successful vegetabe gardening

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Mary Lou Roberts

SUCCESSFUL VEGETABLE GARDENING

TECHNIQUES AND TIPS

May 2014 Master Gardeners of Cape Cod

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Mary Lou Roberts

WHAT WE’RE GOING TO COVER

• Growing Vegetables• Should You be Organic (“Natural”)?• Try Edible Flowers• Winter Gardens are Fun• The Wonders of Compost

Master Gardeners of Cape CodMay 2014

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Mary Lou RobertsMaster Gardeners of Cape Cod

SHOULD YOU TAKE NOTES?

Please do if you want to remember any of my ‘words of wisdom.’

However, I’ve posted these slides on the Internet.I’ll give you that link and links to

Other important resourcesAt the end.

May 2014

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Mary Lou Roberts

How Many of You Do Vegetable Gardening?

In Raised Beds? In the Ground? In Containers? Other???


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Mary Lou Roberts

‘Roberts Rules’ of Vegetable Gardening

• Prepare the Growing Area

• Start Early

• Grow What You Like

• Keep Experimenting

• Above All HAVE FUN!


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Mary Lou Roberts

GROWING VEGETABLES

PREPARE YOUR GROWING AREA


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Mary Lou RobertsMay 2014

PROVIDING THE LIGHT, WATER, NUTRIENTS, AIR THAT PLANTS REQUIRE

Courtesy Russell NortonCape Cod Cooperative Extension Education Officer

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Mary Lou Roberts

THE BASICS

• At Least 6 Hours of Sunlight• Good Air Flow• Consistent Supply of Water• GOOD SOIL IS ESSENTIAL• Unfortunately, So is Weeding!


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The pH of Your Soil Is Important

http://albopepper.com/nutes.php

Master Gardeners of Cape Cod

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Mary Lou Roberts

Have Your Soil Tested

• Master Gardeners Office Tests for pH http://www.capecodextension.org/library/2012/09/Soil-Testing-Information-fact-sheet.pdf

• UMass Extension Does Test that Include Trace Minerals

http://soiltest.umass.edu/


http://www.capecodextension.org/library/2012/09/Soil-Testing-Information-fact-sheet.pdf

http://www.capecodextension.org/library/2012/09/Soil-Testing-Information-fact-sheet.pdf



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NPK - VITAL NUTRIENTS


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BALANCED FERTILIZER A SAFE CHOICE

More is Not Always Better!


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PLANTING RAISED BEDSAT THE DEMONSTRATION GARDEN

Drip Irrigation, Hay Everywhere Black Plastic for Heat Loving

Both Photos Courtesy Susan Sweeney, Master Gardener

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Good Soil Supports Many Forms of Life

Earthworms in Compost Noxious Insect in Soil

May 2014

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Mary Lou Roberts

GROWING VEGETABLES

START EARLY

[FOR MOST VEG, MEMORIAL DAY IS START DATE]


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Mary Lou Roberts

Peas Mid-May

One Raised BedTwo Crops


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Mary Lou Roberts

Peas Early June


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Mary Lou Roberts

Peas in Mid-July When Other Vegs are Established

May 2014

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Mary Lou Roberts

Kale, Broccoli Raab and Chard early AugustIntensive Planting Chokes out Weeds


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Mary Lou Roberts

Thin by Eating!


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BUT THIN ADEQUATELY

Raab Smothering Kale Raab Gone

May 2014

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Mary Lou Roberts

GROWING VEGETABLES

GROW WHAT YOU LIKE


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TOMATOES ARE A FAVORITEIN THE GROUND OR IN CONTAINERS, PLANT DEEP

Clip Off Lower Leaves Bury the Leaf Nodes

May 2014

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1. GETTING MANURE & COMPOST DOWN TO ROOTS2. TOMATOES HAVE TO BE SUPPORTED


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Fill Space with Plants You Like

Sticky Whitefly Trap

Fennel Attracts Beneficials

Fall Peas Climbing Sunflowers

Calendula Are EdibleZinnias Are Not


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Mary Lou Roberts

KEEP EXPERIMENTING

WITH TYPES AND VARIETIES


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PAINTED LADY BEANS HAVE PRETTY BLOOMS


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BEANS GROWING UP SUNFLOWER STALKS


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Mary Lou Roberts

TRY CONTAINERS

ESPECIALLY FOR SMALL OR DIFFICULT SPACES


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Mary Lou Roberts

CONTAINER GARDENING BASICS

• Use a Commercial Potting Soil – Organic Recommended– Or Make Your Own (recipes can be found on web)

• Find Interesting Containers• Use Fast-Growing, Dwarf Plants• Go Vertical• Water Until Seeping Out Bottom• Fertilize Frequently

– Granular or Liquid– Time Release, Slow Release

• Refresh Soil Between Plantings– Earthwork Casings, Compost, Fertilizer, Perlite, Vermiculite


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Mary Lou Roberts

HERBS ARE IDEAL FOR CONTAINERS


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MANY ITEMS WORK AS CONTAINERS


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MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR

JUST DON’T FORGETTHE DRAINAGE HOLES

IN THE CONTAINER!

