Landscaping

After all the long hours of hard work from the previous two months, early May is a magical time when you start to see all your hard work starting to pay off. All of your plants should be well on their way to showing the promise of future crops, but the work isn’t over just because everything has started to grow. Several things must be done to insure you plants overall health to maximize your crop’s potential, so regular inspections on a daily basis is always a good idea when it comes to your garden’s general maintenance. The most common problem with vegetable gardens will be dry conditions, weeds or insects. Living in the country as I do also causes other problems such as deer or rabbits damaging my plants at their early stages when the plants are young and tender. I like to check on my fields at least twice a day, (morning and evening), for plant damages due to insects or herbivores such as rabbits or deer, in order to catch these problems at their earliest stage, and take what ever measures are necessary to eliminate the problem. Once you get into a daily routine of checking your garden, it actually becomes an enjoyable part of your day that you will look forward to with each passing day!

Plant Care & Watering …

Many times, the difference between a successful vegetable garden and an unproductive vegetable garden will often be the amount of rainfall you receive each week. Two inches a week in most cases is more than enough to insure a bountiful harvest. Young developing plants will need more frequent rain or watering until their roots can develop deeply in the soil. Once the root systems are developed, vegetable plants can tolerate harsh dry conditions much more easily because they can obtain their moisture from the soil six to eight inches deep. Its not very often I have seen the soil dry at that depth, but in extreme conditions, it does happen.

In the area I live in ( N.E. Georgia ), we have just come through a period of record breaking drought that reached its peak in my last growing season , but the practices I implemented on my farm not only saved my crops, I managed to have one of the most productive farms around all summer long ! I have too many row crops to irrigate my entire fields during times of drought due to low water levels in my well, but by taking a few preventive measures early in the season I was able to keep my entire field vibrant and healthy while everyone else complained their fields just dried up and died.

Early in the season while my vegetable plants were developing their root systems, I would till between the rows at least once a week to keep down any weeds that would rob my vegetable garden from any available moisture, giving them a fighting chance in extreme conditions. Once the plants were developed and starting to bloom, I used a hoe to pull the soft soil between the rows close around the base of my plants, putting the root systems even deeper in the soil where they might find any remaining moisture in extreme drought conditions. It was a lot of work, but through my efforts, I had one of the few gardens around to survive the extreme drought without irrigation.

In order to insure my hill crops survival, early in the season while I was setting them out, I used two to three inches of mulch around each plant to help retain moisture. Because many of the hill crops require more water for proper production, I found it necessary to carry water to them every evening. I watered each plant individually, giving each about one quart of water in the evenings after the sun had set below the tree line, so the plants would have all night to make use of the water. The mulch helped prevent evaporation in the heat of the day, while making the soil richer for future garden plants. It sounds like an easy enough task, but I was using between forty and fifty gallons of water every evening to keep everything watered ! While vegetable gardening is an enjoyable task, many times you will find assuring its’ survival can be very labor intense task as well.

As a basic rule of thumb, let the natural rain cycle keep your garden watered and give the additional water in the evenings if you see them drooping or wilting. Avoid watering in the morning hours due to evaporation. Mulch around hill crops and add extra dirt around the roots of your row crops to retain moisture during hot summer months.

Weed Control …

Weed control in the garden is very important to insure the nutrients you are feeding your plants will not be robbed by fast growing grasses and weeds. I mention they are fast growing because if left unchecked for over a week, you will find that any weeds you may have let develop seem to grow twice as fast as your vegetable plants and most have the ability to reach seeding maturity within 4 to 6 weeks. Allowing the weeds to reach maturity will increase the problem 100 fold ! Preventive measures will need to be taken to minimize the problem of any type of weeds in your vegetable garden.

May is an excellent time to take care of the majority of weeds because as of yet they haven’t had sufficient time to mature. The vegetable plants you have planted are developing into strong healthy plants and are distinguishable from the weeds by this point so it makes it a lot easier to see what you want to keep out of the garden, and what shouldn’t be growing in your garden.

