So you want to Garden!

Vegetable Gardening

Ben Beale

MCE-St. Mary’s

Extension Educator

The purpose of this presentation is to :•Learn about Vegetable Gardening

•What not to do

• What to do

•Seeds and Transplants

•Preparing the soil

•Raised Beds

•Trickle Irrigation and Plastic Mulch

•General Discussion

What I have seen and heard-

-Location, Location , Location

• Many gardens are planted where they should not be-areas without enough sun and competition from the large oak tree next door in a prime example

-Soil, Soil, Soil

• The preparation of a good friable soil that is high in fertility, well drained and deep is critical. While you don’t have to start with the perfect soil, every year should be an improvement.

-Water, Water, Water

•Growing vegetables without irrigation is like “ trying to get oil from a waterspout”

-Weeds, weeds, and more weeds

•Control of weeds is very important, not only to keeping a clean garden, but also a sane mind. Weeds are my favorite arch enemy.

Planning a Garden

2 STEPS:

Decide what you want to grow (Desire):

Decide what you can grow (Capability):

Desire + Capability = Planting Intentions

Garden Planning is the process of providing a map of what you are going to do (before you do it)!

•A list of desired plants

•Location of plants

•Timing of planting

•Successive plantings-more than 1 “map”

Another way to look at it is to answer the 5 W’s.

When,where, what, how, who?????

Planning should take into consideration all the foreseeable conditions that are present in your garden.

-Location and exposure to sun

-Perennial crops planted for many years

-Grouping of plants by days to maturity, growth habits, and growing needs

-Selection of time period for starting transplants and for direct seeding

Cool Season Crops:

Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collards and Kale

Beets, Radish, Turnip, Potatoes, Spinach

Warm-Season crops:

Tomato, pepper, eggplant, sweet corn, squash, pumpkin, bean, watermelon, cantaloupe

My Favorite Garden

Plant Three rows of peasPeace of mindpeace of heartpeace of soul

Plant four rows of squashSquash gossip

Squash indifferenceSquash grumblingSquash selfishness

Plant four rows of lettuceLettuce us be faithful

Lettuce be kindLettuce be happy

Lettuce really love one another

No Garden should be without turnips:Turnip for service when needed

Turnip to help one anotherTurnip the music and dance

Water freely with patience and cultivate with love

Your Garden is abundant, because you reap what you sow.

To conclude our garden we must have thyme:Thyme for funThyme for rest

Thyme for ourselves

Asparagus

Asparugus officinalis

Asparagus

•Member of lily family, originally from Mediterranean area

•Deep, well drained soils, pH 6.0-7.0, sandy soils best

•Plant 1 year old crowns, April 10 when soils reach 50 F

•Plant is dioecious with male and female plants. Male hybrids have been developed in New Jersey that are much more productive.

•Drought tolerant once established, stop harvest once 3/4 of all spears are less than 3/8 inch in diameter.

Brassicas:

So easy and so pretty.

Include: Broccoli, Cabbage, Kale, and Cauliflower

Growing: Cool Season crops can add color in late fall and early spring. Some unique and colorful shapes are available.

Well drained soil with medium pH.

Romanesco

Garnishing Kale

Purple Cauliflower

Cabbage

Radicchio

Kohlrabi

Swiss Chard:

•“Bright Lights” is the leader in brilliant foliage.

•Swiss chard will grow to about 20 inches in height and can stand a light frost. Either direct seed or use transplants. Use in spring or fall.

•Excellent starter plant for edible landscape.

•Cook like spinach for a delicious treat.

Broccoli and Cauliflower

•Nice fall crop, usually transplanted. Spring crop success dependent upon hot weather extremes.

•Plant transplants around the end of August or late March

•50-60 days to maturity from transplant. Plant 12-18” apart in 36” rows

•Good soil and good fertility. Irrigation helps for fall crops.

Kale and Collards

•Southern Maryland Tradition

•Do very well in the fall of the year. Direct Seeded 6-8 weeks prior to first frost. Irrigate after seeding for optimum germ.

