1. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Vegetable Gardens 101 The Basics of Growing Food at Home Prepared by Ariel Agenbroad Horticulture Extension Educator

2. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Why Grow Food at Home? Can save you grocery money –11 ¢ pack of seeds can = 50 lbs. carrots 100 lbs. squash 50+ lbs. of tomatoes 100+ lbs. of cucumbers 50+ lbs of peppers

3. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Fresher Better quality Better taste More variety Great learning tool for children It can be a lot of fun! Why Grow Food at Home?

4. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE 1500 –How many miles food travels on average! Vitamin and mineral losses Bruising, damage Food safety issues…E. Coli? Picked at the peak of ripeness…no gas! Freshness, Quality & Taste

5. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Variety is the Spice of Life

6. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE

9. The bare essentials: –Soil –Water –Sunlight What Do I Need to Get Growing?

10. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Mineral particles: sand, silt & clay Air Water Organic Matter: decomposed plants & animals Microorganisms What about Potting Mixes? –Peat moss, compost, perlite, vermiculite, fertilizers Soil…What’s the Dirt?

11. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE It’s Busy Down There!

12. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Most vegetables need between 1-2 inches of water per week (or, about 1-2 hours of watering) Can use a watering can, regular hose, sprinkler, irrigation system, drip hose Can capture and use rainwater Can reuse some household water Water…

13. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Most vegetables require at least 6-8 hours of full sun every day South and west sides are best North and east sides can be shady Some lettuces, strawberries and herbs can do with 5-6 hours of sunlight Sunlight

14. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE In a Perfect World…

15. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE In Reality…

16. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Or Even…

17. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Cool Weather Crops Peas Potatoes Lettuce Cabbage Broccoli Swiss Chard Kale Onions Leeks Carrots Beets What Can I Grow Here? Warm Weather Crops Peppers Tomatoes Squash Green Beans Eggplants Edible Flowers Pumpkins Melons Tomatillos Corn Cucumbers March May- June May June

18. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Tree Fruits –Apple, pear, plum, peach, nectarine, pluot Nuts –Walnut, hazelnut Berries –Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries Grapes, Rhubarb, Asparagus And…

19. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE How Do I Get Started?

20. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Where do I get full sunlight? What is my soil like? Where is my water supply? Will the garden be safe from my kids, pets, neighbors, etc? Evaluate Your Site

21. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE What do we like to eat? What can we grow to save money? Are we going to can/freeze/dry food? Are we going to grow enough for others? What will we do with 1000 lbs. of zucchini? Evaluate Your Eating Habits

22. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE

23. Seeds are cheaper, but more work… –Buy from Catalogs, Garden Centers, Discount Stores, Online Start inside (with lights) or outside Seedlings give you a head start –Buy from Farmers’ Market, Garden Centers, Mail Order Getting Seeds & Plants

24. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Thrift Stores and Yard Sales Hardware Stores The Basics: –Shovel, rake, hoe, hand trowel, hose, sprinklers or nozzles Fertilizer Getting Supplies

25. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Compost Happens! –2 parts “brown” waste Leaves, straw, dried and crunchy plants –1 part “green” Grass clippings, vegetable peelings –Don’t add meat, fats or pet animal waste –Add water, and stir…use in and on the garden! Make Your Own Fertilizer

26. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE

27. Start with a healthy, diverse environment for plants and insects Provide habitat for beneficial insects Keep it clean…pick up after yourself! Use natural controls first, and then ask your Extension office or Garden Center Employee to suggest something else What About Bugs and Disease?

28. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE 30 days after planting –Radishes, lettuces 60 days after planting –Beets, green onions 80 days after planting –Carrots, cabbages, summer squash, corn 100+ days after planting –Tomatoes, Pumpkins, Cantaloupe, Watermelon When Do We Eat?

29. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Seed catalogs (free!) Gardening websites (free!) Library books (free!) Friends and Neighbors (free?) Books, magazines, television Classes (University, Extension, Community) How Do I Learn More?

30. CANYON COUNTY HORTICULTURE Questions? Let’s Give It a Try!