This document provides guidance on growing your own food through gardening. It discusses selecting a garden site with sunlight and good drainage. The importance of healthy soil is explained, including soil composition, testing soil pH, and using fertilizers and compost to provide essential nutrients to plants. Tips are provided on planting, irrigation, and gardening techniques like raised beds and lasagna gardening which build soil without tilling. The summary concludes by stating the document gives instructions for creating the optimal environment for plant roots through soil preparation and maintenance.

1. Grow Your Own Food? Of Course You Can! (Part 1) Lee Young, Extension Educator, and Deb Andrus, Master Gardener Site Soils Planting Watering Techniques

2. in-ground vs. containers

3. GARDEN SITE NEEDS Sunlight, 8-10 hours Level land Good drainage Avoid low areas Avoid windy sites Near water source Distance from trees Protect from wildlife

4. Soil: a mixture of weathered minerals and decaying organic matter , covering the earth in a thin layer. When combined with air and water , soil provides mechanical support and nutrients for plants.

5. Soil Pie Solids 50 % Pore Space 50 % Minerals 45 % Sand, silt, clay Air 25 % Water 25 % O.M.

6. Organic Matter Matters! Biological activity=healthy soil Water and nutrient retention and release Buffers pH Improved soil tilth=better root growth

7. Soil texture Relative proportion of: Sand = large particles Silt = medium particles Clay = very, very small particles Which type do we have?

8. Testing the Soil

10. Effect of pH on availability of plant nutrients

11. pH can be changed Lime will raise pH (reduce acidity)

12. Fertilizer Basics

13. Why fertilize?

14. Calcium deficiency

15. Fertilizer not Food

16. Fertilizer basics A fertilizer supplies one or more “essential nutrients”. Not “Plant Food” Plants make their own food…

17. Essential nutrients Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Calcium Magnesium Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen Sulfur Iron Manganese Zinc Boron Copper Molybdenum Chlorine Cobalt

18. Macro - nutrients Primary Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P) Potassium (K) Secondary Calcium (Ca) Magnesium (Mg) Sulfur (S) Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen

19. How do we provide them to plants ? Complete fertilizer - N - P - K Lime - Ca, Mg Air/Water - C, H, O, S

20. “ Complete” fertilizers contain: N itrogen P hosphorus Potash (K)

21. What’s in the bag?

22. Nitrogen - N Shoot growth Green color Vegetative vs. reproductive Ex. 31 - 0 - 0 10 - 10 - 10

23. Phosphorus - P Seedling development Root growth Ex. 0 - 46 - 0 10 - 10 - 10

24. Potassium - K Regulates water movement Affects drought, disease, cold hardiness Ex. 0 - 0 - 50 10 - 10 - 10

25. Manure (fresh is not best!)

26. Nutrient value of manures Cow manure analysis 0.5 - 0.3 - 0.5 Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium dairy cow 0.5 % 0.3 % 0.5% steer 0.7 % 0.5 % 0.5 % poultry 2.0 % 2.0 % 1.0 % hog 0.5 % 0.3 % 0.5%

27. Careful: low analysis but high rate!

28. Ball Park recommendations

29. Vegetable gardens 1 - 2 lbs 10-10-10 per 100 square feet 5 lbs lime per 100 square feet, based on soil test results

30. Composting Short Course

31. Recipe for compost Mix equal proportions of green stuff and brown stuff Add a shovel full of black stuff Mix well Wait Stir occasionally

32. Green Stuff Stuff that decomposes quickly Will rot and get slimy Low C: N ratio Grass clippings Kitchen waste Weeds

33. Brown Stuff Stuff that decomposes slowly Will remain intact for months or years High C: N ratio dry leaves wood chips paper

34. PREPARING THE SOIL Test soil Deal with sod Add organic matter Add nutrients Till (or alternatives) Goal: a great environment for roots .

35. PLANTING

36. IRRIGATION Why? Aids in seed emergence Reduces soil crusting Improves germination and plant stand Reduces wilting Increase fruit size Prevents premature ripening of peas, beans and sweet corn Improves quality of yield

37. IRRIGATION, cont. What should you know? 1 inch of rain per week 65-130 gallons of water per 100 square feet or 2-3 gallons per foot square A.M. watering preferred Know critical watering period

38. Putting It All Together Raised bed gardening Lasagna gardening Continued in Part B: Container gardening Tips for small spaces

39. Raised Bed Gardening

40. Reasons to Used Raised Beds Ease of use Higher yields Improved soil conditions Warms up quicker in spring Better drainage Soil does not compact Less maintenance once established

42. Lasagna Gardening

43. Lasagna Gardening A time-saving organic method of gardening first developed by Patricia Lanza. It requires no digging, no tilling and no sod removal.

44. Lasagna Gardening Select site. Put down a layer of cardboard or newspaper; wet thoroughly. More layers: shredded leaves, kitchen waste (no fat, bones or oil), straw, composted manure, grass clippings Water each layer Build to height of 18-24 inches Let cook for 6-8 months.