Book Kentucky Home Vegetable Gardening

7/29/2019 Book Kentucky Home Vegetable Gardening

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EXTENSION

Agriculture and Natural Resources Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Youth Development Community and Economic Development

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, LEXINGTON, KY, 40546

ID-128

Home Vegetable GardeningI N K E N T U C K Y


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Contents

Plans and PreparationsBeore You Begin ........................................................................3Planning Your Garden .............................................................3Choosing a Site ...........................................................................3

Organic Gardening ...................................................................3Preparing the Soil ......................................................................4Preparing a New Garden Site ................................................6Crop Rotation .............................................................................7

PlantingGeneral Considerations ..........................................................8ransplants...................................................................................8

Growing More with Less SpaceIntensive Gardening ..............................................................11Container Gardening ............................................................ 12MiniGardens ...........................................................................13

One Garden Plot: Tree Garden SeasonsTe Spring Garden .................................................................14

Te Summer Garden ............................................................. 14Te Fall Garden .......................................................................15Extending the Growing Season .........................................15

Caring or Your Vegetables During the Growing SeasonIrrigating .................................................................................... 18Mulching .................................................................................... 20Fertilizing ................................................................................... 20Compost..................................................................................... 20Cover Crops Protect Garden Plots ................................... 21

Diseases, Insects and WeedsDisease Control ....................................................................... 23Insect Control .......................................................................... 25Weed Control........................................................................... 28

Storing Vegetables .............................................................................. 30What You Should Know aboutAsparagus through Watermelons

Asparagus, Beans .................................................................... 31Beets ............................................................................................ 32Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage ................................33Carrots, Caulifower .............................................................. 34Chinese Cabbage, Collards, Cucumber ..........................35Eggplant, Garlic ....................................................................... 36Kale, Leeks, Lettuce ............................................................... 37Muskmelons, Mustard Greens, Okra .............................. 38Onions, Parsnips ..................................................................... 39Peas, Peppers ............................................................................40

Potatoes ...................................................................................... 41Pumpkins, Radishes ............................................................... 42Rhubarb, Southern Peas, Spinach .....................................43Squash, Sweet Corn ...............................................................44Sweet Potatoes .........................................................................45Swiss Chard, omatoes ......................................................... 46urnips ........................................................................................47Watermelons ............................................................................48

Front cover:Tomato Terenzo was a 20 All-America Selections Vegetable Award Winner. Thetrailing plants remain small and produce 14 inch

sweet fruit. This tomato is excellent for containersand should do well in hanging baskets when givenat least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day.

For more information about Tomato Terenzovisit the AAS Web site at:

www.all-americaselections.org

Photo courtesy of AAS.


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AcknowledgmentsContributors to this publication:

Richard DurhamDepartment of Horticulture, Editor

im Coolong

R. erry JonesJohn Strang

Mark WilliamsShawn Wright

Department of Horticulture

Ric BessinDepartment of Entomology

John HartmanKenneth Seebold

Department of Plant Pathology

For urther inormation on home vegetable gardening, contactRichard Durham, Department o Horticulture, University o Kentucky.

Mention or display o a trademark, proprietary product or frm in text or fg-ures does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the

exclusion o other suitable products or frms.


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Plans and Preparations

Beore You Begin

Every aspiring gardener should ollowseven steps to have a successul gardeningseason:1. Plan your garden on paper beore you

begin.2. Select a good gardening site that is:

a. in ull sun or at least eight hours eachday,

b. relatively level,c. welldrained,d. close to a water source,e. not shaded.

3. Prepare the soil properly and add ertilizer and lime according to soil test recommendations.

4. Plan only as large a garden as you caneasily maintain. Beginning gardeners oten overplant, and then they ail becausethey cannot keep up with the tasks required. Weeds and pests must be controlled, water applied when neededand harvesting done on time. Vegetables harvested at their peak are tasty, butwhen let on the plants too long, the a

vor is simply not there.5. Grow vegetables that will produce the

maximum amount o ood in the spaceavailable.

6. Plant during the correct season or thecrop. Choose varieties recommendedor your area.

7. Harvest vegetables at their proper stageo maturity. Store them promptly andproperly i you do not use them immediately.

Planning Your Garden

A garden plan helps you grow the greatest amount o produce with the leastamount o eort. o use your plan youmust expect to harvest each crop as soon

as it matures. Ten put old plants on thecompost pile and plant a new crop. Tisapproach is called succession planting.

Grow only those vegetables that youramily will eat. A wellplanned and properly kept garden should produce 600 to700 pounds o produce per 1000 squareeet and may include many dierent crops.Consult Vegetable Cultivars for KentuckyGardens (ID133) or the latest recommendations on home vegetable varieties.

Draw a scale model o your gardenspace when planning where to plant. Tereare also a number o computer programsthat can be used to plan your garden. Plant

perennials like asparagus, rhubarb, chivesand horseradish along one side o the garden since they may produce or six to 12

years. all plants such as sweet corn, tomatoes and pole beans should be planted onthe north or west side o the garden wherethey will not shade smaller vegetablecrops. However, summer lettuce should begrown in a shaded area i possible.

Choosing a Site

Your garden site should provide a sunny exposure, adequate moisture and ertile

soil. Because o your propertys limitations,however, you may be orced to select a lessthan ideal location. As much as possible,let the ollowing suggestions guide you inchoosing your garden site:

Avoid putting the garden in a low spot, atthe bottom o a hill or at the oot o a slopebordered by a solid ence. Such areas, whererost settles because o lack o air drainage,are slow to warm up in the spring. Highground will enable the vegetables to escapeborderline reezes or an earlier start inthe spring and longer harvest in the all.

I possible, choose an area with a southernor southeastern exposure which warms upaster in the spring and receives the maximum amount o sunlight throughout thegrowing season. Midsummer vegetables,other than lettuce, should not be located on the north side o a building or on anorthern slope o a hillside.

Plant your vegetables away rom buildings,trees and other objects which would shadethem. Your plants need at least eight hourso direct sunlight each day. You can growlettuce in the shade i you must locate part

o your garden in a partially shaded area.Your garden needs water, rom rainall or

other sources. However, too much watercan be just as damaging as too little. Examineyourgardensitetoseehowit

drains and avoid areas that stay soggy ater a rain.

Avoidheavyclaysoilsinfavorofloamysoil.

Improve sandy soils by adding largeamounts o organic matter. Adding or

ganic matter can oten solve minordrainage problems; however, i the poordrainage is caused by underlying layerso rock or hard clay (hardpan), correcting

the drainage could involve the labor andexpense o subsoiling with an excavator,laying tile or o building raised beds.

Locateyourgardenawayfrom treesasmuch as possible. ree roots can compete with your vegetables or water andnutrients.

Lookforasitewhichsupportslushvegetative growth, even i it is dark green,sturdy weeds. Although you can improve poor soil over a period o years,

you can save much time and work i youbegin with naturally rich soil.

Makesuretouse contourrows orterraces or hillside gardens.

Avoidwindylocations.

Finally, the closer the vegetable garden is toyour back door, the more you will use it. You cansee when your crops are at their peaks andcan take maximum advantage o their reshness. Also, keeping up with planting, weeding, watering and pest control will be easier.

Organic Gardening

In 1990 Congress passed the Organic

Foods Production Act, which mandatedthe creation o the National Organic Program (NOP) and the passage o uniormorganic standards. Tis action was ollowed by over a decade o public input anddiscussion, which resulted in a NationalOrganic Program nal rule implementedin October 2002. Tese national standardsset out the methods, practices and substances used in producing and handlingall certied organic crops and livestock.Te standards include a national list o approved nonsynthetic and prohibited syn

thetic substances or organic production.Organic production is based on a system

o arming that maintains and replenishes soil ertility without the use o toxic andpersistent pesticides and ertilizers. Organically produced oods also must be produced without the use o antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering andother excluded practices, sewage sludge,or irradiation. National organic standardsrequire that organic growers and handlers


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Figure 1. Garden plan or a amily o ourlayout and planting dates.

be certied by thirdparty state or privateagencies or other organizations that are accredited by USDA.

Home gardeners will have no need toconcern themselves with the many rulesand requirements that go along with organic certication. However gardening organically in your home garden in Kentuckyis just as easy as gardening using conventional techniques and inputs once youmaster some simple management practices like scouting your garden oten to watchor pest or disease problems, choosingplant varieties that will thrive under organic management, and paying close attention

to soil management by adding organic matter to your garden, using compost, practicing crop rotation, and utilizing cover crops.

Troughout this guide, certied organic alternatives to certain conventional practices or inputs are included to give gardenersa choice in how they raise vegetables.

Preparing the SoilAn ideal garden soil has a 10 to

12inch loamy surace layer overlying awelldrained subsoil. Tis type o soil canretain large amounts o water but stilldrains well ater a rain. Ater spring preparation, it stays crumbly and workable

without becoming hard and crusted. Itshould have enough minerals or optimumgrowth, and the pH should be between 6.2and 6.8.

Few sites available or the home vegetable garden will match the ideal in all respects. However, most soils can be modied to provide more avorable growing conditions. Soil improvement is reallya longterm process, oten taking several years. Te poorer the soil, the longer itwill take to get optimum production romit. However, vegetable crops will tolerate

variable soil conditions and still produceairly well.

Ater a ertile garden is established, continue amending the soil so that it will stayertile and workable. Since most gardensmust be in the same location year ater

year, building up a rich soil is essential.

The Soil TestAter deciding on your garden site, take

a soil sample and have it tested, preerablyin October or November. Use the soil testas a guide as you try to establish a satisactory ertility level. Te standard test measures soil acidity (pH), available phosphorus, potassium and, i requested, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Te test resultshelp determine ertilizer and lime requirements.

o take a soil sample, push a spade 7inches into the soil and throw the soil

aside. ake another 1inch slice o soil romthe back o the hole the ull depth o thehole. Remove all the soil but the center 1to 2inchwide core. Place this core o soilin a clean bucket.

