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Fluvanna Master Gardener Training

Learn how to start a successful vegetable garden by prioritizing wants and meeting the needs of your plants. This comprehensive guide covers site selection, soil preparation, watering, pest control, support systems, seed starting, and more. Discover the keys to a bountiful harvest and sustainable gardening practices.

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Fluvanna Master Gardener Training

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  1. Fluvanna Master Gardener Training The Vegetable Garden

  2. Start with your WANTS • Fresh Food • Saving money • Quality of life • Environmental advantages • Variety

  3. Then fill the Vegetables Needs • Site • Sun • Soil • Water • Limit Competition - keep out weeds and roots • Support • Plan

  4. SITE • Level • Limited Wind • Access to water • Don’t compete with trees or roots • Rotation

  5. SUN • Minimum 6 hours a day • Prefers 8 to 10 • FULL SUN

  6. SOIL • Loamy Organic Soil, okay laugh … it can be made here in Central Virginia. Time & Compost • ******** Soil testing ************* PH generally should be 6.2 to 6.8 (slightly acid)

  7. Water • 1 – 2 inches per week • Mulch to conserve • Soaker hoses

  8. Weeds • Be Proactive • Control with mulch • Control with cultivation • Spacing of vegetable plants • Cover crops • Last resort - herbicides

  9. Support Prevents contact with ground, increases airflow and aids harvesting • Poles/stakes • Cages • Fences or trellises • Strings

  10. Planning • Layout taller plants to the north • Succession crops • Rotation needs

  11. Start with or And get

  12. Seeds or Transplants Question: Which makes sense? Answer: Depends on vegetable and….

  13. Larger Variety Costs (packages or save /trade options) Heirlooms Challenge Time in start up Meeting needs of seeds Challenge Seeds + -

  14. Variety Costs Lack of Heirlooms Some plants not suitable for transplant (i.e. beans,beet, spinach) Ease No Time in start up Head start Hybrids Transplants - +

  15. Seeds Pretreat? (breaking dormancy) General rule – plant depth of 4-5 times size of seed Row or broadcast spread Transplants Harden-off Depth (except tomatoes) Timing Planting in Garden

  16. Seeds to plant PRIOR Last Frost date Beet/Carrot/Radish 4 weeks beforeKale/Kohlrabi/Spinach 5 weeks beforeLettuce (all types) 2 weeks beforeOnion 6 weeks beforePea (English) 4 weeks beforePotato 6 weeks beforeSpinach 5 weeks beforeSwiss chard 2 weeks beforeTurnip 5 weeks before

  17. Seeds to plant AFTER Last Frost date Bean 1 to 2 weeks after Corn 2 weeks afterPeanut 2 weeks after Pumpkin 2 weeks after Squash 2 weeks after Watermelon 2 weeks after

  18. Terms to know for seed saving • Open Pollination OP– pollinated by natural means ( wind, bees, ants, humans), not all are Heirloom • Heirloom – All are OP, True to parent • Hybrid (F1)– Pollen from one plant introduced to another of the same variety • GMO – changes introduced/spliced into the DNA from a different organism • Cross Pollination – pollen from a different variety introduced through natural means

  19. Pollination

  20. Pollination cont’ • Self Pollinators - flowers that receive only their own pollen Ex…Bush beans, peas, tomatoes • Cross Pollinators - either set seed from their own pollen or from pollen rcvd from another plant Usually Air-borne – ex beets, corn, carrots, onions, spinach Usually insect – ex broccoli, gourd family, kale, lettuce, eggplant • Male and Female plants -seeds can only form when male plants furnish pollen ex Asparagus, spinach, some hybrid cucumbers

  21. Seasons Planning Seed Catalogs Seed Starting Test soil early * Start cool season seeds WEED, WEED, WEED Seed Starting Hardening transplants Planting

  22. Seasons Test Soil * Cool Season crops Mulch beds for winter Clean Tools Remove all diseased material Keep up on weeding, watering, harvesting Start cool season crops late summer Save seeds from Heirloom plants

  23. Frost dates

  24. Other Options • Square Foot Gardening • Container gardening – be creative • Raised beds • Hanging planters

  25. Let plants go to seed • Bi-Annuals like Parsley will guarantee life time Parsley • Seed saving doesn’t have to be hard. Tomato seeds on a paper towel! • Start transplants for root plants in paper pots • Be aware of Cross Pollination for seed savers

  26. Plant multiple varieties. • Interplant – Lettuce with Broccoli, radish with carrots, peas followed by zucchini • Male flowers come earlier for squash plants • Tomatoes have complete flowers, but may need a TAP in hot humid weather • Be brave with at least one thing each season

  27. Things to consider • Fluvanna Community Garden • Plant a row for the hungry • No-till gardening • Lasagna Gardening

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