Many vegetable crops benefit from a side-dressing of nitrogen fertilizer after making considerable growth or starting to fruit, unless a slow-release fertilizer was applied at planting time.
In a side-dress application, the nitrogen fertilizer is applied along the sides of the plants, about six inches away from the stems, either along the row or around individual plants, such as tomatoes.
A Purdue publication on vegetable gardening, HO-32-W, suggests using ammonium nitrate, which has an analysis of 33-0-0, as the fertilizer material. However, it’s not readily available, and other forms of fertilizer can be used on an equivalent basis.
One is urea, which has an analysis of 46-0-0. It can become volatile, escape into the air and burn the leaves and should be incorporated immediately by lightly tilling it into the soil or watering it in with irrigation.
The general application rate for ammonium nitrogen is about one pound, or about one pint, per 100 feet of row. For three feet of row, that’s one tablespoon (one teaspoon per foot). When urea is used, apply slightly less, or about 1 1/2 cups per 100 feet of row, 2 1/4 teaspoons per three feet of row or 3/4 teaspoon per foot of row. For example, if […]

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1. While planning your vegetable garden, consider what and how much you will plant. In selecting a site or plot, consider the exposure to sunlight. It is important to consider also the different sunlight requirement for different vegetables. Leafy vegetables can be grown n partial shades but vegetables with fruits must be grown in direct sunlight.

2. Proper soil preparation provides the basis for good seed germination of garden crops. The ideal vegetable garden soil is deep, well-drained, moisture retentive and has high organic matter content. Soil should not be worked or plowed while it is very wet. Different types of vegetables would require varying degrees of soil acidity and this is measured by pH and must be adjusted accordingly.

2. In buying vegetable seeds, be mindful of the germination qualities, tendencies towards insects , vigour of plants etc. This provides useful benchmarks as you can determine whether the varieties are suitable or not for your gardening style or your area, or whether a particular seed company is not meeting your needs. You will be better prepared for the next planting season.

3. In sowing your seeds , you may want to plant extra seeds in each row in case of failed germination and thinning. It is important to keep soil moist until the seedlings are up. Thin them only after the seedlings have emerged and developed their second or third set of true leaves. The best time to thin is when the seedlings are still small as this will not disturb the roots of the plants.

4. The amount of fertilizer to use depends on the natural fertility of the soil, the type of fertilizer, the crop and the amount of organic matter present. The best way to determine fertilizer needs is to have the soil tested.

5. To manage pest control in your garden, start with ensuring that plants are healthy and growing well. Use plenty of compost, practise crop rotation and ensure adequate drainage. Remove vegetable refuse from the garden. Increase bio-diversity by planting only small quantities of the same vegetable in any one place. Encourage natural controls such as birds, toads and parasitic insects.

6. To ensure success in growing vegetables is to plant or transplant each crop at the best times for each locality. Vegetable crops may be grouped roughly and sown according to their hardiness and temperature requirements.

7. Weed control is essential in successful vegetable gardening as weeds can rob cultivated plants of water, nutrients and light. It is important that the soil is hoed or cultivated after each rain or irrigation to kill the weeds that have sprouted.

8. Regular watering is essential to maintain a healthy garden. Gardens in most areas would require a moisture supply equivalent to about an inch of rain a week during the growing season. An inch of rain is about 28,000 gallons on an acre or 900 gallons on a 30 x 50 feet garden.

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Getting Your seed to sprout, is only the first step in the game; they must be provided with the means of immediately beginning to grow.

This means that they should not be left to germinate in loosely packed soil, full of air spaces, ready to dry out at the first opportunity, and to let the tiny seed roots be shriveled up.

The soil should touch the seed - be pressed close about it on all sides, so that the first tiny tap root will issue immediately into ideal surroundings where it can instantly take hold.

Such conditions can be found only in a seed-bed fine but light enough to pack, reasonably rich and sufficiently moist, and where, in addition to this, the seed has been properly planted.

Try to never let the soil become crusted, even if there is not a weed in sight. Keep the soil loosened up, for that will keep your garden growing very nicely.

You should sow from the end of March to the beginning of May, or when plum and peach trees bloom, the following:

Beet, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower

Celery, Endive, Kale, Kohlrabi

Lettuce, Onions, Parsley, Parsnip

Peas, Radish, Spinach, Turnip

Water-cress

Sow from the beginning of May to the middle of June, or when apple trees bloom, the following:

Beans, Corn, Cucumber, Squash

(Melon, water), (Melon, musk), Pumpkin

Tomato, Okra

The planting depths and spacing is critical when it comes to planting your garden… Every veggie has a different depth and space needed to grow as big as possible. You will find that some like to be crowed and others need plenty of space. You want to make sure that you give them the appropriate amount of space so they all get food and water.

You want to be able to get to the vegetables without walking on the plants. You also do not want to walk on the soil that you plan to use to plant.

Some plants also tend to take an abundance of water and feed from the soil, so you will want to have them isolated from the other plants.

Remember that a majority of your seeds will not bloom; so seeding heavy is okay when it comes to things like lettuce, where the seeds are very small. You may want to sprinkle some food on top lightly so that the seeds have a better chance of making it.

However, if you have already fertilized the land, you do not need to add the food!

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