Lighting | Home Improvement

Spring in the south seems to unfold between late February and Mid-March, and as the flowers and trees start to bud out and bloom, its a constant reminder that time “Marches” on and it will soon be time to plant again. Being prepared for the event is always a good idea, because the size area you intend to plant can be very daunting or even tiresome if you try to do everything at once. Many will find the entire task too overwhelming and decide against even starting a garden, but for those people like myself, the challenge is well worth the rewards. In this “How to Grow a Garden” series, I hope to enlighten as well as educate the novice gardener to the point of confidence that the task of “Growing a Vegetable Garden” becomes a joy filled hobby instead of a relentless task.

Whether you are planning a small box garden, a backyard garden, or planting a field, it really doesn’t matter. The techniques used are basically the same when it comes to growing vegetables. The only thing that really changes is the equipment you use and the volume you hope to produce. This simple monthly guide I have decided to produce this year is designed with the novice gardener in mind, although it will be filled with helpful tips that even the more experienced gardeners will grow to appreciate. My garden will be grown with organic fertilizer (rabbit manure compost) this year, with pictures and a step by step guide to help anyone reproduce their garden with the same incredible results. Many of you may not be able to use the same fertilizer because I raise rabbits and make my own compost, but many commercial fertilizers will work just as well. I’m getting back to basics with my project and hope to have a large number of people that will choose to do the same.

March seems to be the perfect time to plan and prepare in my region (Northeast Georgia) . Although the weather has started to warm a bit, the soil is still too cold for planting. I like to use this time of year to decide what I will be growing and where I will plant each crop as well as get some of my plants started from seed. By starting my own plants from seed, it not only saves money, but it allows me the opportunity to evaluate the quantity and quality of the plants that are available to me, which in turn decides the allotted space required for each crop. From years of experience I’ve discovered that proper planning is one of the most important tasks to be performed.

Every garden should contain a wide variety of the vegetables you enjoy eating, but I always find it very enjoyable to try something new and interesting each year that I may not be familiar with. Experience seems to be the best teacher, and by using the garden as my classroom, its easy to decide what crops do well in my soil and climate conditions.The crops that do well always seem to find a spot in my garden plot for years to come, while those that don’t do so well may never be planted again, but at least I can honestly say,”I gave it a try,”.

Its important to know the difference between “Set” crops and “Row” crops before you start, so I will try to explain. “Set” crops are any plants you set out from seedlings such as tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, watermelons etc., because these plants are usually started from seed in starter cups then placed in prepared “Hills” to allow proper spacing and general care. “Row” crops on the other hand, are seeds dropped directly in prepared rows to begin their cycle of life. Common “Row” crops are corn, beans, peas, beats, potatoes etc.. It always helps for me to visualize the size of the grown row crops so that I can plant the taller crops to the north side of my garden to prevent them from overshadowing the shorter crops. With this in mind, visualize the corn on the north side of the plot, while potatoes, beans and peas should be planted south of the corn. This allows for more even sunlight to embrace your entire garden.

When planning a new garden plot that has never been tended before, there are a few factors to keep in mind. Lighting is very important when deciding where to place your new garden plot on your property. Most vegetable plants will require a minimum of 8 hours of direct sunlight each day for proper development, so its important to watch the available sunlight in the area you are thinking about planting by studying the surrounding trees that may be present. Smaller trees that stand only 15 to 20 feet on the southern region of your garden plot don’t seem to cause any real problems, and added morning shade can even be beneficial to certain plants allowing more time for them to take advantage of the morning dew or the previous nights rain, while taller trees to the south, east, or west may cause too much shade for your new garden and will need to be removed.

Terrain is another factor when choosing your new garden plot that must be considered. Excessive trees that need to be removed to create your new garden plot can be very time consuming and expensive to remove A hillside grade too steep may cause erosion problems once the plot has been cleared and plowed and will need to be terraced with any rock or debris you remove during the process of clearing, reducing the slope of the hill to create a more workable garden area along the hillside, which in turn reduces the chance for unwanted erosion problems. Just keep in mind that new garden plots are full of surprises, and unless you have lived on the property your entire life and are aware of what is just beneath the surface of the soil, there’s’ no telling what you might find once you begin to clear and dig. Any roots, rocks, stump-age or debris will need to be removed and placed in your terrace to help prevent any erosion problems that may develop from heavy rains during the onset of your project. If no terracing is needed, these discarded items can be used in any troubled areas you may have on your property where erosion is a problem. Once the area is cleared, its always a good idea to hire someone with a tractor and turning plow for the initial ground breaking to save countless hours of heartache and work. You will find it was money well spent and will allow you more time for the rock, root, or debris removal..

