Becky Griffin helps school and community gardeners succeed! This includes organizing school garden teacher training with county agents, assisting schools with STE(A)M goals, and creating resources on starting and sustaining successful gardens.
Becky is a Georgia Certified Beekeeper and works with community and school gardeners to increase beneficial insect habitat. She is the coordinator of the Great Georgia Pollinator Census, happening this year on August 19th and 20th, 2022. She is also part of UGA's Native Plants and Beneficial Insect Working Group.
Gardeners like to read. We like to read about what to plant, what NOT to plant, what others grow….. This week I thought it might be fun to look at some literature that isn’t so instructional so I am highlighting a couple of books I have enjoyed.
How Carrots Won the Trojan War
The first is by Rebecca Rupp and it is called How Carrots Won the Trojan War. This is a wonderful collection of fun stories about vegetables. Did you know that kale is historically been used as food for livestock? Not being a big fan of kale, that one doesn’t surprise me. Or that Madame Pompadour, a favorite mistress of King Louis XV, served him a dish of asparagus as an aphrodisiac? It is still known today in France as “Asperges a la Pompadour.” Last one, historically cabbage was considered food for the wealthy and not the lowly commoner. Thank you, David Knauft for this fun recommendation.
Seedfolks
Those of you who work in community gardens will appreciate this gem of a book, Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman. Fred Conrad, of Atlanta Community Food Bank fame, recommended it to me. Community gardens are about so much more than growing food. They are about building neighborhoods and friendships. This book describes the blending of people, cultures, and vegetables!
So it is your turn. Georgia gardeners, what are you reading?
Since we have had ample rainfall and moderate temperatures in Georgia, it is the perfect time to think about cool-season food gardening. We are fortunate enough to have Paul Pugliese of UGA Extension give us some tips! Paul writes….
Late January and early February are great times to plant cool-season vegetables. Many gardeners gave up on planting a fall vegetable garden last year due to the exceptional drought conditions. However, the great thing about living in Georgia is that we have a second window of opportunity in late winter to plant a number of cool-season vegetables.
Lettuce in the Trustees Garden, Savannah, Georgia
Cool-season vegetables include beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, collards, kale, lettuce, mustard greens, onions, English peas, Irish potatoes, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard and turnips. You can even start planting asparagus roots, asparagus is a perennial plant that takes two years to mature and start producing harvestable spears.
Most cool-season vegetables, if planted around the first week of February, will be ready to harvest around early April or May, depending on the variety. By the time you harvest these cool-season vegetables, you can turn the garden over for planting your summer vegetables at the ideal time.
Cool-season vegetables are generally very fast growing and are easily planted by direct seeding into the soil. There is no reason to purchase or grow transplants this time of year, since the soil moisture and weather conditions are ideal for seed germination. Transplants are more often used in fall planting, since it’s usually too hot and too dry in late summer or early fall for cool-season vegetables to grow from seed.
Most cool-season vegetables are medium to heavy feeders, which means they will require around 20 to 30 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of garden space. Ideally, this fertilizer should be divided into two or three applications (i.e., 10 pounds of fertilizer at planting and at four- to six-week intervals). Because most cool-season vegetables grow close to the ground and have direct contact with the soil, avoid using fertilizer sources such as animal manure that could increase the chance of contamination by foodborne pathogens.
It’s also a good idea to do a soil test to determine your soil pH and how much lime you need to apply, if any, to adjust the soil pH. (For more information about submitting samples to the University of Georgia for soil testing, call your local UGA Cooperative Extension office.)
A pH of 6.0 to 6.5 is recommended for all vegetables except Irish potatoes, which require a pH of 5.0 to 6.0. If you decide to grow Irish potatoes, dedicate a separate garden space solely to them due to their unique pH requirement.
As with all vegetables, try to select a garden site that receives at least eight to 10 hours of sunlight a day. Select a location that is conveniently located near your home and a water supply. The soil should have a good texture and be well drained. Most of the leafy greens and some of the cole crops – those in the Brassica family – can also be grown in containers due to their smaller size.
