Submitted by
Brandy Brabham, Extension Agent
Roane and Calhoun Counties
Don't plant your vegetables this spring without doing some planning this winter. Good planning is essential for a productive garden.
Evaluate the current garden location. If the site has become too shady, it may be time to move the garden plot. Full sun is best, but most vegetables will grow well if they receive 6-8 hours of direct sun.
Keep the vegetable garden away from trees and shrubs that rob water and nutrients. If you have enough space, do not plant closer than the tree is tall and remember to allow for growth of the tree. Locate the garden well away from black walnut trees since they can injure some plants.
The garden should be close to a source of water. Avoid low areas since vegetables require well-drained soil. Amend heavy clay soil with several inches of organic matter such as compost.
Plan to obtain a soil test before planting if it has not been done in 3-5 years. This will provide needed information on soil pH and nutrients. You can collect a sample anytime the soil is not frozen or too wet.
Select vegetable cultivars (cultivated varieties) carefully. Be sure to plant cultivars adapted to climate (Zone 6). Try some new plants on a trial basis but always include varieties that have proven their success here.
Choose disease resistant vegetable cultivars whenever possible. Diseases such as Fusarium or Verticillium wilt cannot be controlled once they infect the tomato plants so selecting cultivars resistant to these diseases is highly recommended.
Make a sketch of the garden area before spring. Show the name of the vegetable and the row location. Give the distance between rows and between plants within the row. Include the expected planting date and any other useful information.
It is often better to make shorter rows in the garden rather than one or two long rows. This is particularly important for the pollination of sweet corn.
To extend the harvest period, stagger the planting dates. For example, plant smaller amounts of snap beans every two weeks, rather than a single large planting.
Place perennial crops such as asparagus and rhubarb together on one side of the garden. This will make it more convenient as the garden is tilled each year. Many people like to place taller vegetables like sweet corn and pole beans on the north side of the garden to reduce shading of other plants.
To reduce potential insect and disease problems, avoid planting the same crop in the same location year after year. If possible, rotate vegetables into a new part of the garden each year for several years. Do not rotate plants with others in the same family (tomato, pepper, eggplant and potato).
If space is at a premium, use succession planting. This involves planting a vegetable in the same space during the same year after the first vegetable is harvested. Green beans, for instance, could be followed by a planting of cabbage for fall harvest.
Use the vertical space in your garden. Use cages for your tomatoes and train cucumbers to grow on a fence or trellis. More production per square foot can be obtained with pole beans than bush beans.
Keep a garden record for the season. Write down the amounts of seeds and cultivars used and where purchased. Mark the date you planted and harvested each crop, and indicate which vegetable crops and cultivars did well or poorly. Record specific garden pest problems and when they occurred.
Finally, don't bite off more than you can chew. Allow time for needed chores like thinning, irrigation, weed control and other pest management. A smaller, properly tended garden will be more productive and satisfying than a larger garden receiving minimal attention.
WVU Extension Service has 2008 Garden Calendars available. To get yours, stop by the Roane County office located in the basement of the Roane County Library or call 927-0975 or stop by the Calhoun County office located in the basement of the Calhoun County Courthouse or call 354-6332.
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