1. Home Vegetable Gardening

2. Site selection What to grow Starting seeds Soils and fertility Common pests and diseases

3. Site Selection Sunlight - 6 – 8 hours Water source Picking a site for a garden: The Four Essentials Tool storage Good soil

4. Site Selection Other things to consider: Animals – How close is the garden to deer habitat? Are other animal pests a problem in the area (raccoons, coyotes, cats, birds, etc.)? Size – How much garden is too much garden? Slope – Beds should run parallel to slope to prevent water erosion

5. What to plant

6. Last frost in spring

7. Transplants vs. Seeds Seeds Cheaper May be necessary for root crops (carrots) or fast-growing plants (beans, sunflowers) Transplants More expensive May be necessary for plants that take a long time to grow (peppers, tomatoes)

8. Seeds Seeds are cheap! Buy new each year or so and AVOID BARGAINS Small seeds carrots, turnips, cabbage 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep Large seeds beans, corn, peas 1-2 inches deep Rule of Thumb planting depth equivalent to 2 to 3x’s seeds diameter

9. Transplants You get what you pay for - AVOID BARGAINS! Plants should be dark green, stocky, healthy looking Check for broken limbs Don’t buy plants that are already setting fruit

10. Transplants Tools for growing your own transplants: Light source Heat source Humidity

11. Varieties Select according to Heat tolerance Days to maturity Disease and insect resistance

12. Soils and fertility What do vegetables want? Add organic matter Build a raised bed Loamy soil Choose an appropriate site Build a raised bed Add organic matter Well-drained Add lime according to soil test recommendation pH ~ 6.8 Don’t overuse pesticides Don’t till too much Healthy soil organisms

13. Common pests and diseases Keys to addressing pests and disease in the garden: 1.Manage the garden to grow healthy plants 2.Know your friends and enemies 3.Have a reason before you spray

14. Common pests and diseases Colorado potato beetle Damage caused: eating leaves Host crop: potatoes, eggplant How to handle in the home garden: pick off by hand

15. Common pests and diseases Cucumber beetle Damage caused: vector disease, feed on fruit Host crop: cucumbers, squash How to handle in the home garden: plant tolerant varieties, plant early, neem, pyrethrin

16. Common pests and diseases Cabbage looper Damage caused: feed on leaves Host crop: collards, cabbage How to handle in the home garden: spray Bt, insecticidal soap

17. Common pests and diseases Tomato fruitworm Damage caused: feed on fruit Host crop: tomatoes How to handle in the home garden: spray Bt, insecticidal soap, neem

18. Common pests and diseases Cutworm Damage caused: feed on stems, leaves Host crop: all How to handle in the home garden: spray Bt on plant base

19. Common pests and diseases Tomato hornworm Damage caused: feed on stems, leaves Host crop: tomatoes How to handle in the home garden: spray Bt, pick off by hand

20. Common pests and diseases Grasshopper Damage caused: feed on leaves Host crop: all How to handle in the home garden: pyrethrin, Nolo Bait

21. Common pests and diseases Flea beetle Damage caused: feed on leaves Host crop: all, eggplant, radishes How to handle in the home garden: plant crops early, insecticidal soap, neem

22. Common pests and diseases Squash vine borer Damage caused: feed inside stem Host crop: squash How to handle in the home garden: plant early, tolerant varieties, remove old squash plants from garden after season, remove worms in stem, pyrethrin

23. Common pests and diseases Aphids Damage caused: feed on plant fluids Host crop: all How to handle in the home garden: plant early, spray off with hose, insecticidal soap, neem, pyrethrin

24. Common pests and diseases Leaffooted bug Damage caused: feed on plant fluids from fruit Host crop: all, tomatoes How to handle in the home garden: plant early, hand pick adults, pyrethrin on nymphs

25. Common pests and diseases Kudzu bug Damage caused: feed on stems, leaves Host crop: legumes How to handle in the home garden: pick off adults

26. Common pests and diseases Squash bug and Stink bug Damage caused: feed on plant fluid Host crop: squash How to handle in the home garden: plant tolerant varieties, remove squash debris, pyrethrin spray on nymphs

27. Common pests and diseases Tomato wilts (Fusarium and Bacterial) Fusarium: brown discolorations of the vascular tissue in the stem, gradual yellowing and wilting of the entire plant. Bacterial: Rapid, sudden wilting of the entire plant. Pith of the main stem near soil line is usually brown at first, but soon develops a slimy rot. Host crop: tomatoes, others How to handle in the home garden: This fungus survives in the soil for many years. Plant resistant varieties, or remove tomatoes and other susceptible crops for 2 years if present

28. Fusarium wilt

29. Bacterial wilt

30. Common pests and diseases Tomato blights (Southern and Early) Southern: white mold, often with present on infected stem near soil line. Also causes rot of tomato and other plant parts in contact with soil. Early: begins on lower leaves and gradually spreads upward. Concentric rings (target-like) on leaf. On fruit a firm, dark- colored decay at stem end. Host crop: tomatoes How to handle in the home garden: The fungus survives in the soil for many years. Plant resistant varieties, or remove tomatoes for 2 years if present

31. Southern blight

32. Early blight

33. Common pests and diseases Powdery mildew Damage: White, moldy growth mostly on upper leaf surface. It does not usually develop on the fruit. Host crop: many How to handle in the home garden: Spray off with a hose, don’t plant in the shade

34. Common pests and diseases Nematodes Damage: galls on roots. Plants become off- colored, stunted, and may eventually die. Greatest damage is likely to occur during dry periods. Host crop: many How to handle in the home garden: rotate crops, plant resistant varieties

35. Protect the good insects! Spray in the afternoon so pesticides will dry out before the following morning

36. Any questions?