Kansans that are new to vegetable gardening often have a hard time knowing how much of each variety to plant. Kansas State Research and Extension has a publication that might help you out with this problem. The “Vegetable Garden Planting Guide” gives information on how much to plant of each veggie per person along with the average crop-yield expected per 100 feet. Also included is a garden calendar highlighting recommended planting dates and expected harvest dates based on the average of seasonal temperatures. Information on specific crops is detailed including; days to germinate, plants or seeds needed per 10 feet of row, depth of planting, spacing within the row and spacing between rows. Check out this publication online at: http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/mf315.pdf, or you can find the publication at the Cottonwood Extension District’s office either in Great Bend or in Hays.
Another publication that is available and is a bit more in-depth, is titled the “Kansas Garden Guide.” This 77-page booklet covers much more detail, having sections on planning a garden, composting, improving soil, seeding and planting, garden care, watering, planting gardens for fall production, insect and disease control, container gardening, season extension and harvesting and storing. This is followed by an extensive section on how to grow specific vegetables and herbs. You may order the print publication at http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/Item.aspx?catId=534&pubId=8219. This web page also provides a link to a free PDF copy of the same publication. These publications can also be quite helpful for the more experienced gardeners too.
Shifting gears here, I would like to discuss a bit on herbicides that address grass problems. So often one hears or reads information on herbicides that rid broad leaf weeds in turf areas, but rarely on how to attack unwanted grassy weeds that may be growing in your perennial garden, or areas around bushes and trees.
There are two major herbicide products that are used to kill grasses specifically that may have invaded your broadleaf plant area. Commercially, the trade names for these products are Fusilade and Poast. Homeowner labeling is more diverse. Fusilade may be sold under the names of Ortho “Grass-B-Gon,” and Poast is sometimes sold to homeowners under the Poast label but it’s usually sold as “Bonide Grass Beater,” “Fertilome Over the Top II Grass Killer,” “Hi-Yield Grass Killer” and “Monterey Grass Getter.” Fortunately, you can identify these products by their common chemical names listed on the label. Fusilade’s common chemical name is fluazifop, and Poast’s is sethoxydim.
If you decide to use one of these products, read the label carefully. Remember, these chemicals are for killing grasses. Often, a surfactant (crop oil) must be added to the spray solution for the herbicide to work well. Please note; some grassy weeds such as bromegrass and sandbur are not controlled. Neither is mature tall fescue controlled, though seedling tall fescue is. Established Bermudagrass is knocked back but rarely killed.
Though both these products can be used over the top of numerous broadleaf plants (including iris), there are some differences in labeling. For example, if you need to control grasses in strawberries, choose Poast because it has a seven-day waiting period before harvest. Fusilade cannot be used within one year of harvest.

Rip Winkel is the Horticulture agent in the Cottonwood District for K-State Research and Extension. Contact him by email at rwinkel@ksu.edu or call 785-682-9430 or 620-793-1910. This article is based on information from Ward Upham, Kansas State Research and Extension.