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SOME PLANNING HINTS
Plan the garden on paper first. Draw a map showing
arrangement and spacing of crops. If you wish to keep the garden
growing all season, you may need a spring, summer, and fall garden
plan. |
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Most garden catalogs have seed available year
round but they have last years seed available at the first of the
year. Plan the garden and order seeds by January or February. Some
plants may be started indoors as early as 12 weeks prior to being
set out in the garden. See table 10.4 for temperatures and times
required for growing plants for field transplanting. |
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In your plan, place tall and trellised crops on
the north side of the garden so they won't shade the shorter
vegetables. |
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Group plants by length of growing period. Plant
spring crops together so that later crops can be planted in these
areas when the early crops mature. Consider length of harvest as
well as time to maturity. Place perennial crops to the side of the
garden where they will not be disturbed by annual tillage. |
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LOCATING THE GARDEN
Vegetables grow best in a level area with loose,
well-drained soil, and at least 6 hours of sun (8 to 10 hours is
ideal). |
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Use contour rows or terraces on sloped or
hillside sites to avoid erosion. South-facing slopes are warmer
and less subject to damaging frosts. |
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Avoid placing the garden in low spots, at the
base of a hill, or at the foot of a slope bordered by a solid
fence. Such areas are slow to warm up in the spring, and frost
settles in these places, since cold air naturally drains into low
areas. |
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Avoid windy locations; if you must plant in a
windy spot, build or grow a windbreak. |
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Locate near a good and easily accessible supply
of water if possible. |
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Choose a spot near your home so it is convenient
to work in the garden when you have a few minutes. |
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Avoid planting near trees and shrubs; they
compete for nutrients and water, and may cause excessive shading. |
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Sites too near buildings may result in plants
not receiving enough sunlight. Observe shading patterns through
the growing season; if possible, before starting the garden. If
you have a shaded area you wish to use anyway, plant
shade-tolerant crops. Increase effective light, if needed, by
providing reflective surfaces around plants. |
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Try not to plant vegetables from the same family
in exactly the same location in the garden more often than once in
3 years. Rotation prevents the buildup of insects and disease. Use
old plans as guides for rotating crops. (See table 10.0 for
vegetables that are in the same family.) |
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Avoid locations near busy roads. Airborne lead
from automobile exhaust can contaminate vegetables, especially
leafy types. If you must plant in a lead-prone area, try planting
a hedge to trap lead in the air. |
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Avoid locating the garden on a site where
buildings with lead paint have stood; soil lead may be present in
toxic amounts. If you are unsure about your chosen location, have
the soil tested for lead content, or have tissue analyses done on
some leafy vegetables. |
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Table 10.0
Vegetable Grouped According to Family
Family |
Vegetable |
Amaryllidaceae |
garlic, leek, onion |
Chenopodiaceae |
beet, spinach |
Compositae |
endive, lettuce, sunflower |
Cruciferae |
broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese
cabbage, collards, kale kohlrabi, mustard, radish, rutabaga,
turnip |
Cucurbitaceae |
cucumber, muskmelon, pumpkin, squash, watermelon |
Gramineae |
corn |
Leguminosae |
bean, pea, peanut |
Liliaceae |
asparagus |
Malvaceae |
okra |
Solanaceae |
eggplant, pepper, tomato |
Umbelliferae |
carrot, celery, parsley, parsnip |
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