Gardening
Starting Vegetable Garden Seeds & Plants Indoors
Seeds can be germinated and seedlings started in a box, pan or flowerpot of soil in a window. In addition to having at
least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, the room must be kept reasonably warm at all times.
Washed fine sand and shredded sphagnum moss are excellent media in which to start seeds. Place a layer of easily drained
soil in the bottom of a flat and cover this soil with a layer - about three-fourths inch thick - of either fine sand
or sphagnum moss. Press the sand or moss to form a smooth, firm seedbed.
Then, using a jig, make furrows in the seedbed one-half inch deep. Water the sand or moss thoroughly and allow it to
drain.
Sow seeds thinly in the rows and cover the seeds lightly with a second layer of sand or moss. Sprinkle the flat,
preferably with a fine mist, and cover the flat with a sheet of clear plastic film. The plastic film diffuses and subdues
the light and holds moisture in the soil and air surrounding the seeds. Plastic films offer advantages over glass coverings
in that they are light in weight and are nonshattering. Place the seeded andcovered flat in a location that is reasonably
warm at all times and has 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. The flat will require no further attention until after
the seedlings have developed their first true leaves. They are then ready to transplant to other containers.
It is seldom possible to keep the transplanted plants in house windows without their becoming spindling and weak. For
healthy growth, place them in a hotbed, coldframe, or other place where they will receive an abundance of sunshine,
ample ventilation, and a suitable temperature.
Strong, vigorous seedlings can be started under 40-watt fluorescent tubes. These tubes should be 6 to 8 inches above
the seedlings. Temperatures should be about 60F at night and 70F during the day. Best results are obtained if the
fluorescent fixture is next to a window to increase the amount of light reaching the young plants. Soil pellets are
the simplest and easiest method for starting plants and are readily available from garden supply stores and other sources.
Soil pellets are a well-balanced synthetic soil mixture and are free of soilborne diseases and weeds.
Special Devices for Starting Plants: In determining the type of equipment for
starting early plants, the gardener must consider the temperature and other climatic conditions in his locality, as well as
the nature of the plants to be started. Hardy plants, such as cabbage, need only simple inexpensive facilities,
but such heat-loving, tender seedlings as peppers and eggplant must have more elaborate facilities for successful
production. In the warmer parts of the United States, and in the well-protected locations elsewhere, a coldframe or
a sash-covered pit on the sunny side of a building usually suffices. In colder sections, or in exposed areas elsewhere,
some form of artificial heat is essential. Where only a little protection against cold damage is needed, a coldframe in
which a temporary bank of lamps can be placed may be sufficient. The hotbed, lean-to, or sash greenhouse heated by
manure, pipes, flues, or electricity are all widely used, the choice depending on conditions. A comparatively
small plant-growing structure will provide enough plants for several gardens, and joint efforts by a number
of gardeners will usually reduce the labor of producing plants. The plant-growing structure should always be on
well-drained land free from danger of flooding. A sunny, southern exposure on a moderate slope, with trees, a hedge, a
board fence, or other form of windbreak on the north and west, makes a desirable site. Plenty of sunshine is necessary.
Hotbeds and other plant-growing devices require close attention. They must be ventilated at frequent intervals, and the
plants may require watering more than once daily. Convenience in handling the work is important. Sudden storms may
necessitate closing the structure within a matter of minutes. Plant growing at home should not be undertaken by persons
obliged to be away for extended periods, leaving the plant structure unattended. A tight well-glazed structure is
necessary where the climate is severe; less expensive facilities are satisfactory elsewhere. Covers for hotbeds and
coldframes may be glass sash, fiber glass, plastic film, muslin, or light canvas. In the moderate and cooler sections of
the country, standard 3- by 6-foot hotbed sash is most satisfactory. Even this requires supplementary
covering with canvas, blankets, mats, or similar material during freezing weather. The amount of covering is determined by
the degree of heat supplied the structure, the severity of the weather, and the kind of plants and their stage of
development. Farther South, where less protection is necessary, a muslin cover may be all that is needed and for only a
part of the time.