By tilling between the rows on a regular basis as weather conditions permit ( 7 to 10 days), you will find the problem is easily managed. Additional weeding will be necessary close to your vegetable plants, and for this process an old fashioned hoe works well if you have a talent with the tool. Although a hoe works well, you will find you damage some of your crops by trying to dig weeds that are too close to the plants you are trying to protect. I prefer pulling the weeds that are close to my plants rather than using a hoe to minimize damage to future crops. The best time to pull weeds is often after a rain shower or in the early morning while the dew is still present on your garden plants. Try to remove as much of the root system of the various weeds as possible to prevent future growth and discard them between the rows where the sunlight can wilt and kill the weeds. In extreme cases of weeds, it is often recommended to remove them from the garden entirely by gathering the pulled weeds in a 5 gallon bucket and adding them to your compost pile as long as they are young and without seeds.

When to Use Pesticides …

May is also an excellent time for pest control because the young tender plants seem to attract every type of insect known to man that thrives on young tender vegetation. By keeping a close eye on your garden for any plant damage on a daily basis, these types of problems can easily be eliminated with safe affordable pesticides that can be purchased at any lawn and garden center. Depending on which type of pesticide you choose will determine the type dispenser you will need to perform the task at hand.

I personally use a liquid poison ( Seven Concentrated Liquid Poison ) that I dilute with a gallon of water and disperse with a pump-up sprayer. This multi-purpose poison seems to eliminate any damaging insects I have in my region ( N.E. Ga.) and is a very affordable solution to any insect problems that may arise. If you prefer, ( Seven Dust ) is also an excellent pesticide, but you will need to purchase an old fashioned dust dispenser to apply evenly, and only use when the wind is not a factor. Either type of dispenser you choose is perfectly alright, but keep in mind, any type of pesticide you choose will need to be re-applied after each rainfall, or 7 to 10 days to treat new foliage that develops. Persistence and determination seem to be the key factors when fighting garden variety insects because of the multitude of harmful insects that can create problems in your vegetable garden. Once again, I stress the importance of early detection and resolution of any problems insects may be causing by simple checking your garden twice a day. Early detection means early prevention. You may loose a plant or two, but its better to see the problem early and take care of it before you loose the entire crop.

Although pesticides are a great way to insure your plants success against harmful insects, try to remember there are helpful insects such as bees, praying mantis, spiders and lady bugs that are better in the garden for its overall health. Bees are needed to pollinate the blooms so as a general rule I avoid spraying blooms on any of my vegetable plants directly. The praying mantis survives by eating smaller insects as much as the spider does, while lady bugs are known to eat tiny larva some insects will lay on the underside of certain plants leaves. Usually by July I am able to put away the sprayer and let nature take care of any problems unless extreme infestation arises.

Some farmers use fowl of various types to help prevent insect infestation, and depending on the crop you are growing usually determines the type bird you will use. Guineas are great for eating moths and grasshoppers and forage well in the garden, yard or woods that may surround your property. I personally prefer Bantam chickens for their small size which lowers the risk of damage to any of my plants due to over zealous attacks they may make on insects. Tobacco farmers train turkeys to work their fields to keep down the tobacco worms because you never want to use a pesticide of any type on tobacco plants. Finding solutions other than pesticides for insect control is a very smart way to improve the over-all health of our environment, so don’t be afraid to be creative by turning insect’s natural predators against them, as long as the solution isn’t creating an even larger problem.

Plant Supporting Devices …

Toward the end of May is an excellent time to decide which type of trellis or plant support device you will need to keep certain plants off the ground when their fruits become too heavy for the plant itself to support. Depending on the plant you intend to support will have a large determining factor as to which device works best for your situation.