•Will work well with turnips and serves as an excellent cover crop

Turnip

•Often inter-seeded with Kale for fall/winter crop

•40 days to first harvest. Plant earlier (70 days prior to early frost) for optimal root growth.

•Easy to grow with little pest problems

Cabbage

•spring or fall crop

•requires good moisture, high fertility, and good soils

•60 days to harvest, 3/15-4/1

Radishes

•Also an early crop, plant anytime after 3/15

•Only 20-30 days to harvest-good for kids

Lettuce

•Cool season crop. Will do well in shade during summer.

•Good soil with lots of organic matter. Plant as soon as soil can be worked in spring.

•50-60 days to maturity. Plant in succession

Lettuce all have good fortune:

A great border plant with many colors to choose from. Seed is readily available.

Plant crops in succession in order to have color all summer long. Consider interplanting with other flowering ornamentals.

Beans and Peas

•Peas are an early crop-Beans are a later crop

•Be careful of damping off. Wait until soil is warm. Don’t plant in wet or poorly drained soil. Use seed treatment if desired.

Peppers• Loamy Soil with pH of 6.5. Well drained• No history of soil pathogens-especially phytophthora

• Plant on plastic with drip for maximum yields

• Warm season requiring 75-100 days for harvest. Likes sun.

• Watch for larvae of corn borer and cutworm

• Bacterial Spot is common. Treat seeds with chlorine.

• Requires staking

Worm Control

• May, June: European Corn Borer

• July/August: Corn Earworm, Corn Borer and all other Lepidoptera pest

Bacterial Spot

• Can be a devastating disease once established in field. Fungicides not effective in control.

• Prevention is key– Resistant Varieties-3 races present here

– Seed Treatment-Chlorox solution

– Greenhouse sanitation

• If in field begin regular sprays to slow progression:– Fixed Copper1lb.AI/acre plus Maneb 80WP 1 ½ lb per

acre on 7 day schedule.

Eggplant

•Eggplant likes it hot! Plant in May for harvest in July

•Watch for Spider mites

•May need pruning and staking

Mini-Eggplant

• Ophellia-Dark Purple

Ophelia (Harris Description)

 55 Days. Ophelia is a small fruited, mini eggplant. Its 2 oz. fruit are produced on medium tall, bushy plants and have an oval shape. Ophelia matures early, in just 55 days and should be harvested when young and tender for best quality and color retention. The fruit are borne in clusters, have a deep purple color and are good for

stuffing or frying.

Mini-Eggplant

• Twinkle

Twinkle (Harris Description): 55 Days. The variegated oval-round fruit of Twinkle are a lovely combination of plum and white with a green calyx. Its medium sized plant is spineless, sets fruit singly and in clusters, and has purple flowers. The fruit are at their best quality when harvested at about 2.5" in length. The fruit are not only attractive, but have a fantastic flavor, firmness and texture.

•Little Fingers: Most popular variety. Pick when fruit are 3-4 inches long. Very prolific producer. Continue to pick to encourage new fruit set.

•Fairy Tale: (Harris Description) 2005 All America Selections Winner. Compact 2½’ plants produce an abundance of decorative miniature eggplants. The tiny fruit produce in clusters and are white with violet/purple stripes. They are sweet, non-bitter, with few seeds and have an elongated oval shape. An ideal item for container gardening.

Cucurbits-Vine Crops

•Includes watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, cucumber, and pumpkins

•Watch for powdery mildew, squash vine borer, cucumber beetle, spider mites and fruit rots.

•Spacing determines size especially with pumpkins

•Watch for over Nitrogen use

•All will do well on plastic mulch

Summer Squash

• Multi-Pik-straight neck,

Multipik (Harris)Description: 50 Days. Early and very prolific as long as it is kept picked. Multipik has the precocious yellow gene for early yellow color, even on the stem. This gene also masks the symptoms of CMV and WMV-II that can turn yellow squash green. The smooth, bright yellow fruit are just what most markets demand, either picked early as a mini or later at market size. A very high yielding straightneck hybrid squash of excellent quality

Summer Squash

• Super Sett- semi-crook. Precocious yellow gene so will produce many female flowers if harvested regularly.