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Pinterest Board – Vertical Gardeninghttp://www.pinterest.com/kosie/vertical-gardens/


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GROWING VEG & HERBSAT THE SAN DIEGO ZOO

Dill Attracts Beneficial Insects


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Mary Lou Roberts

SMART POTS ARE ALL THE RAGE


First Teeny Potato Shoot

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SO ARE ROOFTOP & BALCONY GARDENS


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Mary Lou Roberts

TRY EDIBLE/BENEFICIAL FLOWERS


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Nasturtiums Are Edibleand they reseed

Bees Like Asters

May 2014

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Mary Lou Roberts

OTHER EDIBLE FLOWERS

• Bachelor’s Buttons• Dianthus• Some Marigolds in Addition to Calendula– Signet Paprika, Mexican Marigold Mint

One Theory is That If the Leaves are Edible,Flowers are Also (Borage, for example)

May 2014 Master Gardeners of Cape Cod

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Mary Lou Roberts

SHOULD YOU BE ORGANIC?


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Mary Lou Roberts

THE DEFINITION OF ORGANIC

Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods. These methods integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.

From the USDA National Organic Program websitehttp://www.ams.usda.gov/


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Mary Lou Roberts

WHAT ORGANIC IS NOT

• Not Just the Avoidance of Conventional Chemicals

• More Than Just Substituting Organic Inputs for Inorganic Ones


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Mary Lou Roberts

HOW DO WE IDENTIFY ORGANIC PRODUCTS?

There are other symbols. This is the official USDA symbol.

https://www.omri.org/

The definition of organic specifically excludes genetically engineered products (GMOs). http://www.councilforresponsiblegenetics.org/


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Mary Lou Roberts

There is no official definition of

Natural.

‘Natural’ Can Mean Anything a Marketer Wishes!


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Mary Lou Roberts

WINTER GARDENS ARE FUN


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MULCH IN FALLHARVEST MILD WINTERS OR SPRING

Parsley Survived the Winter Kale Did Not

May 2014

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PANSIES SURVIVED THE WINTER – AND ARE GREAT ON SALADS!


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Mary Lou Roberts

THE WONDERS OF COMPOST


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Mary Lou Roberts

How Many of You

Make Compost?


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Mary Lou Roberts

WHAT IS COMPOSTING?

Composting is a process by which organic wastes are broken down by microorganisms,

generally bacteria and fungi, into simpler forms.

From UMass Extension Fact Sheet “Waste Management and Composting”


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Mary Lou Roberts

BASIC COMPOSTING ISSUES

• Materials – 30 Carbon: 1 Nitrogen• Temperature = 160°– 3’ x 3’

• Environment– Warm, Damp Well Aerated

• Container


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Mary Lou Roberts

DESIRABLE MATERIALS

http://extension.umass.edu/cdle/fact-sheets/waste-management-and-composting


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Mary Lou Roberts

UNDESIRABLE MATERIALS

• Too Much Nitrogen, Water, Large Items• Cooked Material, Especially Meat• Inorganic Materials• DISEASED PLANT MATERIAL


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Mary Lou Roberts

Non-Organic Soilfrom Flower Containers

Home-made Screen

I Use Both a Plastic Container

And Wire Bins


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GARDEN AND KITCHEN WASTE


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Mary Lou Roberts

ALWAYS HAVE FUN!


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Mary Lou Roberts

Purple Beans Get Attention


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Mary Lou Roberts

Profusion of Sunflowers—Also Edible


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Mary Lou Roberts

MAINTAIN

WEED AND WATER FAITHFULLY


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PLASTIC, CAGES KEEP PRODUCE OFF GROUND

Zucchini Directly on Plastic ‘Home Made’ Tomato Cages

Both Photos Courtesy of Bob Brancale, Master Gardener

May 2014

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Mary Lou Roberts

INTENSIVE, SUCCESSION PLANTING OF VEG WITH DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS

Courtesy of Bob Brancale, Master GardenerMaster Gardeners of Cape CodMay 2014

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MY IDEA OF A PERFECT GARDEN


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Mary Lou Roberts

TO LEARN MOREENJOY AN EVENING IN THE GARDEN

Barnstable County Fairgrounds4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

June 2July 7

August 4September 8

Details http://www.capecodextension.org/library/2010/08/Evening-in-the-Garden2014.pdf


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Mary Lou Roberts

MASTER GARDENERS OF CAPE COD

THANK YOU!

Questions/Discussion?


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[email protected]


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successful vegetabe gardening

Education

mary lou robertsmay

mary lou roberts herbs

mary lou roberts kale

mary lou roberts peas

master gardeners office

growing vegetables

interesting containers

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