Spring officially begins March 21. With it, comes spring fever.
Spring officially begins March 21. With it, comes spring fever.
If you want to reduce food bills and have some fun, too, grow your own vegetables. Yards and lanais are prime locations to help cut food expenses. You can do it by planting vegetables along with your ornamentals.
By designing a combination, you can have an attractive spot that will produce flowers as well as fresh vegetables. Both require regular fertilization and spraying for insects and disease, so they are a natural together.
In selecting the plot, remember most annuals and vegetables must have a full six to eight hours of bright light per day.
Next comes the vexing problem of what to plant. Choosing plants by height is one approach. Some taller-growing annuals for the back areas of the garden are cleome and sunflower. Some taller vegetables to try are Hawaiian super sweet corn, trellis UH tomatoes and Manoa wonder beans.
In the center rows and toward the front, consider medium-height plants. Tuberose, blue salvia, tall ageratum, giant dahlias, red salvia and gypsophila are examples. Vegetables include peppers, squash and Waimanalo long eggplant. For low edging, you might use allysum, petunias, verbena, dwarf phlox or some of the dwarf nasturtiums. Waianae strain kai choi, won bok, Manoa lettuce and parsley are good varieties of vegetables.
With up to 100 annuals and vegetables to choose from, it shouldn’t be a problem to fill the garden with many kinds of colorful and useful plants.
You can try your hand at success by using the organic approach, the conventional approach or a combination.
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Organic gardening differs from conventional gardening mainly in fertilization and pest control. The organic gardener uses natural and organic materials and methods, whereas the conventional gardener will use a combination of all materials and methods shown to be safe, effective and not detrimental to animals and the environment.
Here are some steps to aid you in supplying your vegetable needs:
Select a plot of good, well-drained soil near a water supply. It should be close to the home for convenience but should not be shaded by tall buildings or trees. Enclosing the garden spot with a fence is important if you need to keep out wild jungle fowl, pheasants and pigs.
Many gardeners find it helpful to draw out on paper the location of each row and the crop or succession of crops to be planted.
Contact the UH Master Gardener Hotline at 981-5199 for information about vegetables suited to Hawaii gardens, leading varieties, seeds or plants needed, planting distances and depths and best time for planting.
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Since organic fertilizer and soil conditioning materials are slow working in general, they should be mixed into the soil at least three weeks ahead of planting and the soil thoroughly prepared for seeds or transplants. Manure or other organic fertilizer should be added at this time. Since the materials are slowly decomposed, side dressings are seldom beneficial.
Clumps of unrotted organic materials not only interfere with the seeding operation, but might result in nutrient deficiency and possible soil-borne disease problems such as “damping-off” of young seedlings.
Natural and organic materials that yield plant nutrients upon decomposition often are available for purchase separately or in combination. These materials can be applied separately or in combination, used in the compost pile or mixed with manure.
Rock phosphates are natural deposits of phosphate in combination with calcium. Raw materials dug from the earth are very hard and yield phosphorus very slowly.
When finely ground and with impurities removed, the powdery material is only slightly soluble in water, but might be beneficial to plants in subsequent seasons following application. A more readily available form of phosphate is treble super phosphate.
Potassium is widely distributed in nature, occurring in rocks, tissues of plants and animals and sea and lake waters.
In gardening practices, materials such as wood ashes, banana peels, seaweed, potash salts and ground rock potash are used alone, in combination with other materials yielding other nutrients, mixed with manure or in compost piles. Since the potash-bearing materials vary so much in composition and rate of decomposition, specific application rates must be determined for each material and its combination.
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An advantage for using organic materials as fertilizers is they contain many of the elements also needed by the plants in addition to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Besides the general amounts of minor elements found in most organic materials, certain ones are concentrated into such naturally occurring materials as gypsum (calcium and sulfur) and dolomite (calcium and magnesium). Important minor elements include iron, zinc, manganese and boron. However, care must be taken not to overapply, especially boron since it can be toxic.
Reducing the acidity of the soil is the primary purpose for using lime. However, liming materials also provide nutrients.
Lime should be applied only when the need is established by a reliable soil test. Apply lime well in advance of the planting date, preferably two to three months prior. Mix well with the soil and keep moist for best reaction.
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In irrigating the garden, it is advisable to thoroughly wet the soil once a week unless sufficient rain falls. Light sprinkling every day merely tends to wet the surface and encourage shallow root growth. Use of organic materials as soil conditioners and fertilizers tends to improve the ability of the soil to retain moisture.
A good garden mulch conserves soil moisture and nutrients, reduces soil erosion and weed growth and provides a barrier between fruit and soil. It also moderates the soil temperature.
Organic materials commonly used for mulching are leaves, grass clippings, sawdust and wood shavings.
Mulches should not be piled up against the stems of plants as this will create conditions ideal for disease. At the end of the garden season, the mulch can be removed and composted or cut into the garden soil.
Most mulch is woody and should have manure or other rich organic fertilizer applied with it when cutting into the soil.
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During periods when infestations of various garden pests are high, control by natural means becomes very difficult. However, the following practices will help reduce losses.
Plant varieties resistant to disease and insects. Select pest-free transplants. For cutworms, place a cardboard collar around plant stems at ground level. Spade garden early so vegetation has time to rot before planting. Clean crop refuse early. Keep out weeds that harbor insects and diseases. Hand pick insects where possible.
Water in the morning so plants are not wet at night. Dispose of severely diseased plants before they contaminate others.
The use of marigolds tends to repel nematodes.
Many organic gardeners approve of and use sprays and other preparations containing natural materials. Pyrethrin, rotenone and nicotine are examples of natural poisons from plant parts. These give some control to some insects under certain conditions. Neem products also are valuable tools.
Natural predators such as geckos, frogs, praying mantis and lady beetles should be encouraged wherever possible.
Individuals with home garden questions can call the UHCTAHR Master Gardener helpline in Hilo and Kona.