Repeat the procedure in dierent spotsto get a representative sample o the wholegarden and to get about 1 pint o soil. Mixthe composite sample well and put it onsome paper to dry or about two days atroom temperature. Ten take it to yourcounty Extension oce or analysis. Tecost o the soil test, which varies with the

number o elements tested, will be returned to you many times over in savingso ertilizer and in the production o high

yields and quality produce.

Soil pHWhy Is It Important?Te term pH stands or the relationship

o hydrogen ions (H+) to hydroxyl ions(OH). A soil pH reading indicates on alogarithmic scale the concentration o ionsheld to soil particles and organic matter. ApH scale ranges rom 0 to 14, with pH 7.0


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Figure 2.Taking a soil sample.

Figure 3. Eect o change in pH on the avail-ability o plant nutrients.

being neutral. Readings below 7.0 indicatea soil is acid, and readings above 7.0 indicate alkaline soil conditions. Most o theplants we grow in our home gardens require a soil which is slightly acid.

Te soils pH is very important becauseit directly aects soil nutrient availability(Figure 3). Plant roots can only absorb nutrients ater they have been broken downinto certain ion orms. Only at certain pHranges can sucient amounts o these nutrients be broken into these ion orms.When the soils pH is out o this range,the nutrients are tied up in the soil. Byadjusting the pH, we make sure that theplants we grow can use the ertilizers andavailable nutrients in the soil to their ullest potential. Most vegetables in a gardenpreer growing in soil with a pH between6.2 and 6.8.

Autumn is an excellent time to haveyour soil tested. You can then make any adjustments o pH needed with limestone orsulur applications. Also, getting test results in the all helps you plan your ertilizing needs or the coming years garden.Contact your Cooperative Extension oce about soil testing.

Adjusting pHI soil test results indicate that your

soils pH alls out o the ideal range o 6.2to 6.8, you may need to add lime or sulur, depending on your soils pH value. Ithe pH is too low, then your soil is too acid and you should either add calcitic or dolomitic limestone (able 1). I the pH val

ue is too high, your soil is too alkaline andyou need to add sulur (able 2). Applyinglime or sulur in the all beore planting isbest because you have a longer soil reaction time. Lime rates shown in able 1 arein terms o agricultural limestone. By regulation in Kentucky, aglime must have a purity equivalent to 80% or higher pure calcium carbonate. It must be ground nely enough so that 90% will pass through a10mesh screen and 35% will pass througha screen size o 50mesh. Te purity (% calcium carbonate equivalent) is an index o

the amount o active ingredient per unitweight, while particle size o the limingmaterial is an index o how rapidly the material will dissolve when mixed with soil.Te more nely ground the liming material, the aster it dissolves.

Table 1. Rate (lb/1000 sq t)1 o Agricultural Limestone Needed to Raise Soil pH to 6.4.

Water pHo Sample

Bufer pH o Sample I Bufer pHis Unknown5.5 5.7 5.9 6.1 6.3 6.5 6.7 6.9

4.5 320 300 280 250 220 180 150 130 180

4.7 320 300 280 240 200 170 140 120 1704.9 310 290 260 230 190 150 130 110 160

5.1 310 290 260 220 180 130 100 80 150

5.3 300 280 240 210 160 120 90 70 130

5.5 290 270 230 190 140 100 70 60 120

5.7 280 260 220 170 120 90 60 50 100

5.9 --- 240 200 150 100 80 50 40 80

6.1 --- --- 180 120 80 60 40 40 60

6.3 --- --- --- 90 60 40 40 30 401 See AGR-1 or limestone rates needed expressed in Tons/Acre.

Table 2. Suggested Application o Ordinary Powdered Sulur to Reduce the pH o an 8-InchLayer o Soil, as Indicated in pt/100 sq t.1

OriginalpHoSoil2

Pints o sulur or 100 sq t to reach pH o4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5

Sand Loam Sand Loam Sand Loam Sand Loam Sand Loam

5.0 2/3 2 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

5.5 1 1/3 4 2/3 2 --- --- --- --- --- ---

6.0 2 5 1/2 1 1/3 4 2/3 2 --- --- --- ---

6.5 2 1/2 8 2 5 1/2 1 1/3 4 2/3 2 --- ---

7.0 3 10 2 1/2 8 2 5 1/2 1 1/3 4 2/3 21 Although aluminum sulate oten is recommended to gardeners or increasing the acidity o the

soil, it has a toxic salt eect on plants i it is used in large amounts. Small amounts are not very eec-tive. About seven pounds o aluminum sulate are required to accomplish the same eects as onepound o sulur.

2 Based on water pH value.


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Use of Wood AshesWood ashes have some use as a lim

ing material, although they are relativelyscarce. Teir rather low neutralizing value ranges rom 30% to 70%, expressed ascalcium carbonate. Te ash o hardwoods,such as maple, elm, oak and beech, contains about onethird more calcium main

ly as the oxide, but, on exposure to moisture, they are largely in the carbonate ormby the time they are applied to soil.

Coal ash has little or no liming value. Donot use it on garden soils because it contains a airly high concentration o heavymetals and other toxic compounds whichmay be taken up by the plants.

For certied organic gardeners, onlypowdered or prilled elemental sulur canbe used or lowering pH, while aluminumsulate, a synthetic product, is not allowed.Powdered sulur should take at least one

year to oxidize and reduce soil pH, andprilled sulur will take slightly longer. Organic growers should be conservative inthe application o soil sulur by splittingthe total application between the all andspring as sulur has both ungicidal and insecticidal action and can detrimentally aect soil biology i overused.

Organic gardeners can use any typeo agricultural limestone to increase pH,however it must be noted it requires several months to a year to eect changes inpH, and reactive time is highly dependent

on the neness o the grind.

Preparing a New Garden Site

As soon as the soil is workable in thespring, turn over the sod o a new gardensite by plowing, rototilling or hand spading. Prepare the soil at least 8 inches deep.Increase this depth each year until youreach 10 to 12 inches. Do not work the soilwhen it is very wet because you can damage its structure by compacting it. I thesoil crumbles readily rather than stickingtogether, you can proceed saely.

Continue to work the plot until thecoarse, lumpy texture is replaced with ane, granular one suitable or a seedbed.Do not overwork the soil to a powdery necondition which will cause surace crusting. Ater you have appropriately tilled thesoil, add organic material and ertilizer asrecommended.

I you want raised beds, throw the soilrom the paths into 3 to 4ootwide bedsater adding organic matter and the recommended ertilizer. Tis extra soil plus theadded organic matter will raise the bedsa ew inches higher. I you like, boards orstones can hold the soil in place. For thelast preparation step, rake the soil surace smooth and lay o rows. Now you areready to plant seeds or set transplants.

Organic MatterAdd organic matter to the soil each

spring and all. You can also add it as mulchduring the growing season and as a greenmanure or cover crop during or ater thegrowing season. Adding organic matter isthe most benecial treatment or improving and maintaining your garden soil. Itloosens and improves the drainage andaeration o heavy clay soils while increas

ing the moistureholding ability o verylight, sandy soils.Besides helping the soil structurally, or

ganic matter avors a buildup o organismswhich in turn helps make available nutrients that were previously held in the soilin unusable orms. Te organic matter itsel provides nitrogen and other nutrientsas it decays.

Te type o organic matter you shouldadd will depend on what materials are mostavailable. Some sources are manure, composted lea mold, grass clippings and pine

bark humus. Caution: Do not apply reshmanure with a high nitrogen content in thespring. Rabbit, chicken and sheep manureshould be applied in the all or compostedbeore they are used on the garden. Freshmanure may also contain bacteria that areharmul to humans.

Use o manure in organic systems is allowed with major limitations. Raw manuremust always be incorporated into the soilimmediately ollowing application and itmust be applied 120 days beore harvestor all crops. Tough the use o raw ma

nure is allowed in organic systems, it is arpreerable to properly compost the manure beore using it as a soil amendment orertilizer source.

Commercial FertilizersA continuous supply o nutrients is im

portant or producing high yields o quality vegetables. Commercial ertilizers area convenient and economical way o supplying these nutrients. However, they mustbe used properly since plants can be damaged by their improper application or ex

cessive use.Any ertilizers value can be determined

by its analysis in percentage o nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium. Te ideal garden soil should have, or be ortied to pro

vide, approximately 60 pounds o nitrogen, 60 pounds o available phosphorusand 200 to 300 pounds o available potassium per acre. Dierent analyses are available to correct various nutrient deciencies and to supply dierent crop requirements. Applying ertilizer according to soiltest results allows less chance o under or

overertilization (able 3).Sometimes simple calculations must be

made to determine how much ertilizer toadd to a garden. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Determine the amount o nitrogenneeded or your garden.

garden size 1,000x 2= lb actual N needed

Example 1a:The size o your gardenis 800 sq t.

(800 1,000) x 2= 1.6 lb actual N needed

Example 1b:The size o your gardenis 1,475 sq t.

(1,475 1,000) x 2= 2.95 lb actual N needed

Step 2: Determine the amount o ertilizerneeded to supply the nitrogen calcu-lated above.

lb actual N needed % N available in the ertilizer= lb o ertilizer needed

Example 2a:The size o your gardenis 800 sq t, so you need to apply 1.6 lbN. The 5-10-10 ertilizer you intend touse contains 5% actual N. Convert 5%

to 0.05, and plug in the numbers:1.6 0.05

= 40 lb o 5-10-10 needed

Example 2b:The size o your gardenis 1,475 sq t, so you need to apply 2.95lb N. The 12-12-12 ertilizer you intendto use contains 12% actual N. Convert12% to 0.12, and plug in the numbers:

2.95 0.12= 24.5 lb o 12-12-12 needed


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Apply the recommended amounts oertilizer in the spring. Spread the ertilizerevenly over the garden area beore plowingor spading, or ater plowing and beore rototilling or hoeing in preparation or plant

ing.I you did not have your soil tested (i.e., iyou have a very limited garden area or arecontainer growing), the ollowing amountsmay be applied or either 51010 or 61212 ertilizer: smallgarden:25lb/1,000sqft smallergarden:2.5lb/100sqft containergarden:1oz/bushel(or2Tbs/

bushel) o soil

Tis is a modest recommendation andassumes the presence o some available nitrogen in the soil or plant growth. I you

use the same soil or area the next year, youshould have the soil tested to prevent under or overertilization.

