Community Gardening Planting Your Garden

Transcription

1 Community Gardening Planting Your Garden University of Illinois Extension 1925 South Meridian Road Rockford, Illinois

2 First Things First Will you have fresher and better tasting veggies, YES Will you know what went into your crop, YES Do you control the quality, quantity and amount you get, YES, in most cases barring unusual weather conditions, you definitely get out what you put in You will get outside and enjoy the outdoors more, Oh, yeah Keep a journal: this lets you know when to plant, what to succeeded, calendar events for your crop maturation, etc. Keep a calendar with your journal notebook with spaces to make notes Use a garden drawing

3 First Things First Site and Design This really is the first step in any gardening endeavor. Do you currently have a garden? How is it producing for you? Every garden must have good exposure to sunlight (minimum 6hrs.) You must have good drainage You need a plan What size will your garden be-make a scale (if possible) garden drawing with vegetable placements, etc. What do you want to grow and how much do you need (i.efor immediate consumption or freezing/canning) Will you have raised beds, raised rows, container garden or an in ground garden system Your soil must be the correct ph and fertility. Testing should be done now

4 First Things First Site and Design What kind of bed are you going to use? What is the purpose? and how much room do you have? In the ground garden Container Raised bed What type of raised beds and what size are you going to use. What medium are you going to use? Medium? When can you plant, what can you plant and what will be your harvest decisions? What about extras such as herbs, flowers and even washing stations for vegetables?

5 First Things First How much room do you have Rotate crops What are you going to plant? Leave an area fallow (especially important in the 2 nd and 3 rd years) Leave space for succession plantings How do you garden On the ground Raised beds / Raised rows Container or container in a container Square foot gardening

6 First Things First What tools do you need? Do you have a storage area? Have you planted veggies before? Were there any issues How was your garden Were you happy with it or not First time gardener or first time at this location: What is the P/H of your planting medium What if anything are you going to need for your garden area What are you going to do with all the veggies as you harvest?

7 Equipment Needed Hoe * Rake * Spading fork or shovel * Sprayer or duster * Sprinkler can * Trowel * Garden hose with sprinkler or soaker hose * Wheelbarrow * Garden sprayer, hand held or tank * Wheel cultivator Compost shredder Lawn mower Home greenhouse Seeder Power tiller * Essential Tools

8 Supplies Dry garden fertilizer * Measuring stick or tape * Marking labels * Seeds and plants * Sprays or dusts * Stakes * Starter fertilizer * String * Compost, manure (aged) Plant protectors * Garden fabric * Gloves * Trellis or fencing * Wire cages * Plant-growing mixes and containers Seed protectants

9 Planting When to plant What temp and soil temps do your crops need? No reason to wait until May 15 th (projected last frost date) to begin planting Use 4 season gardening Not year around but as close as we can get Plants, or started seeds, or seeds based on your garden design Read your seed packs How do you want to plant? Direct sowing of seeds, plants, peat pots or peat pellets

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12 Planting When to plant What temp and soil temps do your crops need No reason to wait until May to plant everything Use 4 season gardening Not year around but as close as we can get Plants, or started seeds, or seeds Read your seed packs What do you plant in Topsoil, amended topsoil, compost, or gardeners mix

13 Very hardy (plant 4-6 weeks before average frost-free date) Seed Kale Kohlrabi Leaf lettuce Onion Pea Rutabaga Salsify Spinach Turnip Transplants Asparagus (crown) Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Horseradish (root) Onion (set or plant) Parsley Potato, Irish (tuber) Rhubarb (root)

14 Frost-tolerant (plant 2-3 weeks before average frost-free date) Seed Beet Mustard Carrot Parsnip Chard Radish Herbs Transplants Cauliflower Chinese cabbage Herbs

15 Tender (plant on average frost-free date) Seed Bean, snap Corn, sweet New Zealand spinach Squash, summer Transplants Tomato

16 Warm-loving (plant 1-2 weeks after average frost- free date) Seed Bean, lima Cucumber Muskmelon Okra Pumpkin Squash, winter Watermelon Transplant Eggplant Pepper Potato, sweet

