But there are really workable and safe alternatives to these poisonous things our corporations have been using. Mums are a prime example. You can take a batch of mum flowers, boil them down into an extract (that's where the water becomes dark and thick), then put it in a spray bottle, and spray it on all your tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. It kills every kind of bug imaginable, but is perfectly safe for humans! It has no harmful chemicals, only an oil in the flowers the drowns the bugs! That's good stuff Maynard! And mums grow like crazy, look good, and are great as gifts to pissed off females..lol. So be sure and get yourself a load of these to go with your food seeds. You will never need insecticides again.
Soil & Fertilizers: Most of us have grown something in our lives, whether it was flowers or garden tomatoes. Most of the time we failed miserably too. But that's only because you didn't have the right situation for your seeds. Anyone can grow a really monster food crop. All it takes is knowing a few simple rules. First off, keep in mind that most food plants such as potatoes, onions, radishes, squash, corn, okra, etc, require the same kind of soil and watering. You don't have to have a special routine for each type of plant. Your soil should be free of weeds because they choke plants and rob them of nutrients. And it should also be free of any poisons such as motor oil spills, household chemicals, antifreeze, and all other man made nasties. That's because your plants will suck those chemicals up into their fruit, tainting it with carcinogens and other not so healthy things. In other words, be choosy where you decide to plant. Next, every one of the crop plants I named above, and most of the others as well, require that you plant their seeds three inches down in the soil. No more and no less. Three inches. Remember that. The seeds have to be deep enough to be protected from the sun and from insects, but shallow enough do the sprout will be able to punch through to sunlight. Burying them too deep will result in a "drowned" seedling. It couldn't get to the light quick enough before it's food supply ran out (the meat of the seed) and was able to grow leaves to produce more. So instead it will suck up a lot of water in hopes of drawing nutrients that way, and it will literally drown. Three inches...
Next, you want to place each plant at least five to six inches away from its brother. Too close and they will fight for the same soil, and their roots will entangle. Both plants could die, but in any event their produce will be stunted and fewer. Make them keep their distance from each other. Next is the amount of sunlight they get. Although this can vary among species of plants, for the most part they all love the sun. Exceptions to this are strawberries, tomatoes and other more delicate fruits. They require a modicum of shade as well. That's why I always plant these plants near some trees so that they can have at least a few hours of shade each day, along with the sunlight. Don't get me wrong, they all need lots of sun. But too much is just as bad as not enough with some of these plants. One great trick is to plant them in between another crop plant, such as corn. The corn stalks will provide all the shade they need. Others eat it up. Cantaloupes, corn, potatoes, watermelons, peas, carrots, squash, onions, peppers, lettuce, cabbage, beans, and okra, all love the sunlight. Give them all they want. But with sunlight comes another critical need. Water...
Watering Your Crops: Although all of your plants will need water, some will require a lot more than others. Take watermelon. It's name alone should tell you that this one inhales water. Prepare the soil that you're going to use for these by making sure it's good and damp at least five inches down. A surface wet won't cut it. Dig a hole near the planting area and check to see if the water has reached deep enough. If it hasn't, then water the soil until it does. then, cover the entire area with dead leaves, twigs, and other dead brush to make shelters for the young plants. Direct sunlight will kill a seedling in nothing flat. And besides, watermelons love cool, damp places. And by covering the soil, you will create a canopy over the soil to keep it cool and damp, even in the heat of summer. This is vital for the growth of healthy plants. But whatever pokes out of this cover will be able to handle the sunlight just fine! Check the soil often to make sure it's damp but not soaked. Too much water will rot the roots of all your plants, so don't drown them with kindness. You have to recreate their natural environment as closely as possible. If you're planting large field of food, say up to an acre or so, you need to run some garden hoses along the rows. This way you can turn on the water and irrigate them when needed. You'll be nicely surprised at just how little many of the crops will need once they have grown all their leaves, because these act as covers for the soil, preventing evaporation. If you only have a well to draw from and no electricity, you'll have to water them the old fashioned way, with a cart and some old milk jugs full of water that you can roll out to the field. You do whatever it takes to feed yourself...
Rows: All crops need to be planted in rows. A straight line, running the length of your field. Till the soil before- hand, creating one long berm in the center of each row where you intend on placing your seeds. Plant your seeds in the middle of this mound or berm. This will leave you a shallow trench on each side of the berm for water, and a place where you can walk to weed and take care of your plants. Never walk among them. A large boot can do immense damage. Keep all dogs and cats out of there as well. They love to piss and crap in these fields, and their dung will contaminate the crop with all kinds of really nasty and dangerous bacteria and even critters. Keep them out! If water becomes scarce, and you have to ratio how much you can give your plants, sacrifice the water guzzlers first. You can live without watermelon, but you need potatoes, beans and corn. And these plants require very little water. Use your head in times of trouble, and you'll do fine...
Animal Pests: Depending on where you live will have a great bearing on what kind of pest you'll have to deal with, and how bad it will get. Rats, mice, rabbits, raccoons and possums are the main problem. They all love produce and can decimate a field overnight, depending on the size of it. One very valuable rule of thumb is to always harvest your crops just before they ripen! This is because when a fruit or veggie ripens, it gives off a tantalizing scent that rings the dinner bell to these critters, who'll come running. But if you pick them while they're still a little green, you can beat them to the punch. By the time they get the scent, the food will be long gone. And don't get to feeling sorry for the critters and leave some on the plants for them. All you're doing is training them to come back. And when it comes to food, animals never forget. They'll be waiting for you the next time you plant. You can also use a scarecrow for birds and a noisemaker for critters. Traps are also a necessity in many cases and can be made out of practically anything. Always trap them near the field. This way the critters running with the one that got caught or killed, will have fear of the place instilled in them, and are far less likely to return. And don't spare them. Remember, they breed. If you have a 22 rifle, a good practice once the crops start to mature would be to take shifts at night, sitting in the field as guard, and shooting anything that moved low to the ground. And who knows. You might get lucky and drill a fed sneaking around. Good fertilizer..lol.
Birds: These pests are a terrible nuisance and can damage crops severely. If you're growing sweet crops such as strawberries and grapes, you need to use screens and netting. I build a little screen house for these crops and plant them inside, where the birds can't get to them. Spraying everything with mum extract also helps a lot because it sours the taste to them. Another really effective way to kill these pests and many of the ground running critters as well, is to boil down some eucalyptus leaves or oleander leaves. Both are highly poisonous. Leave a bowl of sugar water laced with this extract out near the field. Many will drink it and die because these extracts have enough strychnine in them to kill an elephant. They also make a good pesticide for the birds and animals. Just remember to wash all the sprayed produce thoroughly before eating it. It washes off easily. Which reminds me. After a hard rain you'll need to re-spray everything...If that accursed bill becomes law, the only way you're going to be able to survive is to grow your own food. If that happens, hide your seeds like you would any other contraband, then get it together and head out for the tall weeds. We're running out of time folks. Heck, even that dimwit Glenn Beck is finally seeing the light and warning people to start hoarding food and silver. Gee. I wonder where I've heard that before? If you have any questions regarding plants or planting, feel free to email me and I'll be happy to help you. We're in this together folks.
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