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1 acre blank canvas

 
Posts: 4
Location: Youngstown. Ohio
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A church I'm working with grew a 1 acre sunflower garden on a former urban vacant lot last year. They've ask me to help manage the field this year, and want to plant corn. I don't want to simply plant an acre of corn, and would like to do some low maintenance intercropping of corn, beans, and squash along with perennials and wildflowers.

The lot is very flat with full sun exposure. Last year, truckloads of topsoil were brought in to build up the soil, but it doesn't seem to have a lot of microbial life.

Question: What types of perennials and wildflowers would you recommend for Ohio? Or should I plant something else along with the corn?

Any other comments would be helpful to improve the lot.
 
steward
Posts: 7926
Location: Currently in Lake Stevens, WA. Home in Spokane
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Many companies offer regional wildflower mixes - here is just one example:
Wildflowers Midwest
 
Posts: 142
Location: Sunset Zone 27, Florida
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i just happened to read something recently about spiderwort, it's one of my favorite edible perennials. it has little purple flowers, and apparently a ohio variety, which looks very similar to the virginia variety.
well, i don't see why you can't do corn, beans, anything else. just make sure to mulch so during the summer the soil will stay moist. all kinds of other useful crops can grow there in ohio, as i'm sure you know. they could be making food to support a food bank, i wish the churches here would get on that! as for other interesting perennials, what about the crabapple and apricots and all those wonderful, expensive fruits? what about lamb's quarters? amaranth?
 
Alex Lipinsky
Posts: 4
Location: Youngstown. Ohio
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Thank you both for the replies!
 
Yeah, but how did the squirrel get in there? Was it because of the tiny ad?
montana community seeking 20 people who are gardeners or want to be gardeners
https://permies.com/t/359868/montana-community-seeking-people-gardeners
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