Table 3. Phosphate, potash, and nitrogen.

Soil Test Level

Fertilizer(lb/1000 sq t)

P205 K20

High(above 60 P, 300 K)

0 - 1 0 - 1

Medium(60 - 30 P, 300 - 200 K)

1 - 2 1 - 2

Low(below 30 P, 200 K)

3 - 5 3 - 5

Nitrogen: For a continuously croppedgarden where little or no organic matter hasbeen added, apply 2 lb o actual N/1000 sq tbeore planting. Following heavy grass sod,apply 3 lb o actual N/1000 sq t beore plow-ing. Where heavy applications o barnyardmanure or compost have been added, applyno nitrogen.

Organic FertilizersCommercial organic ertilizers are

just as eective as conventional ertilizers in supplying necessary plant nutrientsthough they are oten more expensive,harder to nd and oten act more slowlythan commercial ertilizers. Te preerredmanner or certied organic growers to ad

dress plant nutrition is to start with a soilmanagement plan that includes the extensive use o compost, crop rotation and cover cropping (see pages 2022). Once thenutrient contributions o applied compostand turned in cover crops are calculated,then commercial organic ertilizers, preerably rom a local source, could be used toll the gap between what has been pro

vided and what a uture crop may need.Tere are many classes o organic ertil

izers ranging rom concentrated plant material (alala meal, soybean meal), animal

slaughter byproducts (blood meal, bonemeal), sh byproducts (liquid sh emulsion), ermented plant products (liquidOmega), concentrated animal manures(bird guano), rock minerals, and many micronutrient sources. Te majority o organic ertilizers are not as soluble in water as conventional ertilizers, and thus arenot as immediately available or plant uptake. Instead, microorganisms ound in thesoil must break down or decompose theorganic ertilizer beore it becomes completely available to plants. Te use o the

word organic on a ertilizer label does notalways mean the ertilizer is allowed orcertied organic growing purposes due to

diering state and ederal regulations relating to the use o the word organic. Onlyertilizer labels that include the words certied organic or those ertilizers testedand labeled by the Organic Materials Re-view Institute (OMRI) are truly allowed oruse on a certied organic arm or garden.

Crop Rotation

As you continue your vegetable garden rom year to year, try to avoid planting the same or closely related crops in exactly the same spot more than once everythree years. Rotation helps prevent insectand disease buildups. Te vegetables listedtogether below are subject to the same disease and insect problems. chives,garlic,leeks,onions,shallots beets,Swisschard,spinach cabbage, cauliower, kale, collards,

Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kohlrabi, tur

nips, rutabaga, Chinese cabbage, mustard peas, broad beans, snap beans, lima

beans carrots,parsley,celery,celeriac,parsnip potatoes,eggplant,tomatoes,peppers pumpkins, squash, watermelons, cu

cumbers, muskmelons endive,salsify,lettuce

In addition, root and bulb crops are susceptible to many o the same soil pests sotry to rotate these every year.


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Planting

Figure 4. A large tray can be sectioned intorows using a ruler or similar sharp-edgedinstrument. Once seeds are sown in the ur-rows, cover the seeds with a growing mediumusing a blunt instrument or your hand.

Figure 5. Compressed peat pellets makeplant growing easy. Ater you add waterto the compressed pellet, it will expand

up to seven times its original size. Placeseed into the open end or germination.The pellet can be placed directly into theplanting hole.

General Considerations

Buying Seed

Buy resh, high quality seed rom a lo

cal seed store, garden center or mail order seed catalog or your vegetable garden.Using seed rom the previous years plantsis generally not recommended or the beginning gardener since such seed may notgerminate well or may not breed true. Youcan rerigerate commercial seed in a glass

jar with something to dry it (or instance,powdered milk). Te seed can then beused later.

PlantingTe soil should be moist at planting

time but not overly wet. o test or moisture content, squeeze together a handul osoil. I it crumbles readily rather than sticking together, proceed with planting. Drop

vegetable seed into urrows in continuousrows. o make straight rows, drive stakesat each end o the garden and pull a stringtaut between them. Ten draw a hoe orrake handle along the string to make a shallow1/2inchfurrowforneseed.Usethecorner o the hoe blade to make a deeper1inch urrow or larger seed. Measure thedistances between rows with a yardstick.

Empty seeds into your hand and dropthem rom between your ngers. Mix dry,pulverized soil or sand with very smallseeds to make even distribution easier.Plant the seed more thickly than neededin case some do not germinate. Cover theseeds and rm the soil lightly over themusing the bottom o a hoe blade.

Some seeds, like carrot and parsley, takea long time to germinateoten three toour weeks. I the seeds dry out during germination the seedlings will die, so be sureto keep these rows moistened. You can also put a board or a strip o plastic or burlapover the row to give the seedlings a warm,moist greenhouse environment. Removethis cover just ater the seedlings emerge.

ThinningAter germination, youll need to

thin the seedlings to correct their spacing. When your plants have two or threeleaves, pull up the weakest ones or pincho the tops, leaving the rest o the plantsspaced correctly (see able 4).

Te soil should be moist when you thinso you do not injure the remaining plants inthe process. Do not wait or the plants to become overcrowded beore thinning. Withsome vegetables, thinning can be at harvest.Beet and turnip thinnings make excellentgreens. Radishes, onions and lettuce can belet to thin until some are big enough to eat.

Transplants

Why Grow Your Own Transplants?

Having the varieties you want when youwant to plant themthats the great advantage o growing your own transplants.

Te ip side o that coin is quality. I youcant provide good growing conditions,particularly plenty o bright light or growing seedlings, the quality o your homegrown plants may not be all you desire.

Te big advantage o growing transplants yoursel is the wide choice o varieties available in seed. People who producetransplants commercially tend to concentrate on a ew popular varieties o eachcrop. Seed catalogs oer a much wider selection.

I you plant the seeds at the appropriatetime and the seedlings grow well or you,

you can have transplants that are just theright size or planting in the garden at justthe right time. You can have coolweath

er crops like broccoli and kohlrabi toplant early in the spring and again in midsummer or a all crop. And you can havewarmweather crops like tomatoes orplanting ater the danger o rost is past.

MaterialsYou can successully grow vegetable

transplants indoors or outdoors i you use asuitable growing structure. While a greenhouse is not essential, being able to control temperature, light, moisture and ventilation is crucial. Day temperatures shouldbe between 60 to 65F or warmseasoncrops. Keep the soil moist but not soggy.

You can buy all the materials you needor starting transplants under dierentbrand names rom local garden supplycenters or through seed and garden sup

ply catalogs. Plant starting kits containingall the necessary equipment are also available. Some have the seed already planted;

you only need to add water and put themin a suitable growing area.

Fertilize the plants when the secondtrue leaves appear. Use a liquid ertilizer,such as 202020 or liquid sh emulsion, atrates recommended on the package. Fertilize again in another week or two.


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Table 4. Use this vegetable planting guide to plant vegetables the right way.

Vegetable

Number oTransplants orSeeds per Foot

Distance Be-tween Plants

When Thinned orTransplanted (in)

DistanceBetweenRows (in)

PlantingDepth

(in)

Asparagus 1 crown 18 30 6-8

Beans, bush, lima 6-8 seeds 4-5 30 1-1

Beans, bush, snap 8 seeds 2-3 30 1-1

Beets 10 seeds 2-3 18 -

Broccoli 1 transplant 14-18 30

Brussels sprouts 1 transplant per 2 t 24 36

Cabbage 1 transplant 9-18 30

Carrots 15-20 seeds 2-3 18

Caulifower 1 transplant 16-18 30

Celery 2 transplants 6-8 30

Chard 8-10 seeds 6-8 30 -

Chinese cabbage 4-6 seeds 12-15 24-30 -

Collards 8-10 seeds 2-4 24 -

Cucumbers 4-5 seeds 24-36 30 -1

Eggplant 1 transplant 18 30

Endive 4-6 seeds 9-12 18-30

Garlic, rom cloves 1 clove 6 12-18 1

Horseradish 1 root 18 30 2

Kale 4-6 seeds 8-12 24-30 -

Kohlrabi 6-8 seeds 3-6 18-30 -

Leeks 10-15 seeds 3-4 20

Lettuce, head 1 transplant 12-18 20

Lettuce, lea 20-30 seeds 8-12

Muskmelons 2-3 seeds 24-36 60 -

Mustard 20 seeds 3 18

New Zealand spinach 4-6 seeds 12 30

Okra 3 seeds 12 30 1

Onions, rom seed 10-15 seeds 4 12-18 -

Onions 3-6 sets 4 12-18 1-2

Parsley 10-15 seeds 4-6 12-18 -

Parsnips 12 seeds 2-3 18 -

Peas 15 seeds Do not thin 30-48 1

Peppers 1 transplant 14-18 30-36Potatoes 1 seed piece 10-12 36 3-5

Pumpkins 1-2 seeds 4 t 8-12 t 1

Radishes, spring 10-15 seeds 2-3 12

Radishes, winter 10-15 seeds 2-4 12

Rhubarb 1 crown per 2 t 36 4-5 t

Rutabaga 4-6 seeds 6-8 18-30

Southern pea 3-4 seeds 2-3 30

Spinach 6 seeds 4-6 12-18

Squash, summer 2-3 seeds in hill 24 48 1

Squash, winter 1-2 seeds 48 6-8 t 1

Sweet corn 2 seeds 8-10 30 1-2

Sweet potatoes 1 slip 15 36

Tomatoes 1 transplant per 2 t 24 36

Turnips (roots) 6-8 seeds 3-4 12-15 Turnips (greens) 10-12 seeds 2-3 12-15

Watermelons 2-3 seeds in hill 6-8 t 72 1

Pots made o peat are good or growingtransplants, because plant roots can easily grow through the sides. Do not removethe peat pot when you transplant, and it willgradually decompose. Keeping the plants inthe same container reduces transplant shockand helps produce crops a ew days earlier than scheduled. You can use egg cartonsand paper cups, but be sure to punch holesin the bottoms or good water drainage. Also, cut away these containers beore transplanting. Put individual pots in plastic, metal or wooden trays or growing and or con

venience when you water and handle them.

