Easy Greens to Grow by School of Art, George Mason University

Published by Blurb, Inc. 600 California St Office 15-029 San Francisco, CA 94108 Visit Blurb’s website at www.blurb.com © November 5, 2021 First edition All rights reserved Printed and bound in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher, except in the context of reviews.

BOOK DESIGNER Gawon Lee EDITOR Professor James B. Hicks III ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOS All created by Gawon Lee PRIMARY TYPEFACES Helvetica LT STD by Max Miedinger Stempel Garamond™ LT font family by D.Stempel and Claude Garamond Univers LT STD by Adrian Frutiger Thanks to Professor James Hicks This project was produced for Graphic Design Project in George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030 Course: AVT-794-001 Term: Fall 2021 Subject Title: Graphic Design Project Professor James B. Hicks III STUDENT INFORMATION Name: Gawon Lee (G00919842) Degree: Master of Arts Major: Graphic Design College of Visual and Performing Arts CONTACT 703-424-1110 glee42@gmu.edu

Go out and grow your own food. It will be delicious, worth the trouble, and richly satisfying. You’ve made a great decision! Do it!

Easy Greens to Grow

CONTENTS

Easy Greens to Grow

CONTENTS 08. CHAPTER 1. WHAT TO GROW

18. Extending your garden indoors

Where you can plant them in good soil, give them water, do basic care, and they will produce food?

Pots and containers make it much easier to supply the right conditions for the plants you want to grow.

10. How much is enough, or too much?

22. Effect of temperature on your plant growth

Your decision about the vegetables you would enjoy growing is the first step to planning a well thought out, productive garden.

Weather affects plants in many ways, temperature is a primary factor affecting the rate of plant development.

13. Easy vegetables for succession planting

26. CHAPTER 3. ORGANIC GARDEN

If you’re a beginner, it’s helpful to know which vegetables are easy to grow.

Growing garden according to organic methods is not only better for you but also better for the environment.

14. CHAPTER 2. HOW TO GROW

28. Organic garden is free from toxic chemicals

Best vegetables to grow in containers are tomatoes, beans, peppers, spinach, carrots, peas, and lettuce.

Organic gardeners rely on ingredients that occur naturally with the natural goodness that comes from healthy and productive soil.

27.

41.

Easy Greens to Grow

CONTENTS

50.

62.

34. CHAPTER 4. KNOW YOUR SOIL

46. Organic fertilizer VS. Synthetic fertilizer

Knowing the sort of soil you have in your green garden helps a lot you determine its strengths and weaknesses.

Organic fertilizers made from natural sources, they are natural decomposition for plants to eat.

36. Why it’s important to use good soil

48. CHAPTER 6. GARDEN CARE TIPS

Soil is a storehouse for plants need to grow. Your soil can be improved by adding organic matter to make more workable.

When you decide to grow a garden, you have to be willing to take on the daily chores that go with caring.

40. Types of soil, need to know: clay and sandy

50. Water, vital for the life: when and how to

Garden soil should be well draining and loose. It should not be too heavy or too sandy.

Plants are about 90% water and need water to grow. Water helps a plant by transporting important nutrients through the plant.

44. CHAPTER 5. FERTILIZING

54. CHAPTER 7. MONTHLY CALENDAR

Properly fertilized plants will better resist disease and attacks from pests. Giving you more and higher quality produce.

Once you have scheduled out your garden crops into an easy planting calendar, you’ll be ready to get veggies in the ground.

Strawberry can be enjoyed the most during the time of late spring to summer. Though it is available throughout the year, to gain the best experience, grow in your garden! Growing strawberries in pots is an easy way to enjoy super sweet fruits all summer long.

Easy Greens to Grow

Gardening requires patience, resilience, hard work, and a lot of planning. A successful vegetable garden begins with an organized plan of your garden space. When spring and summer hits, there’s no better time to get your hands dirty. I learned this from my dad. I have good memories of watching my parents lovingly tend to our tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, and pumpkins. Gardening has been proven to help with mental health, which is why it’s incorporated into many therapeutic hospitals. Nurturing living things helps build respect for the environment and for other people. Though growing your own greens seem overwhelming to some, it’s much simpler than it sounds. Even if you don’t have a yard or enough space, consider starting a patio garden or even an indoor one on a windowsill. You’ll be amazed at how many tomatoes or peppers you can grow out of one pot! A vegetable garden can produce a steady supply of vegetables from spring to fall. These vegetables

INTRODUCTION

can be harvested at optimum maturity and eaten or preserved while fresh. Fresh vegetables may be higher in flavor and nutritive value and lower in cost than purchased from market. There is no comparison between the taste of a garden fresh tomato and a grocery store bought one that’s devoid of flavor. Vegetable production provides healthful exercise and interesting outdoor activity for the entire family. Many gardeners feel the sense of accomplishment and security accompanying a successful garden are other significant rewards of gardening. Growing own food from your backyard ensures you know where your food came from. Your plan should include not only the types and quantities of vegetables you’re going to grow and how they’ll be positioned in your garden, but also planting dates and approximate dates of harvest. Making a plan may seem like a lot of work to get done before you even start gardening, but careful planning will help

Gawon Lee you make the best use of your time and available space and will result in bigger, higher quality crops. I am not a good gardener. I’ve killed dozens of houseplants, and I once managed to destroy an entire herb garden. I also can’t identify plants very well, and it took me years to learn how to protect tomato plants from slugs. But I love gardening, and I think that, even if you think you might be a worse gardener than I am, you can gain some of the joy I have from being in a garden.

2021. October. Gawon Lee

CHAPTER 1. WHAT TO GROW

THE FIRST DECISION: WHAT TO GROW What are you going to do with it? How do you plan to use, and what are you going to do with the rest? What are you going to do with it? How do you plan to use and what are you going to do with the part of your crop that you don’t eat as soon as harvested? Do you want to freeze, dry, store, and make preserves with the rest? The very first step to planning a successful vegetable garden is to decide which vegetables to grow. You need to answer some basic questions: What vegetables do you and your family like? Can you grow vegetables successfully in your climate? Do you want to

eat all your crop fresh? How much time and energy can you put? The very first factor to consider should be your personal preference. The first decision to make in choosing what to grow is simple: What vegetables do you and your family like? Perhaps you’d love to grow peas and tomatoes because you remember how wonderful they tasted fresh out of the garden in your childhood. Maybe you want a bowl of nice spinach salad or broccoli casserole and want to stop having frozen vegetables.

Right This is Aronia berries or also known as Chokeberries. With deep green foliage as the backdrop for its pretty white flowers in the spring, and with the contrast of its deep purple berries nestled into its red orange leaves in the fall, it offers year round enjoyment.

12 CHAPTER 1.

How much is enough, or too much?

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH, OR TOO MUCH? Your initial decision about the vegetables you’d enjoy growing — and that you think you can grow successfully in the conditions you have to deal with— is the first step to planning a well-thought-out, productive vegetable garden. But this is the point where you discover that you still have very little idea of how much of each to grow. You want to eat your crops fresh and preserve some. Then, how many seeds to enable you to achieve those ends?

How much is enough, or too much?

The most important thing to consider when deciding how big your family garden should be is how many people in your family you need to feed. Adults and teens will, of course, eat more vegetables from the garden than children, infants, and toddlers. If you know the number of people you need to feed in your family, you’ll have a starting point for how much of any vegetable you need to plant in your family vegetable garden. Deciding how large a family vegetable garden will be means you need to take a few things into consideration. How many members you have in your

CHAPTER 1. 13

family, how much your family likes the vegetables you grow, and how well you can store the excess vegetable crops can all influence the size of a family vegetable garden. But, you can make an estimate on what size garden will feed a family so that you can try to plant enough to enjoy your favorite vegetables all season long. Look at the what size garden will feed a family. The next thing to decide when creating a family vegetable garden is what vegetables you will grow. For more common vegetables, like tomatoes or carrots, you may want to grow larger amounts, but if you are introducing your family

to a less common vegetable, like kohlrabi or bok choy, you may want to grow less until your family becomes accustomed to it.

