# Ideas for next year's crop



## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

Most opinions and professional forcasts seem to indicate a dry winter and more drought next year. Hope that's not the case, but was thinking maybe I should plan some different things for the garden. I know sweet potatoes and tomatoes will do well up here during dry and hot conditions, but what are some other veggies that generally do well in the heat and don't need lots of watering? Do all root veggies do well? I was thinking of trying Kohlrabi (sp?). Have no idea what to do with ocra, but most people that have had it say it's pretty good. Any others I should try?


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Hey Daisy, Okra and Black-Eye-Peas do well in the dry heat! Many of verities of squash do well also. 

If you can get an early start, lots of spring stuff will do well before it gets hot. I'm going to plant beets and dill in a week or so, they will survive the cold(here) and creep through the winter, then take off in spring when it warms enough for them. Thats one way to get a jump on the dry and heat. Chard can do the same way, I had chard all last winter.


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## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

yeah.... I kinda don't even kow what chard is let alone what to do with it. I've learned that if I don't know what to do with or if I don't like something, it's a waste of time and energy to plant it cause I'll end up ignoring it and let it go to waste. I wish I could try okra first before I plant to see if I like it. Was thinking I'd like to also have lots of beans. Would like to try kidney beans and maybe another in addition to green beans. I am going to be plowing up an addition section of yard next spring to expand my growing area so I should have more room for those viney things. 
This year I used grey water for the garden and everything seemed to do well with it. I'm assuming that with more dry weather ahead it will be a MUST to use our shower water.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

:hmmm: next year's idea... IRRIGATION! :2thumb:

seriously, how much acreage are you planting?


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

the easiest way for okra is to put it in tomato sauce. here in the south it is put in gumbo which is a soup made with what ever meat is available. the gumbo always starts with "first you make a roux" . that is flour and butter browned to a coffee with cream color. add seasonings, garlic celery, onions, brown your meat, fry off the okra that you sliced, add water, and some will add a small can of tomatoes. when I do gumbo I add about 5 lbs of okra to about 3-4 quarts of soup.
okra must be picked young or it get TUFF and stringy. pick it when it is about the size of your littl finger not much bigger than your index.


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## brightstar (Apr 24, 2012)

Fried okra! I've got some in the freezer plain too for gumbo and stews. It's a staple around here in the mountains.


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

At this time I have no ides what I will be growing next year. What I do know is that I will be building raised garden beds for next year. They will be 4' by 8' and 36" off the ground. (getting to old to be working at ground level anymore). I use the square foot method of gardening. With the chance of the drought continuing into next year the savings on the watering is worth it.

This year, we were trying to keep the yard watered from our 2 wells and the electric bill was more then $100 more then normal, About halve way throw the season we decided to stop watering and let the lawn burn.

I have been doing square foot gardening now for the last 2 years. Before that I had standard gardens that were 50' by 100', plants in rows type of method. Watering was a problem trying to get even coverage. The harvests were good some years and bad others.

The square foot method, for 2 years now has delivered twice the production from the old method from just 200 square feet of garden surface inside a fenced garden area of just 20' by 30'. Watering has been quick and easy, 10 mins in the morning and 10 mins in the afternoon.

Next year I will be using drip hose laid on the soil and add a timed controller to water the total garden 3 or 4 times a day.


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## VUnder (Sep 1, 2011)

Tweto said:


> At this time I have no ides what I will be growing next year. What I do know is that I will be building raised garden beds for next year. They will be 4' by 8' and 36" off the ground. (getting to old to be working at ground level anymore). I use the square foot method of gardening. With the chance of the drought continuing into next year the savings on the watering is worth it.
> 
> This year, we were trying to keep the yard watered from our 2 wells and the electric bill was more then $100 more then normal, About halve way throw the season we decided to stop watering and let the lawn burn.
> 
> ...


Now I know what to do with all these old cross ties and used tractor tires I have around here. I have been wanting to do this for a while, should I put plastic between the original ground and my raised bed dirt?


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## Startingout-Blair (Aug 28, 2012)

I just read about Square Foot gardening and I am looking to start it this spring. I, too, can't get down to week and square foot gardening seems to provide better results to old fashioned line gardening.