Tomatoes

Depending on the size garden you have is a key factor when deciding which is the most efficient and affordable system to use. A small garden with only a few tomato plants, stakes or tomato cages seem to be the best solution. Stakes can be bought at any local hardware store or made from existing lumber you may have on hand, and driven a few inches from your plant to avoid damaging the roots no matter how large it has become. Tomato cages can be purchased at a number of local lawn and garden supply stores, and even some hardware stores, or purchase the wire and design your own cages to save a few dollars. Keep in mind, when using tomato cages its helpful to install these devices while your plants are at a smaller size to avoid damaging the plants.

For larger areas that have 30 plants or more, you may find it much less expensive to use a few fence posts in your row or rows of tomatoes and buy an inexpensive tie wire (about .00 for a 1 lb. roll) and run several strands from post to post. Later as the plants grow, you can tie the plants with a soft strip of cloth such as an old bed sheet that has been cut into strips, or loosely tie a string to attach the plant to the fence. Either type of device you choose will need to be accompanied with some type of cloth strips or string to loosely attach the plant to the device.

Cucumbers

I used to grow my cucumbers on the ground like everyone else. There were always some that would be missed each time I picked and by the time I found them they were to old to be of any use to me other than the seed. Another problem with allowing them to grow on the ground was the grass and weeds that seemed to take over once the plants had started to run and it was impossible to control the weed problem because of the damage I caused the plants I was trying to protect. A simple solution to both problems was a short fence along the row that I was able to install by simple driving a few stakes in the row and slipping the wire over the stakes in a fashion that held the wire in place six to eight inches off the ground. I would train the cucumber plants daily to follow the fence and inner-twine, which not only made the cucumbers easier to find to harvest, I was able to control the weeds ! I recommend placing the fence first and setting your plants afterword to avoid damaging the cucumber plants, but with a little help from an extra pair of hands, the task can be accomplished after the plants are in the ground. Just remember to do this early before the plant starts it’s runners so you can train the plant to the fence at an early stage.

Peppers

Many pepper plants won’t need any supporting devices be cause of their small size when fully grown. Chili and Cheyenne peppers are excellent examples of plants that don’t really need the added support, while other varieties such as bell and jalapeno can always use the extra support to help keep their fruits off the ground. Simple stakes and cloth or string ties seem to work best no matter how many plants you have. Simply drive a stake a few inches from the plant to avoid damaging the roots and tie the main stem of the plant to that stake as it grows. This is also handy when it comes to weed control and harvesting, so plan ahead for a healthy garden environment that is easy to manage and control.

Upcoming Issue …

The June edition of “How to Grow a Vegetable Garden Series” will cover topics such as “Continued Weed & Pest Control” , ” Additional Fertilizers or Plant Foods” , “When to Harvest” , and ” Ways to Preserve Vegetables “. For everything you need to know about “Growing a Vegetable Garden” , don’t miss a single monthly issue !

Spring in the south seems to unfold between late February and Mid-March, and as the flowers and trees start to bud out and bloom, its a constant reminder that time “Marches” on and it will soon be time to plant again. Being prepared for the event is always a good idea, because the size area you intend to plant can be very daunting or even tiresome if you try to do everything at once. Many will find the entire task too overwhelming and decide against even starting a garden, but for those people like myself, the challenge is well worth the rewards. In this “How to Grow a Garden” series, I hope to enlighten as well as educate the novice gardener to the point of confidence that the task of “Growing a Vegetable Garden” becomes a joy filled hobby instead of a relentless task.

Whether you are planning a small box garden, a backyard garden, or planting a field, it really doesn’t matter. The techniques used are basically the same when it comes to growing vegetables. The only thing that really changes is the equipment you use and the volume you hope to produce. This simple monthly guide I have decided to produce this year is designed with the novice gardener in mind, although it will be filled with helpful tips that even the more experienced gardeners will grow to appreciate. My garden will be grown with organic fertilizer (rabbit manure compost) this year, with pictures and a step by step guide to help anyone reproduce their garden with the same incredible results. Many of you may not be able to use the same fertilizer because I raise rabbits and make my own compost, but many commercial fertilizers will work just as well. I’m getting back to basics with my project and hope to have a large number of people that will choose to do the same.

