Vegetables -- Grow Your Own

In January and February when the new seed catalogues arrive in the mail, one's thoughts turn to planning another season of vegetable gardening.

The first thing that crosses one's mind when thinking of things to eat is the likes and dislikes of all family members, so try and choose types to suit all family members. Plan to accommodate your choice of vegetables at the right planting distances. Where you have option of early, mid-season and late varieties sow or plant early, mid-season, and late varieties in the same row, one of the commonest faults when sowing or planting is to sow rows of one variety, they will all mature together, i.e. where a row will accommodate 12 cauliflowers plant 4 early, mid-season and late maturing varieties; this prolongs the season and eliminates waste, cost of seed or plants is only slightly higher.

When choosing your seeds, select varieties which are disease resistant or Thiram or captan treated seed which offers some form of disease control. Use more than one catalogue because not all firms list all varieties of seeds.

The site should be a sunny open space, free from shade with a source. of water. Soil should be rich sandy loam with plenty of humus either peat moss or farm yard manure; preferably a level site with no hills to drain quickly or valleys to hold water. If slopes are unavoidable they should be no more than 3 - 4 per cent.

The soil has to be turned either by hand or rototiller, to allow the soil to warm up and to incorporate either farm yard manure, leaf mould, compost, or peat moss. Farm yard manure, leaf mould or compost can reintroduce to your vegetable plots weed seeds and disease spores.

Peat moss is a sterile medium; while an excellent form of humus it provides no nutrients in the form of nitrogen, phosphate, potash or trace elements. Peat moss is an ideal conserver of moisture.

After cultivating tread firm and rake level. Farm yard manure, leaf mould and compost provide only

limited amounts of nutrients and trace elements, but should be used whenever possible.

No definite and precise information can be given on which fertilizer to buy and to apply as the ratios for the different types of vegetables differ. As a general rule of thumb on a well established garden an overall dressing of fertilizer of a 1-2-2 ratio (5-10-10) at the rate of 1 1/2 - 2 pounds per 100 square feet is recommended. To quickly rescue a crop that is showing signs of stress due to nutrients deficiency, such as poor leaf colour, yellowing or a purple tinge,stunting, weak stems, poor roof action, use the high analysis water soluble fertilizers, 20-20-20, 30-10-15, 30-10-10, and so on. These types dissolve instantly when mixed with water and when applied to the soil they are absorbed in a matter of hours. These soluble fertilizers can also be used as a foliar feed for quick absorption by the plant.

This type of fertilizer can be applied very easily to the vegetable garden by using your irrigation system. Mix 6 pounds of fertilizer in 5 gallons of water, fix a hozone syphon between the tap and the hose pipe, place the syphon in the 5 gallon pail and turn on the tap. The concentrate will be syphoned out of the pail in approximately 20 minutes at 35. 40 p.s.i. water pressure. To apply 20-20-20 with a watering can mix 1 ounce of powder in 3 gallons of water.

Two important points when choosing and applying any fertilizer, first read the label for the analysis, secondly too much fertilizer will make soft succulent growth, lowering the resistance to disease and a poor keeping quality. Too little fertilizer will result in starved spindly rows with poor quality and quantity. Experience and good plant sense are good teachers, this can be achieved by doing and learning.

Brown heart in cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussel Sprouts is caused by the lack of Boron in the soil; this can be eliminated by adding to the soil, 20-30 pounds/acre of borax. Foliar sprays of boron can be made during the growing season. Whiptail in cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels Sprouts is caused by a deficiency of Molybdenum, this can be eliminated at the rate of 1 ½ - 2 pounds / acre, mixed with fertilizer or 1 to 1 ½ ounces in 20 gallons water, apply 1 cupful at the time of transplanting. Blackheart in celery is a calcium deficiency, to overcome apply a spray of calcium nitrate, 10 pounds in 100 gallons water per acre, during the period of active growth.

Cat scratches, cracked stem of celery is a boron deficiency to overcome; apply 10 - 25 pounds of borax per acre.

Water core or Brown heart of rutabaga is caused by Boron deficiency, this appears as water soaked patches in young enlarging roots, these may increase in size until the whole rutabaga root is affected. Where the ph. is above 6.5 large applications of boron (4 - 8 lb. per acre broadcast directly to the may not overcome the boron deficiency). Such large applications will often adversely effect crops e.g. soybeans and snap beans.

Boron should be applied to the soil as evenly as possible. Boron can be mixed with fertilizer, which is applied before planting.

Start at one end of the garden keeping to the planting plan you so carefully devised during the winter months, this will avoid unnecessary walking over areas you have cultivated.

Seed should be sown thinly in straight rows at the correct spacing between the rows. The correct depth should be maintained, one of the most common mistakes when sowing seed outside is to sow too deep. One easy way to make sure you have the correct depth, is to lay the hoe or rake along the row gently stepping on the handle to make a slight depression.

Now for the seed, not too much, but making sure that the seed is evenly distributed. Pour some seeds into the palm of one hand, pinch the seeds between the thumb and index finger and gently sprinkle into the row.

Cover the seeds with fine soil and gently tamp down with the back of the rake. Correctly identify the seeds with a label, also mark the rows at both ends.

Use treated seeds where possible; give the rows a thorough soaking when you have completed the days work. Do not wait for rain.

Plant in straight lines at the correct distance, making sure the plants are planted at the correct depth. Tomatoes, cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts can be planted a little deeper than the original depth of the seed box.

Vegetable transplants will benefit if starter solutions are used at planting time. For tomato, pepper, eggplant, squash and cucumbers, use fertilizer solutions high in phosphorus such as 10-52-17 or 10- 50-10. One pound of fertilizer is dissolved in 40 gallons of water, each plant receives half pint of solution at planting time.

For crops such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and celery 20-20-20 can be used at a slightly lower concentration than for tomatoes. Each plant receives 1/3 to 1/2 pint of solution at planting time.

Crop rotation is an important method of controlling certain fungi and bacteria which cause plant diseases. Disease organisms that can be controlled by crop rotation persist in the soil for a short period of time in the absence of the crop that they attack. Rotation is not effective against all organisms for a variety of reasons. The smut fungi and the cabbage yellow fungus are good examples of fungus that survive in the soil for long periods of time, therefore crop rotation is not at all practical, spores of onion smut fungus survive for 10 - 12 years, cabbage yellow fungus persist indefinetly.

Powdery mildew fungi are spread on wind-borne spores, many viruses are spread by aphids wherever they fly. Mycoplasma that causes aster yellows in celery, carrots and lettuce is spread by leafhoppers-regardless of rotation. Rotation is not total control of diseases, but it does help.

To use hot water treated seed or seed which has been treated with Thiram or captan will help in controlling certain diseases such as seed decay, damping off, root rot. In the case of tomatoes sow only hot water treated seed which have also been treated with thiram to control bacterial canker, bacterial speck and bacterial spot. Try to choose varieties which have been bred for their resistance to certain diseases.

TO SUM UP

Quality is always better than quantity.

Plan carefully (Bad planning wastes time, effort and money).

Purchase only your requirements and sow thinly.

Read the labels and stick to manufacturer's instructions.

Use treated seed wherever possible and select disease resistant varieties.

Rotate your crops on an annual basis.

Please contact the OHS or the author if you wish to republish these articles. © Ottawa Horticultural Society

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