Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

MiHale

(13,317 posts)
5. We always have grown potatoes...
Wed Mar 25, 2026, 07:58 AM
Mar 2026

They are a garden staple. Last couple years the squash bug problem has hindered our butternut squash production so we’re going sweet potatoes…it’s been a few years since we’ve grown them. Our stock was getting low anyway. I dehydrate approximately 60% of our crops each year, it’s the best way for us to preserve food for future use. I can our tomatoes along with dehydrating them.
We grow in the ground, in grow bags, in straw bales outside…in the greenhouse it’s all grow bags, from 20 gallon to 3 gallon.
Our outside gardens include 2 Raspberry patches (free form) a 25 x 4 strawberry bed, 4 straw bales plus an extra bed made from compost and old straw bales.
The outside fenced garden has 4 raised beds of various sizes…the two biggest are 4 x 5 x 3 …for carrots, onions, green beans, spinach, radishes.
A 20 x 3 bed for roma tomatoes. Then ‘floater’ beds for different veggies that we experiment with. Peas, zucchini, summer squash.
Greenhouse is mostly cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, various peppers from green to habanero.

Every pound of food that we grow is on less pound we have to buy.

Most all our veggies are from seeds that we save…we practice soil remediation by mostly natural means supplementing when necessary. We grow Comfrey for fertilizer and compost all green matter. Last year we grew one of the largest harvests we’ve had in a while holding costs down to less than 150 dollars invested, mainly to replace bags and get some different strains of seeds.

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Ty for sharing! SheltieLover Mar 2026 #1
YW... MiHale Mar 2026 #2
Both ways work Keepthesoulalive Mar 2026 #3
Coulda been the way we did it... MiHale Mar 2026 #6
I had to figure out what I did last year. Keepthesoulalive Mar 2026 #9
I saw a video last year... Trueblue Texan Mar 2026 #4
We always have grown potatoes... MiHale Mar 2026 #5
I loved reading about your garden! Trueblue Texan Mar 2026 #7
The dehydrated veggies are used... MiHale Mar 2026 #8
What cannabis strain are you growing? Emile Mar 2026 #10
Cannabis grow is a sustainability grow... MiHale Mar 2026 #11
Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Gardening»Fun time with indoor gard...»Reply #5