Grow Your Own, Nevada! Fall 2011: Growing and Composting in Small Places
-
Upload
university-of-nevada-cooperative-extension -
Category
Documents
-
view
136 -
download
3
Transcript of Grow Your Own, Nevada! Fall 2011: Growing and Composting in Small Places
AA/EO
• Angela O‟Callaghan, Ph.D.
• Area Specialist
• Social Horticulture
Gardening in small places
2/25/2013 1
What do you want
22/25/2013
Definitions
Photosynthesis Plant takes water
and carbon dioxide
and creates sugar.
Takes place
only in light
Requires
energy
Respiration Plants breaks down
sugar into carbon
dioxide and water
Takes place in
light and in
dark
Gives off
energy
Transpiration Plants carry water
from soil through
leaves. Nutrients
are dissolved in
water
Pull from the
leaves delivers
water and
nutrients
Keeps plants
upright
Light:
Amount Duration Direction
Nutrient levels
Water (precipitation or irrigation)
Day temperature
Night temperature
Protection from Pests:
insects
weeds disease 2/25/2013 4
Patio gardener‟s tool kit
2/25/2013 5
Before starting, answer the following
• Easy access to water?
• How many hours of sunlight does the area
receive?
• From what direction is the light?
• What is the level of time, strength &
interest?
2/25/2013 6
Getting started
Often easiest to start annuals from seed.
Can be planted in a tray or in peat pellets (dry out too quickly?) .
92/25/2013
Starting seeds
indoors
Can be more or
less of a
production
2/25/2013 10
• Do not use field soil
• Use potting mix (peat moss, perlite, vermiculite,
nutrients)
• Seed per package directions
• Maintain moisture
• Temperature – Key
Too high, spindly plants that dry out quickly
Too cool, promote disease
•11
2/25/2013
• Root system will
develop before top
growth.
• Roots must be
clean and healthy
122/25/2013
.
• Transplant seedlings after true leaves have
formed
• NEVER pull or handle the transplant by the
stem (throat)
• Exercise care not to destroy roots
Plants that have large seeds tend to be
less successful as transplants
– Beans
– Corn
142/25/2013
• We have small yards or patios
• We want a lot out of a small space
• We must resist the temptation to crowd so
much together that we make the plants
unhappy and ourselves crazed.
• Hardy, even frost tolerant
• Seeds germinate at lower temperature
• Root systems shallower
• Plants smaller
• May be susceptible to bolting if - too cool or
too warm for too long
2/25/2013 17
• Roots
• Tubers
• Stems
• Leaves
• Up to, not including, flowers
2/25/2013 18
• Must have 8 hours or more bright direct light
• Generally grow best between 70 and 80
(with exceptions)
• Most seeds will not germinate at temperatures
< 50
• Produce may suffer chilling injury at
temperatures < 50
2/25/2013 19
Warm season vegetables
• Flowers
• Fruits
• Seeds
2/25/2013 20
• Most herbs are grown either for leaves
(basil, oregano, mint) or flowers (dill)
• Many can grow as companion plants
• Some (e.g. mint) should be kept in pots to
control spread
• May be used as houseplants
2/25/2013 21
• Garden can be
– in the ground, well amended soil
– In a raised bed
– In a pot
– In a barrel
• It’s up to the gardener
• AS LONG AS THERE IS SUFFICIENT
DRAINAGE and FERTILITY
2/25/2013 22
•Unglazed clay (terra cotta)
•Glazed clay
•Plastic
•Wood
•Biodegradable material
•Large
•Small
•Sitting
•Hanging 2/25/2013 23
Express the gardener‟s taste
Sophisticated
Rustic
Urban
Antique
Eclectic
2/25/201324
Not for all crops
Can be built to size, height and mobility
needs of gardener
Can be made of
brick, block, wood,
plastic, etc.
2/25/201329
Dry faster than sitting
Smaller dry faster than
larger
Clay faster than plastic
or glazed
2/25/201331
• Insulation
• Conserves water
• Moderates heat
2/25/201332
Mulching
• Even a plant in a pot can be mulched
• Conserves water
• Keeps temperature more level
• Your choice of materials
• Vegetables are often grown as annuals,
although they may technically be something
else
342/25/2013
• We treat most of the vegetables we grow as
annuals, whether they are or not
• Many of our common vegetables are not
2/25/2013 35
• Annuals will flower and produce seeds once
before dying
• Biennials will flower and produce seeds once,
and only if they have experienced a chilling
period with short days
• The desired part of many biennial vegetables
is produced only in the first year
• Perennials can produce for several years
362/25/2013
37
Flowering broccoliFlowering carrots
2/25/2013
382/25/2013
Gardeners generally need to increase fertility
Soluble fertilizers are commonly used– May be organic or
conventional
– Very convenient
– Concentrated levels of nutrients
– In addition to NPK, micronutrients may be present
– Potted plants – often best to fertilize with ¼ strength with each watering.
2/25/2013 39
If you want to grow
organically, then
conventional
fertilizers are a no-no
If you want what is
usually most
convenient, then
organic methods
might be too much of
a bother
2/25/2013 40
How do you water these things?
