[Nuclear_Turnip]

I did a search and didn't pull up much, so if I missed a pertinent thread, my apologies.

I'm new to prepping but not gardening. I've done flower gardens for maybe 15 years now and done well, but I'm new to vegetables/fruit. I live in an urban/suburban area in western New York state not too far from Buffalo and Rochester, and the growing season is short. Winters are normally pretty brutal.

For a small (<1/4 acre) plot, what would be most productive? I have beans, okra, and tomatoes but I want to expand. Corn doesn't grow here as the soil is weak and sandy, even with extra fertilizer and peat it won't grow. Maybe peppers, or some berries? I'm unsure. Anyone have experience with this kind of climate or soil?

 

[Kansas Terri]

My soil is heavy clay, but I have raised some good potatos in our 4 season climate. And potatos are supposed to like light soil

The springs have been cold and wet lately, and so I take the start date that the state Extension office recommends and I start the potatos inside in yogurt pots. This gives me little potato plants to set out a couple of weeks later when it is reliably warm enough. Be sure to have a good 6 inches of soil over the seed potato as the new potatos form above the seed potato. Or, if you would rather, plant them less deeply and hill the soil around the stem as the potato plant gets taller

It is important in the Kansas climate to not plant potatos late, as our summers are hot and if a potato plant is not well grown before the heat sets in then the yield will be poor.

Lastly, keep the developing spuds covered: if the sun hits the new potatos then it will turn them green and bitter

https://hort.cals.cornell.edu/extension-outreach/

 

[ebjr1967]

Carrots, radishes, potatoes, collards, cucumbers do well in sandy soil, with the proper nutrients. Corn should also do well, provided the nutrients are there.

As far as perrenials, blueberries, aronia, quince, asparagus would be a few of my choices.

 

[wilderness bushman]

grow what you like to eat fresh or how ever you plan to store ,,,there is no use in growing a ton of something you cant stand the taste of,,, hence why I will probable never plant a lima bean,, lol a sand soil is like clay in the fact that as you add compost/organic material it does better with water and making productive ground ,,,it is a lot easier to work sand though ,,,,but it usually don't do as well unless you can water as well

the use of mulch will help either clay or sand to help retain water, I like grass clippings , old hay or straw , leaves or chips, cardboard or news paper under any of these will help keep weeds down and help add organics to the soil

if you been adding peat to the soil it might be a bit acidic some lime could help reduce that and make the fertilizer more available to the plants that prefer a closer to neutral soil