How you plan to use your veggies directly affects how much you want to grow, and will influence your decision about the veggie kinds you’re going to plant. All carrots aren’t alike, and there are hundreds of different tomato and green lettuce varieties.

Easy vegetables for succession planting

SUCCESSION PLANTING: WANT FRESH PRODUCE ALL SEASON LONG Succession planting is most important for determinate crops, which are crops that produce all of kinds of edible materials at once. Indeterminate leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, and peppers continue to produce fruit off of the same plant, so you don’t need to worry about succession planting with these crops. This is called “cut and come again gardening”.

CHAPTER 1. 15

1. Leafy Greens Lettuce, arugula, and spinach are quick and easy to grow, I rely on these to fill in any empty spaces in the garden. A quick sprinkling of seed results in a generous harvest in just a few weeks. What could be easier? Plus, with such an array of leaf colors, shapes, and textures, lettuces are as pretty as they are productive.

2. Beans Beans are amazing, because they grow even in fairly poor soils. Most beans are fast growers and thrive in warm, moist soil, but especially Bush beans are an ideal veggie for succession planting, as many varieties are ready to harvest in just 2 months.

3. Kale Like it or not, super-nutritious kale is very hardy and can grow in a wide range of temperatures. It can be harvested at many different stages, and the buds and flowers are edible, too! Mustards and collards are closely related to kale and are also easy to grow.

4. Cucumbers My mom loves cucumbers so much. If she should pick just one vegetable to eat raw as a snack, it would be, without a doubt, cucumbers. From the regular slicing cucumbers with their refreshing seedy water in every crunchy

bite, to the slim and crisp green cucumbers, they might be the most refreshing snack in the world. Due to my mom, my dad also loves them.

5. Radishes Perhaps the perfect succession crop, radishes are ridiculously fast growing; they’re often ready for harvest in just 21 days. Unless you have a serious hankering for radishes, just sow a small amount of seed every week or two for a continuous supply of fresh roots. You can also succession plant an assortment of varieties for an extended harvest.

6. Carrots One of my garden goals is to have fresh carrots ready for harvest 365 days a year! Although that takes both planning and luck, we are able to enjoy carrots most of the year. In spring, summer, and fall, baby carrots are ready to pick in just under 2 months! You can also get a jump on the spring crop by sowing a band of seed in the cold frame in late winter.

CHAPTER 2. HOW TO GROW

HOW TO GROW

Best vegetables to grow in pots

BEST VEGETABLES TO GROW IN POTS 1. Tomatoes Tomatoes are very productive vegetables you can grow in pots. The pot size depends on the type of tomatoes. In containers, growing dwarf varieties of determinate type is better. Try cherry tomatoes for higher yield.

2. Beans Most beans are climbers or bushier type, and they grow upward. They are productive in pots and easy to grow. You can grow them on a trellis near a wall, you will get a green wall of beans running across the trellis. You need a sunny spot, and it doesn’t have to be wide, but should be minimum 12-13 inches deep.

3. Spinach Spinach is one of the best greens for containers. It grows well in partial shade and any kind of space. Growing spinach in pots is easy too, you can even grow it indoors on a windowsill.

4. Carrots They grow best in cool weather. Carrots need regular watering and moist soil. Otherwise,

the roots dry out. Growing this plant in containers is easy, and it doesn’t take much space as well.

5. Peas Peas like moderate conditions, they are a perfect crop for container gardening and don’t require a large pot. They grow quickly without attention. You can grow peas on a balcony, too!

6. Lettuce Lettuce grows up quickly, and you will have the opportunity to harvest this leafy green multiple times throughout the growing season. Choose a wide container rather than deep one.

7. Peppers These are super productive plants for growing in containers. If you provide right soil and fertilize the plant time to time, it will fruit heavily. You need a deep pot.

8. Potatoes Freshly picked potatoes taste entirely different than the ones you buy in a store. Growing them in containers requires a lot of soil and water but is worth the effort. Containers also add an extra level of protection against fungus.

CHAPTER 2. 17

Container growing gives you the flexibility to control weeds and pests more easily than in-ground planting.

You can grow fruit and vegetables anywhere with reasonable soil, as long as it’s not in deep shade all day long. If you’re lucky enough to have a large yard, you might consider setting up a separate vegetable garden, several fruit trees, and even a cage to protect soft fruit bushes from marauding birds. Having a smaller garden need not restrict the range of crops you grow, you just need to be more creative in how you use

space to fit them in. For instance, you might try filling the vertical space on walls and fences for fruit trees and bushes they can rely on. Productive plants can also make attractive additions to your flower borders—don’t be afraid to plug summer gaps with fast-growing lettuces, add height to your planting with tall, leafy corn, or give a neatly pruned redcurrant center stage. Containers are another way of

turning almost any outside space into a burgeoning edible garden. It is possible to grow almost any fruit and vegetables in pots on sunny patios, roof terraces, and balconies, as long as they are protected from strong winds. You can keep them well watered and fed. Even small window boxes and hanging baskets can provide good crops of salads, herbs, and cherry tomatoes, if well cared for.

20 CHAPTER 2.

IDEAL FOR LIT TLE OR NO SPACE Pots and tubs with beautiful greens add appeal to any garden, but container gardening can serve a practical purpose too. It is ideal for those with little or no garden space. In addition to growing greens, gardeners limited to a balcony, small yard, or only a patch of sun on their driveway can produce a wide variety of vegetable crops in containers.

Ideal for little or no space

Essentially, planning a pot and container garden is little different from planning an outdoor plot. The main difference might be in the varieties you choose. If you are planting in a confined space you are going to take a special interest in smaller varieties and plants with compact, contained growth habits. But basically, almost all plants will grow in your garden will also grow on your balcony or patio.

Extending your garden indoors If you don’t have a garden or even a balcony, you can still have a container vegetable garden. Don’t underestimate the number of vegetables that can be grown successfully indoors. Near a bright window that is not too warm, leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, parsley, and chives, will do nicely. Fruiting plants are worth a try, but they take a lot more light at a higher intensity; unless the window is very bright, the plants may grow but not produce. Cherry tomatoes in hanging baskets will sometimes grow in very bright windows, and sometimes plants can be brought in from outdoors and grow on for several months. Herbs are rewarding indoor

CHAPTER 2. 21

garden plants, and they go a long way in adding your personal touch to everyday eating.

Providing lighting If you have lights, or if you have a place for putting lights, you can grow vegetables indoors without any sun at all. Lettuce does nicely in the basement or the attic when grown under fluorescent light usually these spots are not as warm as the rest of the house. Lettuce can also be grown in an apartment where the heating is not very efficient or if you don’t mind wearing a sweater. In areas where there is little or no

space, a well organized container garden can produce substantial vegetables. A point to remember about container gardening: The small volume of soil in a raised bed will warm up faster in spring than the soil in your open garden. This gives you a longer growing season, because you can start your cool season crops earlier. Cucumbers will grow beautifully under artificial light. But just as long days will prevent flowering, so will long periods under the artificial light. The best thing to do is experiment and find what does well for you. Given lots of water, watercress works almost as well as lettuce under the lights.

22 CHAPTER 2.

HOW TO GROW

Planning for the yield you want and how to use your crop. You also need to consider how temperature affects plant growth.

How to use your crop?

How are you going to use your crop?

Planning for the yield you want

Garden space, storage space for preserved vegetables, storage space for preserving equipment, family food preferences, your own preferences, local climate, the energy costs, time involved in preserving, and the help available, are points you need to consider when you’re deciding how much of a certain vegetable you want to grow. Before you plant large amounts of a vegetable, plan what you’re going to do with the vegetables you can’t eat at once.

Some gardeners start off in an orderly manner by planting all their vegetables in rows of the same length, but space means something different to a carrot and a cauliflower. A 10 foot row of broccoli will be a manageable amount of produce; a 3 foot row of parsley will provide enough for you, but it isn’t a big problem because you can freeze or dry parsley and use it all year around. However, a 10 foot row of radishes can be a big mistake. No family can eat all those radishes, and they don’t store well, so you could end up with a lot of wasted radishes. Cucumbers sprawl all over the place and need a lot of room; carrots are fairly picky about soil conditions, but they do stay where you put them. So, you have to estimate how productive your plants are likely to be.

