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Test Garden Post #6 - Status Update and Maintenance

Hello there! I’m planting a small garden in my Saint Petersburg, Florida backyard to try out intercropping and other sustainable practices. Today, I am discussing the progress I’ve seen so far as well as information about what I’ve been doing to maintain the garden and foster growth. If you would like to see this project from the beginning, this is the link to the first of my garden posts [link 1], and the links to the other posts are located at the bottom of this post. I will note that this post is fairly photo heavy, in order to adequately show my ongoing results.

A brief overview of results [link 2]:

On March 6th, 2022, I planted a total of 36 different types of fruits (remember kids, tomatoes are technically fruits!), vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Of those, three plant types (Better Belle sweet peppers, Better Boy tomatoes, and Yukon Gold potatoes) were transplants. The remaining 33 plant types were planted as seeds (some had multiple seeds planted); of those, 22 had at least one seed germinate. All of the seeds that germinated did so within the window of 3/9 to 3/19. The remaining seeds were given until 3/26 to germinate, but unfortunately none did within that time. Additionally, some of the seedlings that had sprouted were destroyed or eaten, particularly the mustard greens and the garlic.

On March 26th, 2022, I (trans-)planted a further 19 varieties of vegetables, herbs, and flowering plants, all purchased from Dolins Garden Center. As of 4/8/22, all of the transplants are still alive, though the catnip is rather worse for wear.

Initial results

The very first thing that germinated in the garden was a cluster of morning glory sprouts in raised garden bed C. After some initial confusion due to the fact that they were mislabeled as marigolds, I was (naturally) very excited. [See photoset below]

Photoset: first sprouts/ marigolds and morning glories

The Cherokee Cornfield pole beans are some of my most successful plants so far. They germinated right on time and have grown quickly since then. As of 4/12, all of the plants are attached to the plant teepee. [See photoset below]

Photoset: pole bean growth from 3/10-4/6:

Also very successful are the Stringless Pod bush beans, the “Green Bush” bush beans, and the Little Marvel English peas, all located in Bed B. All three germinated on 3/11, and have grown well since then. Unfortunately, it seems like the bush beans are too close together (despite following spacing instructions), and the neighboring marigolds aren’t getting sufficient light. [See photoset below] Photoset - Raised garden bed B progress (3/11/22-3/26/22):

I didn’t grow the Better Belle sweet pepper from seed, meaning it has a definite leg up on the competition. Still, it has been incredibly successful so far. Starting from a small bud on 3/12, the pepper has grown to about fist-sized or maybe a little larger. I followed Bowden’s (2015) advice about planting the transplant with a few matches underneath to provide a sulfur boost, and it sure looks like it was a great tip.

I am now eagerly awaiting the pepper ripening and turning red. A fun little fact that I didn’t know until I started this project: red, yellow, and green sweet bell peppers are all the same, except that “red and yellow bell peppers are essentially just green peppers that have been allowed to ripen” [link 3]. At this point I am just crossing my fingers that some critter doesn’t decide it looks tasty and take a chunk out of it. [See photoset below]

Photoset: sweet pepper growth from 3/12-3/29:

Integrated Pest Management

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is “an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices [and] current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment” [link 4]. Ideally, IPM programs are intended to maximize efficacy and to minimize disturbance of the natural equilibrium. Generally speaking, IPM does not only focus on insects and animals, but also on plant diseases.

According to the University of Florida IFAS Extension publication Landscape Integrated Pest Management [link 5], IPM frameworks consist of several steps:

Pest Identification: Different pests have different effects and are controlled in different ways. Also important is to determine what ‘good’ bugs or animals are present. 

Monitoring: This is the regular inspection of the plants to find pests, track their movement, and log observations. At its most basic level, monitoring is done visually, but other methods (like traps) exist.

Decision-Making: Determination of the threshold of damage or infestation beyond which action is warranted.

Intervention: Once the determined threshold is passed, the strategy or strategies to combat the pests must be chosen and implemented. Four general options exist (detailed below); of these options, the first three should always be preferred before chemical controls.

Cultural Control: This entails manipulating the environment to promote plant health and minimize pests, such as by planting species more suited to the climate or by adding supplemental nutrients to the soil.

Mechanical/ Physical Control: This entails managing pest populations by physically removing or excluding them from the plants. This includes hand-removal, trapping, and pruning, as well as fences and other barriers.

Biological Control: Using beneficial plants and animals to control pests. This can include increasing the biodiversity of the garden and augmenting natural populations of predators

Chemical Control: biocides of all kinds (insecticides, fungicides, etc.). These should be the last resort as they can have detrimental effects on non-pest populations, and the environment in general.

Evaluation: regular evaluation of the IPM system to determine its efficacy and value.

The IPM framework in place for my garden is rather more rudimentary than IFAS details, and is largely focused on preventative measures. This site [link 6] has good centralized information about IPM methods. In my garden, these are some of the ones in use:

Intercropping: planting multiple mutually-beneficial plant varieties in close proximity to encourage plant growth and overall health, entice beneficial insects or other animals, and discourage pests.

i.e. fruit/vegetable/herbs were intercropped with plants that attract pollinators, predator insects, and parasitic insects.

Plant at appropriate times (using Bowden (2015) as a guide)

Buried soaker hoses, only used early in the day: avoiding overhead watering is important to avoid spreading disease

Soil testing to help properly feed plants

Mulch application and regular weeding

Introduction of predator insects (ladybugs) to clear aphids and other pests

Reflective bird deterrents

Application of shredded Irish Spring bar soap (to deter squirrels; unclear if effective at all)

Application of organic copper-based fungicide

Photoset: Adventures in Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Coming Attractions

Next post I will examine proper fertilizer scheduling and application, as well as my addition of a dedicated butterfly/pollinator garden.

References/links below!

