St Louis County Parks and Recreation

February 15, 2001, 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Sappington Garden Shop
2001 Spring Seminar Series

GREAT VEGETABLE GARDENS

Douglas R. Wolter
St. Louis County Department of Parks & Recreation - Horticulture
Catch us on the net: www.st-louiscountyparks.com

Celebrate National Garden Week, April l8 - 14, 2001
2001 is the Year of the Basil.

Growing a vegetable garden, as any garden can be/should be an enjoyable, rewarding and fun project. For many people, gardening provides an escape from daily tasks, appointments and is very therapeutic. If you are considering putting in a vegetable garden or adding to your existing or just container gardening, before you put those seeds in the ground, establish a plan. The best advise sometimes is in laying out a plan of what you want to grow and their needs. Invest some time in ground/soil preparation. Gateway to Greening has found great success to using raised gardens on top of the existing ground to build a good soil foundation. Preparing the soil might be one of the hardest jobs - but it really will pay off with great support in higher yields and reducing plant stress from the environment along with pest and disease prevention. With the raised bed of 12/18" provides a good drainage. Loose new soil with organic enriched and the sand or vermiculite deeply toiled soil. Plants and roots will anchor for foundation tend to anchor themselves where the soil moisture, air and nutrients are most available. Of course, a good garden is well drained, has a crumbly texture that does not ball readily in your hand when compressed. Most desirable soil balance would have a 6.0 to 6.5 pH with a good supply of major and minor nutrients. This is where the organic compost is very beneficial. A soil test is always beneficial to give you the information you need to correctly see what best fertilizer is needed. This is a recommended procedure every 2 to 5 years. Of course, behind every successful garden is a good sunny spot away from trees or large shrubs. Most vegetables prefer full sun most of the day. The placement of the garden in rows or for maximum sun orientation is running north and south. Lucky us, as gardeners being able to grow some of our own food. We have more control than the average person over the nutritional quality of what we eat. One of the most exciting/fun, self-satisfying things as an individual or a family project is that of growing your own vegetables - is the knowledge you are providing your own healthy food for the table/family. While more is being used with edible flowers and edible ornamental plants that you can also eat/feast your eyes on. Salads today go far beyond the simple fare they once were, at the supermarket you can purchase what was called field greens - now. Concentrate on nutritional aspects in considering each vegetable, especially at harvest time while preparing it for the table. The ten plants most gardeners plant are tomato, carrot, onion, pepper, broccoli, cucumber, bush bean, leaf lettuce, radish and zucchini.

If you are using seeds, press seeds firmly into soil or cover very small seeds with soil. Be patient some vegetables such a radishes can pop up in three to seven days whereas parsley can take weeks. Save the packets so you can see on the back what the seedlings should look like vs. letting a weed come through. Remember to thin seedlings to allow ample room for plants to mature and develop. With many vegetables or plants, small transplants or small packs of plants are your best bet. Beyond the typical garden layout, a raised bed of railroad ties/timbers are also great for a multitude of reasons -- raised beds warm up quickly in spring and crop can grow in loose fertile well drained soil. If you only have a balcony, patio or porch, you can grow corps in containers. With portable containers you can take advantage of different conditions, from hot and sunny to cool moist conditions in more shady areas. Advantages of the container garden is weeding is generally not an item but the need to be watered and fed often if very important because the container is surrounded by air and is able to dry out easily. What can be better than the rewards of freshly harvested, tender, full-flavored crops? The food you grow yourself can be picked when it's at the peak of its flavor freshness of many vegetables. You can also choose the variety that best for your taste buds, grow new or old standbys - unusual vegetables, herbs, fruits and remember some flowering plants you can enjoy flowers for beauty and their individual taste.

