Reclaiming a Garden Plot …

In our last issue of “How to Grow a Vegetable Garden Series”, (March) we discussed planting seedlings and soil preparation. I ordered my seed from an on-line seed supplier and they arrive the first of April. While the seedlings are sprouting, we have 3 to 5 weeks to get everything else in the garden ready for this season’s crop. We can use this time to till in last year’s garden plot to eliminate several weeds that have started to sprout, as long as weather conditions co-operate. Its also a good time to clear any land that may be overgrown and needs reclaiming for garden space. Gardens that go untended for a few years have a tendency to become filled with young saplings from surrounding trees, and before you know it, there is a stand of trees where you once had corn standing. After tilling my gardens from the previous year, I still have plenty of time on my hands, so this is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate a little land clearing for those of you that would like to have a garden but don’t know where to start.

I live next door to my Grandmother’s old house where she grew a garden every year as long as her health would let her. I believe the last garden she planted in this plot was in 1989, and my Grandmother was 85 years old. For several years I would mow the area a couple of times a year to keep the trees from growing back in, but I have let it grow up for the past 4 years to the point that I will need the use of a chain saw to remove some of the trees. Most of the saplings are an inch in diameter or less and won’t be much of a problem, and will actually provide material that I will be able to use in the garden this year. The root balls from the hard grasses will be more of a challenge, and will have to be removed before any actual tilling can take place. Since this was a previous garden in years past, I don’t expect to encounter any problems with rock like you might expect in a virgin garden plot.

We first begin by removing any trees or saplings with what ever tool is necessary to perform the task. I prefer to dig or pull saplings rather than cut them off when possible because the saplings that are cut leave a root that will have to be extracted in order to work the soil properly. Some type of saw will be required for the larger trees whether it be a power saw of some type or hand saw. Some may even prefer to use an ax if there aren’t too many trees to be cut. I prefer the chain saw because I am very efficient with this particular tool, but that is only because I use one several times a year to cut firewood. I would not recommend using a chain saw to anyone who has never operated one before, because inexperience with such a powerful tool can be very dangerous. A set of short nosed pruning sheers works very well for the smaller saplings, allowing you to nip them off very close to the ground. Its very important to cut any trees or saplings very close to the ground if you were unable to dig them out, allowing mower blades to pass over the area cleanly without damaging your blades or mower. Once the trees and saplings are removed, place them neatly out of the way for future use, or place them in any draw that may be having erosion problems, and search the grounds very closely for any rocks or hidden debris of any kind that may hinder the mowing process.

After successfully removing the saplings, survey the area and take note of any large grass root balls that may need removing. A 5 lb. pick mattock works well to dig under the root balls and pry them from the ground ready for removal. These may be placed on your terrace or placed in draws on your property to prevent erosion. Just remember how difficult they were to remove in the first place and try to put them in an area they will remain. Once you are sure everything is out of the way, you may mow the area. For larger areas that are encumbered with large grasses, after the root ball removal it is possible to use a riding mower to cut the grass. I recommend using a bush hog for the initial cut to keep from damaging your lawn mowing equipment. No matter where you live in the United States, there always seems to be someone in the area that is willing to “bush hog” your property for a price. Check the local papers or ask around. I guarantee there is someone that knows someone, that knows someone else, that will bush hog your property for you .

Hiring someone (perhaps your bush hog man) to turn your field with a disk plow will save you countless hours behind a tiller. Although some areas you are preparing may be small enough to break up with a tiller, you may find the soil is so tightly compacted a turning plow will be the only way to break the soil to an acceptable depth. The soil needs to be tilled to a depth no less than 8 inches to insure your crops success.

Preparing Hills for “Set” Crops …

For this task, first time growers may find it handy to use a string-line and a couple of stakes to insure straight rows as well as the spacing between the rows. Using your hoe as a measuring stick can also be helpful. I like to start be placing marks on my hoe handle to indicate certain distances. By measuring from the blade of the hoe, measure 24″, 30″, 36″, and 48″, marking appropriately with a permanent black marker to insure the marks will not wear off easily as you are using the hoe. We will also need containers of water (gallon milk jugs that have been washed works well), fertilizer or composted manure, and the plants we are ready to set out.

Some people will plant to the edge of their garden to use every available square foot of their garden, but I recommend starting a tiller’s width away from the edge to allow you the opportunity to till on both sides of your edge row. Once you have determined how far to start off the edge ( 24″, 30″ or 36″), Use the marks on your hoe to place a stake at the proper distance on both ends of your row and suspend a string between the stakes to indicate the row in which you wish to follow. After establishing a starting point at the end of the first row, dig a hole about 6 to 8 inches deep, rolling the dirt gently back in a fashion it can be drawn back into the hole. Place the blade of the hoe in the first hole and follow the string with the handle of the hoe to measure the distance ( 24″, 30″, 36″ or 48″) and repeat the process until you reach the end of the row.

After you have your row of holes ready, its time to mix in the composted manure or fertilizer with some of the dirt you removed. When using composted manure, I like to add about 1/2 gallon to each hole and mix lightly with soil, so be sure to have your holes deep and wide enough to accept the compost. For those of you that are using commercial fertilizers, about 1 teaspoon per hole is sufficient if mixed with plenty of soil to prevent burning up your new plant when watering. Taking this into account, it stands to reason that anyone using commercial fertilizers Will not need as large a hole to start. As you mix the compost or fertilizer in the holes, leave a coffee mug sized hole in the center where you plan to set your vegetable plant.

