OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote in message
news [snip]
If you have a guide book with a tried and true method,
what are you worried about???
[snip]

I believe he did in the OP. Something about experiencing problems
still...

Anyhow, there won't be any issues with using the Styrofoam cups or
having them biodegrade. The "collar" will allow you to maximize the
water while minimizing the effort (of control of weeds, rot, et al.).
The stepped system is already in place so now you should be looking to
figuring out why rot is taking place. A soil virus, maybe?

The Ranger

J.C. wrote in message
...
"The Ranger" wrote in message
...
The stepped system is already in place so now you should
be looking to figuring out why rot is taking place. A soil
virus, maybe?

Could be any number of things. The "soil" is actually a mixture
of 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 composted cow manure and 1/3
spanghum peat moss.

That seems awful high in acid... My best guess would be the manure;
might not have composted enough. I burned up some pumpkin and zuke
seedlings once by using steer manure that had lost that ripe smell but
wasn't ready for prime time.

1/3 vermiculite also seems just a might excessive. Do you need that much
drainage?

The Ranger

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"J.C." wrote:

Check this out.

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

Looks fascinating... :-)
Once I fix up my greenhouses this fall (it's been a wasted summer), that
might be something to consider.

Personally, I have my heart set on hydroponics! IMHO the ultimate in
lazy gardening once you have it set up.

And it also conserves water.
--
Peace!
Om

I tried this for awhile

http://www.aquaponics.com/


--
J.C.

"The Ranger" wrote in message
...
J.C. wrote in message
...
"The Ranger" wrote in message
...
The stepped system is already in place so now you should
be looking to figuring out why rot is taking place. A soil
virus, maybe?

Could be any number of things. The "soil" is actually a mixture
of 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 composted cow manure and 1/3
spanghum peat moss.

That seems awful high in acid... My best guess would be the manure;
might not have composted enough. I burned up some pumpkin and zuke
seedlings once by using steer manure that had lost that ripe smell but
wasn't ready for prime time.

1/3 vermiculite also seems just a might excessive. Do you need that much
drainage?

Supposedly it is for absorbing and holding moisture. The bottom of the boxes
are covered with that dark shading type material.


--
J.C.


The Ranger

"J.C." wrote:

I tried this for awhile

http://www.aquaponics.com/

How well does this work above?

I want to grow JUST enough food for one person

wrote in message
...
"J.C." wrote:

I tried this for awhile

http://www.aquaponics.com/

How well does this work above?

I want to grow JUST enough food for one person

It's very, very expensive to get started. You would be much happier with
"Square Foot Gardening". You can grow enough for a family of 4 in 16 square
feet of space.


--
J.C.

"J.C." wrote:

It's very, very expensive to get started. You would be much happier with
"Square Foot Gardening". You can grow enough for a family of 4 in 16 square
feet of space.

Yep I'm aware of square foot gardening and the book

But I live in north Missouri where we have winter as
was curious if anyway to grow food garden year round?

I'm looking into ways to become self sufficient. Work
less for money. And being able to grow food year round
would really help!

wrote in message
...
"J.C." wrote:

It's very, very expensive to get started. You would be much happier with
"Square Foot Gardening". You can grow enough for a family of 4 in 16
square
feet of space.

Yep I'm aware of square foot gardening and the book

But I live in north Missouri where we have winter as
was curious if anyway to grow food garden year round?

I'm looking into ways to become self sufficient. Work
less for money. And being able to grow food year round
would really help!

I think you are going to have to learn to can and preserve and do all the
things the oldtimers did. Put "Sustained Agriculture" in google and I think
you will find a lot of good info.


--
J.C.

"J.C." wrote:

I think you are going to have to learn to can and preserve and do all the
things the oldtimers did. Put "Sustained Agriculture" in google and I think
you will find a lot of good info.

yeah that's what I thought as well

That's why I was wondering if possible to garden year
round using hydroponics

wrote in message
news
"J.C." wrote:

I think you are going to have to learn to can and preserve and do all the
things the oldtimers did. Put "Sustained Agriculture" in google and I
think
you will find a lot of good info.

yeah that's what I thought as well

That's why I was wondering if possible to garden year
round using hydroponics

I would think it would be. By the way, pretty country up there. I'm stuck in
the flat lands of south Texas and with this heat it's like living on a
parking lot. About 25 years ago we went up to Branson and almost bought a
farm there for something like $150.00 an acre. Don't I wish we would have
done that?

--
J.C.

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

Use raised beds and the water is used more efficiently.


???

I'm about to tear down my raised beds because they dry out too fast. My
garden was more productive just planting in rows than it is with raised
beds.

Best regards,
Bob

"J.C." wrote:

I would think it would be. By the way, pretty country up there. I'm stuck in
the flat lands of south Texas and with this heat it's like living on a
parking lot. About 25 years ago we went up to Branson and almost bought a
farm there for something like $150.00 an acre. Don't I wish we would have
done that?

I'm in Hannibal abt 5 hrs north of Branson

But I agree....wish Id bought land down there too as
well!!

However....Id LOVE to be in south Texas when its winter
up here!!

In article ,
wrote:

"J.C." wrote:

I think you are going to have to learn to can and preserve and do all the
things the oldtimers did. Put "Sustained Agriculture" in google and I think
you will find a lot of good info.

yeah that's what I thought as well

That's why I was wondering if possible to garden year
round using hydroponics

Theoretically... using greenhousing with proper "timed" lighting. :-)
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article ,
zxcvbob wrote:

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

Use raised beds and the water is used more efficiently.


???

I'm about to tear down my raised beds because they dry out too fast. My
garden was more productive just planting in rows than it is with raised
beds.

Best regards,
Bob

Mulch......
And I filled my bases with sand.

I wasted _tons_ more water on an open garden bed. :-(
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

J.C. wrote:

I start seeds in styrofoam cups. I do exclusively square foot gardening and
have several boxes going. I use the 32oz cups that I buy in bulk from Sam's
Club. I put about 1 inch of potting soil in the cup.

When it comes time to plant I just cut the bottom out of the cups and plant
the whole things. This leaves me the proper amount of empty cup to do the
watering called for in the Square Foot Gardening book.

Well, everything that happens, wilt, browning leaves, low yield, bugs,
disease etc., happens because I PLANT THE DANG CUPS, according to my wife.
She, and others, say this is a definate no-no. I disagree. What do you say
and why?


Since you have no definitive answer, you will have to do "the
experiment". Next time you start plants, leave half of them in the cups
when you plant but take every other one out of the cup. See how the
growth of the two methods turns out. I can't help but wonder if the cup
holds the water around the stems longer that some plants can tolerate.

Steve