Choose to grow plants that you already like to eat – it’s not worth putting the time and effort into growing asparagus if no one in your family is very keen on it. How much you want to harvest will dictate how many plants you need to grow and how much space you’ll need to grow them in. Some crops, such as tomatoes, produce many vegetables or fruits per plant, so you’ll need fewer of these plants to obtain a large harvest. Others such as carrots produce just one vegetable per plant and require correspondingly more to be sown.

How to use your crop?

HOW TO GROW

CHAPTER 2. 23

With careful planning you may also be able to save garden space and get two or more harvests from the same spot by succession planting. After early maturing crops are harvested, you clear a portion of the garden and replant it with a new crop. Plant so that cool-season crops grow in the cooler part of the season, and warm season crops can take advantage of warmer weather. One example of succession planting is to start off with a fast growing, cool-season crop that can be planted early: lettuce, spinach, and cabbage like family vegetables are good examples. Replace these by warm weather crops like New Zealand spinach, chard, corn, and squash. Then in fall make another planting of cole crops, or put in root crops like turnips or beets.

Above My grandmother says this is Asian mulberry. They need full sun and rich soil, but will tolerate part shade and a variety of soils. Right Vertical farming takes up less space and leverage sunlight.

In a small area, one simple plan is to start off with spinach, which is very hardy but hates hot weather, and replace it with heat tolerant New Zealand spinach. Despite their different temperature requirements, the two can double for each other in taste, and you get spinach all season long.

EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON PLANT GROWTH

Does weather affect plant growth? It sure does! It’s easy to tell when a plant has been nipped by frost, but high temperatures can be every bit as harmful. However, there is a considerable disparity when it comes to temperature stress in plants. The effect of temperature on plants vary widely, and is influenced by factors such as exposure to sunlight, moisture drainage, elevation, difference between day and night temperatures, and proximity to surrounding rocks.

Effect of temperature: cool and warm

HOW TO GROW

CHAPTER 2. 25

Temperature is a primary factor affecting the rate of your plant growing. Warm temperatures expected with extreme climate change and it will impact plant productivity. Average day to day temperatures play an important part in how vegetables grow. Temperatures, both high and low, affect growth, flowering, and the development of fruits. When the temperature is too high or low, leafy crops may be forced to flower prematurely without producing edible foliage. When night temperatures get too cool it may cause fruiting crops to drop their flowers — reducing yields considerably; peppers may react this way to cold weather. Generally, the ideal temperatures for plant growth are between around 30°-40° and 80°-90°F. At warmer temperatures the plant’s growth will increase, but this may not be sound structural growth. At lower temperatures the plant’s growth will slow down or stop. Cool season crops are the first ones to plant in the garden year. This can be anytime from several

weeks to a couple of months before the last frost date. These early vegetables cannot only withstand cold temperatures, they need them to germinate, grow, set fruit and mature. Some winter hardy vegetables, which are the toughest of the cool season vegetables, such as kale or Brussels sprouts, even benefit

from a light frost, as it converts the starches into sugar. Plant cool season crops early in spring so they can complete their full cycle up to harvest before it gets too warm. Warm season crops require higher soil and air temperatures; they are always planted after the last frost date.

26 CHAPTER 2.

Start from indoors, transplant into garden In Virginia, warm season crops are usually started from seed indoors and transplanted into the garden as soon as the soil and air are warm enough. The growing season in our area is too short to allow for some of the warm season crops to be directly sown in the garden soil. For example watermelons take about three months from seed to harvest, and the only way to beat the calendar is to start them indoors.

Start from indoors, transplant into garden

Temperature is a primary factor

CHAPTER 2. 27

IDEAL TEMPERATURES Should be between around 30°to 40° in cool seasons, and 80°-90°F during hot seasons. At warmer temperatures the plant’s growth will increase, but this may not be sound structural growth. At lower temperatures the plant’s growth will slow down or stop.

CHAPTER 3.

BENEFITS OF GROWING ORGANIC GARDEN

PRODUCE THE MOST NUTRITIOUS FOOD Growing your garden according to organic methods is not only better for you but also better for the environment. Organic gardeners depend on cultural practices, natural amendments, and biological processes for success in the garden, and avoid synthetic chemicals above all. An organic garden is free from toxic chemicals, which means that the produce is free also. Your vegetables should not have a chemical residue that would go into your body. By planting your own organic garden, you are assuring yourself and your family the best possible vegetables. Plus, you have the added benefit of exercise; from planting the seeds to carrying in the harvest, working

in your garden will help tone your body and work off extra calories. Many people grow their own greens to ensure that their crops are produced organically, but every gardener has to decide whether to use synthetic or not. You’ve been trying to eat more organic, both to decrease the amount of pesticides you and your family consume and to help protect the environment.

Produce the most nutritious food

GROWING ORGANIC

CHAPTER 3. 29

When we use natural methods to grow food, it eliminates the use of potentially harmful and toxic products. These chemicals and synthetics contaminate the soil and affect microorganisms, insects, birds, and other wildlife — and the water, too.

GARDENER STARTS FROM THE SOIL UP, BY FEEDING THE SOIL WELL, NOT THE PLANT AND CREATING A REBIRTH IN THE LIFE AND VITALITY OF THEIR ORGAINC GARDEN.

Growing your own food has many benefits, including having easy and immediate access to fresh produce. But the best parts is knowing exactly how the zucchini or cucumbers were grown. You don’t need to wonder what was added to the soil on the plants. Having an organic garden gives you more control of what’s in your nearby environment as well as all the delicious your clean homegrown food. Planting own organic vegetable garden will save you money. That is something we all want to do. Buying organic produce at Whole Foods Market can cost up to around 50% or more over the regular supermarket. By growing your own, you can save a lot of money at the store, and in these days of rising fuel costs, you will not have to make as many trips, as well. You’re in control of what’s in the soil and what, if anything, your plants are taking in besides rain and warm sunshine.

ORGANIC OR NOT? In its simplest form, organic gardening means gardening without man-made chemicals. Instead of synthetic, organic gardeners rely on ingredients that occur naturally and that work in harmony with the natural goodness that comes from healthy and productive soil. Growing your own is a fun, satisfying way to bring nutritious foods to your table and benefit your world as well. An organic approach to gardening incorporates the entire garden, from the soil, seeds and plants to fertilizers and pest management.

Organic garden is free from toxic chemicals. Organic gardening has many levels. While commercial marketers must meet strict guidelines to produce and process certified organic foods, we don’t have to do that, we are not professional farmers. Just focus on nurturing soil and plants with natural based products that avoid chemicals in foods and the environment. Enjoy the benefits of an organic approach to gardening, whatever level you are. Your vegetables will not have a chemical residue that would enter your body if not thoroughly washed away. By planting your own organic garden, you are assuring yourself the best possible fruits and vegetables. Plus, you have the added benefit of exercise; from planting, working in your garden will help tone your body and work off extra calories.

Organic or not?

GROWING ORGANIC

CHAPTER 3. 31

Planting your own organic vegetable garden will save you money. That is something we all want to do. Since organic gardeners use no chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers, none of these chemicals can run off and find their way into the water supply. Another benefit of this lack of chemical run off is that small animals, birds, and beneficial insects are not harmed. Since organic gardeners are continually building up their soil with organic matter, there is less erosion of topsoil leading to general erosion, which can impact an entire area. By putting organic waste into compost, you are helping relieve landfills from waste that would otherwise be taking up space there. The benefits of organic gardening are many. I have only listed a few of the best. Actually my next step is learning to preserve the excess. By simple methods of freezing, drying, and canning you can literally enjoy the fruits of your labor on the coldest days of the winter. Even if you don’t have room for a large garden, or can only container garden, the use of organic gardening principles will reward you in many different ways, including having the best and healthiest produce.

