Growing my own fresh foods

[Andee]

So since my insects will be rather large (plans for 8 colonies of roaches alone with the addition of other feeders too) I know how much a strong colony of roaches can power through fresh greens and fruits. I have an orange tree, Mandarin orange tree, and mulberry tree, plus we buy a lot of fruits and veggies anyway. Sadly however, as a house we don't eat a lot of collards, beets etc that the roaches thrive on. So I would buy purely for the animals. That's what I used to do, and the cost sky rocketed quickly. So then I got to thinking... why not just grow it? Already started a batch of bok choy regrows and then keeping one to harvest seeds from too. Also growing some mustard and sunflower micro greens.

I do plan to grow A LOT more but the thing is I will likely have excess this way, even if I sell it to neighbors or share with friends and family. So I thought, why not just use my dehydrator, and then blitz it and use it in part of my dry gutload? So much potential.

 

[jamest0o0]

I use grape leaves, rose, raspberry leaves, moringa, dandelion, plantains, wild strawberries, mulberry leaves, figs and leaves, squash leaves and flowers, and chia leaves... all which grow around my yard or in my garden

 

[Andee]

I've had a really hard time finding dandelion recently, lots of prickly lettuce and a couple other look a likes that aren't as beneficial or have hallucinogenic properties. You are so lucky to had plaintan weed! My tortoise loves it but I can't find it here so frustrating.

I have rose gonna end up dehydrating some of the flowers since we have an ant colony taking over the plant for aphid harvesting. The plant is thriving and the ants seem to be keeping the aphids in manageable numbers. So I'm not disturbing them until it gets out of hand.

I'm kinda confused by what my mulberry tree is doing this year. I think it's confused thouigh too. The weather has been so up and down. So it's dropped it's leaves early twice now and then regrown them poor thing.


I plan to do about 8 different types of micro greens, probably 2 types of summer squash, 2 types of winter squash, carrots, sweet potato, bok choy, various lettuce, one type of kale for sure, and then we will have our human only things too.

 

[Lindasjackson]

That’s awesome!

 

[insectovore]

I have good luck growing greens. The only thing I needed was a knee high fence to keep the rabbits out. I'm sure they could get over the tiny fences I've used if they wanted to but they don't seem to bother. Other stuff like watermelon takes a long time to grow. I tried to grow carrots but it took about twice as long as the package indicated. I suppose different things are probably easier to grow in different climates, too. I would check with local tortoise keepers and see what they have the most luck growing in your area.

 

[Andee]

I live in a place that is like... consistently warm all year except for 3 months. What are seasons? None exist here. Lol. My aunt might know. I know kale, tomatoes, and broccoli grow well here for sure. We have a lot of others like squash and cucumbers too. But i also know we have a lot of pest species like aphids, mealy bugs, and cabbage whites. Such a pain.

We dont have wild rabbits in my backyard, though they are common around some other parts of the city. We get opossums and raccoons... whicb will be a pain may need chicken wire?

 

[insectovore]

I think the raccoons will not bother the greens but I hear they really like corn. I'd go with the little fence first cheap and easy to step over, then if you find deer or omnivorous mammals become a problem scale up from there. You may find they only bother certain types and you can cage those or switch to something less appealing to them. I've never grown these as a food item and they may prove slow growing but prickly pear cactus would be interesting. I've bought the pads from people who grow them and since you have a longer growing season than I have, maybe they would be worthwhile there.

 

[Andee]

I grow prickly pear actually, they are super easy. Require little maintenance here. Most annoying thing are the small hair like spines lol

 

[Flick boy]

Excellent I live in the countryside and have lots of dandelion greens growing around the place but would like to get some organic ones in the green house along with hibiscus

 

[GEHerps12]

I live in upstate New York and the wild edibles are endless. Always a great choice for high-level nutrients

 

[jamest0o0]

I live in upstate New York and the wild edibles are endless. Always a great choice for high-level nutrients

Curious, what are some of your favorites to use?

 

[GEHerps12]

Curious, what are some of your favorites to use?

Definitely grapevine, dandelion and mulberry. But also wild roses, sugar maple, clover, etc.

 

[jamest0o0]

Definitely grapevine, dandelion and mulberry. But also wild roses, sugar maple, clover, etc.

Ah okay thanks, I have those growing here too. Grape leaves are supposed to be super nutritious, but the bugs never want to eat them

 

[GEHerps12]

Ah okay thanks, I have those growing here too. Grape leaves are supposed to be super nutritious, but the bugs never want to eat them

 

[GEHerps12]

Yes.. I have trouble sometimes as well unless they are young very green leaves..