AMERICAN LANDSCAPE

766 Route 32, North Franklin, CT 06254

860-642-9966 Franklin    860-887-2344  Norwich    860-657-1457 Glastonbury

There are six steps to successful organic vegetable gardening:

    1.  Choose a good garden site.

    2.  Feed and prepare your soil.

    3.  Select regionally adapted and problem resistant plant varieties.

    4.  Plant, space, support and water correctly.

    5.  Control weeds.

    6.  Control other pests.

Site:  choose a site with full or nearly full sun.  A site that you walk by every day will be better taken care of than one hidden away in the corner of your yard.  Avoid areas that puddle, steep slopes, shaded areas or areas with tree roots, footpaths, windy sites and sites next to streets.  If you do not have an ideal site, raised beds improve drainage and can be filled with topsoil.  Build a terrace to make use of steep slopes.  Strong fences can deter corner-cutting kids and hedges or vine covered fences block strong winds and road pollution.  Vegetables can also be in planters on decks.

Soil:  Organic gardeners feed their soil instead of the plants.  Well-fed and cared-for soil is full of tiny living organisms that feed your plants so you don't have to.  Plants growing in well-fed soil are also naturally problem resistant.  Perform a soil test - establish pH.  A pH of more than 7 means your soil is alkaline.  Spread sulphur on the surface of your soil and work in into the top inches.  A pH of less than 6.5 means your soil is quite acid.  Spread limestone or oyster shell lime on your soil and work in.  Organic matter is anything that once alive.  In natures, plant and animal waster (organic matter) falls to the ground and breaks down slowly.  This provides nutrients for new plants and animals.  Growing an off season crop of winter cereal rye and buckwheat also adds organic matter and protects soil from erosion.  Compost is also good.  Compost is crumbly, sweet-smelling, partially broken down organic matter.

Read seed packets and choose disease and pest-resistant varieties whenever you have the choice.  Don't try to grow plants that don't grow well in your region.

Give every plant exactly what it needs.  Thirsty, hungry, over watered or overfed plants are stressed plants.  Stressed plants are prime candidates for problems.  There are several good books available for this.

Controlling weeds:  Get rid of as many weeds as you can before you plants your vegetables.  Mulch, straw not hay, newspapers, grass clippings, and just about any other dry organic materials makes a good weed barrier.

Pests:  To control animals, a fence is perfect.  Hand picking or spraying an insecticidal soap or summer oil will control many garden pests.

For your vegetable gardens - Tomatoes

Avoid planting tomatoes in the same positions next year.   Water regularly and apply calcium if the bottom of the tomatoes turn brown and leathery.  Split skins is caused by irregular watering habits. Helpful partners, such as poppies, marigolds, and nasturtiums attract insects that eat aphids and other pests.

    Early spring - sow indoors eight to ten weeks before the last frost date.  Repot when plants are 3-4" tall, thin and harden them off

    Late spring - transplant tomatoes into the garden after last frost.   Stop plants from growing taller after four flower bunches have grown.