March seems to be the perfect time to plan and prepare in my region (Northeast Georgia) . Although the weather has started to warm a bit, the soil is still too cold for planting. I like to use this time of year to decide what I will be growing and where I will plant each crop as well as get some of my plants started from seed. By starting my own plants from seed, it not only saves money, but it allows me the opportunity to evaluate the quantity and quality of the plants that are available to me, which in turn decides the allotted space required for each crop. From years of experience I’ve discovered that proper planning is one of the most important tasks to be performed.

Every garden should contain a wide variety of the vegetables you enjoy eating, but I always find it very enjoyable to try something new and interesting each year that I may not be familiar with. Experience seems to be the best teacher, and by using the garden as my classroom, its easy to decide what crops do well in my soil and climate conditions.The crops that do well always seem to find a spot in my garden plot for years to come, while those that don’t do so well may never be planted again, but at least I can honestly say,”I gave it a try,”.

Its important to know the difference between “Set” crops and “Row” crops before you start, so I will try to explain. “Set” crops are any plants you set out from seedlings such as tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, watermelons etc., because these plants are usually started from seed in starter cups then placed in prepared “Hills” to allow proper spacing and general care. “Row” crops on the other hand, are seeds dropped directly in prepared rows to begin their cycle of life. Common “Row” crops are corn, beans, peas, beats, potatoes etc.. It always helps for me to visualize the size of the grown row crops so that I can plant the taller crops to the north side of my garden to prevent them from overshadowing the shorter crops. With this in mind, visualize the corn on the north side of the plot, while potatoes, beans and peas should be planted south of the corn. This allows for more even sunlight to embrace your entire garden.

When planning a new garden plot that has never been tended before, there are a few factors to keep in mind. Lighting is very important when deciding where to place your new garden plot on your property. Most vegetable plants will require a minimum of 8 hours of direct sunlight each day for proper development, so its important to watch the available sunlight in the area you are thinking about planting by studying the surrounding trees that may be present. Smaller trees that stand only 15 to 20 feet on the southern region of your garden plot don’t seem to cause any real problems, and added morning shade can even be beneficial to certain plants allowing more time for them to take advantage of the morning dew or the previous nights rain, while taller trees to the south, east, or west may cause too much shade for your new garden and will need to be removed.

Terrain is another factor when choosing your new garden plot that must be considered. Excessive trees that need to be removed to create your new garden plot can be very time consuming and expensive to remove A hillside grade too steep may cause erosion problems once the plot has been cleared and plowed and will need to be terraced with any rock or debris you remove during the process of clearing, reducing the slope of the hill to create a more workable garden area along the hillside, which in turn reduces the chance for unwanted erosion problems. Just keep in mind that new garden plots are full of surprises, and unless you have lived on the property your entire life and are aware of what is just beneath the surface of the soil, there’s’ no telling what you might find once you begin to clear and dig. Any roots, rocks, stump-age or debris will need to be removed and placed in your terrace to help prevent any erosion problems that may develop from heavy rains during the onset of your project. If no terracing is needed, these discarded items can be used in any troubled areas you may have on your property where erosion is a problem. Once the area is cleared, its always a good idea to hire someone with a tractor and turning plow for the initial ground breaking to save countless hours of heartache and work. You will find it was money well spent and will allow you more time for the rock, root, or debris removal..

Depending on the soil type you have encountered will determine what needs to be done next to establish a garden plot that can be worked every year with less effort and increasingly richer soil. Red clay is very common here in Northeast Georgia, and unless you add larger biodegradable components such as pine bark, mulch, manure and leaves, the soil has a tendency to compact during normal garden work. The pine bark, mulch, manure and leaves not only make your garden plot rich in nutrients as they decompose, it also keeps the soil from compacting so tightly together, and by continuing this regiment each year for the first five years or so, you will find that with each passing year, the soil is easier to work and your vegetables will increase in production. It takes time and effort to create a rich garden plot, but can be time and effort well spent, with the reward of a lifetime full of fresh vegetables and fruits that can be enjoyed by the entire family each and every year.

