The story involves three sisters: an older one with yellow hair who stands straight and tall over her younger siblings, wearing a green shawl; a middle sister who wears a bright yellow dress and likes to run when the sun shines; and a younger sister, wearing green, who can do nothing at first but crawl around on the ground. At the end of the tale, the younger sister is tasked with keeping the cooking pot full, while the middle sister waits for her yellow dress to dry off, and the older sister grinds meal to go with the rest of their dinner.

When transferred into gardening terms, the older sister is corn, the middle sister is squash, and the younger sister is beans. When combined in a garden and planted in traditional gardening mounds, the plants will make it hard for pests and hungry “critters” to get to them. Their symbiotic relationship goes further than just pest-prevention, however:

Corn -The corn stalks act as poles as the bean plants gradually grow and twist around them. Corn also is full of carbohydrates, and is an essential crop if self-sufficiency is your goal.

Beans – The bean plants stabilize the corn stalks as they grow around them, giving them support as they, in turn, are supported themselves. On top of this, the nitrogen in the roots of the bean plant is a natural fertilizer and it will keep the soil in good condition. Nutritionally, beans contain plenty of protein.

Squash – The squash plants grow around the bases of the corns and beans, protecting the soil from harsh sunlight and keeping it moist. The beans and the corn reciprocate by providing even more shade for the squash, since they are taller. The spines in the squash plants keep hungry “critters” at bay and away from the squash’s larger “sisters.” On top of this, squash contains a lot of different vitamins and minerals, making it the third, vital part of any diet.

In order to plant a successful three sisters’ garden, you need to follow a specific set of directions. Otherwise, the plants will not work in harmony.

1) Start with several mounds of soil. They should be around 18 inches high and 24 inches across.

2) Plant the corn first. Place 4 or 5 kernels in the center of each mound.

3) When the corn is 5 to 6 inches high, plant the pole beans. They should be placed in a circle 6 inches away from the corn and around the new corn stalks; you need to plant 7 or 8 of the bean seeds.

4) One week after planting the beans, plant the squash. (You can also plant pumpkin seeds; the choice is yours.) The 7 or 8 squash seeds go in a ring around the beans, about 12 inches away from them, and at the very edge of the mound.

5) As the plants grow, remove any of them that seem weaker, leaving only the stronger ones to thrive. You may have to manually twist some of the bean plants around the corn stalks, to ensure that they are growing where they are supposed to.

Pic by net_efekt.

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Okay, Mario … here is a question for you.  It is easy as pie to go out and find all the information in the world you could ever want about building a raised bed and growing veggies in them.  I have resources coming out my ears on raised beds, but what if you don’t/can’t have raised beds? Not everyone has them (or wants them) and for what ever reason they cannot build any … at least, not this year.

So here are my questions:

a) Are there any advantages to not doing raised beds and how can those advantages be exploited?

b) What are the disadvantages and how can they be contained, controlled, or eliminated without installing raised beds?

c) How does one best approach plot planning such a space while still leaving enough room to move around when the plants get crazy huge in late summer?

Nobody ever talks about what to do if raised bed are NOT an option! Please address this for me.

Thanks.
 
Jo

Jo, Thank you so much for your question! Here’s your answer:

Raised gardening beds are the trend du jour. They have many advantages, but no one really seems to go into depth on their disadvantages, not to mention on what the options are if you do not have the space or the money to put in a raised bed.

The main advantages of a raised gardening bed are drainage and soil warmth. The latter can easily be dealt with by not planting crops too early or too late in the season. Sure, this cuts down on your growing season, but this is the best way to work around the issue. As for the other, the reason as to why a raised bed drains faster is because the soil in it is artificially built up and is therefore looser. To solve this problem with a traditional in-ground garden, make sure to till the soil very well before planting. Otherwise, it will be very compact and will drain slower, not mention be tougher to plant crops in.

With that said, there are several disadvantages to switching your garden over to a raised-bed format:

- They are very, very inflexible. If you do not plan your raised bed garden well, then you might be out of luck. Once all of your crops have been planted in one of these types of gardens, you will have a hard time rearranging them without killing them and having to start from scratch. This is because a raised bed garden has a limited amount of space. With a traditional, in-ground garden, if you need more room, then you can dig up another space – that is, unless you have already maximized the space in your back yard.