Many substitutes for glass as coverings for hotbeds and coldframes are on the market. The most widely used
substitutes are various kinds of clear plastic film. Some of these have a lifespan of only one season, and others a
lifespan of 3 to 5 years. Clear plastic film transmits as much light as glass in the visible range, and more than glass in
the ultraviolet and infrared ranges.
The film comes as flat sheets (on rolls) and in tubular form. Flat-sheet film is used for tacking onto wooden frames;
the tubular form is used for enclosing metal tubular frames with a tight double layer of film. Large plant hoods made
from semicircular aluminum or galvanized steel pipe and fitted with a sleeve of tubular plastic film make excellent
coldframes or seasonal row covers. When used in this way, a double layer of plastic film provides an air space that
insulates against 4 degrees to 7 degrees of frost temperature change. Electrically heated plant beds are ideal for the
home gardener, provided electric rates are not too high. The beds may be built any size. Because they are equipped
with thermostatic control, they require a minimum of attention. It is not possible to buy frames - completely equipped
with heating cables, switches, and thermostats - ready to assemble and set in position. Fill the frames with soil or
plant boxes and connect to a source of current. Small frames may be removed at the end of the season and stored; larger
frames are usually treated as a permanent installation. For more detailed information, see USDA Leaflet 445, Electric
Heating of Hotbeds.
Hardening Plants: Plants should be gradually hardened, or toughened, for 2 weeks
before planting in the open garden. This is done by slowing down their rate of growth to prepare them to withstand
such conditions as chilling, drying winds, shortage of water, or high temperatures. Cabbage, lettuce, onion, and
many other plants can be hardened to withstand frost; others, such as tomatoes and peppers cannot. Withholding water
and lowering the temperature are the best ways to harden a plant. This may be done in a glass or plastic coldframe. About
10 days before being planted in the open ground, the young plants in beds or flats are blocked out with a large
knife. Blocking, or cutting the roots, causes new roots to form quickly near the plants, making recovery from transplanting
in the open easier. Blocking also makes it easier to remove the plants from the bed or flat with minimum injury.
Southern-Grown Plants: Vegetable plants grown outdoors in the South are shipped to
all parts of the country. They are grown cheaply and usually withstand shipment and resetting very well. They may not
always be as good as home-grown plants, but they save the trouble of starting them in the house or in a hot-bed. Plants
of beets, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, onions, peppers, and tomatoes are extensively grown and
shipped; tomato, cabbage, and onion plants make up the bulk of the shipments. The plants are usually wrapped in bundles of
50 each and shipped by either mail or express. Tomato and pepper plants are packed with a little damp moss around the
roots, but onion and cabbage plants are usually packed with bare roots. Shipments involving large numbers of bundles are
packed in ventilated hampers or slatted crates and usually are sent by motor-truck or rail express. Shipments by air mail
and air express are increasing. The disadvantages of using southern-grown plants are the occasional delays in obtaining
them and the possibility of transmitting such diseases as the wilt disease of the tomato, black rot of cabbage, and
disorders caused by nematodes. State-certified plants that have been carefully inspected and found as free of these
troubles as can be reasonably determined are available. Southern-grown plants are now offered for sale by most
northern seedsmen, by mail-order houses, and often by local hardware and supply houses.
Transplanting: The term "transplanting" means shifting of a plant from one soil or
culture medium to another. It may refer to the shifting of small seedlings from the seedbed to other containers where
the plants will have more space for growth, or it may mean the setting of plants in the garden row where they are
to develop for the crop period. Contrary to general belief, transplanting does not in itself stimulate the plant or make
it grow better; actually growth is temporarily checked, but the plant is usually given more space in which to grow.