Once a row is prepared, its time to get your plants and a few jugs of water. Some people think a water hose will work just fine, but when you use a water hose to fill the holes as you set out your plants, you will find that you break or damage a lot of the plants you just finished setting out when you drag the hose from hole to hole without paying close attention. Believe me when I tell you,”Jugs of water work best.” Fill the coffee mug sized whole in your hill with about 1 quart of cool water, gently remove the plant from the starter container, place gently in the hole and pull the surrounding dirt to the plant supporting it in an upright position. When set, the plant should be centered in the prepared hole that measures 8″ to 10″ in diameter, and the entire hill should resemble more of an indention about 2″ below the surface of the garden proper rather than a mound. Pack gently around the plant to insure it will remain upright, then repeat process until your row is finished. After all rows are set, I like to place a large can over the plant to protect it from damage, then dress the hill with 2″ to 3″ of mulch. Once the mulch is in place, remove the can and gently pull the mulch to the plant and repeat the mulching process for each individual hill. Its a good idea to use the garden tiller once again to loosen any soil between the rows you may have compacted while working your new garden to help promote irrigation.

Helpful Tip: To help protect your young plants from animals and pets, try placing leafless limbs over the entire hill in a fashion that discourages digging. Once the plant has been in the ground for a month or so, remove the limbs and start planning to stake your tomato and pepper plants.

Most seed packaging will have recommended quantity and spacing requirements and planting directions on the package. Although these are good for teaching the beginner, as time goes by year after year, you will find that you develop your own preferences for planting and spacing. I place tomato and pepper plants 24″ apart in 36″ wide rows. Pretty much the same with cucumbers (when trellised), or 30″ to 36″ apart when the plant is allowed to spread on the ground. Summer squash such as yellow or zucchini will need to be spaced a minimum of 36″ to allow the plant to spread. Watermelon and other vining melons such as honey dew or cantaloupe will need to be spaced 48″ apart in rows that are 48″ wide to allow plenty of room for growth. If the information is inadequate on the packaging, I find that many seed companies with websites give full description of plants maturity size and how long it takes for the plants to bare. Any time you have questions about vegetable plants and their requirements, I find the internet to be a very valuable resource for research.

Planting Row Crops …

Any time you plant seeds in the ground directly in a “Row” fashion, this is considered a “Row Crop”. Corn, beans, okra, peas, and potatoes are good examples of row crops that are planted directly in the rows rather than starting plants. When planting this type of crop we only have a couple of things to worry about to insure a good stand. Soil temperature and depth are the most important. Seed placed in the ground when the soil is still too cold have a tendency to rot before they have a chance to sprout. Seed planted too deep will also have difficulty sprouting and more often than not will have to be replanted. Before you start, it may be a good idea to make sure the average soil temperature is 55 degrees or above. This seems to be a general consensus among agricultural experts when consulted by professional farmers about planting times.

Because my fields run northeast to southwest when planted, my crops stay pretty evenly lite except for along the wood-lines in the early mornings and late evenings. Depending on which way your fields lay will have a big factor on where each crop should be planted in your plot. Fields running east to west will do better if taller crops are placed in the northern section, while fields running north to south, the taller crops should be planted on the eastern or western edge. This helps to keep from over shading shorter crops that may be planted along side, although some crops such as cucumbers tend to do much better if they receive a lot of morning shade. Since the garden you are planting is basically your classroom, anything you decide to do will be fine as long as you remember the results from this years crops for future garden plots. Experience is always the best teacher when it comes to growing a vegetable garden because there are so many variables to take into consideration. Soil , light, moisture and weather conditions in general, all play important roles when it comes to having a truly successful garden.

Once you have a deep till in your garden of no less than 8″, and the average soil temperatures are acceptable, its time to lay off your rows and prepare to drop your seed. I use the edge of a hoe to lay off my rows, digging a shallow trench somewhere between 4″ and 6″. Each row should be spaced apart according to the equipment you intend to work the field with. 30″ to 36″ is a pretty standard measure for row spacing, and will allow you to use your garden tiller between the rows after it has been planted. If you are using a commercial fertilizer, many people will sprinkle the granular fertilizer in the bottom of the trench lightly and work the bottom of the trench with a hoe to mix in a little dirt so the seed are not placed directly on the fertilizer. This prevents the seed and sprouts from being burned or killed by the dissolving chemicals. Once the fertilizer has been mixed, its time to drop your seed. (If you plan on using a manure compost, drop the seed directly in the trench and cover lightly with about 1″ of soil. After the plants are 2″ to 3″ tall, add manure and compost to the trench and fold in dirt from the sides with a hoe.)

Spacing of the seed you drop is very important. Seed planted too close together will have to be thinned to allow the roots plenty of room to grow, which is costly and time consuming. You not only loose a portion of the seed you purchased, you also have to take the time and effort to pull perfectly good plants one by one to ensure proper spacing. Proper spacing when planting is always the easiest way to provide the space your plants root system will need with a minimum effort. Planning for success with as little effort as possibly can save you countless hours of un-necessary labor and frustration.

Depending on which crop you are planting will determine how far apart the seed need to be when dropped. Beans and peas can be placed 4″ to 6″ apart while corn should be 8″ to 10″ apart. This is a good time to do a little research or at least read the package for recommended planting instructions. Once the seed you are planting are dropped correctly, cover with 1″ to 2″ of soil, leaving a small mound in the bottom of your trench. After the seed have sprouted and are 2″ to 3″ tall, any additional fertilizer may be added and the dirt from the sides of the trenches pulled gently in around your plants. After a few years with a garden, all you will have to know is what type of seed you are planting and the knowledge from years past will come flowing back to you. This is a time for learning and the garden is our classroom. Don’t be afraid to ask questions at your local lawn and garden center when you run into little problems, and don’t forget to research the plants you are growing to help you know what to expect and look for in the upcoming months.