How to Grow More Vegetables : And Fruits, Nuts ... - Shroomery

As you become skilled, the double-dig often takes 2 hours or
less. After the first crop, however, only 4 to 6 1 ⁄ 2 hours should be
required on an ongoing basis for the whole preparing and planting
process, because the soil will have better structure. Once the
beds are planted, only about 30 minutes a day are required to
maintain a 200-square-foot area—an area large enough to provide
one person with vegetables 12 months a year in an area with a 4to
6-month growing season. 1 Even less time per day and only a
100-square-foot area may be required in an area with an 8- to 12month
growing season. Beginning gardeners may require a
larger area for the same yield, but we recommend a new
gardener use only 100 square feet and allow the soil to gradually
produce more food as his or her skills improve.
The square footage required to provide the vegetable supply
for one person is approximate since the exact amount varies
depending on whether the individual likes corn (which takes up
a lot of space per pound of edible vegetable grown) or a lot of
carrots, beets, potatoes, and tomatoes (which require much less
area per pound of food produced). Using the tables in “Making
the Garden Plan” (based on yields produced by the GROW
BIOINTENSIVE method for all vegetable crops), you can determine
the actual area needed for each crop. Be patient in this
soil-building process. It takes 5 to 10 years to build up a good
soil (and one’s skills). Actually, this is very rapid. Nature often
requires a period of 2,000 years or more to build a soil!
Instructions for the initial preparation of a 100-square-foot
bed in a heavy clay, very sandy, or good soil are given below.
Instructions for the repreparation of a bed are also given. After
the soil has been initially prepared, you will find that the GROW
BIOINTENSIVE method requires less work than the gardening
technique you presently use. The Irish call this the “lazy bed”
method of raising food. It has the added benefit of producing
tasty vegetables and an average of 4 times more vegetables
than your current yield! Or, if you wish to raise only the same
amount of food as last year, only 1 ⁄ 4 the area will have to be dug,
weeded, and watered.
INITIAL PREPARATION PER 100 SQUARE FEET
First, perform a soil test (see the soil test section in
“Fertilization”), then do the following:
1. If needed, soak the area to be dug for 2 hours with a sprinkler
(for hard, dry clays).
2. Let the soil dry out partially for 2 days.
3. Loosen 12 inches of soil with a spading fork, and remove weeds.
1 to 2 hours.
4. Water gently by hand for 5 minutes, and let the soil rest for 1 day.
If your soil has particularly large clods, wait several extra days,
1. Two hundred square feet can yield over 300 pounds of vegetables and soft fruits in a
4- to 6-month growing season at intermediate GROW BIOINTENSIVE yields. The average person
in the United States consumes about 322 pounds of vegetables and soft fruits annually.
BED PREPARATION 7