Whether you are a first timer or a veteran, a well planned, properly tended vegetable garden is not only a source of fresh, nutritious produce, but also relaxation and enjoyment for the entire family.
Planning is key, notes Veronica Coons, Barton County Conservation District manager. “A garden is as individual as the gardener,” she notes. “It can be small or large, raised or ground level.
It can serve as an economic boost to the grocery budget or be a source of exotic foods or herbs.”
Even a 10x10 garden space can produce a good portion of vegetables for a family of four.
A combined effort
Currently, Coons, Barton County Extension and the Barton County Master Gardeners organization are hosting a series of spring garden basics presentations that take place Saturday mornings from March 2 through April 13 at 10:30 a.m. in the basement of the Great Bend Public Library.
On Saturday, master gardeners and novices alike learned how to select their garden space, garden type and vegetables, depending upon their individual wants or needs. Two important tools to start out with are a tape measure and an ordinary kitchen thermometer, she said.
Coons, Cottonwood Extension promote planting
Saturday’s program looked specifically at two areas, planting in time and planting in space.
Three separate seasons
In Kansas, gardeners can look forward to three separate growing seasons as they advance through early spring in March, through summer, and into fall, Coons noted.
“When we are planting in time in the spring season we are looking at some of our root vegetables and our tender leaf fruits,” she said.
“Things like lettuces, carrots, beets. A lot of people start growing potatoes in March or peas.”
Coons noted that on the backs of seed packets are usually planting guides that also contain information about days to maturity.
“Sometimes you will need to do a little research on the internet or check out gardening books.”
Soil temperature is an important part of starting cool season plants. “If the ground is too cool, your plants may grow, but they won’t thrive,” she noted. The best results are found when the soil temperature is at 55 degrees or above.
In this section of the state, that means cool season starts at the end of March and continues through early June. “That’s when the temperature starts going up and we get more wind. Our leafy greens start to taste bitter or they are going to ‘bolt,’ which means the plants are beginning to produce seeds.” Warm season vegetables include onions, peppers, squash, tomatoes, and eggplants. “Those are the things that we look forward to in the summer.”
There is a season that people tend to forget about, from late August to November. “I think that is an awesome time,” Coons said.
“It’s the cool season at the end of summer. You can get some of those really delicious spring vegetables all over again.
“It comes down to how much work you want to put into your garden,” she noted. “If you’re not tired of it by the end of summer. It is OK to tear down at the end of summer, but there is room for more if you want.”
Planting in space Planting in space consists of making lists of the vegetables you want to grow in three categories: “must haves,” such as radishes, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, onions or peppers, the “would likes,” that might change from year to year, and the plants that would be fun to try such as melons or exotics.
That’s when the shape of the garden comes into play; whether the plants will be in traditional rows, or raised beds, or a combination of the two. Many vining plants may be grown vertically on trellises, that not only saves space, but improves fruit quality by not laying on the ground. The vertical spaces also provide an aesthetic, Coons noted.
Next week and beyond
Next Saturday’s topic is “Grow Your own Salad.”
Remaining topics include “Tips for Great Tomatoes” on March 23; “Using Your Vertical Space” on March 30; “Water, Weather & Weeds” on April 6 and “Common Insect & Disease Problems” on April 13.
