Hopefully a lot of us grow as many vegetable’s as possible, to supply great food’s/nutrition for us and our local community year-round.
As the season’s change, would you please share with all what vegetables you are currently growing and successes or failure’s that may help others?
My vegetable growing success is 100% dependent upon my next door neighbors. They grow, I go get what they can’t eat. 
I’m told the secret of their great veggies is lots of soil amendments. I get the veggies in exchange for the goodies I bake them.
Hi @JanCee Sounds like a great arrangement, may God Bless you and you’re neighbor. It’s all about helping each other
Planted in mid April 23, Radishes, Turnip Greens, Leaf Lettuce, Squash and Cucumbers. We have enjoyed many in the last 3 weeks, put some back, gave to neighbors and took a small load to the local Food Bank. Replanted all today. Ty for you blessings & please tell your neighbor thanks from me
I don’t grow vegies anymore because I don’t have enough sun on my property, although some things don’t mind a bit of shade. Basil does very well with only a couple of hours of afternoon sun.
I used to have an organic garden at the last house and I tried companion planting from a book called Carrots Love Tomatoes. Also, did intensive planting and succession planting.
Beans and corn are a happy couple as the corn will support the beans and the beans will restore to the soil nitrogen used up by the corn. Melons, squash and cucumber planted near the corn benefit from the shade.
Planted perennials such as asparagus and rhubarb and always had lots of decorative plants in the mix including edible flowers like violets/johhny-jump-ups and nasturtium.
Mulch is really important to suppress weeds, maintain moisture, add nutrients to the soil and harbour spiders.
Diotomaceous earth keeps away unwanted critters like slugs.
Very interesting, I have always been taught with a corn patch keep it separate because you can’t allow any herbicides for weed control and certain pest controllers. But one neighbor told me, after corn ifs growing strong, he’s planting bean’s aside it. It is that time, thanks will give it a try and check out the book. By the way we love our asparagus. It’s all gone for the year but froze a lot for the winter and will be cutting it back in October.
I don’t know the size of your garden, but mine was only about 15’ by 30’ so I didn’t use herbicides or pesticides. There was not a lot of empty space except in the early stages when I used straw (seed free) to suppress weeds and pulled it back as the plants filled in. Some pest control was achieved with companian plants that deterred pests such as FRENCH Marigold which kills harmful nematodes and repels cabbage moths and white flies. They attract pollinators and butterflies as well as preditory insects. And, the flowers are edible.
Planting tomatoes near the asparagus will keep away asparagus beetles.
That’s not to say that I didn’t get weeds and bugs sometimes, but you learn to keep the good weeds like Camomile and viola and realize that if you have a ton of ladybugs all of a sudden, you’ve probably got aphids in abundance…perhaps in a cherry tree where you least expect it.
Organic gardening is about diversity which supports birds, bees, butterflies, etc. and that is it’s own pest control. A few chickens can eat a great many bugs as well.
Anyway, it’s an interesting read written by Louise Riotte. Much joy to you in your garden:)
@JanCee
I like the barter system too. I grow great onions, garlic and all the brassicas but I cant grow root vegies here. I’m also a hobby beekeeper and I fish a bit. Excess vegies and fresh fish are passed to friends and a bag of something always comes back. But the real stars of the system are the bees. I produce natural local honey. Bees make it, I put some of it in a jar and it bliss. That is a hot commodity. I will also take friends children through the bee yard and show them Queen Matilda and and take a photo of them holding a frame of bees. One little fella wont go to school unless he has Queen Matilda honey on his toast before he gets dressed. My fridge always gets a boost.
Hi @feelmysins yes bartering is a great thing for both party’s, We give our neighbor veggie’s & she makes Coconut cakes and Great meals for wife & I occasionally. And we all love our bees but wondering why you can’t grow root veggies? Are you referring to tomatoes etc that need higher temps?
@jujube , Great ideas to help us all, thank you very much. We now use a home aid organic mixture to spray for insects with a fogger and is more effective and easier to apply.
That’s great Litenin. I used to make up sprays myself. But, I think you are probably working on a larger scale than I had.
Just recently a friend brought me a new houseplant and wouldn’t you know it had gnats and all my plants started to look miserable. Well, I got out the old trusty diotomaceous earth and put some in all the pots…gnats gone.
Oh, and you are quite welcome - always glad to help:)
@jujube Just recently a friend brought me a new houseplant and wouldn’t you know it had gnats and all my plants started to look miserable. Well, I got out the old trusty diotomaceous earth and put some in all the pots…gnats gone.
I know what you mean, we have started veggie plant’s indoors and the gnats were terrible. There is a Great forum topic on @ Plants, Gardens, Cuttings–All the Feels!
Please repost there to help send your experience!
Yes, we do also. Prefer organic everywhere, for fungus, mold etc mixture of baking soda & casteel soap with water
I dont grow veggies - but i used goat manure which seemed to help the growth- color and strength of my so called veggies.
Never tried goat manure, but I believe any animal manure is healthy for our plants
Phosphate rich organic manure is a type of fertilizer used as an alternative to diammonium phosphate and single super phosphate. Phosphorus is required by all plants but is limited in soil, creating a problem in agriculture In many areas phosphorus must be added to soil for the extensive plant growth that is desired for crop production.
We also found by saving and spreading used tea and coffee grounds, along any plants root line will help it plant will grow quicker and stronger. I don’t remember what these grounds supply that helps the plants but it works well.
I use coffee grounds for my roses 
My new garden fascination is overwintering bell peppers. I have two plants from last summer that appear to be poised to provide a bumper crop this year. I had butchered them back to two main stems, kept them lightly watered and minimally sunlit. A number of YouTube videos explain the procedure, watch two or three and distill down the best ideas (like you should be doing with your news sources). I went into winter wondering what I’d done to my poor plants. I am entering the summer delighted with the result.
Yep the wife uses tea, coffee grounds on roses and also any used banana peelings. But the grounds also are great on veggie plants.
Very interesting, i hope you do indeed have a bumper crop!!