17 Four Season Gardening What is four season gardening? Instead of planting everything you have on May 15 th spread the season Cool and cold weather crops do better BEFORE AND AFTER the summer heat By planting twice per year, Spring and fall you get more quality and quantity It spreads out your canning and preserving schedule If you have a greenhouse or a cold frame you can spread the season even more

18 Four Season Gardening Plant early Frost Tolerant Lettuce / Endive Beets Swiss Chard Carrots Parsnips Radishes Mustard Arugula Green Onions Early Planting Date 2 to 4 weeks before the average last frost Late Planting Date 8 to 10 week before the average first frost

19 Four Season Gardening Very Hardy Plants Use them first and last From Seed Collards Peas Turnips Rutabaga Winter Radish Corn Salad Kohrabi Salsify Spinach As Transplants Cabbage Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Potato Parsley Onion Sets (spring) Garlic Bulbs (fall) Horseradish (spring) Asparagus (spring) Rhubarb (spring) Spring planting 4 to 6 weeks before average last frost Fall planting 8 to 10 weeks before average first frost

20 Planting Times Summer Gardens Northern Illinois: April Very Hardy Vegetables Asparagus, crowns Cabbage, seed Collard Kohlrabi Leek, seed Lettuce, leaf Mustard greens Onion, perennial Onion, seed Onion, sets Pea Potato, Irish Radish Rhubarb, plants Spinach Turnip Northern Illinois: April 25-May 10 Frost Tolerant Vegetables Beet Broccoli, plants Brussels sprouts, plants Cabbage, plants Carrot Cauliflower, plants Chard, Swiss Chinese cabbage, plants Leek, plants Lettuce, head, plants Onion, plants Parsley Parsnip Radish Salsify Successive Plantings Kohlrabi Lettuce, leaf Radish

21 Planting Times Northern Illinois: May Tender Vegetables Bean, snap Corn, sweet New Zealand spinach Tomato, plants Successive Plantings Lettuce, leaf Mustard greens Radish Northern Illinois: May 25-June I Warm Loving Vegetables Bean, lima Cucumber Eggplant, plants Muskmelon Okra Pepper, plants Potato, sweet, slips Pumpkin Squash, summer Squash, winter Watermelon Successive Plantings Bean, snap Beet Carrot Corn, sweet

22 Planting Times Fall Gardens Northern Illinois: June 1-June 5 Brussels sprouts Cabbage, direct seeded Collard Kale Kohlrabi Pepper Potato, Irish Squash, summer Tomato Successive Plantings Bean, snap Corn, sweet Cucumber Northern Illinois: June 25-JuIy 5 Bean, snap Beet Broccoli, plants Cabbage, plants Carrot Cauliflower, plants Chinese cabbage, plants Endive Okra Rutabaga

23 Planting Times Northern Illinois: July Chinese cabbage Kohlrabi Lettuce, cos Lettuce, leaf Mustard greens Radish, winter Turnips Northern Illinois: August Lettuce, leaf Mustard greens Radish, spring Spinach

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26 Soil Improvements Cover crops Manure (Aged) Compost Make your own Straw Leaves Grass(Aged) Mix green and brown

27 Soil Improvements N-P-K Nitrogen A building block for chlorophyll Phosphorus Essential to the distribution and storage of energy for the plant Potassium Regulates the processes of plant food creation, transportation and storage Synthetic fertilizers Fast acting, short life, less useable for the plant Organic Fertilizers More useable for the plant and longer lasting

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30 Plants Grouped By Nutrient Demand Leaves Fruit Roots Cleaners and (High N) (High P) (High K) Builders Heavy Heavy Heavy Cleaners Lettuce Squashes Onions Corn Salad Greens Cucumbers Shallots Potatoes Chicory Melons Garlic Spinach Pumpkins Scallions Leeks Light Light Light Builders Broccoli Tomatoes Carrots Beans Brussels Sprouts Peppers Beets Peas Cabbage Eggplants Turnips Cauliflower Radishes Kale Kohlrabi

31 Websites Local Extension your county University of Illinois Vegetable gardening information for Illinois Vegetable pest identification guide Other Pollinator information