Growing Transplants IndoorsFor indoor growing, sow seeds in a plant

tray containing an articial growing medium o peat moss and perlite availableat garden centers. Adding compost to thepotting media at up to 25% o total volume

can reduce the need or ertilizers later andpotentially encourage seed germination.Enclose the seeded trays in a plastic bagand keep them at room temperature untilseedlings begin to emerge. Ten, removethe plastic and transer the trays to suitablegrowing areas.

Te average windowsill is one locationor growing plants, but it usually does notget enough light. So, you have to use articial light to supplement. Use cool whiteuorescent lamps alone, a mixture o coolwhite and warm white uorescent lamps,

or a mixture o cool white and plant growthuorescent lamps. Locate the lamps 5 to 10inches rom the oliage and operate them12to18hours/day.Besuretokeepseedlings cool enough (60 to 65F) or strong,sturdy growth ater they germinate.

Plants should be hardened o abouttwo weeks beore planting them in the garden. Tat is, you toughen the plants so thatthey can withstand the outside environment. o do so, begin exposing them tolower temperatures. One way is to take yourtransplants outside in the daytime and bring

them in at night. However, dont let them getcaught in a rost. Reduce your watering andertilizing o transplants to help hardeningo about one week beore transplanting.Do not let them dry out and wilt, however.

Growing Transplants Outdoors

Structures used or growing transplantsoutdoors may or may not be articiallyheated.

Te cold rame or housing transplantsreceives no articial heat. Use the sun to its

greatest advantage by locating these structures on the south side o a building. Coldrames are used or holding or hardeningo transplants.

Te hotbed is a cold rame structurewhich includes an additional source oheat. Heat may be supplied rom ermenting horse manure, electric cable or light

bulbs. ransplants are usually grown inpots set over a 2 to 4inch layer o composted soil or sand. I horse manure is usedor i plants are grown in the bed ratherthan in pots, use a 4inch layer o compostas a base. I electricity is the heat source,only a ew inches o sand are required ora base, and transplants like cabbage, cau


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Figure 6.Cold rame.Scrap lumber canbe used to build the

basic rame. The hingedtop can be made rom old windows or arame covered with clear plastic.

liower, broccoli and lettuce may be sowndirectly in the composted soil base.

Buying Healthy TransplantsA Good Investment

Sometimes what appears to be a goodbuy because its inexpensive may turn outto be a poor investment in transplants.

ransplants which were seeded at the righttime and were grown at the right temperature, in abundant light and adequate moisture, will be compact, with the distancebetween leaves very small (able 5). Testems will be pencil thick and rigid. Leaveswill be dark green, large and upright withno tendency to droop. ransplants that aretrying to produce owers or ruit are not asdesirable as those which are strictly vegetative. Plants trying to produce ruit are slow

Table 5.Transplant production data.

Crop

Weeks romSeeding to

Transplanting4Average

Seedling Date

SeedDepth

(in)

Seed SpacingSoil Temp.

(F) Neededor Seeds toGerminate

AverageDays toEmerge

SatisactoryGrowth Temp.

Seeds/Inch

RowsApart (in) Day (F)

Night(F)

Cool Season1

Broccoli2 5-7 Feb 5, July 1 8 2 80 4-6 65 60

Brussels Sprouts 5-7 Feb. 5, July 1 8 2 80 4-6 65 60

Cabbage 5-7 Jan. 20, July 1 10 2 85 3-5 55 50

Caulifower2

5-7 Jan. 25, July 1 8 2 80 4-6 65 60Lettuce 5-7 -- 2 75 2-3 60 50

Onion 10-12 -- 2 75 4-5 65 55

Warm Season

Cucumber3 3-4 April 1 1

2 seedsper 4 x 4 pot,

thinned to 1

95 3-6 75 70

Muskmelon3 3-4 April 1 1 90 4-6 75 70

Squash3 3-4 April 1 1 95 5-7 75 70

Watermelon3 (seeded) 4-6 Mar. 25 1 85 4-6 75 70

Watermelon3 (seedless) 4-6 Mar. 25 1 90 4-6 75 70

Tomato 4-7 Mar. 15 10 2 80 7-9 70 60

Eggplant 6-8 Mar. 10 10 3 80 7-9 75 70

Pepper 6-8 Mar. 10 10 2 80 8-10 70 651 Cool-season crops are rost tolerant and can be set in the garden beore the last rost. Warm-season crops are susceptible to rost and should not be set

until the danger o the last rost is past.2 Do not allow broccoli or caulifower to become decient in nitrogen or water or exposed to cold temperatures when they are small.3 Seed into individual containers (peat) that may be placed directly into the soil, because these crops will not tolerate root disturbance.4 Allow an extra two weeks growing time i grown in plant beds.

to develop good root systems to supportlater ruit production.

Bare root plants will be slower to establish than transplants grown in cell packs orcontainers. Sometimes, plants are packedin large bundles and shipped great distances. o save space, these plants are clippedbeore shipping to reduce the amount otop growth. Tis is a poor practice since itnot only induces transplant shock and delays ruiting but spreads disease as well.

When purchasing transplants, be sureto ask whether the plants have been hardened o. I not, it is important to placethem in a cool spot and reduce water ora couple o days to acclimate the plants tooutside conditions.

Moving Transplants to the GardenWhether you buy plants or grow your

own, the time comes to plant them outside.

ransplanting gives a plant more spaceto develop, but it will temporarily checkgrowth, not stimulate it. Tereore, orsuccessul transplanting, try to interruptplant growth as little as possible. In doingso, peat pots give you an advantage, eventhough they are expensive, because theydo not have to be removed. Follow theseeight steps when transplanting:1. ransplant on a shady day in late ater

noon or in early evening to prevent wilting.

2. Soak transplants roots thoroughly anhour or two beore setting them in thegarden.

3. Handle the plants careully. Avoid disturbing the roots.

4. Dig a hole large enough to hold theroots. Set the plants to the lowest lea atrecommended spacings. Press soil rmly around the roots.

5. Pour 1 cup o starter solution in thehole around the plant. Starter solutionsare high analysis ertilizer solutions orrapid transplant root development. oprepare, mix plant ood with 153015,105317 or 202020 analysis at the rateof2Tbs/gallonofwater.Anyliquidorganic ertilizer, like sh emulsion, can also be used as a started solution by ollowing the recommendations on thepackage.

6. Put more soil around each plant, butleave a slight depression or water to collect. Break o any exposed parts o peatpots so that they will not act as wicksand pull water out o the soil.

7. Shade the plants or a ew days atertransplanting on a very hot day by putting newspapers or cardboard on theirsouth sides.

8. Water the plants once or twice duringthe next week.


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Growing More with Less Space

Intensive GardeningConventional gardens, planted in rows

about 3 eet apart, have been popular ormany years because they can be plantedand easily cultivated with a arm tractor ora rototiller. However, because o the widespaces between rows, such gardens are not

very space ecient. Gardeners with limited land area may want to plan an intensivegarden.

Intensive gardens employ spacesaving techniques such as widerow planting, raised beds, intercropping, succession planting, vertical training and planting in stairstep arrangements. Extendingthe growing season using plant protectorsis another technique o intensive gardening. Lettuce, radishes and other coolseason crops can be grown early in the springor late in the all with such protection.

Keep in mind that some intensive techniques may require more time, labor andmoney than conventional techniques. Also, closely spaced plants use more waterthan widely spaced plants, and competition or water may reduce yields duringtimes o drought.

In widerow planting, vegetables areplanted in wide rows between narrowpathways as opposed to single rows withwide spaces between the rows. Te vegetables are spaced so that they will just touchone another at maturity. Tis method ogardening may reduce weed problems, although hand weeding will be more dicult. Since less soil remains bare than inconventional gardens, usually less erosionoccurs.

Be aware that vegetables prone to certain diseases should not be planted too intensively. omatoes, or example, will suer less rom disease i moving air driestheir leaves. When placed too closely, plantleaves retain moisture longer, and diseaseorganisms thrive and are easily spreadrom plant to plant.

Raised BedsRaised beds increase production by

conditioning the soil or excellent root development. In an area 3 to 4 eet wide, youloosen the soil and mix it with organic matter and ertilizer (see Preparing the Soil).Ten, once youve constructed the raisedbeds and permanent paths between thebeds, you no longer disturb the soil. Combining raised beds with other intensivepractices such as widerow planting, intercropping or succession planting gives thegreatest yields in a garden. In addition, theexcellent drainage in raised beds oten permits early planting, though raised beds also will dry out aster than level ground later in the season. Use mulches to retainmoisture in your raised beds.

IntercroppingIntercropping involves planting di

erent vegetables side by side to take advantage o the dierent times o maturity,heights, spreads or rooting depths. A classic example of intercropping in

volves corn, beans and squash. A ewweeks ater sowing corn seeds, youplant pole beans close to the corn rowsto use the corn stalks or support.

Asanotherexample,youcansettomatotransplants between lettuce plants; thelettuce matures and is harvested beorethe tomato plants grow very large.

Also,trysowingradish seedswithcarrot seeds. Te radishes germinate quickly, marking the row o slowly sproutingcarrots. Radishes are harvested withina ew weeks, long beore they intererewith the carrots.

Many other intercropping ideas will develop rom your own gardening experience. Remember, however, that yields ocertain vegetables may be reduced whencrowded.