Starting Your Seedlings …

Late March is a great time to to start all your seedlings because the upcoming month will be when most are used. Its important to have a fine soil compost prepared, but for the beginner there are many readily available mixtures you can purchase at you local lawn and garden supply store, and if you aren’t sure exactly what you need, just tell the attendant there what you are trying to accomplish, and they will be more than happy to assist you in selecting a proper mixture. Individual containers or partitioned trays will be needed to keep the roots from binding together and stunting your plants when you separate them at planting time. Root damage at this stage of the young plant’s life may stunt or even kill the plant, so plan ahead to prevent unwanted root damage. Paper egg cartons or flats are very effective and en-expensive to obtain. Local diners that serve breakfast throw them out with their trash every day and are happy to save them for you, especially if you are a regular patron. The paper material not only separates your young plants roots, it also allows excess water to drain or evaporate more quickly to prevent the drowning of your plants. Place a small nail hole in the bottom of each section of the egg trays to ensure drainage of excess water.

Choosing the right location to sprout your seedlings is always a big help. Look for an area that is abundant with sunlight and has access to a water hose, as they will not only need warm sunlight to sprout, they will also need to be checked daily for dryness and watered when needed. Misting lightly works best to prevent unearthing your seeds or breaking the young seedlings with a heavy stream of water once they have sprouted. It is equally important to have space available to move your trays indoors in case of frost or freeze. Temperatures 38 degrees Fahrenheit or above are acceptable, but once the temperature gets any lower, there is always a chance of damage or death to the young sprouts. So once again, plan ahead and be prepared for any situation that may arise. A lot of time and effort will be waisted if you neglect to care for your seedlings on a daily basis.

Start by filling the egg trays or which ever container you choose with the soil mixture you have prepared or purchased (do not pack tightly), allowing space to add a half inch or so of soil on top of the seeds after dropping. Once the soil is in the containers, its time to drop the seed. I always like to put 2 seeds in each compartment to compensate for seed that are faulty and may not sprout. This helps to insure I get at least one plant in each compartment. I’ve found that where both seed sprout, the plants seem to thrive from the competition trying to reach the nutrients in the soil and promoting a healthier root system. Once the seed have been dropped, its time to cover them lightly with more soil to a depth not over 1/2 inch, and watered. If you are sprouting more than one type of plant, its always a good idea to mark you trays in a way that lets you know what is supposed to be in that particular tray. This is very helpful if the trays have to be moved indoors and then placed back outside to insure you don’t get them mixed up. Once again, a little planning ahead may alleviate a lot of headaches a little farther down the road.

Once the trays are prepared, all that really needs to be done is watering on a daily basis, but if the temperature aren’t co-operating or over abundant rain is a problem, here is a simple solution to both problems. For colder than normal weather, try placing a sheet of clear plastic directly over the trays and weighing it down in a fashion that will secure the plastic should the wind blow. This causes a greenhouse effect and moisture will condensate on the plastic sheet. The soil will warm more quickly for the seeds that haven’t sprouted yet. Should too much rain be a problem, place something taller than your trays along the middle of the containers to create a tent that will shed water away and not press the plastic down in the trays as it fills with rain water. Remember, seeds that stay in cold damp soil for too long of a period have a tendency to rot in the ground. Its very important that the soil not only receive sunlight, it needs to be warm as well. Most seeds will sprout in this method within 7 to 10 days depending on the depth of the seed. Planting them too deeply has basically the same result as the soil not being warm enough… They just won’t sprout ! After 14 days with still no seedlings showing, it may be time to replant and evaluate what you did wrong the first time and make any corrections that may be needed. Perhaps the seed you used the first time were too old or faulty, so always be sure you use fresh quality seeds for the best results.