Depending on the soil type you have encountered will determine what needs to be done next to establish a garden plot that can be worked every year with less effort and increasingly richer soil. Red clay is very common here in Northeast Georgia, and unless you add larger biodegradable components such as pine bark, mulch, manure and leaves, the soil has a tendency to compact during normal garden work. The pine bark, mulch, manure and leaves not only make your garden plot rich in nutrients as they decompose, it also keeps the soil from compacting so tightly together, and by continuing this regiment each year for the first five years or so, you will find that with each passing year, the soil is easier to work and your vegetables will increase in production. It takes time and effort to create a rich garden plot, but can be time and effort well spent, with the reward of a lifetime full of fresh vegetables and fruits that can be enjoyed by the entire family each and every year.

Starting Your Seedlings …

Late March is a great time to to start all your seedlings because the upcoming month will be when most are used. Its important to have a fine soil compost prepared, but for the beginner there are many readily available mixtures you can purchase at you local lawn and garden supply store, and if you aren’t sure exactly what you need, just tell the attendant there what you are trying to accomplish, and they will be more than happy to assist you in selecting a proper mixture. Individual containers or partitioned trays will be needed to keep the roots from binding together and stunting your plants when you separate them at planting time. Root damage at this stage of the young plant’s life may stunt or even kill the plant, so plan ahead to prevent unwanted root damage. Paper egg cartons or flats are very effective and en-expensive to obtain. Local diners that serve breakfast throw them out with their trash every day and are happy to save them for you, especially if you are a regular patron. The paper material not only separates your young plants roots, it also allows excess water to drain or evaporate more quickly to prevent the drowning of your plants. Place a small nail hole in the bottom of each section of the egg trays to ensure drainage of excess water.

Choosing the right location to sprout your seedlings is always a big help. Look for an area that is abundant with sunlight and has access to a water hose, as they will not only need warm sunlight to sprout, they will also need to be checked daily for dryness and watered when needed. Misting lightly works best to prevent unearthing your seeds or breaking the young seedlings with a heavy stream of water once they have sprouted. It is equally important to have space available to move your trays indoors in case of frost or freeze. Temperatures 38 degrees Fahrenheit or above are acceptable, but once the temperature gets any lower, there is always a chance of damage or death to the young sprouts. So once again, plan ahead and be prepared for any situation that may arise. A lot of time and effort will be waisted if you neglect to care for your seedlings on a daily basis.

Start by filling the egg trays or which ever container you choose with the soil mixture you have prepared or purchased (do not pack tightly), allowing space to add a half inch or so of soil on top of the seeds after dropping. Once the soil is in the containers, its time to drop the seed. I always like to put 2 seeds in each compartment to compensate for seed that are faulty and may not sprout. This helps to insure I get at least one plant in each compartment. I’ve found that where both seed sprout, the plants seem to thrive from the competition trying to reach the nutrients in the soil and promoting a healthier root system. Once the seed have been dropped, its time to cover them lightly with more soil to a depth not over 1/2 inch, and watered. If you are sprouting more than one type of plant, its always a good idea to mark you trays in a way that lets you know what is supposed to be in that particular tray. This is very helpful if the trays have to be moved indoors and then placed back outside to insure you don’t get them mixed up. Once again, a little planning ahead may alleviate a lot of headaches a little farther down the road.

Once the trays are prepared, all that really needs to be done is watering on a daily basis, but if the temperature aren’t co-operating or over abundant rain is a problem, here is a simple solution to both problems. For colder than normal weather, try placing a sheet of clear plastic directly over the trays and weighing it down in a fashion that will secure the plastic should the wind blow. This causes a greenhouse effect and moisture will condensate on the plastic sheet. The soil will warm more quickly for the seeds that haven’t sprouted yet. Should too much rain be a problem, place something taller than your trays along the middle of the containers to create a tent that will shed water away and not press the plastic down in the trays as it fills with rain water. Remember, seeds that stay in cold damp soil for too long of a period have a tendency to rot in the ground. Its very important that the soil not only receive sunlight, it needs to be warm as well. Most seeds will sprout in this method within 7 to 10 days depending on the depth of the seed. Planting them too deeply has basically the same result as the soil not being warm enough… They just won’t sprout ! After 14 days with still no seedlings showing, it may be time to replant and evaluate what you did wrong the first time and make any corrections that may be needed. Perhaps the seed you used the first time were too old or faulty, so always be sure you use fresh quality seeds for the best results.

Preparing The Soil …

While waiting for my seeds to sprout, I always prepare my soil in late March and early April for the upcoming planting that will be done in mid-April. Its just something I’ve always done because of the region (Northeast Georgia) I live in. Not only the trees and flowers have started budding and blooming, but many of the weeds and grasses have started sprouting in my fields. Plowing them in at an early stage eliminates many from ever growing back and in turn makes my job of weeding a lot easier in months to come. Because of my fall preparations (plowing in the old garden in November) , the task becomes less time consuming and labor intense. The soil is already soft from the fall till and winter freezes that have a tendency to expand the soil near the surface, so the most important thing I have to worry about is the water content.

