Gardening
Gardening
Index of information on this web site about growing plants.
Planting Guide - Common Garden Vegetables
Planting Guide - Common Garden Vegetables
Bean, Bush A Phaseolus vulgaris 1 -2” 8” 15 5 - 8 Self 6 Meters 25 - 50 25 - 30 3 - 4 years
Bean, Pole A Phaseolus vulgaris 1 -2” 6-8” 15 5 - 8 Self 800 Meters 25 25 - 30 3 - 4 years
Bean, Runner A Phaseolus coccineus 1 -2” 6-8” 15 6-14 Self 800 Meters 25 8 -10 4 - 5 years
Beet B Beta vulgaris 1/2 -3/4” 4-6” 10 4 - 10 Wind 3-8 Kilometers 10 450 5 - 6 years
Broccoli Brassica oleracea 1/4” 12-18” 7 3 - 10 Insect 800 Meters 50 1,750 4 - 5 years
Brussels Sprout, B Brassica oleracea 1/4” 15-20” 7 3 - 10 Insect 800 Meters 50 1,750 4 - 5 years
Cabbage, B Brassica oleracea 1/4” 12-18” 7 4-5 Insect 800 Meters 50 1,750 4 - 5 years
Carrot, B Daucus carota 1/4” 2-3” 7 3 - 10 Insect 1.5 - 4.5 km 30 5,350 3 - 4 years
Cauliflower, B Brassica oleracea 1/4” 15-18” 7 3 - 10 Insect 800 Meters 50 2,850 4 - 5 years
Celeriac, Celery, B Apium graveolens 1/8” 6-10” 15 10 - 20 Insect 800 Meters 10 17,850 4 - 5 years
Corn, A Zea mays 1 -2” 18” 15 4 - 7 Wind 3 kilometers 200 50 3 - 4 years
Cucumber, A Cucumis sativus 1/2” 12-36” 15 3 - 7 Insect 800 Meters 10 350 6 - 7 years
Eggplant, A Solanum melongena 1/4” 18-24” 24 5 - 7 Self 15 Meters 10 2,150 4 - 5 years
Kale, B Brassica oleracea 1/4” 8-24” 7 3 - 19 Insect 800 Meters 50 2,675 4 - 5 years
Kohlrabi, B Brassica oleracea 1/4” 8-10” 7 3 - 10 Insect 800 Meters 50 2,850 4 - 5 years
Leek, B Allium ampeloprasum 1/8” -1/4” 3-6” 4 6 - 12 Insect 1 1/2 - 3 Km 10 - 20 3,500 1 - 2years
Lettuce, A Lactuca sativa 1/8” 6-12” 4 5 - 10 Self 7 1/2 Meters 10 7,100 2 - 3 years
Melon, A Cucumis melo 1/2” 36-48” 21 5 - 10 Insect 800 Meters 10 280 6 - 7 years
Mustard, A Brassica juncea 1/4” 8-10” 10 3 - 7 Insect 800 Meters 50 3,200 4 - 5 years
Onion, B Allium cepa 1/8 - 1/4” 3-5” 10 6 - 12 Insect 1.5 - 3 Km 10 - 20 2,500 1- 2 years
Parsley, B Petroselinum crispum 1/8 - 1/4” 8-12” 10 21 Insect 1.5 kilometer 10 4,650 4 - 5 years
Parsnip, B Pastinaca sativa 1/2” 3-6” 10 21 Insect 1.5 kilometer 10 - 20 2,100 1 - 2 years
Pea, A Pisum sativum 1 - 2 ” 1-3” 4 7 - 21 Self 15 Meters 25 - 50 40 - 45 3 - 4 years
Pepper, A Capsicum spp. 1/4 - 1/2” 15-20” 18 14 Self 150 Meters 5 - 10 1,250 2 - 4 years
Pumpkin, A Cucurbita pepo 1/2 - 1” 36-48” 15 4 - 7 Insect 800 Meters 10 50 6 - 7 years
Radish, A Raphanus sativas 1/4 - 1/2” 2-3” 7 5 Insect 800 Meters 50 1,070 4 - 5 years
Rutabaga, B Brassica napus 1/4” 6-8” 10 3 - 14 Insect 800 Meters 50 1,425 4 - 5 years
Spinach, A Spinacia oleracea 1/4 - 1/2“” 8” 7 7 - 21 Wind 3-8 Kilometers 10 - 20 890 3 - 4 years
Squash, A Cucurbita spp. 1 - 2” 36-48” 21 4 - 7 Insect 800 Meters 10 35 - 50 6 - 7 years
Swiss Chard, B Beta vulgaris 1/2 - 3/4” 12-16” 10 4 - 10 Wind 3 - 8 Kilometers 10 360 5 - 6 years
Tomato, A Lycopersicon lycopersicum 1/4” 24-48” 15 5 - 10 Self 2 Meters 5 - 10 3,570 4 - 5 years
Turnp, B Brassica rapa 1/4” 4 - 8” 15 3 - 14 Insect 800 Meters 50 1,785 4 - 5 years
Watermelon, A Citrullus lanatus 1 - 2” 36-48” 21 5 - 10 Insect 800 Meters 10 175 5 - 6 years
Revised, 2013
Starting Seeds Indoors
Starting Seeds Indoors
In a good sterile potting mix, moisten soil, fill containers (either pots or flats), tap the side to compact the soil slightly. Make shallow or deep depressions into the soil with your finger, or some implement, depending on the seed being planted (remember seeds should be planted no deeper that twice the diameter of the seed). Cover the seed with a little soil and firm to insure good contact between soil and seed. Water carefully, being sure seeds aren’t exposed or washed out of their soil Keep soil moist but not wet as the seeds start to germinate.
Seeds require warmth, moisture, and light in addition to soil to grow. Find a warm spot in the house, the top of the refrigerator or a sunny window sill to start your seeds. Some seeds need higher temperatures to germinate (peppers, eggplants) and you may need seedling heating mats with thermostatic control if you don’t have somewhere in your house with these warmer conditions. Once the seedlings have germinated, they need light. Remember to turn your plants every day or two so the light doesn’t bend the stems too far in one direction. Lightly water when the soil surface dries with room temperature water. Florescent lights suspended over the plants in a warm (21°C) location 5-10cm above the growing tips of the plants is the best situation unless you have a greenhouse.
Pot up seedlings when they have their true leaves into pots to allow for root development. Do not feed, over-water or over-heat these transplants, just ensure they are planted into a balanced organic potting soil and have sufficient access to even light. Harden off these transplants by bringing them outside during the day and in at night to accustom them to the outdoors for 3 or 4 days prior to planting into the garden. Don’t harden plants if it’s too windy or cold.
Plant into the garden, in settled weather, into a shovel scoop hole filled with compost. It is helpful to ensure plants have sufficient micronutrients by watering in with fish fertilizer, liquid kelp, or something from the ocean which contains those necessary minerals and micronutrients which will help to sustain growth.
Compost
Compost
Use leaves, grasses, weeds, crop and flower garden trimmings as well as kitchen parings other than meat scraps (which will attract vermin). Turn every week (the compost, that is) to encourage microbial activity, for a minimum of 90 days to ensure good quality. If you can, use a termperature probe to check temperatures, and turn when temperatures fall. Cover if cold or wet, water when dry.
It should form a ball in your fist, but not be dripping wet. Use it to ‘innoculate’ your planting area and transplant holes.