Post 6 Links

Link 1

Post 2 Link

Post 3 Link

Post 4 Link

Post 5 Link

Link 2

Link 3

Link 4

Link 5

Link 6

[notaclimatemaster]

Test Garden Post #5 - Final Planning and Planting

Hello there! I’m planting a small garden in my Saint Petersburg, Florida backyard to try out intercropping and other sustainable practices. Today, I am discussing two crucial facets of this project: first, planning the exact mix and layout of plants in each of the three raised garden beds, and second, the actual planting process. If you would like to see this project from the beginning, this is the link to the first of my garden posts [link 1]. I will put links to the other posts at the bottom of this post.

Planning

While I have been using Robert Bowden’s Florida Fruit & Vegetable Gardening heavily throughout the project, his section on interplanting (also known as companion planting) is only two paragraphs and doesn’t include much specific information. It does, however, list some good plants such as marigolds that can attract bees and other pollinators.

In the course of my research, I came across a book more focused on companion planting: Carrots Love Tomatoes (1998) by Louise Riotte [link 2]. Riotte’s book covers companion plants ranging from vegetables and herbs to grasses, nuts, and even poisonous plants. Some of the entries detail likes and dislikes of plants, though it doesn’t necessarily detail the specific interactions. Take the entry on pole beans, for instance:

“Like others of the family, pole beans do well with corn and summer savory. They also have some pronounced dislikes, such as kohlrabi and sunflower” (Riotte, 1998, p. 7).

Other entries examine specific interactions, like the entry for cauliflower (Brassicaceae):

“The white cabbage butterfly (Pieris rapae) is repelled if celery plants are grown near the cauliflower.” (Riotte, 1998, p. 10).

Some of the entries also detail methods to handle pests and diseases, uses for plant extracts to treat other plants, and sometimes general tips for growing different plants. I personally like the book because of its accessible writing and helpful information, and also because it anthropomorphizes the plants a little. That being said, sometimes the book can be a little rambly and for all the information in it, it’s not as comprehensive as I would like (i.e. the sweet potato entry has some information about growing them but no information on companion plants).

My first order of business was cracking open the seed packets I had obtained by my local seed libraries and determining the number and quality of the seeds inside (photoset below). Luckily, only a few seeds in a single packet (out of all the packets I had!) were no good. All of the information was compiled into a single spreadsheet [link 3]. It took quite a bit of work to track down the information for each of the varieties, but I found it both very rewarding and enlightening.

Once I had that information I started making notes of what vegetables I would like to potentially grow, and used the information in Riotte (1998) to compile some potential combinations (photoset below).

Seed Packets Examination Photoset (below):

My initial intercropping notes, derived from Riotte (1998):

Just to note, Beds A and C listed above actually ended up being reversed when planted. Once I had some initial notes, I worked up an extremely rough draft of the bed C layout:

Once I had this draft drawn, however, it occurred to me that it might be a little easier to split this step into two parts: one, detailing the connections between the different plants in the bed; and two, a layout drawn on proper graph paper using the information from the first part. To develop the chart, I looked at my initial notes and picked a few ‘hub’ plants - i.e., plants that had multiple positive connections with other plants. I also mentally weighted the relative sizes of the grown plants and their support systems - pole beans and cucumbers, for instance, would require larger trellises, plant cages, or teepees. In the end though, a lot came down to instinct and guesswork. Also, some of the plants included on these charts I was unable to readily procure (like summer savory), so not everything on the diagrams ended up getting planted.

Intercropping Diagram for Bed C (this is maybe the third or fourth draft of this chart):

Note: The crossed-line indicates a negative connection between chives and pole beans.

Once I had these charts completed, I compared my seed inventory with the plant varieties I wanted in each raised bed, which in turn determined what I needed to try to buy. I ended up getting seeds from Home Depot (which had a large selection, albeit poorly placed in the store and difficult to examine) and Target (which had a surprisingly large selection, even of organics), as well as my old standbys, Dolins and Willow Tree. I also had a tomato plant and a sweet pepper plant from Willow Tree, and the three (or rather four, as it turned out) potato plants saved from the compost bin.

Bed C final draft layout diagram:

Some changes were made during planting; for instance, only one squash was planted, as I was unable to determine the variety and thus planting size. The potato plants went in the corner opposite the squash, and the remaining empty corner was filled with a quartet of lettuces.

Intercropping Diagram for Bed A (top; second draft) and Bed B (bottom; third draft)

Bed A final draft layout diagram:

Bed B final draft layout diagram:

Planting

Funny enough, planting took about as long as the direct planning process did (around 3.5 hours). The plant teepees each took probably less than ten minutes apiece to build and put into place, positioned according to the planting diagrams (see photoset below). Planting the seeds and the transplants was fairly straightforward. I used a tape measure to measure the distances from the nearest corner to keep everything fairly on track (although using this method was how I determined that one of the planter boxes was put together slightly incorrectly (i.e. Bed A is slightly rectangular instead of square)). My early attempts to place the seeds exactly at the recommended depths for each variety was unfortunately very time-consuming, and I ended up going by instinct alone.

Planting Photoset (below):

Source for the plant teepee design and instructions [link 4]

One thing I will note is that I ended up using a significant portion of my seed inventory - in particular, the lettuces, carrots, radishes, onions, and others. For some of the plantings, I planted multiple seeds together or in close proximity, with the intent to thin them out if and when they germinated (and since I’m writing this almost a month after planting, I can reveal that a lot of the seeds germinated!).

Come back for more details on my results in upcoming posts!

References and links below -

Post 5 Links

Link 1

https://notaclimatemaster.tumblr.com/post/676364727042129920/test-garden-guiding-principles

Post 2 Link

https://notaclimatemaster.tumblr.com/post/677097897790259200/test-garden-post-2-planning-and-preparation

Post 3 Link

https://notaclimatemaster.tumblr.com/post/678270042966753280/test-garden-post-3-clearing-and-amending

Post 4 Link

https://notaclimatemaster.tumblr.com/post/679080467095519232/test-garden-post-4-irrigation-and-soil-report

Link 2

https://tombolobooks.com/item/IgmPucVsqFufd0v_0eFMqw

See also: Riotte, L. (1998). Carrots love tomatoes. Storey Publishing, LLC.

