Annual Food Production

Perennial Orchards

Old

For the year 2020, I am planning to get more serious about horticulture and planting.

2020 Growing year

I am want to try our hands at indoor seed starting and plant rotation.

Plants

We want:

  • sweet peppers
  • kohlrabi
  • carrots
  • pea
  • beans
  • squash
  • turnips

We have 2 8’x4' beds and some miscellaneous space, so need to be quite space conscious.

Seed Orders

Seed Starting

After some preliminary research, it looks like I can get lights fairly cheaply online. Then we just have to decide on starting medium and tray method. I am very interested in soil blocks, but I don’t know how well that’ll go for me.

Weed Control

I am planning to use leaf mulch and get some sort of implement to cut weeds at the base. Johnny’s Select seeds seemed to have a variety of options.

Perennials

I have a number of apple seeds that are currently stratifying in the fridge. I will need to plant those into pots and then think about where they’ll go. Most likely, the land, but that is open, I’m not sure if I have spots with enough sun to give the trees a good start.

Methods

No till

Seed Companies

Oikos Tree Crops: Great source for hardy trees and perennials. Really nice genetic improvements and selections. Prices are not the lowest, and seed selection is rather limited, but increasing. Located in Michigan, zone 5.

Hidden Spring Nursery Tennessee, zone 6, nursery with a nice selection of unusual perennials.

Firewood

Growth Rate vs. Energy Potential of Tree Species

Species Million Years to Produce Million Btu/ Btu/Cord * 1 Cord/Acre ([dagger]) Acre/Year

Poplar 13.7 1 to 3 13.7 to 4.6 Red alder 14.8 3 to 4 4.9 to 3.7 Paper birch 20 9 to 11 2.2 to 1.8 American beech 22.7 25 to 40 0.9 to 0.6

  • Btu figures are based on seasoned wood at 20 percent moisture content and 85 cubic feet of wood per 128-cubic-foot cord to account for airspace.

([dagger]) Estimates are based on data from a variety of eastern hardwood sites. Conditions such as soil fertility, growing zone, water availability, and genetics will all have significant effects on actual yields.