Harnett County Center
Plant Talk |
by Paul G. McKenzie
From the Daily Record, Dunn,
NC
CAUTION:The information and recommendations in this article are applicable to Harnett County, NC and may not apply in other areas.
VEGETABLE GARDENING, 2/27/98
Don't be fooled by these occasional warm sunny days. Spring is still a few weeks off. Yet this is the ideal time to plan your vegetable garden.
BUYING SEED
When buying seed, be sure to look for the date. If the seed is leftover from a previous year, the germination rate will be lower.
The seed packet also contains information on how deep to plant, when to plant, how far apart, and how long until harvest. Ignore this information at your own risk!
Getting tired of the same old thing? How about yellow tomatoes or a new sweet corn variety? Plant breeders are constantly developing new varieties with improved flavor, pest resistance, and yields. Try a small amount of something new each year.
Where available, select varieties that are disease resistant. Tomato seed, for example, should be marked with one or more of the following letters: V, F, N, A, and S. Each letter represents resistance to a particular disease.
PLANTING DATE
Proper planting date is important. Some plants, such as carrots, broccoli, potatoes, and peas, grow well during the cooler temperature of late early spring. Other plants, such as tomatoes, watermelons, squashes, and peppers, thrive during the heat of the summer.
If you plant too early or too late, your results will be disappointing. Check the seed packet, or call me for a complete vegetable planting guide.
BUYING TRANSPLANTS
Many stores sell transplants long before it is safe to set them out. The "frost free" date for our area is about April 10. The chance of having a frost after this date is less than ten percent.
Select high quality transplants. Look for healthy, green, stocky plants that have not yet bloomed. Inspect them closely. Turn over the leaves to look for insects.
SOIL CARE
Take care of the soil and the soil will take care of your plants. Many garden failures could be avoided through soil testing and crop rotation. Yes, it is a bit late to submit your soil sample, but "better late than never" definitely applies.
Avoid planting your tomatoes in the same spot every year. Pest problems will build up in the soil. And keep in mind that vegetables in the same family have similar pest problems. So don't follow tomatoes with peppers, potatoes, or okra (all in the same family). One of the cucurbits (e.g. melons, squash, cucumbers) or cole crops (e.g. broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips) would be a better choice.
WATERING
Soaker hoses emit water very slowly from their entire length. This way they put the water exactly where you need it, with very little waste. They won't wet the foliage either, which helps to avoid disease problems. Soaker hoses can be placed alongside the row, or even buried an inch or two in the soil.
Seeds and seedlings need constant moisture. Frequent light waterings are ideal. As the plants develop, provide infrequent but deep waterings. This will encourage a strong root system, enabling the plant to better withstand drought (and saving you money on your water bill).
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