Adding a mulch of wheat straw, leaves, compost or pine straw will help conserve soil moisture, control weeds and reduce cultivation. Apply enough mulch to have 2 to 4 inches after settling. Newspaper can also be used as a mulch. Place newspapers two to three layers thick around plants. Apply 3 inches of straw or compost on top of the newspaper. Avoid using hay bales for mulch, since most hay fields are sprayed with herbicides for weed control that could carry over into your garden and kill your plants.
For more information on seeding rates, recommended varieties and row spacing, check out UGA Extension publications “Vegetable Gardening in Georgia” and “Home Gardening” online at extension.uga.edu/publications. More detailed information on home gardening potatoes, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts and rutabagas can also be found on the publications website.
Paul Pugliese is the ANR agent for Bartow County Cooperative Extension. He has extensive experience in vegetable gardening as he grows all types of vegetables on his farm in Cartersville, Georgia.
To round out our series on soil health we are fortunate enough to have information from Dr. Jason Lessl on soil testing. Jason writes…
Basic Soil Testing
One of the most fundamental, but often overlooked aspects to any successful vegetable garden, flower bed, landscape, or lawn is good, fertile soil. Getting your soil tested by a laboratory is the best and most accurate way to assess your nutrient and pH levels which are vital components of maintaining your soil. The University of Georgia Soil, Plant, and Water lab offers such services (www.aesl.ces.uga.edu). When you send a soil sample to a lab, you will receive a detailed report of soil nutrients levels along with crop-based recommendations on how to fix any potential deficiencies. The steps required to submit a soil sample are simple and can be achieved through a few items commonly found household items. You can start by contacting your local county extension office to acquire soil bags and get information on how to submit your samples. Locate your county office here: http://extension.uga.edu/about/county/index.cfm or call 1-800-ASK-UGA1.
Soil testing is available at your local UGA Extension office.
When to soil test?
Soils can be tested any time during the year, although it is typically best to take samples in the Fall/Winter. This is the time of year when most plants are dormant and the soil is most accessible. If pH adjustments are necessary, it is also the best time to apply amendments as it can take several months for them to take effect. Lime (to raise pH) and sulfur (to lower pH) reacts slowly and, if possible, should be mixed with the soil at least two to three months before planting.
Soil from a community garden in Woodstock.
How often do I test my soil?
For intensely cultivated soils (i.e. vegetable gardens), an annual soil test is recommended. Otherwise, for lawns and ornamental areas, after medium to high fertility levels are established along with the appropriate pH, sampling should be done every two to three years.
Steps in Soil Sampling
Recommendations about when and how to apply nutrients are only as good as the soil sample submitted for analysis. To obtain a representative soil sample, the following steps are useful:
Map out the entire property. This will help in record keeping and ensure that the soil sample is representative of the entire area. Divide areas such that each soil sample represents one general plant type. For example, separate vegetable gardens, blueberry bushes, ornamentals, fruit trees, lawn, etc. If you have specific problem spots, sample those areas separately.
Use clean sampling tools and containers to avoid contaminating the soil sample. Collect samples with any digging tool you have available (hand trowel, shovel, soil probe, etc.).
Slightly damp soil is the easiest to work with if you can wait for those conditions. Clear the ground surface of grass, thatch, or mulch. Push your tool to a depth of 6 inches (4 inches for lawn areas) into the soil. Push the handle forward in the soil to make an opening then cut a thin slice of soil from the side of the opening that is of uniform thickness, extending from the top of the ground to the depth of the cut. Repeat this process in a zigzag pattern across your defined area, collecting 8-12 samples to mix together. For trees, take soil samples from 6-8 spots around and below the leaf canopy. Take about a pint (~2 cups) of the mixed soil (after removing large rocks, mulch, sticks, and roots) and fill the UGA soil sample bag. Be sure to label the sample clearly on the bag. If the samples are wet, spread the soil out over clean paper and let them air dry. Otherwise, take your samples to your local extension office for submission. Once the lab has received your soil, it will take 2-3 business days to get your report.
Dr. Lessl is a program coordinator for UGA’s Soil, Plant, and Water Lab. He understands the importance of the garden ecosystem as he is studying to become a new honey bee keeper this April! Thanks, Jason, for being part of healthy soil month!