Supersett (Harris) Description: ...the best precocious yellow crookneck. 50 Days. When kept picked, the production of this smooth hybrid yellow semi-crook will amaze you. The precocious yellow gene gives it yellow stems and masks the greening effects of CMV and WMV-II. Its curved neck is thicker to resist the breakage that troubles varieties with a thin, more fragile neck. The stem is softer for easy picking. Harvest as a 2" mini or let it grow to the 6 or 8" length, either way Supersett is a grower's dream. You will like its high quality and productivity.

Summer Squash

Sunburst Description: 50 Days. The first yellow scalloped squash. An All America Winner, it is early and productive. The young squash, 2-3" in diameter, can be cooked whole, while the larger ones can be sliced and cooked. The soft skin has a delicate

buttery flavor

Sweet Corn Production

R. David MyersExtension Educator

Sweet Corn Insects (Cont.)Flea Beetle For Stewarts Wilt - susceptible varieties from spike stage to silking - > 5% of plants infestedFAW, TAW, ECB and CEW Early Whorl Infestation - 15% of plants show fresh feeding Late Whorl Infestation - 30% of plants show fresh feeding Corn Earworm At Tassel Emergence - >15% tassel infestation From Tasseling to Harvest – first spray at 10% silk and apply subsequent sprays according to the 5-day trap catchCEW and ECB MDA Trap Survey Hotline Southern Maryland and Eastern Shore - 800-492-2105 Central and Western Maryland – 800-492-2106

Tomatoes

•If you want to beat your neighbor-grow on plastic

•Require staking and some pruning

•Use calcium fertilizer at fruiting. Also heavy users of Potash. Do not over due Nitrogen

•Need well drained, loamy soil with irrigation

•Transplant seedlings around the second week of May

•Watch for Early Blight, blossom-end rot, all insects, and other foliar diseases.

•Direct exposure or fruit to sun can cause sunscald

•Cold temps after transplanting can cause catfacing

Staking/Cages

Control

• Rotation for period of 2 years, Varietal resistance• Chemical spray program on 7 day schedule.

• Chlorothalonil (Bravo, Echo)• Mancozeb

– Alternated with• Quadris• Cabrio• Endura• Flint• Tanos

– Uniform and complete spray coverage is needed. No cheating.– Begin when disease is present and progressing on small plants or

when crown fruit are 1/3 final size

Fruit Rots-Water molds-Pythium and Phytophthora Buckeye Rot

Control:

•Rotation

•Well drained soils, raised beds, plastic

So now the fun part starts-after all the planning we can now begin to grow.

So, how to start. From seed or from transplants?

The most common directed seeded crops are spinach, beans,beets,lettuce,carrots, peas, corn, kale, turnips, pumpkins and collard greens. These crops either are large seeded giving them the energy reserves to face adverse germination conditions or are cooler season crops that prefer the germination conditions they are planted in. (See handout)

The most common transplanted crops include tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, broccoli,cabbage,cauliflower,celery, muskmelon, squash, eggplant and cucumbers.

Many crops can be started either from transplants or direct seeds.

Direct Seeding:•Cheap

•Easy

Tips:•Do not plant to deep

•Make sure soil temperature is adequate

•Do not plant in wet soils-damping off

•Have soil well prepared-friable

•Plan for the crop being planted-follow label directions

•Ex) The spacing of pumpkins will affect final size. Crops planted to thick will become leggy and unhealthy. Crops planted to thin will allow for growth of weeds.

Transplants

I am a big fan of transplants. Transplants allow for quick starts once the plant reaches the garden, increased germination, healthier plants, and the growth of warm weather plants in colder climates.

Growing transplants does take time and energy. Thus transplants can be more expensive than seeds and available in less variety.

