Project Objectives: End-of-Semester Update

Since we're at the end of the semester, let's revisit the project objectives we set at the beginning of the semester:

  • What changes are observed in direct-seeded vs. transplanted carrots (added to our plot at the same time) with regards to growth, development, yield, and other characteristics?
    • The two consecutive hurricanes messed up our planting timing, so we couldn't appropriately compare the two groups (not planted at the same time). However, when we were harvesting the carrots, the direct-seeded ones were significantly larger than the transplanted ones. Additionally, the carrots overall had a great germination rate, with numerous carrots and dense foliage (lots of greens but small carrot size, probably due to crowding/competition). 

  • Do the growth, development, yield, and other qualities of banana peppers and jalapeños change if they are planted together vs. planted in two separate beds? If so, how?
    • Unfortunately, this didn't work out. As we mentioned in the week 7 entry, we had to sacrifice the combined bed to make a walking area for ease of navigation and to streamline our operation. However, we had a decent yield of peppers on the plot overall, and the crop quality was excellent.

  • How do the plants in the plot interact with each other? Specific examples:
    • Does nitrogen fixation from snap and snow peas help the adjacent corn, pumpkins, and cucumbers? (inspired by the indigenous Three Sisters method of planting corn, beans, and squash together)
      • Once again, we have the recurring theme of things not really working out. Our peas exhibited low vigor and didn't grow well, and our beans were crowded out by weeds and our pumpkins. This made it difficult to measure any effects, though the corn, pumpkins, and cucumbers were some of our best-performing crops. There were also a decent amount of bean pods on the bean plants.

    • Do certain plants inhibit each others' growth? (root competition for water and nutrients, leaf competition for light, etc.)
      • As mentioned above, the vigorous spreading and large foliage of the pumpkins crowded out other smaller plants like the beans. We had to adopt a thinning strategy for the pumpkins to ensure they didn't encroach on the other beds, and we had to turn a bed intended for snap and snow peas into a buffer bed for the pumpkins. Weeds were a major issue on the plot as well, crowding out crops like our tomatoes, peppers, and peas.

  • How do the plants in the plot respond to various management strategies?
    • Do horizontal vs. vertical beds make a difference in growth patterns?
      • Because we had different plants in the horizontal and vertical beds, it's hard to measure the effect on plant growth patterns. However, our pumpkins, corn, and cucumbers did very well, and they were on our horizontal east-west beds. Our carrots, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage had impressive foliage as well, though they were on our vertical north-south beds.

    • Which plants require trellising? Do we need other structures, such as ground covers for protection or growth cages for the tomatoes?
      • We trellised our cucumbers, and it would have benefited the peas if they grew vigorously enough to need trellising. We also staked and tied up our tomatoes so they could grow upright. To decrease our weed pressure, we covered the ground with hay so it would be difficult for weeds to break through.

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