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Veggie Gardening 101Dr. Christine CokerDr. Christine CokerAssociate Research and Extension Associate Research and Extension Professor of Urban HorticultureProfessor of Urban Horticulture

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Garden Considerations

Ask yourself

• What do I want to plant?

• How big should my garden be?

• Where should I put my garden?

What to Plant

Select vegetables and the amount to plant by looking forward to harvest and how you will use the vegetables.

Garden Size

• Family size

• Amount of vegetables you need (or want)

• Will you preserve or use most of your vegetables fresh?

• Available time and equipment

• Physical ability

Garden Location

• Close to the house

• Full sun

• Near a water supply

• Well-drained

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The Basics

What do plants need?

• H2O

• Light

• Minerals

Water

• Water is the major constituent of plant tissue.

• Medium in which cell metabolic processes occur.

• Medium for transport between cells in plant tissues and organs.

Light

• Light is required for photosynthesis.

• Day length (actually length of the dark period) is important for some plants.

• Long-day plants– Spinach, Chinese cabbage, some

radishes

• Day-neutral plants– Tomatoes, squash, beans

Minerals

• Besides water, soil is the main source of plant nutrients.

• Excessive amounts toxicity

• Deficiency poor and/or abnormal growth

Minerals

Essential elements– 1. Required for complete life cycle

• [seed to seed]

– 2. Lack causes a particular symptom– 3. Re-introduction relieves symptom– 4. Has a known chemical function within

plant

Macronutrients

Present in “large” quantities [% vs. ppm]– Nitrogen – N – 2-6%– Phosphorus – P – 0.15-0.6%– Potassium – K – 2-6%– Calcium – Ca – 0.5-2.5%– Magnesium – Mg – 0.15-0.6%– Sulfur – S – 0.15-0.6%

Micronutrients

• Manganese – Mn – 100-300 ppm

• Iron – Fe – 50-150 ppm

• Chlorine – Cl – 10 ppm

• Copper – Cu – 2-5 ppm

• Boron – B – 30-60

• Zinc – Zn – 100-300

• Molybdenum – Mo – 0.01 ppmppm = parts per million 1 mg/L = 10,000 ppm

Get a soil test!

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Planting Times

Spring

• Onions

• Cabbage

• Lettuce

• Corn

• Tomatoes

• Peppers

• Eggplant

Summer

• Lima beans

• Squash

• Cucumbers

• Peas

• Okra

Fall

• Spinach

• Mustard

• Turnips

• Cauliflower

• Carrots

• Broccoli

• Beets

• Collards

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Vegetables

Vegetables are food.

• White (Irish) potato is the most consumed vegetable in developed countries followed by tomatoes and cabbage.

• In developing countries, starchy root and tuber vegetables are the most consumed commodities.

• Also important: plantain, onion, watermelon, tomato

Edible Plant Parts

Leaf

• Collards• Lettuce• Cabbage• Spinach• Kale

Flowers

• Broccoli

• Cauliflower

Mature Fruit

Tomato

Pepper

Eggplant

Watermelon

Cantaloupe

Pumpkin

Immature Fruit

Cucumber

Squash

Okra

Stems

Asparagus

Irish potato

Buds

Brussels sprout

Onion

Leek

Roots

Sweetpotato

Carrot

Radish

Recommended Veggies for Small Spaces

• Bush Bean• Lima Bean• Broccoli• Cabbage• Carrot• Cauliflower• Swiss Chard• Cucumber

• Eggplant• Lettuce• Onion• Pea• Pepper• Pumpkin• Summer Squash• Tomato

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at the Beaumont Horticultural Unit

Perry County, MS

MSU Trials

Grape Tomatoes

Asian Eggplants

Asian Cucumbers

Bitter Melon (Bitter Gourd)

Pumpkins

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Publication 1091

Garden Tabloid

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Save the Date!

Vegetable Field Day

Beaumont Horticultural Unit

June 12, 2014