FRESH TOMATOES STRAIGHT OFF THE VINE While many organic vegetables will not have the uniform look of those you purchase in a supermarket, they will have superior taste. Nothing tastes better than fresh fruits or vegetables straight off the vine, tree, or plant. For fruits and veggies that don’t have to be cooked, they can be tasted right there in the garden.

wet or dry soil, or slope all affect which plants will grow well or not. Choose plants that will thrive in those areas and that resist insects and diseases. Incorporating organic methods in the garden improves the produce you grow as well as the soil you grow it in. If you see a spider and earthworm, rejoice, not to kill. They’re good for your garden.

Target your action if pests show up. As with home garden, harvesting a few steps away from the kitchen means your fruits and vegetables don’t have to be trucked across the country to your area, losing nutrition, freshness, and flavor along the way.

Above When an ant inhales cinnamon, it suffocates and dies. Use ground cinnamon and sprinkle on the ants’ path or around an anthill opening. Right These are Kidney beans. They require around 95 days from germination to harvest.

No pesticides Gardening organically means using no chemical fertilizers or pesticides; only growing aides are sunlight, water, and some organic fertilizer. Home gardening is great for the environment, and it’s even better if you employ organic gardening principles. Build healthy soil with compost and mulch. Soil is alive, and soil life matters. Beneficial soil creatures improve soil structure and recycle nutrients. They store water for plants and protect them from pests and diseases. To make your garden healthy and beautiful, plant right for your site. Get to know your yard. Areas of shade,

Identify the problem and your options to deal with it. Start with an expert recommendations near by before looking for a pesticide. “Pest” means a lot of different things that cause problems: • Problem insects • Weeds, slugs and snails • Critters like moles • Plant diseases such as black spot If you decide to purchase garden chemicals, if you have to get: • Buy in small amounts. Skip the large “economy” size. • Avoid ready-to-use and combination products, such as “weed and feed”. • Spot spray on targeted pests; do not broadcast apply over large areas.likely to be.

Grow without pesticides

Organic matters to soil Organic gardening relies upon establishing a balance. Plants grow strongly thanks to the addition of organic matter, and pest numbers are controlled by beneficial wild life. It takes time to achieve this balance, there will be occasions when pests and diseases win the day, but there are easy steps you can take to swing the odds in your favor. Planting vegetables with ornamental plants is a great way to maximize productivity and color in smaller gardens, but it also helps protect them from pests. While a large patch of cabbages or carrots is an obvious target, the same plants scattered through a ﬂower border will be harder for pests to spot. Planting own organic vegetable garden will save you money. Since organic gardeners use no chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers, none of these can run off and find their way into the water supply. Another benefit of this lack of chemical run off is that small animals, birds, and beneficial insects are not harmed. Since organic gardeners are continually building up their soil with organic matter, there is less erosion of topsoil leading to general erosion, which can impact

GROWING ORGANIC an entire area. Putting organic waste into compost means you are helping relieve landfills from waste that would otherwise be taking up space there. The benefits of organic gardening are many. I have only listed a few of the best. Actually my next step is learning to preserve the excess. By simple methods of freezing,

CHAPTER 3. 33

drying, and canning you can literally enjoy the fruits of your labor on the coldest days of the winter. Even if you don’t have room for a large garden, or can only container garden, the use of organic gardening principles will reward you in many different ways, including having the best and healthiest produce.

34 CHAPTER 3.

Cabbage worms & moths

If you can see eggs, either singly or in clusters, put on a pair of gloves and carefully remove them from the leaves of your plants. You can rinse them off in soapy water and dispose of them, or crush them. Either way, you’re preventing more caterpillars from hatching and devouring your garden. Similarly, if you see the caterpillars, pick those off and destroy them right away, as well.

Small green caterpillars, Cabbage worms & moths Cabbage worms are one of the most common pests in the garden. They are sneaky, frustrating, and cause a lot of damage to plants. Wipe out your garden with organic controls you can get from Home Depot. There are a variety of options to control or eliminate cabbage worms.

Blueberries!

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BLUEBERRIES! Lowbush blueberries are actually native to North America including Virginia! You can grow them, as well. The compact bushes can be grown as an edible hedge or ground cover, even in partial shade, and they bear delicious berries that hold on the plants for a long time. Growing them isn’t as difficult as you might think. Blueberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow in your garden. They don’t take up much space, can be grown in containers, and are quite attractive. In addition to being an excellent food plant, slow-growing blueberry bushes are rather pretty. Their glossy, dark green leaves turn bright red in fall. Small white or pinky red flowers turn into white berries that turn a bit bluer, day by day.

CHAPTER 4.

KNOW YOUR SOIL

IDEAL SOIL FOR MOST SITUATIONS IS COMPOSTED ORGANIC MATTER SUCH AS COMPOSTED LEAVES AND SHREDDED, AGED BARK

Soil testing is worth the effort. You can purchase a kit or send some soil sample to a laboratory, but let’s not spend your precious money on that. Simply feel the soil with your hands would be the best way to determine the approximate texture of the soil in your garden. Soils have different characteristics that make them unique. Knowing your kind of soil helps to determine its strengths and weaknesses. Try this test: take a small handful of moist garden soil, and hold some of the sample between your thumb and the first knuckle of forefinger. Gradually squeeze the soil out with thumb to form a ribbon. If you can easily form a ribbon that holds together for more than one inch, you have a very heavy clay soil. If a ribbon forms, but it holds together for only three quarters of an inch, your soil is a silty clay loam. If the ribbon forms but breaks into pieces shorter than three quarters of an inch, you have a silty soil. If a ribbon won’t form at all, you have a sandy soil. The ideal soil is one that holds moisture well and at the same time allows a constant flow of air through the soil.

Soil can not be over-saturated with water or air would be excluded, it should be perfect. Photo is my neighbors’ farm.

Soil testing is worth the effort

Ways to improve your garden soil. Unless you are a lucky person with a garden full of rich and productive soil that should be intermediate — between clay and sand, then you will want to improve your soil in the interests of harvesting a bigger and better crop of vegetables at the end of your growing season.

KNOW YOUR SOIL organic matter, and also micro organisms. A good soil is about 50 percent solids and 50 percent porous space, which provides room for water, air, and plant roots. The solids are around 80 to 90 percent inorganic matter and 10 to 20 percent organic materials. Water and air should each occupy about half of the porous space. Organic matter is just dead

CHAPTER 4. 37

plant and animal tissue, which decomposes and enriches soil as humus. Humus helps improve your soil’s texture by binding some of the smaller particles together, which increases your soil’s aeration. It also improves soil’s ability to both absorb and drain moisture. Soil is like a foundation. Organic matter helps provide nutrients to your plants.

Soil is the thin blanket that exists between sterile rock and the sky. Soil supports all life and is itself, in some measure, the product of living things. Understanding soil and how plants grow in it will help you make the most of what you’ve got right. Essentially the function of the soil in relation to the plants that grow in it is fourfold: It must supply water; it must supply nutrients; it must supply gases; and it must be firm to support the plant securely. The ideal soil is a middle of the road mixture, holding moisture and nutrients while letting excess water drain away to make room for air. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that your garden contains only one type of soil; several different soils can exist in one backyard. Each natural soil is composed of fine rock particles,

Leaves are one of the very best things you can add to improve your soil or make compost.

38 CHAPTER 4.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO USE GOOD SOIL? As an anchor for plant roots and as a water tank for needed moisture, soil provides a hospitable place for a plant to take root. The ideal soil is a middle of the road mixture, holding moisture and nutrients while letting excess water drain away to make room for air. You also might wish to grow organic, free from all chemicals. Make your soil organic, grow your vegetables chemical free.

When it’s time to plant, soil may not be the first thing on your mind. But once you dig a little deeper, it’s easy to see why it’s the key to having strong, thriving plants, and why simply planting in whatever soil you have in the backyard isn’t necessarily the best idea.