Winter and early spring are typically our wettest months, so I pay close attention to long range weather forecasts that give predictions 10 days in advance. I’ve found that this is the best way to plan my “Till” time between late winter and early spring weather systems. Light rains are not much problem, but when it rains for several days I know the soil will need time to dry some before tilling. Usually 3 to 4 days is a sufficient drying time, but not always. Warmth and wind play a big factor when it comes to drying the soil to the proper tilling consistency. It needs to be moist to allow for deeper tilling, but at the same time, if the soil is too damp it has a tendency to stick together in clumps that will later dry into hard rock-like clods that are near impossible to break up. Experience seems to be the best teacher when it comes to tilling. Damp soil tills best, but its important to be sure the soil falls away from the tines of the tiller in a granular fashion, breaking the soil to a somewhat even consistency. Should you find the soil is clodding, put away the tiller for another day and allow the soil more drying time.

Once you have determined the soil is dry enough to till, its time to put your back into it and get started preparing the soil. Living in the mountains as I do, its important to till your plot in the correct direction to help prevent any erosion that may occur during heavy rains. If your garden is positioned on a slop of any kind, its important to remember to plow along the slope, stepping up or down the slope with each pass rather than making rows up and down the hill. Rows of loosened soil placed in a fashion that runs up and down a hill will wash away rich topsoil when heavy rains fall, exposing the roots of your plants. Rows placed along the slope have a tendency to hold the water back, not only holding the soil from erosion, but your plants will benefit more from the water they have helped retain.

Most tillers have a variable speed setting on the throttle to allow you to till as fast or as slow as you would like. You will find that the slower you work, the more efficient your time will be spent. Fast speeds have a tendency to bounce the tiller out of the soil causing you to have to “Manhandle” your equipment to keep it under control, creating a lot of sore muscles and unnecessary backaches, as well as not performing the deep tilling of the soil which we hope to accomplish. Most soil should be tilled to a depth of 8 inches or greater to achieve the best results for your plants. Soil that is tilled too shallow does not allow your root systems to spread properly and reach deep moisture when conditions are hot and dry, resulting in your plants dieing when the weather becomes too harsh and dry for them. Deeply tilled soil also requires less watering for those of you that plan to irrigate in the dryer months. Its important to take your time to accomplish the goal of a deep till to increase vegetable production and ensure the plant’s overall health and longevity.

Depending on what size garden you are preparing will determine which size tiller you should be using. For smaller plots, a 3 horse power tiller works just fine, but for larger plots, I prefer at least a 5 horse power model. If you do not own a garden tiller, there are rental companies that will rent you the equipment on a daily or weekly basis until you decide if this is something you would like to do on a yearly basis and purchase a garden tiller of your own. I use my garden tiller several times a year to keep the soil between my rows soft and weed free while allowing the rain to soak in rather than run off. This seems to work well as long as the plants haven’t overgrown the middle of the rows to the point that I am damaging my crops and plants while tilling. These are times when a “Hoe” works best, but that’s another story. There are even small handheld tilling devices that are very affordable for breaking up the soil in small raised beds, although I use a “Mantis” tiller for the small areas I have that need tilling.

For new garden plots, its important to loosen and remove any grasses or large weeds that may be growing there. Many urban homes have large enough lawns to prepare a garden spot, but the soil underneath the grass may be too poor or compacted to make the task worthwhile. For these areas, I recommend a raised bed system that can be constructed out of 2″x 10″ or 2″x 12″ pressure treated materials, then filled with a nice mixture of mulch, compost and topsoil. You can use your imagination to make these plots as small or large as you like. It really all depends on you and what you hope to accomplish from your efforts. It seems the first year is always the hardest because you are not only unfamiliar with vegetable gardening, but there always seems to be hidden stumbling blocks along the way to discourage you from accomplishing your ultimate goal. Try not to get too discouraged when small troubles arise, and try to remember that your garden is also your classroom. What we learn this year will only make future gardens more productive, and will soon become a more enjoyable hobby for you. Your entire family will be enjoying the healthy benefits of freshly picked and prepared vegetables straight from your garden to your table, giving you a sense of pride and accomplishment for all your hard work.

Upcoming Issue …

April’s issue of “How to Grow a Vegetable Garden Series”, will cover in step by step detail of, “How to Clear an Overgrown Field” to prepare for the planting season. We will also have helpful tips and guidelines for planning as well as planting your summer crops. Learn how to prepare your “set” hills for the best results as well as “row” crop spacing and preparations. Learn how to make your own compost, and mulching advice for your hill crops to retain water in the hot summer months to come. If you are serious about growing a bountiful vegetable garden, don’t miss an issue of “How to Grow a Vegetable Garden Series” for the 2010 season !

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