Greenhouse Transplant & Bedding Plant Production Tips

John Boukwamp

Dave MyersExtension Educator

Transplant Production Systems

• Green house

• High tunnel

• Under cover

• Bare root

• In ground

• In containers

Transplant Production Systems

• Container

• Cell size

• Cell shape

• Bench design

Source: FS 551 Growing Vegetable Transplants, Chuck McClurg 1997

96 64 50 38

Often transplants are started in flats and then pricked out when the plant is about 1 inch tall or the true leaves are apparent. This is an excellent method to follow, especially if you are doing a lot of transplanting.

Saves time

Easier to control conditions

Heat Pads easy to use

More accurate when planting cells

Transplant Substrate Media

• Water holding capacity

• Sterile

• Professional soilless mixes – peat moss, vermiculite, perlite, slow release fertilizer, etc...

• Complete fertilizer

Transplant Growth & CareTemperature Tips

• Germination – Cool season crops - 45○ - 80○ F opt 60 - 75○ F

– Warm season crop - 70○ - 90○ F opt 70 - 85○ F

• After Germination– Cool season crops - 60○ - 70○ F & 50○ F at night – Warm season crop - 70○ - 75○ F & 60○ F at night

Transplant Growth & CareFertilization Tips• Complete soluble fertilizer- 20-20-20 with

micronutrients – 0.5ozs/gallon of water• Fertilize to keep plants at target growth stage size

Transplant Timetable• 2-3 weeks - cucumber, squash, watermelon and

cantaloupes• 5-7 weeks – tomato, head lettuce, broccoli, cabbage,

cauliflower, Brussels sprouts• 6-8 weeks – eggplant, pepper

“Hardening” Plants: Ready for Real World Conditions

• Temperature

• Moisture

• Fertilizer

Source: FS 552 Hardening Vegetable Transplants, Chuck McClurg 2001

“Hardening” Plants: Ready for Real World Conditions

Hardening Tips• Withhold fertilizer two weeks prior to anticipated

hardening date.• Harden plants for 7-10 days prior to transplanting.• Use a combination of reduced temperature and water. • Allow plants to slightly wilt between watering.• Expose plants to colder than optimum growth

temperatures, direct sunlight and wind. • Avoid going more than 5○ below minimum

recommended nighttime low temperature.

Greenhouse &Transplant Troubles

• Damping-off – Treat seed and allow soil surface to dry before watering.

• Botrytis/Tomato gray mold – Avoid prolonged accumulation of humidity within houses.

• Mites, whiteflies, shore flies and thrips - Monitor and treat pests early to avoid outbreaks.

• Salt and herbicide accumulation in permanent site in-ground high tunnel production.

Time for transplanting:

•Try to transplant during a period that is favorable for growth.

•Provide lots of water. Transplants will soon die in full sun with no water.Use a starter fertilizer-high in Phosphorous- to get plants off to a good start.

•Some plants may need protection from high winds which will cause bruising. A clear milk jug can provide this.

Soil Preparation

Pump up your soil!Organic Matter- some is good, and more is better

My Favorite is raised beds-

•Double the size of growing medium

•Eliminate compaction from walking

•Improve drainage

•Double dig the beds in the spring, incorporate organic matter.

•Use some type of frame to support the sides

The Next Step-Mulch and Drip IrrigationSo you have excellent transplants, a deep friable soil and lots of time-what else do I need to have a great garden?

How about using drip irrigation and plastic mulch?

Drip irrigation is excellent for vegetable production.

•Controlled irrigation

•location of water where and when you need it

•less disease pressure from wet foliage

•easy to set up and run

•increased yields of higher quality produce

Plastic Mulch•increased soil temperature early in the year

•eliminates my number one enemy- the weeds

•prevents flooding and saturation of root zone

•reduces fruit contact with soil resulting in a cleaner crop with less disease.

Planning Again: Lets get back to the original plans and incorporate ideas for starting vegetables, an irrigation system, soil prep and others as you see fit.

Pest ControlInsecticides

• Bacillus Thuringiensis• Acephate• Carbaryl• Imidacloprid• Insecticidal Soap• Malathion• Permethrin• Pyrethrin• Spinosad

Fungicides

• Captan

• Chlorothalonil

• Copper

• Dithane

• Potassium Bicarbonate

Herbicides

• Glyphosate

• Poast or Select

The End