The benefits of mulch do not end with water and weeds. As organic mulches decompose, they promote healthy soil, which, in turn, helps fend off disease. Image from Adobe Stock

Make your soil healthier

MAKE YOUR SOIL HEALTHIER Soil is a storehouse for all plants need to grow: nutrients, organic matter, air, and water. Your soil can be improved by adding organic matter to make more workable. Organic matter: • Loosens tight clay • Helps sand hold more water • Makes soil easier to dig • Adds nutrients

KNOW YOUR SOIL

CHAPTER 4. 41

Types of soil: clay and sandy

42 CHAPTER 4.

LEARN WHAT SOIL IS MADE OF AND HOW TO AMEND SOIL. Types of soil: There are four complicated types of soil: clay, sand, silt, and loam, that Home Depot classifies, but since we are not professional farmers with millions of acres, it is totally fine to know just two; Clay and Sandy.

Right Measure soil for humidity with digital device. Image from Adobe Stock.

Clay soil

Sandy soil

Clay soils are the heaviest of soil types and are often considered the hardest to work with. Clay has tiny particles that stick together, forming large clumps. While clay soil tends to be of higher fertility than other soil types, it is not optimal to garden in because its texture makes it very difficult for plant roots to work their way into.

Sandy Soil is light, dry and tends to be acidic and low in nutrients. Sandy soils are also called light soils due to their high proportion of sand and little clay. They are much larger than clay particles and irregular in shape, so they don’t pack as closely together as clay particles. Because they have less total surface area, these larger particles hold less water than smaller particles and are much more porous. These soils have quick water drainage and are easy to work with. They are quicker to warm up in spring than clay soils but tend to dry out in summer and suffer from low nutrients that are washed away by rain.

Clay soils remain wet and cold in winter and dry out in summer. They hold onto water and often take longer to warm in the spring. Soil compaction and cracking is also a big risk of clay soils. This doesn’t just look ugly, but it also keeps plant roots from breaking through hard layers of clay. However, unlike sandy soils, clay soils are rich with nutrients!

Soil is a three dimensional substance that covers some of the world’s land surface. The ground on which we walk is never same. Sometimes, it is made up of millions of tiny sand granules. Other times, it is a hard, rocky surface. Some soil requirements for vegetable plants are the same, while others differ depending on the vegetables. In general, vegetable garden soil should be well draining and loose. It should not be too heavy or too sandy.

KNOW YOUR SOIL

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SOIL SUPPORTS YOUR PLANTS BY PROVIDING WARMTH, AIR, MOISTURE AND NUTRIENTS. You will struggle with poor dry and bad quality infertile sandy soils or waterlogged and heavy clay soils. Then you can simply buy a pack of soil mixture from Homedepot. They will provide a lot of great choices. If you are getting a new garden, then you have as much choice as you would with containers. Soil texture is determined by the combination of sand, silt and clay particles. Sandy soils have large particles, are coarse textured and retain little water and few nutrients. On the

other side of the spectrum are clay soils with small particles. Clay is heavy, waterlogged and hard to till, but can be nutrient rich. In between sandy and clay soils are combinations of sand loam clay soils, more suitable for growing production. It is recommended to choose suitable crops for your soil type. For example, beetroot, trees, roses, spinach, onions and grains may thrive in clay soil while crops like beet, tomatoe, garlic, potatoes, radishes, asparagus, and carrots prefer lighter sandier soils.

Left Potato and Kidney beans. Kidney beans are planted at the very beginning of spring after the last frost has passed, as they grow best in warm temperatures.

CHAPTER 5.

FERTILIZING: HOW TO DO IT

IS FERTILIZER REALLY NECESSARY? You might have some idea that since your vegetables have been doing just fine so far without using fertilizer, then they’ll also do fine without it next year. But it’s not quite that easy. Your plants may provide you with vegetables even if you don’t fertilize at all, but you won’t be getting their best effort. Plants that are properly fertilized will better resist disease and attacks from pests, thus giving you more and higher-quality — produce.

Is fertilizer really necessary?

FERTILIZING

CHAPTER 5. 47

My dad grows organically because his work is for our family. He is not obsessed with the size of outcomes. However, my aunt uses synthetic plant nutrients to sell in the market, her fruits should be big and appetizing. She should make her products stand out on the shelf. Picture on the right is her peach tree at her farm in Korea.

Organic Fertilizer VS. Synthetic Fertilizer

48 CHAPTER 5.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FERTILIZER DERIVED FROM ORGANIC AND SYNTHETIC SOURCES? There are two types of fertilizer: organic and inorganic. They’re both means to the same end, but their composition and action differ in a number of ways. Some people make a sharp distinction between the two, and are strongly in favor of organic fertilizers and strongly opposed to the use of synthetics. Many inexperienced gardeners have the idea that since their vegetables have been doing fine so far without fertilizer, they’ll do fine without it next year, too. But it’s not quite that easy. Certainly, your plants may provide you with vegetables even if you don’t fertilize at all, but you won’t be getting their best effort. Vegetable plants that are properly fertilized will be healthier and better able to resist disease and attacks from pests, thus giving you

more produce. Why use organic fertilizers as opposed to synthetic ones? Organic fertilizers perform some vital extra benefits aside from just a one time punch of nutrients. Organic fertilizers are those that are derived from the earth or from living things. Examples can include mushroom manure, aged poultry or horse and cow manure, compost, kelp meal, bone meal, and blood meal. Inorganic fertilizers are composed of synthesized or processed chemicals that tend to give a higher nitrogen (N), phosphorus (K) and potassium (P) reading on the package. They are generally absorbed more quickly by plants than organic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers, by contrast, usually have a bit less N-P-K, so it will work a little slower.

FERTILIZING

Organic VS. Synthetic Fertilizer

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HIGH QUALITY ORGANIC FERTILIZERS MADE FROM NATURAL SOURCES ARE PRODUCTS OF NATURAL DECOMPOSITION AND ARE EASY FOR PLANTS TO EAT

Organic Fertilizer PROS

Synthetic Fertilizer PROS

• Balances the soil ecosystem • Boosts plant health naturally • Organic fertilizers don’t upset the balance in the soil because they don’t leave behind any artificial compounds. • Delivers nutrients in a slow, but sustainable rate. • Prevents over-fertilization

• Fast acting formulas • Ensures specific ratios of nutrients going into the plants. • Can be applied very quickly. • Best used in high profile areas like front lawns. • Less expensive

CONS

• The majority don’t contain micronutrient organisms • Can easily be over-applied • Can release nutrients too quickly or too slowly, it can be harmful • Heavy applications can burn or dry your plants. • It can potentially use other areas for leaching as well.

• Nutrients are released slowly • Nutrient ratios cannot be guaranteed, some cannot be absorbed by plants. • Needs warmth and moisture to work and more labor • More expensive

CONS

According to Ross Penhallegon, horticulturist from Oregon State University, organic contains plant nutrients in low concentrations. They have to be converted into inorganic forms by soil bacteria and fungi before plants eat them. But organic fertilizers don’t make a crust on the soil as inorganic fertilizers do. They improve water movement and add structure. But they cost more than chemical, because they are less concentrated, supplying fewer nutrients pound for pound. Organic content is absent from synthetic soil, and it causes it to dissolve quickly. Adding more than required chemicals to the synthetic fertilizers often occurs and is a cause for toxicity.

CHAPTER 6. CARING FOR YOUR GARDEN

How to Keep Plants Alive Planting your garden gives you a great sense of achievement. When you decide to grow a garden, you have to be willing to take on the daily chores that go with caring for it—watering, weeding, mulching, and protecting your crop against pests and disease. You could just sit back and let nature do the work, but if you don’t do your part, the result will be lower yields or lower-quality produce. When parents and kids work together to plant and care for a garden, they can all enjoy these perks.

My father always keeps his fruit and vegetable gardens beautifully. They are always green, very green. This is a photo of tomato leaves

Get rid of the weeds, then treat your soil well.

Pick your plants, keep your garden small.

Cultivating and weeding are your most demanding task as your garden’s caretaker. Weeds are pushy plants, they’re both resilient and persistent. Keep down the weeds; they steal light, water, and food from the vegetables, and they shelter insects and diseases. After weeding, feed your plant, and treat your soil. You need to care for your plants once they’re in the soil, making sure they’re well watered and fed, given adequate support and are not growing in competition with other plants or weeds. Soil solarization is a preventive, organic method of killing weeds before weed seeds even sprout.

