Growing your own food

[Truman]

I want to grow my own food but I can't find any taco seeds. Please help. Thanx.

 

[highdesertranger]

hahahahaha highdesertranger

 

[GypsyJan]

Reminds me of a friend at church that "looked all over the store for cupcake mix but never found any."

 

[Dingfelder]

I'd like to help change your tire, but I'm more of a "vision" guy.

 

[bandaidqueen]

But seriously, anyone had success with any types of live plants in the van? I've thought of putting a little rooftop garden, something small, some herbs perhaps. I don't have windows so inside probably won't work for me, unless it's a hanging plant in the cab.

 

[maki2]

A garden store can put a Taco seed kit together for you. Just let them know how  hot you want the hot sauce to be.

 

[jacqueg]

But seriously, anyone had success with any types of live plants in the van? I've thought of putting a little rooftop garden, something small, some herbs perhaps. I don't have windows so inside probably won't work for me, unless it's a hanging plant in the cab.

I carry a few house plants, just because leaving my garden was WAAAAY harder than leaving four walls and a couch.

I don't think food plants would be worth it. Herb plants maybe.

Main issues I have found - lack of consistent light and temperature, and nibbling critters (mice at night, squirrels and who knows what during the day). This of course will depend on where you travel and how frequently you move.

After several iterations, what is working for me is a tallish plastic tote with "frosty" sides. I cut a hole in the lid, and I have a piece of fiberglass window screen that covers the top and and is held on by the lid. Keeping the plants corralled like this makes management much easier, and if I have to, I can place objects on top of the tote while traveling. When I'm parked, the tote is outside in a semi-shaded spot. The sides provide diffused lights, which houseplant just love, the screen on top prevents critter incursion and provides the ventilation that they need. 

I wouldn't try a hanging plant in a van, you'd be bumping your head on it when you're parked, and it would be swinging all around when you're driving.

Temperature? Let's just say they have to be very adaptable. I carry six plants this way, and they are ones I know from experience will put up with nights down into the high 20s. Since that's about my limit too, the relationship works. And I can always replace them if I have to.

I did try carrying plants on the dashboard, found it to be a bad idea. Even with a tinted windshield, leaves got burned.

YMMV.

If I could stand to tow, I'd be tempted to try something like this in a small utility trailer -

http://www.truckfarm.org/project-history/
 

 

[highdesertranger]

bringing live plants into California ain't going to fly. highdesertranger

 

[nature lover]

I don’t know what happened to my original post may be offended someone. All I said was plant Cheerios for donuts. And I’d like to Add if you’ve all heard the story of the meatball bush that grew in the garden. “On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed. “

 

[jacqueg]

bringing live plants into California ain't going to fly.  highdesertranger

Haven't had a problem. AFAIK, no ag pests are carried by house plants.

Always a first time of course.

 

[bagabum]

26985[/ATTACH]Truman pid='506979' dateline='1600204015']I want to grow my own food but I can't find any taco seeds. Please help. Thanx.

I found them !!!!, cant wait to plant them!

 

[Truman]

Excellent. The taco harvest will be bountiful.

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah but Taco Bell tacos yuk. highdesertranger

 

[MrNoodly]

To me, room in the rig is the most important thing, and the most difficult and expensive thing to increase.

Growing food takes up space. Pots, extra water, probably plant food, compost or fertilizer, all for just a few vegetables.

If someone really loves gardening, and climbing around all the stuff seems like a small inconvenience, and they value it more than, say, having space to get dressed or having room to poop, then cool, go for it.

 

[Sofisintown]

I just harvested a bit of my taco plant for dinner.
What's best about the taco plant, as long as the tacos are on it, they need no refrigeration.
    :shy:

 

[Sofisintown]

To me, room in the rig is the most important thing, and the most difficult and expensive thing to increase.

Growing food takes up space. Pots, extra water, probably plant food, compost or fertilizer, all for just a few vegetables.

Gardening is definitely not an in-van-living hobby due to the lack of space.
But the difficulty of gardening on any patch of dirt is overrated. All you have to do is put the seeds down at the right time of the year. In most places in the US it rains once or twice a week, and fertilizer can be anything from your dinner trash to grass clippings to banana peels or other plants you don't want. Nature does a fine job of recycling them into tacos swiftly.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

But the difficulty of gardening on any patch of dirt is overrated. All you have to do is put the seeds down at the right time of the year . . .

Deer will totally destroy a garden in 1 night.
Rabbits stretch it out over a full season.
Mice and birds will nibble a little at each fruit.
Insects can destroy a crop from the inside.

Defensive measures protecting your crop take a lot of time and effort and expense - at least in rural Minnesota.

 

[desert_sailing]

There are many similarities  of vanlife and sailing...tho I am not any kind of experienced sailor in spite of my username.

I did do some research on provisioning on a small sailboat and I think many "gardening" styles on a boat can be done in your van as well. Depending on how much room your willing to compromise on.

A couple links here info and one with some books for sale at a great price that folks may find interesting.

I also have here the pdf for "Sailing the Farm" it is a great booklet and lists some of the fast harvesting veggies. Much of this is easily converted to vanlife.
https://we.riseup.net/assets/268677/sailfarm.pdf

Of course there is usually a grocery store closer to you in a van than a boat halfway across the sea. I also would love to be able to grow a few items not sure how practical it is in a van...for me at least.

https://www.liveaboardhq.com/how-grow-garden-liveaboard-boat
https://www.sailmagazine.com/cruising/two-tricks-for-homesteading-on-your-boat
https://homesteadsurvivalsite.com/foods-grow-buckets-year-round/

 

[crofter]

You can grow your own protein if you hunt and fish. Troutbum does that. 
-crofter

 

[Dingfelder]

I don’t know what happened to my original post may be offended someone. All I said was plant Cheerios for donuts. And I’d like to Add if you’ve all heard the story of the meatball bush that grew in the garden. “On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed. “

Haven't had a problem. AFAIK, no ag pests are carried by house plants.

Always a first time of course.

Terrible advice please disregard  Mites etc etc easily passed on by household plants and by anyone growing or transporting same.