Mittleider method is labor intensive
LLM226
10 years ago
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pnbrown
10 years agoseysonn
10 years agoRelated Discussions
What is the minimum spacing for intensively grown carrots?
Comments (26)On March 4th, one month ago, I planted 24 square feet (4x6 foot area of raised bed) with Nelson carrots on 1.5 inch hexagonal spacing which used approximately 1536 pelletized seed (24 square feet x 64 seeds per foot). Two days later, on March 6th, I planted a 4x4 foot area on 1.5 inch hexagonal spacing and a 4x4 foot area on 2 inch hexagonal spacing. The first planting has germinated well (at least the 90% rate stated by Johnny's Select) and is now putting out their second set of leaves, (first set of true leaves.) The second plantings are farther behind probably because they weren't under a protective mini tunnel as the first crop was. I planted these seeds all by hand which was very tedious. But I do have some ideas about how to speed this up. There is a pelletized carrot seed plate available from Johnnys Select seeds for the Earthway seeder but with the short runs in my raised beds I don't think it would work well. It also can't accurately do hexagonal spacing. This six row precision seeder might work better but is also very expensive. Another idea is to build a device similar to this homemade vacuum seeder but designed for outdoor use. I actually built a small prototype of this type device and it seemed to work but it caused my shopvac to overheat and I also didn't like the idea of dragging a small noisy vacuum machine around the garden. :( The best idea I've come up with so far is a specialized device available for precision planting a whole flat of cell packs at once. I can't find the web site now but the operating principle if pretty simple. I think the method this device uses has good potential for adaptation to outdoor biointensive planting. Basically it's just a piece of flat plastic with precision drilled holes laid against another piece of flat plastic with offset holes. You scatter the seeds over the top plate and only one seed fits in each hole. You then tilt the tray slightly to slide the remaining seeds to one end, place the planter over a seed flat and then slide the bottom panel over a little bit and the seeds all drop through into the cell pack units. I've been thinking about how to adapt this idea for planting pelletized carrot seed but I haven't figured out what the best material to use would be. Plexiglass seems like the obvious choice but it also seems to crack readily when I try to drill it. Perhaps I just need a specialized bit? Any other suggestions for construction materials for this device are welcome!...See Moregardening 'methods'
Comments (24)I have to say , those maps are very interesting, I had to look where Im at.. Spodosols , no wonder our main native crop is basically blueberries. Methodolgy = advertising to make profit off you.. dont fall for it. Build your soil, compost, manure, water and mulch. I built my own raised beds out of logs, birch, maple and oak, that I cut by hand and dragged out of the woods , its not so much pretty as its free. If you do not have access or ablity to compost, see if your town does it, alot of towns do, if they do not, try to start the program yourelf. Visit your local farmers or horse owners and ask if you can have manure for free, how much and how often. Horse tracks around here offer it for free, so do some zoos, some dairy farmers could care less, other then having some for thier modest veggie gardens, they do not need manure from 200 cows sitting around. Some sell it, but others cannot, or do not have easy access for back loaders and trucks. Methodolgy might be ok to break you into gardening, move past it when you learn enough to be confident on your own. Do not allow a company to make a profit off from you, when you can simply do alot of it yourself, for free! Silverkelt...See Moreorganic method for getting rid of leaf miners?
Comments (45)It has been established now that users of rotenone have developed Parkinson's Disease at a two hundred and fifty percent greater rate than the general population. I would be pissed if I bought vegetables that may be contaminated with this stuff. Rotenone is destructive to the liver as well as the nervous system in humans, and less than an ounce of it can kill a kid. Speaking of the N word, it's completely naive getting yourself in a situation where you feel you got to use this stuff, I'm with Kimmsr on this one, the purist approach follows a deeper philosophy and understanding of how nature really works. Better planning simply makes the whole job just that more pleasant with the organic approach. The purist approach has worked in our garden extremely well for over five years now, it is simply less work and more effective in every way. Part of the purist approach for me is low nitrogen, high nitrogen even when completely organic causes a lot of infestations becuase it temporarily weakens the plant. I bet everyone who is an advocate of organic pesticides is a high nitrogen advocate. I scarcely bother with nitrogen anymore, focusing on micronutrients and carbon. I've been very surprised how many fewer problems I've had since almost completely backing off on nitrogen fertilization. The university says it's the only major shortage of my soil. Bah humbug, I grow just about everything under the sun, fruit, vegetables, vines, bushes, trees... you name it and I live in Dallas, very tough weather. No infestations, no diseases, it's been a great learning experience defying conventional wisdom but totally fun. When I laid off the high nitrogen, I noticed, no more attacks. The purist approach for me never had anything to do with politics or an existential gaia angst, I'm a right winger, it just clicked in my head one day that organic gardening should be cheaper, easier, and superior in every way. I stopped trying to mimic conventional gardening by substituting an organic product for a synthetic one, I got out of this line of thinking. Proper irrigation helps enormously as well in preventing disease and attacks. Nothing has lead me to change this thinking as the results have whispered in my ear for quite some time, now....See MoreA Unique Seed Starting Method
Comments (7)Your statement is true but the reason for placing on the sloped part is: plant roots need oxygen just as we do. By placing cells in water, the root area soon becomes saturated depriving the roots of the needed oxygen. With this method moisture is drawn up as needed along with the oxygen through capillary action. You might research capillary action in google for a better explanation. I hope I have made myself clear. Thank you for asking. > >...See Morejojomojo
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