A vegetable garden can be low maintenance, but it’s not no-maintenance. Keep the garden small with grow a handful of crops. With your first garden, it might be very tempting to want to grow everything! I’d suggest you to pick 4 to 5 types of vegetables and grow them well. Trying to cram too much in a compact space is asking for trouble and you’ll end up with a smaller, not larger harvest. If you wish to start even smaller, try planting container-friendly veggies and herbs in pots or window-boxes on a sunny deck.

52 CHAPTER 6.

WATER IS VITAL FOR THE LIFE Water is vital for the life and survival of all plants. Water also helps a plant by transporting important nutrients through the plant. All plants will suffer from water shortage or drought at some point. This can be fatal in some cases or severely slow the growth of those plants. Plants suffering from a prolonged drought can be left susceptible to secondary infection by pests and pathogens.

Water is Vital for the Life

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Water. All living things it need to live and thrive, making it one of our most valuable natural resources

54 CHAPTER 6.

CARING FOR YOUR GARDEN

WATER WATER WATER Regular water is as important to growing vegetables as sunlight. Provide adequate soil moisture throughout the growing season to help fast-growing plants establish strong roots. There are three potential situations with water: too much, too little, and, just enough. There is a simple way to check the amount of water in the soil. Put your finger in the soil, up to your knuckle. If the soil is moist, it has enough water; if it is dry, water the plant. If the pot feels lighter than usual, or soil is pulling away from the sides of the pot, it means it wants more water.

Tomatoes need plenty of water as they are developing. However, they are fully formed, too much water can cause a skin disease.

Water, water, water

When to water

CARING FOR YOUR GARDEN

When to water Irrigate during early morning hours. Much water applied in the heat of the day is lost through evaporation. Evening watering can contribute to disease problems because plant leaves stay wet longer. Watering during windy periods increases water loss. Since plants absorb moisture through their roots, it makes most sense to apply water to the soil. Watering leaves is inefficient and can lead to disease problems. As best you can, adapt your watering schedule to weather seasons. Although watering every Monday and Wednesday might work for you, but it may not be the right schedule for your plants.

How much to water It is better to water thoroughly a few times a week rather than a little bit every day. Avoid letting your irrigation water run off on to paved areas or down storm drains. If you notice runoff, apply water more slowly in cycles, taking small breaks between applications to allow the soil time to soak up moisture. How fast your soil absorbs water will vary by soil type and amount of organic matter in the soil. Clay soils are slow to absorb water but tend to hold moisture longer, so

they need less frequent watering. Sandy soils drain quickly and do not hold water, so they dry out faster. Adding compost and other organic matter to soil will improve water penetration in clay soil and water retention in sandy soil. Mulch beds and around the base of trees to decrease water loss from evaporation. Mulch helps regulate soil temperature and decrease weed growth. Choose plants adapted to your weather, climate, and soils. Native plants adapted to the conditions in your garden are often a good choice because their moisture needs have evolved within regional weather patterns. Water helps a plant by transporting important nutrients through the plant. Without enough water in the cells, the plant will droop, so water helps a plant to stand upright well. Group plants with similar water needs. It’s better for plants and makes the job easier. Different types of plants require different amounts of water, you should study. With outdoor plants, you can’t control the plants getting too much water if your area gets a lot of rain, you need to make sure the soil has proper drainage. Too much water will affect plant growth just as much as too little.

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Planning for the yield you want and how to use your crop. You also need to consider how temperature affects plant growth.

CHAPTER 7.

THE GARDENING YEAR 12-MONTH TO-DO CALENDAR

Monthly Calendar

1-12 Why need calendar Two of the most important aspects of gardening are knowing when to plant and what to plant in your garden. However, it can be difficult to know the exact time to begin planting in order for garden to fully flourish throughout the growing season. If your plant or garden fails to thrive, simply adjusting your planting time frame might make a big difference. A planting calendar takes the guesswork out of the process.

Monthly Chores A gardener’s calendar is essential for all types of outdoor space. Most especially, if yours is booming with vegetable plots and beautiful planting. To ensure that your kitchen garden delivers the best crop, to see that wildlife enjoys the best habitat and to help keep your garden tidy and manageable, it’s crucial to bring a little structure to every passionate gardener’s routine. All gardens, big and small, need maintenance even if it is just pruning a few plants or repairing garden tools and repainting furnitures for a brighter summer spend outdoors. However, with larger, more elaborate gardens, maintenance can become a year-round job, and the important tasks can often be forgotten if you don’t have a schedule. Keeping your seed starting, transplanting, and harvesting activities organized will make a huge difference in growing a successful garden.

Once you have scheduled out your garden crops into an easy planting calendar, you’ll be ready to get veggies in the ground. Having an abundant garden means that you’re able to grow the right amount of crops with a reasonable amount of time and effort. If you already selected your garden crops, you’ll have noticed that each plant has different preferences. Some plants like to be grown indoors for the first few weeks of their lives, while others will do well when planted directly in the ground. Some can survive chilly weather, while others will suffer when temperatures drop. You need to go through the process of creating a planting calendar before you start your garden to ensure each crop gets the correct treatment. Once you have the estimate of your last frost date, count backwards/forwards to find out when to plant each seed. You can manually calculate the planting date for each seed or use an online calculator.

January and february

60 CHAPTER 7.

JANUARY

01 FEBRUARY

02 Jobs for winter period, it’s time to clean and plan ahead for the coming year. It’s probably too cold to do much in the garden, so relax and plan what you’re going to grow. Check packets of seed to make sure they’re still in date, and order fresh seed if needed. Pore over seed catalogues and give new varieties a try.

Left Pruning with mini hand cutter Right Don’t rush planting out of crops unless the weather has turned warm. But some cool season vegetables work in late March. They are radish sprouts.

Check indoor plants, your inventory, and think what to grow. • Planting Plan Make a list of what you’re going to want to grow this year. Go Home Depot to buy your seed. It’s perfect time to study and research about the plants and flowers you think you want to put into your garden. • Plan the spring and summer garden on paper. Sketch a base plan. Consider the location of house, garage, shed, fences, walls, and large trees that will cast shadows across the garden. February feels like a turning point in the garden. It’s still cold outside, but there are signs of spring’s imminent arrival everywhere you look.

• Prune your trees After trees lose leaves, structure and shape are revealed. It should be easier to see which branches are growing inward or crossing others, you all should get rid of these. During the period, insects and diseases that could harm fresh cut trunks or branches also are dormant. • Cold Frames If you use cold frames or plastic tunnels be sure to open them up and air them out on warm days. Practically no water will be needed in frames or tunnels, but if the soil does dry out, apply early on a bright morning. Although you might have to wait for a warm up between snow storms, get out into the garden and clear that stuff away. Also, cut away dead branches on trees.

March

MARCH

03 March is a great month to get ahead with your lots of garden jobs. Sow beans, beetroot, carrots, kohl rabi, claytonia, parsley, land cress, parsnips, radishes, rocket, spinach and spring onions outdoors, and if needed, provide cloche protection.

CHAPTER 7. 61

Lots of things to do! There are number of vegetables that you can start seeding in March, including spinach, squash, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and perennial herbs (but should be all under cover), chili and sweet peppers and celery. Strawberries prefer an early spring start in your indoor garden in March. They can be grown in garden beds or containers. They require well drained soil and a sunny spot that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of sunshine a day. Lettuce, spinach, radishes, peas, and other cool season crops can be sown directly in the garden in late March in Virginia! Make sure your lettuce gets plenty of light

but not all day. Regardless of the unpredictable weather, March is the start of the spring gardening season, a time to complete those winter tasks we do not carry over into the spring rush, when there are many tasks and so little time. In March, it’s usually too cold to sow outdoors, because the ground temperature needs to be warm enough, but sowing is possible under cover, to be ready to plant outside in April. It’s also a good idea to prepare seed beds in advance, by warming the soil under polythene sheeting. Early potatoes can be planted out towards the end of the month, and March is the absolute latest time for planting top and soft fruit, and for pruning apples.

April

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APRIL

04 Time for planting up, supporting young plants, and for forward planning ahead of the hot summer. Now is the time to watch out for early pests and diseases. April can still bring frosty nights, so protect tender flowers and vegetables from late frosts. Don’t forget the house plants, either: water and feed more often now they’re actively growing.