Preparing The Soil …

While waiting for my seeds to sprout, I always prepare my soil in late March and early April for the upcoming planting that will be done in mid-April. Its just something I’ve always done because of the region (Northeast Georgia) I live in. Not only the trees and flowers have started budding and blooming, but many of the weeds and grasses have started sprouting in my fields. Plowing them in at an early stage eliminates many from ever growing back and in turn makes my job of weeding a lot easier in months to come. Because of my fall preparations (plowing in the old garden in November) , the task becomes less time consuming and labor intense. The soil is already soft from the fall till and winter freezes that have a tendency to expand the soil near the surface, so the most important thing I have to worry about is the water content.

Winter and early spring are typically our wettest months, so I pay close attention to long range weather forecasts that give predictions 10 days in advance. I’ve found that this is the best way to plan my “Till” time between late winter and early spring weather systems. Light rains are not much problem, but when it rains for several days I know the soil will need time to dry some before tilling. Usually 3 to 4 days is a sufficient drying time, but not always. Warmth and wind play a big factor when it comes to drying the soil to the proper tilling consistency. It needs to be moist to allow for deeper tilling, but at the same time, if the soil is too damp it has a tendency to stick together in clumps that will later dry into hard rock-like clods that are near impossible to break up. Experience seems to be the best teacher when it comes to tilling. Damp soil tills best, but its important to be sure the soil falls away from the tines of the tiller in a granular fashion, breaking the soil to a somewhat even consistency. Should you find the soil is clodding, put away the tiller for another day and allow the soil more drying time.

Once you have determined the soil is dry enough to till, its time to put your back into it and get started preparing the soil. Living in the mountains as I do, its important to till your plot in the correct direction to help prevent any erosion that may occur during heavy rains. If your garden is positioned on a slop of any kind, its important to remember to plow along the slope, stepping up or down the slope with each pass rather than making rows up and down the hill. Rows of loosened soil placed in a fashion that runs up and down a hill will wash away rich topsoil when heavy rains fall, exposing the roots of your plants. Rows placed along the slope have a tendency to hold the water back, not only holding the soil from erosion, but your plants will benefit more from the water they have helped retain.

Most tillers have a variable speed setting on the throttle to allow you to till as fast or as slow as you would like. You will find that the slower you work, the more efficient your time will be spent. Fast speeds have a tendency to bounce the tiller out of the soil causing you to have to “Manhandle” your equipment to keep it under control, creating a lot of sore muscles and unnecessary backaches, as well as not performing the deep tilling of the soil which we hope to accomplish. Most soil should be tilled to a depth of 8 inches or greater to achieve the best results for your plants. Soil that is tilled too shallow does not allow your root systems to spread properly and reach deep moisture when conditions are hot and dry, resulting in your plants dieing when the weather becomes too harsh and dry for them. Deeply tilled soil also requires less watering for those of you that plan to irrigate in the dryer months. Its important to take your time to accomplish the goal of a deep till to increase vegetable production and ensure the plant’s overall health and longevity.

Depending on what size garden you are preparing will determine which size tiller you should be using. For smaller plots, a 3 horse power tiller works just fine, but for larger plots, I prefer at least a 5 horse power model. If you do not own a garden tiller, there are rental companies that will rent you the equipment on a daily or weekly basis until you decide if this is something you would like to do on a yearly basis and purchase a garden tiller of your own. I use my garden tiller several times a year to keep the soil between my rows soft and weed free while allowing the rain to soak in rather than run off. This seems to work well as long as the plants haven’t overgrown the middle of the rows to the point that I am damaging my crops and plants while tilling. These are times when a “Hoe” works best, but that’s another story. There are even small handheld tilling devices that are very affordable for breaking up the soil in small raised beds, although I use a “Mantis” tiller for the small areas I have that need tilling.

