John from http://www.growingyourgreens.com/ answers your organic gardening questions. In this episode, John will answer the following questions:
1. What do you think about the no till farming method for 5 acres?
2. Can I grow vegetables over my septic system leach field?
3. What do you do with all the extra food that you grow?
4. What is the productive variety of pepper that was featured in your fall garden tour?
5. Are ants a problem with worm bins? How to keep them out of worm bins?
6. Do you know anything about mushrooms and fungi?
7. Can I be your gardener padawan learner?
Be sure to watch this episode for the answers to these questions and much more.
Gardening Supplies
38 Comments
John, i want to grow my own greens, veggies and hopefully some fruits, where do i start? what is the best way to grow? greenhouse? something else? what are the basic stuff i need to know? what minerals and other food should be in the soil for ideal condition? i'm clueless about growing food. thanks.
Great tips thanks John
Start with Johns earlier videos.You will have to watch a few but in no time you will have answers to all your questions. Also there is nothing like personal experience. Order some seeds or plant starts online or a garden center , build an area you think will work best in your situation and go for it.There is going to be a lot of research and practice to be successful. Find what you like and see if that will work with your local weather and get growing!
Thanks John for your feedback!
I have a question I've been wandering about for a while now. I've been doing some research into hydroponics and aquaponics and decided later this week I'll try my hand at constructing a DWC. Right behind my house there is a large pond — not a man made pond but an actual pond. Do you think it would be possible to use the water from the pond to feed the plants instead of buying liquid nutrients for hydroponics or to substitute fish for aquaponics?
Anthony: I would suggest looking into the Back to Eden method and the accompanying documentary and get local tree trimming companies to dump their wood chips on your 5 acres for free. It's cheap, minimal to no weeding, the mulching conserves water, creates bio-activity, and no fertilizing.
Guyses questions? New word! 🙂
Always happy to see another vid waiting for me, from John.
Yes, that was incorrect grammar.
After 54 years on the planet, the answer is no.
Sweet video!
Hey John, i have some raised beds and i put down a layer of scraps from our produce dept. at work. I then covered that with a good 2 inches of leaves hopefully creating a good barrier so the worms can go nuts. What do you think of putting mulch paper over top of that? I wAs thinking it would help heat it up to compost the leaves down.
i don't see why you cant grow over a septic system as long you have sandy soil and the septic discharge pipes are deep in the ground like mine are.
I grow roses over my drain field. The saying is true – turn poop into rose food. I don't think I would grow food. I know it's all compost but……
I do not till my raised beds. At the end of each season, I add new compost and rock dust and other soil ammendments to the top of the raised bed to top it off. That's pretty much it. If the beds are still full to the top (hasnt happened yet– I would add more rock dust and other soil ammendments ie: kelp, california humus, worm castings.
Septic leech fields need to be about 18 inches below ground, much deeper and the microbes don't get the oxygen they need to deal with the waste. If they aren't deep enough the pipes will be more prone to being crushed (the soil above the pipe does a lot to protect it). There are lots of document from universities online. Also remember that the septic system will have to pass inspection before you sell the property.
John you rock (dust)…
Growing vegetables over a drainfield is not recommended. I found a resource about landscaping your drainfield published by Thurston County Washington…The publication states 'Vegetables need watering and excess water in the soil reduces its ability to treat the wastewater. The deep roots of some vegetable may damage the drainfield pipes. Bed preparation, such as roto-tilling or deep digging can also damage pipes.'
My landfill charges $5 a yard (trailer full) for wood chips. I cover the world with them, roads, planters, garden…
Actually, just fyi, there is a very large portion of WA that is VERY dry and considered desert area. Most people always think of either seattle or forks (twilight) when they think of washington, but the majority of the state is barren looking hills and mountains and sagebrush. The sun can get very harsh and hot during the summer months in these areas and woodchips can be hard to come by as well. However, if you are just trying to come by mineral rich mulch, leaves and bush trimmings are good.
On acreages, cover crops like clover can be closely grazed prior to planting. This allows crops to get started while the clover protects soil surface from evaporation, wind erosion, & invasive weeds – while providing free nitrogen to the crop. Livestock provide fertilizer & beneficial microbes to soil. Many weeds are edible. Many weeds grow synergistcally with crops – yes, they can actually help crop plants thrive. Polycultures are always more resiliant than mono-cultures. Good growing!
Sadly, most conventional farming 'no-till' involves a LOT of toxic chemicals to kill weeds and competing (or synergistic, but seen as competing) vegetation. NOT sustainable, NOT eco-friendly.
For clogging, septic system, plumbing and water supply maintenance use the all-natural MillerPlante-net Advanced Formula Septic-Helper and Enza Drain Line Cleaner. It has the 8 natural bacteria and enzymes that digest the waste in the tank AND out in the drain field. To reduce your Phosphate and Nitrate levels to Zero coming from your Laundry, use their new All-Natural Enza Wash-Balls. According to the EPA, Chemicals used in the home are the #1 problem polluting water supplies and water wells.
use brown paper bags from the grocery store or cardboard boxes with soil on top instead of buying mulch paper.
Hey John.
Another awesome video.
Have you ever heard of "Exelerite"? If so, how do you rate it against Gaia Green or Azomite Rock Dust?
Thanks,
Mike.
I have used exelerite in the past. At this time, I am unable to recommend it due to the business practices of the company that sells it. Plus its significantly more expensive than some of the other alternatives out there.
We have alfalfa for horses growing on top of ours- is this going to be a problem
your septic system needs to breath to work properly. septic water is not suitable the roots will grow into the pipes and clog them. raised beds make a shadow that stops the system working. about all you could do is a tall pole with some baskets spaced well apt. i would refer you to the inspectapedia web site specific answers to just about every house problem
some old school people sprinkle corn meal on ant mounds and the lady told me its makes the ants stomachs explode. some say it just chases them away
HI JOHN! GREAT VIDEOS, I watch them almost daily for inspiration than get out and grow!! I live in VEGAS and am interested in growing Kohlrabi. I have ordered the organic seads from High Mowing and curious as to your luck with them here. I seem to remember you mentioning them on one of your videos but don't remember when. Are they multi seasonal? Also you should make T shirts with your dog on them I always love seeing him in your videos….cool mascot. You are doing an amazing thing here!
Leslie is growing Kohlrabi. in the fall/winter garden. I have not grown it in Las Vegas. I encourage you to grow it year round to see how it does and make a video about it!
I grow all kinds of things over my septic leach fields. I don't put chemicals into my septic system so I don't get any contamination in my foods. The only things that go into the system is poop and pee (and toilet paper of coarse!). Very good for the earth. Everything else goes in the trash. That is what I suggest. Also, don't plant anything that roots deeply like trees, stick to shrubs, and veggies. 😉 Oh, and use an organic soap to clean clothes and dishes.
How far away should you grow a garden from a septic tank and the field?
Hey I was told you can't grow a vegetable garden over a septic tank drain field is this true and if so why
nice informative video!
An older couple (60s+) that my father installed a septic tank and drain field for have a large garden directly over the drain field and have done so for over a decade and seem to be healthy. I think I’m going to follow suit and disregard all of the warnings,hopefully it goes well.
Love you man your the best
I had a home where a citrus tree was close to the drain field, that fruit was very bitter and nasty. Another tree on the other side of the property was fine.
Agreed with your recommendation on this topic.
The water coming out of a septic leech field should not be contaminated. That’s the whole reason for having a septic system.