- Crops tend to get crowded in together, which inhibits their growth. You cannot control the way that your plants grow, so when you have a bunch of different ones in a small area, they will grow into each other. This can result in one type of vegetables getting choked out by a larger one, plants with rotten roots from being forced to grow too close together and preventing natural soil drainage, and even plants clogging your walkways. With a regular backyard garden, ideally you will have enough space to let all of your crops breathe.

- They are expensive to build. This is one of the main reasons why people do not put in a raised bed garden. You have to buy the wooden sides, the stakes to hold them in the ground, the nails to hold them together, the string to delineate your garden sections, and, last but certainly not least, the soil. Many people forget about that last part until the raised bed is built, and then they realize that they need soil to fill in the garden. A traditional in-ground garden is much cheaper, because you are utilizing what you already have.

One thing that raised beds do handle well is the footpath issue. You need enough space to be able to walk around your garden and access all of the beds in order to weed, care and harvest your plants without being forced to stomp on others. With a traditional garden, you have to be a bit more creative. While it is impossible to build a footpath-less garden, you can make your footpath do double-duty. Take a series of pots (your choice of sizes) and plant herbs and vegetables in them. Crops like carrots, lettuce, radishes and even peppers can be grown in a series of pots. Place the pots on your footpath, and simply lift them out of the way when necessary. This allows you an easy way to access your crops that are in the ground, while not wasting any space at the same time.

Well, there you go, Jo! I hope this answered your questions. I look forward to your comments and more questions. Please don’t forget to share this article with your friends.

Pic by Moncton Gardener.

Do you want to eliminate your fresh food bill?

If you’ve ever wanted to be self sufficient and grow your own food, then I highly recommend that you check out the Food4Wealth system for growing quality food without all the problems.

The Food4Wealth system can help you build a sustainable garden that regenerates all by itself. Click here to see if it is right for you.

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In order to prevent your harvested fruits and vegetables from going bad, you have several options. You can pickle them, can them, or turn them into jams, jellies and fruit butters, as we have already discussed. These methods work very well with fragile fruits and vegetables like green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, among others. However, even your home canned crops have to be properly stored. The ones whose lids did not quite seal properly in the canning process (i.e. those whose lids have “popped”) have to be refrigerated and eaten first. The ones that were canned successfully need to be kept in a cool, dry place, like a basement.

Back before every house had a refrigerator to keep items cool, certain foods were bought in bulk and stored in the basement, more specifically, a winter cellar. This winter cellar was a room or designated space where vegetables like squash, onions and potatoes were stored to keep them cool and prevent them from going bad. Of course, these winter cellars had dirt floors, but were properly outfitted with shelves and spaces to store dried and preserved meats, as well as canned vegetables.

You can create your own winter cellar (without the dirt floors, of course, unless you truly want yours to be authentic) in your basement. Simply set aside a corner (make sure that it is as far away from your furnace, water heater and washer and dryer as possible to keep the space cold), or build a makeshift room with some plywood walls. Line the walls with bookshelves to keep your home canned goods, insert a few hooks in the ceiling to hang burlap bags or multi-tiered premade kitchen food “hangers” on, and line the floor with baskets and paper bags.

What can be stored in your winter cellar? Besides your canned goods, vegetables that can be kept all winter long if the conditions are right include potatoes, onions, turnips, rutabagas, carrots, parsnips, squash and pumpkins — basically, with the exception of the squash and pumpkins, really any root vegetables. Apples, nuts and dried herbs can also be stored in a cellar as well; just make sure to keep your apples are far away from the vegetables as possible, as the gas that apples emit can make vegetables rot pretty quickly.

A few words of warning: Do not just toss your root vegetables into the baskets randomly. Make sure that you check each potato, onion, etc, very well for signs of rot before storing it with the others. Any that seem to be too soft or have visible signs of rotting should not be stored, as they will make the others in the basket or bin go bad.

Pic by neonbubble.

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There are many ways to get your indoor garden started, including purchasing seedlings from your local garden center (which speeds up the process a bit and prevent you having to start them from seeds) and purchasing a pre-made kit that comes complete with pots, plants and soil. No matter which way you choose to go about starting your indoor garden, you still need to follow these four steps to ensure that your plants are successful.

1) Drainage is very important. It does not matter what your pots are made from – they can be clay, plastic or even metal (aluminum) containers. However, they need to have drainage holes in the bottoms, and many smaller holes are far better than one large one. Otherwise, your plants’ roots may become waterlogged. This leads to root-rot, which kills the plants. Make sure that excess water can drain out of each pot, and that the drained water does not “sit” underneath each plant, as this can become troublesome.

