Plan for a Home Garden
Regardless of the reason for growing your own vegetables, a successful garden only comes with proper gardening plan and constant attention. Important elements include careful site selection, planting at the right time, using the right amount of fertilizer, using varieties adapted to your region, controlling pests, and harvesting at the right time.Site Selection
It is important to choose a site with at least six to eight hours of full sun. Vegetables will not grow well in competition with trees or in shade. A garden site should have well-drained soil and be free of chemicals and debris.
Lime and Fertilizer
The best way to determine the nutritional needs of your soil is by soil testing at least every three years. Information for soil tests can be obtained from your county Extension office. A soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5 works best for most vegetables. For lime to be most effective, it should be mixed into the soil a month or two before planting.
Long season crops such as tomatoes, cabbage, pepper, okra and potatoes need more fertilizer than short season crops. It is important to observe crops to determine if additional side-dressing of fertilizers are needed.
Disease Control
The best practices for reducing diseases are crop rotation, using disease-free seed, resistant varieties, early planting, plowing under old crop debris, and seed treatment. Chemical fungicides may be used to control some common leaf diseases of tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and cantaloupes. Contact your local Extension office for fungicides labeled for vegetable crops.
Harvesting
The main reason for having a garden is to produce fresh, high-quality vegetables. Vegetables should be harvested often in order to get vegetables at the proper stages of maturity. If beans, cucumbers, or okra are left to full maturity, the plant will stop producing. For best results, harvest vegetables early in the morning. Freeze or can the surplus so you can enjoy your garden all year.
Comments
0 Response to "Plan for a Home Garden"
Leave a Reply