Succession Planting

In succession planting, another seed ortransplant immediately takes the place oa harvested plant. For example, when youharvest a lettuce plant in early summer,a Swiss chard or New Zealand spinachtransplant can replace it. Ater harvestingan early crop o sweet corn, you might ollow with a all crop o broccoli, spinach orsnow peas.

Figure 7. Raised bed.


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Vertical TrainingVertical training involves growing plants

upright rather than horizontally. You canvertically grow vine crops, tomatoes, peasand beans on wood, wire or string trellises,or in cages. Besides having more plants persquare oot, you will also have cleaner ruitthat will be easier to harvest.

StairstepTe stairstep arrangement is a orm o

vertical planting that lends itsel especially well to small plants, such as lettuce, spinach and onions. Basically, stairsteps changea twodimensional space into a threedimensional one, usually with wooden binsin pyramid shapes. You can also use metal strips, small stone walls, bricks or concrete blocks to hold the soil in place. Aswith raised beds, you will need to pay careul attention to watering o plants grown insuch arrangements.

Container GardeningEven i you live in an apartment or con

dominium with only a balcony, patio orwalkway available or gardening, you canstill enjoy many o the rewards o vegetable gardening.

Container gardening can provide youwith resh vegetables as well as recreationand exercise. Many containergrown vegetables also have ornamental value and canenhance your home. Using containers allows you to take advantage o the various

microclimates in your vicinity. For example, lettuce can be grown in a cool, shadedarea while heatloving plants, such as eggplant, can be located in ull sun where reections rom buildings or patio suracesadd to the heat.

Feeding and watering plants is easier iyou use big containers, since small onesneed more requent attention. Choose thecontainer size to match the plants growthrequirements.

Choosing Vegetables for ContainersAs a rule nearly all leay vegetables will

do well in containers. Plant breeders havedeveloped many dwar or miniature varieties or container production.

Crops with many ruits per plant suchas tomatoes are good choices. able 9 listssome o the vegetables and their requirements or container production.

A 12 x 48 x 8 box makes an excellentpatio herb garden. Chives, garden thyme,basil, marjoram and summer savory will alldo well in such a planter box. Te sprawling growth habit o the various mints,oregano and rosemary make them attractive in hanging baskets. ypical containersizes are listed in able 6.

ContainersMaterialYou can use containers made

o clay, wood (redwood or cedar), plasticor metal or growing vegetables. Also con

sider using barrels, ower pots or windowboxes. Unusual containers will add interestto your garden.

HolesEach container must have drainage holes in the bottom so the plant rootswill not stand in water. I the containerdoes not already have holes, make at leastfoursmallnailholesinitssides,1/2inchrom the bottom.

SizeTe container should be the proper size or the plant growing in it (see able 8 or types and sizes o growing containers).

Planting in ContainersSome vegetable seeds are planted di

rectly in the containers where they will begrowing. Others are set in as transplants.

Use a commercially prepared greenhouse soil mix, available at local gardencenters or greenhouses, to grow plants incontainers. I youre going to have severallarge containers, you may want to mix yourown soil. Te soil mix (able 7) is good or

container gardening because it is lightweight and sterile.

Planting ProcedureMoisten the soil mix the day beore you

intend to plant or best results. Many mixes contain a high percentage o peat, whichrequires time to soak up water. Peat moistens aster with hot water than with cold

water. A drop o dishwashing soap willhelp wet dry potting mixes. Fillacleancontainertowithin1/2inch

o the top with the mixture. Follow the seed packages instructions

or planting. Sowtheseedmorethicklythanneeded

in case some do not germinate. Putalabelwiththenameandvarietyof

the vegetable and the date o planting ineach container.

Water the seed gentlywith awateringcan ater sowing, being careul not to

wash out the seed. Or, put a burlap bagover the container to reduce water impact.

intheplantsforproperspacingwhenthey have two or three leaves.

Care

Pay particular attention to wateringcontainer vegetables. Container soils candry out very quickly, especially on a concrete patio in ull sun. Daily watering maybe necessary. Water when the soil eels dry.However, do not go to extremes. Te soil

should not be soggy or have water standing on top o it. Apply water until it runsout the drainage holes.

Protect plants rom very high heatcaused by light reection rom pavementor a building. I necessary, move them to acooler spot or shade them during the hottest part o the day. Plants may also need tobe taken to a more sheltered location during severe rain or wind storms.

Table 6.Typical containerdimensions, and their cor-responding size in gallons.

Inches Gallons

7 x 6 1

8 x 8 2

10 x 10 3

12 x 11 4

12 x 12 5

13 x 13 6

Table 7. Soil mix or container plants.

1 part composted or sterilized1 garden soil

1 part sphagnum peat moss (Canadian)

1 part perlite

cup dolomitic limestone/bushel

cup superphosphate/bushel1 To sterilize, put moistened soil in a cake pan and

heat at 200F or 46 - 60 minutes, or put in a glasspan in a microwave oven or 15 - 20 seconds.

Table 8.Types and sizes o growing containers.

Type Dia. Hgt. Vol.

2 inch pot 2 3 1 pt

6 inch pot 6 5 3 pt

No. 10 can 6 7 3 qt

8 inch planter 8 8 1 gal

10 inch planter 10 9 2 gal

bushel basket 13 9 4 gal

5 gal can 11 12 5 gal

1 bushel basket 17 11 8 gal


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Table 9. Container vegetable recommendations.

Vegetable Season Light Spacing Container Varieties

Daysuntil

Harvest

Beets Cool Tolerates par-tial shade

2 - 3 24 x 36x 8

Kestrel 53

Red Ace 53

Merlin 55

Detroit Supreme 59

Broccoli Cool Full sun 15 12 x 48x 8

Green Comet 55

Emperor 60Cabbage Cool Full sun 12 - 24 10 deep Fast Vantage 65

Stonehead 70

Market Prize 76

Super Red 80 82

Carrots SpringFall

Partial shade 1 - 3 24 x 36 x10

Danvers Hal Long 75

Short n Sweet 68

Little Fingers 65

Cucumbers Warm Full sun 12 - 16 12 x 48x 8

Sweet Success 55

Sweet Burpless Hybrid 55

Eggplant Warm Full sun 1 percontainer

4 5 gal Ichiban (Japanese type) 58

Dusky 61

Blackbell 70

Kale CoolFall

Partial shade 6 12 x 48x 8

Dwar Blue Curled 55

Vates 57Lettuce Early spring

FallPar tial shade 4 - 6

lea;10 head

12 x 48x 8

Kentucky Bibb 54

Buttercrunch 75

Royal Oaklea 50

Red Sails 45

Burpees Iceburg 85

Onions (bulb)1 Early Spring Partial shade 2 6 deep Walla Walla Sweet

Candy

Onions (green) Early Springor Sept.

Full sun White Spanish Bunching(early)

Peppers Warm Full sun 14 - 18 -4 gal King Arthur 59

Gypsy Hybrid 65

Hot Anaheim 77

Hungarian Wax 65

Jalapeno 65Radishes Early SpringFall

Full sun to lightshade

1 Any size,6 deep

Cherriette 26

Cherry Belle 30

Icicle 28

Cherry Bomb 25

Spinach SpringFall

Full sun to lightshade

5 Any size,6 deep

Tyee 42

Melody 43

Bloomsdale Long-Standing 48

SummerSquash

WarmSeason

Full Sun 1 percontainer

5 gal Black Magic (green zucchini) 44

Gold Rush (yellow zucchini) 50

Burpee Hybrid (green zuc-chini)

50

Sunburst (yellow scallop) 52

Swiss Chard SpringSummer

Fall

Partial shade 4 - 5 Any size,6 to 8

deep

Bright Lights 55

Rhubarb Chard 60

Fordhook Giant 60

Tomatoes2 Full Season Full sun, atleast 6 hrs/day

1 percontainer

4-5 gal Tumbler 49

Superb Super Bush 75

Turnips Cool Partial shade 3 - 4 24 x 36x 8

Tokyo Cross 35

Purpletop Globe 55

Seven Top 42

Zucchini WarmSeason

Full sun 1 percontainer

5 gal Black Magic (green) 44

Gold Rush (yellow) 50

Ambassador (green) 471 In spring, plant long day variety; in all, plant short day variety.2 Two plantings, one in mid to late April and the other in mid to late June, will extend the tomato harvest over a

longer season. Transplants should be started our to seven weeks beore planting time. Containers may be movedinside to protect plants rom early or late season rosts.

Vegetables grown in containers should be ertilizedregularly. Make the rst application three weeks ater theplants have two sets o leaves.Repeat once a week, using asoluble plant ood at onehalstrength (according to label directions).

Keep a close watch or insects and diseases which mayattack vegetables. Identiy anyproblems and take appropriatecontrol measures.

Ater you harvest springand early summer crops, replant the containers with vegetables or the summer or allgarden.

MiniGardens

Another solution to working with limited space is toplant several minigardens in

vacant spots around your yardinstead o putting all your vegetables in one plot. Some possible sites are near the kitchen door, along the sunny sideo the house or garage, aroundthe outdoor grill, along a walkin a ower bed or along a ence.Placed this way, vegetablesserve a dual purpose as both

ood and landscape plants.


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Table 10. Crops or the spring garden.

Vegetable Seeds

Transplants

Daysto

Maturity1

Beets x 55-60

Bibb lettuce x x 60-80

Broccoli x 40-90

Brussels sprouts x 80-90

Cabbage x 60-100

Carrots x 60-80

Caulifower x 50-100

Celery x 100-130

Chinese cabbage x x 43-75

Collards x 75-90

Endive x x 60-90

Kale x x 50-60

Kohlrabi x 50-70

Lea lettuce x x 40-50Mustard greens x 35-60

Onions2 x x 40-120

Peas x 60-80

Potatoes3 90-140

Radishes x 20-30

Spinach x 40-70

Swiss chard x x 55-60

Turnips x 40- 60

Turnip greens x 30-501 Days given are or the early to late varieties.2 Onions are also available in sets.3 Potatoes are available as seed pieces.

