what veggie for innattentive gardener?

[mek42]

We tried a garden last year (maybe two years ago) to make less grass to mow. We didn't know what to do with all the vegetables.

We've since learned some more vegetable cooking, but we also still don't have much time to tend to the garden. What are some good things to plant that we can kind of forget about, maybe taking down a bucket of water now and then? (Too far for hose - I think we'd need 200' or more hose to do it.)

[Lady_V]

Everything will need water at some point. Container plants usually need more watering. I think raised beds need less, but I am sure someone else will know more about them as I am a patio-planter.

Easy Vegetable Garden

Dill
Garlic
Lettuce
Onions
Radishes
Rapini
Runner Beans
Sorrel
Swiss Chard
Zucchini

[frugalwarrior2]

Set buckets out there w/ screen over them to collect water. Do you get good rain there?? You should invest in a rain barrel if you do. 200Ft of hose is prob. only 2 good ones/4 cheap ones. GEt 2 this year and 2 next?? Got put some effort in ya know.lol.

[larabelle]

CHARD, CHARD, CHARD...and did I mention chard. Easiest stuff to grow and very low maintenance.

[frugalwarrior2]

Larabell-control yourself.lol. I say tomatoes for no weeding and forgiving but water is not optional. Hot peppers like it drier and get hotter.

[Judi Dial]

I'd say radishes, and no cooking!

Judi

[Contrary Housewife]

Lady V's list is good, but at some point everything needs attention.

Herbs, garlic, and onion can be left alone until harvest.

Greens like lettuce and chard need to be picked young, if the leaves get big they also get tough and bitter.

Likewise, radishes and zuchinni are best young, not when they are old and huge.

Some things that worked for us: getting a soaker hose and a timer to attach to the faucet out back. It will water all by itself every day, even if you're not home.

Check the garden first thing every morning. Just 5 minutes to look. This way you can stay on top of what is getting close to ready and you don't have baseball size squash or rotting tomatoes falling off the plants.

[mek42]

Thanks for the replies so far. I should probably provide more details. We're in upstate NY and our no grass area is roughly 20 by 20 feet, half of which was lasagna'ed with topsoil, the other just whatever horrible clay is native here. It is at the bottom of our slope - where all the rain goes; we got rid of alot of the tall grass.

If I admit to total ignorance as to what chard is, do I run the risk of larabelle showing up here with a big one to beat me with?

I did take a bucket of water last year in the morning when it hadn't rained recently; seemed to work ok. My wife doesn't like bitter lettuce (translation, non-iceberg) so of course the lettuce mixes we planted did extremely well.

[frugalwarrior2]

Can you translate Lasagned.Does that mean layered? Clay isn't fatal but you need to mix it w/ organic matter. Composted.
look up Swiss chard. Reminds me of white rhubard looks wise. (w/ smaller leaves). the best gardening book ever was by Dick Raymond. A Gardening Year.

Onions still need to be side dressed. maybe Garlic too. Gardening isn't auto-pilot. Bugs and squirrels pray for that.

[mek42]

Here's a link to lasagna gardening. Lasagna Gardening 101 All we did was put down tarps to kill everything, laid down newspaper and covered with topsoil. The half that isn't top soiled, I could maybe put down some sawdust now and re-tarp.

[frugalfranny]

But a little effort in the garden now and during the summer means big savings in the groc. budget for the summer and rest of the year.

Lots of things are easy to get in the freezer.

Canning takes a little more investment and time.

[mek42]

And we need to plant what we eat, right? Like if we have a big field of peppers and a little zucchini, the garden variety police aren't going to show up right? I mean, larabelle might secretly plant some chard while we're at work ...

[Russ]

NO WEEDING????? Huh? Explain this concept.
It's wrong I tell you, wrong wrong wrong.

[mauimagic]

Love this thread - mahalo plenty!!

I am most concerned about being gone in the middle of summer - July - for close to 3 weeks - don't want to leave anything too labor intensive for DH.

But I really do want veggies for us for the year.

[Russ]

My wife doesn't like bitter lettuce (translation, non-iceberg) so of course the lettuce mixes we planted did extremely well.

Your lettuce probably got too big. Pick it young, when it is sweet and tender, then replant.