Getting Maximum Yield From Your Garden

If you are growing to can and stock up for an emergency, or even during the actual emergency a knowledge of maximum yields is necessary.

For maximum yield, crops of vegetables may be combined in a single bed. A fast-growing crop, such as radishes, may be planted at the same time as a slow growing one such as parsnips. Fast growers make use of the space immediately, and reach maturity, before the slow growing ones require the room. One word of caution if using this technique – make sure that the fast growing crop does not have broad leaves that deprives light from the slower growing ones.

Train any plants that are vines to grow vertically for light and thus conserve space.

Manually weed your garden beds rather than using pesticides. However try not to lean on the soil while weeding as that causes compaction that can cause root growth inhibition. Destroy weeds as soon as they emerge and be careful not to water them.

Heavy clay soils should also be adjusted. These soils are naturally heavy, cold and retain moisture. Clay soils warm up slowly in the spring delaying the length of your growing season and thus the size of your yield. However clay soil is rich in nutrients, and once their structure has been improved by incorporating organic matter it needs very little irrigation.

Irrigate only the root zones of the plant. This can be achieved by using a drip irrigation system to conserve water. Drip irrigation systems prevent the growth of weeds and also prevent fungus from growing on leaves and produce.

Let vine crops like tomatoes, squash, and melons grow horizontally on stakes, strings and A frames. Growing plants upwards instead of outwards helps conserve space. Be sure to remove ripe fruit or fat fruit to allow fruits lower on the vine to get some sun.

Do not forget to take care of your garden after everything is harvested. You need to set the stage for the growing next years.

At the end of the season, plow the old crop under to decompose and build up the soil during the winter.

You should also rotate your crops so that you are not overusing any part of the land. Fatigued land will not produce hearty nutritious vegetables. Harvest two or three crops per year. Increase yields by using seedlings, balanced fertilizers, and precision watering and pruning.

Survival

More Practical Productive Gardening Advice

Here are some more tips for growing as many vegetables as possible in the smallest space possible.

First of remember that vegetable gardens continuously remove nutrients from the soil, and decomposing organic matter. So if the same area of the garden is used year after year for growing vegetables application of organic matter and other fertilizers must maintain the fertility of the soil.

Secondly the layout of the garden should be in raised bed with narrow pathways separating them that are no longer than a foot wide. This prevents soil compaction (the result of being trod on) that inhibits root growth. Using smaller beds in the vegetable garden makes the best use of available space. It will also suppress the growth of weeds. Mature vegetable crops in close quarters grow leaves that supply a canopy of shade; this makes difficult for weeds to grow.

You should also —

Double dig your garden by mixing native soil with amended soil to keep your raised beds natural and easy to drain.

Use traditional fertilizers in their traditional Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium combinations. Most commercial fertilizers must be properly balanced and then supplemented with micronutrients for optimal effect.

Use as little commercial fertilizer as possible. Apply fertilizer before your plant and several times again throughout the growing season.

You can also prevent soil fatigue by rotating crops. Most vegetables are annuals. As such they can be planted in different areas of the vegetable garden each year so that different nutrients are taken from the soil. The reason for crop rotation is to prevent a buildup of soil pests and diseases that are specific to one type of crop.