2) Choose the right size pot. Not only do your plants need to be in pots with proper drainage, but they also need to be in the right sized ones. Before choosing which ones to use, consider both the diameter and depth. Larger plants like tomatoes and corn (and yes, you can grow corn indoors!) have bigger root systems and will need a large, wide pot that is around 24 inches deep. You can get away with small, shallow ones for plants like herbs, lettuce and radishes. Medium sized plants, like peppers, need a pot that is around 16 inches deep and 18 inches in diameter.

3) Make sure that your plants get enough light. Since you are growing your plants indoors, they may not have access to the natural light that they need. Placing them in a window or sun room, if possible, will work somewhat, but electronic indoor grow lights are a better replacement for natural sunlight. If you are unsure how much light your plants need, take a close look at the growing instructions on the seed packaging or small cards that came with your seedlings. They will have the specific information that you need.

4) Fertilize your plants. Since the soil that you use indoors is slightly different than the soil outdoors, this, combined with the lack of natural sunlight will lead to your plants not getting all of the nutrients that they need. You can make up for this lack of nutrients with a good fertilizer. There are organic fertilizers, as well as chemical and water soluble ones that are designed specifically for indoor vegetable gardens. Each contains the necessary nutrients, and using one will help you produce healthier plants, which in turn means for vegetables for you to enjoy!

Pic by www.metaphoricalplatypus.com.

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Before you start buying supplies and figuring out which of your leftover fruits and vegetables you want to preserve by pickling, take a quick look at these five very different methods:

1) Fermented Pickles – These are what everyone thinks of when they hear the word “pickles.” After processing the cucumbers (they can be sliced any number of ways or even left whole if small enough to fit in your jars) assemble your spices, can them, and then let them ferment for several weeks.

2) Fruit Pickles – Made from things like peaches and apples that have been sliced and simmered in a spicy cider vinegar and clove solution, these fruits take on a flavor that is similar to pie filling, only not as sweet. If you have a lot of fruit trees in your yard and have tired of making jellies and jam, these are an excellent alternative.

3) Fresh Pack Pickles – Bread and butter pickles are the most common example of fresh pack pickles. Unlike fermented pickles that have to sit for weeks, these only need to be immersed in the pickling fluid for a few hours. After they are canned and properly sealed, they can be eaten immediately.

4) Refrigerated Dills – These are great for people who are impatient, or those who want to eat their pickled cucumbers (or any other vegetables) practically right away. The method for making them falls somewhere in between fresh pack pickles and fermented pickles; after the pickling solution is made, the cucumbers are placed in jar, the fluid is poured over them, and the jars are properly sealed. Instead of putting them aside for almost a month, as you would the fermented pickles, simply place them in the refrigerator and wait for 24 hours before digging in.

5) Relishes – To make relish simply chop up vegetables, usually cucumbers, into very tiny bits before cooking them in a spicy vinegar-based “broth.” Once they have reached the consistency and taste levels that you desire, can them in a water canner as you would jam or jelly.

So, what can be pickled? The list is fairly long. Besides the aforementioned apple, peaches, beets, cucumbers and green beans; zucchini, peppers, onions, carrots, mushrooms, cherries, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, asparagus and cabbage can all be pickled. On top of this, there are no rules stating that only one kind of vegetable or fruit can be added to a single batch, so feel free to experiment with combinations, for example, you can place carrots, onions and cucumbers all in one jar.

Once you pickle your vegetables, as long as they are stored in a cool, dry place, they will stay good for up to four months, making this as excellent method of preservation!

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1) Clean up your garden. Removing weeds, the remnants of annual plants and non-hardy plant bulbs from the ground is just the beginning. Pick up dead leaves from your trees that have fallen into the garden, along with any other debris that might have found its way there. Then spread out a layer of mulch on the ground around the bases of any shrubs or trees in order help them survive the cold temperatures.

2) Water your garden.  Before the ground freezes (but after you have spread out your layer of mulch) water the ground surrounding any shrubs, trees or perennials that are being left in the ground for the winter. This gives them a good dose of moisture that will prevent them from drying out too much once the weather turns frosty.

3) Winterize all of your trees, shrubs and perennials. Wrap the trunks of your trees and bases of your shrubs with burlap in order to insulate them from the cold and keep them from getting wind-burnt. Remove any dead branches from your trees, and prune them back into the shapes that you desire, but make sure not to do so too early in the fall – wait until just before the first snowfall to be on the safe side. Cut back your perennials until they are about 7 or 8 inches long in order to save yourself from having to trim them in the spring, when you’ll have enough to do.

