THE BACKYARD SERIES W 346-B BACKYARD VEGETABLES THE TENNESSEE VEGETABLE GARDEN GARDEN PLANNING, PLANT PREPARATION AND PLANTING Natalie Bumgarner, Assistant Professor and UT Extension Residential and Consumer Horticulture Specialist Department of Plant Sciences Vegetable production is increasingly many gardening computer programs. popular for Tennessee residents. GARDEN PLANNING This planning will allow visualization of Growing vegetables at home Garden planning has the potential to the garden and support the efficient provides financial and nutritional save time, money and space. Garden use of space and time. Additionally, benefits through the bounty of plans enable growers to allocate space proper planning and record-keeping for crops ahead of time, estimate seed in the garden is an asset in cultural a fresh harvest, and the activity quantities to improve economy, and management and disease prevention, enhances personal health and provide a guide when seeding and as proper spacing and crop rotation well-being. However, a basic transplanting time arrives. It is best in the garden can reduce disease understanding of soils, site selection to lay out the planting arrangement pressure. For more information, see UT and crop maintenance is required on graph paper or input it into one of Extension publication W 316. before backyard growers can take full advantage of these benefits of home food production. To meet these needs, this series of fact sheets has been prepared by UT Extension to inform home gardeners and propel them to success in residential vegetable production. Figure 1. Young, healthy tomato seedlings. BACKYARD VEGETABLES | THE TENNESSEE VEGETABLE GARDEN - Garden Planning, Plant Preparation and Planting 1 SELECTING VEGETABLE CROPS FOR GROWING SEASONS Vegetable crops are generally classified killed by frost and freezing conditions; and have higher quality produce when as warm season or cool season even cool, non-freezing temperatures grown during cooler spring and fall according to the temperature ranges may prevent them from growing and seasons. Because of these attributes, they require or prefer. yielding well. So, paying attention to cool-season crops are planted in the local frost dates is especially important late winter or early spring to avoid WARM-SEASON VEGETABLES in selecting planting dates (Table 1). the hottest part of the summer. They Warm-season vegetables are most can often be seeded again in the late productive in higher temperature COOL-SEASON VEGETABLES summer to provide another crop during ranges (late spring, summer) and Cool-season vegetables can withstand the fall season. Please refer to Table 2 are better able to grow and produce temperatures below 32 F (how far for a general listing of cool- and warm- a quality crop through Tennessee’s below varies by crop and situation) season crops and planting seasons. summer heat. They are damaged or and are generally more productive LOCATION Bristol Chattanooga Clarksville Crossville Jackson Knoxville Memphis Mountain Nashville City Last spring May 3 April 17 April 27 May 10 April 19 April 28 April 9 May 26 April 21 frost First fall Oct. 6 Oct. 21 Oct. 4 Sept. 28 Oct. 9 Oct. 8 Oct. 30 Sept 18 Oct. 10 frost Table 1. Safe planting dates with only a 10 percent chance of temperatures lower than 32 F after (spring) or before (fall) that date as determined by 30-year NOAA weather data from local stations. Seeds Transplant Seeds Transplant Seeds Transplant Early to mid-spring planted, Late-spring to summer planted Summer-planted vegetables for late spring vegetables for summer and vegetables for fall harvest and early summer harvest early fall harvest Beets X Beans, Bush/Pole/Lima X Broccoli X Broccoli X Muskmelon X X Cabbage X Cabbage X Sweet Corn X Cauliflower X Cauliflower X Cucumber X X Collards X Carrots X Eggplant X X Cucumber X X Kale, Collards X Okra X Kale X Kohlrabi X X Peas, field/southern X Kohlrabi X X Lettuce, leaf/head X X Pepper, sweet/hot X Lettuce, leaf/head X X Mustard X Pumpkins X X Mustard X Onions (also sets) X Malabar spinach X Potatoes Seed piece Peas, English/snap X Squash, summer/winter X X Radish X Potatoes, Irish Seed piece Sweet Potato (slips) X Spinach X Radishes X Tomatoes X Squash, summer X X Spinach X Watermelon X X Tomatoes (determinate) X Swiss Chard X Turnips X Turnips X Table 2. List of vegetables and planting seasons in Tennessee (cool-season crops in bold lettering). BACKYARD VEGETABLES | THE TENNESSEE VEGETABLE GARDEN - Garden Planning, Plant Preparation and Planting 2 are tomatoes (Figure 1), peppers, transplants, select carefully. Choose SELECTING eggplants, cabbage, cauliflower, plants that are free from all signs of VARIETIES AND broccoli and Brussels sprouts. insects or disease and are stocky and While roots are somewhat tender in do not have damaged or yellow leaves. PURCHASING SEEDS cucumbers, muskmelons, watermelon Transplants should be a healthy green Selecting varieties of crops for home and summer squash, these plants also color to indicate they are not nutrient gardens should be based on the level of can be successfully transplanted if deficient (Figure 2). Also, choose