For new garden plots, its important to loosen and remove any grasses or large weeds that may be growing there. Many urban homes have large enough lawns to prepare a garden spot, but the soil underneath the grass may be too poor or compacted to make the task worthwhile. For these areas, I recommend a raised bed system that can be constructed out of 2″x 10″ or 2″x 12″ pressure treated materials, then filled with a nice mixture of mulch, compost and topsoil. You can use your imagination to make these plots as small or large as you like. It really all depends on you and what you hope to accomplish from your efforts. It seems the first year is always the hardest because you are not only unfamiliar with vegetable gardening, but there always seems to be hidden stumbling blocks along the way to discourage you from accomplishing your ultimate goal. Try not to get too discouraged when small troubles arise, and try to remember that your garden is also your classroom. What we learn this year will only make future gardens more productive, and will soon become a more enjoyable hobby for you. Your entire family will be enjoying the healthy benefits of freshly picked and prepared vegetables straight from your garden to your table, giving you a sense of pride and accomplishment for all your hard work.

Upcoming Issue …

April’s issue of “How to Grow a Vegetable Garden Series”, will cover in step by step detail of, “How to Clear an Overgrown Field” to prepare for the planting season. We will also have helpful tips and guidelines for planning as well as planting your summer crops. Learn how to prepare your “set” hills for the best results as well as “row” crop spacing and preparations. Learn how to make your own compost, and mulching advice for your hill crops to retain water in the hot summer months to come. If you are serious about growing a bountiful vegetable garden, don’t miss an issue of “How to Grow a Vegetable Garden Series” for the 2010 season !

Vegetable gardening has lately just as popular as the basis for supermarket produce. Vegetable gardening can produce vegetable that usually cheaper than the store bought, and vegetables from a garden house definitely taste better by far. Vegetable gardening is no different than growing herbs or flowers and if the right steps are taken and the plants are the right care they will flourish and very tasty vegetables.

First you must determine the size of your garden to plant and select a place for is somewhere that has good drainage, good air and good, deep soil. It should also be able to as much sunlight as possible. Because vegetable gardens have such tasty rewards, many animals such as dogs, rabbits, deer, and many others will try to get to your vegetables. One way to prevent this is around your garden with a fence, or a trap to catch mice, moles and other animals.

Before planting, the soil must be well prepared. Good soil for vegetable gardening is achieved by the cultivation and application of organic materials. The soil must be tilled (plowed) to control weeds and mix mulch into the soil. If you have a small garden, spading, a better bet than plowing. Mulching is also an essential part of soil preparation. Organic matter added to the soil releases nitrogen, minerals and other nutrients plants need to thrive. The most popular and best type of mulch you can use compost. Although the type and quantity of fertilizer used depends on the soil and the types of plants, some plants have specific needs; green plants such as cabbage, spinach, lettuce and usually grow better with more nitrogen, while root crops such as potatoes , beets, turnips, carrots and potash. Tomatoes and beans use less fertilizer, while plants like onions, celery, potatoes and have a greater amount.

One thing that is vitally important in vegetable gardening is the garden arrangement. There is no single plan that will work for every garden due to various circumstances. A popular way to plant a vegetable garden vegetables have only limited space together, such as radishes, lettuce, beets and spinach, and those with more room together, such as corn, pumpkins and potatoes. Test and high plant growing plants to the back of the garden and the short at the front so that their sunlight does not clog.

When you finally ready to begin planting your vegetable garden, be sure and plant at the right time of the year. If you die for an early start, you can start your garden in a hotbed and transplant when the weather permits. After you are finished planting, make sure your vegetables receive the appropriate amount of water, depending on the type of plant. Most plants need the equivalent of about one inch of water per week.

Weeds must be controlled in vegetable gardening because they will take water, light and nutrients meant for the vegetables and they often have diseases and insects to the garden. You can get rid of weeds by cultivation or mulching. To protect against disease and insects you can buy seeds that are disease resistant or use controlled chemicals.

