myagriculture

Composting for the Vegetable Garden

Composting is the aerobic decomposition of biodegradable organic matter. It’s one of the soundest ecological practices as it returns plant and animal matter back to the soil in a highly beneficial form.

The most practical place to create a compost pile is in the corner of the garden where it is readily available. Organic matter is piled up and left for approximately 6 months or until decomposed. The end product is like “gold for your garden,” added to the soil to improve fertility and the soils ability to retain moisture.

Having your own compost pile is most economical when you use available materials to make it. These materials include leaves, dead plant materials, grass clippings, herbivore animal manures and kitchen garbage. Never put meat and fats in the compost as they attract wild animals. One of the most consistently available ingredients for your compost is kitchen waste including fruit and vegetable peels, egg shells and coffee grounds to name a few. Usually there is no need to purchase special compost ingredients, although baled, spoiled hay, for those who live in rural areas is a favorite, easy to use material and is usually not too expensive. Many gardeners keep a bale of hay next to the compost pile and cover the garbage with a pitchfork full of hay.

The fall is a good time to start a compost pile because there is an abundance of materials. If properly cared for, the compost pile will decompose and be ready for use in your garden by late spring or early summer of the following year.

Size:

A compost pile can be a small pile and can become as large as you are willing to manage. Attaching chicken wire to four corner posts will help keep your compost pile more manageable. You can also attach pieces of wood instead of chicken wire, which will hold in the warmth and allow for faster decomposition. A recommended size for the average gardener is a pile at least 3’ X 3’ X 3’.

Location:

It’s most convenient to keep your compost pile near your garden, but this is not always practical due to factors such as the amount of space available. Compost is easily transferable with a wheelbarrow and can be located anywhere in your yard. The location should be level with good drainage, as standing water will inhibit bacterial growth. If possible, avoid direct sunlight and areas exposed to strong winds, which can dry out and cool the pile. A partly sunny location is ideal as long as it receives sufficient rainfall. If located near trees, you may want to consider setting a basic foundation for your compost out of brick or stone to keep roots from growing up into your compost seeking moisture and nutrients. In general, a compost pile should be kept open and moist to avoid bacteria that can cause bad odors. A well-ventilated compost pile will decay more rapidly.

Percent Dry WeightMaterialNitrogenPhosphoric Oxide (P2O5)PotashBlood Meal10.0-14.01.0-5.0----Bone Meal (steamed)2.023.0----Coffee Grounds2.10.30.3Cottonseed Meal6.62.0-3.01.0-2.0Eggshells1.20.40.1Garbage2.0-2.91.1-1.30.8-2.2Grass Clippings2.4--------Grass Clippings/Weeds2.01.12.0Manure (dry)Horse1.21.01.6Cattle2.01.02.0Poultry5.01.91.2Salt Marsh Hay1.10.30.8Seaweed (dry)1.70.84.9Sewage Sludge (digested)2.01.50.2Wood Aash (unbleached)---1.1-2.04.0-10

Ingredients:

Keep in mind there needs to be balance in your compost pile. Too much of any one ingredient, such as leaves or grass clippings, will not make for the best compost. A mixture of different materials will help air circulate and provide both carbon and nitrogen. Most professionals recommend a mix of 2/3 carbon-containing materials and 1/3 nitrogen-containing materials. Carbon containing materials include straw, spoiled hay, wood chips, saw dust, leaves, chopped cornstalks, pine needles and shredded newspapers. Nitrogen-containing materials include dead plants, grass clippings, weeds, manures, kitchen vegetable waste and soil layers. Avoid putting meat scraps or fat into the compost, as well as diseased plant materials or those that might harbor insects over the winter, particularly rose foliage (black spot), iris (iris borer) and cabbage (club root). Perennial plants and invasive weeds can be a nightmare, as the seeds may not always decompose. Also if you treat your lawn with a weed killer or any type of chemicals, the first two or three rounds of grass clippings should be kept out of the compost, as the smallest amount of weed killer can kill a tomato plant. For more specific information relating to common compost ingredients please see the chart below:

How do I know when my compost is ready for use?

