The Vegetable Garden
I am of the strong belief that the Vegetable Garden should become part of every homeowner’s property. I was not always of this belief as I used to think it would be cheaper and easier to go down to the nearest farm stand or supermarket and buy your vegetables. However, the more I understand the role the food web plays in producing healthy plants the more I understand the value of growing nutritious healthy organic vegetables in ones own back yard. All one needs is land, sun and water and a commitment to grow plants organically. Each person can grow vegetables in their yard. There is a growing desire by many to buy vegetables organically but many of the commercially grown organic vegetables lack the nutrient value that you can produce in your own back yard. Nutrition wise there are lots of variables in the organic vegetables that are grown. The advantage of buying organic vegetables is that you know that there are no toxic products used in the soil, no chemical fertilizers used to grow them and no GMO seeds used to produce them. What we have not been able to determine is the nutrient value of the vegetables grown. In the organic world we feed the soil and the soil feeds the plants. The greater the mix of organic products added to the soil the greater the nutritional value of your vegetables.
By growing ones own vegetables one can greatly increase the nutrient value. They can be picked at the height of their nutritional value and you have the ability to supplement the soil with a large mixture of organic products. Greater nutrition is valuable in developing a strong immune system and a healthier body. Our modern medicine techniques focus on cures instead of prevention when we should be putting more research into prevention. I have learned through plants that if I build up their immune system, they resist insects and diseases and other health problems. The human body is the same. Build up our immune system and we can live a healthier life. I will help you grow vegetables with great nutritional value. .
The first step in building a vegetable garden is to select a location that has 6 hours or more of full sun. If this doesn’t exist, you may have to create a sunny location by removing trees and other vegetation. I like to build raised beds if you are working with a limited area because of ease of working and increased production. Raised beds are always well drained and well aerated and plants thrive in them. They lend themselves to smaller lots where higher production is of great value. Larger gardens are usually planted on existing land. These gardens should be placed in a location which is well drained. The soil needs to be fortified with lots of organic amendments. Container growing is another option for very small amounts of selective vegetable growing. Many gardeners will utilize one or a combination of the above.
Raised beds should be built out of untreated wood. I like to use 2 inch by 12 inch planks.
Preferred wood is cedar or redwood but cheaper wood such as pine is often used with the knowledge that it will need to be replaced with time. Beds can be built in any configuration or length but should not exceed a 6 foot width.
A water source is essential. Water can easily and inexpensively be brought to any part of your property by using ½” or ¾” poly pipe which comes in 100 foot lengths. I like to set up drip irrigation in vegetable gardens to avoid overhead watering. You can place the whole system on a timer at your water spigot and avoid yourself this time consuming chore. If you have an automatic irrigation system in place you can add another zone.
Animal problems have to be dealt with. Deer, rabbits and woodchucks seem to be the most annoying animals and require fencing. Deer fencing needs to be 6-8 feet tall. Woodchucks and rabbits can dig under and require a fence that bends to the outside 18 inches or more and is covered with 6 inches of soil. The fence also needs to be flexible on the top flipping back if the animal tries to climb. There is a great picture in my book ’12 Steps To Natural Gardening’ on page 157 of an attractive closed in structure that is animal proof. A structure like this can actually be attractive particularly if you plant a perennial garden in front of it. This structure is not weight bearing and with a minimal amount of carpentry skills can easily be built. If you need help, contact a carpenter or call Oscar our former Landscape foreman at 914-907-3352. Repellents can be used but are not always successful.
The preparation of your planting bed is one of the most important keys to success. The greater the mix of organic products mixed into your soil, the greater the nutrient value. This is where you have the ability to provide an organic soil which is superior to any that can be produced commercially. The soil feeds the plants. Not only can you add a large mixture of organic products to your soil but you can develop your own compost pile with a large diversity of items that you add to it. Save kitchen scraps as well as all garden wastes. Our formula for the preparation of the planting bed has been used by many customers and they come back and tell me about the great vegetables they are able to grow. You can add to my formula and make it even better by adding your own compost. Adding your own compost as well as making compost tea applications on a monthly basis during the growing season will increase nutritional value. Learn how to do this by reading my chapter in my book “12 steps To Natural Gardening” on “Composting” on page 79 and how to make compost tea on page 86. When we feed our body with healthy nutritious foods we build our immune system and improve our health. We focus on prevention.
My formula for the preparation of a new planting bed for an organic vegetable garden per 100 sq. ft. of area.
1 Bale of Peat Moss 3.8 cu. ft. (to avoid peat moss use 4 cu. ft. of leafmold instead)
1 bag of Coir (3 cu. ft)
3 bags of Lobster Compost (1cu. ft.) *
1 bag of Penobscot Blend Compost (1 cu. ft.) *
2 bags of Dehydrated Cow Manure (1 cu. ft.) *
1 bag of Black Earth Top soil (1 cu. ft. Coast of Maine)
1 bag of Fafard Top Soil ( 1 cu. ft.)
4.5 lbs of Bone Meal *
1 lb. of Mineral Rock Dust *
5 lbs. Lime *
1.4 qt. Myke Vegetable Garden *
8 lbs of Plant-tone (Espoma) *
Note – Items followed with a * should be added after the first year and every year thereafter to the top 3 inches of the soil. Mixing deeply into the soil will injure the food web that you have developed and natured during the previous year. Mix these items in and they will work their way from the top down.
I will continue my coverage of the vegetable garden in my next blog. I will cover seeding selection, planning, planting and maintenance. Meanwhile consider adding a vegetable garden if you do not have one. The initial cost is high but once established it will pay for itself. The health benefits are huge and the learning process for children growing up is important. You can make this an attractive location in your yard. I like planting colorful flowers in the foreground of this structure to beautify the area. The diversity of plants will not only be attractive but will attract a diversity of beneficial insects to the site. This adds to the charm, the health of your plants and the educational value of your property.
My friend Blase and I often discuss subjects on the run. We were talking about vegetable gardens and he told me the story of his grandfather. Blase is of Italian background and grew up in the Throgsneck section of the Bronx. His grandfather lived in the same community as he did. As a kid he would ride his bike to his grandfather’s house. His grandfather had a huge vegetable garden which occupied all the land on his small plot of property. His grandfather would allow Blaze to help him in the garden. It was here that Blaze developed his love for gardening. His grandfather would always reward Blaze for working in his garden with one of his prime pieces from his vegetable garden. Blaze lived in a moderate size house down the road with a beautiful lawn in the front. He took care of the lawn feeding and mowing it. It was the pride of the neighborhood. When his grandpa came to visit he would say you people are crazy. You have such a nice piece of property and you grow grass instead of vegetables. Growing grass does not make sense. It is costly, you are wasting your money and it is time consuming. His grandfather grew vegetables as he had done in Italy well before World War Two. There were no chemical fertilizers at that time to add to the soil and those who gardened in that era learned how to use organic supplements to enhance their crop. They grew healthy vegetables. We need to grow up eating and enjoying more plants in our diet.
I hope everyone who is following my blogs has a copy of my book. It is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and the New York Botanical Garden. Signed copies will be available at Sprainbrook Nursery after March 1. There is information that I need to be able to relay to you in it. I like the hardcopy which has pages available for your record keeping as you go along.
