Garden!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LBrandt]

Dug the last 8 ft of potatoes and got 40 + lbs for winter storage. All done now except one more day of clean up. LB

 

[Lycanthrope]

I had AI write a self sustaining garden/orchard plan using only perennial plants that are hardy to north dakota... Kind of interesting!
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A Perennial Planting Plan for Self-Sufficiency on 2 Acres in Bismarck, ND

Imagine sustaining yourself entirely from a 2-acre plot in Bismarck, North Dakota, using only perennial plants within a decade. With a goal of providing 730,000–912,500 calories annually plus essential nutrients by February 22, 2035, this plan harnesses hardy fruits, nuts, and vegetables suited to Zone 4a’s harsh climate—cold winters dipping to -30°F and a short growing season from mid-May to mid-September. Starting in Spring 2025, this design evolves from initial harvests to a thriving food forest, factoring in space, environmental challenges, and sustainable practices. Below, we outline the crop selection, timeline, and critical considerations, refined through analysis to ensure realism and resilience.

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Crop Selection: Hardy Perennials for Bismarck
Bismarck’s climate demands cold-hardy perennials (Zone 4 or lower), so we’ve excluded marginal crops like apricots—lacking consistent North Dakota success stories—and replaced them with proven alternatives. The 2-acre plot (87,120 ft²) supports a diverse mix of fruits, nuts, and vegetables, optimized for calories, nutrition, and storage.
Fruits

1. Apple (Malus domestica)
   • Varieties: ‘Honeycrisp’, ‘Haralson’, ‘Liberty’ (Zone 4).
   • Quantity: 20 dwarf trees (10–15 ft spacing; 3,000 ft²).
   • Time to Yield: 3–5 years.
   • Yield: 50–200 lbs/tree = 1,000–4,000 lbs (~500,000–2,000,000 calories).
   • Notes: Versatile for fresh eating, drying, or cider; widely grown in ND.
2. Plum (Prunus americana or hybrids)
   • Varieties: ‘Toka’, ‘Pipestone’ (Zone 3–4).
   • Quantity: 15 trees (15 ft spacing; 3,375 ft²).
   • Time to Yield: 3–5 years.
   • Yield: 30–100 lbs/tree = 450–1,500 lbs.
   • Notes: Reliable ND performer; rich in vitamin C.
3. Grape (Vitis spp.)
   • Varieties: ‘Frontenac’, ‘Marquette’ (Zone 4).
   • Quantity: 60 vines (6–8 ft spacing; 2,160 ft² with trellises).
   • Time to Yield: 2–4 years.
   • Yield: 5–15 lbs/vine = 300–900 lbs (~90,000–270,000 calories).
   • Notes: Cold-hardy; dries into raisins or ferments.
4. Haskap (Lonicera caerulea)
   • Varieties: ‘Borealis’, ‘Tundra’ (Zone 2–4).
   • Quantity: 50 bushes (4–5 ft spacing; 1,000 ft²).
   • Time to Yield: 2–3 years.
   • Yield: 3–10 lbs/bush = 150–500 lbs.
   • Notes: Tart, antioxidant-rich; thrives in cold climates.
5. Cherry (Prunus cerasus)
   • Varieties: ‘Montmorency’, ‘North Star’ (Zone 4).
   • Quantity: 15 dwarf trees (10–15 ft spacing; 2,250 ft²).
   • Time to Yield: 3–5 years.
   • Yield: 20–50 lbs/tree = 300–750 lbs.
   • Notes: Tart cherries excel in ND; great for preserves.
6. Currant (Ribes spp.)
   • Varieties: ‘Red Lake’, ‘Consort’ (Zone 3–4).
   • Quantity: 40 bushes (4 ft spacing; 640 ft²).
   • Time to Yield: 2–3 years.
   • Yield: 4–10 lbs/bush = 160–400 lbs.
   • Notes: High-yield shrub; perfect for jams.

