2022 Growing Season🌱 - Polyculture practice log from a student and hobbyist🍃

I started my first garden last year and this is to keep track of my second year progress; changes happen so often I'd like to see it documented.

I  want to keep track of my growth as a gardener while I work on my degree. I hope to incorporate agroforestry practices over time but I don't have a very large space to work with so I've begun with conventional gardening habits and have chosen to slowly replace them as I learn more about how to manage my garden to be more productive and regenerative. I'm paying particular attention to indigenous agriculture management practices, I'd like to incorporate them as much as possible. ( I know that a culture that grew up on this continent over time would have the best idea for how to manage it for production and conservation). So far I've determined that my regional tribe was Anishinaabe Odawans-I'll be documenting some resources If I find them related

If you see this and have resources to share, please do I have so much to learn.
5/23/22

So,,

Current Projects::

I have 4 plots 2; 10 sq. ft and 1; 8 sq. ft
Plot 1: Lettuce Patch:


Inhabitants::
-- Spring lettuce variety pack
--Onion
--Strawberry
--Snap Peas
--Carrots
-Marigold
--Bee Balm
--Radish

Plot 2: Corn Patch:


Inhabitants::
-- Sweet Bi-color Corn
-- Zucchini
-- Potatoes
-- Onion
--Parsley
-- Strawberry
-- Red Radishes
--Marigold
-- Beans (upcoming)

Plot 3: Tomatoes:


Inhabitants
-- Tomatoes (Cherry and Chunks)
-- Poblano
-- Bell Pepper
-- Jalapeno
- Oregano
- Basil
-Marigold

Plot 4; Summer Squash and Unknown:
In a fourth unlabeled plot I have 3 plants.
2 are native and unknown

Outliers::
-Cucumber
-Raspberry Bush

Wishlist Projects::

-Plum and Apple Trees
-Flower/Perennial garden in front yard


Background;

Garden Start;; 4/10/22

Region: Mid-Michigan Zone 6a

Size; 35sq ft divided into 4 zones

Regional Forest type; Maple-Beech forests in the uninhabited spaces around me

-----Index-----

Just to clarify, your area is 35 sq ft, or 35 ft squared?

Trace Oswald wrote:Just to clarify, your area is 35 sq ft, or 35 ft squared?

35 sq. ft

two 5ft x  5ft; plus one (around~)2ft x 4ft for growing

Additional Thoughts on the larger project::

5/23

Natural Insect management and Multi-cropping


Today, I will be planting sweet basil with my tomatoes patch, and some Kentucky blue pole beans beneath my corn transplants. I'm trying to create a densely planted area. Last year, I noticed that higher biodiversity reduced insect herbivory significantly. My first garden with lone potted plants got destroyed by those little mouths.

Considering natural insect management for the garden,,
After looking into it there are a few reasons that multi-cropping can reduce herbivory.
In my patches I've used a variety of species to accomplish this using the different plant services. They are explored using the following species.

Odor Confusion;
Insects use odor chemicals to identify plants for eating. So planting multiple crops with strong scents in the garden can reduce the targeting of certain crops.
- Onion
---Green onion
---Yellow Onion
-Parsley
-Basil
-Oregano

Encouraging Insect predation;

Flowering plants can draw in predator insects to attack pests in the garden. I've also considered other draws such as a small pond but that's another future project

-Marigolds
-Bee Balm
-Probably others I've yet to identify

Trap Crops;

Some crops like root vegetables with rarely used leaves are good distractions for munching insects.
This year I've noticed the radishes working great. My lettuce is definitely benefitting from their presence to take the weight off.

-Radishes
-Nasturtium
-Suggestions(?)

I still intend to use neem oil spray soon though. It's remarkably useful and while the sparse areas grow in i'm sure my transplants would appreciate the extra protection.

--To be Expanded--
--I can provide sources at request--

5/26

I laid surface manure on plot 3 today with additional mulching along with plot 4.
I'm thrilled for the plants right now, wet and warm conditions are making it thrive although my lettuce bolted in plot 1 from variable heat days. I guess I will be looking for some summer lettuce varieties.

I also found some leftover tomato seeds from last year, I thought they were osage orange I seeded but it was tomatoes!! so many, I'm not sure if i should pull them or see if they can make it. I didn't intend for that patch to have tomatoes in it again. There are millions of seedlings I either let them compete or commit to a slaughter

There are millions of seedlings I either let them compete or commit to a slaughter

Can you pot some up and give them away to some neighbours?

Nancy Reading wrote:

There are millions of seedlings I either let them compete or commit to a slaughter

Can you pot some up and give them away to some neighbours?

great idea! thank you for sharing!

I will absolutely be potting them up, I'm not very familiar with my community though. ( I do have hopes of engaging local people to create a public community garden in the future) I'm wondering how to go about offering these tomatoes. There's a playground I could leave them around, I saw some people advertise on FB marketplace, and I was considering having them for free at my local farmers market. I'm unsure how to start conversations with my neighbors to be honest and many of them aren't gardeners (yet).

I hope I learn some things about joining my community this year in addition to general garden skills.

It sounds like you have the ideal way of introducing yourself to your neighbours then! Luckily you can grow the tomatoes outside in your area, so they wouldn't need to buy growbags and greenhouses, although some additional feed suggestions may be appropriate. You could research and write out a little "please look after this plant" note with care instructions and leave them with the plants on peoples doorsteps.
If you are too shy for that, then you have some good suggestions for alternative homes. I guess it's too late in the year for schools to be interested, but maybe an old people's home, or day centre? a local church or youth club? Hopefully you will get good homes for at least some of them, and start building your own local network at the same time.
Good luck!