Start to Finish Vegetable Production

1. Start to Finish Vegetable Production Juan Anciso Texas AgriLife Extension Service

2. Why Grow Vegetables? • Market • What pesticides are applied. Organic vs. Man-made (synthetic) • Heirloom vs. Current varieties • Some vegetable grow well down here.

3. Source of Water • Municipal • Costly • Drip Irrigation • Well • Know salt content • <1,400 ppm TDS good for vegetables • 1,400 – 2,100 TDS doubtful but good drainage, more tolerant • >2,100 TDS TDS doubtful but only drip irrigation should be used • Canal • May not be available in your area

4. Irrigation Method • Drip • Furrow • Sprinkler

5. General Guidelines for Vegetable Planting • Select Recommended Varieties. • Plant at the Right Time. • Proper Soil Preparation and Fertilization. • Control Weeds, Diseases and Insects. • Adequate Soil Moisture. • Harvest at the Right Time .

6. Location • Receives 8 + hours of sunlight. • Soil has good internal and external drainage. • Free of competition (weeds and trees). • Near a source of water.

7. Drainage Bedded Ground Raised Bed Flat on the Ground

8. Soils in the Valley • pH 6.5 – 8.3 • < 0.8% Organic Matter. • High in Potassium and Calcium. • Textures - Clay Loam to Sandy Loam.

9. Average N – P - K Content of Horticultural Plants

10. Soil Preparation • Have a soil test run. • N-P-K • Incorporate plenty of organic matter. • Add compost to improve drainage. • Add nutrients if necessary.

11. Planting Equipment • Push planter – gravity and pore size • Tractor equipped – gravity and pore size

12. Planting Equipment Tractor-equipped – vacuum and pore size

13. Integrated Pest ManagementInsects, Diseases, Weeds • Provide plants with the best care and culture possible. • Use only the most adapted varieties. • If chemical (organic or man-made) control is necessary start with the most environmentally friendly products first. • Apply chemicals, (organic or man-made) properly, safely and according to the label.

14. Know the Good Guys

15. Floating Row CoverPrevent Insects • 2° to 4° F of Frost Protection. • Wind Protection. • Keeps Out Insects. • Allows 85 to 90% Light Penetration.

16. Soil-borne Diseases Solarize Nematodes Elbon Cereal Rye

17. Weed Control

18. Plastic Mulch

19. Cool Season Vegetables • Plant from September thru December. • Some are heavy feeders of nitrogen.

20. Cabbage Cauliflower Broccoli (difficult to get size) Kale Kohlrabi Radish Collards Mustard Turnips (greens) (easy) Crucifer (Cabbage) Family

21. Cabbage

22. Broccoli

23. Collards, Kale & Kohlrabi

24. Turnips and Mustards

25. Radish / Daikon

26. Goosefoot (Purslane) Family • Beets (easy) • Swiss Chard (easy) • Spinach (easy)

27. Lettuce – Asteraceae family (Head –difficult Leaf - easy) • Plant when soil cools in fall & winter. • Seed needs light to germinate. • Refrigerate before use.

28. Umbel (Parsley) Family • Carrot (easy) • Parsley (easy) • Cilantro (easy) • Fennel (easy) • Dill (easy) • Celery (difficult)

29. Amaryllis (Onion) Family • Onions (easy) • Leeks (easy) • Garlic (difficult) • Shallots (easy) • Chives (easy)

30. Onions • Plant seeds in September thru late November, transplants in December . • Varieties are short day sweet onions (1015).

31. Warm Season Vegetables • Plant Mid Feb- April 1 and August 15 to September 15 • Some require moderate levels of nitrogen.

32. Nightshade (Tomato) Family • Tomato (Roma or cherry) (easy) • Pepper (Hot types) (easy) • Eggplant (All types) (easy) • Potato (Difficult) • Tomatillo (Difficult)

33. Eggplant (easy)

34. Pepper Varieties Worth Trying Hidalgo Serrano Mild Habanero Tam Mild I Jalapeno Senorita Jalapeno

35. Legume (Bean) Family • Green (Snap) Beans (easy) • Southern Pea (easy) • English Pea (difficult) • Edible-podded Pea (difficult) • Soybean (difficult) • Jicama (difficult) • Pinto/black Bean (easy)

36. Cucurbit (Gourd) Family • Cucumber (easy) • Summer Squash (difficult) • Winter Squash (easy) • Cantaloupe (difficult) • Honeydew (difficult) • Watermelon (difficult) • Pumpkin (difficult) • Gourd (easy)

37. Male and Female Flowers Female Male

38. Cucumbers • Plant mid Feb to April 1 and August 15 to September 15. • Moderate Fertility. • Easily trellised. • Harvest for pickles when fruit reaches desired size and slicers when near maturity.

39. Squash • Plant mid February to April 1 and August 15 to September 15. • Moderate Fertility. • Harvest • Winter Squash when mature, rind hard. • Summer Squash when tender and immature.

40. Watermelons and cantaloupes • Plant mid Feb to March 15. • Moderate Fertility • Harvesting criteria important.

41. Mallow Family • Okra (easy) • Plant March 1 through April 15 when soils are warm. • Moderate fertility. • Harvest when pods are small and tender.

42. Okra Harvest Too Large Just Right

43. Grass Family – Sweet Corn(difficult) • Plant mid Feb. to April 1 and August 15 to September 15. • Fertilize at Planting, 1 Foot Tall, & Tassel • 70 to 90 days until harvest. Su - type Se - type

44. Types of Sweet Corns • Sweet Corn (su)- Traditional sweet corn with sweet flavor and creamy consistency. Sugar degrades rapidly to starch . • Sugary Enhanced (se) – Tender kernels, much sweeter flavor and creamy consistency. Maintains sweet flavor much longer than traditional sweet corn. • Super Sweets (sh2)- Very crisp kernels, even after freezing, and a much higher sugar content. Sugar is very stable within the kernel but it lacks the creamy consistency. • Triple Sweets (su x se x sh2)- A combination of high sugar and creamy consistency, carrying a combination of traits from both sugar enhanced and super sweet varieties.

45. Plant Corn in Multiple Rows