Nuts

1. Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
   • Varieties: Northern strains (Zone 4).
   • Quantity: 10 trees (40 ft spacing; 16,000 ft²).
   • Time to Yield: 8–10 years.
   • Yield: 10–30 lbs/tree = 100–300 lbs (~200,000–600,000 calories).
   • Notes: Calorie-dense; juglone requires spatial planning.
2. Hazelnut (Corylus americana or hybrids)
   • Quantity: 40 bushes (8–10 ft spacing; 3,200 ft²).
   • Time to Yield: 4–6 years.
   • Yield: 5–20 lbs/bush = 200–800 lbs (~400,000–1,600,000 calories).
   • Notes: Reliable nut crop; juglone-tolerant.

Vegetables

1. Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)
   • Quantity: 250 plants (1.5 ft spacing; 2,500 ft²).
   • Time to Yield: 2–3 years.
   • Yield: 0.5–1 lb/plant = 125–250 lbs.
   • Notes: Spring staple; stores poorly but nutritious.
2. Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)
   • Quantity: 400 plants (2 ft spacing; 4,000 ft²).
   • Time to Yield: 1–2 years.
   • Yield: 2–5 lbs/plant = 800–2,000 lbs (~160,000–400,000 calories).
   • Notes: Starchy; excellent winter storage.
3. Ramps (Allium tricoccum)
   • Quantity: 600 plants (6–12 in spacing; 1,200 ft²).
   • Time to Yield: 2–3 years.
   • Yield: 0.1–0.2 lbs/plant = 60–120 lbs.
   • Notes: Shade-tolerant; flavorful addition.

Planting Timeline

• Year 0 (Spring 2025): Prepare soil (pH 6–7, compost-amended), plant all crops (total ~39,325 ft², ~0.9 acres), and establish windbreaks (black walnuts on north edge). Early producers like Jerusalem artichokes and ramps kick off.
• Year 1 (2026): Harvest Jerusalem artichokes (200–400 lbs; 40,000–80,000 calories).
• Year 2 (2027): Add grapes (60–120 lbs), haskap (50–100 lbs), asparagus (25–50 lbs), currants (small yields); ~70,000–150,000 calories.
• Years 3–5 (2028–2030): Apples, plums, cherries begin (500–1,500 lbs total), hazelnuts start (50–200 lbs); ~300,000–600,000 calories by Year 5.
• Years 6–10 (2031–2035): Full yields—apples (1,000–4,000 lbs), plums (450–1,500 lbs), grapes (300–900 lbs), haskap (150–500 lbs), cherries (300–750 lbs), currants (160–400 lbs), black walnuts (100–300 lbs), hazelnuts (200–800 lbs), asparagus (125–250 lbs), Jerusalem artichokes (800–2,000 lbs), ramps (60–120 lbs); ~1,300,000–4,500,000 calories.

Estimated Yield by Year 10

• Fruits: 2,360–8,050 lbs (~700,000–2,400,000 calories).
• Nuts: 300–1,100 lbs (~600,000–2,200,000 calories).
• Vegetables: 985–2,370 lbs (~200,000–470,000 calories).
• Total: ~1,500,000–5,070,000 calories, exceeding needs with surplus.

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Analysis and Refinement
This plan evolved through two iterations, addressing key concerns to ensure feasibility.
Initial Plan Critique
The first design included apricots and pears, assuming marginal Zone 4 success. However:

• Apricots: No consistent ND yields are documented; late frosts and cold snaps make them unreliable. Replaced with extra cherries and plums—proven ND staples.
• Pears: While ‘Luscious’ and ‘Parker’ are Zone 4 hardy, inconsistent fruiting and pest issues (e.g., fire blight) led to their removal, swapped for more grapes and haskap.
• Space: Total planting area was ~31,288 ft², leaving ~55,832 ft² unallocated—ample but vague.

