Vegetable Gardening 101: The Basics
•Basic necessities of growing •Direct seeding vs. transplanting •Pollination Basics •Routine Maintenance •Pest Management •Vegetable Problems •Growing seedlings at home
Why is water important? • Hydration • Carries soil nutrients from the soil and throughout the plant
How do plants get water? • Through the roots • Temperature and humidity affect transpiration • Must have conducive soil composition for roots to have ample access to water and air.
The Necessities: Water Veggie Gardening 101
Soil amendment • Physical, chemical and biological benefits • Dig into garden bed prior to planting the first crop of the season
Available, free, from St. Louis Composting. • Pick up location at Bell Garden
Compost Veggie Gardening 101
Soil amendment • Significantly increases water retention of soil • Improves soil structure • Dig into garden bed or add as a mulch
How to make it: • Fill large plastic garbage bag with leaves • Damped leaves and seal the bag • Cut slits in the bag, for air flow • Check bag once a month for moisture. Add Water • Finished leaf mold in 6-12 months
Leaf Mold Veggie Gardening 101
Soil Amendment: • Retain moisture, reduce erosion, suppress weeds • Apply as a soil cover
Wood Mulch Veggie Gardening 101
Direct Seeding Cost: $2-3/seed pack, with dozens to hundreds of seeds per pack Transplant shock: some plants cannot handle being transplanted, and must be direct seeded (root crops esp.; beans; peas; cucurbits; okra) Ease of growing: sprinkle or plant seeds and water. No need to harden off plants. Thinning: Seedlings will inevitably need thinning, which is time-consuming Damping off disease: Slow growing plants from seed have a better chance of dying from damping-off disease
Direct Seeding vs. Transplanting Veggie Gardening 101
Transplanting Cost: Expensive. Buying plants may cost $1-4 per plant. Aesthetics: makes the garden look full and beautiful quickly Faster harvests: transplants will have 2-10 weeks earlier maturity date than those grown from seeds Pest control: transplants will be stronger and more able to fight off pests and weeds than slow-growing plants from seed Transplant shock: Regardless of the plant, careful consideration of outdoor conditions and plant handling will dictate if plant lives after transplanting Hardening-off: Transplants need extra time to acclimate to outside conditions, and may need to be stored indoors briefly
Direct Seeding Techniques Individual Divot • Depth and spacing • Tatsoi, mizuna, other brassicas (plants with large, easy to handle seeds) • Use finger or tool to create divots -> drop 2 seeds in each hole -> cover and water
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Trench
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Depth and spacing Root crops: carrots, beets, radish, etc. Use rake or stick to create multiple trenches along bed -> drop individual seeds 1-2 inches apart -> cover and water
Broadcast
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Plants with tiny seeds (too small to worry about spacing) Lettuce Moisten soil -> spread seeds evenly -> water in
Direct Seeding Strategies Veggie Gardening 101
Reading Seed Packets Veggie Gardening 101
60 days until maturity or harvestable size Warm season crop=Tender plant Will be killed by temperatures below freezing
Reading Seed Packets Veggie Gardening 101
65-75 days until maturity or harvestable size Cool season crop=Hardy plant Will not be killed by temperatures at or below freezing (32 degrees)
Reading Seed Packets Veggie Gardening 101
Bean, bush, snap
Tender
Asparagus
Hardy
Corn, sweet
Tender
Garlic, from cloves
Hardy
New Zealand spinach
Tender
Kale
Hardy
Bean, bush, lima
Very Tender
Kohlrabi
Hardy
Onion, from seed
Hardy
Cucumber
Very Tender
Onion, from plants or sets
Hardy
Eggplant
Very Tender
Rhubarb
Hardy
Muskmelon
Very tender
Spinach
Hardy
Okra
Very tender
Turnips
Hardy
Pepper
Very tender
Beet
Half-hardy
Broccoli
Half-hardy
Pumpkin
Very tender
Cabbage
Half-hardy
Squash, summer
Very Tender
Carrot
Half-hardy
Squash, winter
Very Tender
Cauliflower
Half-hardy
Sweet potato
Very Tender
Chard
Half-hardy
Endive
Half-hardy
Tomato
Very Tender
Lettuce, leaf
Half-hardy
Watermelons
Very Tender
Mustard
Half-hardy
Parsley
Half-hardy
Peas
Half-hardy
Potato
Half-hardy
Radish, spring
Half-hardy
Radish, winter
Half-hardy
Rutabaga
Half-hardy
Vegetable Hardiness Veggie Gardening 101
NOAA
Last Frost Date Veggie Gardening 101
NOAA
First Frost Date Veggie Gardening 101
Reading Seed Packets Veggie Gardening 101
