1. Vegetable Production in the Home Garden Larry G. Campbell WVU- Harrison County Extension Agent WVU Assistant Professor

2. Typical Home Garden Production Methods Single Row Hills Wide Row Raised Bed Hill Single Row Wide Row

3. “Wide Row Gardening” An intensive system of vegetable production that utilizes less space to produce at least double the harvest of a traditional single row system.

4. Reasons to Wide Row 2-3 times the harvest of traditional systems ( initial seed cost can be 20% more). More soil being utilized. Easier to plant crops from seed. Less weeds due to intensive planting.

5. Reasons… Helps soil stay cool & moist in the heat of the summer: -Leaf canopy keeps sun from drying the soil. -Edge plants act like a wind break for other plants in the row. -Leaf canopy slows evaporation of dew from soil in the mornings.

6. Reasons… Earlier and longer harvest: -Natural competitiveness of plants results in some plants producing sooner than others in the row. -Strongest plants are harvested first which in turn makes room for weaker plants to begin production.

7. Crops Recommended for Wide Row Beans Chinese Cabbage LeeksPeppers BeetsCollardsLettuceRadishes CabbageEndiveMustardRutabagas Carrots English Peas Onions Southern Peas CauliflowerGarlicParsleySpinach CeleryKaleParsnipsTurnips ChardKohlrabi

8. Plants Raised from Seed in WR 15-16” wide row (width of standard garden rake) Scatter seed evenly across the row. Tamp in. Cover seed using rake to pull soil in from outside the row. 15-16’’

9. Transplants in WR 3-2-3 planting pattern @ 10-12” apart. Good for cabbage, cauliflower, & head lettuce. 2-1-2 pattern best for broccoli, eggplant, & pepper.

10. Wide Row Beans

11. Wide Row Lettuce & Spinach in Raised Bed

12. Raised Beds An intensive gardening system that uses elevated, wide beds 8-10” deep. Beds can be free standing or timbers and other materials can be used to define the beds.

13. Advantages of Raised Beds Reduce soil compaction. Drain better allowing timely planting. Turn low-lying areas into productive gardens. Makes heavy clay soil productive. Allows earlier & later planting since more soil is exposed to the sun. Longer, straighter root crops. Easier to plant, weed, & maintain. Space-saving.

14. Selected Vegetables pH Cool or Warm Season Culture Harvesting

15. Cole Crops Cabbage Cauliflower Brussels Sprouts Broccoli Kohlrabi

16. Cabbage

17. pH: 5.5-7.0 Cool season Culture: -WR 3-2-3 @ 10-12” -Pick off lower leaves of each seedling at planting. Harvest: 70-100

18. Cauliflower

19. pH: 6.0-7.0 Cool Season Culture: -Less tolerant of hot weather. -Set plants out early to avoid “buttoning” of heads. -WR 3-2-3 @ 10-12” -Blanch when heads are 4-5”

20. Cauliflower -Tie up outer leaves to blanch head. -Or partially break outer leaves & lay them over the head. -Some varieties are self- blanching. -Blanch for 4-8 days. Harvest: 55-120 -Cut before flower buds open.

21. Broccoli

22. pH: 6.0-7.0 Cool Season Culture: -WR 2-1-2 @ 12-16” -Cut center head before it blossoms even if small otherwise it will not produce new side shoots.

23. Broccoli Harvest: 60-100 Note: Broccoli Raab is not a true broccoli but a type of turnip grown for its flower head.

24. Brussels Sprouts pH: 5.5-6.5 Cool Season Culture: -WR 2-1-2 @12-16” -Sprouts appear on bottom of stalk first. -Larger sprouts are best in cool weather of fall. -In summer pick sprouts when marble size for tenderness.

25. Brussels Sprouts -To speed growth of early sprouts, strip off bottom leaves 6-8” up the stalk when sprouts first appear. Harvest: 80-100

26. Kohlrabi

27. pH: 6.5 Cool Season Culture: -WR from seed & thin to 3-5”. -The “above ground turnip”. Harvest: At 2-3”.