Compost is ready for use when it smells earthy and has a rich brown appearance. There may still be some big pieces of organic matter in the pile that haven’t fully decomposed and a sieve (2 inch screen) may be useful for removing these pieces for further composting. Compost can be added to the soil anywhere you plan to plant such as the vegetable garden, flowerbeds or shrubbery borders. To add the compost, simply rake the material on in layers and work into the soil until you’ve reached a thickness of about 2-3 inches. It is important to use the compost when it’s ready, as it’s not stable and will not last for long periods of time. Once compost has been added to your garden year after year, the soil should become easily workable and fertile, and will hold soil moisture extremely well. If this level of soil is reached, you are sure to have a hearty harvest! Another benefit of using compost in your garden is the presence of earthworms. Earthworm tunneling helps aeration and their castings help to make the soil more granular, especially topsoil. Earthworms also have some influence on nutrient availability.

Vegetable Gardening in Containers

Container gardening is probably the easiest way to jump start your gardening experience. Contrary to the belief of some, a wide variety of vegetables can be successfully grown in containers. Container gardening seems to make sense if you just want to test the waters and see if gardening is really for you or not. It doesn't involve digging up large portions of your back yard, and can still offer some great rewards. Container gardens can be grown in a window or door sill, on a patio or balcony, or pretty much anywhere else that receives at least 5 hours of direct light per day. It may be the most realistic solution to a garden if the ground for your garden is not well suited to growing vegetables (bad soil, pests, not enough light, waterlogged, etc.)

Types of Containers

There are many containers suitable for growing vegetables and herbs. Containers for vegetable plants must in general:

Be large enough to support the plant and its roots system once fully grown, trellis or support can be added
Hold an adequate amount of soil
Have good drainage
Have not been exposed to toxic elements

There is an extremely wide variety of containers suitable for vegetables and herbs: Barrels, tubs, boxes, old watering cans, buckets, bushel baskets, terra cotta pots, drums, gallon cans, window boxes, shoes, etc. all can be made into successful container gardens. Pretty much anything that has the capability to hold some soil could be used as a container for gardening. Selecting your container will depend mainly on three factors: size needed (some vegetables need more room), cost, and appearance. Ironically many of the decorative pots available do not have adequate drainage holes, which is a must for the container garden, if choosing something of this sort, make sure to add provisions for drainage. If you intend to build a plating box out of wood, choose a wood that is rot-resistant (redwood or cedar). Standard pressure treated wood is not a good choice for container garden plants, as some of the chemicals used to deter rot and insects are toxic. Liners can also be utilized to improve the life span of wood, assuming they provide adequate drainage.

Size of Containers

The bigger the better. Bigger containers will not dry out as fast, and will offer more room for vegetables to grow. That said, some plants require more room than others, so choose a container size that is appropriate for the particular vegetable that it will contain. Many vegetables don't do well if their roots are restricted, even if they are well watered and fertilized (this is especially true of squash and cucumbers). Think of the size listed for each particular plant as a minimum, most plants would enjoy a larger container, and it is best to generally avoid containers with a narrow opening. If cages, stakes, or support is needed, provide them while planting seeds, or when the plant is very small to avoid damaging the roots. Cone or pyramid shaped cages usually work better than the flat type for pots.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and eggplants require the largest container. Choose something equivalent to a pot with at least a 20-22" diameter. Peppers, chard and dwarf tomatoes can be grown in containers equivalent to flower pots with a 16" diameter. Beets, lettuce, radishes, spinach, and onions can be grown in pots with an equivalent diameter of 6-10", multiple plants can be grown in each container, assuming the proper spacing is maintained. Most herbs can easily be grown in 4-6" pots. In general, greens such as lettuce and spinach have shallow roots and can do well in containers that are broader and flatter than the standard flower pot shape.

Soil

Soil from your garden will most likely not make the most suitable soil for a container. Typically the soil from your garden will have a high concentration of clay, which is too heavy, dense and compact, and will dry out quickly for planting in containers. It also holds too much moisture when wet, resulting in minimal air for the roots, and subsequently encourages root rot. It could also contain many weed seeds, or disease organisms, and could be deficient of many of the nutrients your herbs and vegetables will require.

Container gardens require a soil which is well aerated, well drained, and lightweight. This type of soil will allow the veggies to get all of the water and nutrients the vegetables will need. The soil-less mixtures do tend to be lighter, a must if the container is large and expected to be moved from one location to another, otherwise choose an alternative medium. For the do it yourself type, a soil mixture composing of equal parts peat moss, pasteurized soil, vermiculite, and manure would make a good container soil. Make sure you test the pH, and add some lime if necessary to bring the pH to about 6.5, or whatever is recommended for the particular species. Vermiculite holds several times its weight in water and nutrients, and keeps the container moist. Prepackaged potting soil available at the grocery store, home centers, and garden centers will likely be the best choice, although probably more expensive than making your own. Many come premixed with a slow release fertilizer, and some even have extra moisture retention particles, which will help to prevent your plants from drying out on those hot summer days. Hydro gels, or water holding gels, found in commercial blends of soil mix are starch-based gels that help to retain water within the soil. They swell with moisture and release it when needed. Organic amendments designed to hold water can also have a similar effect, and may prevent the need for a second watering on a very hot day.

