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| Vegetable Gardening |
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Timing is everything
Some food crops are more hardy than others. Peas, beets, spinach and radishes like cold weather and can be planted 1 to 2 weeks before the last frost. They can also be planted towards the end of the growing season for a fall crop. More tender plants like tomatoes, peppers, basil and beans need the heat to get started and grow. To be successful with your crops plant them at the right time. If you're unsure of when to plant read the instructions on the Fernlea tag. |
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Rotate for rewards
Crop rotation is an age old farming method of planting crops in a different location in the garden each year to avoid problems with pests and disease. This method prevents pests that live in the soil or diseases which thrive on your crops from taking hold and potentially reaching epidemic proportions. Also continuous cropping with the same vegetable may lead to the depletion of certain levels of soil nutrients. Reduce these problems with a 3 year crop rotation scheme. |
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| Here is an example: |
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| Your vegetable garden |
| Year 1 | Broccoli | Tomatoes | Peppers |
| Year 2 | Peppers | Broccoli | Tomatoes |
| Year 3 | Tomatoes | Peppers | Broccoli |
| Year 4 | Same as year 1 |
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A little effort pays big dividends
Raising food crops requires extra effort. Don't expect to plant vegetables, leave them and then reap the harvest. Root vegetables like carrots or beets need to be thinned when they are several inches high to allow space for growth. Tomatoes, pole beans and some cucumber varieties need staking to provide support for the lengthy branches. Beans and peas need to be harvested regularly when they're coming on or else the plant will go to seed. The little effort you spend will be rewarded with an abundance of lush healthy vegetables. |
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Preparing the soil
Preparing the soil is your first important job. The success of the crop is directly related to the quality of the soil, and what it has to offer the plants. It is necessary for the plants to have a good root environment and nutrition. It is best to dig your soil during a dry spell in late autumn or early winter. Spread a generous amount of compost over the entire surface of your garden. Then dig in the whole area. It is also beneficial to add organic matter at the rate of 10 lb. per sq. yard. If the area is lacking humus, the garden can be enriched with well rotted manure or compost. The garden should also be limed every 3 years. A pH kit will tell you the degree of acidity. The test result will determine the application rate for lime. See soil smarts for more information. |
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When to plant
Frost tolerance varies for each variety. For information on when vegetable plants can safely be planted in your geographical location, see the plant hardiness zone map. |
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Transplanting tips
Before transplanting water the seedlings well. Transplants come in plastic flats called six packs. To remove them from their cells, turn the flat upside down, and lightly tap the bottom with one hand. The plants and soil should pop out easily. If the plants do not slip out easily, simply break the plastic away from the root ball. Then place individual plants in the ground, firming the soil around the base of each plant. After they're in the soil, water the plants extensively, and keep them moist for at least a week until they get settled. Newly transplanted vegetable seedlings will need protection from the elements the first week or so. Harsh elements, such as strong sunshine or wind could quickly ruin those baby plants. |
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Protection tips
• Large can with tops & bottoms removed provide excellent protection.
• Newspaper tents keep sun and cold air off. Keep papers in place with stones.
• A shingle screen keeps wind from damaging your plants.
• Gallon plastic milk containers protect young plants from low temperatures. |
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Care and feeding
Like all plants, vegetables need food and water to grow. Water regularly with a good soaking once or twice a week during peak growing season and more if the weather is really hot and dry. Some plants, such as tomatoes, like fertilizer and some plants don't. Bell peppers, for example, will produce lots of leaves if fertilized so leave them alone and they'll produce lots of peppers. When in doubt check the Fernlea label or ask your local nursery. |
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Mulching
A layer of mulch is as comforting to a plant as a warm blanket on a cold night is to us. Mulching is laying down loose material on the soil surface. Mulching: keeps weeds down; keeps the soil warm promoting quicker plant germination and growth; keeps the soil from drying out; and, if an organic mulch is used, it will over time improve the soil. To be most effective mulch should be laid on in the late spring about 3 inches thick and left alone. Mulching allows you to decrease watering frequency by about a third, and eliminates hoeing between the rows. Organic mulches include straw, peat moss, sawdust, dry manure, and bark chips. Inorganic mulches include aluminum foil, newspaper, and polyethylene film. |
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