Vegetable Gardening 101

Transcription

1 Vegetable Gardening 101 Back to the Basics Amanda Taylor Horticulture Agent NC Cooperative Extension Service

2 Location Aspects of the environment Climate Air Temperature Moisture Wind Soil

3 Location Topography ( the lay of the land ) Hilltops Slopes Valleys Exposure Intensity and duration of sunlight

4 The right site Choose a site that receives 8-10 hours of full sun a day Choose a relatively level spot or build terraces across sloping land Avoid low areas that may harbor frost that will nip spring seedlings and late season crops Ensure that soil is well drained Avoid planting near trees Site the garden for convenience: close to a water source, and close to the house and kitchen if possible

5 Sizing the garden Make the garden only as big as you can tend comfortably Size if often determined by how much time and money you have to spend on it It is better to start small and build on success

6 Soil testing Test before you plant and then every 2-3 years after that Accuracy of report depends on quality of sample Separate sample for each area Vegetable garden Lawn Flower beds Take 5-8 samples from area roughly 6 to 8 inches deep Mix in bucket Remove trash and non soil

7 ph Measure of H ion activity of soil solution 7.0 = neutral Less than 7 = acidic Greater than 7 = alkaline Logarithmic scale ph 4 is 100 x more acidic than ph 6 Influenced by Organic matter, soil depth, rainfall, crops grown, native vegetation fertilizer Low ph reduces activity of soil organisms ph extremes cause nutrients to be unavailable and may increase concentration of toxic elements

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9 Liming soils Adding lime increases soil ph The finer the particle, the sooner it becomes effective Moves very slowly Best to incorporate Max. application of 50 lbs./1000 ft 2 per application, if you need more wait several months and then apply the rest

10 Liming soils Two types Calcitic Dolomitic To lower ph Add organic matter, pine bark, peat moss Or elemental sulfur (use caution, too much can harm plants)

11 Nutrients

12 Preparing the site Eliminate the grass and weeds Kill with a herbicide Plan in advance and kill by smothering with plastic or sheets of newspaper or cardboard covered with mulch Use sod cutter to remove Till to loosen the top layer Add amendment

13 Soil preparation Do not cultivate, till or dig when soil is wet Redirect surface water Incorporate lime and nutrients if needed Incorporate organic matter Topsoil: not a magic bullet to improve drainage Clay soils : Add sand = decreases drainage, not beneficial to drainage or aeration Add peat moss = increases water holding capacity, not beneficial to aeration

14 Preparing a bed Plant roots need 3 things Oxygen Moisture Nutrients Loosen the soil to a depth of 10 inches Incorporate organic matter

15 Incorporate organic matter Use Compost Manures Pine bark Rotted leaves Don t use Vermiculite Sand Add 2 to 3 and incorporate Peat moss Perlite

16 Double digging

17 Container gardening You can grow some common garden vegetables like potatoes and tomatoes in containers Grow dwarf cultivars of larger vegetables

18 What to grow What do you want to eat? Begin by making a short list of crops you d like to grow Limit your selection to four to six if your new to gardening If there are children, give some thought as to what they would most likely eat

19 Types of plants Two main types Annuals Tomatoes Beans Squash Basil Cilantro Perennials Rhubarb Asparagus Chives Rosemary

20 Parts of a plant eaten Above-ground Leaves Shoots/Stems Flowers Fruit Below-ground Roots

21 How much to plant How much will you use fresh, canned, frozen or dried? When do you want to harvest the crop? How much gardening space do you have? How much storage space do you have?

22 Bargain crops Crops differ in their yield relative to the effort required. To maximize your economic payback, plant: * Beans * Green bunching onions * Beets * Head lettuce * Broccoli * Leaf lettuce * Carrots * Onions (storage bulbs) * Chard * Peppers * Cucumbers * Summer squash * Tomatoes * Turnips (greens and roots)

23 Get in sync with the seasons First frost is October 15 th - Last frost is April 15 th Cool season Grow best with temperatures between 40 degrees and 75 degrees Are most often those that develop edible roots, stems, leaves or buds Warm season Originated in the Tropics Killed by frosts

24 Cool-season vegetables Beets Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Cress Collards Garlic Kale Leek Lettuce Mustard greens Onions Peas Radish Irish potato Spinach Turnip

25 Salad garden Arugula tangy leaves Chicory tangy leaves Cress spicy leaves and stems Dandelion slightly bitter leaves Endives and escarole tangy leaves Fennel, Florence crispy, sweet leaf bases Mizuna lacy, mild leaves Mustard spicy leaves Purslane - succulent, crispy leaves Sorrel tangy, lemony leaves Spinach tender, mild leaves

26 Warm-season vegetables Asparagus (perennial) Beans-snap beans Pole beans Lima beans Sweet corn Cucumber Eggplant Melon Okra Southern peas Peppers Pumpkins Sweet potato Spinach Summer squash Winter squash Tomato

27 Planting outdoors Sowing seed Transplanting Six pack or eight packs Peat pots

28 Buying plants or seed Choose disease resistant cultivars whenever possible

29 Buying plants or seed Transplants Look for healthy green plants with lush foliage Well developed roots Look for signs of insect pests or disease symptoms Reject tall, leggy seedlings in favor of short, full plants Avoid plants that already have flowers

30 Buying seeds Check the date on the seed packet - buy only fresh seeds Check seed packets for germination qualifiers Seeds are sold by weight or number of seeds

31 Fertilizing Vegetables are divided into three categories Heavy feeders cabbage lettuce onions tomatoes Irish potatoes Medium feeders beans beets cantaloupe sweet potato peppers broccoli spinach Light feeders peas

32 Fertilizing For seed Banding is best Fertilizer placed in furrows 2-3 inches from seeds in row and slightly deeper After the plants are up and growing Side dress 6-8 inches from plants Rake into soil and water thoroughly

33 Fertilizing Follow instructions on fertilizer container Use fertilizer recommended for vegetables or , 8-8-8, etc. Know if it is fast or slow release nitrogen

34 Watering Watering Overhead Early in morning Drip

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36 Pest prevention Mulch Cover garden soil with a 2 layer of organic material Straw Pine needles Shredded bark

37 Pest prevention Clean up Do not compost infected or infested plants

38 Pest prevention Rotate crops Strive for three years between crops in same family Year 1 Year Year 1 2 Year 3 BEANS CORN TOMATOES CORN TOMATOES BEANS TOMATOES BEANS CORN

39 Pest prevention Monitor regularly Very rarely do problems happen overnight

40 Pest control Identify pest Review control measures Use cultural control where possible Chemicals are last resort Choose appropriate chemical

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42 Garden problems Blossom end rot

43 Garden problems Blossom end rot Adjust ph

44 Garden problems Blossom end rot Avoid over-fertilization Avoid root damage Mulch

45 Garden problems Early blight tomatoes Alternaria solani Resistant varieties Mountain Fresh Mountain Supreme Plum Dandy

46 Garden problems Squash bug Fertilize properly Remove egg masses Choose Butternut Royal Acorn Sweet Cheese

47 Garden problems Squash vine borer Sudden wilting of vine or part of vine Moths active during day Adults lay eggs about time vines start to run Flight continues through mid-august

48 Garden problems Squash vine borer Monitor weekly, beginning in June Hubbard, Acorn particularly susceptible Butternut somewhat resistant Dig out larva

49 Program brought to you by: Iredell County Center 444 Bristol Drive, Statesville iredell.ces.ncsu.edu