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Sustainable Organic Vegetable Gardening. 2008 Basic Training for Master Gardener Interns Jon Traunfeld- jont@umd.edu. A world of colors and good eating awaits you…. Vegetable gardening: Back to the future. New wave of interest fueled by rising food prices rising energy prices
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Sustainable Organic Vegetable Gardening 2008 Basic Training for Master Gardener Interns Jon Traunfeld- jont@umd.edu
Vegetable gardening: Back to the future • New wave of interest fueled by • rising food prices • rising energy prices • buy/grow local movement • Seed sales and media stories on vegetable gardening are way up in 2008 • Backyard and community gardeners are a critical link in any local food system
Master gardener roles • Get more people to grow food. • Work on MG food projects- youth, community, and demo gardens. • Educate new and veteran gardeners through classes and workshops; teach basic MG training. • Diagnose problems and answer questions at plant clinics. Promote organic/sustainable approach
Why do people grow vegetables? • Flavor, freshness, pesticide-free • Health benefits exercise, nutrition, phytochemicals • Connection to mother earth, family traditions • Introduce youth to gardening • Save money; learn new skills v
What is organic gardening?? • Twin cornerstones: • build soil health (feeding the soil food web and recycling nutrients) • increase biological diversity above and below ground- plants, insects, microbial life • Organic doesn’t mean simply substituting purchased organic pesticides and fertilizers for synthetic products
What is a sustainable garden? • Sustains itself through reliance on inherent resources; mimics natural eco-system. • Needs a minimum of purchased “inputs” and relies on locally-available materials. • Does not pollute; strengthens the community eco-system. • Requires knowledge, planning, and timing.
Maryland’s growing conditions • Growing season days- 150 to 225. • Four distinct seasons; quick changes in weather. • Wide range of soils- (many urban and suburban soils are greatly changed from native soils.) A wide range of warm and cool season crops can be grown (with planning and care.)
Global warming • Stronger storms and persistent drought. • Increasing average temperatures. • Higher CO2 levels- “super weeds.” • Gardener response: • reduce the use of fossil fuels (gasoline, plastic, fertilizer) • keep soils covered with plants or mulch • conserve water; use drip irrigation • provide afternoon shade for crops; select heat-tolerant crops and cultivars • opportunity for season extension (spring and fall)
Vegetable crops • 5-10 plant families may be represented in the average garden (none are native to MD and few are native to North America!) • Most are annuals with a life cycle somewhere between 25 days (radish, baby greens) to 110 days (big pumpkins.) • Require good growing conditions to produce high yields. • Can be incorporated into ornamental landscape.
Ingredients for success • Good, deep soil. • Adequate nutrients, water and sunlight. • Freedom from weed competition. • Knowledge/planning. • Attention/timing.
Site selection • Level ground; close to water source. • Southern exposure; tallest plants on North side. • Protection from critters.
You need “good soil” • Urban/suburban soils are usually of poor quality • pH- 6.0-6.8 is preferred range. • Friable- deep, crumbly; allows for maximum root growth. • Regular additions of organic matter will improves soil structure and water drainage and create a reservoir of slow-release nutrients.
Ways to add organic matter • Farmyard manure • Compost • Shredded leaves and grass clippings • Organic mulches • Plant roots • Cover crops • Large amounts of organic matter may be needed for several years. • Thereafter, 1 in. of compost will help maintain high yields.
Using animal manures • Should be thoroughly composted or well-decomposed (> 6 months.) • Till manures under in fall when possible. • Wash all produce thoroughly after harvest. • Never use pet manures in the vegetable garden.
Cover crops improve and protect soils • Increase soil organic matter. • Mine the soil for nutrients. • Protect soil from erosion. Buckwheat Winter wheat/hairy vetch
Crimson clover: adds nitrogen and beauty • Plant spring/summer • buckwheat, white, red, or crimson clover, alfalfa, oats Rhizobium nodules on clover
Pick a cover crop you can handle • Winter wheat and rye grow rapidly in spring- turning under by hand is hard work. • Oats are winter-killed and easy to turn under.
Most commonly available commercial organic fertilizers • Fish emulsion: 6-2-2 • Seaweed extract: 1-.5-2 • Bloodmeal: 15-1-0 • Cottonseed meal: 6-2.5-1.5 • Guano: 8 to 13-8-2 • Bone meal: 4-21-0 • Rock phosphate: 0-22-0 • Alfalfa meal: 3-1-2
Organic fertilizing tips • Nitrogen is nutrient most often in short supply. Use one of the “meals” (kelp, fish, cottonseed, alfalfa) to supplement N from organic matter. • Follow label directions. • Organic fertilizers can be over-applied and burn plants or stimulate excessive leaf growth at the expense of fruit. • Add 1 inch of compost each year to contribute to long-term nutrient reservoir.
Starting a Garden Kill sod and control weeds • Cover area with black plastic or cardboard, leaves, and compost OR • Dig up the area by hand or with a tiller
To till or not to till • Benefits of a roto-tiller: • great for turning under cover crops, residues, and manure. • makes soil loose and weed-free for planting. • can disrupt pest populations in the soil. • Potential problems: • damaged soil structure if you till wet soil. • soil compaction if machine is over-used. • fresh tilled soil is more erodable. • “burns up” organic matter if over-used.
Raised beds some advantages… • Warm up quickly in spring. • Drain well; less compaction and erosion. • Increase available rooting area. • Can produce greater food production per square foot. and some disadvantages… • Up-front labor and expense. • Dry out quickly if weather is hot and dry. • Don’t work on slopes, unless terraced.
2-4 ft. wide; usually 6”-8” above grade; can be bordered with wood, stone, brick Raised bed basics “Instant” raised bed filled with a purchased soil/compost mix
Plant protection Floating row cover over beans Shade cloth over lettuce
Intensive gardening: getting the most per square foot • Close planting • Vertical growth • Inter-planting • Succession/relay planting
How close is too close?? Correct spacing for big onions Okra plants are too tight
Interplant to maximize production purslane is edible!
Succession planting • Requires planning • Transplants fill the space quickly • Special attention to water and nutrient needs • Floating row cover for protection
Succession planting examples • Garlic (11/1)-cucumbers (7/1)-oats/clover (9/20) • Peas/favas (3/1)-squash (6/1)-kale (9/1) • Lettuce (3/20)-green beans (5/15)-broccoli (8/1) • Radish (3/1)-Asian greens (4/15)-eggplant (6/1)-rye (9/15) • Cucumber (4/15)- green bean (7/1)-spinach (9/20)
Weed management • Weeds are plants that thrive in disturbed soil. • Best control methods: • crop cover • hand-pull • sharp hoe • mulch • Other methods: vinegar, flame weeder, commercial herbicidal soap.
Organic mulches • Prevent weed growth. • Moderate soil temperatures. • Conserve soil moisture. • Add to soil organic matter. • Should be spread after soil warms up. • Can provide habitat for pests along with beneficial critters. Examples: grass clippings, newspaper covered with straw, shredded leaves, compost
Synthetic mulches • Black plastic mulch warms the soil for earlier, higher yields of warm-season crops. • Red plastic mulch may produce higher yields of tomato than black plastic. • Landscape fabric warms soil and allows water and air into soil. Can be re-used.
Growing up: using vertical space • Increase yields per sq. ft. • Fewer fruit problems; easier to pick, water, and spray. • Adds complex texture to garden; enhances ecosystem (shading, micro-climates.)
Container vegetables 8 cu. ft. of growing media Whiskey barrel- 1-2 plant capacity
“Salad Table” Demonstration at Central Maryland Research and Education Center