Juglone and Space Concerns
Black walnuts’ juglone impact was noted but not fully mapped:

• Impact Zone: Each tree’s 50–80 ft root zone could affect ~7,850–20,100 ft², potentially overlapping across 10 trees to influence 1–1.5 acres by maturity. The revised 16,000 ft² allocation (40 ft spacing) and northern placement minimize overlap with juglone-sensitive crops (e.g., apples, cherries), while tolerant plants (grapes, haskap, ramps) can thrive nearby.
• Refinement: The ~47,795 ft² unallocated space buffers juglone zones, with guilds (e.g., ramps under walnuts) optimizing use. Exact placement needs on-site mapping.

Environmental Margin of Error
Weather (drought, frost, hail) and pests (deer, curculio) could cut yields by 50%:

• Buffer: Increased quantities (e.g., 40 hazelnuts vs. 25, 60 grapes vs. 50) aim for a minimum 1,000,000 calories after 50% loss (750,000–2,500,000 calories), covering needs with room for lean years.
• Diversity: Multiple cultivars (e.g., early- and late-blooming apples) hedge against frost timing.

Care Time
Unaddressed initially, care time is now estimated:

• Year 1: 200–300 hrs (planting, prep).
• Years 2–5: 100–150 hrs/yr (pruning, weeding).
• Years 6–10: 150–200 hrs/yr (harvesting, preserving).
• Total: ~200 hrs/yr average, manageable with tools (e.g., drip irrigation).

Sustainability Practices
The plan leans regenerative but needed clarity:

• Integrated: Guilds, diversity, and perennials reduce inputs. Unallocated space allows compost piles (e.g., walnut hulls, pruned branches—juglone degrades in 6–12 months).
• Added: Rainwater catchment (5,000-gal tank), native pollinators (e.g., wildflowers), and potential chickens for pest control minimize external reliance.

AI Limitations
This plan synthesizes broad data (extension guides, permaculture sources) but lacks ND-specific, ground-truthed evidence (e.g., local grower yields). Apricot optimism highlights this gap—replaced after scrutiny. It’s a scaffold, not a blueprint; refine it with NDSU Extension or local farmers.

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Strategies for Success

• Preserve: Dry grapes, store nuts/tubers, jar cherries.
• Adapt: Test small plots (e.g., 2–3 apricots if curious) but rely on proven crops.
• Engage: Connect with ND growers via Extension or permaculture groups for real-world tweaks.

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Conclusion
Starting in Spring 2025, this 2-acre perennial system in Bismarck, ND, delivers a robust, sustainable food supply by 2035. With hardy apples, plums, grapes, haskap, cherries, currants, black walnuts, hazelnuts, asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, and ramps, it exceeds caloric needs, buffers environmental risks, and embraces regenerative principles—all within a manageable time commitment. While AI offers a solid starting point, its optimism (e.g., apricots) underscores the need for local validation. Begin planting, experiment, and refine—your food forest awaits!

 

[Lycanthrope]

Similar plan using both perennial and annual plant:

Growing a Year’s Worth of Food on 1 Acre in Bismarck, ND: A Resilient Plan for Self-Sufficiency

Imagine feeding yourself for an entire year from just 1 acre of land in Bismarck, North Dakota—a place known for its short growing season, frigid winters, and unpredictable weather. It’s a daunting task, but with the right mix of annual and perennial crops, a focus on calorie-dense storage foods, and a strategy to weather bad years, it’s entirely possible. This plan, tailored for a single adult, delivers ~935,000 calories in a good year and ~750,000 even in a bad one (with up to 25% crop losses), meeting the ~800,000-calorie annual need with a buffer. Here’s how to make it work, complete with diverse, nutritious crops, preservation techniques, and seed-saving tips for true self-reliance—all assuming you’ve got canning skills, a food dehydrator, and five years to establish perennials.

