Getting Started With a Vegetable Garden!

Heidi Kratsch,University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

Let’s go!

Cole crops (Brassica) – cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi, mustard

Cucurbits – cucumber, cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkin

Solanaceous crops – potato, tomato, pepper, eggplant

Root vegetables – beets, carrots, radish, rutabaga, sweet potato

Classification of vegetable crops

Cool-season vegetables – prefer daytime temperatures 15-18°C (60-65°F)◦ Spinach, cabbage, broccoli, radish, beet,

asparagus, garlic, brussels sprouts (frost tolerant)◦ Lettuce, celery, artichoke, endive, mustard, carrot

(damaged by temps near freezing) Warm-season vegetables – must be planted

after danger of frost has passed◦ Sweet corn, pepper, snap beans, squash,

pumpkin, lima beans, cucumber, tomato, cantaloupe

Warm- vs. cool-season

Frost free period◦ Calculated from date

of last spring frost to date of first fall frost

Days to maturity◦ Seed to harvest◦ Differs by cultivar

Frost-tolerance

Cultivar selection

Cultivar = cultivated variety

Examples:◦ ‘Early Girl’ tomatoes◦ ‘Sugar Ann’ snap

peas◦ ‘Buttercrunch’

lettuce◦ ‘Royal burgundy’

bush beans

What is a “cultivar”?

Cultivars are varieties within a crop selected for a particular characteristic.

Frost-free maphttp://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/freezefrost/frostfreemaps.html

Tonopah: 110 -155 Fallon: 105 -130 Reno/Carson: 90-

120 Elko: 60 -90 Ely: 55 -85 Wells: 40 -70

Frost-free days for N. Nevada

Check ‘days to maturity’ against the frost-free period for your region

EARLY SPRING LATE SPRING/EARLY SUMMER

Late summer

HARDY SEMI-HARDY TENDER VERY TENDER

HARDY

AsparagusBroccoliBrussels sproutsCabbageKaleOnionsPeasRadishRhubarbSpinachTurnip

BeetCarrotCauliflowerEndiveLettuceParsleyParsnipPotatoSalsifySwiss chard

CeleryCucumberDry beanSnap beanNew Zealand spinach Sweet cornZucchini

Cantaloupe EggplantLima beanPepperPumpkin TomatoWatermelonWinter squash

BeetsCabbageKaleLettuceOnion RadishRutabagaSpinachTurnip

Average planting times for N. Nevada

Sunlight – avoid trees

Good soil – sandy loam is best

Source of water Avoid steep slopes Protection from

strong wind

Selecting a site

South, east, west exposure

Afternoon shade will protect sensitive fruits in a western exposure.

Eastern exposure – sunlight less intense (6 hours minimum)

Sunlight

Must be accessible Hose dragging can

pull up or damage plants.

May need more than one water source.

Source of water

Planting on slopes

Planting on slopes

Terraced gardens

Wind

Wind protection Ideal is 50%

permeable. Should be as long

as possible. Windbreaks

meeting at right angles give maximum protection against shifting winds.

Three-season gardening

Relaying: overlapping planting of one crop

Planting several varieties of the same crop

Succession planting

Early Spring (March 15): cool season veggies

Summer – late May / early June: warm season veggies

Fall – August: cool season veggies (again)

Three seasons for crop growth

Allows dense plantings.

Avoids competition for nutrients and light.

Simple schemes:◦ Onions, lettuce, carrots◦ Radishes, lettuce,

peppers◦ Brussels sprouts,

parsley, spinach, onions

Interplanting

Three Sisters Method:

Relies on complementary characteristics:◦ Corn is a heavy feeder

but provides a trellis for

◦ Beans, which fix N for corn and

◦ Squash, which shades the ground

Interplanting

Plant polycultures. Interplant herbs

and flowers. Provide refuge for

beneficial insects. Use least toxic

methods to control pests.

Know your weeds.

Companion planting guidelines

Cleome serrulata

Plant: Basil Marigold Garlic Mint Onion Radish Rosemary Tansy

Repels: Flies/mosquitoes Many insects Many pests Cabbage moths Ants Many insects Bean beetles Beetles

Companion planting example

Source: Horticulture Principles and Practices, 4th ed., G. Acquaah, Pearson Education, NJ

Vegetable garden design

A example of a 4-foot by 8-foot raised bed design

What’s the problem here?

Formal garden design

From seed indoors:◦ Sterile “soil” – fine◦ Plant 2-3x the width

of the seed.◦ Label!◦ Use mist to water◦ Cover until they

begin to germinate.◦ Artificial vs. natural

light◦ Heat: 60-75 deg F

Starting your plants

Seedlings in egg carton

Thinning seedlings

Starting your plants

Thinning arugula seedlings

Starting from transplants:◦ Tomatoes, peppers,

cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant

◦ Earlier harvest, esp. for short growing seasons

Starting your plants

Gradual introduction to more intense sunlight and cooler temperatures

Hardening off seedlings

Planting your seedlings

Good varieties for Northern Nevada

Our favorites…

Heirloom variety Fast growing - 3

weeks Mild taste Can be grown

successfully indoors or out – even in the shade.

Radish ‘Cherry Belle’

Days to maturity 20-25 days

Heirloom Takes full sun to

part shade Dark green leaves Cool-season

spinach

Spinach ‘Bloomsdale’

Days to maturity 45-55 days

3 to 4 inches long Sweet and tender Children like the

smaller size

Carrot ‘Little Finger’

Days to maturity 65 day

Beans (bush and pole) - heirloom

‘Royal Burgundy’ (bush) ‘Kentucky Wonder (pole)

1963 “All-American Selection” winner

More heat-tolerant than other varieties

Butterhead variety

Lettuce ‘Buttercrunch’

Days to maturity 65 days

Heirloom introduced in the 1950s

Not picky about soil or climate

Produces 7-inch ears

Exceptionally early

Corn ‘Golden Beauty’

Days to maturity 70 days

Heirloom variety 5 to 8 inches in

diameter Great for baking Earlier harvest

than most winter squashes

Winter Squash ‘Acorn Table Queen’

Days to maturity 80 days

Tomato

‘Marglobe’ ‘Red Cherry’ heirloom

Days to maturity 75 daysDays to maturity 78 days

Crack-resistant Easy to grow

www.edenbrothers.com www.seedsofchange.com www.seedsavers.org Local garden centers/nurseries

Sources for Seed