Your garden soil is finally warming up. Along with the roller coaster temperatures and crazy rain to keep us out of the garden, April can be a trying month. April is also the beginning of the busy season for the vegetable gardener. Certain vegetables perform best when seeds are sowed indoors. These include warm season crops such as peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes, which all require warm temperatures and a long growing season to produce vegetables. You can choose to start your own seeds indoors in the spring or purchase transplants from Home Depot several weeks later, to plant directly into the garden.

• Support pea and bean plants now. For easy pea supports, push some twiggy sticks. • Dig at least an inch layer of compost, well rotted manure or green waste into beds. • Cover prepared soil with sheets to keep it drier and warmer in preparation for planting. • Mulch you greens with rotted manure or garden compost, taking care not to mound mulch up around the trunk. • Spray the emerging leaves of peach and nectarine trees to prevent peach leaf curl. • Sheltering your plants from the rain will also help reduce the risk of peach leaf curl. • Thin carrot seedlings to achieve good-sized carrots; do this in the evening when fewer carrot flies are around.

May

MAY

05 Start sowing tender vegetables, which are any crops that get killed or damaged by frosts easily. You can continue or start planting any early season crops, plus squash, tomatoes, melons, eggplant, peppers, sweet corn, cucumbers, potatoes, and herbs. Water and mulch any new transplants with special care.

Left Grow cabbage in spring so that it comes to harvest before summer or start cabbage in mid to late summer Below Potatoes need full sun. They are aggressively rooting plants. This picture below is potato flowers.

CHAPTER 7. 63

Sow salad crops and tender herbs. In May prepare the planting spots for tender eggplant, squashes, melons, and zucchini. Dig holes and add a well rotted compost or manure to the bottom of the hole and then refill the hole. Draw soil from the surrounding area to form a mound over each hole. When the seedlings come up, clip away the two weakest and leave the strong seedling to grow on. If you are planting starts, set one on each mound in early June. If choosing to sow directly in the garden, start with carrots, beets, and radishes. Do not mulch these areas until seedlings are up several inches. May is the month when the garden begins to look more like the summer garden. Early in May prepare the planting spots for tender melons, eggplant, squashes, and zucchini. Early in the month prepare to plant pole

and runner beans. Dig a trench 18 inches wide and 12 inches deep. Add several inches of well rotted compost or manure to the trench and backfill. In the second half of the month, sow bean seeds. Set them 3 inches deep and 9 to 12 inches apart in two rows 12 to 15 inches apart. At sowing time, set bean poles in place alongside each side of the bean row. Set poles at an angle and tie opposing poles together near their tops. You can strengthen poles with horizontal struts. Alternatively, sow the seed alongside 6-foot canes erected in the form of a wigwam and tied together near their tops. May is the ideal time to set out tomato! In Virginia, tender starts–tomatoes, eggplants, beans, and squashes–can go into your garden this month. Keep on top of watering - it is important to keep plants irrigated, particularly in pots and containers. By the end of May, the threat of late frosts should diminish and tender crops can begin to go into the garden. Crops started indoors in room temperature and they should be hardened off before planted. • Continue succession sowings of hardy vegetables. • Sow or set out tender herbs after the last frost. • Take steps to keep pests out of garden and water as necessary.

64 CHAPTER 7.

JUNE

06 As the days lengthen and the temperatures climb, your garden should be busting out all over. Make your June garden shine. There is plenty to do in June to make sure your plants grow their best. Tasks include late planting, trellising, weeding, watering, and mulching. Harvest during the cooler times of day, early morning or evening, when plants are least stressed. Continue to pick greens, peas, beans, and herbs.

It’s June and your vegetable gardening is in full swing. Grow green manures on any unused land. Water during dry spells. Keep ahead of the weeds; this is the month when warm days and gentle rains allow weeds to grow. Don’t let sprouting beets, onions, and carrots get overtaken by rapid growing weeds. Remember to sow salads greens every two to three weeks to ensure a supply for your joy. Be prepared for pests: cover crops with fleece and nets. Mulch with compost, grass mowings and other organic materials, to suppress weeds and reduce water loss. June is an exciting month for vegetable gardeners. With many plants in the ground, this is when we enjoy watching them shoot up in size and give rise to blooms that will produce delicious vegetables. June is a great time to make trellises for climbing vegetables. Crops like cucumbers, peas, and pole beans love to climb and will produce best when there is something for them to grow up onto. Some types of melons and pumpkins can be trellised, too!

CHAPTER 7. 65

JULY

07 Popular vegetables to grow in summer. Each plant also has a preference for how deep to plant its seeds. General rule of thumb is to match the depth in the soil to the width of the seed. Tiny seeds barely need to be covered while large seeds need to be deeper in the ground. Don’t forget to water them periodically if weather is dry. Cucumbers Tomatoes Peppers Squash Beans Greens Berries Sweet Potatoes Peas Okra Lettuce Eggplant Spinach Corn Melons Shallots

Having a fruitful summer garden can be as rewarding as it is tasty. Just know what to plant when. For summer seeds to germinate, the soil needs to warm. Each plant has its own preferred range but it’s usually 70F. The warmer the soil, the faster the germination. July is a good month for filling in empty spaces left from those early spent spring crops such as lettuce, peas, and radishes. It’s important to control weeds around vegetables, as weeds will out-compete vegetable plants for nutrients, water and sunlight. The best method to control weeds is by mechanical extraction, meaning good old fashioned weed pulling. • Start seeds indoors for your fall garden now. Direct sow, radish, carrots, beets, and kale. • Watch the leaves of your tomato plants for signs of leaf spot diseases and dry. • Flowering requires lots of energy, fertilize flowering plants once flowering begins. Fertilize one more time before the end of the summer season. • Check the soil moisture grown vegetables daily. Some plants need water twice a day as the temperature rises.

August

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AUGUST

08 Keep your beautiful late-summer garden looking fantastic. Begin your preparations now for a cool season vegetable garden. Pull out failing or under performing fresh summer vegetables to make room for new additions.

below Strawberries are one of the easiest fruit to grow and great for beginners. Plus, they’re super sweet. Right above My dad sows leeks indoors in March. It gets ready to eat condition by August.

Keep the plants hydrated enough. August is the gateway to fall, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it with its typical hot, humid, and dry weather. August is the best time to begin planning your fall gardens with yellows and reds. Take some time to inspect and evaluate your garden setups. Are there areas that are colorful and showy in spring and summer but then dwindle to dull green foliage in the fall? These beds would be perfect for a few fall colors. Home Depot carries a vast supply of garden mums, ornamental kale and cabbage, and other fall flowering annuals towards the end of August. Until then, get your garden beds ready now by cleaning out weeds and pruning

back existing, overgrown plants. Your spring vegetables take up a lot from your soil and can leave it depleted of valuable nutrients needed by your new fall crops. Be sure to amend any soil with a fresh batch of rich compost. A mixture of starter you can easily find from Homedepot will help get roots established faster, leading to productive crops. Meadows Farms will begin receiving all of your favorite cool season veggies like spinach, kale, broccoli, and more starting in the next few weeks. Some plants in your garden should still be producing this month. It’s harvest time in the vegetable garden. Finish planting fall crops such as broccoli, beets, spinach, kale, turnips, and carrots. But first, find out if you still have enough time to plant and harvest that crop before winter. Some crops like broccoli, beets, cabbages, and kale can survive fall frost events, but other like bush beans and basil cannot. If all the space has been planted, now the time to clear out some early season crops that have faded to make space for August plantings. If you do, pay some attention to the nutritional needs of what you are planning to and add soil amendments as needed.

