Soil Preparation Turn over soil in fall Add organic matter in fall On sandy soils turn in spring May need to remove sod Don’t work soil if wet Organic soil amendments – 25-50% –Add N if using a high C material

Fertilizers Organic –Refer to handouts for N:P:K analysis Improve soil texture Add nutrients Increases water retention in sandy soils Increases drainage in clay Tends to be heavy Slow release of nutrients Will rot away in 1-2 years

Fertilizers Inorganic –Does not change soil texture –Nutrients are easily leached –Easy to ship and use –Less work –Can be expensive –If selling produce, you can’t get a premium price.

Planting Time Plant very hardy veggies when soil can be worked (soil temp 40F) –AsparagusTurnip –PeasBroccoli RadishBrussels sprouts –Rhubarbcabbage –Rutabagacelery –SpinachGarlic

Hardy veggies 45-50F Beets Carrots Cauliflower Lettuce Parsley Parsnip Swiss chard

Tender veggies 60-65F Beans Tomatoes Cantaloupe Watermelon Corn, Cucumbers Eggplant Peppers Pumpkin squash

Seed planting depth Small seed ( carrot) ¼-1/2 inch deep Large seed ( beans) 1-2 inches deep

Mulch Conserves moisture Can increase soil temperatures Can reduce soil temp Stops weeds Reduce disease Keeps crops clean Adds organic mater to the soil Can be a great home for slugs  Voles can live under or in it Don’t mulch tender crops until july

Mulch Plastic –Clear plastic heats soil –Black plastic does not heat soil very much –Black plastic is usually paired with drip irrigation –It’s a lot of non- recyclable garbage at the end of the season Organic –Insulates soil – don’t mulch too early –Use material that is weed free ( straw ok, hay has lots of seed) –When it rots it can steal N from crops. –Can be tilled in after the growing season –Be aware of C:N ratios

Mulch is best under: Tomatoes –red or black plastic Peppers – silver/reflective mulch Eggplant Sweet corn – let pumpkin leaves be the mulch Potatoes Cucumbers Melons/squash

Plastic mulch

DEER

Deer can wipe out a garden Protect your garden! –Fence ( electric or tall), Cage, visual –Repellants Plantskydd Rotten eggs, Bitters –Guard Dogs –Kill the deer

Weed Control Vegetables yield best with no competition Hoe/ till Mulch Fire Vinegar (1gal vinegar +1qt lemon juice) Herbicide

Apiaceae

Carrots –Plant early –Seeds take 12 days to emerge –Can be gel seeded –Store in cool-cold place. Cut shoulders, don’t wash, separate layers with newspaper. Don’t let them dry out Parsnip –Low seed germination –Plant seed and wait –Very sweet after frost –Fewer calories than carrots and sweeter –Store like carrots

Cabbage Family Brassicaceae

Broc/cauliflower –Start seeds indoors in March/April –Plant out mid May –Cover Broc with row cover to keep moths off –Side dress with N mid season –Cut crowns before they bloom Raddish –Plant early and pull when big enough – can use there to space other seeded crops

Asteraceae\ Lettuce

Lettuce is a cool season crop that can be started ahead and planted by transplant or direct seeded Several crops of lettuce can be grown in a summer Mesclun – is a lettuce mix cut as seedlings. Can be cut many times

Chenopodiaceae

Beets and Chard –Beets are planted in cool soil –Can be picked young and small or large –Know your cultivar –Root and leaf are eaten Chard is a beet grown for the leaves –Usually started as a transplant –Give them room as each plant gets large –Very frost resistant so the fall leaves often have the best flavor

Plant corn in blocks To prevent lodging And insure pollination Can be direct seeded Corn can be transplanted Best in peat pots High N crop side dress mid season Poaceae

Onion Family Liliaceae

Liliaceae/ allium crops Garlic –great for Duluth –Plant in Sept/Oct –Don’t let it have wet feet –Remove flower scapes –Pull when 50% of leaf is yellow ~Aug 1 –Dry bulbs in shade Onions – seedlings or bulblets –Plant seeds Feb indoors –Or buy tiny bulbs and plant Apr-May – as soon as soil can be worked –Pull when tops fall, dry in shade, Store in cool place

Cucumber family Cucurbitaceae

Squash When there is a choice…. Grow bush types to save space Mulch to keep clean Mouse control

Solanaceae

Tender plants (except spuds) Start 12 weeks early & transplant Look for cv with resistance to deseases Determinate or indeterminate? Even watering Full sun Self fertile But bees help

Fabaceae

Peas are hardy so plant early Fava beans can also be planted in cool soil Green beans are tender and need warm soil Self fertile Use inoculants Do not walk in them if leaves are wet Beans can continue to bear if the beans are picked

Crop Rotation Rotation by Plant Family –Solanaceae Tomato, potato, eggplant, tomatillo, peppers –Apiaceae Carrot, parsnip, parsley, celery, dill, lovage, celariac –Fabaceae Beans, peas –Liliaceae Onion, garlic, leek –Brassicaceae Broccoli, Cauliflower, kohlrabi, radish, kale, cabbage –Chenopodiaceae Beets, chard –Asteraceae Lettuce –Poaceae Corn –Cucurbitaceae Squash, cucumber, melon

Crop rotation

Crop Rotation

Seed starting and Season Extend Heated –Greenhouse –Hot bed –Under lights in your house row cover Clear plastic mulch Cold frame High tunnel