Vegetable gardening is many people’s favorite form of gardening because you can really enjoy the fruits of your labor. Vegetable gardening is not expensive to start and the taste of home grown vegetables definitely beat out that of supermarket vegetables. Your vegetable gardening days will be full of produce if you have the proper precautions when planting and continue maintenance of your garden.

There’s a new villain in town, and it’s wreaking havoc on trees and plants. What’s this villan running amok in Overland Park? “Mulch volcanoes.” These pesky volcanoes are created when a property owner uses excessive amounts of mulch around the trunks of a tree. Save your trees by mulching properly! For more information visit www.opkansas.org (search “proper mulching”)

Mulch is used in the garden for a variety of purposes, but it primarily is used to prevent weed growth, to retain moisture, and to protect root systems from the heat of the summer sun. In fact, mulch used in the vegetable garden provides much of the same results as cultivation does.

Mulch is also used as winter and spring coverings for low growing small fruits, to slow flowering and fruiting, or to protect them from injury from late frosts.

Common material for mulching the vegetable garden include straw, hay and leaves. The mulch is usually built up 4 to 6 inches high for maximum protection.

The question has arisen as to whether it is smarter, and more effective to mulch versus cultivating. The answer, not surprisingly, is that it depends. A general rule of thumb is that vegetables with a long growing season benefit from mulching, while short and early season vegetables require relatively little cultivation, and so it’s of less value to expend the cost to mulch them.

Plastic mulch is sometimes used to warm the soil before seeds or seedlings are planted, and to keep it warm during the early spring, when the heat of the sun can warm the soil even though the air is still crisp.

Typically, though, the plastic mulch is removed once the season has progressed.

Another reason to choose mulch over cultivation is if you expect that your garden will need to be neglected over a period of time. If you’re planning a two-week summer holiday, by mulching the garden, you can minimize weed growth, and retain as much moisture as possible, so that your plants are more likely to survive your absence.

Lastly, mulch can be used as a winter fertilizer.

Fall leaves chopped by the lawn mower or leaf shredder make a perfect topper for the garden, especially if you use raised boxes. The layer of leaves protect the soil from the elements, reducing soil loss through the winter, and come spring, the mostly decomposed leaves can be turned into the soil, providing valuable nutrients to the garden.

Vegetable garden layouts can be made very attractive by using plants as edgers along paths and around garden beds. Many vegetable garden layouts, such as potagers, four square gardens and formal gardens, lend themselves to having a decorative herbal or floral border. A vegetable garden requires maximum sunshine and protection from prevailing winds, whether hot or cold. A wall, hedge or fence around the entire garden can provide just the right combination of exposure (sun) and enclosure (against the wind). But within the garden, the borders will be lower and easier to work around. Why not include some of these borders in your vegetable garden plans?

Possible border plants

Annuals: marigolds, nasturtiums, loose-leaf lettuces (red or green varieties), parsley, compact red, gold and green chilies, strawberries etc.
Rosemary: can be clipped into a neat compact hedge. Produces gray-blue flowers in winter when not much else is in bloom.
Lavender: choose a dwarf variety for a low hedge and keep it lightly trimmed.
Chives: bears pretty purple pompom flowers and repels some insects. Probably best to avoid planting near to peas and beans as it may hinder their growth.
Germander: can be clipped into a neat hedge. Will grow quite quickly and therefore will need regular trimming.
Thyme: the fragrant oil from thyme is reputed to repel moths and aphids.

Maintaining the edging
Some herbs, although hardy, may be short lived. They can become sparse or begin to die back, leaving unsightly gaps. To prevent these gaps, when trimming the plants, take some of the cuttings and push them into the soil around the the parent plants so that you will have new plants to take the place of the old.

Cautions

Make sure you know the eventual height of the border plant. You may not want it to be shading your vegetables from the sun.
Many of these herbs require good drainage, so it is wise not to plant vegetables requiring lots of water (e.g. tomatoes) too near to this herbal edging so that they are competing for water.
Take care that you do not plant an invasive plant as a border otherwise you may be up for a lot of work keeping it out of the rest of the garden.

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