Home Vegetable Gardening Chapter 13 Everything you always wanted to know
Home Vegetable Gardening
Chapter 13
Everything you always wanted to know
Tie it all Together Soils
Integrated Pest
Management
Plant Disease
Entomology
Irrigation
Extending the Season
Plant Propagation
Weeds & Solarization
Composting
Pesticides
Food Safety
Harvest & Storage
Coming Up:
Vertebrate Pests
Soils & Fertilizer
Consider your soil texture (clays stay
colder, sand drains faster, etc)
Soil test kit? or have soil sample tested
Add compost, organics & other soil
amendments!
Add fertilizer, if needed
Preplant (banding) or postplant (side dress)
Don’t work soil when it’s wet
Causes compaction
Repeated rototilling can cause a “hardpan”,
need to periodically hand dig or double dig
Integrated Pest Management
Plant disease resistant &
adapted varieties
Keep plants healthy to
better resist pests
ID & Monitor for pest
levels
Determine your tolerance
Try cultural practices
Use biological controls
Use least toxic pesticides
Plant Disease
Fungal diseases
Powdery mildew
Damping off of seedlings
Bacterial diseases
Rots, wilts, & blights
Viral diseases
Tobacco mosaic virus
Nematodes
Abiotic
Mineral deficiency
Entomology What’s that bug?
Holes in leaves from leaf-
eating caterpillars or fly
larvae
Tomato hornworm, cabbage
looper, sawfly larvae
Stippled or mined leaves
from piercing-sucking
insect
Stinkbug, lygus bug,
leafminers
Honeydew & sooty mold
Aphids, psyllids, scale
Knotted, beaded roots
nematodes
Irrigation You will need water
Mulch to conserve moisture
Low volume works well
Drip
T-tape
Emitters
Drip tube
Soaker hose
Microspray
Don’t water weeds or
groundwater
Consider vertical gardening
Know critical watering periods
In drought, grow shorter
season & fewer crops
Extending the Season
Typical “warm season
crop” window for Trinity is
90 days (Memorial Day to
Labor Day)
Consider cold frames,
hoophouses,
greenhouses, etc
Use for “cool season
crops” (herbs, greens, root
crops)
Start annual plants in
spring
Harden off seedlings
Plant Propagation Seed starting
Tubers
Potatoes, jerusalem
artichokes
Bulbs
Garlic, onions
Root division
Asparagus crowns,
horseradish,
rhubarb
Layering
Berries
Grafting
Tomatoes?
For direct seeding, check
out germination rates
under different soil
temperatures
Weeds & Solarization
Prevention
Don’t bring them in
Proper composting
Physical & cultural control
Summer Annuals
Fleabane, spurge
Winter Annuals
Cheeseweed, prickly
lettuce
Perennials
Field bindweed
Understanding Pesticides
IPM first
Least toxic first
Pay attention to entry
and harvest intervals
Planning
Plant what you like to eat
Develop a garden plan and schedule
Online software
Just draw it out
Consider spacing
Close space to reduce weeds
Companion planting
Think about timing
Same crop at intervals
New crop in fall?
Garden Journals
Keep track of varieties that do well
Planting & harvest dates
Yield! How many lbs potatoes
planted vs yield
Ounces of bean seed planted vs yield
Issues affecting crop production
Not just for veggies – for fruit, berries, flowers, etc
Location, Location, Location
Gardens need 8
hours of sun per day
Some afternoon
shade in hot weather
is good
Try planting along a
north to south
alignment with taller
crops along the west
side for shade
Crop Rotation
Rotate by plant family
Difficult with intercropping
Why?
Rotate to avoid soil-borne
diseases & nematodes
Follow legumes with
heavy-feeding crops (corn,
garlic, etc)
Solarize to kill weeds, soil
pathogens & nematodes
Cover crops
Vertical Vegetable Gardening
Save space Increase
yields per sq foot
Reverse “bush” or less productive plant breeding
Save water
Easier to improve soil, weed and monitor for produce & pests
• Better air circulation, less disease
• Save your back!
• Repurpose, Re-use, be creative
What Kind of Structures?
Raised beds
Vegetable
Cages
Trellis
Teepee, dome
or arbor
Stacked pots
Plant walls
Garden tower
Climbing Beans (not bush)
Use strong trellis, teepee, or heavy reach-through netting, since these can be 6-15 feet high and HEAVY
Pole beans Yard-long beans
Pole lima beans, especially “Christmas” heirloom variety
Romano pole beans
Shelling (dry) beans
Peas
English (vining),
snow peas & snap
peas
Try sugar snap peas
Blue podded peas
Lighter weight than
beans, don’t need
as strong structure
How about climbing squash & cucumbers?
