April 19, 2006 at 8:29 p.m.
Getting the garden ready
Getting the garden ready
With planting, one of the most critical factors is timing, and for those who have rushed the "need to seed" or plant, you know how disappointing the results can be when things are put to earth before the earth is ready.
Growing up, my grandfather did his best to teach us the art of vegetable gardening the "old way" by fertilizing using nothing but fish heads and guts, and the most important lesson I learned and still practice to this day is,––except for cool season crops––never, ever plant your vegetable garden until Memorial Day. I've even had to tweak that a time or two over the past several years due to the cold springs that leave the ground too cold and wet.
Yes, I too have been fooled planting squash and pumpkin when my gut told me the soil wasn't warm enough and I was out there seeding a second time because the first batch rotted. Or planting peppers and tomatoes too early and watching them do nothing for the longest time until conditions were adequate for them to grow.
Planting time guidelines are critical so consider your particular garden spot and time your planting accordingly. The following are some basic steps for preparing, watering, fertilizing and harvesting your vegetable garden. Keep in mind, when it comes to growing vegetables, there are as many variations of this advice as there are gardeners, but my main source is from the University of Minnesota Extension website article at: www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/ DG1422.html.
Getting the vegetable garden ready to plant starts with evaluating the site and the soil. Choose a location that receives 8-10 hours of direct sunlight a day and is a significant distance away from the trees and shrubs that could shade the garden and would compete for moisture.
Also make sure it is within easy access of a water supply.
In Chisago County, we have both soil extremes, very sandy or heavy clay. Regardless of which one you have, amending the soil with good organic material is a must. Dig in a layer of at least 4 to 6 inches of good rich organic material to a depth of 6-8 inches. Compost always has been and always will be the best way to fertilize your garden as well as provide adequate drainage. If you choose to use any other fertilizer, it is most important that you follow the individual product's directions for use.
A soil test that can determine the amounts of phosphorous, potassium and nitrogen in the soil is highly recommended and these test kits are easily available from your local Extension Office. When a soil sample is collected, it is sent to the Soil Testing Laboratory for analysis at a small cost.
Cool season crops such as lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and onions can be planted outdoors around April 15, but warm season crops like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and squash should be planted as I mentioned earlier, only after the soil is warm enough, usually not before Memorial Day.
The space between rows and plants varies, but the Extension website has an excellent chart for spacing plants and rows and determining seed depth and number of seeds per row.
Ample water supplies during the growing season are essential for producing high quality vegetables. It is generally better to water early in the day so the plant's foliage has a chance to dry out before evening reducing the chance of disease. An application of 1-inch of water twice a week is usually enough and whenever possible, water at the base instead of overhead. This also helps prevents the development of diseases.
Mulching the area around the plants will help keep the soil evenly cool, helps with moisture retention and is great weed control.
Many plants can suffer from funguses that are soil borne meaning the fungus lives in the soil, is transported to the plant when watering causes soil splash up transferring the spores onto the plant. Mulching greatly reduces this transference. I have virtually eliminated the problem of septoria leaf spot on my tomatoes by using this practice.
Providing adequate space between plants allows for good air circulation and will be helpful in controlling disease as will crop rotation--not planting things like eggplant, tomatoes, beans, and potatoes in the same spot year after year.
Insects should be controlled early in the season to avoid the transmission of viral and bacterial diseases to healthy plants. Often, by the time you see the damage that has been done, its too late to do anything about it.
Knowing when something is ripe to pick can be tricky so if you are uncertain, please research the individual vegetable you are growing. It might seem rather obvious when to pick tomatoes or corn, but did you know that some peppers only get better when left of the plant longer? A rule of thumb though would be that if it pulls off the plant or vine easily, it's ready.
Holy cow––I've said a ton and only just barely scratched the surface.
Different plant varieties, diseases, insect control, making compost, tools, canning and freezing of your produce and many, many more topics can be researched easily by using the internet to access sites like the University of Minnesota Extension. Your local Extension Office can give you access to publications as well and the Master Gardeners are eager to answer your questions. Any good bookstore will carry books on vegetable gardening and one of my favorites is the “Vegetable Gardener's Bible,” by Edward Smith.
Oh, don't forget container gardening. Most vegetables can be successfully and abundantly grown in containers and most any large container will do. If you have limited space, are physically limited, or just want to try something new, this is a great way to grow your own produce.
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The next class in the series is “Vegetable Gardening Basics,” April 25. This is a FREE class. Although walk-ins are welcome, we ask that you pre-register so that enough handout materials will be available. All of the classes are held at the Senior Center in North Branch and start at 6:30 p.m.
The remainder of the series includes classes on: asparagus, melons, cukes, squash, beans and corn, and container vegetable gardening.
The brochure is on our web page www.extension.umn.edu/county/chisago in the 'Hot Topics' box. You can also call 651-674-4417 to have a brochure mailed to you.
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There is a limited supply of blueberry, grape and raspberry plants still available. The order form is on the website or available by calling the office.
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Look for our plant clinics to resume in May at the North Branch Office Monday evenings. You can leave a question for a Master Gardener anytime at 651-674-4417 x18.
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Making and planting hypertufa trough
gardens May 6
The Chisago County Master Gardeners are excited to sponsor this workshop by Gary Whittenbaugh Saturday, May 6, from 1-3 pm at the Senior Center in North Branch.
What is hypertufa? How is it made and used to construct a trough? What type of soil is correct and what plants should you use? What to do with the garden come winter?
Learn the answer to these questions and more about this exciting type of gardening as you see a trough garden come to life right before your very eyes as I did at a session presented by Whittenbaugh at the 2004 Tri State Master Gardener Conference. I could not believe how simple it is to make a trough of any size that you can use in your landscape.
He has given this presentation to many groups including Vander Veer Botanical Park Davenport IA, Reiman Gardens Ames IA, The Conifer Society National meeting Ann Arbor, Michigan, The Quad City Botanical Center Rock Island, Illinois, NDSU Extension and Grand Forks ND Horticultural Society, the Denver Botanic Garden Denver, Colorado and The Rocky Mountain Chapter NARGS Denver, Colorado.
Whittenbaugh has been gardening for over 30 years with emphasis on dwarf, slow-growing and unusual conifers for the past 15 years. In addition to being a member of the American Conifer Society he is a member of the North American Rock Garden Society and was the recipient of the prestigious 'Marvin and Emelie Snyder Merit Award for Service' from the American Conifer Society in 2005. He is a past president of the American Conifer Society Central Region, and is state representative of Iowa for the American Conifer Society, an Iowa Master Gardener and on the advisory board of the Iowa Master Gardeners and Roots Board Member of The Bickelhaupt Arboretum.
The cost for the workshop is $5 payable at the door, but we ask that you register by calling the Extension Office 651-674-4417 so we can plan enough handouts and seating. This will also be a pickup day for your fruit plant orders and there will be native plants for sale.
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