August

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Begin prepping for cool weather vegeies. Time to check on the well being of your mulch to see if it has decomposed or scattered away. If you haven’t planted for the fall harvest yet, it’s not too late to start now. Monitor moisture, insects, and disease; if there’s an issue, deal with it right away. Pick up and discard fallen or decaying fruit, leaving it encourages diseases and insects. Keep picking! Cut fresh herbs for freezing or drying to use over the winter. You don’t want bare soil this time of the season because it invites more competing weeds. Add a healthy layer of fresh mulch to needed areas in your garden. Compost is also a very good choice to add as a top layer; it will add nutrients and helps control moisture evaporation. Also embrace the concept of crop rotation by remembering to avoid replanting the same type of plant in the same area two seasons in a row. Doing this helps prevent the build up of soil borne diseases and pests as well as the depletion of soil nutrients. Prune back spent summer flowers now so that energy can be used to encourage more flowers and strong root and leaf growth. Also, give your early blooming plants,

a good haircut so that they can have a second flush of fresh foliage. Carefully inspect plants and remove dead or dying leaves and stems so that any nasty bacteria or fungus doesn’t spread or any infected parts fall to the ground and incubate. Squash is one which should be providing you with a decent yield at this time. Consider adding peas, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, brussel sprouts, celery, kale, and collards. Now is the time to thin out the strawberries. You can remove certain plants and toss them to the compost, or transplant the

overcrowded one in another bed. Begin retaining pepper and tomato and seeds for next year’s planting. By saving seeds, you not only get the desired genetics you want, but you also save money. August is a good month to start planting fall crops in your garden. As the seasons change, it’s important to begin preparing your plants for frost. Sometimes frost comes earlier than expected. Strawberries will reproduce quickly. Sometimes the beds of berries can become overcrowded. August is also the right time to bring plants you started outdoors, indoors. Some plants don’t do well over the winter if left outside.

September

SEPTEMBER

09 Early September is good time to sow hardy oriental salads such as mustard, pak choi, rocket, Mizuna, and Brussels sprouts. It’s probably too cold to do much in the garden, so relax and plan what you’re going to grow. Check packets of seed to make sure they’re still in date, and order fresh seed if needed. Pore over seed catalogues and give new varieties a try.

Left This is my dad’s lettuce last year. He grows lettuce beautifully like a flower.

CHAPTER 7. 69

Enjoy healthy food right from your home. Vegetable crops will begin to take longer to ripen in September. Give melons and tomatoes more time to ripen naturally. Eggplants are ready for harvest when they are shiny. Beans, cucumbers, melons, zucchini, and summer squash will not ripen or mature once they are picked. They will keep for a week or two in the refrigerator. Vegetable crops will begin to take longer to ripen in September. Give melons, limas, and tomatoes more time to ripen naturally. Eggplants are ready for harvest when they are shiny. Watch for frost warnings and cover tender plants. The more weeding and mulching you do in September, the less weeds you’ll have to deal with in the spring. Take advantage of the gorgeous weather that September brings. Planting in Virginia, cool season vegetables can be planted this month. Beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, kale, celery, leeks, kohlrabi, both head and leaf lettuce, mustard greens, onions, parsley, peas, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnips. Although September marks the beginning of fall, there are still a few fast growing ones that can

be planted this month and be harvested. Remember to keep your soil warm by removing all mulch and maybe try using a plastic sheet to trap heat into the soil. Try these vegetables below and you can still take advantage of your garden this fall. Cucumbers, melons, zucchini, beans, and summer squash will not ripen or mature once they are picked. They will keep for a week or two in the refrigerator. Collect green herbs from your garden for freezing and drying. Cut-and-come again harvest of lettuce, spinach, and greens will stimulate new fall growth. Dig potatoes and sweet potatoes as late as possible, just before the winter frost threatens. Pick all tomatoes, vine crops, peppers, beans, squashes, and all other vegetables before the first frost. In Northern Virginia area, cool season vegetables can be still planted in September. Plant now beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, celery, fava beans, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, both head and leaf lettuce, mustard greens, onions, parsley, peas, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnips.

October

70 CHAPTER 7.

OCTOBER

10 Time to lightly prune deciduous trees and shrubs, remove any dead or diseased limbs and branches. October is a beautiful month of fall colors and first frosts. Crisp, blue sky days are the perfect time to tidy up and cut back in the garden. If you grow fruits and vegetables, there’s still plenty to harvest and store for the cold winter months ahead. With the cooler temperatures October promises, get outside and get caught up on garden chores before winter gets here.

The busy season is almost done. October is an ideal time to plant deciduous trees, shrubs. The cool weather encourages plants to root quickly and the soil is generally easier to work since it’s not as cold and mucky as it can be in the spring. Dig a hole, not deep, but slightly larger than the root of the plant, set the plant in the hole at the same height it was growing in its nursery pot, mulch, and water. It’s that simple! Even tender vegetables such as beans, cucumbers, radishes, bok choy, lettuce, and squash can be protected from frost for a couple more weeks of growth. Cover vegetables with tunnels made from metal hoops and plastic. To protect plants, you can also use row covers or cloches. To warm the soil, use mulch made from cardboard or newspaper. Not all vegetables need to be removed and cleaned up. Some vegetables are hardy or semi hardy and can stay in the ground. Semi hardy vegetables that withstand light frost of air temperatures: beets, carrots, parsnip, lettuce, chard, pea, cabbage, cauliflower, endive, parsley and celery. For beets and carrots, the tops will die but the roots will tolerate lower temperatures.

Hardy vegetables that withstand heavy frost of air temperatures: spinach, onion, garlic, broccoli, leeks, kohlrabi, kale, cabbage, chicory, Brussels sprouts, arugula, radish, mustard, and turnip. Cold weather doesn’t kill hardy plants; it simply slows their growth rate. Snow acts as insulating mulch and warms your soil for these tough cool season plants. When the temperatures begin to drop, you may lose sight of watering. It’s still an important part of maintaining a nice garden and yard. As the weather gets colder, try to get in a few more thorough watering sessions. Be sure to water your trees, shrubs, and perennials before the ground becomes fully frozen. Remove all stakes and supports so you can wash off any soil then treat them with preservative. Store them indoors over winter. Also, fall is a good time to repair any damage to raised beds, sheds, and greenhouses if you have.

November and december

CHAPTER 7. 71

NOVEMBER

11 DECEMBER

12 Jobs for winter period: clean and plan ahead for the coming year. It’s probably too cold to do much in the garden, so relax and plan what you’re going to grow. Check packets of seed to make sure they’re still in date, and order fresh seed if needed. Pore over seed catalogues and give new varieties a try.

Above As long as pumpkins stay dry at room temperature, they should last an additional three months. This is long enough to get through the winter. With hands, scrape and pull all of the seeds to store.

Check indoor plants, your inventory, and think what to grow. Make a list of planting plan, what you are going to want to grow. Go Home Depot to buy seeds for spring, it will be so much fun! It’s perfect time to research and study about the plants and trees and flowers you think you might want to put into your garden. If you are a gardener who stocks up on plants before fall comes, now’s the time to go through your stores. Are they healthy? Have they dried out? Do you see signs of rotting? If the weather cooperates, find things you can do with your garden. Plan and

map out what you want to put into the ground and where. Prune your trees. After trees lose leaves, structure and shape are revealed. It’s easier to see which branches are growing inward or crossing others, you should get rid of these. During the period, insects and diseases that could harm fresh cut trunks or branches also are dormant. Cold Frames. If you use cold frames or plastic tunnels be sure to open them up and air them out on warm days. Practically no water will be needed in frames or tunnels, but if the soil does dry out sufficiently to need it, apply early on a bright morning.

Growing a variety of greens is as fun as it is healthy. When something is weighing heavily on your mind, gardening will allow you to only focus on an activity that will bring you joy. Gardening requires patience, but it’s worth when you get out and dig into a plate of your own fresh produce.

Gardening is an excellent opportunity to try good quality foods that will help you become more adventurous eaters. The nutritional value of fresh fruits and vegetables begins to fall the moment they are picked. Gardening may be a fun and relaxing way to get in touch with nature, but did you know that it also has plenty of health benefits? Gardening is an activity that’s good for both the mind and body, and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Plus, you get to eat the delicious fruits, vegetables and herbs that you grow. You may think of gardening as not exercise, but all the lifting, shoveling and raking involved definitely counts. Being outside in the fresh air and sunshine is an effective way to boost your mood and destress.

2021. Gawon Lee