Look for heirloom squash with tendrils Trombone zucchini
Trombetta di Albenga
Spaghetti Squash
Try cucumbers - natural climbers with tendrils (not bush!) Use trellis or heavy
netting
Consider access for harvesting
Varieties: pickling & slicing, lemon
Maintenance
Considerations You may need to move
physical structure to
accommodate crop
rotation
How do you plant to
remove dead plant
material from trellis &
dome structures?
Clip twine & compost
Can burn material off metal
fence but not plastic
netting
Hand-pulling dead material
from structure is hard
What do you do at the end of
the season?
Infrastructure & Tools
Fencing
Aboveground & underground
Critter traps
Power Equipment?
Width between & in raised
beds
Garden tools
Shovel, rake, hoe
Cultivator
Hand trowel, pruners, hand
rake
Buckets, baskets, barrows
Soil thermometer!
Perennials
Asparagus
Rhubarb
Globe Artichoke
Will come back
anyway after you
dig roots
Horseradish
Jerusalem
Artichoke
So What do I Plant Around Here?
Average temperatures are 55°F - 75°F
Plant early in spring, again in later summer
Tolerate slight frost when mature, protect young
Will bolt in warm weather
Eating roots, leaves, immature fruit
Try
Roots: beet, carrot, radish
Greens: spinach, lettuce, chard
Cole crops: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower
Potato
Onion & garlic
Peas
Cool-Season Crops
Warm Season Crops
Average temperatures 65°F -95°F
Damaged by frost
Need long, hot days & warm soil
Eating “fruit”
Try
Summer squashes
Pumpkins & winter squashes
Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant,
tomatillos
Corn
Fresh & dried beans
Cucumbers & melons
Fuggedaboutit?
Things that need
looonngg growing
seasons or high
humidity, semi-tropical
Sweet potatoes
Celery
Chayote
Long season melons
Okra
Problem Diagnosis for Vegetables
Check out tables in
Master Gardener
Handbook
Pests of the Garden and
Small Farm
www.ipm.ucdavis.edu
Most Common Questions
Why didn’t
my squash
set fruit??
It just
produced
little fruit
that
shriveled
up.
Answer –
it didn’t get
pollinated.
What’s wrong with
my tomato??
“Catfacing” - Blossom ends are
scarred or lumped. Deep cavities
penetrate the fruit. Cool and cloudy
weather at bloom time cause this
disorder. Try resistant varieties. “Sunscald” causes fruit to become brown
and leathery on the side exposed to the
sun. Maintain plant vigor with necessary
fertilizer and water to produce adequate
leaf cover.
“Tomato Leaf Roll”: lowest leaves roll upward in wet
spring conditions, looks wilted. Physiological leaf roll
is very common & not caused by a pathogen. No
action is needed. It will not harm plants. Symptoms
disappear when temperatures become warmer and
soils dry out.
Planting potatoes
Potatoes are tubers formed along the stem
There are no tubers produced below the “seed” potato (roots)
If in soil, plant in trench, then add fill, then create mound
Not on our
radar
screen
From garden to kitchen, there
are many chances for
bacteria, viruses and parasites
to contaminate produce
Bacteria – E. coli, Salmonella,
Shigella
Virus – Hep A, Norwalk,
rotovirus
Parasites – Giardia,
toxoplasma, cryptosporidium
Food Safety in the Vegetable Garden
Home Vegetable Gardens
Clean Soil
Clean Water
Clean Surfaces
Harvest &
storage
Clean
Soil
Especially for leafy greens and
produce eaten raw (RTE)
Reduce use of raw manures
If used, incorporate into soil > 90 days
before planting or use commercially
stabilized materials
Compost properly, don’t add fresh
manure to existing compost, never use
pig, dog or cat poop (parasites)
Avoid planting leafy vegetables near
animal enclosures (dust & runoff) or
have barrier
Restrict application of manure teas
Keep pets out of garden, poultry?