Link 3

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1grH7-p2syelCoppaepV9zt4J2i_3XI-_SaN_sTQ-tpU/edit?usp=sharing

Link 4

https://themicrogardener.com/how-to-make-bamboo-tepee/

[notaclimatemaster]

Test Garden Post #4 - Irrigation and Soil Report

Hello there! I’m planting a small garden in my Saint Petersburg, Florida backyard to try out intercropping and other sustainable practices. Today, I am discussing two important parts of this project: first, irrigation planning and installation; and second, the results of my soil testing. If you want to get up to speed, my first three garden posts can be found here [link 1], here [link 2], and here [link 3]. I apologize in advance if this post is a little lengthy, so let’s jump in.

Part 1: Irrigation

Agriculture relies on many factors, but the top three are generally considered to be sunlight, soil, and water. I’ve covered the first two in previous posts; here I will discuss the third. Drawdown solution #67 is Farmland Irrigation [link 4]. As Drawdown explains, “to irrigate is to supply land with water”, and it is a practice which has existed since around 6000 BCE. Presently, agriculture accounts for 70% of the world’s freshwater usage, and is required for 40% of the world’s food production. This means that there is significant potential for decreasing freshwater usage by increasing irrigation efficiency.

Drawdown advocates for widespread adoption of two forms of irrigation: sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation. At up to 70% and 90% application efficiency respectively, both are significantly more efficient than traditional flood irrigation (which runs at about 50% efficiency on average). I personally think that Drawdown is a little vague regarding sprinkler irrigation, as there are a number of types of sprinkler irrigation systems. I found this site [link 5] helpful in understanding the differences. According to that link, sprinkler systems can lose as much as 35% or as little as 10% of water depending on type, so I suppose your mileage may vary.

Bowden’s Florida Fruit & Vegetable Gardening, which I’ve found to be an excellent resource, advocates against overhead sprinkler irrigation, and for “one that doesn’t get the plant leaves and stems wet, and distributes water at the root zone [...] such systems include drip systems, micro jet irrigation, and soaker hoses” (2015, p. 66) [link 6]. Drip and micro jet irrigation are very similar, and are more time-consuming and expensive to install than soaker hoses; alternatively, soaker hoses are cheaper at the potential cost of efficiency. As this article [link 7] states:

“Soaker hoses work best for smaller gardens on level ground. In most cases they come with an inexpensive start-up cost and are easy to install and configure just by snaking around plants. They work very well in raised beds.”

Those check all my boxes! One potential issue is that soaker hoses are less precise than drip irrigation systems [link 8]; however, I am less concerned about this due to the relatively close planting of the plants and the use of raised garden beds. Additionally, I did note some concerns online about chemicals and heavy metals leaching from hoses into the garden; however, it seems like there is some uncertainty about this [link 9]. Besides, who knows what is leaching into commercially grown crops, even organic ones?

Under perfect conditions, I wanted something like the Osmile Double-Wall Soaker Hose - strong, durable, made from recycled materials, and able to be buried [link 10]. Instead - due to budget and availability constraints - I went with a more basic option and procured the Element SoakerPRO System kit from Home Depot, along with three pre-made Element SoakerPRO 25’-long soaker hoses (although I ended up only using one of the pre-made and the kit). Per the manufacturer’s website [link 11]:

“Soaker hose is made of 65% recycled rubber and uses up to 70% less water than a conventional sprinkler”

“Meets lead-free standards under Federal Safe Drinking Water Act”

“Compliant with California’s strict phthalate-content standards”

Additionally, according to an answer from a Swan representative to a consumer’s question, the hose is BPA-free; and reviews on the Home Depot website indicate that the hose continues to work after being buried, which is an important consideration [link 12].

Irrigation Photoset 1 (below):

Irrigation Photoset 2 (below):

An aside regarding leaching of chemicals and heavy metals - during the process of buying materials to build the garden and the irrigation system, I came across something interesting. All of the plant support products (e.g., plant cages, trellises, shepherd’s hooks (for hanging plants), etc) had safety warnings [see photoset below]. These warnings included lead warnings as well as California Proposition 65 warnings [link 13].

The original goal of ‘Prop 65’ (officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986) was to protect water sources and inform the populace about dangerous chemicals. Instead, according to this Los Angeles Times article [link 14], the warning labels are now on so many items that “Californians, and increasingly anyone who shops online, overwarned, underinformed and potentially unprotected”. These labels can also be found on products sold across the US, if the items are also sold in California. Essentially, what it boils down to is that overuse of these Prop 65 warning labels makes it difficult to determine actual risks from different products.

The ‘vacuum breaker valve’ pictured below was the only one available from Home Depot, and it had a lead warning. Apparently, brass and chrome-plated brass used to contain up to 8% lead, although the most recent regulations lower the permissible lead level to 0.25% [link 15]. There is no information on the label to clarify how much lead is present in this valve, but I spent the $7 and bought it regardless, because I don’t want to take the chance of the irrigation system messing up the potable water system. I will just need to replace it as soon as I can.

Similarly, the lead warnings on the plant support products are likely due to their use of galvanized steel. This is because “the grade of zinc typically used for galvanizing contains a minimum of 0.5% lead” [link 16]. There doesn’t seem to be a consensus as to whether this lead can affect plants and vegetables grown from them, but as another option existed for these, I steered clear and instead bought the 6’ bamboo stakes.

