Vegetable Garden Plan

1. Vegetable Garden Plan

2. Objective: Plan and draw a vegetable garden that will produce enough of 10 different vegetables to feed your family for one year.

3. 1. Select 10 vegetable to grow for your family.

4. 2. Conduct the required research on each vegetable (see vegetable identification and research form)

5. 3. Calculate the amount of each vegetable needed to feed your family for one year. We will use 4 ounces per person for each vegetable as the average serving size. Figure that each person will eat one serving per week of each vegetable. Remember there are 52 weeks in a year.

6. EXAMPLE: PEAS Family of 6 4 ounces of peas per person per week 4 X 6 = 24 ounces per week 24 X 52 weeks = 1248 ounces per year 1248/16 ounces per pound = 78 pounds of peas per year

7. 4. Calculate the amount of each vegetable you will need to grow in row feet. Row Feet Definition: The length of a row in your garden. If you plant 30 feet of corn in your garden how many row feet do you have? 30 Row Feet or 30 RF

8. How many row feet of peas will you need to plant in order to produce 78 pounds of peas? First, figure out how many pounds of peas are produced per row foot? Organic Gardening Book, pg. 125. ANSWER: 2.5 pounds 78 pounds/2.5 pounds per RF = 31.2 RF of peas (round this off to 30 RF) So, you will need to plant 30 row feet of peas. Use this same process for each of your 10 vegetables.

9. 5. Figure out the size of your garden. Example: Need 300 RF • Select a row length. Let’s say 30 feet for each row. • Divide 300 RF by 30 = 10 rows needed. • Multiply 3 feet (width for each row) X 10 rows = 30 feet. • Add 3 feet to allow space on the sides of the garden. • Total = 33 feet. • So, the total garden size is 30 X 33 feet. • Convert to ¼” scale. • 33 / 4 = 8.25” • 30 / 4 = 7.5” • Draw your garden 7.5 X 8.25” • Label garden the actual size: 30 X 33’ • Draw in your vegetables.

10. 3’ 3’ 30 3’ 3’ 3’ 3’ 3’ 3’ 3’ 3’ 3’ 33

11. 6. Draw your garden on a piece of 8.5 X 11” paper. Use a ¼” scale. (¼” = 1 foot) Draw in the vegetables – use color. Be sure to draw in the correct amount in row feet and be sure to plant them the correct distance apart in the rows. Label N, S, E, W Label each row or make a vegetable key – use ¼” block letters. Put a title at the top of your paper: VEGETABLE GARDEN PLAN - NAME, DATE, PERIOD

12. Plant The Garden • Draw in one veg. at a time. • Say you need 30 RF of peas, 30 RF of tomatoes, 45 RF of carrots. VEGETABLE GARDEN PLAN – JOE STUDENT, 5/25/10, PERIOD 1 30 Peas Tomatoes Carrots 33

13. The Garden Plan

14. 7. Calculate the value of each vegetable grown. Price per pound X pounds produced = value Example: Peas Price at store: $1.89/lb. $1.89 X 78 pounds = $147.42

15. Calculate the total value of the garden • Add up the values for each vegetable

16. Calculate the cost of growing the garden • Garden Expenses: • Seed - $2.00 per package • Use 5 lbs. of fertilizer per 100 square feet • 50 lb. bag of fertilizer costs $10.00

17. 10. Calculate the profit from the garden. Total value minus cost = profit WHAT TO TURN IN: 10 Veg. Research formsPage of calculations Complete garden plan

18. Garden Planning Tips 1. Plant perennials together. 2. Group quickly maturing crops so you can plant other vegetables when they are harvested or plant them between rows of later maturing crops. 3. Plant the correct distance between rows. We will use 3 feet between each row. 4. Plant some crops in 2 week intervals so you can harvest at different times during the growing season. (lettuce, spinach, green beans, corn) 5. Plant a fall crops in areas where early vegetables have been harvested. (peas, lettuce, etc.)

19. Raised Bed, Wide Row Method Advantages: 1. More production. 2. Beds dry out and warm up quicker in the spring. 3. Deeper topsoil for roots. 4. Easier to weed.

20. Crop Rotation Don’t plant the same crops in the same rows in your garden each year. Advantages: 1. Reduces insect problems. 2. Reduces disease problems.

21. Hardiness A plant’s resistance to cold weather or frost.

22. Plant Hardiness Zones Average minimum temperatures in an area.

23. Climate Zone A climate zone is different than a plant hardiness zone. Climate zones are based on average temperatures, rainfall, and growing season length. According the Western Garden Book, we are in climate zone 6. Willamette Valley 279 day growing season Maritime climate – influenced by the ocean

24. Your Garden Soil Important Characteristics: 1. Good drainage. 2. Good supply of organic matter. 3. Good supply of plant food (nutrients). 4. Proper pH (6.3 to 7.0).

25. Clayey Soil How to improve it? 1. Add manure. 3. Add leaves. 2. Add crop residue. 4. Add sand.

26. Liming Your Garden Soil How much lime should you add? 10 pounds per 100 square feet every 2 to 3 years.

27. If you have a garden that measures 40 X 60, how much lime would you need to apply? 40 60 40 X 60 = 2400 square feet Rate of application = 10 pounds per 100 square feet 10/100 = .10 pounds per square foot .10 X 2400 = 240 pounds of lime

28. Fertilizer for Your Garden How often should you add it? Every year What kind should you use? Commercial fertilizerOr you could use manure Example fertilizer grades: 5-10-15 5-10-10 10-10-10 5-10-5 10-6-4

29. Which nutrient do leafy vegetables and corn need lots of? Nitrogen (N)

30. What nutrient do pod or fruit crops like tomatoes and peas need lost of? Phosphorus (P)

31. What nutrient do root crops like carrots need lots of? Potassium (K)