One Garden Plot: Tree Garden Seasons

The Spring GardenTe spring garden contains coolsea

son crops that are planted and harvestedrom late winter to late spring. Te seed osome o these crops can be planted directly in the garden soil, while others will needto be started in a greenhouse or other suitable growing area and then transplanted tothe garden (able 10).

Spring garden plants grow best with relatively cool air temperatures (50 to 65F)and are raised either or their leaves, stemsor ower buds. Peas are grown or their immature ruits. Tese crops produce their

vegetative growth during springs short,cool days. I they are planted too late in thespring, summer heat reduces their qualityby orcing some to ower and orm seeds(bolt), and others to develop o avors, bitterness, poor texture and low yields.

Avoid these problems by planting springvegetables as soon as the soil can be workedin the spring since light rost will not injurethem. Plant either seeds or transplants, allowing the vegetables to reach edible maturity beore hot summer days arrive.

Plant as soon as the soil is workable anddry enough so it does not orm wet clods.Do not work the soil when it is wet. Doing so can ruin the texture or several years.Wait or the best conditions no matter howmuch the planting bug is nibbling at yourngers.

Do not use organic mulches in earlyspring. Rather, let as much sunlight as possible reach the soil to warm it. Ater May 1,

you can use mulches to conserve soil moisture and help prevent weeds.

Plant spring garden crops together sothat you can plant all vegetables in thesame area later. When double cropping,do not plant closely related vegetables inthe same rows because o possible diseaseand insect carryover rom the spring crop.

The Summer Garden

As the harvest rom your spring gardenends, the summer gardens crops shouldbegin to produce. With careul planning

you should have a continuous harvest oresh garden vegetables.

Your summer garden should have a variety o crops, some harvested during thesummer months, and others continuing to

Table 11. Crops or the summer garden.

Vegetable Frost-resistant

Seeds

Transplants

Daysto

Maturity1

Beets x x 55-60

Cabbage x x 60-100Carrots x x 60-80

Collards x x 75-90

Cucumbers x x 45-65

Eggplant x 60-75

Endive x x x 50-60

Green beans, bush x 50-60

Green beans, pole x 60-90

Irish potatoes2 90-140

Kale x x 50-60

Lea lettuce x x 40-502

Lima beans, bush x 65-80

Lima beans, pole x 65-90

Muskmelons x x 75-90

New Zealand spinach x 70-80Okra x 50-80

Onions3 x x x 40-120

Parsley x x 70-90

Parsnips x x 90-110

Peppers x 65-75

Pumpkins x 90-120

Radishes x x 20-30

Southern peas x 60-70

Spinach x x 40-702

Summer squash x 50-55

Sweet corn x 60-100

Sweet potatoes4 x 120-140

Swiss chard x x 55-60

Tomatoes x 60-90Watermelons x x 70-90

Winter squash x 80-1201 Days given are or the early to late varieties.2 Irish potatoes are available as seed pieces.3 Onions are also available in sets.4 Sweet potatoes are available as rooted slips.Note: Varieties which endure summer heat areavailable. Most o these crops can be seeded ortransplanted during July and August and willdevelop quite well during midsummers warmgrowing conditions, i you give them extrawater and practice good insect pest control. Asthe crop develops, the cool, short days enableplants to accumulate sugar and favor com-pounds providing the taste that makes manyall-grown crops so good.

bear into all (able 11). Generally, summer crops are planted during the cool dayso late spring through the warmer dayswhen the danger o rost is past. Summer

garden vegetables consist o:1. Coolseason crops seeded or transplant

ed beore the danger o rost is past, butable to endure hot weather at harvesttimes.

2. Warmseason crops seeded or transplanted ater the rostree date. Tis later planting prevents both slow germination rom cool conditions and rost in

jury to emerging plants. Warmseasoncrops require warm soil and air temperatures or vegetative growth and ruiting. Teir quality is enhanced by long,

warm days and mild nights.

Since crops vary in how much time theyneed to reach edible maturity, the summergarden should include short, mid andlongseason crops.

The Fall GardenGardening doesnt have to end with your

summergrown crops since some vegetables are suitable or late summer planting.Plan to ollow your spring and summergardens with a all garden so that you canhave resh produce well into the winter.


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Table 12. Crops or the all garden.

Vegetable Date o Planting Seeds

Transplants

Daysto

Maturity1

Date o Harvest

Beets Jul - mid-Aug x 70 - 75 Oct

Bibb lettuce Jul - Aug x x 50 - 60 Sep - Oct

Broccoli Jul - Aug x 60 - 80 Sep - Nov

Brussels sprouts Jun - Jul x 70 - 80 Oct - NovCabbage late Jun - early Aug x 60 - 70 Sep - Nov

Carrots Jul - Aug x 80 - 90 Nov

Caulifower late Jun - early Aug x 70 - 80 Sep - Nov

Chinese cabbage Jul - Aug x x 50 - 70 Sep - Nov

Collards Jul - Aug x 80 - 90 Oct - Nov

Endive Jul - Aug x x 70 - 80 Sep - Nov

Green beans, bush Jul - mid-Aug x 60 - 65 Sep

Kale Jul - Aug x x 70 - 80 Sep - Nov

Kohlrabi Jul - Aug x 60 - 70 Sep - Nov

Lea lettuce Jul - Aug - Sep x x 40 - 60 Sep - Oct

Mustard greens Jul - Aug x 50 - 60 Sep - Oct

Parsnips June x 90 - 100 Nov

Potatoes mid-Jun x 90 - 100 Oct

Radishes Sep x 30 - 40 OctRutabaga July - mid-Aug x 80 - 90 Oct - Nov

Snow Peas Aug x 50 - 70 Oct

Spinach Aug - Sep x 50 - 60 Aug - Sep

Sweet corn Jul x 70 - 80 Sep

Turnips Jul - Aug x 50 - 60 Sep - Nov

Turnip greens Jul - Aug x 50 - 60 Sep - Nov1 Due to cool temperatures in the all, a long time will be needed or certain crops to mature.

Plant crops according to your plantingplan, grouping plants to be sure short onesare not shaded by tall ones. o encouragegood germination, ll each seed urrowwith water and let it soak in. Keep the soilmoist until seeds have germinated.

Fall vegetables are harvested ater earlySeptember. Tey consist o two types:1. the last succession plantings o

warmseason crops, such as corn andbush beans,

2. coolseason crops which grow well during the cool all days and withstand rost.

Note that cool nights slow growth, socrops take longer to mature in the all (andspring) than in the summer. Keep this slower pace in mind when you check seed catalogs or the average days to maturity. Someo the best quality vegetables are producedduring alls warm days and cool nights.Tese environmental conditions add sug

ar to sweet corn and cole crops, and crispness to carrots.

Te vegetables in able 12 can be successully seeded or transplanted or all har

vest. Oten, you will want several seedingdates to extend the harvest over a longertime. Tis table gives the latest dates or either seeding or transplanting as indicated.

Extending the Growing Season

Polyethylene row covers have been usedor a long time to help vegetables grow andripen early in the spring. However, Ken

tuckys springs are oten too warm to benet much rom early season row covers.During the all, on the other hand, thesecovers might prove useul to gardenerswishing to extend the harvest o rostsensitive crops (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers). Te row covers objective is to trap

Figure 8.Slitted rowcover.

heat and protect the crop rom cold nighttemperatures which might deorm ruit orkill the plant. Many times in Kentucky, a

period o mild weather will ollow the rstkilling rost. I you protect rostsensitivevegetables at critical times in the all youcould extend the harvest season by several weeks.

Gardeners have a choice o selventilating (slitted or perorated covers) or oating row covers. Te slitted and perorat

Figure 9. Average date o last killing rost (36F) in spring, plus aver-age number o days between last rost in spring and rst rost in all.

ed types are available in clear and opaquepolyethylene and require wire hoops orsupport.

o construct such tunnels ater planting,push hoops (made rom no. 9 galvanizedwire) into the ground, 3 to 5 eet apart (Figure 8). Ten when rost is predicted, cover them with clear polyethylene. Bury theedges o the plastic in the ground.


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Table 13. Vegetable gardeners calendar or Western Kentucky.1

Jan. 15 I Onions

Feb. 1 I Brussels sprouts

Feb. 15 I Broccoli, cabbage, caulifower, kohlrabi , lettuce,Chinese cabbage

Mar. 1 O Spinach, mustard, beets, peas, edible podded peas

Mar. 15 M Cabbage, kohlrabi;

O Asparagus and rhubarb (crowns), beets, carrots,collards, kale, mustard, spinach, peas, ediblepodded peas, early potato seed pieces, radishes,turnips, green onions, onion sets, endive

I Peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, sweet potato slips.Dig and divide any 4-year-old rhubarb plants.Fertilize asparagus and rhubarb with 1 lb 5-10-10per 100 sq t.

Apr. 1 M Broccoli , caulifower, collards, lettuce, Chinese cab-bage, Swiss chard, onions rom seeds;

O Mustard, spinach, radishes, lettuce, Swiss chard

Apr. 5 I Muskmelons, watermelons, squash;

O Sweet corn, beets, carrots, mustard, spinach,radishes, lettuce

May 1 O Sweet corn, mustard, radishes, lettuce

May 7 O Green beans, lima beans;

M Tomatoes, muskmelons, watermelons, squash

June 1 O Sweet corn

M Sweet potatoes

June 15 O Sweet corn, late potatoes, summer squash, bushbeans, lettuce, parsnips, beets, carrots

July 1 O Sweet corn (early maturing variety), carrots, beets

July 10 O Sow seeds o al l cole crops in a nursery area

July 15 O Sweet corn (early maturing variety), kale, mustard,turnips, summer squash

Aug. 1 M Transplant all cole crops to permanent locationbetween now and Aug. 15;

O Peas, edible podded peas, bush beans, radishes,beets, mustard. Divide old rhubarb or plant crownsi not done in spring.