Clean
Water
Consider source of irrigation
water (community water
system vs stream, seep or
well) & method of irrigation
Use potable water for
washing produce (final rinse)
and use running water
instead of basin
Greywater on non-edibles or
limit contact (mulch basin
under fruit trees)
Drip irrigation reduces
contamination
Have water tested at Sanitary
District for coliform
Clean Hands
& Surfaces
Use gloves when using
manures, especially with
open wounds
Wash hands, especially
after potential
contamination
Use different gloves or
wash hands for harvest
Clean harvest buckets
and work surfaces
(sanitize with 1 T bleach
per gallon water)
No toddlers with diapers
Harvesting & Storage
Don’t glean fruit from
ground
Observe harvest intervals,
even for organic pesticides
Clean harvest containers
Don’t stack containers that
have been in contact with
soil
Keep storage area clean &
secure to avoid vermin
Storing the Harvest
Physical Storage
House & garage
microclimates
In Garden
Insulated boxes
Damp sand bins
Mounds
Root cellars
Not processing, preservation or
refrigeration, but
long-term storage (1-6 mo)
What type of produce?
Pumpkins &
Winter squash
Root crops
Apples & Pears
Potatoes
Onions & garlic
Cabbage
Tomatoes
Keys to Success
Starts with selection, proper harvesting
& curing
Goal of storage is to keep produce in a
dormant state
Need to maintain proper “living”
conditions by controlling temperature,
humidity, and ventilation - find the right
microclimate
Avoid actions that will promote spoilage
Needs to be easily accessible &
trackable - keep inventory (we use
whiteboard)
Check frequently to cull rotting fruit &
vegetables – one bad apple DOES
spoil the barrel
It starts with harvesting
Timing is critical !! Usually harvest produce at peak
maturity, not overripe, before freeze (tomatoes not ripe)
Free from disease & insect damage
Harvest in morning when produce is cool
Harvest during dry weather so produce is dry for
storage
When harvesting and storing use only containers with
smooth inner surfaces to help prevent damage, handle
carefully
Leave an inch or more of stem on most vegetables to
reduce water loss and prevent infection, don’t carry
pumpkins & winter squash by the stem
Curing produce
Garlic, onions and winter
squash – cure 7-28 days in
warm (70-80 degrees F) and
low humidity – will increase
longevity of storage
Sweet potatoes and potatoes –
cure 7-10 days in a warm (75
degrees F), moist environment
– allows for thickening of skin
or repair of damage to skin
during harvest
Microclimates for
Produce
Cold and moist
Cool and moist
Cold and dry
Cool and dry
Measure temps & humidity around your house
Other Storage Considerations
Store fruits and vegetables separately (limit gas
exchange)
Apples produce ethylene gas which causes quick
ripening (rot) of pumpkins, winter squash and
potatoes, also causes carrots to become bitter
Onions cause potatoes to sprout (short term okay)
Fruits susceptible to picking up taste of nearby
vegetables
Cabbage, kale, rutabagas, turnips, and winter radishes
emit strong odors
Indoor storage areas
Basement
Unheated
rooms or
enclosed
porches
Garage
House storage: Pumpkins
Cool & dry
Pumpkins & winter
squash in unheated room
(50-60°F)
NOT in heated area
Eat in correct order –
acorn squash, pumpkins,
butternut & hubbard
Last 3-6 months
House Storage:
Tomatoes
Pick mature green tomatoes before frost
Can also pull up vines and hang them in basement or shed to ripen
Store at 55-60°F to slow ripening (we use flat cardboard box under bed in unheated room)
Put out at 70°F to ripen – takes 2 weeks
Don’t overheat (rot!)
Never, ever refrigerate
Ethylene gas promotes ripening – can store with apples
Try full-flavored varieties
In-Garden Storage
Root crops – carrots, turnips, parsnips and beets can be left in
garden
After freeze, cover with a 6-12” of hay or dry leaves –
parsnips, horseradish & turnips improve in flavor with light
freeze – starches to sugar
Produce can be damaged if temperatures go below 25° F
Insulated
Boxes
Plywood, insulated with rigid foam & lined or old coolers
Materials are clean straw, hay, dry leaves, sawdust, or newspaper, discard each year
Have air holes, so keep apples & potatoes separated
Cold & Dry
Cold & Moist Put cup of water in box to raise humidity to reduce shriveling of
potatoes & apples
Damp Sand Bins & Buckets
Cold & moist
Old coolers, buckets or
plastic bins
Root crops
Cabbage (rooted)
Jerusalem artichoke
Don’t make it too heavy,
should be opaque to
prevent sprouting
Go Forth and Grow Vegetables!