Grow It & Eat It
March 17, 2012
Sponsored by the James City County/Williamsburg Master Gardeners
Selecting a Site for the Garden
Sunny
6 Hours to full day sun
Well-drained
No standing water after rains
Level
Relatively level or build raised beds or
terraces
Away from trees
Shade and competition for water and
nutrients
High winds
Need air circulation
Frost
Avoid low-lying frost pockets
Close to water
Too heavy to haul
Excessive hose lengths
Preparing your Soil
Cultivate
Your
Soil
Enrich
Your
Soil
Test
Your
Soil
Testing your Soil
Planning your Garden
Think, “What do you want to grow to eat?”
If you don’t eat it, don’t grow it.
Start small.
Plant no more than you can take care of.
Make a map of your garden.
Best use of space.
Location of sun. Tall vs. short plants.
Plants versus seeds.
Pick out or order seeds early.
Cool Season Crops
Warm Season Crops
Grow best in cool weather
Spring and Fall
Grow in warm weather
After last frost date
Lettuce family (transplants or
seeds)
Tomatoes
(transplants)
Greens (transplants)
Eggplant
(transplants)
Cabbage family (transplants)
Onion family (transplants or
sets)
Peas
Radishes
Beets
Turnips
Spinach
Peppers
(transplants)
Beans
Corn
Squashes
Melons
Cucumbers
Pumpkins
Seed=S
Bulb=B
Type Plant
Trsplnt=T
Artichoke
TP
Beans, Bush
S
Beans, Pole
S
Beans, Lima
S
Beets
S
Broccoli
S
Broccoli
TP
Brussels
Sprouts
Brussels
Sprouts
Cabbage
S
Cabbage
TP
Cabbage,
Chinese
Carrots
S
Cauliflower
S
Cauliflower
TP
Collards
S
Corn, Sweet
S
Cucumbers
S
Eggplants
TP
TP
S
S
Spring
May 15May 25
Apr 10Jun 10
Apr 15Jun 15
May 15Jul 21
Mar 1Apr 21
Jul 14Aug 1
Mar 15Apr 21
Jun 7Jul 15
Mar 7Apr-15
Jun 7Aug 7
Mar 1Apr 21
Apr 1Jul 1
Feb 27Apr 7
Jul 7-Jul
21
Mar 21Apr 21
Aug 7Sept 21
Apr 15Jun 21
Apr 21May 15
Apr 15May 21
Endive
S
Garlic
B
Kale
S
Kohlrabi
S
Lettuce, Bibb
S
Lettuce, Leaf
S
Muskmelons
S
Mustards
S
Okra
S
Onions
S
Onion,
Multiplier
Peas
B
Peas, Southern
S
Peppers
S
Potatoes
S
Pumpkins
S
Radishes
S
Rutabaga
S
Spinach
S
Squash,
Summer
Squash,
Winter
Sunflowers
S
Fall
Aug 7Sept 7
Aug 1Sept 7
Aug 7Sept 1
Jul 15Aug 21
Jul 7Sept 15
Jul 21Sept 1
Jul 21Aug 21
Aug 7Aug 21
Jul 21Aug 21
S
S
S
Mar 7Apr 15
Sept 21Nov 21
Mar 1Apr 21,
Mar 7Apr 21
Mar 7Apr 1
Feb 15Apr 21
Apr 21May 21
Mar 7Apr 15
May 1Jun 10
Feb 15Apr 21
Feb 7Mar 7
Feb 15Apr 15
Apr 1Jul 20
Apr 15Jun 21
Feb 15Apr 15
Apr 21Jul 1
Feb 21May 7
Aug 7Sept 21
Feb 1Apr 1
Apr 21Jun 7
Apr 21Jun 7
Apr 15Jul 7
Aug 21Sept 21
Jul 7Sept 1
Sept 7Nov 7
Sept 1Nov 1
Sept 1Nov 21
Sept 1Oct 21
Sept 7Dec 7
Aug 7Sept 1
Aug 21Nov 15
Aug 21Nov 15
Sweet Potatoes
B
Swiss Chard
S
Tomatoes
TP
Turnips
S
Watermelons
S
Apr 21Jun 15
Mar 1May 7
Apr 15Jul 7
Feb 21Mar 21
May 1May 21
Aug 15Oct 15
Plant Propagation from Seeds
Pollination
Union of the pollen (male) with the egg (female) to produce a seed
Plant Propagation from Seed
A seed is made up of three parts:
Embryo
young plant before emerging from seed
Endosperm
seed’s food reserve
Seed coat
protects the seed
A seed is a plant in a box with its lunch
A mature seed, put in a favorable environment,
will germinate, or begin active growth
SEED ANATOMY
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
7.
2 cotyledons
microphyle (hole)
hilium (scar)
seed coat
plumule
radicle
Environmental Factors
That Affect Germination
Moisture
Heat
Oxygen
Light
Planting Seeds in Your Garden
Seed Bed Preparation
Reading the Seed Packet
Sowing
Care After Sowing
Preparing the Seed Beds
Break up dirt clumps
Fertilize
Rake smooth and level
Firm seed bed soil
Prepare seed drill
Reading the Seed Packet







Common, botanical and cultivar name
Maturity date in days.
Number of seeds in the package.
Date packaged.
Days to germinate.
Minimum germination percentage.
Cultural information including the following:
 Germination temperature.
 Planting depth.
 Light required for germination.
 Seed pretreatment:
Soaking
Scarification
Statification
Sowing your Seeds
Carefully sow seed in drill (Spacing)
Cover seeds
Firm soil over seeds
Water gently
Shading ?
Pre-germination
Care of Seeds & Seedlings After Planting
Watering
Weeding & Cultivating
Thinning
Pinching
Setting Out Transplants
Plant Condition
Hardening Off
Planting
Watering In
Mulching
Ongoing Considerations
Planting Often
Watering right
Cultivating & Weeding
Fertilizing (Side dressing)
Stay out of garden when it’s wet
Rotating Crops