1. Vegetable Gardening

2. Plot Preparation Level ground Full Sun 10’ X 10’ is fine Work soil when dry enough Remove sod Break up and turn the soil Add compost Add other nutrients

3. Plan your space Each vegetable needs space – Look up requirements on seed packet or web – Select smaller varieties if you have a small garden Plan to rotate your crops Tall plants on the north so they don’t shade Trellis to save space

4. Decide what to Grow What vegetables do you like- make a list Select varieties that ripen within 100 days Map out your space and the space required by each crop. If you have a small garden use bush varieties, trellising, dwarf varieties..Etc

5. Schedule your planting Cool season plants go in spring and fall – Onions, potatoes, cole crops, peas, lettuce, carrots, radish, turnips warm season plants need warm soil – Beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, melon, peppers, pumpkin, squash, tomatoes

6. Seeds or Transplants? Plants that are usually direct seeded: – Beans, beets, carrots, chard, corn, lettuce, melons, peas, pumpkins, squash, turnips Plants usually grown from transplants: – Eggplant, peppers, Tomatoes, Broccoli, cabbage cauliflower Either way: – Squash, cucumbers

7. Where to buy seeds Seeds are available in many stores and catalogs. If you buy them at the grocery store look to see if they are marked for 2010. If the seeds are VERY cheap they are left over from past years Good catalogs include: Fedco seed, Johnnys seed, Burpee, High Mown, Park seed, Jung, Thompson and Morgan

8. Transplants Try to control yourself and get your transplants just a few days before you will be planting them. They should look healthy and vigorous Acclimate the seedlings before transplanting OR start your own transplants

9. Watering Water when there has not been enough rain Water at the base of the plants not over head Look to see that the water has gone down to the roots

10. Weeding Weeds are any plants that are not in the right place Weeds can compete with your garden vegetables for nutrients, water and light

11. Conserves moisture Fewer weeds Can add organic material to soil Keeps crops cleaner Keeps knees cleaner Can be a good home for slugs and voles If plastic, it can be expensive and a garbage problem Know C:N ratio if organic Can have weed seeds Mulch

12. Pests In a small garden hand picking can keep the insect pests in check. If you have deer or bunnies you probably need a fence

13. Harvesting Pick your vegetables when they are at their peak flavor Picking beans and peas will encourage the plants to produce more.