Warning labels photoset (below):

Part 2: Soil Report

As detailed previously, I collected a soil sample from my backyard and sent it off to the University of Florida IFAS Extension Soil Testing Laboratory. The relevant results are included below. Important to note is that this soil sample is just for my native soil, and not for the amended soil in use in my raised garden beds. I might send off a sample of the amended soil for comparison, but we’ll see how things go. I definitely want to test the pH of the amended soil.

Probably my biggest complaint with this report is that it’s not super user- (read: layperson-) friendly; and while the report directs you to contact your local extension office if you have questions, I’ve had trouble getting in touch with them - ah, good old phone tag. I ended up researching ‘healthy’ soil nutrient levels on my own, prompting a disclaimer - any faulty interpretation here is probably my own and not the links listed. The results of my research are visible in Table 1 below.

pH [link 17]

The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a liquid is, on a scale from 0-14. Pure water is neutral at 7; pH below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is basic.

Some sources state that most vegetable plants prefer a pH of around 6.5, while the range from 6-7 is acceptable. [link 18] (see also Bowden, 2015)

However, the soil sample report claims that a pH of 5.5-6.5 is best for vegetables.

The pH of the native soil sample is 6.7, which is pretty okay, all things considered.

Nutrients [link 19]

Macronutrients are required in large amounts for plants

Structural macronutrients include carbon (c), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O)

Primary macronutrients include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)

Secondary macronutrients are calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S)

Micronutrients are required for plant growth but only in small amounts; also known as trace elements.

These include boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), chlorine (Cl), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo) and zinc (Zn); and possibly nickel (Ni)

Notes:

*The “goal level” for each nutrient is derived from the sources listed in the table. “Native soil level” comes from the soil sample report. “Analysis” is my own.

**Nitrogen - the soil report states “We do not test soil for N as there is no meaningful soil test for predicting N availability.”

***Phosphorous - healthy levels are between 20‑100 ppm, so 255 ppm is really high. This is a concern for the environment (potential runoff, apparently) but not as much for plant health. I should probably steer clear of phosphorus-containing fertilizers.

****Copper - according to the soil report, for a pH of 6.5-7.0, Cu phytotoxicity may occur at levels of 5.0 ppm or greater; something to keep an eye on, definitely.

Coming Attractions

Tune in next time for a look at my planning process for the mix of plants intercropped in each raised garden bed, as well as the actual planting process!

References below:

Link 1 https://notaclimatemaster.tumblr.com/post/676364727042129920/test-garden-guiding-principles

Link 2

https://notaclimatemaster.tumblr.com/post/677097897790259200/test-garden-post-2-planning-and-preparation

Link 3

https://notaclimatemaster.tumblr.com/post/678270042966753280/test-garden-post-3-clearing-and-amending

Link 4

https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/farm-irrigation-efficiency

Link 5

https://www.watercalculator.org/footprint/farmers-use-drip-irrigation/

Link 6

http://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/p-1680-florida-fruit-and-vegetable-gardening.aspx

See also - Bowden, R. (2015). Florida Fruit & Vegetable Gardening: Plant, Grow, and Harvest the Best Edibles. Cool Springs Press.

Link 7

https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/drip-irrigation-vs-soaker-hoses-which-is-better-for-your-garden/

Link 8

https://www.backyardgardener.com/garden-tip-articles/articles/drip-irrigation-vs-soaker-hose-whats-the-difference/

Link 9

https://grist.org/living/is-it-safe-to-use-a-soaker-hose-in-my-veggie-garden/

Link 10

https://eartheasy.com/premium-double-wall-osmile-soaker-hose-100-feet/

Link 11

https://www.swanhose.com/Element-SoakerPRO-System-p/celspak38100cc.htm

Link 12

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Swan-3-8-in-x-100-ft-Element-Soaker-Kit-ELSPAK38100CC/310333284

Link 13

https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/general-info/proposition-65-plain-language

Link 14

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-07-23/prop-65-product-warnings

Link 15

https://www.mwra.com/04water/html/Lead_Faucets.htm

Link 16

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/ees.2015.0073

Link 17

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH

Link 18

https://www.almanac.com/plant-ph

Link 19

https://plantprobs.net/plant/nutrientImbalances/definitions.html

Link 20

https://plantprobs.net/plant/nutrientImbalances

Link 21

https://knowmoregrowmore.com/interpreting-phosphorus-and-potassium-levels/

Link 22

https://www.midwesternbioag.com/selecting-right-calcium-source-soil/

Link 23

https://passel2.unl.edu/view/lesson/1daefadcf451/1

Link 24

http://www.al-labs-plains.com/soil/2511974

[notaclimatemaster]

Test Garden Post #3 - Clearing and Amending

My apologies for the delay - the time I set aside for preparing the test garden have clearly far outpaced the time I set aside to write about it. My first and second garden posts can be found here [link 1] and here [link 2]. In my first post, I discussed utilizing elements of Drawdown solutions, such as Regenerative Agriculture (#11). As explained on the Drawdown website [link 3], among the practices included in Regenerative Agriculture are:

No tillage*: Seeds are sown directly into the soil without tilling the soil and exposing it to the atmosphere, which causes the life inside it to rapidly decay and release carbon.

Cover cropping*: Farms either plant cover crops, such as vetch, white clover, or rye, or else they leave plant residues after harvesting, in order to preserve the soil.

In-farm fertility (no external nutrients): Crops are fertilized with compost produced on-site and/or ‘green manure’ (specific crops grown and tilled into the soil while still green to add their nutrients to the soil).

No pesticides or synthetic fertilizers: Stronger soil and healthier plants strongly decrease pests, while fertilizers are drawn from on-site.

Diversified crop rotation*: In contrast to traditional crop rotation, this type of crop rotation has cover crops containing ten or more different varieties, each of which provides a different benefit to the soil.

Note: the three starred bullet points above comprise Drawdown solution #16 (Conservation Agriculture) [link 4].

