by johnah on November 25, 2020
Growing A Vegetable Garden On A Hillside
A hillside is a natural feature that provides good drainage and protection from wind. There are many types of hillsides around the world.
Some have flat areas with no vegetation while others have slopes with varying degrees of slope. Most hillsides in the United States fall into one category: flatlands. They are not suitable for growing plants because they lack any significant slope. However, there are some hillsides that have slopes at least 20 percent. These slopes provide a range of different plant growth conditions.
Flatland Hillsides
These types of hillsides usually consist of gently sloping land with few trees or other vegetation. They typically do not offer much shade during hot summer months and may even get too hot during the hottest part of the day due to their low elevation levels.
Flatlands often have steep slopes and are generally unsuitable for raising crops. Many flatland hillsides are found along river valleys or mountain ranges.
Slope-aided Hillsides
Hillside slopes that have been improved through the use of graded paths, footbridges, or culverts can be very productive when used properly. These types of hillsides tend to be higher than most flatlands and offer better soil drainage and sun exposure throughout the year.
When people think of a hillside, they often think of this type of land.
Cliff and Ravine Hillsides
Cliffs and ravines are formed by the drastic movement of rock and soil. These steep slopes tend to be rocky with little to no soil for growing plants.
They are usually unsuitable for crops or any other types of vegetation. However, some people have been known to grow flowers, vines, shrubs, and small trees in these areas.
Hillside Soil Types
The soil on a hillside can range from fertile and loamy to rocky and barren. Most hillside soil consists of rocky material that has been eroded over time by water and wind.
The soil needs to be tested before it can be used for farming. Sometimes other materials such as sand, silt, and clay need to be added in order to make the soil more fertile and workable.
The main crops that can be grown on hillside farms are corn, wheat, beans, oats, potatoes, squash, pumpkins, and sunflowers. Hay is also grown in some areas for feeding livestock.
Fertilization of the soil is essential to maintain or increase soil productivity. The use of animal manure as fertilizer and the addition of plant cover (such as clover) to protect the soil from erosion are common practices in raising crops on hillside farms.
The growing conditions for vegetables on a hillside farm are very different than a regular farm. There are no natural sunlight variations found in flatland farms.
This means that plants can be harvested at the same time every day regardless of the season. One other advantage is that heating and cooling costs are much lower.
Hillside farming is not without its challenges, however. Hillside farms are more susceptible to wind and water erosion.
The soil may be less fertile than other types of soil. Many crops such as corn and pumpkins need a great deal of space to grow properly.
Challenges
The challenges associated with hillside farming are numerous. Some of these challenges include:
Slope Management: Hillside soils are very prone to erosion and landslides. They must be managed carefully in order to avoid damaging the land.
This can be accomplished through terracing, the use of stone walls, or by planting vegetation that is good at holding the soil in place. Hillside management must be carried out carefully in order to avoid damaging or killing plants in the process.
Flooding: Hillside farms are much more susceptible to flooding than flatland farms. Periodically, torrential rains or a sudden thaw during the winter may cause flooding in areas that do not have proper flood control measures in place.
Sunlight: Hillside farms experience less sunlight than flatland farms. This means that it takes longer for crops to mature and can be more expensive to maintain the same level of growth.
Scarcity of Farmland: Not all areas have hillside farmland available. This is especially true in mountainous regions where all the land has a steep slope.
Hillside farming can be very challenging. In certain areas, however, it is one of the few types of farming that can be carried out at all.
It is especially popular in hilly or mountainous regions.
Ranching
Ranching is a type of farming that involves raising grazing animals such as sheep, goats, cattle, and horses. Ranching can be done on both flat and hilly land.
It does not depend on the types of soil found in the area; however, it does require a large amount of open space for the animals to roam.
Most ranching operations involve a small number of animals and are family-run businesses. There are two main types of ranches: those that sell livestock and those that use the animals for their own purpose (such as producing their own milk or wool).
Advantages of Ranching
Ranching is very inexpensive to get into. All you really need is some open space for grazing and a small house to live in.
Some types of ranching can also be done with very little manpower, especially if you use machinery.
Disadvantages of Ranching
Ranching is a very labor-intensive type of farming and requires you to deal with the elements on a constant basis. In addition, if disease or predators attack your animals, you may suffer great financial loss.
The market for animal products is also less stable than the market for grain, fruit, or vegetables.
Types of Farming Methods
There are many types of farming methods that can be used to grow crops and raise livestock. The type you choose will depend on your location, climate, resources, and what you want to specialize in growing or raising.
Each type has its own pros and cons that will ultimately influence your decision.
Cooperative Farming
If you don’t have enough acreage to farm or you find the job to be too demanding or labor intensive, you might want to consider cooperative farming. This is when you join with one or more people to farm a large tract of land and divide the workload and profits accordingly.
Cooperative farming can be beneficial if you have limited resources but still want the stability and benefits that come with larger-scale farming. This can take the form of group ownership or the hiring of workers to help with the workload.
In either case, you’ll probably want to have your own home or residence on the property where you can live and have some privacy.
The division of workload and profit with more than one person can be a tricky thing. Every person has their own skills, talents, resources, and ideas about how to proceed.
The key is making sure that everyone involved feels like they’re getting a fair deal. A little give-and-take can go a long way toward making a successful operation.
Once you’ve decided on the type of farming that’s right for you, it’s time to get down to the business of growing food! The most important tool you have in this business is the knowledge of how to do it right.
If you’re serious about running your own farm, you might want to look into getting a college degree in agriculture. This way you’ll have the theoretical and practical knowledge to grow and harvest crops, raise livestock, maintain farm equipment, record keeping, and everything else involved in modern farming.
If a college education is outside of your means, don’t worry; you can still be successful. Many farming communities are more than willing to help a willing worker learn the ropes through mentoring.
Farming communities are very rooted in tradition and most people are more than happy to pass their knowledge on to the next generation.
The Tenets of Farming
For the most part, you can forget most of the scientific and technical information you learned in college. While it may be useful, what you really need to know is how to efficiently grow food.
The saying “you are what you eat” couldn’t be more true, because that is what you’re growing: food.
As the old saying goes, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” and this is very true in farming. If something isn’t right with your crops, you need to take care of it immediately.
This may mean extra work or expensive equipment, but it needs to be done right away.
You’ll also need to keep accurate records of everything.
Sources & references used in this article:
Raised-bed gardening by CJ Starbuck – MU Guide, University of MissourisColumbia, MO, 2003 – ea.gr
The rooftop growing guide: How to transform your roof into a vegetable garden or farm by A Novak – 2016 – books.google.com
Hillside Planter Dam by C Talbert – US Patent App. 16/675,418, 2020 – Google Patents
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