Crops that Don't Make Money (But I Still Grow Them) + Squash Bugs

[@ThinkLittleFarm]

last season I grew fairytale eggplants. tough sale in my area and context, but giving them to friends and neighbors was very rewarding. you'd think I was gifting them a Mithril shirt. it was fantastic. eating them was very enjoyable as well. the eggplants, not the Mithril.

[@ZaraThustra-w2n]

I grow substrate strawberries in coco coir in 2 gallon panda plastic for my family. We also have like 50 blueberry bushes and a hedge of raspberries/blackberries. These crops are well known for being notoriously sprayed and you can't really even trust a grocery store organic label at all anymore, so that's why I do it. I actually collect strawberries as a hobby. Have thought about selling plugs, but I really don't want to ruin my love of strawberries. If you are interested in growing strawberries, I recommend Ruby June for a junebearing, and Evie-2 for a day neutral. Evie-2 has the most attractive strawberries in my opinion. They are beautiful.

[@RayneShowers33]

Thanks for these great videos. Even though I'm a back yard gardener, I have learned so much on creating good soil and going full no till. In 2 years the benefits have been remarkable. Keep up the good work! And love your humor.

[@notillgrowers]

Amazing thank you!

[@draganarc0131]

Good point on the compost for the squash. I use squash to make new zero till beds. I put cardboard down with a foot to 18 inches of manure from cattle pots which is high in straw because the cattle are only in the trailer for a totally of 52-58 hrs. I add a half gallon of top soil to each hole I make to plant starts. Year 2 the cardboard and grass are nowhere to be found and there’s a beautiful compost layer on top. Quick hit with the broad fork and voilà new fertile bed. Top dress with compost year 3 and on. Some day hopefully sooner then later I can afford to become a patreon member. I’ve learned so much from you, I would love to pay for my schooling. Thanks a ton.

[@faithgriffin7974]

Omgosh I am so excited you advertised tilth! I live in Cleveland Ohio and have been searching for great soil and compost, and the bulk distribution center is literally down the street!!! Thank you!!!!!

[@billiverschoore2466]

Dear Jesse, you realise, surely, that most of us are in Absolute Awe at you for the vast amount of stuff you DO get done!!! 🤪🤪🤪😅 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 🌳🕊💚

[@wickedsourmainesourdoughsh2781]

Hey, just want to address the squash bug and vine borer issue: we grow a few varieties that are very resistant. Additionally, I’d recommend applying a liberal dose of beneficial nematodes in the spring and again in August. They’ll kill the overwintering jerks and their spawn in the soil. My personal faves for resistance to them are: Honeynut, Tromboncini (aka, Zucchino Rampicante and can also be used/sold as zucchini), Tetsukabuto, butternut. Hope this helps.

[@janebennett9062]

I adore you and your videos. You're down to earth very informative

[@hawkspiritweaver6664]

oh oh... Thanks Jesse... Your talk about getting things done you've put off reminds me... Have to call for reservations for the 24th anniversary.. Saved my bacon on this one.

[@lnsk]

I could never grow winter squash between the cumber beetles and squash vine borer. Two years ago I started injecting the stem base of each squash plant with BT at least 3 times. I still see SVBs and squash bugs but my plants never die anymore from them! I still haven't found anything that works naturally for cucumber beetles though. Hand picking is futile!! Going to try nematodes next. And yes, squash loves the compost pile!

[@ZaraThustra-w2n]

You aren't going to be able to handpick a cucumber beetle. They fly away like immediately when you get close to them. I've tried. You basically have to spray with crops like that in the South. I grow mostly organic, but I absolutely spray my winter squash and pumpkins. Otherwise it's just a losing battle. Organic pumpkins are not a thing for a reason, especially so in the South.

