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 vegetables to grow for your family. You do not have to select from these examples.

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: Green Beans (bush type) Family of 6 4 ounces of green beans 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 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 green beans will you need to plant in order to produce 78 pounds of green beans? First, figure out how many pounds of green beans are produced per row foot? From the Vegetable Yield Chart at johnnyseeds.com The chart shows yield per 100 row feet. You will need to divide the pounds shown by 100 in order to calculate the pounds per row foot. For Bush Beans (green beans) the yield on the chart is 80 lbs. per 100 row feet. So, divide 80 by 100. 80/100 = .8 lbs./row foot Next, take the pounds you need to produce and divide that by the yield per row foot. 78 pounds/.8 pounds per RF = 97.5 RF of green beans (round this off to 98 RF or your could round this up to 100 RF if you want to) So, you will need to plant 98 row feet of green beans. Use this same process for each of your 10 vegetables.

9. 5. Figure out the size of your garden. A. Add up the total of your row feet for all of your vegetables. - For example: Carrots: 20 RF Green Beans: 40 RF Corn: 40 RF Tomatoes: 30 RF Potatoes: 60 RF Bell Peppers: 20 RF Cabbage: 20 RF Broccoli: 40 RF Radishes: 10 RF Cauliflower: 20 RF TOTAL = 300 RF (this is the total row feet you need in your garden)

10. B. Select a row length. Let’s say 30 feet for each row. - this means one side of your garden will be 30 feet long. 30’ • C. Calculate how many rows you will need. Divide 300 RF by 30 = 10 rows needed.

11. D. For the other side of your garden multiply 3 feet X 10 rows = 30 feet - we are allowing 3 feet between each row, plus you need to add 3 feet to allow space on the ends of the garden. So the length of the garden needs to be 33’. 3 feet 30’ 33’ So, the total garden size is 30 X 33 feet.

12. E. Convert to ¼” scale. So every ¼” on your ruler will equal 1 foot. 33 / 4 = 8.25” (inches) 30 / 4 = 7.5” We do this because you can’t draw a 30 X 33 foot garden on a piece of paper. By using a ¼” scale we shrink the garden down and still keep the same proportions. F. Draw your garden 7.5 X 8.25” • Label your garden the actual size: 30 X 33’ (feet) • Draw in lines for your vegetables. Think of the row lines as the line of seeds you are planting. Remember to measure 3 feet between each row. On your ruler 3 feet will be 3/4 of an inch. Each ¼” = 1 foot. • Draw a line for each row. Go from line to line to measure the 3 foot spacing. If you draw in your vegetables you still measure from the row lines for the 3 foot spacing.

13. 3’ 3’ 30 3’ 3’ 3’ 3’ 3’ 3’ 3’ 3’ 3’ 33

14. 6. Draw your garden on a piece of 11X17”paper. Use a ¼” scale. (¼” = 1 foot) Draw in the vegetables – use color. You can also use colored lines instead of drawing he vegetables. Be sure to draw in the correct amount in row feet and be sure to plant them the correct distance apart in the rows. For example, if you need 20 RF of corn, convert the 20 RF to inches by dividing 20/4. This equals 5 inches at a ¼” scale. You would draw a 5” row of corn in your garden. For the 3 feet spacing between rows that would be ¾”. Remember each ¼” equals 1 foot. 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

15. 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. N VEGETABLE GARDEN PLAN – JOE STUDENT, 6/16/11, PERIOD 1 3 feet 30’ E W 33’ Peas Tomatoes Carrots S

16. The Garden Plan

17. 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

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

19. Calculate the cost of growing the garden • Garden Expenses: • Seed - $2.00 per package (need 10 packages) • Use 5 lbs. of fertilizer per 100 square feet • 50 lb. bag of fertilizer costs $10.00 Example: Calculate your garden area: 30 X 33 = 990 square feet 990/100 = 9.9 9.9 X 5 lbs. = 49.5 lbs. of fertilizer needed Need to buy 1 bag of fertilizer. Seed: $20 Fertilizer $10 Total Cost of Garden = $30

20. 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

21. 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.)

22. 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.

23. 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.

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

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

26. 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

27. 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).

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

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

30. 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

31. 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

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

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

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

35. Seed Planting Times General Guidelines: Cool Season Crops – Plant Mid MarchLettuce, Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Spinach Warm Season Crops – Plant End of MayCorn, Tomatoes, Peppers, Squash, Melons, Green beans, Pumpkins