Aug. 15 O Radishes, spinach, turnips, turnip greens, beets,mustard, lettuce, endive

Sept. 1 O Radishes, spinach, mustard

Sept. 15 O Radishes, mustard, turnips, turnip greens

Oct. 1 O Radishes

Oct. 15 O Sow sets o Egyptian tree or multiplier onions.Harvest carrots beore heavy reeze.

Nov. 1 O Dig parsnips and store at 32-40F, or mulch pars-nips heavily in the ground

I: Start seeds indoors; M: Move transplants to garden; O: Start seedsoutdoors1 Add ten days or central Kentucky and 15 days or the eastern

mountains o Kentucky to these dates or spring and summer crops.Subtract ten or 15 days or all crops

Table 14. Vegetable yields and amounts to plant per person.

Vegetable

AverageCrop

Expectedper 100 Feet

Approximate Planting perPerson

Fresh

Storage,Canning or

Freezing

A sparagus 30 lb 10 -15 plants 10 -15 plants

Beans, snap bush 120 lb 15-16 t 15-20 t

Beans, snap pole 150 lb 5-6 t 8-10 t

Beans, lima bush 25 lb shelled 10-15 t 15-20 t

Beans, lima pole 50 lb shelled 5-6 t 8-10 t

Beets 150 lb 5-10 t 10-20 t

Broccoli 100 lb 3-5 plants 5-6 plants

Brussels sprouts 75 lb 2-5 plants 5-8 plants

Cabbage 150 lb 3-4 plants 5-10 plants

Cabbage, Chinese 80 heads 3-10 t ---

Carrots 100 lb 5-10 t 10-15 t

Caulifower 100 lb 3-5 plants 8-12 plants

Celeriac 60 lb 5 t 5 t

Celery 180 stalks 10 stalks ---

Chard, Swiss 75 lb 3-5 plants 8-12 plants

Collards and Kale 100 lb 5-10 t 5-10 t

Corn, sweet 10 dozen 10-15 t 30-50 t

Cucumbers 120 lb 1-2 hills 3-5 hillsEggplant 100 lb 2-3 plants 2-3 plants

Garlic 40 lb --- 1-5 t

Kohlrabi 75 lb 3-5 t 5-10 t

Lettuce, head 100 heads 10 t ---

Lettuce, lea 50 lb 10 t ---

Muskmelons (cantaloupe) 100 ruits 3-5 hills ---

Mustard 100 lb 5-10 t 10-15 t

Okra 100 lb 4-6 t 6-10 t

Onions (plants or sets) 100 lb 3-5 t 30-50 t

Onions (seed) 100 lb 3-5 t 30-50 t

Parsley 30 lb 1-3 t 1-3 t

Parsnips 100 lb 10 t 10 t

Peas, English 20 lb 15-20 t 40-60 t

Peas, Snow 20 lb 10-15 t 30-40 tPeas, Southern 40 lb 10-15 t 20-50 t

Peppers 60 lb 3-5 plants 3-5 plants

Potatoes, Irish 100 lb 50-100 t ---

Potatoes, Sweet 100 lb 5-10 plants 10-20 plants

Pumpkins 100 lb 1-2 hills 1-2 hills

Radishes 100 bunches 3-5 t ---

Salsiy 100 lb 5 t 5 t

Soybeans 20 lb 50 t 50 t

Spinach 40-50 lb 5-10 t 10-15 t

Squash, summer 150 lb 2-3 hills 2-3 hills

Squash, winter 100 lb 1-3 hills 1-3 hills

Tomatoes 100 lb 3-5 plants 5-10 plants

Turnip greens 50-100 lb 5-10 t ---

Turnip roots 50-100 lb 5-10 t 5-10 tWatermelons 40 ruits 2-4 hills ---


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Table 15. Earliest and latest planting dates in the garden in Kentucky. (The person producing hisown transplants must begin two to 12 weeks earlier than these listed dates.)

Crops

Earliest Sae Planting Date Latest Sae Planting Date1

Western CentralEastern

Mt.Eastern

Mt. Central Western

Asparagus (crowns) Mar. 10 Mar. 15 Mar. 20 (Springonly)

Beans (snap) Apr. 10 Apr. 25 May 1 July 15 July 25 Aug. 1

Beans (lima) Apr. 15 May 1 May 10 June 15 June 20 July 1

Beets Mar. 10 Mar. 15 Mar. 20 July 15 July 20 Aug. 15

Broccoli (plants) Mar. 30 Apr. 5 Apr. 10 July 15 Aug. 1 Aug. 15

B. Sprouts (plants) Mar. 30 Apr. 5 Apr. 10 July 1 July 15 Aug. 1

Cabbage Mar. 15 Mar. 25 Apr. 1 July 1 July 15 Aug. 1

Carrots Mar. 10 Mar. 20 Apr. 1 July 1 July 15 Aug. 1

Caulifower (plants) Mar. 30 Apr. 5 Apr. 10 July 15 July 20 Aug. 5

Celery Apr. 1 Apr. 5 Apr. 10 June 15 July 1 July 15

Chard Mar. 15 Mar. 20 Apr. 1 June 15 July 15 Aug. 1

Collards Mar. 1 Mar. 10 Mar. 15 July 15 Aug. 1 Aug. 15

Sweet Corn Apr. 10 Apr. 20 May 1 June 15 July 10 July 20

Cucumbers Apr. 20 May 1 May 10 June 15 July 1 July 15

Eggplant (plants) May 1 May 10 May 15 June 1 June 15 July 1

Kale Mar. 10 Mar. 20 Apr. 1 July 15 Aug. 1 Aug. 15

Kohlrabi Mar. 15 Mar. 20 Mar. 25 July 15 Aug. 1 Aug. 15

Lettuce (lea) Mar. 15 Mar. 25 Apr. 1 Aug. 1 Aug. 15 Sept. 1Lettuce (bibb plants) Mar. 15 Mar. 25 Apr. 1 July 15 Aug. 1 Aug. 15

Lettuce (head plants) Mar. 15 Mar. 25 Apr. 1 July 1 July 15 Aug. 1

Muskmelons Apr. 20 May 10 May 15 June 15 July 1 July 15

Okra Apr. 20 May 10 May 15 July 1 July 15 Aug. 1

Onions (sets) Mar. 1 Mar. 10 Mar. 15 (Springonly)

Onions (plants) Mar. 15 Mar. 25 Apr. 1 June 15 July 1 July 15

Onions (seed) Mar. 10 Mar. 20 Apr. 1 June 1 June 15 July 1

Parsley Mar. 10 Mar. 20 Apr. 1 July 15 Aug. 1 Aug. 15

Parsnips Mar. 10 Mar. 20 Apr. 1 June 1 June 15 July 1

Peas Feb. 20 Mar. 1 Mar. 15 (Springonly)

Peppers (plants) May 1 May 10 May 20 June 15 July 1 July 15

Irish Potatoes Mar. 15 Mar. 15 Mar. 20 June 15 July 1 July 15

Sweet Potatoes May 1 May 10 May 20 June 1 June 10 June 15

Pumpkins Apr. 20 May 5 May 10 June 1 June 15 July 1

Radishes Mar. 1 Mar. 10 Mar. 15 Sept. 1 Sept. 15 Oct. 1

Rhubarb (crowns) Mar. 1 Mar. 10 Mar. 15 (Springonly)

Rutabaga Mar. 1 Mar. 10 Mar. 15 July 1 July 10 July 15

Southern Peas Apr. 20 May 5 May 10 June 15 July 1 July 15

Snow Peas Feb. 20 Mar. 1 Mar. 15 July 20 Aug. 1 Aug. 8

Spinach Feb. 15 Mar. 1 Mar. 10 Aug. 15 Sept. 1 Sept. 15

Summer Squash Apr. 20 May 10 May 15 July 15 Aug. 1 Aug. 15

Tomatoes (plants) Apr. 20 May 5 May 15 June 1 June 15 July 1

Turnips Mar. 1 Mar. 10 Mar. 15 July 15 Aug. 1 Aug. 15

Watermelons Apr. 20 May 5 May 15 June 15 July 1 July 15

Winter Squash Apr. 20 May 10 May 15 June 15 July 1 July 15

1 Based on average o early maturing varieties. Mid-season and late-maturing varieties need to beplanted 15 to 30 days earlier than latest date. Nearly all o the all-planted garden crops will require irri-gation during dry periods. Additional insect controls may be necessary or these tender young plants.


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Once planting is completed, your garden still requires careul attention. You

need to see that your plants receive theproper amounts o water and nutrients allseason long.

IrrigatingVegetable crops need about 1 inch o

water per week, as rain water, irrigationwater or both, rom April through September. You should have a rain gauge near yourgarden or check with the local weather bureau or rainall amounts; then supplementrainall with irrigation i needed. An average garden soil will store about 1.5 inches

ofwater/footofdepth.Irrigation aids seedling emergence, im

proves percent germination and plantstand, helps maintain uniorm growthand permits ruit development. Soils oten crust without adequate water, retarding the germination o crops like carrots,onions and beans.

Another use o irrigation is to reduce thewilting o transplanted crops like tomato,pepper, lettuce, cabbage and eggplant. Agood supply o soil moisture improves thequality and yields o all crops, increases the

ruit size o tomatoes, cucumbers and melons, and prevents premature ripening incrops such as peas, sweet corn and beans.Te critical periods o water needs or various vegetables are shown in able 16.

I overhead irrigation is used, it is a goodidea to irrigate during the day so that all thewater is evaporated o the plant oliage beore dark. Tis reduces disease problems.

Water Movement in SoilWhen water is applied to the soil, it

seeps down through the root zone grad

ually. Each layer o soil must be saturatedbeore water will descend to the next layer.Tis water movement is reerred to as thewetting ront. I only onehal the amounto water is applied at a given time, it willpenetrate the top hal o the root zone; thearea below the point where the wettingront stops will remain as dry as i no irrigation had been applied at all.

Table 16. Critical times to water vegetables.