Time: 7-10 days of acclimation before planting in the ground Process: • 2-3 days of shade during the daylight hours only; decrease watering • 2-3 days of sunny conditions during the day only • 2-3 days of all day and night conditions, preferably still protected by winds and precipitation (under row covers or cloches; in cold frames; under a deck or other structure) • Frost: carefully watch weather forecasts; any freezing temperatures will kill tender seedlings and may damage hardy ones • When planting: Provide favorable conditions after planting, such as screening from hot, direct sunlight, intense precipitation, or cold temperatures • •
Harden Off Seedlings Veggie Gardening 101
Transplant on a day that will be cloudy and cool. • Dig a hole as deep as the plant is currently growing and a bit wider. Add some water if the weather is dry or hot. • Carefully remove plants from pots, taking care not to shock roots. Hold by the leaves rather than roots or stems. Wrap your hand around the plant and gently turn the plant over. • Place plant in the pre-dug hole, cover gently with crumbly dirt and/or compost. • Add a diluted fertilizer such as fish emulsion to the transplant. Water in the plant and monitor closely over the next few days. • If weather will be hot, place a window screen or other shade device over plants. • When transplanting tomatoes, prune all leaves halfway or more up stem and plant deeply. •
Transplanting Seedlings Veggie Gardening 101
Pollination: transfer of pollen grains from male flower part to female flower part (plant sex)
Image copyright 2009, David L. Green
Tomatoes (Eggplant; Pepper): “self-fertile� (but could use the help)
Cucurbits (cucumber; squash; melon; pumpkin; zucchini): insect-pollinated
Pollination Basics Veggie Gardening 101
Corn: wind-pollinated
Manual Pollination Basics Veggie Gardening 101
Spring: cultivate only when soil is ready; should be moist and crumbly, not cold and soaking wet
Maintenance: Soil Prep Veggie Gardening 101
Fall/Winter: add compost and other soil amendments and leave fallow or grow cover crop (annual rye)
Choose cloudy or early part of day Water plants before thinning • Determine proper spacing of plants • Select healthiest and most vigorous • Pull or clip off close to soil • Use scissors if small • Transplant if possible • Eat if possible • Give saved seedlings another dose of water to help recuperate roots and stressed plants • •
Maintenance: Thinning Veggie Gardening 101
Maintenance: Thinning Veggie Gardening 101
How much is one inch of water?
Water evaporates more when temperatures are high and/or humidity is low. Too much water during other conditions may cause disease and plant rot. • When days are bright and clear, plants will need more water. • Windy and dry conditions call for more water. • Water according to the plant’s needs. Some require different amounts of water at different stages of the plant’s life cycle. • Wilted plants may not always need water. If plants are wilting during a hot afternoon, it may not be cause for alarm. However, plants wilting in the morning call for a good watering. • When watering, soak the soil thoroughly. Light daily sprays will do more harm than good. After watering, the soil should be moist about 6 inches deep. Check to be sure! •
Maintenance: Water Veggie Gardening 101
Maintenance: Weeding Veggie Gardening 101
Lamb’s Quarters
Shepherd’s Purse
Bermudagrass
Wood Sorrel (edible)
Maintenance: Weeding Veggie Gardening 101
Ragweed
Bindweed
Nut Grass
Crabgrass
Important to harvest when the crop is ready… •
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Beans: snap easily; seeds beginning to form Beets: tops ½” at soil Broccoli: before unopened flowers turn yellow Cabbage: head feels solid Carrots: pull away soil from tops, check at ½” Cauliflower: head is full Corn: squeeze a few kernels and see if it looks milky Cucumber: useable size and consistently; don’t let them get big Eggplant: when small 4-6” Garlic: Tops fall over and brown Leeks: 1” in diameter Lettuce: continuous outer leaves; cut 1” above soil and more may sprout
Maintenance: Harvesting Veggie Gardening 101
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Onions: tops brown and fall over; harvest early for green onions Peas: taste to see if sweet; plump but not overplump Potatoes: “new” potatoes at flowering; full size once foliage dies back Winter squash (incl. pumpkins): Mature color; hard rind (poke w/fingernail); dried stem Radish: ½”-1” tops; greens also delicious Turnips: 1-2” tops at soil; greens also tasty Spinach: early to avoid bolting; cut at soil; in fall allow frost to sweeten leaves Summer squash (incl. zucchini): as fast as you can! Watermelon: yellow spot on bottom; dull thump of finger; dried curlicue
Develop a Strategy‌Look for Signs
Organic Pest Management Veggie Gardening 101
Is it a fungus, insects, a virus infecting one plant‌
‌or is half of your garden dead?
