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©C O P Y R I G H T 2015A L L R I G H T S R E S E R V E D .
How to Plant an EdiblE Garden
IN 10 STEPS OR LESS
BY K. LYNN TOOTLE AND BRENT KELLY
1329 HEIDT AVENUE . SAVANNAH, GA 31408PHONE: 912-966-7391
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Harvest and bugs
Early Spring –
growing your
cold season
crops
Gathering your plants
CONTENTS Preparing your Garden
Bed
Reading your
Plant Labels &
Seed PacketsThe Start of
Summer
The next year
Planting your seeds and plants
Introduction to Gardening
STEP 1:
STEP 2:
Plan your Garden
STEP 3:
STEP 4: STEP 6: STEP 8:
STEP 7:STEP 5:
STEP 9:
STEP 10:
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step #1
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START SMALLStarting small allows you to be proud of your garden, tending to needs rather than exhausting yourself with weeding and pruning through the seasons. There are three simple rules to a good garden.
Introduction
TO GARDENING
THE RIGHT SPOT – if you dream of growing tomatoes, squash, peppers or other fruit bearing plants, a full-sun location is best. Vegetable plants love sun; they prefer at least 6 hours of bright direct sunlight per day.
PRO TIP: IF YOUR GARDEN AREA ONLY GETS PARTIAL SUN THAT’S OKAY! PROTIP
if your garden area only gets partial sun that’s okay! choose leafy plants like spinach and kale which thrive in shady areas.
PROTIP
TEST YOUR SOIL FOR MISSING NUTRIENTS BEFORE PLANTING, SAMPLES CAN BE SENT TO LOCAL COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICES OR TESTING KITS CAN BE PURCHASED ONLINE OR AT HARDWARE STORES AND NURSERIES USUALLY FOR
THE RIGHT WATER – learning how much water your garden needs is vital. Your garden soil should be moist, but it shouldn’t stick to your shoes or shovel. Soil that crumbles when formed into a ball is ideal for root growth.
THE RIGHT SOIL – not all dirt is created equal, the right soil will make the difference between a modest and an outstanding crop. Most ground soil will be lacking nutrients and needs to be modified to grow plants optimally. If modifying your soil, start with quality peat moss and organic manure – both are excellent for plants and will increase fertility of the soil naturally.
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step #1 Introduction
TO GARDENING( c o n t i n u e d )
Gardening can be a very affordable way to grow your family’s food. Your local gardening center is bursting with tools, soil additives and other gadgets to help your garden bloom— though to start you’ll really just need the basics:
What to buy
A shovelA trowel
MulchSandSeeds and/or plants
Organic fertilizer like compost, manure or peat moss
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PROTIP
IF IT CAN BE EASILY SQUEEZED INTO A BALL OR STICKS TO THE END OF A TOOL, THE DIRT IS TOO WET - WAIT A WEEK.
step #2Preparing
YOUR GARDEN BEDThere are many options when it comes to garden bed types: in-ground, raised beds,
containers, etc. Each has its benefits and challenges, work with the space you
have available. As long as you treat your plants well and they have enough room
to grow, they can thrive in any type of garden.
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step #2
( c o n t i n u e d )
Things You Need To Do To Get started!After the last frost you can prep your soil. For in-ground beds, the dirt should be dry and easy to work. Begin by lifting the first few inches of dirt and then dig in with your shovel as far as two feet below the surface. The goal is to break down any large clumps, a tiller will be helpful if your garden is large. Remove any grass, rocks and other debris. Once tilled, follow these steps for creating the perfect garden bed:
1
3
2
Mix fertilizer and sand into your existing topsoil, reserving some topsoil for the next step. If your soil is heavy and full of clumps you’ll want to include more peat moss and sand into your bed. Mix well until your soil is even throughout the bed.
Lay down the remaining topsoil over the mixture – if the bed is raising above the surrounding area that’s fine, you can control the spillage with spare wood or
bricks or place the extra topsoil in your compost.
Lightly mulch your bed with wood chips, bark, straw or hay. You’ll want to be able to remove the mulch when you plant certain varieties but for now the mulch will keep the soil from blowing away
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step #3
YOUR GARDENPlan
ONE OF THE GREATEST JOYS OF PLANTING YOUR OWN GARDEN IS THAT YOU GET TO GROW WHATEVER YOU LIKE. BEGIN BY LISTING THE VEGETABLES YOUR HOUSEHOLD EATS FREQUENTLY AND CONSIDER ADDING A FEW THAT YOU MAY NOT BE TOO FAMILIAR WITH BUT ARE INDIGENOUS TO THE AREA.
