Raising Sweet Corn, Pumpkins, and Squash.

[randy41]

what's the market? i grow watermelons but just 300' last year. made $732. i plant them in mulch plastic with drip tape. at the farmers market small watermelons sell better than big ones. next year if i can get an intern here i'll go for at least twice that many. i grew peace (a yellow flesh melon), sugar baby, and crimson sweet. i grow organically. i spread fertilizer (harmony) before planting. i transplant from my own starts. this past year was very rainy here and some of the crimson sweets got too big and were hard to sell.
i encourage you to grow organically.

 

[smstonypoint]

Would it be ok to plant one on one side of the sweet corn and one on the other side?

You don't have to worry about cross-pollination. The rotations are across years. Let's say your garden is divided into plots and your 2014 plantings are as follows:
Plot Crop
A Sweet Corn
B Pumpkins
C Sweet Corn
D Squash
E Sweet Corn
F Watermelons

Because pumpkins, squash, and watermelons are in the same family, planting any of those crops in plots B, D, and F in 2015 would increase the chances of insect and disease problems. So, in 2015 you could use this cropping pattern:
Plot Crop
A Pumpkins
B Sweet Corn
C Squash
D Sweet Corn
E Watermelons
F Sweet Corn

Adding crops from other plant families would increase your flexibility.

Steve

 

[Green Power]

what's the market? i grow watermelons but just 300' last year. made $732. i plant them in mulch plastic with drip tape. at the farmers market small watermelons sell better than big ones. next year if i can get an intern here i'll go for at least twice that many. i grew peace (a yellow flesh melon), sugar baby, and crimson sweet. i grow organically. i spread fertilizer (harmony) before planting. i transplant from my own starts. this past year was very rainy here and some of the crimson sweets got too big and were hard to sell.
i encourage you to grow organically.

My goal was just to raise some for family, parents, brothers and sisters, and their children. By growing from your own starts are you saying you used the seeds from what you and your family consumed? If so how did you save the seeds before planting?

 

[Green Power]

You don't have to worry about cross-pollination. The rotations are across years. Let's say your garden is divided into plots and your 2014 plantings are as follows:

Plot Crop
A Sweet Corn
B Pumpkins
C Sweet Corn
D Squash
E Sweet Corn
F Watermelons

Because pumpkins, squash, and watermelons are in the same family, planting any of those crops in plots B, D, and F in 2015 would increase the chances of insect and disease problems. So, in 2015 you could use this cropping pattern:

Plot Crop
A Pumpkins
B Sweet Corn
C Squash
D Sweet Corn
E Watermelons
F Sweet Corn

Adding crops from other plant families would increase you flexibility.

Steve

Okay that makes sense, in 2015 i would most likely have to plant in a entirely different location because we would have wheat planted there.

 

[randy41]

i don't save seeds at all. some seed co's have yield tables which could help you plan for how much to plant to supply your needs. you should add potatoes to your list.

 

[Green Power]

you should add potatoes to your list.

What all would i need to raise potatoes?

 

[Green Power]

Would it be worth trying to raise tomatoes?

 

[sixdogs]

Yes, raise corn and tomatoes. corn is especially east to sell, relatively easy to keep weeds down and product pricing all very close. Your market is established for you. I mean, anybody can grow stuff, not everyone can sell it. The thing with corn is to get the crop in ASAP in the spring since the early bird gets the worm on good prices. Plant a variety not likely to cross with other corn and plant at two week intervals. You might even make money if you learn how to use fertilizer, spray a post emergent before planting, a pre-emergent after planting and 2-4-D to control weeds. Plus your wife can freeze all you can eat and it can also be dried in a dehydrator. Yes, and it tastes great when re-hydrated. Dry sweet corn on the cob also burns great in a woodstove.

Tomatoes are pretty much the same except you can maybe plant through plastic to keep weeds down . Get the crop out early, plant numerous varieties of big ones and when the season is done get all the vines and trash out of the garden to slow bacterial disease in future years. People pay up for early tomatoes so just go with the price others charge. Raise a better product and the world will beat a path to your door.

Search the Google box above for other threads on tomatoes and, separately sweet corn. Piece of cake. :dog:

 

[randy41]

What all would i need to raise potatoes?

with a tractor its real easy. i just till the area to be planted in a pattern so that i can till between the rows while the potatoes are growing. i hand plant the seed potatoes. i have a hilling attachment i pull through a couple of times during the growth period. and then dig them with middle buster. the physically hard part is planting and harvesting. since i can till and hill weeds can be kept under control.

 

[Green Power]

Okay, i have previous experience with tomatoes so that should be no problem. I still think i can do it with out chemicals.