Irrigation, hose,
watering can
2/25/2013 41
2/25/2013 42
• Ongoing fresh crop of plants
• Some plants are only used fresh
• For instance, leafy greens
• For an ongoing supply,
– time from planting to mature plant
– amount that is planted at any one time
– How long plant(s) will stay usable
2/25/2013 44
2/25/2013 45
• Bolted
• No flowering
• No fruiting
• Tip burn
• Blossom end rot
• Fruit cracked
462/25/2013
• Premature flower stalk
production
• Plant stress
• Excess heat
• Excess cold
• Incorrect day length
472/25/2013
• Nitrogen fertilizer applied just at flowering
• Insufficient phosphorus
• High winds
• High temperatures
• Incorrect day length
• Flowering stalks pruned off (problem with
woody plants)
482/25/2013
• When leaf was first developing, shortage of
calcium reached growth point.
• Result of irregular or insufficient watering
492/25/2013
• Similar to tip burn
• Water deficiency as fruit first developed
502/25/2013
• Temperature too high, water
taken up too fast, cracks skin512/25/2013
52
Summary
• Right plant in the right place
• Plant when conditions are right
• Plant in well amended soil or good mix
• Containers should be big enough
• Containers
2/25/2013
Composting in small places
54
2/25/201354
Sawdust 100-500:1 Very high carbon!Paper 150-200:1 Bark 100-130:1 Wheat straw 80:1 Oat straw 74:1 Corn stalks 60:1 Leaves 40-80:1 Fruit wastes 35:1 Horse manure 25:1Vegetable wastes 12-20:1 Grass clippings 12-25:1 Apple pomace 21:1 Cow manure 20:1 Coffee grounds 20:1 Alfalfa hay 13:1 Poultry manure, fresh 10:1 Very high nitrogen!
Carbon
Nitrogen
ratios
54
N
C
2/25/201355
TYPES OF COMPOSTING
• Pile hot
• Tumblers hot
• Bins hot
• Trench cold
• Worms cold
Which is best for you?
1. How much space do you have?
2. How much biodegradable material do you
have?
3. How much compost will you need?
4. How much labor can you reasonably
perform?
2/25/2013 56
2/25/2013 57
Hot or cold?
2/25/2013
2/25/2013
Starting compost
1--Place a layer of coarse material several inches
thick for drainage on the ground
2--Place a layer of high nitrogen material ~3”
3--Place a layer of high carbon material ~6”
4--Place a layer of garden soil (&/or fertilizer or
“compost booster”) ~1”
5--Water thoroughly.
Repeat numbers 2 through 5
2/25/2013 592/25/2013 59
Turn the pile – or not?
• Pile can be turned regularly
using a garden fork or a special
auger - Or
• Pile can be constructed, mixed
once and left to degrade slowly
- Or
• Pile can be constructed in layers
(lasagna) and left to degrade
very slowly
2/25/2013
Compost worms
• Red wigglers (Eisinia
foetida)
• Hungrier and tolerate
higher temperatures than
„nightcrawlers‟
• Very fast degrading of
materials
• Worms eat raw materials
• May eat their own weight
daily
• Foodstuff ground in
gizzard
• Microorganisms in worms
themselves and in
degrading materials also
involved
• Little heat generated
• compost = worm castings
61 612/25/2013 61
Worm bins
feedstock worms
wormsworms
2/25/2013 632/25/2013 63
different methods
Electric heat & regular
agitation
NOT exactly composting
2/25/2013
http://www.naturemill.com/video_histChan.html
2/25/2013 652/25/2013 65
Trench
2/25/2013
Slower
Anaerobic microbes do
work
Bury starter material
near new garden
Add small amount of
fertilizer
C/N ration not critical
Will smell bad if opened
before complete
Bokashi (anaerobic)
2/25/2013 672/25/2013 67
Problems to confront
• Dry air
– Always keep lightly moistened
• Hot
– Place in a shady space if possible
– Always have a cover
• Insects
• Odors
2/25/2013
68
2/25/20136868
Bugs happen. They benefit compost & help to expedite process by breaking down starting material
No pesticides! Can kill bugs and worms
Decrease amount of flies and other insects in compost by freezing starting material before putting it in the composter
If roaches are a big problem, put DE on top of pile
69 692/25/2013 69
Compost should smell like fresh soil
Foul smells may be due to Anaerobic conditions – stir to add oxygen
Too much green or large green clumps – add some browns and stir well
Always make the top layer of the
compost brown
2/25/2013 70
Not Composting???
Possible causes:
• Turned too often, heat doesn‟t generate
• Not turned often enough, process is very slow
• Too much carbon, no food for microbes
• Pile too small, microbes can‟t get established
2/25/2013 70
2/25/2013 712/25/2013 71
Compost tea
• A brew of compost in water
• ~ one part compost to five parts water
2/25/2013 722/25/2013 72
Compost tea (CONT.)
Properties will vary with:
1. Starting materials
2. Length of brewing time
3. Level of aeration and stirring
• Insufficient air will cause it to go anaerobic
and smell foul
Summary
Compost
• Is a terrific source of plant nutrients
• Is a source of many beneficial
microorganisms
• May control plant disease, both as compost
and tea
• Lowers the amount of organic garbage
going to the landfill.
73