Every effort should be made during transplanting to interrupt the growth of the plant as little as possible.
Plants started in seed flats, flowerpots, and other containers in the house, the hotbed, the greenhouse, or elsewhere
should be shifted as soon as they can be handled to boxes, flowerpots, plant bands, or other containers where they will
have more room to develop. If shifted to flats or similar containers, the plants should be spaced 2 or more inches apart.
This provides room for growth until the plants can be moved to their permanent place in the garden. Most gardeners prefer
to place seedlings singly in flowerpots, paper cups with the bottoms pierced for drainage, plant bands, berry boxes, or
other containers. When the plants are set in the garden, the containers are carefully removed. Soil for transplanting should
be fertile, usually a mixture of rich topsoil and garden compost, with a very light addition of a commercial garden
fertilizer.
Moistening the seedbed before removing the seedlings and care in lifting and separating the delicate plants make it possible
to shift them with little damage to the root system and with only minor checks to their growth. Plants grown singly in
separate containers can be moved to the garden with almost no disturbance to the root system, especially those that
are hardened for a week or two before being set outdoors. Plants being hardened should be watered sparingly, but just
before they are set out, they should be given a thorough soaking. Plants grown in the hotbed or greenhouse without
being shifted from the seedbed to provide more room and those shipped from the South usually have very little soil adhering
to the roots when they are set in the garden. Such plants may require special care if transplanting conditions are not
ideal; otherwise, they will die or at least suffer a severe shock that will greatly retard their development. The roots
of these plants should be kept covered and not allowed to dry out. Dipping the roots in a mixture of clay and water
helps greatly in bridging the critical transplanting period. Planting when the soil is moist also helps. Pouring a half pint
to a pint of water, or less for small plants, into the hole around the plant before it is completely filled is
usually necessary. A starter solution made by mixing 1/2 pound of a 4-12-4 or 5-10-5 commercial fertilizer in 4 gallons
of water may be used instead of plain water. It is usually beneficial. Finally, the freshly set plants should
be shaded for a day or two with newspapers.
Plants differ greatly in the way they recover from the loss of roots and from exposure to new conditions. Small plants
of tomatoes, lettuce, beets, cabbage, and related vegetables are easy to transplant. They withstand the treatment better
than peppers, eggplant, and the vine crops. When started indoors and moved to the field, the vine crops should be
seeded directly in berry baskets or containers of the same size that can be transferred to the garden and removed
without disturbing the root systems. Beans and sweet corn can be handled in the same manner, thereby often gaining a week
or two in earliness.
Author: David Selman, Tracker-Outdoors.com
Article by: Tracker Outdoors www.tracker-outdoors.com
Composting provides a great natural resource!
Where we live, the soil is black clay (north Texas). We have found that by using a compost, we can almost eliminate the
need for commercial fertilizers to grow most vegetables, herbs and spices.
Our compost is lined with rail-road ties (4 tall) but is open on one side for easy access. We put hay, table scraps,
garden scraps, firewood ash, and manure from our cattle and horses in it. The materials in the compost are "turned" from
time to time. The soil from the compost is great for starting new plants of all kinds as well as being tilled into the soil
of the garden. This organically rich soil helps make the black clay much easier to work and provides nutrients for
the vegetables. Neighbors barns and livestock auction houses are great resources for manure. Composting provides
an environmentally safe way to transform biodegradable waste products into rich and fertile soil.
For those of you who suffer from a high concentration of clay in your soil, composting is the answer. Composting will
supply your garden with a continual source of rich humus that will loosen up clay based (heavy) soils, allowing the roots
of flowers and vegetables to penetrate the soil. For folks with sandy soils, compost will perform the opposite function:
it will bring soil particles together and help retain water for plants to use, while still allowing the soil to "breathe."
