Growing and Protecting Healthy Organic Vegetables

We have ideal vegetable growing conditions in our front yard since it faces south and receives many hours of summertime sun. In order to have a finished look to our entryway and have growing space, we separated the gardens into several areas and installed raised beds. Despite this, we face difficulties with a number of pests that afflict vegetables we grow. Since the major reason for growing vegetables at home is to control the growing conditions as well as having the freshest vegetables possible, we grow ours organically. The factors that control how well an organic vegetable grows include the location, the soil, the fertilizer, the way pests are handled, timing and water. These tips apply to our favorite crops--cucumbers, peas, tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, and herbs.

Soil and Fertilizer

One key to growing vegetables organically is a good, rich soil. Before planting our garden in the spring, we weed and turn the soil. Once it is light and airy, we dig in our favorite fertilizer-chicken manure. Chicken manure is less likely than steer manure to have contaminating seeds and is richer in nitrogen. We also add a small amount of peat moss. Sometimes we cover the planting area with a layer of mulch. By adding chicken manure, peat moss and mulch to our gardens, each year the soil gets richer, lighter, and easier to work. Don't use mulch cover until seeds have germinated. We found that many root vegetables like carrots don't like additional fertilizer after the initial chicken manure.

Location

In selecting your planting location, make sure you have twelve inches or more of fluffy soil before planting seeds. Gardens in the southern part of your yard will have maximal sunlight. Planting near a structure such as your house or a fence will increase the local temperature due to reflected light. We found that drilling holes in the timber defining the edges of a raised garden can be a useful place to install poles. Poles are useful when planting peas or beans. Attaching netting to the poles will give additional climbing space. Ensure that the plants that grow taller are placed behind shorter ones. I.e. Put tomatoes behind a cucumber plant. If you're planting tomatoes, be sure to rotate your planting location every year to help avoid verticillium or fusarium wilt disease which deprive the plants of water and they slowly wilt. Since these wilt diseases are fungus that reside in the soil, once you have it in your garden, there is little to help remove it from the soil, although heat helps destroy it.

Pests

Our major pests include deer, rabbits, squirrels, skunk, cats, wasps, aphids, and nematodes. To protect plants from pests, we've found that turning a wire basket (used in planting flowers with a sphagnum moss lining) upside down and staking it with landscaping pins makes a temporary hard to break barrier. Secondly, to protect against four-footed pests, we make our own organic bug spray using garlic, onions, soap, eggs, oil, and hot pepper. One bite of a plant covered in this spray usually deters deer from biting again that season. Note: if you use this kind of a spray, make sure that you don't use it during prime pollination season as it will keep bees and other insects that pollinate your plants away and your plant won't fruit. Using garlic, rue, marigolds and other herbs planted with your vegetables can add color, attract pollinators and deter unwanted insects that don't like the smell.

Timing

Seeds are very sensitive to local conditions. Most seed companies provide a good range of starting times for various regions and temperatures. Follow them as closely as possible. Planting early can often cause plants to fail or become stunted. Often a greenhouse grown start will produce the healthiest plants. Bulb plants like garlic and onion should be planted late fall or early winter. Peas should be planted May 1^st, almost all other vegetables are planted June 1^st except cool temperature crops such as broccoli, cabbage, and beets which grow late fall into winter.

Water

Always water your vegetables at the root in order to prevent damage to fruits [See Picture 1]. Cucumbers really like to grow from a mound of dirt with the roots flooded with water. Zucchini grows similarly.

If problems other than those I identified in this article arise, try asking one of the many local Master Gardeners that volunteer at stores for help.