Happy Little Accidents

Moving forward with the project, I immediately ran into issues. Despite the no-till concept of regenerative and conservation agriculture, I made the difficult decision to clear the area under and around the raised garden beds. This was done in part with the hope of limiting the amount of weeding needed in the future, but primarily with the intent of clearing the subterranean roots that extend from the large shade tree in my yard. This step was easily the most labor-intensive so far, but very gratifying. However, I did make a bit of a mistake - in an effort to retain biomass, I put all of the weeds and grass into my compost bin, which unfortunately swamped the rich compost that had accrued so far. It will eventually make for rich fertilizer, but for the moment, I have to rely on store-bought compost and other organic material (which goes against regenerative agriculture’s concept of ‘no external nutrients’).

Official Soil of Florida

For those who are unaware, Florida’s native soil is notoriously poor. According to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) website [link 5], the official state soil is a fine, gray soil called Myakka. Myakka is only found in Florida, and covers the majority of the state. However, Myakka does vary depending on the region. In North and Central Florida, the soil is extremely sandy; sandy soils struggle to retain moisture and nutrients. The Panhandle has clay soils, which compacts more easily and drains slower, which can make it difficult for roots to work their way through it and waterlog plants. The farthest southern parts of Florida are extremely shallow and have a high pH due to the limestone bedrock. Only the area around the Everglades has extremely fertile soil, due to the high amount of peat.

Soil Testing

As I live in Central Florida, my local soil is the extremely sandy ‘sugar soil’, but I wanted more information. For a small fee, the University of Florida’s IFAS Extension Soil Testing Laboratory [link 6] will test your soil (if you live in Florida) and provide a detailed analysis. In order to provide a comprehensive sample of my soil, I followed the lab’s instructions and took a series of small soil samples from around the yard, mixed them together, dried it on newspaper, and then mailed it off with a money order for a whopping $10 (as I procrastinated in mailing my sample, I’m currently awaiting results).

Photoset 1: Clearing and leveling the raised garden beds

Gardener Scott

While researching health soils, I came across a very helpful Youtube channel, Gardener Scott [link 7]. As a comment on one of his videos very adroitly stated, Gardener Scott is like the “Bob Ross of gardening”. I found particularly helpful the video “How to Fill a Raised Bed (And Save Money)” [link 8]. The biggest takeaway from all of my soil research (which is neatly summed up by this article on The Spruce [link 9]) is that healthy soil has a significant amount of organic material; a good, balanced texture (all things in moderation, after all!); and a “healthy pH”. My goal then for amending my native soil was primarily increasing organic material, which could potentially improve all three of those facets.

Biochar

Something interesting I came across working on this project is Drawdown solution #72 - Biochar [link 10]. Similar to charcoal, biochar is created via pyrolysis (“the slow baking of biomass in the near or total absence of oxygen”, which results in fuels and biochar). This biomass is usually sourced from ‘waste’ materials like peanut shells and scrap wood, and depending on the speed of the ‘baking’, the mix of fuel-to-biochar can be adjusted. Biochar makes for an incredible way to sequester carbon and to improve crop yields. Biochar is extremely porous, and can potentially help soil retain water and nutrients, increase the effectiveness of fertilizers, and harbor healthy microorganisms.

It hadn’t originally occurred to me that biochar would be available to small-scale backyard gardeners like myself until I stumbled across it listed on the Home Depot website. My only concern in using it is that biochar can potentially lower the soil acidity (which I won’t know until the soil sample results return), but I don’t think I’m using the biochar in high enough quantity for it to seriously affect things either way.

Filling the Raised Garden Beds

Some very rough calculations, with the beds filled ⅔ full or completely full:

3 raised garden beds x (48” wide x 48” long x 4” deep) = 27648 cubic inches = 16 cubic feet

3 raised garden beds x (48” wide x 48” long x 6” deep) = 41472 cubic inches = 24 cubic feet

Therefore I knew I needed to purchase between 16 and 24 cubic feet of soil and amendments, which I procured from Willow Tree Nursery, Dolins Garden Center, and Wakefield Biochar (in decreasing order of quantity purchased).

3 bags of Black Kow cow manure (1 cu.ft. each)

3 bags of Black Kow mushroom compost (~0.75 cu.ft. each)

3 bags of Just Natural organic container and potting mix (2 cu.ft. each)

2 bags of Foxfarm cultivation nation (2 cu.ft. each)

2 bags of Wakefield Biochar CompostHero (1 cu.ft. each)

Note: I also bought 4 bags of Oldcastle NoFloat cypress mulch (2 cu.ft. each), which would be used to cover the surrounding area to minimize weeding (thanks to a tip from Gardener Scott).

Altogether, this totalled 17.25 cu.ft., sans mulch. At the time of purchase, I was worried I had aimed too low, but once the soil and amendments were put into the beds, I was glad I had undershot the mark - the raised beds actually rested just below ground level, and were therefore slightly filled with native soil.

Photoset 2: soils and amendments added to raised garden beds

Photoset 3: filling and mixing the raised garden beds.

Coming Attractions

Altogether, the process so far has been enlightening, if exhausting (in terms of time, energy, and money). Coming up next time: building the irrigation system and planning the exact mix of plants in each bed. Hopefully the soil sample results will have returned by then.