28. Solanaceae Family Tomato Potato Peppers Eggplant

29. Tomato

30. pH: 5.5-6.8 Warm Season Culture: -Plant in raised bed 24- 36” apart. -Lay stem horizontally in shallow trench & remove lower leaves. -Roots will form along buried stem.

31. Tomato -Stake, trellis, or cage tomatoes. -Indeterminate: vines continue to grow until killed by frost or disease. -Determinate: grows to a certain size, produces fruit, & then declines.

32. Tomato Many varieties Select VFNT resistant varieties if possible. Harvest: 55-105

33. Potato

34. pH: 4.8-5.5 Warm Season Culture: -Plant certified seed potatoes. -Cut seed pieces so that there are 2-3 eyes per piece. -Allow pieces to heal over 2-3 days before planting.

35. Potato -Plant in trenches 6-8” deep. -Space 8-10” in row and 36” between rows. -Hill when 3-5” tall & again @ 8-10”. Harvest: 100-200 -Can harvest new potatoes early. -Dig with garden fork/manure fork.

36. Eggplant

37. pH: 6.0-7.0 Warm Season Culture: -WR 2-1-2 @ 12-14” -4-6 fruit per plant typical. -Very heat & drought tolerant. Harvest: 100-150 when skin is glossy.

38. Peppers

39. pH: 5.5-6.5 Warm Season Culture: -WR 2-1-2 @10-12” -Don’t over fertilize. -Blossom drop occurs during cold spells & when temps go above 75 degrees.

40. Peppers -Spray with Epsom salts when they start to blossom and this will help to provide magnesium which peppers need to set fruit. Mixture: 1 tsp Epsom salts in a Windex spray bottle filled with lukewarm water. Spray on leaves & blossoms at first blossom & again 10 days later. Harvest: 100-120

41. Hot vs. Sweet Bell Peppers

42. Very Hot Peppers

43. Leafy Greens Lettuce Spinach Chard Kale

44. Lettuce

45. pH: 6.0-7.0 Cool Season Culture: -WR loose leaf lettuce & direct seed. Rake thin. -WR head lettuce 3-2-3 @ 10-12”. -Subject to bolting in the heat. Harvest: 40-80 Bibb lettuce (loose head)

46. Spinach

47. pH: 6.0-6.8 Cool Season Culture: -WR direct seed & thin with rake. -Subject to bolting Harvest: 40-50

48. Kale

49. pH: 6.0-6.5 Cool Season but tolerates heat with water. Culture: -WR direct seed & thin to 4-6”. -Leave plants for a winter crop. Harvest: 50-65

50. Chard

51. pH: 6.0-6.8 Cool Season but tolerates heat with water. Culture: -WR direct seed & thin to 3-4”. -Cut back to inch above soil for successive harvest.

52. Cucurbits Cucumbers Melons Pumpkins Squash Tips on cucurbits: -Row planting more efficient than hills. -Don’t worry about cross-pollination if you don’t save seed. Otherwise plant vine crops 100’ apart.

53. Cucumbers

54. pH: 5.5-7.0 Warm Season Culture: -Plant 8-12” in row x 4- 6’ between rows. -Can be trellised. -New gynoecious varieties have all female flowers, thus more fruit. Harvest: 50-70

55. Melons

56. Melon pH: 6.0-7.5 Warm Season Culture: -Plant 18-24” in row & 6’ between rows. -Melons need well- drained soil, steady water supply, and plenty of heat at ripening.

57. Melons -For extra heat, bury the open ends of large coffee cans in the ground near melons when softball size. Place melons on cans. Harvest: 70-130 -Harvest muskmelons when stem separates easily from point of attachment. -For watermelons use the “thump” test (head, chest, stomach).

