[Community_garden] ***SPAM*** Where to find stakes for tomatoes

[Ken Hargesheimer]

>
> Scott,
>
> Use concrete reinforcing mesh.  5 feet high, 6 inch openings, last forever,
> cut into 5-6 ft pieces and put in a round cage. Cheap.  The name may not be
> right.  Comes in rolls.  I cut off the bottom horizontal wire and force the
> cage into the ground.   For climbing vines. cut a length needed and use the
> T-bar post [$3 each?] and put it vertical in the garden for the plants to
> climb on.  Best to run it North-South.
>
> Ken
>
>
> *                         GARDENS/MINI-FARMS NETWORK*
>
> USA: TX, MS, FL, CA, AR;  Mexico, Rep. Dominicana, Côté d'Ivoire, Nigeria,
>
> Nicaragua, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Haiti, England, India,
> Uzbekistan
>
> minifarms at gmail.com
>
> Workshops in organic, no-till, permanent bed gardening, mini-farming and
> mini-ranching worldwide in English & Español
>
>
>
> **
>
> *Proven Practices for Community Gardens*
>
>
>
> *"*The largest underused agricultural resource we have is the urban poor." Marty
> Strange, SFP Conference, Sacramento CA, Mar 2000
>
>
>
>
>
>

>  These are based on the internet, US & international agriculture
> magazines, experiences teaching agriculture in many countries, research and
> farmer experiences in those countries and a demonstration garden.  *They
> are ecologically sustainable, environmentally responsible, socially just and
> economically viable.*  There is unlimited, documented proof.  The
> following can double the yields and reduce the labor by half compared to
> traditional methods.  There are 200,000,000 no-till acres worldwide. ¡It
> works!
>
>
>
> Gardens/Minifarms:  Fukaoka Farm, Japan, has been no-till [rice, small
> grains, vegetables] for 70 years.  An Indian gardener has been no-till
> [vegetables] for 5 years.  A Malawi gardener has been no-till [vegetables]on permanent beds for 25 years.
> A Honduras farmer has been no-till [vegetables & fruit] on permanent beds
> on the contour (73° slope] for 8 years.  Ruth Stout [USA] had a no-till
> garden for 30 years and 7,000 people visited her garden.
>
>
>
>  1.        Open mind [Make changes in the mind, then the garden]
>
> 2.        Restore the soil to its natural health:  Contaminations:  inorganic
> pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, etc.
>
> 3.        Healthy soil:  Healthy soil produces healthy vegetables, for
> high yields, and prevents most of the disease, pest and weed problems.
>
> 4.        Feed the soil; not the crops  [Inorganics feed the plants and
> poison the soil;  organics feed the soil and promote health.]
>
> 5.        Increase soil organic matter every year
>
> 6.        *Little or no external inputs* [not necessary to buy anything,
> from anybody, for the garden.  Certain things are recommended]
>
> 7.        Leave all crop residue on the beds.
>
> 8.          *No-till: ** no digging, no tilling, no cultivating:  *No hard
> physical labor is needed so the elderly, children and lazy people can
> garden.
>
> 9.        Permanent beds  [crops]
>
> 10.     Permanent paths  [walking]
>
> 11.     Hand tools & power-hand tools
>
> 12.     12-months production  [economical nearly everywhere]
>
> 13.     Organic fertilizers [12 -16 probably not needed with healthy soil]
>
> 14.     Organic disease control.
>
> 15.     Organic herbicides.
>
> 16.     Organic pesticides.
>
> 17.     Biological pest control.
>
> 18.     Attract beneficials:  [bats, birds, toads, spiders, garden snakes,
> frogs, lizards, grasshopper mice, prairie deer mice, white footed mice,
> opossums, lacewings, ladybird beetles, syrphid flies, ground beetles and
> assassin bugs]
>
> 19.     Protect pollinators:  honey bees, native bees, wasps, yellow
> jackets, dirt daubers, butterflies
>
> 20.     Protect soil organisms:  worms, micros
>
> 21.      Soil always covered
>
> 22.     Use mulch/green manures/cover crops.
>
> 23.     Organic matter:  Free.  Delivered free?  When economically
> feasible, transport to the gardens.  Use as mulch.
>
> 24.     Composting:  Not necessary.  Too much time and work.  Pile excess
> organic matter until used as mulch.  Will compost in the bed.
>
> 25.     Vermiculture   Not necessary.  Worms will be in the beds.
>
> 26.     Drip irrigation [Purchase or DIY drip lines]
>
> 27.     Agri-training and/or educational tours [Train others. Especially
> young people]
>
> 28.     Imitate nature. Most gardeners fight nature. *¡Nature always wins!
> *
>
>
>
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