Getting Started in the Vegetable Garden

So, for the new gardener, here are some suggestions to help you on your way to your first bountiful harvest of homegrown produce.

· Grow only what you and your family like and will eat. There is no point in spending time, money and effort on growing something no one in your family will eat. Stick to those fruits and vegetables that you will enjoy harvesting and using.

· Start small and keep it simple. If you are turning over ground for a first-time vegetable garden, make it no more than about 10 by 10 feet, or 2 raised beds of 4 by 10 feet. Anything larger may become overwhelming the first year; and as your gardening skills grow in the future, so too can the size and scope of your garden. If you don’t have any ground, you can still grow many vegetables successfully in containers.

· Know when to plant vegetables. Cumberland County is in hardiness Zone 6. Our average last spring frost is April 20, and our average first fall frost is October 20. Remember that average means that half the time, the last frost will be later and the first frost earlier. I can recall frost as late as May 22 within the past 10 years. Vegetables are put into groups according to their temperature requirements. Cool-season vegetables are hardy and tolerant of frost, so can be planted early in the season (March-April); these include cabbage, cauliflower, beet, carrot, turnip, lettuce, onion, peas, potatoes, radish, and spinach. Traditionally, peas are planted on St Patrick’s Day, March 17; but for any early season crop, the soil needs to be workable and not too wet or cold. Warm season vegetables are tender and will be damaged by cold temperatures, so are best planted after the soil has warmed up (May-June); these include beans, corn, cucumber, squash, cantaloupe, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers.

· Start with easy vegetables that you like. Some plants are much easier to grow, with less maintenance requirements, than others. Examples are radishes, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and summer squash, leaf lettuce and greens, snap peas, Swiss chard, and kale. Easy-to-grow herbs include basil and dill. Celery is an example of a vegetable that is difficult to grow well in this area.

· Start with vegetable transplants or direct-seeded crops. Some vegetables are best started directly from seed sown in the garden, and others are easier to grow from small plants purchased at your local garden center. Use transplants for broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, onion (sets), pepper, sweet potato, and tomatoes. Sow seeds directly in the garden for peas, sugar peas, radishes, leaf lettuce, carrots, beets, spinach, chard, kale, turnips, beans, and corn. Potatoes should be started from certified seed tuber pieces. Crops for which you can either sow directly or purchase transplants include squash, cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelon, and pumpkins.

· Site your garden carefully. Remember the adage “out of sight, out of mind” and put the garden in a spot near the house where you will see and pay attention to it often. Most vegetables grow best in full sun (at least 8 hours a day) and away from competing trees. Do not locate your garden near a black walnut tree; the roots contain a chemical that will kill tomato plants. It’s easier to garden if the ground is level, the soil well-drained, and there is easy access to water for irrigation.

· Measure your garden and make a plan. Pay attention to plant spacing indicated in seed catalogs, on seed packets, and on plant labels. Proper spacing is important for good air circulation around plants, for pest management, and for easy harvesting. A plan will help you to decide how much to plant and how to use your garden space most efficiently. Some crops, such as radishes, produce quickly, so you can then use that space for another later crop after the radishes are finished. A plan will also help you to figure out crop rotation for future years.

·  Take care of your soil. Plants will be only as good as the soil in which they are growing. The Extension Service has soil test kits available for $9.00. Instructions are included on how to take a soil sample which you then mail to the Penn State Lab. They send back a written report with fertilizer recommendations for what you plan to grow in your garden. Adding organic matter to the soil in the form of compost or aged manure is also helpful to improving the quality of your soil.

Now is the time to begin planning, soil testing, and ordering seeds, so you are ready to start your garden when spring finally arrives.