Growing Organic

Vegetables: The Basics Techniques for Veggie Success

March 21, 2015

Lanark County Grows MMPL Seed Library

Neighbourhood Tomato

Presenter - Gerda Franssen - Master Gardener

Get an early

start

• Plant kale, broccoli, lettuce,

indoors mid April so you will

have healthy seedlings to plant

in the garden mid May. Also

tomatoes, egg plant and

peppers

Row Covers

• provides extra heat for the

transplanted seedlings in the

spring.

• lets in sun, rain and protects

plants from the wind

• also keeps insects at bay such

as cucumber beetle and the

cabbage butterfly

• it also stops deer from eating

your plants

Save space in your garden

• train your cucumbers

to grow vertically by

tying them to a trellis

• this can also be done

with squash and

pumpkins

• cut your t-shirt into

strips and use them to

tie your plants to the

trellis

Attract Beneficial

Insects

• by planting flowering herbs

such as dill and summer

savoury

• bachelor’s button, amaranth

and borage also attract good

bugs such as ladybugs,

lacewings and wasps

plant a

decoy

• nasturtiums attract aphids so

will act as a decoy and keep

them from attacking your

garden

• control by squeezing or

spraying with a strong stream

of water

Plants that

repeal pests

• a row of marigolds around

the perimeter of you

garden will deter bugs

• place pots of mint and basil

through out the garden to

deter cabbage pests and

aphids

• tansy keeps cucumber

beetles, japanese beetles

and squash bugs at bay

• plant tansy in a container

Pests and Diseases • cabbage butterfly

• attacks the brassica family

• adults are common white butterflies

and the larvae are pale green

• eggs are yellow bullet shaped and laid

singly on the leaf

• hand pick -predators are the parasitic

wasp and yellow jackets

• flea beetles emerge

early spring

• horseradish is a

host plant

Stripped

Cucumber Beetle • Attacks cucumbers, melons and

squash

• Adults are 1/4 in.[6.4mm] long

• larvae are white up to 3/4

in.[19mm] long

• eggs are orange and laid in the soil

at the base of the plant

• adults chew on the leaves and

flowers and transmit bacterial wilt

and cucumber mosaic virus

• larvae eat the roots which kills

seedlings and stunts larger plants

• hand pick or use row cover

Japanese beetle • are attracted to the

rose family which

includes apples

• eat the foliage and

damage the fruit

• suck juice of the

tomato fruit and

makes them soft

• hand pick to control

and put in bucket with

soapy water or

squeeze with your

fingers

Colorado

Potato Beetle • be there for the first generation

• hand pick and put in a jar or

bucket with soapy water to

control

leek moth

larvae squash bug

• hand pick to control these

pests

• very important to control the

first generation bugs so they

do not get out of control

• stroll through your garden

every few days with your

favorite beverage and have

a close look at your plants

• if a plant is infected with a disease remove from the

garden so it will not spread to the healthy plants

• put in a dark garbage bag and leave in the sun for a

few days

• then put in the garbage not your compost

the end