References and Helpful Links

Link 1 https://notaclimatemaster.tumblr.com/post/676364727042129920/test-garden-guiding-principles

Link 2

https://notaclimatemaster.tumblr.com/post/677097897790259200/test-garden-post-2-planning-and-preparation

Link 3

https://drawdown.org/solutions/regenerative-annual-cropping

Link 4

https://drawdown.org/solutions/conservation-agriculture

Link 5

https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/planting/florida-soil.html

Link 6

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/soil-testing/

Link 7

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWsI0LmiDyezbnN2JCL4P9w

Link 8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV4DjBZqTXQ&ab_channel=GardenerScott

Link 9

https://www.thespruce.com/healthy-soil-and-how-to-make-it-2539853

Link 10

https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/biochar-production

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The world's most unwanted plants help trees make more fruit

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Test Garden Post #2 - Planning and Preparation

As mentioned previously in my first post [link], I am using Robert Bowden’s Florida Fruit & Vegetable Gardening as reference. After reviewing the fruits and vegetables listed by Bowden, I made a list of 21 vegetables ranging from beans to watermelon which I could plant in February or March, and which my wife and I like to eat. I decided to largely steer clear of fruit for now (sans tomatoes); most are trees, bushes, or vines, and I worried they would block too much sunlight, take up too much room, and require additional hardware (i.e. trellises), respectively. Although the backyard is fairly empty, there is a single large, albeit scraggly, oak tree, and I worry about how much sunlight it will block. Unfortunately no better location exists, and removing the tree is prohibitively expensive at this time (although it may allow for solar).

Nurseries: With Google’s help, I planned out a total of six plant nurseries to go to, and with my list of vegetable options in hand, I set off. Of the six nurseries on the list, I went to three, plus one not on the list, and skipped the others. The two best for my purposes were Dolins Garden Center and Willow Tree Nursery, and I returned home with lots of notes and prices. However, I was introduced to a wonderful local resource: seed libraries.

Seed Libraries: Libraries are a truly wonderful place. I’ve spent quite a lot of time at libraries over the years, and I highly suggest doing so. Not only do they lend books, but also often music and DVDs. Some of them have more advanced offerings, like ‘maker spaces’ or tool libraries (when I first heard about these, I thought they meant hammers and screwdrivers - they have those, but also some have items like carpet shampooers and pressure washers). Having a library card (at least through my local library system) grants access to Libby, which lends ebooks and audiobooks, as well as museum passes, blind and deaf services, and most relevant to this post, a few of the locations in the PPLC also have seed banks.

I have compiled a spreadsheet of my seed haul here [link], but to summarize, I collected a total of 45 seed packets and one sheet of seed paper. The bulk of the packets came from the well-stocked seed library at the James Weldon Johnson Community Library; however, these packets contain only a few seeds each, and some only contain a single seed. The seed packets from the Safety Harbor Public Library were in much more limited supply, but each packet contained a significant amount of seeds. All of the packets were labeled with the vegetable or herb name, and most included the variety as well.

Note: It should go without saying, but only take as many seed packets as directed by the library staff! I only took so many because they urged me to at James Weldon Johnson, but limited it at

hotos (above): top, seed packets from the James Weldon Johnson Community Library; middle, the Safety Harbor Public Library Seed Library [link]; bottom, seed packets and seed paper from the Safety Harbor Public Library Seed Library

Building the raised garden beds:

As discussed by Bowden and a number of other sources, garden beds should ideally be no deeper than you can effectively reach, which for most people is around 2 ft. Therefore, if you can reach opposite sides of the bed, you can make it a maximum of around 4 ft. Thanks to my father, I had access to a good supply of cedar boards. I misremembered the boards’ dimensions, so my initial planning assumed the boards were 12’ long, 8” wide, and 1”-2” thick, and therefore each could supply three ~4 ft. boards. Instead, the boards measured 10’ x 6” x 2”. I decided to risk making the beds 5 ft. x 5 ft.

The first garden bed practically flew together, taking less than 45 minutes altogether. Unfortunately, I determined that 5’x5’ was indeed too large to comfortably reach into, and ended up disassembling it, and cutting all of the boards I had down to 4’ lengths. In retrospect, I should have listened to Bowden and others, and made the garden beds 4’ x 6’. In any case, the latter two raised beds were moderately more difficult than the first, as one board of each was incredibly warped (or more likely, one board of the 6 originals was terribly warped, and I just managed to split it between the two beds).

One delightful happenstance, however: after building the garden beds, I remembered I needed to water and aerate my compost bin. Inside, I found several plants growing, which I am fairly certain are potato plants (see photo below). I had seen the sprouts growing several times before, and thinking they were weeds, I always covered them with compost, but apparently potatoes like that very much. I carefully extracted them and potted them; they will be my first transplants into the garden.

Six (6) 10 ft. x 6 in. x 2 in. boards, cut into a total of twelve (12) 5 ft. lengths:

The first completed 5’ x 5’ garden bed, before being cut down to 4’ x 4’:

Clamping and drilling the corner pieces:

Cutting the 5 ft. boards down to 4 ft. boards:

Potato plants found growing in the compost bin and transplanted into a container:

The latter two raised beds, mid-construction:

All three raised beds, aligned and in their final positions, awaiting weed clearing:

Further notes on information sources: The UF IFAS “Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide” [link] provides a bunch of good tips for starting the garden. With regards to intercropping, I also have this handy infographic that I came across on Tumblr which indicates good options for ‘companion planting’ [link]. I am also still awaiting my reference books from Tombolo.

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Test Garden Guiding Principles

I’m planting a small garden in my Saint Petersburg, Florida backyard to try out intercropping. These are my initial guiding principles:

It will start small, functioning as a proof of concept, with the intent and capacity to expand at a later date.

It will showcase elements of several Drawdown [1] solutions, including #4 (Plant-Rich Diet), #3 (Reduced Food Waste), #60 (Composting), and #11 (Regenerative Agriculture).

It will be documented thoroughly, for my own sake, for science’s sake, and also for credit for my Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation course at the USF Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS).

It will be, to the largest extent feasible, corn-free and corn-derivative-free.

It will be, to the largest extent feasible, locally and sustainably sourced.

Fig. 1: The prospective location of the test garden.

