Comments on: Raising Succulent Veggies in Harsh Climates http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/raising-succulent-veggies-in-harsh-climates/ Featuring Vegetable Gardening Tips, Organic Growing Techniques, and Unique Plants for the Backyard Gardener Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:33:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: albert http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/raising-succulent-veggies-in-harsh-climates/#comment-163628 albert Fri, 06 May 2011 20:06:39 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=2245#comment-163628 I would also like to add that we had a spectacular harvest of white potatoes this year, our first attempt. In So. California we have the Mediterranean environment, and it seems to make a big difference which plants like to be " dry farmed ", like onions and rosemary, meaning they get enough water from the soil itself that they do not care to be soaked. We watered the potatoes about once a week. I would also like to add that we had a spectacular harvest of white potatoes this year, our first attempt. In So. California we have the Mediterranean environment, and it seems to make a big difference which plants like to be ” dry farmed “, like onions and rosemary, meaning they get enough water from the soil itself that they do not care to be soaked.
We watered the potatoes about once a week.

]]> By: albert http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/raising-succulent-veggies-in-harsh-climates/#comment-163627 albert Fri, 06 May 2011 20:02:35 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=2245#comment-163627 Wow Faith. You really got me thinking. I hear what you are saying and must confess I will stay with our raised food beds as what we are offering is there service of building them and integrating the watering system into roof catchment. A rain garden, if you will. There are photos of my rain garden here; http://abraingutters.blogspot.com/2011/05/rain-gardens.html Wow Faith. You really got me thinking.
I hear what you are saying and must confess I will stay with our raised food beds as what we are offering is there service of building them and integrating the watering system into roof catchment. A rain garden, if you will. There are photos of my rain garden here;
http://abraingutters.blogspot.com/2011/05/rain-gardens.html

]]> By: Faith http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/raising-succulent-veggies-in-harsh-climates/#comment-154444 Faith Tue, 01 Feb 2011 11:43:00 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=2245#comment-154444 Oh, and I don't know why I didn't notice this before... Why have you chosen raised beds? Usually those are for wetter climates where the soil has a hard time draining off. I have done raised beds in a Mediterranean climate and they did well ~ BUT ~ I watered them ferociously. Not having other info, what I would do is have level beds, and keep them covered in straw all year long. Just keep adding to it. It smothers the weeds, protects the soil from drying, and adds wonderful organic matter to the soil, year after year. ~Faith Oh, and I don’t know why I didn’t notice this before…

Why have you chosen raised beds? Usually those are for wetter climates where the soil has a hard time draining off. I have done raised beds in a Mediterranean climate and they did well ~ BUT ~ I watered them ferociously.

Not having other info, what I would do is have level beds, and keep them covered in straw all year long. Just keep adding to it. It smothers the weeds, protects the soil from drying, and adds wonderful organic matter to the soil, year after year.

~Faith

]]> By: dee http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/raising-succulent-veggies-in-harsh-climates/#comment-154398 dee Tue, 01 Feb 2011 03:48:38 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=2245#comment-154398 How about using something like a plastic container to help catch the water.. I don't know how much you could gather but the idea is to bury a container.. (like a tupperware bowl) sealed, the water is then formed from the trapped air. It might not be much but it could help. Or maybe the idea could be tweaked using plastic, or plastic pipes. Do be careful with plants like lambs-quarter.. you have to drain the water off a few times before eating or it can be poisonous. Good luck and keep us posted with your progress. How about using something like a plastic container to help catch the water.. I don’t know how much you could gather but the idea is to bury a container.. (like a tupperware bowl) sealed, the water is then formed from the trapped air. It might not be much but it could help. Or maybe the idea could be tweaked using plastic, or plastic pipes.
Do be careful with plants like lambs-quarter.. you have to drain the water off a few times before eating or it can be poisonous.
Good luck and keep us posted with your progress.

]]> By: spider plants http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/raising-succulent-veggies-in-harsh-climates/#comment-111273 spider plants Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:42:46 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=2245#comment-111273 This really helped… thank you very much! I will have to apply the same technique in my indoor garden. This really helped… thank you very much! I will have to apply the same technique in my indoor garden.

]]> By: Churchill Mallison http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/raising-succulent-veggies-in-harsh-climates/#comment-110382 Churchill Mallison Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:50:33 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=2245#comment-110382 Check out edible cactus. We have 8 months of drought, and cactus is a valuable edible. Check out edible cactus. We have 8 months of drought, and cactus is a valuable edible.

]]> By: Gavin http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/raising-succulent-veggies-in-harsh-climates/#comment-110349 Gavin Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:52:58 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=2245#comment-110349 I love the idea of wick watering.. it waters only when necessary and if it's stored right, it will use significantly less water. There's a bunch of ideas on how to do this right.. but I've read that you can take perhaps a 3-5 inch diameter soaker hose and fill that with water and put that in the bottom of your raised bed. The water will slowly soak into the ground around it and the soil will wick it up to the plant roots. The trick with this is you don't want the soaker hose to be too shallow as the soil at it's immediate depth tends to be more water saturated. I love the idea of wick watering.. it waters only when necessary and if it’s stored right, it will use significantly less water. There’s a bunch of ideas on how to do this right.. but I’ve read that you can take perhaps a 3-5 inch diameter soaker hose and fill that with water and put that in the bottom of your raised bed. The water will slowly soak into the ground around it and the soil will wick it up to the plant roots. The trick with this is you don’t want the soaker hose to be too shallow as the soil at it’s immediate depth tends to be more water saturated.

]]> By: DrJohnandBruno http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/raising-succulent-veggies-in-harsh-climates/#comment-109109 DrJohnandBruno Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:51:49 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/?p=2245#comment-109109 One thing to try is to amend the soil. Increase the soils ability to retain water by using compost and biochar. Then put a heavy mulch, even newspapers will work. One thing to try is to amend the soil. Increase the soils ability to retain water by using compost and biochar. Then put a heavy mulch, even newspapers will work.

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