P.John · Jul 28, 2011

My Dad plants his lettuce, beans, and radishes in 6 foot rows at a time. every 2 weeks for about 6 weeks starting around memorial day. If you plant it all at once, everything is ready to pick at the same time, and if you don't pick it all, it goes to seed... This way, he has always got fresh lettuce, enough beans for mom to can, and radishes for salad all summer!! He plants peas early because they can tollerate colder temps, and usually plants them twice...He starts tomatoes in a green house and transplants them throughout the summer too so you're not trying to find people to take some when they ripen all the same time...

Maximizing Garden Yields

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