PROTIP
ESPECIALLY FOR NEW GARDENERS, IT IS TEMPTING TO PACK AS MANY PLANTS IN YOUR GARDEN AS POSSIBLE BUT RESIST THIS URGE, PLANTS NEED THEIR SPACE AND OVERCROWDING WILL ACTUALLY RESULT IN LESS PRODUCTION.
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“Many garden vegetables like tomatoes,
squash, and beans require pollination in
order to produce fruit. Save a portion of
your garden for planting wildflowers
and other pollinator attracting plants
in order to make sure that you get the
proper pollination.“
kerry shay - VICTORY GARDENS OF SAVANNAH, GA
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
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step #3(cont inued)Use This Handy Chart
To Determine How Muchspace your favorite vegetable plants need
VEGETABLE SPACING
Artichoke 4 feet
Arugula 16 plants per foot
Asparagus 2 feet
Beans 2 plants per 3 feet
Beet 4 plants per foot
Broccoli 1 foot
Brussels sprouts 2 feet
Onion 16 plants per foot
Cabbage 2 feet
Carrot 16 plants per foot
Cauliflower 1 foot
Celery 1 foot
Cucumber 2 feet
VEGETABLE SPACING
Eggplant 2 plants per 3 feet
Kale 1 foot
Kohlrabi 4 plants per foot
Lettuce 2-4 plants per foot
Okra 4 feet
Parsnip 4 plants per foot
Peppers 2 feet
Pumpkin 6 feet
Radish 9 per foot
Spinach 2-4 per foot
Squash 2 feet
Tomato 2 feet
Turnip 8 per foot
Plants grow quickly and you’ll need at least a few inches between them to trim, water and harvest. If you’re running out of space in your garden, consider planting larger varieties in containers. Peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, squash and lettuces all perform just as well in large pots as they do in the ground.
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step #4
Seedlings:- these are small starter plants you’ll purchase from your local greenhouse, nursery or garden center. They can be purchased at any time in the season and will plant directly in your garden. Seedlings are a great option for new gardeners or those with a small amount of space indoors. You’ll also want to consider seedlings if you have a very short growing season.
REMEMBER
Indoor/Greenhouse Start:– if you have spare counter space in a sunny area and a touch of patience, you may try starting your seedlings indoors. It’s a good idea to start plants 4-6 weeks before you’ll be ready to plant.
Direct Sow:– some plants like carrots, lettuce, spinach, corn, beans and any other early crops thrive when sown directly into your garden beds. It will take more time and you won’t know for a while if they’re growing but once they pop out of the soil you’ll feel a little extra sense of accomplishment.
NOW THAT THE SPRING TEMPERATURES ARE RISING YOU’RE READY TO BEGIN; TIME TO DECIDE HOW YOU’LL SOW YOUR SEEDS. THERE ARE THREE POPULAR WAYS TO PLANT:
Gathering
YOUR PLANTS
there’s nothing wrong with growing your first garden from purchased plants. They’ll give you
a running start to a great garden season.
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step #5Reading Yourplant labels & Seed packetsIf purchasing seedlings, make sure the plant comes with a plant label. If the label has fallen off, select a different plant of ask for a new label. Your plant label is critical to understanding the conditions your plant needs to thrive. Since vegetable varieties can vary greatly you’ll need to know the specific conditions for your exact plant.
DETERMINATE
FULL SUN
HARDY
HEIRLOOM
HYBRID
ORNAMENTAL
SELF-POLLINATING
INDETERMINATE
produces all of its fruit within a short period (typically 1-2 weeks)
needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day to thrive
needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day to thrive
a non-hybrid unchanged for at least 50 years, seeds collected will produce new, healthy, productive offspring
a crossbreed of two varieties, seeds collected will not produce productive offspring
plants that do not produce edible fruit
plants that do not need multiple plants to pollinate
produces fruit until killed
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WHILE ALL OF THE INFORMATION ON THE PLANT LABELS AND SEED PACKETS ARE IMPORTANT,
THE FOLLOWING IS MOST VITAL:
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
PLANT NAME
PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS
The label should list the exact species of plant you have. This name may be in a household or scientific format either of which will allow you to use databases, books
or the internet to find more information about your plant.
there’s nothing wrong with growing your first garden from purchased plants. They’ll give you
a running start to a great garden season.
PLANT DESCRIPTIONTypically contains the maximum height, yield, flowering type and harvest times.
This information is a great resource to get to know how your plant will grow.
SUN TYPEShown by either a picture or a description, the sun information will be needed to know
where in your garden to place your plant.
