Vegetable Gardening Courtney Keck, M.S. Horticulture Horticulture/4-H Educator Canadian County OSU Extension
PLANNING
Considerations Who s going to work in the garden? Selecting a site: sun, water, air, access for tools, bed or containers Selecting vegetables: cool season vs. warm season Soil test
Oklahoma Gardening Site Selection & Planning
Grouping Vegetables Perennial vegetables: asparagus, rhubarb, winter onion Cool season: cilantro, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, onion, carrot, potato Warm season: tomato, pepper, okra, watermelon, corn, green bean, squash, cucumber, strawberry, basil, pumpkin Similar care and companions
IPM: Companion Planting & Trap Crops
Examples
STARTING THE GARDEN
Removing Turfgrass Broad fork Sod cutter Solarization Roundup
So, How Do I Start Vegetables From Seed? Materials How-To
Planting the Garden Cool Season Broccoli Transplant into garden Plant at soil line Plant in March Fall garden: second half of July 3 ft between rows 1.5 ft between plants in rows Carrot Sow directly into garden ½ depth Third or fourth week of February Fall garden: second half of July 1.5 ft between rows 3 between plants in rows
Lettuce Sow directly into garden OR transplant into garden ¼ depth OR plant at soil line Third or fourth week of February Fall garden: first half of August 1-1.5 ft between rows If head lettuce, 1 ft between plants in rows. If leaf lettuce, 3 between plants in rows. Onion Plant sets OR transplant into garden 1 depth Third or fourth week of February Fall garden: September 1 st 1-1.5 ft between rows 4 between plants in rows
Potato 2-3 oz. tuber pieces 4 depth Third or fourth week of February Fall garden: first half of August 3 ft between rows 1 ft between plants in rows Spinach Sow directly into garden ½ depth Third or fourth week of February Fall garden: middle of September 1.5 ft between rows 2 between plants in rows
Cilantro Sow directly into garden ½ depth Third or fourth week of July 9 between rows 4 between plants Harvest when 4-6 tall Will reseed itself if left to flower (coriander) Only harvest 1/3 of plant at a time
Planting the Garden - Warm Season Sweet Corn Sow directly into garden 2-3 times the diameter of the seed (1 for sweet corn) Last week of March/first week of April Fall garden: middle of July 3 ft between rows 1-1.5 ft between plants in row Tomato Can be transplanted into garden Plant deep for more stability Second week of April Fall garden: first half of July 4 ft between rows 2-3 ft between plants in row
Pepper Can be transplanted into garden Plant at soil line Anytime after second week of April Fall garden: middle of July 3 ft between rows 2 ft between plants in row Okra Sow directly into garden 2-3 time diameter of seed (1 for okra seed) Anytime after second week of April 2-3 ft between rows 1.5 ft between plants in row
Green Bean Sow directly into garden 1 depth Second, third, or fourth week of April Fall garden: second half of August for bush beans and second half of July for pole beans If bush beans, 1.5 ft between rows. If pole beans, 3 ft between rows. If bush beans, 4 between plants in row. If pole beans, 8-12 between plants in row. Watermelon Sow directly into garden 1 depth First, second, or third week of May 5-8 ft between rows 5-8 ft between plants in row
Squash Sow directly into garden OR transplant into garden 1 depth OR at soil line for transplants If summer squash, plant in second, third, or fourth week of April. If winter squash, plant in third or fourth week of May. Fall garden: second half of July 4-5 ft between rows 3-4 ft between plants in row Cucumber Sow directly into garden OR transplant into garden ½ depth Anytime after second week of April Fall garden: middle of August 3-5 ft between rows 2-3 ft between plants in row
Pumpkin Sow directly into garden 1 depth Anytime after second week of April Fall garden: second half of July 5 ft between rows 3-4 ft between plants in rows Basil Transplant into the garden Plant at soil line Anytime after first week of May 1-1.5 ft between plants Will reseed if left to flower
Strawberry Transplant into garden Plant crown at soil line Second week of May 4 ft between rows 2 ft between plants in row Prune off flowers during first year for better fruit set the following year. Lasts 3-4 years
Tips Soil test Apply fertilizers in recommended manner and amount Make use of organic materials where available Use recommended varieties Thin plants when small Use mulches to conserve moisture, control weeds, reduce fruit rots, and control temperature Don t walk in the garden when it s wet Regularly scout the garden for pests Keep the garden free of insects, weeds, diseases, and other pests Clean tools after use Rotate crops each year to keep insects and diseases from building Harvest vegetables during the cool hours of the day Do not plant plants too closely to each other Do not apply fertilizer directly to plant roots or seeds Do not cultivate deeply Do not water frequently or excessively Do not allow weeds to get too big and take over Do not apply pesticides liberally Do not use chemicals not recommended in the garden Do not store leftover diluted sprays
If Planting Again for Fall Crop
Fall Garden
OSU Fact Sheets on Vegetables Insect Pest Control (EPP-7313) Weed Control Fall Gardening (HLA-6009) Composting Mulching Garden Soils (HLA-6005) Vegetable Varieties for OK (HLA-6032) Raised Bed Gardening (HLA-6033) Plastic Mulch & Row Covers (HLA-6034) Cultural Control Practices (HLA-6431) Tomatoes (HLA-6012) Broccoli, Cauliflower, & Cabbage (HLA-6017) Sweet Corn (HLA-6021) Sweet Potato (HLA-6022) Slicing Cucumber (HLA-6023) Okra Squash & Pumpkin (HLA-6026) Cole Crops (HLA-6027) Potatoes (HLA-6028) Southern Pea (HLA-6029) Pepper (HLA-6030) Spinach, Turnip, Mustard, Collard, & Kale (HLA-6031) Watermelon (HLA-6236) Fruit Planting Guide (HLA-6222)
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