Tips for planning vegetable garden will be covered in this section.
Make a garden plan
Adjust your garden plan to the amount of land available and the needs of your family. As far as possible, plant at times that will make vegetables available throughout the entire growing season.
Prepare the soil thoroughly
Use two to five wheelbarrow loads of well-rotted manure or compost for each 100 square feet of garden area. A complete commercial fertilizer, 16-16-16 or similar at a rate
of 1 to 2 pounds to 100 square feet, may be used in addition to, or in place of, the manure and compost. Some garden soils will benefit further from the application of 5 to 10 pounds of pulverized limestone to 100 square feet. Mix all of these materials with the garden soil, at least 6 inches deep. Adding 5 to 10 pounds of gypsum per 100 square feet also will help improve soil structure and water penetration. Work the surface soil thoroughly to prepare a fine seed bed.
Plant seeds on recommended dates
Use map of growing regions to choose the approximate planting dates for each region. Make adjustments in these planting dates for your particular locality and seasonal pattern.
Follow planting recommendations on the seed packet. Water lightly and frequently (as often as once or twice daily for vegetables like celery, carrots, and parsley) until seedlings are well established.
Plastic mulches
Row mulches of black plastic and plant covers of various materials can be beneficial in increasing early germination, yield, and quality of such crops as melons, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn, and pole beans, to name a few.
The mulches conserve moisture, eliminate weeds, and prevent fruit rots by keeping fruit clean and away from the soil. Punching small holes in the plastic prevents water from
accumulating on top of it. Covers enhance earliness and protect plants from insects and spring frosts. If you carefully remove and store them in the fall, you can reuse the covers for several seasons.
New floating row cover materials of polyethylene, sponbonded polyester, and sponbonded polypropylene are available. These can be laid directly on the crop without the need for wire hoops or other supports. Hold them in place by putting weights along the edges—such as gallon jugs filled with water, or pieces of steel reinforcing rods, bricks, or lumber. And lay them loosely, to allow for several weeks of plant growth. They usually are kept on the crop for 4 to 6 weeks.
Give the garden consistent care
Cultivate the soil only enough to eliminate weeds. Irrigate the garden by thoroughly soaking the soil to the entire depth of the roots every 7 days during dry weather. Failure to irrigate properly is the most frequent cause of problems in the garden.
To check the amount of water applied, place several cans in your garden and check the amount of water in them after 1 sprinkling for a period of time. Apply 1 to 1 /2 inches of water per irrigation, but apply the water slowly so as not to cause surface runoff and soil erosion.
Control insects and diseases
Insects, slugs, symphylans, and diseases must be controlled to obtain good clean vegetables. Consult appropriate Extension publications for recommendations on controlling these garden pests. Follow recommendations on the labels. Store all chemicals safely, away from children. Rinse empty containers and dispose of them in the manner recommended.
Double crops
Early vegetables such as spinach, radish, leaf lettuce, and peas can be followed by additional plantings of the same or other vegetables. Companion cropping of early and late varieties -planting two different vegetables at the same time such as radishes and tomatoes - should be avoided, unless space is very limited.
Buy carefully
Study the list of recommended varieties and buy accordingly. You may rely on well-adapted varieties. Buy plants for early cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, and tomatoes. If recommended varieties are not available locally, we suggest you purchase the recommended variety from a seed company.
