[cowgirlup]

This summer I started looking for ways to grow more edibles at our place.
The challenge is that we have a narrow lot in between two hills.
Not a whole lot of sun or areas that are not full of granite. So, we have some limitations.

Here's what I did so far:
Built an asparagus bed and got some asparagus started. I have more on the way later this month. I'll try to take a picture later and add it.

Started swiss chard on top of the septic tank and hope it will come back next year. I also have some I may try to pot and move inside for a while after it gets cold.

Planted some wintergreen on a wooded slope by the driveway. Hoping it will spread.

Planted some cranberry plants in a semi wetland area acorss the brook. Also hoping it will spread.

Got some jerusalme artichokes at a farm stand and will divide and plant them in a few places to see where it does best.

Got an apple tree for $7.50!!! The local plant store had them for $30 but every October the have almost everything there for 75% off. If the planting goes well I may go back for another one in a different variety.

Found a blueberry bush. Cleaned out the brush around it. I also saw a small one up the hill and I may go dig it up and move it down next to the larger one I found.

Found a stand of blackberries and am cleaning out the weeds and brush from them.

Transplanted some mullein that I found up on a hill.

Ordered a pawpaw tree and am hoping I get a good one. It should arrive with the new asparagus crowns.


I will have all winter to plan what to add next year! I wanted a hickory tree or two or some black walnuts but they were $$$ and take a while to mature. So that may have to wait.

[crashdive123]

Sounds like it'll be a yard that provides lots of good food. Nice.

[vthompson]

Cowgirlup, I spent the summer doing what you did. I planted different edible wild plants on my property and hope to start enjoying them next spring and summer.

[Celticwarrior]

I do edible landscaping both on my homestead and on the hunting tract that I own. Always nice to have a backup, and it provides goodies for the critters there and keep them coming back. Nice to have good food that you didn't have to expend a lot of time and resources on like you do a traditional garden. Those extra foodstuffs may be the difference between eating and starving in rougher times.

[lpm67]

I dont know much about your climate where you are but have you considered avocado...for the fruit but also for oil?

[cowgirlup]

I love avacados but I don't think they would make it. I'll have to look into it just in case there is some hardy cold resistent variety. But I haven't heard of anyone growing them in the northeast US.

[TaintRight]

I have fig and apple trees around the yard. Plus different herbs I use everyday. That's pretty obvious even to the untrained observer.

But what's less obvious are a variety of root vegetables growing along the borders of my flower beds and along the tree line. To the untrained eye a turnip or any of the different kinds of potatoes look just like a weed. And that's the idea.

When everybody gets hungry, I'll go "dig up a weed" . And nobody living nearby is the wiser. This assumes of course the season is right.

[pocomoonskyeyes]

CGU have you considered container gardening so you can bring some inside? Maybe a good idea if you have some that can be containerized and are not so Cold tolerant for your region. Outside on the porch or patio in nice weather, inside in inclement weather.Might even increase your "Harvest" some.

[Camdor]

The indoor gardens are fun.

Another thing y'all can do is to create your own greenhouse.

I found some plans and instructions, complete with materials list and tools list, HERE

It's a half-dome shape which has more internal area for growing than something like an A-Frame and it takes less than an hour to construct.

Built from PVC and visqueen, it also looks like it can be broken down easily and compacted if you were to spend some extra time and section out and then thread the PVC piping in, similar to a pool cue.

This could be a really fun and very useful project and, if the idea of sectioning and threading the piping DOES actually work (it was an idea off the top of my head), you could add a scaled down version to a larger Bug out kit.

[cowgirlup]

Originally Posted by pocomoonskyeyes

CGU have you considered container gardening so you can bring some inside? Maybe a good idea if you have some that can be containerized and are not so Cold tolerant for your region. Outside on the porch or patio in nice weather, inside in inclement weather.Might even increase your "Harvest" some.

I have thought of that. I am bringing some of the swiss chard in to see how it does. Also most of the herbs. The problem is we only have 2 small windows that get enough sunlight. And one east window that gets an OK amount.