Water

Because the volume of the soil is relatively small, container plants are susceptible to drying out on a regular basis. Small pots will also have a tendency to dry out faster, and will require more frequent watering, yet another reason to choose a larger container. Containers need to be checked for water at least once a day, or maybe even twice on hot, windy days. Stick your finger in the soil, if the soil sticks to your finger, it does not require any water. When watering the plants, water slowly until water begins to drain out the bottom of the container, and avoid getting the foliage wet. If necessary, you could place the containers into a larger container filled with a coarse rocks to contain the runoff and allow it to evaporate naturally, a plus for your plants. Just make sure the soil does not have any standing water, and should never be soggy for any period of time.

If the plants are allowed to dry out too much, the feeder roots get damaged, eventually stunting the plants growth. Once the plant receives water, the plant spends its energy to repair/replace the damaged feeder roots, and not for producing vegetables, so that energy is essentially wasted.

Adequate drainage is probably the most important thing for your new container garden. Placing some rocks in the bottom few inches of your pot or container should help improve the drainage inside the container. Any rocks will do, the idea is to create some voids to provide a path for water flow. Drain holes are a MUST, and are ideally located on the bottom or within the bottom 1/2 " of the sides of the pot. Remember, the idea of drain holes is to allow excess water to drain, so keep the holes free from external obstructions. For example, a bottom draining pot will not drain well if placed directly on concrete. It would be better if it were raised up an inch or to allow the water to flow freely.

Mulching is a requirement for container gardens. A good layer of mulch will minimize the amount of moisture evaporated through the soil. Compost, straw, pine needles, grass clippings, shredded bark and leaf mold can all be used as mulches. all of the information there still applies to container gardening. If the soil is excessively dry, grouping the plants together may offer some benefits. The canopy of leaves will help to shade the soil and pot, which should minimize the amount of moisture evaporated. An automatic watering device may be helpful if you are gone for extended periods, or simply prefer the convenience.

Fertilizer for Container Gardens

Because of the limited volume of soil, container vegetables are more likely to consume the available nutrients, so supplementing with fertilizer is worth considering. Micro nutrients will also be washed away through the repeated watering, which is yet another reason to consider adding some supplemental nutrients. A combination of slow release fertilizer and a weak water soluble fertilizer is generally recommended when planting vegetables in containers. Chose the fertilizer type that would be best suited to the individual plant. The slow release fertilizers are typically worked into the soil at the time of planting, and water soluble fertilizers can be used occasionally all season long (Maybe every 2-3 weeks, depending on the strength). What ever you choose, read the instructions and measure the fertilizer quantities. Too much fertilizer can be much more damaging than not adding any, so take it on the slow side. A soil tester is also recommended to provide some feedback on the level of fertilizer required.

Sun Light for Container Gardening

Just about every vegetable will produce better in full sunlight, and at a minimum, most vegetables will need at least 5 hours of direct sun. When selecting a location for your container garden, do your best to keep these tips in mind. Generally speaking, leafy crops such as lettuce, greens, and spinach can tolerate more shade than fruit bearing crops - tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc. Root crops are somewhere between the two.

Vegetables for Container Gardens

The best vegetables for container gardens are those with a confined, compact growth habit, such as beets, bush beans, carrots, chard, green onions, peppers, salad greens, spinach, radish, and many herbs. Bush varieties of beans, summer squash and cucumbers as well as determinate or dwarf varieties of tomatoes, cabbage, peas and peppers are also recommended. Generally speaking, cucumber, cauliflower, broccoli, corn, potatoes, and vine fruits (especially pumpkins) are tough to grow in containers. Their roots will tend to demand containers that are just not practical. Instead, look for dwarf or compact/bush varieties that are breed for growing in containers in specialty seed catalogs, or graduate to planting an in-ground garden. Most of the smaller vegetables can be planted together in the same pot, as long as the minimum distances are observed for each particular vegetable. You should always plan on starting many seeds, and thinning out the best seedlings so that they are not over crowded. This has traditionally yielded the best results. You never know how many and which seeds will germinate, so it's best to plan on some

Rotate your Vegetables

Crop rotation is important to increase the fertility of your soil, and is one of the easiest and natural ways to cut down on pests. A three year cycle should be adequate for most backyard gardeners, but some would recommend up to a 7 year rotation rate.