Typically contains the planting time, soil depth and the planting distance. Some plant tags have more information than others; remember, as long as the tag contains
the full name of your plant you can always seek the information you need elsewhere.
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step #5Reading Yourplant labels & Seed packetsCORRECTLY READING YOUR NEW SEED PACKETS IN A CRUCIAL
STEP IN GROWING HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE PLANTS. HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR SPECIFIC PLANTS:
(cont inued)
Plant Hardy Root Crops:For your root crops and plants you plan to direct sow, look for varieties that are hardy so they may survive any late freezes.
Choose Disease Resistance Plants:Search for varieties that have a form of disease resistance - blight, mildew, mold and fungus can cause a large amount of damage in susceptible plants.
Year—Round Havest:If you plan to harvest from your plants year-round you’ll want to choose plants that are indeterminate. Determinate plants will come to harvest only once.
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step #6Planting Your SEEDS & PLANTSSTEP 1:Dig a hole about twice the size of the plant to the lowest depth provided in the instructions. Place the plant or seed into the dirt and then lightly pack the dirt into the area.STEP 2: Measure carefully the distance needed for the next plant. The distance may seem like an exaggeration but root systems can be large and need space to grow.STEP 3: Don’t throw away spare plants if you run out of room; pot them in containers or keep them for a week before giving them away. Sometimes plants react poorly to being transplanted and need to be replaced.STEP 4: Lightly water the area taking great care to not waterlog the new plants. Keep them moist for the first week then water as needed, up to an inch per week.
PROTIP
Don’t ignore Mother Nature - if it rains, scale back your watering schedule that week; if it really heats up, give them an extra drink. Also, watering is best done in the morning before the hot sun rises.
Follow the instructions given on the packets or labels in order to give your garden the greatest opportunity to become full with healthy, productive plants.
Be careful not to mound the dirt over young plants however older plants won’t mind the additional soil.
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step #7Early Spring
GROWING YOUR COLD SEASON CROPSALL PLANTS THAT RECOMMEND A PLANTING DATE BEFORE MAY ARE COLD SEASON HOWEVER MOST BEGINNERS START WITH CARROTS, BEANS, ONIONS, LETTUCE AND SPINACH. ALL WILL GROW BEAUTIFULLY IN NEAT ROWS OR SOWN NATURALLY BY GENTLY SCATTERING THE SEEDS IN A SMALL AREA. TO ENSURE THEIR BEST GROWTH FOLLOW THESE TIPS:
some cold weather plants won’t grow in the hot summer months. when they begin to perform poorly remove them and replace them with more hot-house plants.
Sow your seeds just under the surface of the soil. Most early seeds require a depth of ¼ inch or less. Water your seeds carefully – you may opt to use a spray bottle to gently mist the small seeds.
Protect your seeds from frost by covering the bed with blankets or plastic during cold nights. Cover your bed with a tarp during heavy rains, hail, snow or sleet. Small tender plants can be significantly damaged by something as seemingly innocuous as rain drops.
Weed out small plants. When your tender seedlings begin to grow, pull plants that are closer than the recommended distance opting for the smallest, most damaged or loosest plants. Continue to weed out poor performers to allow nutrients to get to the best plants.
Generally within 4 weeks of planting you’ll be able to begin harvesting. Choose every other plant to give remaining varieties more room to grow.
1
2
3
4
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The StartOF SUMMER
step #8
The end of spring heralds many activities, none more exciting to a gardener than planting their hot-house plants. While your cold weather plants have thrived during the cool spring days and you‘ve been rewarded with an excellent spring harvest, certain plants like tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers have remained in-doors. Once the threat of frost is gone, night tempe-rature averages are above 50 degrees and the ground is warm, these plants can be transplanted into your garden. Planting too soon will cause the plants to be stunted and underperform.
Your plants are delicate, they’ve had a pretty easy life growing indoors so far. Two weeks before you plant your seedlings, move them outside on a warm day into a sheltered area for a few hours– they shouldn’t have sun shining directly on them. Re-peat for 2-3 days, then move the plants into full sun for a few hours for 2-3 more days. During this time you’ll want to bring the plants indoors during harsh
weather or strong winds. The second week place the plants outdoors as much as possi-ble – up to 8 hours a day. You want the plants used to the wind, sun, rain and elements before planting them in the ground.
Hardening off
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step #8(cont inued)
If you’ve given your plants nutritious soil and a good start they’ll reward you with amazing growth. Enjoy your month of June and July with only light maintenance. Here are some things to do during this time:
Keep an eye for pestsWater when neededProtect your plants from hail storms with tarpsUse sticks and poles to support large plantsPull weeds from the bed
The GrowinG SeaSon
The Start OF SUMMER
TOMATOESTomatoes are strange plants, they actually enjoy being buried alive – if you look closely at the stem you’ll see small white hairs, these will become roots when you bury the plant. To encourage great tomato plants, bury up to half the plant in the dirt to allow the tomato to develop an outstanding root system.
