Quick-Starting a�Vegetable Garden

Anita Tuttle

Rockbridge Area

Master Gardener Association

Remember Grand Dad’s Garden ?

Alternatives to Conventional Gardens

• Lasagna gardens
• Raised beds
• Square Foot gardens
• Vertical gardening
• Straw Bales
• Container gardens

Lasagna Garden

Patricia Lanza

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Died 4/3/2014

Use Corrugated Cardboard, Contractor Paper, or Many Layers of Newspaper to Smother Existing Vegetation

If Using Well Composted, Stable Materials, Lasagna Garden May Be Planted Right Away

Raised Beds

Cap Boards Provide Seating

Cinderblock

Hoops Can be Covered with Rowcovers or Plastic for Season Extension

Galvanized Steel

Accessible Beds

Soil Mix for Raised Beds

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• 1 part coarse sand (washed)

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• 1 part leaf mold or finished compost

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• 1 part peat moss

2006

The Set Up

Vertical Gardening

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• Maximizes growing space

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• Creates good air circulation for reduced disease pressure

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• Keeps vegetables clean and visible

SLINGS

Straw Bale Gardening

• Chemical-free straw bales essential

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• Require conditioning

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• Ready for planting in short time

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• Best used for summer gardens

Available Locally: Farms, Co-op

Straw IS NOT Hay

• Hay is grass grown and baled for winter consumption by livestock
• Hay contains grass and weed seeds

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• Straw is the remaining grain stems after the crop has been harvested: winter rye, oats, barley, etc.

Most Common Size: ~34” X 18” X 14”�Sometimes called 2-String Bale

Conditioning the Bale

• Quick-release, high nitrogen fertilizer for 2-week conditioning

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• Organic blood meal usually takes 3 -4 weeks

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• Water

Recipe

https://www.almanac.com/straw-bale-gardening-how-condition-bales-fertilize-and-plant

Why this Works

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• Essentially: super-fast composting

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• Ratio of Carbon to Nitrogen

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• Process generates heat

https://icl.coop/straw-bale-gardening/

https://growingtheseedsoflove.blogspot.com/2015/02/a-guide-to-straw-bale-gardening.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY0pu336NDY

Best Plants to Use: Warm Season

• Patio tomatoes or small determinate
• Peppers
• Bush squash or zucchini*
• *use transplants

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• Bush beans**
• **When using seeds, add a layer of potting medium to top of bale for best results

End of Season

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• Used straw bales are great as a layer for a lasagna bed

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• Or mix into weed-free area of garden soil

Container Gardens

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• Close control of growth factors

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• Necessity for small spaces

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• Ideal for those with mobility challenges

Water Frequently

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-above 90⁰ will be 2 or 3 times a day!

Use Soil-less Mix

Start with Great Seeds

Vegetables and Annuals

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• Located in Mineral, Va

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• Adapted to Mid-Atlantic

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• Many heirlooms & open-pollinated

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• Selections are for flavor

Another Great Source

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• Located in Maine

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• Huge organic selection

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• Tools, other growing aids

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• Information: blog & videos

Virginia Tech

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Vegetable Planting Guide and

Recommended Planting Dates

publication 426-331

Starting from Scratch

Preventing Fungal Seedling Death

Cabbage

Leaf Lettuce

Spinach

Radish

Potatoes

Caged Potatoes�aka Tater Baskets

• Start with 8” good loam & compost mix

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• Cover with 12” shredded leaves

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• Add leaves 1X per week to keep only 6” of potato plant exposed

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• Harvest when plants start to yellow

Carrot

Peas

Fava Beans

Beets

Late April

Plant Squash after Spring Onions

Peppers after Lettuce

June

Late June/ Early July

Mid to End of July

Start Fall Crops

By August, Peppers are Peak

Successive Potato plantings can �extend harvest until October

Kale, Cabbage, Lettuce, Collards are �good fall crops in our area

October: Last Carrots and Parsnips

Turnips: Spring or Fall Varieties

Some tomato varieties such as Long Keeper�are meant for storage; use by first of December

And wait for Spring ☺