Comments on: Becoming Self Reliant April Update

By: DealerShadow

DealerShadow — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 09:35:27 +0000

By: Christy F

Christy F — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:26:16 +0000

WOW! I have never heard of the “three sisters” I am going to try that next year since I already have it going the way it is. Very cool. Thanks!

By: Tammie Haley

Tammie Haley — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:15:13 +0000

Hi Christy! Sounds like you are doing a great job yourself. As for the corn…I create starts inside in somewhat large containers because corn doesn’t really like their roots disturbed after planting (long root system for the tap root.) As of today the corn is 6 inches tall. I also prewarm the ground they’re are going into by warming with clear plastic or old windows to capture the heat. Then we plant the corn in the sunniest place of the yard in square patterns (not rows) of corn. Next to the corn plants we also plant beans (seed) and winter squash (starts). This way we make the most of our space. (It is called “THE THREE SISTERS”.) The beans grow up the corn stalk, and the squash grow in the shade of the corn on the ground keeping down the weeds.

The trees can take some years to produce. If you start with a whip, then at least 3 years until the first fruit. The best thing to do the first 1-3 years is take off the blooms so they don’t produce fruit. This will make the tree grow stronger with a better root system. Make sure you have the correct companion trees to allow for pollunation. Check to see if you have any bee activity as well. Right now we are too cold to have honey bees at my house, but some of the bumblebees and the miner bees are trying to do their jobs between rainstorms.
Best wishes on a great garden this year.

By: Christy F

Christy F — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:48:23 +0000

I got my garden planted the other day before we were hit with all this rain. I like to use starts because I feel less likely to over plant. I find there are some things that aren’t worth my time. As much as I love corn, I feel like when garden space is a premium, things like corn and broccoli don’t yield enough for me to warrant using my garden space for it. We have a great farm stand in Buckley that is not much further than my Safeway that I buy a lot of my corn from, especially when it’s 10/$1. I like to use my garden space for lettuce, tomato, radish, green beans (I plant a lot of these because the kids eat them right from the garden), zukes, and this year we are trying eggplant because my preschooler thought it would be funny (he will soon find out it doesn’t grow eggs!) We are also going to plant raspberries since I do a lot of raspberry jam so I don’t have to spend a lot at Spooners or Maris Farms buying a bunch flats. I love my garden and though I don’t consider myself an expert by any means, I enjoy learning a little every year of do’s and don’ts! Good luck!

By: Christy

Christy — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:59:08 +0000

@Tammie Wow! You’re my idol!! How do you do growing corn? My husband really wants to try to grow some this year, but I am not sure how it will do.

We too have some fruit trees, but haven’t really seen any results yet, I am looking forward to the day when we do.

Thanks for sharing, you’ve inspired me!

By: Tammie Haley

Tammie Haley — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:16:15 +0000

I have a garden every year since moving out from my parent’s home 25 years ago. It was my first year of college that I started to eat the food prepared by others and bought at the store. That is when I went back to gardening even though I thought it was tiring and boring. The food tastes soooo much better fresh from the garden. Every house I move to I put in small dwarf fruit trees and a veggie garden. Then we move 5 years later. I hope those other homeowners love my work. This if the first house that we’ve lived in long enough to really get a good crop of apples, plums, and pears. I’m really looking forward to it. So far in the garden we’ve harvested lettuce, kale, mustard, chard and winterover carrots. The rhubarb just got picked yesterday. Looking forward to rhubarb crisp! The herbs have been growing fantastically. Making all kinds of flavored oils and vinegars. The violets and other spring time flowers are starting to be made into herbal bath salts and lotions. Some of the raspberry, mint, strawberry and current leaves are being dried to make herbal teas. Just ready to start thinking about planting all the tomato, squash, cucumber, and corn starts out into the garden as well. In a few more weeks we will start harvesting the peas. It is amazing what a 100X100 sized lot with a house will provide. Hope you have great sucess with your garden. Here is to being self reliant!