In planning your annual vegetable garden to consider could include broccoli, beets, beans, cucumbers, cauliflower, celery, carrots, corn, lettuce, egg plant, cantaloupe, okra, onions, parsley, parsnips, peas, peppers potatoes, radishes, squash, spinach, tomatoes, turnips and watermelon. Just beware you/most people can't grow them all. Grow what you enjoy the most or the available space you have to work with. Garden space may be limited to just a few containers on a deck or the time you have choose a location/area that will receive full or the most sun you can give, with good air circulation, with good drainage. I have best results planted in raised beds/planters. Also this will allow you warmed soil earlier and workable sooner. The ideal planting mix sandy loam with organic material. Your soil /growing medium is your foundation - the better or more time you take in good foundation, your crop will reward you. As you are watering remember that the roots of vegetable plants are shallow and require more water than other plants that are non-producing plants. Once plants are established, do a thorough watering once a week as opposed to frequently watering, except those planted in containers. Watering in the A.M. is best, and try to avoid plants going into the night with moist foliage. Washing down foliage in the morning especially underneath the plant, can keep insects and eggs from multiplying and problems developing. A vegetable garden can stimulate the advancement of a child's love for gardening and enhance their appreciation and eating of a wide assortment/variety of vegetables.

According to the National Garden Bureau, a vine-ripened- picked tomato tested soon after harvest has three times the vitamins of one that has been shipped. Your home garden can bring all the great nutritional values that you can put on the table direct from your garden for to be a healthier person. For instance carrots can supply nearly 14 percent of the vitamin A in American diets along with fiber, Vitamin B1, B2 and C. Explanation of nutrients:

Calcium for strong bones and maintaining blood pH balance. It is found in broccoli, lettuce, green beans, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, celery and parsley.
Copper for elasticity of blood vessel and the heart, is found in vegetables grown soil rich in minerals that are contained in humans.
Iron to build up blood and carry oxygen to cells is found in spinach, tomatoes, peas, lettuce and parsley.
Magnesium needed to metabolize proteins and fats is found in beans, peas and lentils.
Potassium which maintains levels in the cells is found in spinach, celery, lettuce, zucchini, carrots, cauliflower.
Vitamin A, an anti-oxidant and immune system booster is found in carrots, bell peppers, Butternut squash, parsley and spinach.
Vitamin B-6 taken to metabolize protein and control symptoms of stress is found in spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, egg plant, beans, tomatoes, squash, parsley and lettuce.
Vitamin C an essential nutrient thought to prevent colds is found in sweet peppers, tomatoes, watermelons, broccoli, beans, and celery.
Vitamin E an anti-oxidant is in leafy green vegetables.
Zinc for cell division growth, sunburn, bug bites and healing is found in spinach, parsley, lettuce, squash and beans.

There's a fresh look in landscaping today, but it harkens back to the kitchen gardens of our colonial ancestors. No longer situated out of sight or in the back 40, Vegetables and herbs are now sharing the garden spotlight with flowers. Contemporary gardeners seeking more, color, texture and foliage options will find vegetables add a delightful dimension to the landscape. Vegetables and herbs do more than please the eye of course, Crops make the garden hobby more productive. You can get something back or give something extra to the community. It's as simple as APlant A Row for the Hungry or plant a few extra plants in an area.

In planning your own garden include a combination of vegetables and flowers or just a vegetable here and flowers there. Jut beware you/most people can't eat all the vegetables you like - again remember. Plant A Row for the Hungry when you have extras. Grow what you enjoy the most or what space you have to work with. Your garden space may be limited to just a few containers on a raised planter or field. The ideal soil for planting is loose mixed with sandy loam and lots of organic material with good drainage. As you are watering remember that the roots of vegetable plants are shallow and require more water than other plants than non-producing plants. Once plants are established, do a thorough watering soaking about once a week as opposed to frequently watering, except container plants. Vegetables are usually heavy feeders, beyond the organic matter a good supplement fertilizer is beneficial, St. Louis own Schultz has just what you need, available at all garden centers or where ever plants are sold.