Organic Pest Management Veggie Gardening 101
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Cultural: broad strategies and preventative measures
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Physical: controls to exclude or remove the problem
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Biological: using living organisms to cure the problem
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Chemical: organic sprays, compounds, and botanical controls
Organic Pest Management Veggie Gardening 101
http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6202
Pest Management: Resistance Veggie Gardening 101
Rotation by Family as the Best Pest Management Strategy
Alabama Cooperative Extension Service
Pest Management: Crop Rotation Veggie Gardening 101
Pest Management: Cultural Veggie Gardening 101
Pest Emergence Timetable Managing Insects in the Home Vegetable Garden by J. A. Wyman & P. J. Pellitteri
Veggie Gardening 101
Larger insects (also water sprays and shaking)
Seedling Collars Cutworms
Aluminum mulch Aphids, leafhoppers, and thrips
Pest Management: Physical Veggie Gardening 101
Floating Row Covers Flying and crawling insects such as squash vine borer, aphids, flea beetles, leafhoppers, caterpillars, etc.
Japanese Beetle Traps Be careful of these: keep downwind from plants and empty often
Sticky Yellow Traps Aphids, carrot rust flies, cucumber beetles, cabbageworms, thrips, whiteflies
Aphids
Tomato hornworm
Flea Beetle
Thrips
Army cutworm
Veggie Gardening 101
Squash bugs
Squash vine borer
Cucumber beetles: striped and spotted
Cabbage looper
Japanese Beetle
Aphid Midge
Predatory Beetle
Trichogramma wasps
Predatory Mite
Beneficial Insects Veggie Gardening 101
Green Lacewing
Lady Beetle
Encourage Beneficial Insects • Food: pollen, nectar, and insects • Plant herbs of the carrot family (caraway, dill, fennel, lovage, and parsley), the mint family (catnip, hyssop, and lemon balm), daisies (coneflower, daisies, and yarrow) and other herbs such as rosemary and thyme. Cover crops such as buckwheat, alfalfa, and clover work well. • Water: during drought provide small pools of water with rocks • Shelter • Provide some spots around the garden as permanent plantings • Use mulches and compost (although this may also harbor pests) • Limit excessive tilling, as this also disrupts beneficials • Environment • Take care not to spray broad-spectrum pesticides • Leave some pests for the beneficials to feed on
Beneficial Insects Veggie Gardening 101
Chemical: organic sprays, compounds, and botanical controls •Use as a last resort if all other strategies have failed •Practices to consider: •Apply only during calm weather •Harvest before spraying (BT ok to spray up to harvest) •Wear clothing that covers skin and wear a dust mask or respirator •Mix only as much as needed •Spray when beneficial insects are inactive. Use a row cover to separate from beneficials •Apply during early morning or evening •Thoroughly apply to both sides of leaves and in mulch •Always read the label!
Pest Management: Chemical Veggie Gardening 101
Pyrethrum Broad-spectrum Cabbageworms, beetles, aphids, leaf miners, leafhoppers mealybugs, whiteflies, squash bugs. Will kill lady beetles but not bees.
Insecticidal Soap Controls soft-bodied insects Aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, mites, fleas, and thrips.
Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) var. kurstaki (worms, caterpillars, loopers) Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) var. sandiego or tennebrionis (Colorado potato beetle)
Pest Management: Chemical Veggie Gardening 101
Neem Aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, leafminers, loopers, cucumber beetles, Colorado potato beetles, corn earworms, and flea beetles
Powdery Mildew
Anthracnose
Common Problems Veggie Gardening 101
Blossom End Rot
Mosaic Viruses
Verticillum Wilt
Fusarium Wilt
Bacterial Wilt Common Blight/Fuscuous Blight
Potassium Deficiency
Blossom Drop Tobacco Mosaic Virus
Common Problems Veggie Gardening 101
Potting Mix
Light: 12-16 hours
Plastic Wrap: optional; creates humid conditions like a greenhouse
Growing Seedlings Veggie Gardening 101
Containers: Drainage holes
Bottom Heat: optional
Growing Seedlings: Containers Veggie Gardening 101
Fluffy, bulking agent with water-wicking and air-holding capacity
Microorganisms, nutrients, water-holding capacity
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Seedling Mix Veggie Gardening 101
Increase air space and water drainage
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No Outside Soil
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Typical home setup
Growing Seedlings Veggie Gardening 101
Damping-off Disease
Leggy Seedlings
Keep soils moist, but not soaking wet At first sight of germination, get Use well-drained planting media (less soil; more peat, coir, thee to strong, close light perlite, etc. ) Fluorescent bulbs or long hours of Keep soil and seedlings at proper germination temperature sunny window exposure (difficult in Plant seeds at appropriate depths (surface to ½”) winter) Using sterile or pasteurized germination mix Spread perlite or sphagnum moss on the surface to increase water absorption Do not soak plants overnight. Water from the bottom. Fill containers near the brim with potting mix. This will allow air to flow across the medium and keep fungus problems at bay. Run a fan on low to circulate air around the seedlings Let biodegradable pots dry somewhat When transplanting, plant those most vigorous and healthy (white roots, sturdy stems, good color) and at the proper depths
Growing Seedlings Veggie Gardening 101
Happy Gardening!