Categorizing your crops into families will be important, as it is the families of crops that need to be rotated, not just individual varieties. Using this method, related crops are not planted in the same location year after year and allows a healthy balance of nutrients, microorganisms and organic matter. If you don't follow a crop rotation schedule, you will likely suffer from a reduced yield, as the ideal natural balance becomes upset.

Repeated studies have shown crop rotation has a significant improvement in yields, and reduced pest and disease related problems. Because most gardeners do not allocate equal space to each of the families, a simple rotation plan for the crops you plant may not be adequate. You may for example need a large percentage of your space for plants from the tomato group, and only a little bit for the spinach group. In devising your plan, it may be helpful to divide your garden up into 3 or 4 sections and figure out how to fit each of the families into one of the sections. The use of a cover crop may be helpful in improving soil fertility, and should be considered to work into your crop rotation.

The 9 common vegetable garden families

Cabbage family - cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, rutabaga, kohlrabi, and other similar leafy greens.
Carrot family - carrots, celery, parsley, and parsnips.
Cucumber family - cucumbers, melons, squash, and gourds.
Grass family - corn, wheat, oats, and rye.
Onion family - onions, garlic, leeks, and shallots.
Pea family - peas and beans.
Spinach family - spinach, beets, chard.
Sunflower family - sunflowers, lettuce, and related leafy greens
Tomato family - tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and potatoes.

Garden Soil Preparation

Before you begin sowing seeds or buying plants, you need to prepare your soil and make sure it’s in good condition for the growing season. For your vegetables to thrive, they need a well-prepared garden that will provide them with all the necessary food, water and support from the very beginning.

Understanding how the soil provides for plants will enable you to decide what you need to do: whether or not you need to dig; what you can add to your soil to improve it; and whether it needs lime or additional fertilizers. Get this right, and you'll have a successful harvest.

Soil Management

Good soil management is key to any garden. No matter how poor the soil may be at the start, proper management will gradually create a productive soil. Soil is comprised of four main ingredients - minerals, organic matter, water and air. In the average soil, the mineral component is about 50% of the volume, air and water about 20-25% and organic content is as low as 5%. Notice that nearly half of the soil is "space" which is occupied by water and air. These spaces are also filled with the soil's thriving populations of plants and animals which break down plant and animal residue into organic matter, or humus. The worms and insects initiate the physical breakdown, while the microscopic bacteria and fungi complete the decomposition process, releasing nutrients as a by product.

The ideal soil is crumbly, well-aerated, porous material that holds moisture and yet drains well, and is nutritious for plant growth. The way to improve the soil structure is to rearrange the particles. Organic matter is the tool. To review briefly, soil particles come in three sizes: clay (small), silt (medium), and sand (large). The function of the largest particles is chiefly as a framework for the smaller ones, they merely keep the soil porous. Clay and organic matter are the soils charged particles utilized for ion exchange. If the soil is sandy, addition of generous quantities of organic matter will fill in the framework of sandy soils, to give water molecules something to hang on to. If the soil is heavy clay, again, the addition of generous quantities of organic matter provides the glue to aggregate the minute clay particles into larger particles. The larger the particles; the bigger the pore spaces and the better the soil aeration. Organic material is your friend when trying to improve your soil conditions. You may want to consider making a compost pile so you can use your biodegradable wastes to make food for your garden.

Identifying Your Soil

The best garden soil is loam, made up of a mixture of sand, silt, and clay. A quick and easy test to determine your type of soil:

Moisten a pinch of soil and rub it between your thumb and index finger. Sandy soil feels gritty, silty soil feels slippery and clay soil feels sticky.
Try molding a handful of moist soil into a ball. If it falls apart, its sandy; if it molds easily into a ball, it contains a lot of clay. If you can give the ball of soil a polish with your thumb, there's an even higher proportion of clay.
You could also try mixing some of your soil in a clear drink bottle and then shake it up. Set in on the table and wait for everything to settle. The sediment will eventually settle in layers, and you can determine the proportions of silt, clay and organic matter in the soil.

Sandy soil is quick to warm up in spring, is light and easy to manage, and is rarely waterlogged. However, it is a hungry, thirsty soil because water and dissolved nutrients drain through it before plants can use them. A heavy clay soil remains cold for longer in spring, and it is difficult to dig. It soon becomes waterlogged and airless in wet weather; yet it can bake rock hard in droughts. However, clay soil usually contains good quantities of vital plant nutrients.