4) Clean and store your gardening tools. Wash each of them thoroughly, and dry them with a soft towel. Sharpen any points that are no longer sharp from use, repair any broken handles, and make a list of tools that need to be replaced. Coil up your hose, making sure that there is no more water inside of it, and then store it, and all of your other tools, in a cool, dry place, like a basement, garage or storage shed.

5) Plan next years’ garden. This is the time to dream. Figure out which fruits and vegetables that you’d like to plant and order seeds for them. You’ll have to start growing seedlings in your basement or kitchen soon enough. You can also plan out which flower beds you’d like to rearrange, and which flowers you’d like to plant in them.

6) Grow plants indoors! Many vegetables, for example cherry tomatoes, sprouts, leaf lettuce, most herbs and green and red peppers can be grown in containers indoors during the winter, providing you with fresh vegetables year-round. However, make sure to place them in a room that receives plenty of natural sunlight, or use a grow light, otherwise the tomatoes and peppers will not grow properly.

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A CSA, short for Community Supported (or Shared) Agriculture, is a share in a local farmers’ vegetable crop. Some CSAs don’t require you to do any work in order to join, but others will want you to spend a certain number of hours a month helping the farmer by pulling weeds, picking vegetables or sorting them into baskets. There is a fee involved that can range anywhere from as little as $250 to as high as $600 for the duration of the growing season. It may sound high, but once you consider the fact that the standard CSA plan runs between 12 and 20 weeks, depending on your location in the country, the cost seems much more reasonable.

You get to choose the local farm that you want to go with, and, usually, can choose between either a full-share, which will feed between four to six people, or a half-share, designed for around 2 people. Some farms will include fruit in their shares, while others have strictly vegetables. Again, the choice is yours and you can go with the farm whose crops suit your needs.

Joining a CSA won’t make you less self-sufficient, since you’ll still have to cook your meals from scratch, and you’ll be doing plenty of home canning and pickling of the fruits and vegetables that you’ll receive. Although you may not receive a whole lot of produce during the first few weeks, by the end of the growing season, you could end up with several pounds worth of as many as 8 or 9 different types of vegetables. On top of that, since many farms diversify, you may have the chance to purchase some of their other goods at a discount. For example, you may be able to purchase your chosen farms’ fresh eggs, meat from their heritage chickens or pigs, or even cheese and milk made from their cows or goats.

There is a bit of risk involved. Since you’re purchasing your share in the early springtime, before the planting and growing season has even begun, you may find later on in the year that the farm has been at the mercy of the same weather that desiccated your garden. If, for some reason, their crops fail, you will not receive the amount of vegetables or fruits that you hoped for. However, keep in mind that you are supporting local agriculture and are helping to keep a small farm going that is probably not receiving government subsidies. So, you are not only keeping yourself self-sufficient, but you are helping them remain that way, as well.

Pic by AndyRobertsPhoto.

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1) Chickens make great, low-maintenance pets. Chickens are very easy to take care of. They need a coop to nest in, and a yard to roam in. If you are worried about predators getting in and harming your chickens, then you can build a large fence around the coop, as long as they have enough space to wander about freely. You’ll need to provide them with adequate food and water, and clean their coop once a week, but other than that, you can sit back and relax.

2) You’ll be able to enjoy fresh eggs without having to pay for them at a local farmers market. Plus, you’ll have a ready supply of fresh chicken meat as well, depending on the breed of your chickens. The cost of a dozen fresh eggs from a local farm can be over $6.00, depending on the breed of chicken and your location. Because of this, it’s much cheaper to harvest eggs from your backyard on a daily basis. Once your supply grows too large, you can barter with your neighbors and trade eggs for items that you need. Or sell the eggs yourself.

3) You have full control over how the chickens are raised and what they’re fed. Commercial chicken farms are notorious for keeping their chickens in small cages, clipping off parts of their beaks to prevent them from gouging each other in such close quarters, and are fed hormone-laced chicken feed to make them lay more eggs. When you grow your own chickens, there are no questions about how they are treated – since you are the one keeping them cage free and feeding them proper food.

4) A chicken population is self-sustaining, as long as you have a rooster. Once you buy several chickens and a rooster, they will take things into their own hands, so to speak. Check the eggs using the candling method to see which ones are fertilized. Set a few of these into an incubator every so often and chicks will hatch, keeping your chicken population growing. Of course, all of this is under your control, so make sure not to grow your flock too large if you have a smaller yard.