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## emilnon (May 8, 2012)

lazydaisy67 said:


> yeah.... I kinda don't even kow what chard is let alone what to do with it. I've learned that if I don't know what to do with or if I don't like something, it's a waste of time and energy to plant it cause I'll end up ignoring it and let it go to waste. I wish I could try okra first before I plant to see if I like it. Was thinking I'd like to also have lots of beans. Would like to try kidney beans and maybe another in addition to green beans. I am going to be plowing up an addition section of yard next spring to expand my growing area so I should have more room for those viney things.
> This year I used grey water for the garden and everything seemed to do well with it. I'm assuming that with more dry weather ahead it will be a MUST to use our shower water.


I am from Texas- and I loooove okra! It gets kinds mushy and slimy when you cook it. My favorite ways to have it are fried (in cornmeal) and in vegetable soups. I suggest buying a bag of frozen okra and experiment with it. It's an acquired taste - you either love it or hate it! And yes, I am planting okra this spring- ordered the heirloom seeds this week


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

VUnder said:


> Now I know what to do with all these old cross ties and used tractor tires I have around here. I have been wanting to do this for a while, should I put plastic between the original ground and my raised bed dirt?


For the last 2 years I have just made 4' by 8' frames out of cedar and then laid them on tilled level ground and then filled them with lose soil and some bags of garden soil from Lowes. I did not put any plastic down between the bed and the ground soil.

Next year, the raised bed will be completely off the ground by 3'. I have to do research on how deep the soil in the bed needs to be.

I purchased the book on square foot gardening from Amazon. I have it in my shed that about 100 yards away. If if get to the shed and get the book I will post the info. The book says what crops to grow with other crops that work together to limit disease and bug infestation. I have to say that so far it has worked. Of all the plants I had this year, I had very little damage from bugs.


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## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

Well I'm game on trying okra. I could bread and deep fat fry grass clippings and my kids would probably eat it if I served it with Ranch, lol. I just don't want to take up a lot of space trying new things if it turns out nobody will eat them.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

When the okra produces, keep the tender pods cut off daily or every other day when they get large enough and it will keep producing. I like to slice and fry larger pods and pickle the slender or smaller ones... mainly because they fit in the small jars better. Larger, 'woody' pods that you leave on the stalk longer are not good for cooking IMO, and I let them go to seed for the next year.
You can get alot of okra from just a handful of stalks.


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## Homegrowngirl (Apr 19, 2011)

I never know what I will be planting the next year, I try and focus on more root vegtables since our growing season seems to vary every year. I do plan on putting in a nice asparagus patch this fall if they get here before I can't find the garden under the snow. Also I am going to put in some blackberries and plant some more fruit and nut trees.


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## oif_ghost_tod (Sep 25, 2012)

The_Blob said:


> :hmmm: next year's idea... IRRIGATION!


Same exact thing here, someone should start a new thread for irrigation tips. I could use some ideas...


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## mamacita (Aug 17, 2011)

I get emerald okra from the farmers market. The pods can be six inches long, yet not woody.

My kids love fried okra, but I seldom have the time to make it. The quickest preparation I've found (other than tossing a handful of slices into vegetable soup) is to roast it. I remove the stems, lay them on a cookie sheet, and season with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400 for about 15 minutes until soft.

If you decide to grow okra, be diligent about cutting off the pods often. They practically grow before your eyes. If you have some you need to cut, but don't want to cook them, you can easily freeze the pods. Just lay them out in the freezer, and drop into a ziploc once they're frozen. There's no need to blanch them first.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

Roasted sounds good! We do the same to fresh garden green beans, will have to try okra!


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## mamacita (Aug 17, 2011)

I'll have to try it with green beans!


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

you can also pickle okra.


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## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

Irrigation was a concern, but I just didn't drain the tub and used that water in the garden. It's a huge pain in the patoot to bail it out and tote it outside, but we were SO afraid the well would dry up that I just did it anyway. We also switched to paper products to help cut down on dish washing and I actually ENCOURAGED my kids to wear their clothes for several days in a row. If we don't get a few really deep snow storms this winter it will be the same next year. Even with a few good ones we may just break even, no get ahead. I never thought I'd be saying this, but I am praying for snow.


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## dirtgrrl (Jun 5, 2011)

VUnder said:


> Now I know what to do with all these old cross ties and used tractor tires I have around here. I have been wanting to do this for a while, should I put plastic between the original ground and my raised bed dirt?


Put plastic between your container and your raised bed dirt. You do not want any nasty stuff leaching from the tires or treated wood. Untreated wood is fine unless it's walnut. Don't lay plastic between your bed and the ground. Your plants will appreciate the extra depth, especially if you dig up another few inches beneath to eliminate any compaction and help drainage.


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