EVERYTHINGELSEPlant according to the pac-kage or tag description, ma-king sure not to plant too deeply or have roots exposed to the air. When you dig up your soil, check for pests like grubs, slugs, snails, ants and larva - if you see these, treat the soil with a pesticide or remove the bugs before plan-ting the seedlings in the soil.
PLANTING
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step #9HARVEST & BUGS
When the tomatoes are slowly turning red, the squash is as big as your arm and the cucumbers reappear every day. During the late summer months your garden is in overdrive as it provides delicious and nutritious produce for your family. Here’s what you need to know to bring in the best harvest.
EVERYONE LOVES HARVEST TIME
DEPENDING ON YOUR GARDEN, PLANTS YOU’VE
CHOSEN AND OTHER
FACTORS, THERE ARE
TWO VIABLE OPTIONS FOR HARVESTING
YOUR PRODUCE
Picking your fruits and vegetables at the peak of their ripening is the best way to get the most nutrients from your food. That being the case, you may not be the only one with their eye on the fruits of your labors. Bugs, birds and neighbors may steal your work before you can enjoy it.
By harvesting just a few days before they’re ripe and allowing your produce to ripen indoor, you can avoid losing part of your harvest. It’s an especially good option if you are suffering from pest control problems. With a large quantity of one vegetable picked at once, you can also make batches of soups, stews, and sauces or preserve some of the pick by canning or freezing them.
RIPENING INDOORS VINE–RIPENED
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ONCE THE FOOD ARRIVES THE PESTS WON’T BE FAR BE-HIND. TEND TO YOUR GARDEN EVERY DAY TO REMOVE POTENTIAL ATTACKERS. REMEMBER THERE ARE BOTH
BENEFICIAL AND HARMFUL CRITTERS; HERE’S A HANDY GUIDE:
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUTPESTS
APHIDS
CATERPILLARS
BEETLES PESTS
These tiny grey fly-like insects feed by drinking your plant’s sap, causing
leaf damage. Deal with them by washing the leaves and spraying a pest deterrent.
These white worm-like creatures are friends to
no one, they’ll grow into adult flies so you’ll want to kill all any you find with
pesticides.
If you’ve never gardened before you probably don’t mind caterpillars however these hungry critters can
destroy entire crops within a day and should always be
picked off.
These pests will eat your plants leaves, effectively
killing your plant. Picking them off and applying a cover will protect your
harvest.
helpFUL
LADY BUGS
These delightful bugs will eat larva, mites and aphids.
GROUND BEETLES
These beetles will attack maggots, snails and slugs.
PRAYING MANTIS
Welcome any of these stunning bugs, they’ll
enjoy feasting on your gar-den pests.
LACEWINGS
They enjoy dining on caterpillars, aphids and
whiteflies.
SPIDERS
While they may seem creepy, spiders feast on a host of
bugs and cause no harm to your garden.
SNAKES
Feasting on large bugs, mice and other dangerous critters,
native snakes belong in your garden.
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THE NEXT YEAR
any plants you’ve planted in containers can be brought indoors before the cold weather sets
in for an extended harvest.
step #10
After the leaves begin to drop your harvest will begin to wane. Take this time to cut down the plants you once cared for. Transfer the plants into a compost pile and add the mulch from that year. Turn the compost before recovering and sealing tightly. Once finished, amend the soil with a light solid fertilizer before covering with a tarp for the next year.
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MeetTHE Authors ©C O P Y R I G H T 2015
A L L R I G H T S R E S E R V E D .
How to Plant an
EdiblE GardenIN 10 STEPS OR LESS
BY K. LYNN TOOTLE AND BRENT KELLY
K. Lynn Tootle is the General Manager of GroMasters Inc., a division of TideWater Landscape Management Inc. Lynn is a certified arborist and turf grass professio-nal, a past president of the Coastal Land-scape and Turf Professional Association and a graduate of the Urban Ag Leader-ship program. He graduated from Clem-son University in 1999 with a BS in Wildli-fe Biology and a minor in Forest Resources.
K. Lynn Tootle
Brent Kelly holds certifications as a Landscape Professional, Landscape Technician, Insta-ller of Interlocking Pavement as well as Pest Control.
Brent Kelly
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20% OFF YOUR FIRST APPLICATION OF FERTILIZER AND PEST
AND WEED CONTROL
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20%OFF
