vgb 5: maintain your garden · 3 © 2011 regents of the university of minnesota. all rights...

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© 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

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My garden is all planted. Now what!

Prepared by: Mary Weeks University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener Program - Hennepin County 2013

VGB 5: Maintain Your Garden

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DECISION: “ORGANIC” OR NOT

. . . no synthetic chemicals as

fertilizer

pesticides

. . . only materials

derived from plant or animal organisms

don’t harm beneficial insects, birds and

animals

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FIND OUT YOUR COMMUNITY GARDEN RULES

OR MAKE YOUR OWN RULES FOR YOUR HOME GARDEN!

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WATER AT PLANTING TIME

Gently to protect seeds

New seeds frequently to keep moist

New plants until established

Deeply

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WATER ALL SUMMER AND FALL

1” per week (if no rain)

Once per week

In the morning

The soil not the

plant leaves

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FERTILIZER

Adds essential nutrients to the soil.

Only if soil test indicates: N, P, K

Before planting

Next to rows

Around individual plants

Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium (Potash)

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ORGANIC FERTILIZER: Blood Meal

Fish Emulsion

Composted Manure

Little risk of burning

Amend at any time

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NON-ORGANIC FERTILIZER

Commercial chemicals such as

Miracle Grow

Caution: Over-fertilizing can burn the plants

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HEALTHY GARDENS. . .

depend on you!

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THINNING Correct spacing on seed packet, then. . .

Grit your teeth and pull

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EAT WHAT YOU PULL!

–Lettuce, spinach (or re-plant)

–Beet tops and roots

–Onions

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KEEPING IT TIDY. . .

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MULCH. . .

–Mid-June as soil warms

–Around growing plants

–Suppress weeds

–Keep soil cool and moist

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MULCH TYPES –Dried leaves

–Seedless straw

–Compost or composted manure

–Shredded newspaper

–Fabric or plastic

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WEED

Weeds use up soil nutrients and water

Crowd and shade veggies

Pull before they’re too big

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WEED Between or within the row

Anything you didn’t plant is a “weed”

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ALSO REMOVE. . .

Over ripe fruit (e.g., 2’ zucchini!)

Plants that “bolt”

Dead/diseased leaves/plants

. . . to preserve water and nutrients!

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SUPPORT

Stake & tie

Cage

Trellis

TeePee

Tomatoes, beans, peas,

cucumbers. . .

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PINCH HERBS

Herbs: Pinch new growth

Pinch before it flowers

Cut back the flowers

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HARVEST & ENJOY

Pick when ripe/ready

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FALL CLEAN-UP COUNTS

Compost healthy plant

materials

Pull and trash diseased

plants & fallen fruit

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PREPARE FOR NEXT YEAR!

Save seeds (cool, dry indoors)

Turn under mulch

Add compost

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Okay, that was easy!

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DETECT PROBLEMS EARLY

Walk it daily

Know what to look for

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IDENTIFY PROBLEMS

Leaf damage

o Holes—chewing insects

o Discoloration—nutrients

o Fungus/virus

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Not all bugs are bad bugs!

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KNOW GARDEN BENEFICIALS:

Bees, butterflies/moths, praying mantis,

lady bugs, snakes, toads

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KNOW HARMFULS:

Cut Worms

Squash Vine Borer

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HARMFULS

Cabbage loopers

Slugs

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DECIDE WHEN TO INTERVENE

One pest is not a problem

Don’t panic

Target specific harmfuls only, not all

insects

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ECO-FRIENDLY PEST BUSTERS Your fingers!

Blast of water (aphids)

Collars at base for

cutworms

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ECO-FRIENDLY PEST BUSTERS

Row covers and netting (moths/borers)

Insecticidal soap (mites)

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VIRAL & FUNGAL DISEASES

Powdery Mildew

Blight on tomatoes

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DISEASE PREVENTION IS BEST!

Disease resistant plants/seeds

Buy healthy plants

Mulch at base (e.g., tomatoes)

Don’t touch garden plants after

smoking!

Remove dead & fallen leaves, fruit

and diseased plants

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PESTICIDES

Chemical poisons used to kill or control

pests & reduce damage

Insecticide: for insects

Herbicide: for weeds

Fungicide: for fungus

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DECIDE ABOUT PESTICIDES

Consider just pulling the plant out

Do you want to eat a vegetable

treated with pesticides?

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PESTICIDE USE: IF YOU DECIDE TO USE A PESTICIDE

Match pesticide with pest! (IPM)

Follow the label

Read label for correct insect stage

Apply correct amount

Mix small & use up

Store safely

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CAUTION!

Chemical pesticides kill. . .

Beneficial insects

Birds & animals

Impact humans!

CAUTION!

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ATTRACT NATURAL PREDATORS

Welcome birds

Beneficial insects—lady bugs, praying

mantis

Frogs, toads and lizards, oh my!

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IF IT’S NOT ONE THING. . .

it’s another!

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CRITTERS

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Wascally wabbits!

Rabbit fence

Pinwheels

Repellent sprays

Cats!

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RACCOONS

Big, tough and hungry. . .

omit habitat

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OTHER CRITTERS

Squirrels: impossible

Chipmunks: small and fast!

Deer: not in the city, thank goodness!

Plant extra and share!

Or

Don’t plant what they like!

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AND THEN THERE’S MOTHER NATURE

. . . And Mother Nature rules!

Drought

Wind

Hail

Late Spring frost (cold weather crops)

Early Fall frost (pick and cover)

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KEEP A JOURNAL

Make notes:

Date of planting/seeding

Date of harvest

Rainfall

Problems/pests

Garden layout

Failures/successes

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YOUR GARDEN. . .

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HOW TO GET HELP!

MG Hotline: 612-596-2118 (for call back)

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MORE HELP!

Google: your problem, look for edu sites

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The best!

–www.extension.umn.edu/garden/

oDiagnostic tools: What’s wrong

with my plant?

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/

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THANKS. . .

Let’s play in the dirt!

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vgb 5: maintain your garden · 3 © 2011 regents of the university of minnesota. all rights...

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