Agent Update: Spring Gardening

Rick DurhamConsumer Horticulture Extension Specialist

rdurham@uky.edu859-257-3249

Topics:

• The value of a garden

• Gardening in small spaces

• Starting seeds indoors

• Upcoming publication updates

The Value of a Garden

• Gail Langellotto, OSU

• osumg.blogspot.com

• http://osumg.blogspot.com/2012/04/how-much-does-vegetable-garden-costsave.html

• Compiled data from 4 research publications and two respected blogs

Another blog

• Teemire, Northern Michigan

• Simplefamilyfinance.com

• 70 sq. ft garden, $10.47 in expenses (no labor), $47.96 in produce

• $0.67/sq. ft.

Take Home Message:

• Home gardening may be a break-even to slightly profitable venture

• Start-up costs were not included

• Expenses like water, labor included in some estimates, not others

• Value of produce was not uniform

• Overall, see a value of perhaps $0.65 - $0.75 per square foot

Gardening in Small Spaces

Contents: • Raised Bed and Container Gardening• Recipes for growing media• Options for Bed Construction Materials• Info on Square Foot Gardening

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Horticulture/smspgardening.pdf

Starting Seeds Indoors

• Many homeowners desire to start their own transplants

• Many fail, often due to poor light, water issues, low germination temperatures

• Starting seeds under fluorescent lights may be an option

Harris Seed Presentation• http://www.harrisseeds.com/Storefront/t-

HG_Info_SeedStarting.aspx • Downloadable PowerPoint – best to

download it as a presentation, not as a show (change setting in download as…)

• Very good info, sell the concept, not the product – but some product placement

• Promote wide-spectrum fluorescents when cool-white or warm-white will suffice

Other resources• University of Maine

– http://umaine.edu/publications/2751e/ - Seed Starting– Contains an imbedded YouTube video– Instructions for build-your-own light shelves for

starting seeds, includes plans

• Rutgers– Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors, Rutgers. Optimal

germination temps.– http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?

pid=fs787

UK Resources

• ID-128 – Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky• ID 133 – Vegetable Cultivars for Kentucky Gardens• Coolong, Drip Irrigation in the Home Garden, PowerPoint

presentation. Hopkinsville ANR Training, Oct 2011

Others resources from me:

• PowerPoint Presentations:– Home Vegetable Gardening– Gardening in Raised Beds and Containers– Herb Gardening

• I am happy to help in any way I can…– County presentation/workshop– Lync session– Email/phone questions

Pending Publication Updates

• ID-21. Disease and Insect Control Programs for Homegrown Fruit in Kentucky. Including Organic Alternatives. Web update only, no new printing.

• ID-133. Vegetable Cultivars for Kentucky Gardens. Extensive update. Web- only publication. Last updated 2009.

Input, questions from you…