[@WesternMONo-TillGardening]

I don't speak from experience but have heard you can sometimes pick cucumber beetles off early in the morning when they're sluggish. I had a horrible time with cucumber beetles this year and am going to try blue hubbard as a trap crop next year. I'm thinking about trying kaolin clay also.🤞

[@richardroadcap7957]

I use cardboard strips mid summer for 6 - 8 weeks on pathways to control weeds. Helps to reduce weed pressure

[@amycignetti2936]

There is a Dutch push-pull hoe with an open, diamond shaped head that works well in mulch, I use it in my flower beds. It cuts off the weeds without disturbing the mulch too much & without bending over. I don’t know if there is a specific name for it, but you can google “Roy Diblik push pull hoe” to see how it works. Agree 100% with commenter below, in my experience C. moschata varieties are much more resilient. Even if they end up covered with squash bugs they will produce well & the squash themselves will be fine. Here in SW PA, Amish / Dutch crookneck grows like a weed, maybe there is a similarly adapted regional variety in your viewer’s area. PS They also seem less susceptible to vine borers

[@johnrosier1686]

Thanks and enjoy your time away.

[@stevehatcher7700]

We dedicate one 50 foot bed each season to Tomatillos. We sell them, probably too cheaply, to our local grocery store. The store puts a pretty small markup on them. Large conventional farms in our area have migrant Mexican workers. They are super stoked to have fresh Tomatillos available at a good price. Maybe one year I'll get around to pruning and trellising the tomatillos better to juice the yield a bit more and get it closer to profitable, but whatever. I like growing them. We make some nice salsa verde. The temporary farm workers are happy. And I built a great relationship with my local independent grocer, who now buys green onions from me, at a decent profit.

[@joshuahoyer1279]

How about trading out the winter squash for some sweet potato crops in that tarp space? You could probably get some that get to the size of winter squash, depending on the variety and length of growing season.

[@TheFarmacySeedsNetwork]

Yep... little list stuff is rewarding when it's done... I like the early 2nd resolution! Trying to make myself up my game again too! I have grown some Melons as well... Popcorn too.. mostly for my own as well.. but WELL worth it! The pollinator action in my sweet and pop corn is amazing when I have nutrition tuned right! (All sorts of mini bees that LOOK like sweat bees). I like caloric crops too.. something I can live off of if the times get tough. I yielded about 1000 lbs of Kennebeck Potatoes this year... Only crop I could keep animals off of until I get my new 8 acre farm space fenced. Squash may not make financial sense.. but I did REAL well one year with Big Max Pumpkins... used a french fry chopper to make long cubes for a local restaurant.. They made incredible pumpkin pies with it and paid $3 / lb (5 years ago or so) Squash and Cucurbits in general.. love compost like you said.. and also SEED QUALITY is very important! Thanks for another great one! cheers! 🌱

[@robertmcauslan6191]

My squash “hack” is to plant gourds first, then 2 weeks later I put out the “muschata” squashes, 2 weeks later I put out the cushaw squash and lastly the pepio squashes. By the time the really sensitive squashes get out the pests think the menu sucks.

[@hoosierpioneer]

Can tou expound on this? Do you plant each crop in different areas, distance from one another?

[@robertmcauslan6191]

@ all the squashes grow in the same area. About a foot apart. The point is that different squash species are more or less vulnerable to vine borer or beetle. My main pest is vine borer and by presenting them with their least favorite vines first they move on. By planting their favorites near their least favorite they are less likely to come back to an area they already checked out.

[@robertmcauslan6191]

@ I’m in RI US zone 6ish.

[@lambsquartersfarm]

I'm missing the $75/watermelon price for profit breakdown. Comparing to squash (vining and space hog): less bug pressure, shorter season. So what am I missing which raises the work/cost?

[@douellette7960]

I was thinking Jesse could've been comparing his margin on melons vs other more densely planted crops like lettuce, but on a square ft basis. Per ft2 melons would have a pretty low return compared to lettuce, carrots, etc.

[@lambsquartersfarm]

@ I could see that, but I thought the question was simply: what do you grow yourself that isn’t profitable for market. I would have said things that are just not popular like turnips or brussel sprouts … but my experience has been watermelons and sweet corn are excellent market sellers.

[@douellette7960]

@@lambsquartersfarm I think Jesse might want to clarify this at some point, since it wasn't explained well here. Will have to wait til next week I guess

[@timmmmmmmmmmy1]

I'll guess the word fertility, which I'll translate into npk and possibly water . ?

[@douellette7960]

I think he means he'd have to sell melons for a super high price to get the same return per sq ft of space he normally gets from a more intensively planted crop like lettuce or carrot. Melons take up a very large area and there's a lot of unused space between the actual melons on the vine

[@3john3starks3]

Dude. You are a beast. I am inspired.