5) They make fertilizer for your garden. The waste left behind from the chickens can be repurposed as natural, organic fertilizer for your yard and your neighbors, since it is high in nitrogen. Make sure to let it break down into compost for a few months before using it in your garden to keep it from harming your plants. The best part is that chickens can be fed a mix of commercial (hormone free) chicken feed and leftover food scraps from your kitchen, thus completing the cycle.

Pick by Martin de Witte.

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Cottage cheese is one of the easiest to make, so cheese-making beginners should start off with it. All that you need is full cream milk (again, one that has not been ultra-pasteurized), citric acid in the form of lemon or lime juice, warm water, a muslin cloth, a glass cup, a cooking pan and a spoon to stir the mixture with.

Start off by combining one half of a teaspoon of the citric acid of your choice with one half of a cup of water in a glass. Stir well until the citric acid has been fully dissolved, then set it aside for now. Pour 33 ounces of milk into the pan and place it on the stove. Turn the burner on high, and wait for the milk to boil.

Once it does, pour the citric acid and water combination into the milk, and then stir. Turn the heat down, and keep stirring until the milk is fully curdled (i.e. begins to solidify and separate into two distinct parts – liquid and solid.) Turn the burner off and remove the pan from it. Place the muslin cloth over the top of the pan and drain it. The chunky bits of cheese will be caught by the cloth, while the liquid (also called the “whey”) will run out of the pan.

After the whey has been poured out, pour water over the cheese (still attached to the muslin) for several minutes to rinse it. Squeeze the cheese gently to make sure that all of the liquids have been removed. Slice your new cottage cheese into pieces, or use it however you want.

Once you have mastered cottage cheese, then it is time to attempt several types of cheese that are slightly more complicated. Ricotta and Mozzarella all require a few more kitchen tools and additional steps to make, while the process for making Mascarpone is almost as simple as that for cottage cheese.

The main difference lies in not only the equipment, for example, in order to make Ricotta cheese, you also need a colander, a thermometer and several other things, but also the type of milk or cream that is used. Mascarpone requires heavy cream, while Mozzarella can be made out of standard milk (again, as long as it is not ultra-pasteurized.)

With a little practice, as well as the right ingredients, you will have mastered these cheeses and others, making yourself that much more self-sufficient.

Pic by Pot Noodle.

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1) Tomatoes – No matter where in the continental United States you are, there is a type of tomato that will thrive in your garden. From the heirloom varieties to the classic beefsteak tomatoes, you will have plenty of shapes, sizes and colors of this vegetable (although technically a fruit) to pick from for your garden. Don’t leave out the tiny cherry or grape tomatoes either, as they can be eaten in salads or added to a shish kabob. You can also add tomatoes to many meals, make sauces out of them, or turn them into soup.

2) Lettuce – Like tomatoes, there are numerous types of lettuce, and you will be able to find at least one kind to plant. There are “head” lettuces, like iceberg, and “leaf” lettuces like romaine, plus “hybrid” varieties like summercrisp, which fall somewhere in between the “head” and “leaf” types of lettuce. This versatile vegetable can be added to tacos, used to top off a freshly barbecued cheeseburger, and become the base of a fresh garden salad.

3) Squash – There are several different types of squash, all of which are divided into one of two categories: summer or winter. Summer squashes, like zucchini and pattypan,  will grow anywhere in the United States, but some winter squashes, like butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash are pickier. Pumpkins are considered a winter squash, but they will grow throughout the country. Depending on the variety, squash can be sliced up and grilled, made into breads or pies, and even sliced and substituted for pasta noodles.

4) Cabbage – Another fairly versatile vegetable is the cabbage. There are several different types to choose from; including red, white, green and Savoy, and all can be served in different ways. Cabbage can be sliced up and made into sauerkraut, wrapped around ground beef and topped with tomato sauce to make stuffed cabbage, or simply shredded and tossed into a salad.

5) Peppers – Although different types thrive in different areas of the country (i.e. hot peppers prefer warmer weather while sweet peppers like the cooler north and Midwest) you will be able to grow at least one variety of pepper in your yard no matter where you live. Sweet peppers can be used in everything from salad to stuffed pepper (also known as Spanish rice) and hot peppers work well in tacos, salsas and even make a great pizza topping.

Pic by Public Domain Photos.

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