A few of the best composting materials include leaves, shredded newspaper, grass clippings, farm manure, garden waste,
sawdust and vegetable peelings. Household biodegradable refuse is not recommended because it's messy and attracts insects
& rodents. These are items you deffinately don't want to use; bones, meat scraps, cat or dog manure, grease,
diseased plants or walnut leaves.There are several companies that manufacture composting bins. Another option is to use
scrap lumber, railroad ties or wood pallets. Make sure whatever you build is well ventilated to allow for the free movement
of moisture and air, which will aid in the breakdown process. I use three wood pallets which I stand at right angles to
each other. I tie these together to hold them in place. This makes it easy to access the compost, which needs to
be periodically turned to aid in the breakdown stage.
Compost is a dark-colored, loose mixture of well-rotted organic matter that can be used by the gardener to improve garden
or potting soil. Any organic matter such as garden waste is a good ingredient for compost. If soil is hard and crusty when
dry or sticky when wet, vegetables do not grow properly. Good garden soil is loose, has high water-holding capacity and
proper drainage. Put your compost pile in a well-drained area. A shady spot or a place behind bushes will shield the heap
from view.
It is possible to accumulate materials in a loose pile but it is better to have an enclosure for the compost. This could be
a pit dug 18 inches into the ground of any length and width or an above-ground structure. Either type of structure should
be divided with a partition. One side can be used for composting material and the other for usable compost.
A rectangular pile 2 to 5 feet wide, 5 to 10 feet long and 2 to 4 feet high is adequate for most households. If space is
not available, a single, tall pile can be used. Fresh material is added at the top and finished compost dug out at
the bottom.
Build your compost pile in layers. First add 6 to 8 inches of garden refuse. Each layer of this organic material should
be moistened. A little lime also may added to help the process and keep new soil from packing. Add 1 to 2 inches of
soil. Repeat this process as composting material is available.
The top layer should be lower in the center to help collect moisture. Water may have to be added during dry weather to
keep the pile going. Compost materials should be moist but not saturated.
Turn the pile with a garden fork a couple of times a month to hasten composting. In about a month the pile should be hot
in the center indicating it is decomposing properly. If this doesn't happen, the pile may be too wet or too small.
Fertilizer or more frequent turnings could be needed. A well-maintained, active pile will not attract rodents. When adding
food scraps, bury them in the center of the pile.
Soil that is ready for use from a compost is dark, loose and has an "earthy" smell. Most organic materials should compost
in 4-8 months.
Author: David Selman, Tracker-Outdoors.com
Article By: Tracker Outdoors www.tracker-outdoors.com
Garden Soil Preparation
Different types of plants each require varying degrees of soil acidity or pH. Some plants are very sensitive to soil
pH levels. Some garden plants will prefer acid soils while others prefer an alkaline soil. The acidity or alkalinity of
soil is measured by pH (potential Hydrogen ions). pH is a measure of the amount of lime (calcium) contained in your soil,
and the type of soil that you have. Soils in moist climates tend to be acid and those in dry climates are alkaline. A
soil with a pH lower than 7.0 is an acid soil and one with a pH higher than 7.0 is alkaline. The soil must be adjusted to
suit the plant which will occupy that area if it is not already within that plants requirement range.
Testing Your Soil pH: Many garden centers will pH test a soil sample for you, or you
can buy an inexpensive pH test kit at a nursery, or hardware stores. These test kits generally consist of a test tube,
some testing solution and a color chart. You put a sample of your soil in the tube, add a few drops of test solution, shake
it up and leave it for an hour or so to settle. The solution in the tube changes color according to the pH of your
soil. Compare the color of the sample with the color chart that came with the kit. Matching colors will tell you the pH
of your sample. Quality pH test kits will have a chart to help interpret the test result.
Adjusting Your Soil pH Levels: Once you have determined the pH you can make any
needed adjustments to the soil. Materials to adjust your soil pH levels are available at your local garden center.