Expounding on Guiding Principle #2:

When you picture “modern” agriculture, you probably envision sprawling fields composed of orderly rows of corn or wheat. While continual improvements in industrial agriculture have allowed the world to feed its seven billion inhabitants, there is a better way: Regenerative Agriculture (Drawdown #11), which uses plant diversity to improve soil health and crop productivity [3]. One such form of Regenerative Agriculture is Tree Intercropping (Drawdown #17) [4]. Unfortunately, my yard is too small for Tree Intercropping, but I can still practice intercropping on a smaller scale. As explained by the Natural Water Retention Measures website:

“Intercropping is the practice of growing two or more crops in proximity. The most common goal of intercropping is to produce a greater yield on a given piece of land by making use of resources that would otherwise not be utilized by a single crop.” [5]

Thankfully, as explained by Drawdown, “regenerative agriculture is a practical movement, not a purist one” [4]. My backyard, like many Florida yards, is dry, sandy soil, and more weeds than grass. As part of this experiment, I will be taking soil samples to further determine its characteristics, and I am hoping that intercropping eventually helps make my backyard soil more fertile. However, in order to give myself a leg up, I will be building 2-3 low, ‘raised’ garden beds (~8”-12” tall) from cedar wood and filling them with store-bought organic soil.

It is my hope that I can fertilize the plant beds after the initial planting solely with ‘home-grown’ Compost (Drawdown #60). Thanks to the City of Saint Petersburg’s Residential Composting Program, our household was provided a free compost bin around a year and a half ago, which has allowed our household to compost biodegradable waste from cloth and paper to eggshells and vegetable trimmings. According to the City of Saint Petersburg’s, “composting is the natural process of recycling organic material, like kitchen and yard waste, which breaks down to form a useful, nutrient-rich fertilizer” [6]. Composting also prevents the anaerobic decay of biodegradable material at landfills, which is a major source of methane emissions [5]. The current stockpile of compost will provide excellent fertilizer for the test garden, and in turn, plant trimmings and vegetable scraps from it will be composted.

A note regarding references and sources of information: I am leaning heavily on Robert Bowden’s Florida Fruit & Vegetable Gardening as my primary source, and supplementing it with information from a variety of websites. Another primary source is the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences website (though I have heard both praise and complaints about UF IFAS information) [7]. have also ordered two more books from my local indie bookstore (Tombolo Books [8], which I highly recommend!): “Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening” by Louise Riotte and “Florida Survival Gardening” by David the Good.

[1] Paul Hawken (Ed.). (2017). Drawdown: The most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming. Penguin Books.

[2]https://www.stpete.org/residents/utilities/residential_trash___recycling/composting_waste_reduction.php

[3] Drawdown - Regenerative Agriculture - pg. 54-55

[4] Drawdown - Tree Intercropping - pg. 58-59

[5] Drawdown - Composting - pg. 62-63

[6] https://www.sare.org/publications/crop-rotation-on-organic-farms/guidelines-for-intercropping/

[7] https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/get-growing/

[8] https://tombolobooks.com/

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Allergies: How I Learned to Start Worrying and Hate Corn (and corn-derivatives)

As Sophia Petrillo would say, let me tell you a story. Picture it: Prague, 2012. For four and a half months, a young man and his girlfriend study abroad in the gorgeous capital of the Czech Republic. The trip is transformative - sharing a small apartment alone in a foreign country forces the couple to work out any potential issues. I was that young man, and the girlfriend is now my wife. We’ve been together now over eleven years, and married for three of those.

Unfortunately, the trip was transformative in another way as well - upon returning to the US, I was beset by a host of gastrointestinal and skin problems. In October 2013, I was diagnosed with allergies to peanuts and to corn. Though merely informed speculation, I believe that the nearly-complete absence of both corn and peanuts while studying abroad, followed by their near-constant presence after I returned, triggered something in my immune system. Whatever the cause, the allergist who diagnosed the corn allergy knew little about it, and their recommendation was simply “don’t eat corn”. Needless to say, that advice was severely lacking. A few years after that, another allergy test at a different allergists’ office also showed positive for corn allergy; that allergist didn’t believe I had a corn allergy at first and thought it was a false-positive, until I explained that I had had it confirmed via a previous test and also by personal experiences.

I am lucky in that my corn allergy is not, for the most part, deadly. There has only been one instance that almost required the administration of an Epi-Pen (luckily it did not, as I didn’t have an Epi-Pen at the time). I have gradually cut out almost all of the corn from my diet and my life in general with help from resources like the life-saving Corn Allergy Girl [1].

A few examples of my corn allergy in action:

Dryer sheets are off-limits, as they produce an itchy rash in the more delicate areas of my body.

I have changed hand soaps, body washes, shampoos, etc. again and again until I found ones that (generally) don’t cause any trouble.

Fried foods are a bit like Russian roulette; supposedly, corn oil is processed at a high enough heat that it “should not” cause problems, but I’ve had reactions to it before [3].

Cardboard boxes are potentially treated with corn starch; i.e., the boxes of shipping envelopes at my job have occasionally caused reactions [6].

Corn starch (or “food starch”) is often used as an anti-caking ingredient and can be found commonly in ingredients such as powdered sugar and baking powder.

Fruits and vegetables (yes, even organic fruits and veggies) may be processed with corn-derivatives (ethylene gas from corn for ripening, coated with waxes containing corn, etc.)

Baked goods (such as pizzas, Publix sub rolls (iykyk), cakes, etc.) are commonly made with corn products, like corn meal, during the baking process, but do not always list these ‘process’ ingredients in their ingredient list.