58. Pumpkins

59. Pumpkin pH: 6.0-7.2 Warm Season Culture: -Plant 2-3’ in row & 6-8’ between rows. Harvest: 100-120

60. Pumpkin Formula for Super Pumpkin: -Dig large hole & fill with bushel of aged manure or compost. -Use seed from large varieties. - Plant 3-4 seeds & select the hardiest plant that sprouts. -Allow 3 pumpkins to set on vine & pick off the rest & any additional blossoms. -When softball size, save the best pumpkin & pick off the rest. -Side-dress 3-4 times and give plenty of water.

61. Squash

62. pH: 6.0-7.2 Warm Season Culture: -Plant 2-3’ in row & 6-8’ between rows (bush=3’). Harvest: 50-70 (summer) & 85-120 (winter). -Pick summer squash no larger than 6” long.

63. Winter Squash Summer Squash

64. Onions Leeks Garlic

65. Onions

66. pH: 5.5-7.0 Warm Season Culture: -WR plant sets & transplants 2-3” apart & thin as needed for green onions. -When growing bulbs from sets, only use sets dime size & smaller.

67. Onions Harvest: 85-120 mature bulbs. -Harvest when tops dieback—don’t leave in ground at this point. Vidalia

68. Leeks Photo by L.G. Campbell

69. Leeks pH: 5.5-7.0 Warm Season Culture: -Can be grown WR from seed or transplants. Photo by L.G. Campbell

70. Leeks -Best planted in a narrow furrow 4-6” deep. -Fill furrow with soil as plants grow in order to blanch stems. Harvest: 80-130 -Will keep with mulching in moderate winters. Photo by L.G. Campbell

71. Garlic

72. pH: 5.5-7.0 Cool Season (for big bulbs). Culture: -WR plant cloves 3-4” apart. -Plant cloves in fall. Harvest: Fall planted cloves can be harvested in early summer when tops fall over.

73. Asparagus

74. pH: 6.0-6.7 Cool Season Culture: -Plant 2 yr. old crowns in well drained soil. -Set 2’ apart in row & 4- 5’ between rows. -Set root crowns in trench 12-18” deep.

75. Asparagus - Add 6-7” of aged manure or compost in bottom of trench. -Mound dirt in trench at 2’ intervals. -Place crowns on mounds at least 4” below soil surface & spread roots evenly over mounds. -Cover crowns with 2-3” of soil. -As crowns grow continue to fill trench until filled.

76. Asparagus Harvest: 2-3 years -Yr.1: don’t cut shoots & let ferns grow. -Yr.2: cut old ferns & harvest a few finger size spears, or better yet don’t harvest at all. -Yr.3: cut last year’s ferns & harvest 6-8”, finger size spears for a period of 5-8 weeks.

77. Sweet Corn

78. pH: 6.0-7.0 Warm Season Culture: -Raised bed 6-8”. -Plant seed in furrow 4” deep. -Space seed 10” apart in row & 30-36” betweens rows. -Cover with 1” of soil & fill the furrow as plants grow.

79. Sweet Corn -Plant in blocks of 4 for good pollination. -Super sweet & standard varieties should be separated by 400 yards. -Isolate from field, popcorn, and ornamental corn. Harvest: 63-100

80. Silk: female Tassels: male

81. Mature Sweet Corn

82. Beans Snap Beans: bush Snap Beans: pole (Shell Beans: Lima, Southern pea) (Dry Beans: Kidney, Navy, Pinto, Cranberry)

83. Snap Beans

84. pH: 5.8-7.0 Warm Season Culture: -WR direct seed bush type & thin to 3-6”. -Plant several successive crops of bush beans. -Sidedress only @ bloom & pod set.

85. Snap Beans: Bush Standard varieties: Tendercrop, Greencrop, Bush Blue Lake, Tenderpick, Purple Queen, Gold Mine. White Half Runner: 3’ vines but grown as a bush bean.