plants disease resistance; whether the growth handled carefully. These crops also can that are not too old or stunted. Very habit of the crop will fit the garden be seeded in biodegradable pots so mature transplants (especially broccoli space and cropping plan; and the that roots will not need to be disturbed. or cauliflower) may not produce well taste preference of the gardener. Large seeded crops — such as beans, after transplanting. This is not the UT Extension trial information on peas and corn — as well as root crops time to shop for bargains because cultivars that perform well in various — such as radishes, beets and carrots — transplant health often directly impacts parts of Tennessee will be added to are almost always direct seeded. production. future publications. Home vegetable growers can purchase Also, consider the conditions that the High-quality seed is essential for transplants at a greenhouse or garden transplants are being grown in when the home gardener so that garden center, but transplants can also be purchased. Sometimes if purchased space and time will not be wasted on produced at home with proper care directly from a greenhouse, the plants poor-quality seed or weak seedlings. and attention. This scenario can be may not have been hardened off. This Purchase seed from a reputable an advantage in providing preferred term refers to slowly subjecting plants supplier for the current growing or heirloom cultivars for your home to conditions more like what they season and store it properly to ensure garden. Keep in mind, though, that it will experience in the garden, which maximum productivity. Seed can be will take several weeks preparation to lowers stress and plant loss when they collected from previous crops in some have plants ready for transplanting are transplanted. Typically plants are instances, but be cautious. Many crops into the garden at the appropriate time hardened for one to two weeks prior are hybrids, which means that the seed (Table 3). Specific practices will be to transplant in the garden. See Table 3 was produced from a cross of two discussed in the next section. for additional information on hardening specific parents to produce seed with vegetable transplants. When purchasing vegetable desirable traits. A plant grown from seed collected from a hybrid plant will not have identical attributes to its parent, and it will often produce low yields and inferior quality produce. Only save seed from non-hybrid crops. Additionally, many diseases can be seed-borne, so only collect and reuse seed from healthy plants. PURCHASING OR STARTING TRANSPLANTS There are two main methods of plant- ing vegetable crops. The first is directly seeding into well-prepared soil, and the second is to purchase or grow plants for transplanting into garden soil. Most gardeners use both methods and select some crops for direct seeding and oth- ers for transplanting (see Table 2). Both warm- and cool-season crops are commonly transplanted. Some of the most common crops to be transplanted Figure 2. Tomato transplants that show signs of nutrient stress (yellowed leaves) and insect damage in the greenhouse. BACKYARD VEGETABLES | THE TENNESSEE VEGETABLE GARDEN - Garden Planning, Plant Preparation and Planting 3 LOCATIONS AND MATERIALS germination and young plant growth. TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS Often germination and seedling The best location for starting For optimum germination and production mixes are formulated from vegetable garden transplants is a young plant growth, temperature is peat moss, perlite and vermiculite home greenhouse. A greenhouse can critical. In fact, poor germination is (super-heated rock and clay materials) provide the opportunity to control often caused by temperatures below to provide optimum water holding as temperature and humidity while or above optimum levels. Table 3 well as aeration in the growing media. maintaining optimum light. However, describes important temperature All of these materials can also be relatively few people have this option. conditions for a range of commonly purchased in a pre-mixed, sterile media Transplants can be started indoors transplanted crops. In general, seed for seed germination (Figure 3). if proper conditions, especially light germination and seedling production and temperature, can be maintained. Fertilization requirements depends (after germination) temperatures Additionally, a cold frame or hotbed upon the media. Many mixes are lower for cool-season crops. can be an economical and suitable specifically prepared for seedling Temperatures should be relatively location for starting transplants. transplant production will have consistent during germination, and an fertilizers included that slowly make electric germination mat can be useful The most common materials needed nutrients available for young plant to ensure optimum temperatures. Heat for transplant production are containers use. Such slow-release fertilizers may mats can be purchased in a variety and equipment for temperature be sufficient for the four to six weeks of sizes, and the best types are those and light management.