Nutrients

While plants make their own food with the energy from sunlight, they need nutrients to make this happen. When dissolved in soil moisture, these nutrients are taken up by the roots. There are 3 major nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium - often abbreviated with their chemical symbols of N, P and K. In general nitrogen helps with leafy growth, phosphorous helps provide root development, and potassium encourages fruit and flowers. Other mineral nutrients needed in smaller quantities are calcium, sulfur, and magnesium, plus trace elements, which include iron, boron, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc.

Vegetable pH Preferences

Most vegetables prefer soil between 6.5 and 7.0, but the following types will tolerate soil with higher levels of acid (below 6.0) or alkaline (above 7.0)

Acid Tolerant plantsAlkaline-tolerant plantsAlkaline and acid tolerant plantsCarrot (5.5-6.8)Asparagus (6.5-7.5)CeleryCelery (5.5-7.5)Beet (6.5-7.5)GarlicEggplant (5.5-6.8)Brussels sprout (6.0-7.5)Endive (5.5-7.0)Cauliflower (6.0-7.5)Garlic (5.5-7.5)Celery (5.5-7.5)Potato (5.8-6.5)Cucumber (6.0-7.5)Radish (5.5-6.5)Garlic (5.5-7.5)Rhubarb (5.0-6.8)Leek (6.0-7.5)Sweet potato (5.5-6.5)Melon (6.0-7-5)Watermelon (5.5-7.0)Okra (6.8-7.5)Onion (6.0-7.5)Shallot (6.5-7.5)

Watering Your Garden

Vegetables are made up of about 90% water, and because of this require sufficient moisture to grow. Water is also important because it allows plants to take nutrients from the soil. The minerals in the soil dissolve in this moisture so that the roots of the plant can absorb them to help the plant grow. If your soil doesn't have enough moisture it can accumulate high amounts of harmful salts, rendering it inhabitable.

Amount of Water

Soil receives water naturally through rainfall or by irrigation. During heavy rain, gravity pulls the water down into the soil filling up all the pore spaces between soil particles. This is an ideal condition allowing plants to grow to their fullest without stress due to a lack of moisture. The soil will continue to lose water through two mechanisms. The plants will gradually soak up moisture from the soil through their roots to obtain nutrients. The soil also loses water through evaporation at the surface of the soil, which is one of the main reasons for mulching.

A typical garden requires at least an inch of water a week, which should leave the soil soaked about 5-6 inches deep. Keep in mind that sandy soils, which have poor water retention, may require significantly more water. It may be helpful to put a rain gauge or a coffee can in the garden to keep track of how much rainfall your garden receives each week. If ten days or more go by without rainfall, it’s time to get out the gardening hose. Too little water can cause plants to develop shallow roots that can become scorched in hot dry weather, often killing the plant.

So how much water does my garden need?

The answer to this question is a lot! While an inch of rainfall doesn't sound like much, an inch of rainfall covering a garden that is 20’ x 10’ (200 square feet) is equivalent to approximately 125 gallons of water. For a rough estimate of how much water your garden requires, use 5 gallons of water per 8 square feet.

Due to gravity, water has a tendency to flow downward into the soil. The better the soil structure, (particle size and pore space), the easier it will be for the water to move through the soil. Heavy clay soils have tiny clay particles that clog quickly causing water to runoff without penetrating. Sandy soils lose water rapidly because the water tends to flow through the large pore spaces with nothing to hold on to. Both types of soils can be improved in their ability to retain water by adding generous quantities of organic matter annually. When organic matter is added to clay soil it acts like a glue, making larger particles out of the small particles and thus increasing pore space for added water retention. In sandy soils organic matter fills the large pore spaces and enables the soil to retain more water.

When to Water

There are two times during the growing season when it is critical that your garden receives adequate moisture: When the seeds are germinating and just prior to harvest. Wilting is an indication that your plants aren’t getting enough moisture from the soil. When a plant begins to wilt it needs water immediately. Ensuring your plants receive sufficient amounts of water each week will enable the roots of the plants to grow deep where they can access additional moisture. Deep roots also make for a healthy and sturdy plant that is less likely to be damaged by wind.

You can water your vegetable plants at any time. Contrary to common belief, the leaves will not scorch from the sun if you water them in the heat of the day, although you will lose some moisture through evaporation