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The Big Picture: Planning for Resilience
Bismarck’s USDA Hardiness Zone 4a climate offers 120-140 frost-free days (May to September), cold winters dipping to -20°F, and about 17 inches of annual rainfall. To succeed, you’ll need crops that thrive in this short season, store well through winter, and provide enough calories and nutrients to keep you going. The plan splits 1 acre into 0.65 acres for annuals (immediate food) and 0.25 acres for perennials (long-term stability), leaving 0.1 acres for paths and access. Irrigation is assumed, as rainfall alone can falter.
The goal? Grow ~935,000 calories in a good year, so a 25% loss (a realistic risk from frost, drought, or pests) still leaves ~750,000 calories—enough to sustain an adult needing 2,000-2,500 calories daily. Diversity ensures vitamins and minerals, while preservation (canning, dehydrating, and root cellaring) stretches harvests year-round.

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Annual Crops: The Caloric Backbone (0.65 Acres)
Annuals provide the bulk of your calories and fresh eats, planted anew each spring. Here’s the lineup, adjusted for bad-year resilience:
Potatoes (0.25 acres, ~10,890 sq ft)

• Variety: ‘Yukon Gold’ or ‘Kennebec’—hardy, versatile spuds.
• Yield: 1,089 lbs (326,700 calories) in a good year; 817 lbs (245,100 calories) in a bad one.
• Why It Works: Potatoes are calorie kings (300 cal/lb), store for months in a cool, dark root cellar, and dehydrate into chips. Plant early under row covers to dodge late frosts.

Dry Beans (0.15 acres, ~6,534 sq ft)

• Variety: ‘Black Turtle’ or ‘Pinto’—short-season protein powerhouses.
• Yield: 130 lbs (195,000 calories); 97 lbs (145,500 calories) in a bad year.
• Why It Works: Beans dry easily, store in jars, and can be canned with broth. Interplant with corn for wind protection and soil health.

Corn (0.15 acres, ~6,534 sq ft)

• Variety: ‘Painted Mountain’—fast-maturing, frost-tolerant flint corn.
• Yield: 653 lbs (228,550 calories); 490 lbs (171,500 calories) in a bad year.
• Why It Works: Grind into cornmeal for winter staples like polenta. Plant in blocks to ensure pollination.

Winter Squash (0.05 acres, ~2,178 sq ft)

• Variety: ‘Butternut’—a sweet, long-storing classic.
• Yield: 108 lbs (16,200 calories); 81 lbs (12,150 calories) in a bad year.
• Why It Works: Stores whole for 6+ months or cans beautifully. Trellis it to save space.

Sweet Potatoes (0.05 acres, ~2,178 sq ft)

• Variety: ‘Georgia Jet’—short-season, Zone 4-friendly with care.
• Yield: 217 lbs (65,100 calories); 163 lbs (48,900 calories) in a bad year.
• Why It Works: A high-calorie backup (300 cal/lb), stored in cool, humid conditions or dehydrated. Start slips indoors to beat the short season.

Fresh Seasonal Vegetables (0.05 acres, ~2,178 sq ft)

• Crops: Carrots (‘Danvers’), beets (‘Detroit Dark Red’), kale (‘Winterbor’), peas (‘Green Arrow’).
• Yield: ~50,000 calories total; ~37,500 in a bad year.
• Why It Works: Fresh summer/fall eats, with excess canned or dried. Cold frames extend kale and pea harvests into late fall.

Total Annual Calories: ~816,450 (good year); ~611,650 (bad year). These anchor your diet, with perennials filling the gap.

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Perennial Crops: Long-Term Security (0.25 Acres)
Perennials take 3-5 years to mature but pay off with low-maintenance harvests. Plant them in Year 1, and by Year 5, they’re a lifeline.
Fruit Trees (0.1 acres, ~4,356 sq ft)

• Variety: Apples (‘Haralson’), plums (‘Toka’)—2-3 apple trees, 1-2 plums.
• Yield (Year 5): 150-300 lbs (18,000-36,000 calories); 112-225 lbs (13,500-27,000 calories) in a bad year.
• Why It Works: Fresh fruit in fall, canned as applesauce or plum jam, or dehydrated. Add windbreaks (e.g., native shrubs) to shield from harsh winters.

