Unit 18 Home Gardening • • • • • • Analyze family needs for a garden. Determine the best location. Establish a perennial garden. Prepare the soil and plants. Protect the garden. Harvesting and storing produce. © 2005 Thomson Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Unit 18 Home Gardening • • • • Read Unit 18 Take notes from powerpoint Define Terms – Page 361 Complete Student activities on page 374 – 1-5 and 7 • Complete Self Evaluation on page 375-376 – Write questions and answers • Test on Unit 18 on April 1st and April 4th. The Need for a Garden • Follow this good rule of thumb: – Garden plot 10 feet wide by 26 feet long for a family of four. • List the family’s favorite flowers, fruits, and vegetables. © 2005 Thomson Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Location of the Garden • • • • Convenient to the house Accessible to water Good well-drained soil Sunny area © 2005 Thomson Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Preparing the Soil • To make the soil loose and well-drained add organic matter to virgin soils. The rule of thumb is ONE POUND of dry organic material per SQUARE FOOT of soil. • Turn the soil to break up clods. • For soils that need drainage, make furrows or a raised bed. © 2005 Thomson Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Annuals, Biennials, Perennials • Annuals—plant’s life cycle is completed in one year. • Biennials—plant takes two growing seasons to complete its life cycle. • Perennials—plants that live from year to year. © 2005 Thomson Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Cultural Practices • Weeding – Chemical weeding by using HERBICIDES • Watering – Rule of thumb: 1 inch of water per week to a depth of 6 inches. • Protection from pests – Rotate crops. – Keep plants healthy by fertilizing, watering, and keeping out weeds. © 2005 Thomson Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Harvesting and Storage • Harvesting – Read and learn the maturity level of the specific crop being grown • Storage – Warm storage – Cool storage – Canning – Freezing – Drying © 2005 Thomson Delmar Learning. All rights reserved. Early Start in the Garden • Cold frames—bottomless wooden box with a sloping glass roof • Hotbeds—a cold frame with a heat source • Greenhouses—controlled light and temperature environment © 2005 Thomson Delmar Learning. All rights reserved.