Raising The Soil pH to Make It More Alkaline: It is generally easier to make soils more alkaline than it is to make them
more acid. Because different soil types react in different ways to the application of lime you will have to add more lime
to clay soils and peaty soils than you will in sandy soils to achieve the same result.
To increase your pH by 1.0 point and make your soil more alkaline: Add 4 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in
sandy soils Add 8 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in loamy soils Add 12 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard
in clay soils Add 25 ounces of hydrated lime per square yard in peaty soils Correction of an overly acid soil should
be considered a long term project, rather than trying to accomplish it in one gardening season. It is easier to test your
soil each year and make your adjustments gradually. The addition of hardwood ash, bone meal, crushed marble, or crushed
oyster shells will also help to raise soil pH levels.
Lowering The Soil pH To Make It More Acid: If your soil needs to be more acidic, sulfur may be used to lower the
pH if it is available. To reduce the soil pH by 1.0 point: Mix in 1.2 oz of ground rock sulphur per square yard if the
soil is sandy. Mix in 3.6 oz per square yard for all other soils. The sulphur should be thoroughly mixed into
the soil before planting. Sawdust, composted leaves, wood chips, cottonseed meal, leaf mold and especially peat moss,
will lower the soil pH.
More Soil pH Tips: Always read and follow the manufactures recommendations when
using chemical products. Use appropriate protection such as a dust mask, and gloves. The best way to adjust pH is
gradually, over several seasons. Lime should be applied only when tests show it to be necessary. If the soil is
excessively alkaline, you may find that you are better off to build a raised bed using topsoil purchased from a nursery.
Author: David Selman, Tracker-Outdoors.com
Article by Tracker Outdoors www.tracker-outdoors.com
Vegetable Gardens &
Organic Matter
Organic matter improves soil as a growing medium for plants. It helps release nitrogen, minerals, and other nutrients for
plant use when it decays. A mulch of partially rotted straw, compost, or undecomposed crop residue on the soil helps keep
the soil surface from crusting, retards water loss from the soil, and keeps weeds from growing.Practically any plant
material can be composted for use in the garden. Leaves, old sod, lawn clippings, straw, and plant refuse from the garden
or kitchen can be used. Often, leaves can be obtained from neighbors who do not use them or from street sweepings.
The purpose of composting plant refuse or debris is to decay it so that it can be easily worked into the soil and will not
be unsightly when used in the garden. Composting material should be kept moist and supplied with commercial
fertilizer, particularly nitrogen, to make it decay faster and more thoroughly.
The usual practice in building a compost pile is to accumulate the organic material in some out-of-the-way place in the
garden. It can be built on open ground or in a bin made of cinder blocks, rough boards, or wire fence. The sides of the
bin should not be airtight or watertight. A convenient time to make a compost pile is in the fall when leaves are
plentiful.
In building the compost pile, spread out a layer of plant refuse about 6 inches deep and add one-half pound or one cupful
of 10-10-10, 10-20-10, or 10-6-4 fertilizer to each 10 square feet of surface. Then add 1 inch of soil and enough water
to moisten but not soak it. This process is repeated until the pile is 4 to 5 feet high. Make the top of the pile concave
to catch rainwater.
If alkaline compost is wanted, ground limestone can be spread in the pile at the same rate as the fertilizer. The compost
pile will not decay rapidly until the weather warms up in spring and summer. In midsummer, decay can be hastened by
forking over the pile so moisture can get to parts that have remained dry. The compost should be ready for use by the end
of the first summer.
For a continuing supply of compost, a new pile should be built every year. Compost can be used as a mulch, or worked
into flower beds and the vegetable garden.
When properly prepared and thoroughly decayed, compost is not likely to harbor diseases or insects. If the compost is used
in soil where an attempt is made to control plant diseases, or if it is mixed with soil used for raising seedlings, the
soil should be disinfected with chemicals recommended by your local Extension agent or State agricultural college.
Author: David Selman, Tracker-Outdoors.com