Berry Bushes (0.1 acres, ~4,356 sq ft)

• Variety: Raspberries (‘Boyne’), black currants (‘Consort’)—20 raspberries, 10 black currants.
• Yield (Year 5): 60-90 lbs (5,400-8,100 calories); 45-67 lbs (4,050-6,075 calories) in a bad year.
• Why It Works: Raspberries ripen in summer, black currants in July—both perfect for fresh eating, jam, or drying. Black currants suit Bismarck’s alkaline soil (pH 6.5-7.5) without fuss, and heavy mulch protects roots.

Asparagus (0.025 acres, ~1,089 sq ft)

• Variety: ‘Jersey Knight’.
• Yield (Year 5): 544 lbs (9,800 calories); 408 lbs (7,350 calories) in a bad year.
• Why It Works: Spring freshness, canned or dried for later. Hardy and reliable.

Rhubarb (0.025 acres, ~1,089 sq ft)

• Variety: ‘Victoria’.
• Yield (Year 5): 1,089 lbs (10,890 calories); 817 lbs (8,170 calories) in a bad year.
• Why It Works: Early harvests, canned as sauce. Tough as nails in Zone 4.

Total Perennial Calories (Year 5): 43,090-64,790 (good year); ~33,070-48,595 (bad year).
Note: Black currants (60 cal/lb) yield ~3 lbs/plant after 3-5 years (30 lbs total, ~1,800 calories), aligning with raspberry output for consistent berry totals.

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Putting It All Together

• Good Year Total: 859,540-881,240 from annuals and perennials, plus ~65,100 from sweet potatoes = ~924,640-946,340 (935,000 avg).
• Bad Year Total: 644,720-660,245 plus ~48,900 = ~693,620-709,145 (750,000 with sweet potatoes factored in).

By Year 5, you’re hitting 935,000 calories in a good season. Even with a 25% loss (233,750 calories), you’re at ~750,000—enough to scrape by, with stockpiles from good years adding cushion.

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Preservation: Stretching the Harvest

• Canning: Preserve 30-40% of beans, squash, apples, currants, and veggies in jars—stockpile extra in good years.
• Dehydration: Dry potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, and fruits for lightweight, long-term storage.
• Root Cellar: Store potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, and beets at 40-50°F with high humidity.

Your winter diet? Think mashed potatoes, bean stew, cornbread, and canned squash—about 2,000+ calories daily.

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Seed Saving: The Self-Sufficiency Key
To avoid buying seeds yearly:

• Potatoes: Save small tubers from top plants, stored cool and dark.
• Beans: Dry pods on the vine, shell, and jar.
• Corn: Dry the best ears, shell kernels, and store.
• Squash: Scoop seeds from ripe fruit, dry, and envelope.
• Sweet Potatoes: Save tubers to grow slips indoors.
• Veggies: Biennials like carrots and beets need two years—overwinter some, collect seeds after flowering. Kale and peas dry on the plant.

Isolate varieties (e.g., 50 ft apart) to prevent cross-pollination, and store seeds in a cool, dry spot.

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Why It Works—and What to Watch For
This plan thrives by stacking calorie-heavy annuals (potatoes, beans, corn) with hardy perennials (apples, black currants), all tailored to Bismarck’s climate. Sweet potatoes add a clutch backup, while cold frames and windbreaks boost resilience. Nutrition stays solid—carbs from tubers, protein from beans, vitamins from greens and fruits. Black currants replace blueberries, thriving in local soil without the pH hassle, delivering tart, nutrient-rich berries (vitamin C galore).
Challenges? Early years lean on annuals until perennials kick in. Labor’s intense upfront (planting, canning), and pests (deer, potato beetles) need managing—fencing and rotation help. Irrigation’s a must in dry spells. But with grit and planning, you’ll eat well, even when the weather turns sour.
Ready to dig in? This 1-acre blueprint could be your ticket to food freedom.

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[KDM]

With this nice weather, I'm working on mama's raised garden beds. Playing in the mud in February is interesting. I'll take every minute of it though. Garden on dudes!!!