A few examples of items either derived from corn or processed with corn-derivatives: glucose, fructose, dextrose, MSG, citric acid, and extracts (like vanilla extract)

For more information about corn allergies in general, I suggest the following link:

https://cornallergygirl.com/2019/01/10/clearing-up-some-misconceptions-about-corn-allergy/

References and Other Helpful Links:

[1] https://cornallergygirl.com/

[2] https://www.eatingwithfoodallergies.com/managing-a-corn-allergy/

[3] https://www.ecoproducts.com/what-if-i-am-allergic-to-corn.html

[4] https://medium.com/@Weresquirrel/the-last-straw-starbucks-ignores-allergy-risks-in-straws-6d0c9f81cb77

[5] https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/01/what-its-like-be-allergic-corn/580594/

[6] https://twitter.com/swiftonsecurity/status/1074810043495796736?lang=en

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Drawdown Solution #14 - “Tropical Staple Trees”

Tropical staple trees are “critical components of the world’s food supply” (Hawken (Ed.), 2017, p. 66). According to Hawken ((Ed.), 2017, p. 66), tropical staple trees provide a number of advantages over traditional annual crops:

Tropical staple trees can be integrated into a variety of agroforestry systems, which in turn can reverse erosion and runoff, and increase rainwater infiltration

Tropical staple trees can be grown on land/soils and in climates unsuitable for traditional annual crops

Tropical staple trees require less fuel, fertilizer, and pesticide, as well as tillage after planting

In general, perennials are more resistant to the effects of climate change than annual crops

Despite their importance, only 11% of the world’s cultivated land is devoted to perennial crops; furthermore, less than 0.04% of the 3 billion total cultivated acres is devoted to perennial staples like bananas, avocados, and coconuts (Hawken (Ed.), 2017, p. 66). This in part stems from the challenges inherent to staple trees. Staple trees can be (a) harder to come by (e.g. seeds, rootstock, etc.), (b) take several years to begin producing crops, as opposed to months with annuals; and (c) can be problematic to harvest and process (Toensmeier, 2012). While yields of tropical staple trees generally match or exceed those of annual crops, temperate and boreal regions do not have crops that can compete as well (Hawken (Ed.), 2017, p. 66). However, even in non-tropical regions, there are promising signs for staple trees, and global research into staple trees has been increasing (Toensmeier, 2012).

Breadfruit, also known as ‘ulu, is one such promising tropical staple tree. Breadfruit is a good source of protein, complex carbohydrates, and other nutrients, and it can be prepared similar to potatoes or sweet potatoes, or when ripe, eaten raw (Hawai'i Homegrown Food Network, n.d.; Wong, 2021). Innovative uses for breadfruit now include “breadfruit butters, cheeses, flour, and all the baked good potentials out of the flour” (Neimanis, 2021).

The breadfruit tree is a flowering tree native to the Pacific Islands, and is particularly promising for places like Hawaii where it can offer invaluable food security (Neimanis, 2021). After World War II, Hawaii's agriculture became dominated by cash crops grown specifically for export like coffee, pineapple, and sugar, with the result being that 90% of Hawaii’s food is imported (Neimanis, 2021; Wong, 2021). While several initiatives in Hawaii are working to increase breadfruit’s cultivation and use, including Ho'oulu ka 'Ulu (a joint project of the Hawai’i Homegrown Food Network and the Breadfruit Institute of the National Tropical Botanical Garden), the Hawaii ‘Ulu Cooperative, and research at the University of Hawaii, progress has been slow (Hawai'i Homegrown Food Network, n.d.; Neimanis, 2021; Wong, 2021). Despite a number of recent setbacks, some due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have also been successes; the Hawai’i Ulu Cooperative, for instance, is finally close to turning a profit (Neimanis, 2021; Wong, 2021).

Figure 2.2: Map showing condition suitability for growing breadfruit. (From Elevitch and Ragone, 2018, p.10).

Figure 3.7: A traditional Pacific Island breadfruit agroforest; includes crops like banana, cacao, and coconut. (Elevitch and Ragone, 2018, p. 33)

References and Useful Links

Elevitch, C. R., & Ragone, D. (2018). Breadfruit Agroforestry Guide: Planning and Implementation of Regenerative Organic Methods. Permanent Agriculture Resources. https://hawaiihomegrown.net/images/stories/pdfs/Breadfruit%20Agroforestry%20Guide%20web%20edition.pdf

Hawai'i Homegrown Food Network. (n.d.). Ho'oulu ka 'Ulu--Revitalizing Breadfruit. Hawaii Homegrown Food Network. Retrieved January 27, 2022, from https://hawaiihomegrown.net/breadfruit

Kreitzman, M., Toensmeier, E., Chan, K. M.A., Smukler, S., & Ramankutty, N. (2020). Perennial Staple Crops: Yields, Distribution, and Nutrition in the Global Food System. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 4, 1-21. Frontiers In. 10.3389/fsufs.2020.588988

Neimanis, D. (2021, April 28). Reviving Breadfruit, the Polynesian Staple, Could Nourish People and Fight Climate Change. Civil Eats. https://civileats.com/2021/04/28/reviving-breadfruit-the-polynesian-staple-could-nourish-people-and-fight-climate-change/

Perennial Staple Crops. (n.d.). Project Drawdown. Retrieved January 27, 2022, from https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/perennial-staple-crops

Toensmeier, E. (2012, February 25). Perennial Staple Crops of the World - The Permaculture Research Institute. Permaculture Research Institute. Retrieved January 27, 2022, from https://www.permaculturenews.org/2012/02/25/perennial-staple-crops-of-the-world/

Toensmeier, E. (2018). Perennial Staple Crops and Agroforestry for Climate Change Mitigation. In F. Montagnini (Ed.), Integrating Landscapes: Agroforestry for Biodiversity Conservation and Food Sovereignty (pp. 439-451). Springer International Publishing. 10.1007/978-3-319-69371-2_18

Tropical Staple Trees. (2017). In P. Hawken (Ed.), Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming (pp. 66-67). Penguin Publishing Group.

Wong, K. (2021, December 10). Mending Hawaii's Lack of Food Security Through Breadfruit. Modern Farmer. https://modernfarmer.com/2021/12/breadfruit-hawaii-ulu-cooperative/

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This is a system test. Please do not panic.