86. Snap Beans: Pole Culture: -Make tepee of 4 poles 6-7’ long & tied @ top. -Plant 5-6 seeds around each leg & thin to 3-4. -Varieties: Kentucky Wonder, Blue Lake, Scarlet Runner.

87. Snap Beans: Pole

88. Snap Beans Harvest: 50-60 -Pick before seeds grow large & pod looks lumpy.

89. Root Crops Beets Carrots Radishes

90. Beets pH: 6.5-7.0 Cool/Warm Season Culture: -WR in raised beds -Thin to 2-4” Harvest: 50-65 -Leave about 1” of top when harvesting.

91. Carrots pH: 6.5-7.0 Warm Season Culture: -WR in raised bed. -Thin to 2-3” -Plant no deeper than ¼” -Intolerant of dry seed bed. Harvest: 55-80

92. Radish pH: 6.5-7.0 Cool/Warm Season but will taste strong in hot weather (except daikon type). Culture: -WR in raised bed & thin to 1”. Harvest: 25-30 (longer for daikon type).

93. Forgotten Root Crops Parsnips Turnips Rutabaga Celeriac Salsify Horseradish

94. Parsnips pH: 6.5 Warm Season Culture: -WR in raised beds & thin to 3-4”. -Slow to mature. Harvest: 120-150 -Flavor best after frost in fall.

95. Turnips pH: 6.5-7.0 Spring & Fall crop— intolerant of hot weather. Culture: -WR in raised bed & thin to 4-6” Harvest: 40-60 -Turnip tops are used for greens.

96. Rutabaga

97. pH: 6.5-7.0 Grown as a fall crop. Culture: -WR raised bed & thin to 4-6”. -Originated from a cross between cabbage & turnip. -More flavor & vitamin A than turnips. Harvest: 80-90

98. Celeriac

99. pH: 6.5-7.0 Warm Season Culture: -WR in raised beds. -Transplants set at 4-8”. -Flavor like celery. Harvest: 120 -Harvest bulbous root at 2-3”.

100. Salsify

101. pH: 6.5-7.0 Warm Season Culture: -WR in raised beds & thin to 3-4”. -Known as “oyster plant” because of faint oyster flavor. Harvest: 150 -Harvest after 1 st hard frost.

102. Horseradish

103. pH: 6.5-7.0 Warm Season Culture: -Raised bed. -Grown from root cuttings taken primarily in the fall, but also in spring. -8-14” cuttings cut slanted on bottom for reference. -Plant in furrows 6-8” deep.

104. Horseradish - Plant cuttings at 45 degrees @ 24” apart in rows 30” apart. -Cover top of root with 2” of soil. -Twice during growing season remove top & side roots (@ 8- 10” leafing & 6 weeks later). -Called “lifting” & produces smoother root. -Gently lift top of root with hoe to remove roots. Harvest: early fall at end of best growth.

105. This PowerPoint program was assembled by Larry G. Campbell, WVU-Harrison County Extension Agent and WVU Assistant Professor. In addition to this author’s material, some photographs, illustrations, and supporting materials were assembled from various sources publicly available on the Internet. The information was gathered over a period of time and from sources too numerous to list individually. The author would like to acknowledge the assistance of these web sites and publicly express his sincere appreciation for the assistance. This program was assembled solely for educational purposes and primarily for use with statewide WV Master Gardener training programs. The author did not nor will ever receive financial compensation for the preparation of this program. The program may be copied and distributed in parts or in its entirety for educational purposes. If any part of this presentation is distributed, the efforts of Mr. Campbell in assembling the materials must be recognized. The distributor may not receive any financial compensation for this service. Larry G. Campbell WVU-Harrison County Extension Agent and WVU Assistant Professor lgcampbell@mail.wvu.edu WVU-Harrison County Extension Office 301 West Main Street Room 507 Courthouse Clarksburg, WV 26301 (304) 624-8650