Vegetable Critical Period o Water Need

Asparagus Fern growth

Bean, lima Pollination and pod develop-ment

Bean, snap Bloom, pollination and podenlargement

Broccoli Establishment, head develop-mentCabbage

Carrot Establishment, root enlarge-ment

Caulifower Establishment, growth, headdevelopment

Corn, sweet Silking, tasseling and ear devel-opment

Cucumber Flowering and ruit develop-ment

Eggplant Uniorm supply rom foweringthrough harvest

Melon Fruit set and early develop-ment

Onion, dry Bulb enlargement

Pea Flowering and seed enlarge-ment

Pepper Uniorm supply rom foweringthrough harvest

Potato Tuber set and tuber enlarge-ment

Radish Root enlargement

Squash,summer

Bud development, foweringand ruit development

Tomato Uniorm supply rom fowering

through harvestTurnip Root enlargement

Figure 10.To encouragedeep rooting, thoroughlywater the upper 6 - 8 incheso soil (let). Shallow water-ing (right) promotes shallowdevelopment o roots,resulting in poor growth andincreased risk o injury undersevere weather conditions.

Caring or Your VegetablesDuring the Growing Season

Te total water a garden needs is thesame as the amount o water lost rom theplant plus the amount evaporated rom thesoil. Tese two processes are called evapotranspiration. Evapotranspiration rates

vary and are inuenced by day length, temperature, cloud cover, wind, relative humidity, mulching, and type, size and number o plants growing in a given area.

Watering areas o the garden not occupied by vegetable roots only encouragesweed growth.

Watering EquipmentTe home gardener has several choices

o watering equipment, including the garden hose with a spray or an nozzle, trickle systems and porous hose systems. Tisequipment may or may not be semiautomatic. Many portable lawn sprinklers areadequate or the garden. Adjust the rate owaterapplicationtoabout1/2inch/hour.A aster rate may cause runo.

Oscillating and rotating sprinklers mustbe placed on a platorm higher than thecrop being irrigated to keep the plants romdistorting the spray pattern and getting uneven distribution. Rotating sprinklers deliver circular water patterns with more water near the center than on the outer edges. Oscillating sprinklers deliver rectangular patterns, making it easy to water alongedges o gardens; these systems, however,deliver more water at the edges than in thecenter. In any case, sprinklers do not distribute water uniormly like rain, though

you can even out the water by overlappingthe patterns. However, such overlappingmeans you must move the sprinkler oten,

overlapping about hal o the area alreadywatered each time you move it.

o check how much water yoursprinkler has applied, set several small,straightsided cans on the ground at varying distances rom the operating sprinkler.


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Figure 11.Trickle system or a garden that is too arrom a water supply.

Figure 12.Trickle system or a-vorite plants (i.e., giant pumpkin,early tomatoes, etc.).

Figure 13. One trickle line or everytwo rows.

Figure 14.Trickle tubes.

Figure 15. Installation o trickle irrigation

under black plastic mulch.

I the sprinkler is set to apply 1 inch o water, operate it until the can with the mostwaterhasabout1/2inchinit.en,shuto or move the sprinkler to another spot.Overlap the measured can and run thesprinkler again until the can has a total o1 inch o water in it.

An excellent irrigation system or the

home garden is the perorated plastic hoseor soaker hose. Put the hose, holes down,along one side o the crop row or underneath plastic mulch. Let the water soak orseep slowly into the soil. Tis method requires less water because the water goesright next to the plant, Also, this way youcan water in the evening without encouraging oliage diseases since no water issprinkled on the plant leaves. You can determine the time required to apply a given volume o water by putting one o thehole openings over a can and measuring

the amount o water collected in a giventime period.

With trickle irrigation you water vegetables similarly to the way you sidedress ertilizer. Water is applied directly on the rowby a special hose or tube at low pressure.rickle irrigation uses rom 30% to 70% othe water required by overhead sprinkle irrigation.

You do not need to be a plumber to construct a trickle irrigation system. For therst year, you may wish to install trickle irrigation on only a ew rows o vegetables.

rickle irrigation equipment is usuallyavailable rom local garden supply storesand is also listed in many seed and gardencatalogs available to home gardeners.

Line Emitters (for Trickle Irrigation)Tree principal types o line emitters are

adapted to growing vegetables (see Figure14).1. winwall is essentially a tube within a

tube. Water rom the eeder line lls theinside tube. When pressure on the insidetube builds up, the water ows throughholes spaced about 5 eet apart into theouter tube. Water then trickles throughperorations spaced about 12 inchesapart in the outer tube and into the soil.

2. Biwall has a main chamber throughwhich water ows until pressure is thesame throughout the trickle line. Waterthen ows into a secondary chamber ontop o the main chamber and is distributed to the plants through holes alongthe entire secondary chamber.

3. With a plastic soaker hose water seepsthrough the tubes entire length, not atdened openings. Te soaker hose isideal or closely spaced crops.

Although not used or vegetables, pointemitters are available to deliver water tospecic locations. Tey are used to watershrubs and trees.

Trickle Irrigation and Black PlasticMulch

Black plastic mulch can be put over theline emitter to increase the eectivenesso watering and to control weeds. Further,the black plastic protects the polyethylene emitter tube rom sunlight which ac

celerates material break down. Te tubescan be used or several years i cleanedand stored in a cool, dark place. Black plasticmulch,0.0015inches(11/2mil)thick,may be purchased at garden supply stores.A 4oot width is ideal or most vegetables.

I you use a trickle system with plastic mulch, you must put the line emitter 8inches to one side o the center o the row.Tis precaution assures that the plasticemitter hose will not be punctured whenplants are set in the middle o the row. Figure 15 shows a line emitter installed under

black plastic mulch.FertilizerAlthough a crop could beertilized i you inject soluble ertilizers into the supply pipe in a home trickle watering system, this method involves a greater risk o applying the wrong amount oertilizer. Since the black plastic sheet reduces the loss o ertilizer by eliminatingdownward movement during heavy rain,

you can reduce the amount o ertilizer byabout 25%.


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Ater lime and ertilizers are applied andraked into the top ew inches o soil, thetrickle system is installed and the plasticmulch is placed on top. Directions or installing plastic mulch are in the section onmulching.

Mulching

Mulching can make all the dierencebetween a garden that is a joy to work andwatch and one that is tedious and untidy.

Among mulchs greatest attributes is itsability to help control weeds.

Mulch also helps conserve soil moistureby 50% or more by covering the soil to slowdown evaporation. UK soil scientists haveound that a mulch on the soil surace canconserve about 6 inches o soil water during the growing season. Most o the waterconservedwillreduceand/ordelayplantwater stress.

Mulch reduces erosion by breaking theimpact o rain and wind.Nutrients do not leach so readily under

plastic and some paper mulches becauseless rainwater penetrates.

Vegetables remain cleaner in mulchedgardens because they have less contactwith the soil.

Finally, organic mulches can keep soilscool.

Using Plastic MulchTe most common materials or mulch

ing are either plastic or organic matter.Plastic materials are usually 3 or 4 eetwide and are black, white, brown or clear.Te darker plastics are recommended because they do not allow weed growth; clearmaterials act as greenhouses under whichweeds ourish. White plastic is used orsummer planting, because it is cooler.

Plastic mulches tend to warm the soilby about 1 to 5 degrees. Tis extra warmthcan boost plants such as tomatoes in thespring and can promote quite vigorousgrowth o heatloving vine crops, such as

melons and squashes, in the summer.Wait or a calm day to lay plastic mulches.

Slip a hoe or rake handle through theroll o polyethylene.

Placetherollatthebeginningoftherow. Hoefurrowsabout4inchesdeeponei

ther side o the roll. Rolloutthepolyethylenethisdistance. Tucktheedgesintothefurrows. Coverthemwithsoilandproceedan

other 5 t until the end o the row.

Slittheplasticattheendoftherowandplace the edge into a urrow across therow.

Inserttransplantsbycuttingholesintheplastic with a knie or bulb planter.

Plastic weed barrier or landscape fabric mulches, which are more expensivethan other plastic mulches, allow waterto pass through, can be held down withlarge wire staples, and can be reused insubsequent years.

Some soil between the rows will remain unmulched. Or, you may wish to usenewspapers and organic mulch to controlweeds between the plastic strips.

Te major disadvantage o most plasticmulches is that you have to remove themand dispose o them. Tey cannot be tilledunder or let on the soil, but must be litedand discarded. New biodegradable mulches are now available at some garden stores.

Using Organic MulchesOrganic mulches are materials such as

lawn clippings or straw. Do not use lawnclippings that come rom a lawn recentlytreated with herbicides. Te ner mulches will deter weeds i spread over the garden at least 2 inches deep. One excellentway to spread these materials more thinly is to rst lay about six sheets o newspaper on the soil, then cover the paper withorganic matter. In this case the newspaper

is really the mulch, and the organic matterholds the paper in place and improves appearances.

Soils will remain cool longer in thespring under organic mulches, becausethe sun does not strike the soil. I you want

your garden to grow rapidly in the spring,do not scatter the mulch until the soilwarms. One precaution needed i you usestraw is to be sure it is weed and seedree.Otherwise, it will be a source o weeds orthe growing season.

Most organic mulches will compact and

start to decompose by all. Tey can betilled under easily, adding valuable organic matter to the soil. Some gardeners preer to maintain a permanent mulch, addingorganic material as it becomes available. Inthe spring, they simply pull back the mulchin spots or transplants or in rows or directseeded vegetables. Tis method is agood way to build a rich garden soil.

FertilizingFor vegetables to produce lush, contin

uous growth throughout the season, theyneed a uniorm supply o nutrients. However, many chemical ertilizers are very soluble, so the initial application may leachbeyond the root zone beore the growingseason ends. Tus, many gardeners sid

edress their crops with an extra application o ertilizer during the growing season. Te usual rate is 5 bs o ammoniumnitrate/10 feet ofrow.Asparagus requires twice as much, and potatoes shouldreceiveabout7Tbs/10feetrow.Placetheertilizer in bands about 6 inches to bothsides o the rows, then rake it in and water.

A combination o chemical ertilizer, organic ertilizer and mulch makes a good

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