RHS level 2 Certificate in Garden Planning Establishment and Maintenance
Outdoor Production of Vegetables and Fruit
Date:
Describe a range of soil cultivation techniques used in outdoor food
production.
Digging - single (soil cultivated to the depth of one spade blade or ‘spit’)
Double digging (soil cultivated to a depth of 2 spits)
Trenching – used to break up sub soil pan
Ridging – used on heavy soil
Using powered cultivator/rotavator – soil is turned over by steel blades
rotating on a central spindle. Useful for cultivating large areas, but it is
important to adjust the depth of cultivation each year to prevent a pan
forming.
Forking over-Incorporating organic matter (garden compost, mushroom
compost, farmyard manure)
Consolidation – treading before raking only recommended on very light soils
Raking - create a fine tilth for seed sowing. If soil is rough or compacted lightly
fork or hoe to a depth of 5 – 7 cm & break down clods with back of rake before
final raking
(See photocopy from ‘Gardening Techniques’ by Alan Titchmarsh)
Describe how timing of soil cultivation will be influenced by the following
Soil texture (sand, silt, clay, loam)
Soil structure (good crumb structure, or poor crumb structure)
Weather and climate
Describe what is meant by the bed system for growing vegetables
Small permanent narrow beds separated by permanent paths traditionally used
in market gardens
Describe a raised bed and specify dimensions for a typical raised bed and
paths.
Height 10 – 60cm NB freestanding raised bed rarely more than 30cm high
Width 90 – 150cm
Length-square bed 130cm x 130cm rectangular can be any length
Paths - minimum 40cm width 60cm ideal if space allows, at least one main path
90 cm wide to allow easy access with laden wheelbarrow
Edging – timber boards 2 – 4cm thick plastic ready-made frames, bricks, tiles
State the benefits and limitations of using the bed system in outdoor food
production.
Benefits
Beds can be cultivated and crops harvested from the paths between without
stepping on and possibly compacting soil
Beds made on soil of good structure do not need to be cultivated every year
RHS level 2 Certificate in Garden Planning Establishment and Maintenance
Outdoor Production of Vegetables and Fruit
Date:
Crops can be grown more closely together to give higher yields.
Spacing can be varied to control the size of crops such as cauliflowers, carrots
and onions
The leaves of some crops e.g. carrots soon grow over the spaces between to
shade out weeds. Onions have leaves that are too thin to shade out weeds and
hand weeding will be necessary even with close spacing
Limitations
Not suitable for large scale cultivation as machinery cannot be used for
cultivation or harvesting. It is not possible to use a hoe for weeding if crops are
closely spaced.
No room for intercropping or inter-sowing between rows.
Organic matter can only be used as mulch rather than incorporated by digging
Describe the no-dig system for managing raised beds
Describe the methods used to advance and extend the productive season of
outdoor crops.
The outdoor environment can be modified at the beginning and end of the
growing season by covering the soil or plants with polythene, glass or
horticultural fleece. In spring this practice will warm up the soil prior to sowing
and planting, leading to more rapid germination of seeds and establishment of
young plants.
In autumn it will provide protection from lower temperatures.
Mulch – polythene film laid over the soil – transparent film warms the soil and
reduces evaporation can be placed and anchored over a crop immediately after
sowing, then removed once crop has emerged. This type of mulch can also be
used when crops are planted out. The film is anchored down cross shaped slits
cut at correct planting distance and crop planted through the slits. The plants
must be watered through the slits in the film.
Opaque white films are sometimes used for tomatoes as they reflect light up
helping the fruits to ripen Polythene mulches tend to attract slugs so extra
vigilance is needed to control them.
Floating cloche – slit polythene film or non woven polypropylene ‘fleece’ laid
over a crop sown or planted outside to provide extra warmth for young plants.
It is pushed up as the crop grows, but is removed before it becomes a
disadvantage
Low tunnel or cloche – easily moved, allowing a succession of crops to be
protected, quickly raises temperature by a few degrees. Some form of
ventilation panel is useful to prevent overheating. Never leave the end of a
cloche open as it will act as a wind tunnel. Larger cloches provide better air
circulation with less risk of pests and diseases becoming a problem
Cold frame –may be used for early crops e.g. carrots and lettuce or for raising
seedlings; also for half hardy crops such as cucumbers in summer
RHS level 2 Certificate in Garden Planning Establishment and Maintenance
Outdoor Production of Vegetables and Fruit
Date:
Identify a range of propagation methods used in the production of a range of
outdoor food crops.
Most vegetables are annuals grown from seed.
Seed sowing outdoors
Directly in situ
Seed can be sown in drills, broadcast or sown individually. Best for root crops
which suffer when transplanted, large seeds, cut and come again salad.
Use of a seedbed
Piece of ground set aside for raising seedlings and young plants, sown in
relatively close spaced rows, late transplanted into permanent position.
Primarily saves space in main bed. Useful for slower growing crops especially
those requiring a lot of space at maturity.
Seed sowing indoors (in a protected environment) in seed trays pots or
modules Seedlings may then be pricked out, potted on, hardened off and
planted out. Suits tender vegetables and is used to extend the growing season
and produce earlier and better crops of hardy vegetables. Used for very small
or expensive seed or seed where germination is difficult). Saves space in the
garden
Potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes are raised from tubers.
Asparagus is raised from crowns.
Onions and shallots may be raised from bulbs
Tree or top fruit cultivars are propagated by budding or grafting
Soft fruit bushes are propagated by stem cuttings
Strawberries are propagated by runners
Blackberries are propagated by tip layering
Which sowing methods would you use for the following vegetables?
Beetroot - in situ or in modules
Brussels sprouts – under cover late winter / early spring temp 18degrees C, in
trays or deep modules, in seedbed early / mid spring
Carrots - under cloches or in cold frame late winter /early spring broadcast or
in wide bands 7 – 10cm, under perforated film or fleece, round rooted cultivars
in modules
Courgettes – indoors a month before last frost is expected minimum temp 13
degrees C individually in modules 2 – 3 cm deep
Leeks – indoors at temp 10 – 15 degrees C late winter/early spring
Onions – seed as for leeks, sets-either plant directly in soil autumn to mid
spring or pot up individually in 5cm modules and plant out later
Runner beans- sow direct in mid – late spring, or start indoors in adverse
weather conditions in modules
Salad crops including lettuce and radish-successional sowing in situ or under
cover
Winter Cabbage- sow in seed trays, modules or seedbed