[@ForagersGarden]

Nice I love hearing farmers that skate or used to

[@paulinetranpoe6247]

I sprayed my zucchini and summer squash with kaolin clay this past summer. For the first time, my squash was nearly squash bug free! (SVB is another story).

[@lnsk]

BT injected at the stem base 3x over 2 months have solved the SVB problem for me. Still see them but it must be killing the grubs. Now if only I can find something for the cucumber beetles. Do you see results for those with the clay?

[@paulinetranpoe6247]

@@lnsk I don’t have a big cucumber beetle problem (NH - zone 5b), but I would guess that they would dislike the clay as much as the squash bugs do. Thanks for the SVB tip!

[@ZaraThustra-w2n]

@@lnsk I will one up you. Parthenocarpic varieties in a greenhouse.

[@HocusPocusist]

Maybe not part of the profitability aspect of the conversation, but here at my work we maintain a few thousand square feet of garden mostly for the employees. One thing I had never heard about is the apparent preference by our latino brethren of picking dent corn at milk stage and immediately roasting it in the (silk removed) husk on hot mesquite coals for "best flavor". It lets you get a decent fresh corn harvest from the same planting of dent corn for nixtamal. But they are the best elotés I've ever had.

[@emkn1479]

According to what I’ve heard c.moschata has better resistance to pests due to the harder, thinner stem. Would you say that’s true? We’ve generally had more success with squash from this group. It’s what I’m planning on planting going forward.

[@lambsquartersfarm]

@@emkn1479 that is my experience. Maxima seems to be the hardest to get to the harvest.

[@thecampfirechef8531]

In my almost 10 years of backyard gardening, I have successfully grown 1 squash. Those dang squash bugs get me bad EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR. Even after the plants are well established.

[@rosehavenfarm2969]

Our squash is only successful on its own. The squash I grow always gets eaten by bugs. The volunteers? Epic.

[@danphillips4590]

Use Pyganic, Bt, Neem, Spinosad

[@brokenmeats5928]

I love ALL No-Till Growers videos!

[@richy7tube]

Adult sparrows will feed squash bugs and squash bug eggs to their young. Do everything you can to attract sparrows. Yes Sparrows! They are not as bad as some people deem them to be & are actually on a steep population decline. I for one wouldn't mind having more of them around since I really love eating squash & they are quite cheerful.

[@michaelstevens708]

I still think certain crops that aren't not profitable bring you more money at markets for having them. if customers want watermelon or squash, they'll also buy your lettuce and other profitable products. if you don't have them they'll prefer a booth that has everything they want. still think one stop shopping helps. I sell 6 different products and booths that only specialize in one don't have total sales as well. yes once you have your customer base already specializing works well, but also makes gardening a job. variety really prevents burnout

[@zone6b481]

Asparagus intercropped with strawberries keeps the weeds down.

[@craigmatheson2736]

It takes 5 lbs of spinach to fill a 1 qt jar of canned stuff. And then after cooking down there's only ¾ of a jar. How do you make that product worthwhile?

[@elisiabarber7541]

I’ve had to repaint my bay windowsill for the past 4 years. Ain’t ever going to happen because I hate painting 😂

[@martinacusack9867]

Enjoy the change of pace for next few days

[@hopehochhalter5150]

As far as squash bug eggs go, don't just check the underside of the leaves of your squash plants. I have found their eggs on amaranth (pigweed) as well as my peppers.

[@ardenthebibliophile]

Isn't Bt effective for squash bugs?

[@mikebunetta7420]

If you plant asparagus crown 1ft deep you can cultivate without out damage. It's a January job for you .

[@IAMLove33]

Blessings

[@Farmer_Paul]

A diamond hoe works pretty well for the occasional weed in wood chip mulch.

[@brianking6671]

i got 2 pipes that need fixing... packing 1 of them now

[@danphillips4590]

If u have plenty space for watermelons, have at it, sell for $$

[@Havrix_ggs]

if sweet corn and watermelon aren't worth growing for you does that mean that it is only profitable at an industrial level?

[@SommaRob]

Nike

[@nancyseery2213]

Wait until your 71 and both your brain and body don't want to do things!!!!!