Interested in eating fresh, healthy foods? Nothing can be more fresh and healthy than what you grow & harvest in your very own garden!
Seasoned vegetable gardeners use a growing schedule based on their own experiences. New vegetable gardeners scratch their heads and wonder where to start. The following suggestions will help you sort the options as you develop a plan that’s just right for you!
Sunny Location
All vegetables need direct sunshine in order to be productive. It may be just enough space for a tomato plant or a patch of lettuce. Or it may be a plot that will accommodate a selection of veggies to grow. It may be in the ground or it may be in a container on the patio. Vegetables are versatile and several methods of growing will work.
Add Organic’s to soil
In ground beds, blend in organic matter to help condition the soil for optimal plant growth. Adding compost, peat moss or bark mulch to the soil will improve aeration, water holding capacity and nutrient availability.
Cool season vs Warm season crops
Vegetable crops may be sorted into cool season and warm season groups. Begin planting cool season crops in mid-April. They will tolerate frosty temperatures and actually grow best when the temperatures are cool. This group includes lettuce and other leafy greens, radishes, carrots, beets, onions, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli among others.
Begin planting warm season crops in mid-May after the chance of a frost has passed. These crops do not like the cold and prefer the warm temperatures that our Colorado summer has to offer in order to grow their best. This group includes tomatoes, peppers, beans, corn, cucumber, squash, melons and pumpkins.
Grow from seeds
For the cool season group, direct sow seeds into the ground for lettuce and greens, radishes, carrots and beets. For the warm season group, direct sow seeds for beans and corn. Read the instructions on the seed packet for information about seed sowing depth in the soil, spacing of seeds and rows or plants and time to germination. Cover seeds with soil and tamp down firmly. Water regularly to keep seeds moist until germination begins.
Grow from transplants
Use starter plants for cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and onions sets. Use transplants for tomatoes and peppers. Squash and cucumbers could be started either by seeds or transplants depending upon when they are planted. Remember, warm season crops don’t like cold temps so starting too early is not necessarily going to result in an earlier crop because they will grow slowly. Transplants are typically used for crops that require a longer growing time so offer a head-start.
Water
Watering your vegetable plants regularly is required in our hot, dry climate. Consider using drip irrigation in addition to overhead sprinklers or watering with a hose by hand. Water applications to the crops earlier in the day are preferred so that the plants have adequate moisture during the hottest part of the day.
Fertilizer
Applying fertilizer is a must if good quality and high yields are expected. Add a dry granular fertilizer to the soil at planting time. Or apply a liquid fertilizer to the crops with a watering can or hose-end applicator. Choose an organic or in-organic source of fertilizer, they will each work well.
Growing
Nurture the crops as they grow. Support taller crops like tomatoes with cages. Keep an eye open for problems.
Harvest
Begin harvesting crops when ready and keep them picked in order to promote more. Check with your Creek Side Green Team gardening experts with any questions.