In the middle of soil health month this Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) video is worth a watch. Dr. Kris Nochols explains the importance of a healthy balance of soil microorganisms. The photos of the microbes are fantastic. You will never refer to your “soil” as “dirt” again. Enjoy!
Next in our series of posts on soil health, we want to explore soil pH and its importance to garden food crops. This involves remembering some of your high school chemistry so grab your cup of coffee to get the brain waves working.
pH is the measure of hydrogen ion activity
Soil acidity is a chemical factor that can affect food crop growth. Soil pH, the measure of hydrogen ion activity in a solution, is important for soil nutrient availability.
Think back to high school chemistry and that daunting Periodic Table. The element hydrogen (H) is located in the upper right hand corner and is carries a +1. That +1 means it can easily interact with elements with a -1 or a -2. Remember water is H2O. Two hydrogen +1s and one oxygen -2. Sound familiar?
The daunting periodic table
The pH scale is graduated from 0 to 14. The midpoint (7) separates acid from alkaline. Any number below 7 is acidic—the lower the number, the more acidic. The lower the number the increased H +1 activity.
A soil pH above 7 denotes alkaline soil conditions. The higher the number the increased OH -1 activity. The pH scale is logarithmic; a soil with a pH of 5.0 is 10 times more acidic that one with a pH of 6.0 and 100 times more than a pH of 7.0.
pH affects nutrient availability
This activity of H+1 and OH-1 can bind up nutrients that plants need by bonding with other soil ions. This is a very simplistic explanation and true soil chemistry is much more complicated. But, I think this gives you an idea of how pH is can be very important to plant growth. For example, at a soil pH of 5.0 much of the nitrogen fertilizer you add to the soil won’t be available to be absorbed by your plants!
Nutrient availability and pH. The wider the band the greater the availability. (USDA)
Correcting soil pH
A soil pH that is too low or too high can decrease the amount of nutrients absorbed by plant roots. Lime can be used to increase the soil pH, while sulfur can be used to decrease it. An accurate measure of soil pH is needed before corrections should be made.
Soil pH also influences other reactions in soil, such as microbial activity. Most food crops grow best in soils with a very slightly acidic pH, close to a neutral pH of 7. Most soils in Georgia, however, are too acidic, and lime is often needed to maintain ideal growth conditions.
For our first blog post on soil health we are going back to basics: soil texture. Knowing what soil texture we have will allow us to work towards improving it for our use.
Soil scientists tell us that the texture of soil is based on the proportions of sand, silt, and clay:
Sand: particles with diameters from 0.05 to 2.0 mm. They are the largest of the soil particle types. Soils high in sand drain well. However, they do not hold nutrients well and are not very fertile.
Silt: particles with diameters from 0.002 to 0.05 mm. These are the medium sized particles. These soils hold water and nutrients well and are considered fertile.
Clay: particles with diameters less than 0.002 mm. These are the smallest of the soil particles. Clay soils hold water and nutrients well. However, these soils have small pore spaces and show poor water drainage. Soils high in clay can form hard clumps when they are dry and become slick when wet.
Web Soil Survey Tool
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has done extensive research on soil and has actually mapped the soil texture. They have developed a wonderful computer tool useful in determining soil texture for a specific location. The Web Soil Survey allows you to find out your soil textural class at your garden. The website has easy to follow instructions and it can be as simple as typing in your garden address.
When typing in my home address I find that the native soil at my garden is sandy, clay loam. Connecting the lines on the soil texture triangle below, I learn that my soil is about 60% sand, 30% clay, and 10% silt. That surprises me. I would have guessed higher in clay particles.
NRCS’s Soil Texture Triangle
By using other tabs on the computer program I can see how the NRCS views the properties of this type of soil. I encourage you to visit the website and play with the computer program. What did you find out about your soil texture?
Experienced gardeners realize that the success of their gardens starts with healthy soil. But, what does healthy soil really look like? Here is a snapshot:
Healthy soil is full of organisms
Soil is not inert; it is full of living organisms that are important in the soil ecosystem. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and earthworms are all essential in healthy soil. Most of these organisms cannot be seen with the naked eye. A virus is only 0.03 to 0.02 micrometers in width while a much larger earthworm can be an indication of soil health. To compare the size of soil organisms visit Cells Alive. Researching these soil residents would be a fun thing to do in the cold days of winter.
