Free Food

[Quickdraw22]

I've been wanting to do a writeup on this for a while. I honestly don't know why people don't take advantage of our amazing weather and plant some free food!!

A few weeks ago, I planted a 4' tall "Hamlin Sweet" Orange tree in the corner of our yard. It probably won't produce any fruit for a year or two, but it kicked off my gardening bug. The next day, I went out and bought some blueberry bushes as those do really well down here. A few days later, I got bored and picked up a small strawberry plant. My hopes aren't TOO high for this one, as they're pretty tough to grow, but it was only $5 and I was living on the edge. After getting bored again, I went back to the nursery and picked up a blackberry bush, because those things bring me back to my childhood (f'ing amazing).

By this time I was getting somewhat cocky with my planting abilities. I went to the local Walmart and picked up some Watermellon seeds, and planted them in the little eggcrate looking plant starters. Germination time was only supposed to be 6-8 days, and by day 10 I had given up hope that any would actually grow, as I hadn't seen any progress. By day 12, about 70% of the seeds had sprouted which completely caught me by surprise. Now I've just got to find a place to plant them...

So, for around $100-125 (including 25#'s of 8-8-8 fertilizer), I have managed to get 5 different types of fruit planted in my back yard. The blueberries, oranges, and blackberries won't require ANY maintenance - which was one of my main reasons in picking them.

The point I wanted to make - if a young guy like myself with ZERO gardening experience can plant some fruit trees (and actually not kill them), then so can you. Besides, imagine how much money we all waste on food, when you can spend a small amount and have a lifetime supply.

My future ideas for plants include Coffee, Figs, Mayhaws, and a Plum tree if I can find a species that will thrive in our crazy climate.

 

[Sks985]

I tried my luck at a small backyard garden last year and was very happy with the results. I can definitely recommend growing okra due to the hardiness of the plant and the high rate of harvest.

Good luck with the garden, let us know how it turns out.

 

[Quickdraw22]

I tried my luck at a small backyard garden last year and was very happy with the results. I can definitely recommend growing okra due to the hardiness of the plant and the high rate of harvest.

Good luck with the garden, let us know how it turns out.

Honestly, I *HATE* vegetables, hence my planting fruits. I could see myself walking in the yard and picking out a few oranges, but never chomping into a tomato.

My main goal was to have all perennial plants. I'm too busy to deal with them every second of the day, and definitely don't want to be digging holes every year...

I've got a big "strawberry" pot that I might do some herbs with - it's just a shame that I don't really cook.

-Dave

 

[Splat]

My grandfather had a fig tree that I used to live when I was a kid. She would make fig preserves.. Man was that good on some homemade biscuits! Those fig trees are very messy though. The fallen figs will rott and stink. Don't plant it too close to your house.

 

[US Infidel]

Look in the back of some gardening magazines and you can find fruit trees that are five different fruit trees grafted into one. Those little bananas trees do good here too.

 

[Quickdraw22]

Figured I'd do an update. All plants are doing well.

Some of the watermelons got broken by our little jack russell, but I've still got quite a bit of them left - atleast 15 more.

The blueberries are producing fruit, but I've only counted 5-10 berries on the tree. My mom said they tasted amazing.

The strawberries are also doing well. I added 8 small "pint" sized ones to a large strawberry pot I found out at our camp. The large plant up top just started producing fruit. I'm expecting the others to bear fruit next year.

The orange tree is sort of just hanging out. I haven't noticed any real "growth", and hope it gets rooted before the winter. Lots of little BB sized oranges all over it.

The blackberry bush is growing, but VERY slowly. I've got to look at it only once or a week or I begin to go crazy.

I've also added some chocolate mint to my arsenal. Neat thing to chew on while pissing around outside. I grew this one from a cutting in less than 2 weeks - SUPER easy.


I need to check the calendars, but I may be doing some last minute lemons, limes, and figs.

 

[Trey@IG]

dont forget peaches man! we just got an LSU peach tree from their ag center. think its a tad late to transfer it so i guess thats going to have to wait till next year

 

[James Thibodeau]

more free food

The easiest vegetable if interested is squash.....before you get all whiney just wait.
zuchini and yellow (straight neck or crook) is great without having to sit over a pot waiting for them to cook down to nothing.
slice em up anout 1/2" thick, lay out on baking sheet sprayed with OLIVE OIL, spray on vegs too, then sprinkle with garlic salt and cook for 30 minutes on 400 degrees. tastes like are smothered in butter but no butter at all (does not taste as good with veg oil though). its quick, easy and the sqush will flourish with no effort, just put them in the ground and watch em take off. they produce for about 2 months; pull em up and put another in the ground.

 

[Quickdraw22]

dont forget peaches man! we just got an LSU peach tree from their ag center. think its a tad late to transfer it so i guess thats going to have to wait till next year

I'm trying to find out what species of Plums/Peaches/Apples will do really well down here. I'm wanting to do limes, as my beer/margarita consumption is unusually high during the summer...

As of 20 minutes ago, I just started the beginnings of a spearmint plant. Took the bike on a night cruise around town, and found that the local Wallyworld was totally overgrown with the stupid plant. Took two little cuttings from random plants, and they should be ready to put in soil within the next two weeks.

 

[dhfischerjr]

Almost no apple will do well down here it is just to hot for them to produce well.

Almost any peach variety will do fine in fact we planted several at my school. Because we selected some early and some late production plants we pick peaches from mid may out through early november.

With the blueberrys I would mulch with pine straw each year because they like acidic soil conditions.

Almost any citrus fruit will do fine here as long as you protect them from frost conditions. A friend has a navel orange and Meyer's lemon next to each other and they make some odd but good tasting crosses. Loquats or Japanese plums are a good choice for down here too. I am also using my chain link fence as a trellis to grow grape veins.

No ,after what you choice if you need help get in contact with the LSU Agcenter or your LSU extension office and they will help you. Most of the time you can get an extension agent to come to your house hand discuss your planting.

 

[clay]

Bumping an old topic.

For those worried about the frost getting to your trees and plants, start them in the house during the cold months and transfer them in the spring.

 

[LabRat]

Great resource

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/lawn_garden/home_gardening/

 

[sgt z]

Careful with the fertilizer on your citrus because I sat in on a citrus workshop and Becnel said they fertilize their potted saplings for consumer sales with time release fertilizer and easy to get over fertilized ans kill the plant by consumers after transfer. Satsumas usually put out abundantly. My sister had a few peach trees in her yard and had so many peaches they couldn't give them away.
My great-grandmother had the fig tree and the whole fig preserves on the hot biscuits.

 

[stancel]

About 5 years ago I planted a Lime, Lemon, Grapefruit and Orange tree in my back yard. I now have so much fruit that I have to bring it to work and give it away. Even after juicing a lot of it and freezing it. Last year I planted 3 blueberry bushes and a peach tree. That along with my wife's raised bed herb/small vegi gardens, and my corn, beans and tomatoes, we harvest a lot of food. I also buy beef and pork from a small farmer who doesn't inject them with crap I don't want in the food my family eats.

I wish I didn't live inside the city limits. I would love to have a few chickens for fresh poultry and eggs. Hopefully one day.

 

[Hattrick 22]

Never seen this thread before and didn't realize the blueberries were so easy to grow I'll be looking for some this weekend or atleast doing my homework to find out when the best time to plant is. As soon as i moved into my house I planted a sweet brown satsuma and a naval orange tree (since i coulnd't find a blood orange).

Speaking of which anyone know where to get a blood orange tree?

Just did a little research for the blueberries and from what I read you have to treat the soil with sulpher since most of our soil in Louisiana is basic to bring the soil to alkiline (where the bushes thrive). Called my local store and they told me its a biological thing to get the soil right and takes some time for it to raise and once it does you have to monitor it with a ph test kit.

If I am off or wrong let me know not sure how your tree is doing is it producing fine without the above treatments?

 

[ddeacon1]

A few years ago someone told me that Bechnel's in Bellle Chasse had some blood orange trees for sale.

 

[CrkdLtr]

About 5 years ago I planted a Lime, Lemon, Grapefruit and Orange tree in my back yard. I now have so much fruit that I have to bring it to work and give it away. Even after juicing a lot of it and freezing it. Last year I planted 3 blueberry bushes and a peach tree. That along with my wife's raised bed herb/small vegi gardens, and my corn, beans and tomatoes, we harvest a lot of food. I also buy beef and pork from a small farmer who doesn't inject them with crap I don't want in the food my family eats.

I wish I didn't live inside the city limits. I would love to have a few chickens for fresh poultry and eggs. Hopefully one day.

Last time I checked city ordinance, you can have up to 3 hens inside city limits.

 

[kcinnick]

I got my Blood orange tree from a nursery in Zachary on Main street a couple of years ago.

 

[Xenon]

Hattrick, I have a blood orange tree if you want to start from a graft or seedling. I don't know anything about it though. Bought the house a year ago

 

[jazzdunn]

I started the same way.
I now have a small greenhouse producing strawberries, grapes, tomatoes, Bell peppers, cayenne, and aloe vera.