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Vegetable Gardening for Master Gardeners. Tom Tyler Extension Agent Virginia Cooperative Extension Arlington County Office 3308 S. Stafford Street Arlington, VA 22206. Garden Seasons: Let’s Grow Year-round!. Spring (Cool Season) Tolerate Light Frost/ Prefer Cool Temps
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Vegetable Gardening for Master Gardeners Tom Tyler Extension Agent Virginia Cooperative Extension Arlington County Office 3308 S. Stafford Street Arlington, VA 22206
Garden Seasons: Let’s Grow Year-round! Spring (Cool Season) Tolerate Light Frost/ Prefer Cool Temps Frost Free Date: ??? What Crops??
Garden Seasons: Extend the Season for Maximum Production: Cold Frame Designs
Garden Seasons Summer (Warm Season) No Frost Tolerance Plant After Frost-Free Date What Crops?? Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, melons and squash, cukes, beans corn, sweet potatoes
Garden Seasons Fall Season (Cool) Plant Before First Frost/Date??? What Crops?? How Long Does it Last??
Garden Location Sunlight:6 Hours Full Sun What about less than that? Soil and Drainage: Soil Amendments Raised Bed Gardens
Planning the Garden How big is the family? Are you feeding an army? Likes and Dislikes?? (Does everyone LIKE lima beans??
Planning the Garden: Fresh or “put up”??? (Y2K Factor) Are they worth the trouble??
Planning the Garden What is fun and beautiful to grow? Is it hard to grow? How much space do you have? How will you plant it? What planting techniques can you use to save time and space?
Planning the Garden PUT IT ON PAPER!! (Yeah, right!)
Soil Preparation: Ugh! Tools Pointed Shovel, Rake, Hoe, Trowel Rototiller?? When to Dig?? Spring? Fall?
Soil Preparation Soil pH 6.0-7.0 Fertilization Soil Test Organic? Inorganic? How deep to dig?? What else should I add??
Planting Techniques Intensive Techniques Save Time and Space Single Rows Wide Rows Equal Spacing (Beds/Bands) Relay Plantings Use Your Space and the Weather (plant for all seasons!)
Planting Techniques Intercropping: Mix it up! Vertical Gardening (Plant in the Air!)
Watering the Garden When?? Placement?? How much is enough? How deep?
Weeds and Weeders Hand or Power Cultivation?? MULCH! MULCH! MULCH! Types?? Organic (depth?) Plastic Thin the seedlings!
NOW What’s Bugging You? Veggie Garden “IPM” Healthy Soil = Healthy Plants Use Resistant Varieties Rotate Crops Fall Clean-up
What’s Bugging You? Good gardening practices Alternative/less toxic control ideas What about using pesticides?? Control the varmints!!