Healthy garden soil has a pH of 6 to 7
pH is the measure of hydrogen ion concentration. In the soil it is a part of complex chemical interactions. Simply put, soil nutrients are not available for the plant roots to absorb at high and low pHs. Have your soil tested regularly to determine your soil pH and get advice on how to correct it if needed.
Soil with compost
Compost is important
Organic matter assists desired soil chemistry, improves soil texture, can add nutrition to the soil, and can aid in the increasing the microorganisms. Making your own compost can be a very rewarding way to use garden scraps. This could be a great goal for 2017.
Soil chemistry and the soil ecosystem are complicated and intricate topics. Check with your local UGA Cooperative Extension office to see what soil workshops are being offered this winter. During the first part of 2017 we are going to do several in-depth posts about healthy soil on this blog. We hope you will be a part of the discussion.
As 2016 winds to a close and we start planning for our 2017 gardens, I want to thank you for being part of this gardening adventure. Your comments and feedback are very much appreciated and I love seeing photos of your gardens. I am very excited about what is in store for 2017!
Happy New Year,
Becky Griffin
UGA Extension’s Community and School Garden Coordinator
Women who work in the local food movement do not put together the typical Christmas wish list.
Abbie King is passionate about children having access to fresh fruits and vegetables!
Abbie King is known all over Georgia for her work in the Farm to School movement for Georgia Organics. With a background in nutrition and health, Abbie’s job at Georgia Organics is more like her mission. When asked what she would like to have as a special Christmas gift Abbie had an interesting answer. She would like to have a drip irrigation system that is tied to the rain barrel in her home garden. Considering the drought we are in that is a very nice request but it might be hard to fit under her Christmas tree.
Has the recent drought made you rethink how your garden is watered? Did rain barrels provide enough water or just a nice supplement?
Drew Outright is passionate about sustainability and how that relates to community building.
Drew Outright is a program manager at Georgia Tech (go Dawgs!). She is heavily involved in Tech’s Living Building project which will include a vegetable garden. This is an incredible project that will be a huge asset for Atlanta. Drew’s holiday request is a gift card for vegetarian cooking classes. She might be brushing up her culinary skills to get ready for the Living Building’s first vegetable harvest!
Did you get the most out of your harvest in 2016? Have you thought about learning new cooking techniques for your vegetables?
Mary Carol Sheffield creates workshops to assist gardeners of all skill levels.
Mary Carol Sheffield is a UGA Extension agent for Paulding County Extension. Mary Carol provides resources and training for the food growers in her county. She is active in the Journeyman Farmer Program, assists local beekeepers, and conducts food growing workshops throughout the year. Mary Carol would like Santa to bring her a seed starting heat mat and a grow lamp rack.
Do you all start your own vegetable plants from seeds? It is a wonderful way to try new varieties!
Keren Giovengo is proponent of adding native plants to your landscape, including your community and school gardens. They can attract beneficial insects!
Keren Giovengo is the manager of the EcoScapes project from UGA Marine Extension. She is a champion of using native plants in the landscape. Her Christmas wish is straight forward: My Christmas wish is that everyone – young and old – has an opportunity this holiday season to observe and experience the natural beauty that surrounds us. It is my hope that these natural gifts – clean water and natural communities with native plants and wildlife – will inspire us to bring our gardens into a sounder relationship with nature. By letting nature be our teacher, our landscapes can become a source of ecological renewal – a protector of biodiversity, a sanctuary for indigenous plants and wildlife, and a sustainable landscape of rich experiences and unique beauty.
Will you have a chance to get outside over the Christmas holiday and enjoy the beauty of a winter landscape?
Whatever your Christmas wish list includes I wish you all a holiday filled with good food, friends, and family!
The winter months are a great time to review your gardening approach. Any particular pest plagued your garden this year? How effective was your disease management? This video describing an integrated pest management garden approach may give you some inspiration for planning your next crop:
