FAQ

Q: How do you deal with pests?

A: I deploy several techniques just depending on the pest, these techniques include chickens, row covers, overhead watering, soapy water spray, oil and soap sour cream container traps and vinegar and soap spray.  I let my chickens roam the entire garden in the winter except for one high tunnel that has our winter greens to try and deal with earwigs, slugs, snails, rolly pollys etc.  I put row covers over brassicas to try and exclude aphids and keep it a more humid environment. I also use row covers to try and exclude cabbage looper moths, leaf miner and onion thrips.  I keep a bottle of vinegar with soap for any insects that are pests that are not located on plants, that combo will burn plants.

If I can’t ID a pest I will send pictures to http://utahpests.usu.edu/. Marion Murray has been extremely helpful.  I suggest subscribing to their pest advisories http://utahpests.usu.edu/ipm/htm/subscriptions .

There are some plants that I have given up on because of the pest pressures.  My swiss chard gets hit too hard by leaf miner and earwigs, I grow apples and cherries but I know I will lose some fruit due to codling moth and western cherry fruit fly.  There are so many other fruits and vegetables that I can rely on that I don’t mind moving on.  If I were trying to sell produce it would be another matter.  We are more tolerant of pest pressures.

 

Q:  How do you run your crop rotation?

A:  I am on a four year rotation, I split it up into brassicas and root crops, alliums, cucurbits, and nightshades  http://www.groworganic.com/organic-gardening/articles/quick-guide-to-vegetable-families-for-crop-rotation.  There are very simple rotation plans and then more elaborate plans that include cover crop rotation.  Pam Dawling and Eliot Coleman have very elaborate rotation, check for their books in the general gardening section of the resource page.  On smaller gardens, even if you just plant basil and tomatoes, rotate those two.

The best way to visualize the rotation amongst the beds comes from Pam Dawling.

Each row is a bed from either the north or south side of the yard.  With this method I can see at a glance whether or not I have planted something in the same family in the last four years.

Q: How often do you water your xeriscaped parkstrip and what have you planted that allows you to water so infrequently?

A: Since the parkstrip has been established it gets watered once or twice a year depending on how hot the summer turns.  Here is a waterwise plant list from USU https://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/HG_500_2.pdf.