Introduction to HorticultureVegetable Gardens

Term: Bolting

Plant: Lettuce

Bolting

• When leaf vegetable crops produce seeds.

• Frequently is accompanied by bitter taste

• Decrease in vegetative growth• Occurs in the warm months of

summer• Harvest leaf crops before bolting

unless you are collecting seeds instead of eating them

Lettuces & Greens

• Leaf vegetables, Includes– Lettuce, Spinach, – Celery, rhubarb, chard

• Time to plant: Early Spring or late summer• Time to harvest: 30 - 45 days – before daily

temperatures get above 75.• Will regrow after cutting until summer or frost• Spacing: Plant in rows 6-8” apart, thin to 4-6 inches

between plants after seeds have sprouted• Heavy nitrogen feeders• Avoid pesticides• Cool Season Plants

Average Daily Temps

Vegetable Gardening

• Was once very common

• Victory Gardens during WWII

• Becoming more common as people worry about pesticide and other chemical usage

Garden beds

• Benefits of Raised bed gardens– Texture control of soil

• No walking on garden soil

• Easy to add soil amendments

• Till once and never need to again

• http://www.hgtv.com/gardening-by-the-yard/show/index.html

PAR

• Plant a row for local food banks

• Food banks frequently receive non-perishable foods, but almost never receive fresh foods

• Plant a row encourages home gardeners to plant an extra row to help those in need

Garden Project

• Select 8 vegetables that you like or that someone you know likes.

• Plan a vegetable garden with enough of that vegetable to supply a family of 4

• Determine when the vegetable is to be harvested• Determine when the vegetables should be planted• Determine the appropriate spacing for the plants• Determine how large the garden needs to be• Decide if you will be “organic” or standard• Determine the fertilizer and pest control methods you will

need

Garden Project

• Draw a plot layout of your garden with proper spacing

• Give a chart of the plants, their planting dates and harvesting dates.

• State whether you will grow from seed or transplant

• State any special fertilizer or pest care needs

• State any needs for staking or trellises

Begin by

• Selecting your 8 vegetables• Research each and make a chart

Plant Harvest Spacing Other

Beans Weekly AFF

40 days 4”, 2’ row Bush,

seed

Tomatoes AFF 85 days 3’ Trnsplt

Potatoes Mar 24 Jun 24 6”, 3’ row Pot chks

Resources

• Average First Frost date Warrenton, Va: Oct. 15

• Average Last Frost date Warrenton, Va: May 1

• http://www.humeseeds.com/vegplan.htm• http://www.thegardenhelper.com/vegtips.html• http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/category/fruits-vegetables.html

Verbal Warning

• If you leave the class area, and I don’t know where you are, YOU ARE CUTTING CLASS.

• Lots of flexiblility – Accountability as well