Gardening 101

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GETTING STARTED Gardening tools can be purchased from home improvement stores, gardening supply stores or nurseries, and online retailers.

Also, check thrift stores, such as Salvation Army, for used tools. To get started, you will need:

TROWEL

SPADE

HOE

RAKE

SHOVEL

SHEARS

FORK TROWEL for digging small holes and weeding;

WHEELBARROW

SHOVEL/SPADE for digging larger holes and spreading compost.

HOE/GARDEN FORK to help rake the soil RAKE for spreading mulch and gathering or transporting debris that has collected around your garden and between plants SHEARS to prune away browning leaves or snipping herbs WHEELBARROW/BUCKET to transport soil, compost, and mulch GLOVES protect your hands from prickly plants and weeds while also keeping your hands clean.

TYPES OF GARDENS When deciding on the best location for your garden, you will want to pick a site that receives ample sunlight and retains sufficient moisture, but does not become water-logged. Once you’ve picked out the sunny spot where your garden will reside, it’s time to decide on one (or a combination) of these three garden types, depending on your needs.

TRADITIONAL OR IN-GROUND GARDEN: Gardens planted directly into the soil utilize the natural ecosystem of nutrients, bacteria, and insects already present to help your plants grow.

CONTAINER GARDEN: For those that can’t plant an inground garden because of poor soil or no soil (e.g. apartment dwellers), container gardening is a wonderful alternative!

Containers can vary in shape, size, and material to fit your gardening needs. Almost anything can work as a gardening container: terra cotta and clay pots, plastic bins, untreated wood barrels, hanging planter or planter box on a windowsill— even a recycled yogurt container or an old boot!

Whatever container you use, ensure it has adequate drainage and the appropriate depth to sustain the roots of your plants. Deeprooted plants (e.g. carrots) require a deep pot (10-12 inches)

Container gardens are also good at the beginning and ends of the season, because you can bring them inside if it gets too cold.

Place plants with similar moisture and sun needs in the same container. Great candidates for container gardens are leaf and head lettuces, spinach, green beans, peppers and tomatoes (require staking), onions, radishes, squash, carrots, garlic, and herbs.

RAISED BED GARDENS offer a happy medium between a traditional and a container garden, giving you better control over soil, more manageable weed control, and easier access for gardeners who experience back pain or have limited mobility.

Raised bed materials can be cinder blocks, bricks, and even rocks. Beds are usually about 3-4 feet wide with a depth of at least 16 inches. Make sure your beds are not so wide or deep that you can’t reach the plants in the center. Carrots, cabbage, and other deep-rooted vegetables do especially well in raised beds because you avoid compacted soil that could be obstructing their deep roots.

SITE & SOIL PREPARATION Regardless of your garden type or size, good soil is the foundation of any successful garden. What, exactly, characterizes “good” soil? A high-quality gardening soil is well-aerated, which means air circulates through it well.

A soil that is dense , like clay, is often too thick for roots to grow properly and doesn’t drain well. Soil shouldn’t be too sandy, either. Good soil is free of stones and other obstructions. Soil that is rich in organic matter, such as compost or aged manure provides nutrients to plants. When a garden is rich in these resources, the soil itself will provide nutrients for the plants to grow.

Meadville Farm & Garden 136 Mead Ave 814.724.1083

Pettis Road Greenhouse 7251 Pettis Road 814.425.2835

Dutch Hill Greenhouses 6726 Dutch Hill Road 814.425.8350

Home Depot 18541 Smock Hwy 814.337.7600

Miller’s Produce & Greenhouse Wal-Mart 22674 PA-27 16086 Conneaut Lake Rd 814.333.6312 814.724.6267

If you don't have room for a garden, the right growing conditions where you live, or you'd like to garden with others, renting a box at the Meadville Area Recreation Complex through the Community Wellness Initiative provides the tools and space to grow your own food. For more information about this gardening opportunity, contact Kerstin Martin at kmartin@allegheny.edu or 814.332-2787 If you want to gain knowledge about how to grocery shop more healthily, Meadville Medical Center’s Community Care Network is offering free grocery shopping tours on the third Tuesday of each month where you will learn how to make better food choices that fit your health and wellness goals, understand what a food label says, create a balanced meal, and make a food budget. For more information, contact the Community Care Network at 814.333.3912.

BELL PEPPERS are wonderful in all sorts of things. they make a crunchy additive to salads, add a pop of color to soups, and act as a nutritious compliment to kabobs. At the end of the growing season, peppers can easily be frozen so you have them throughout the winter. Bell peppers are not difficult to grow. Temperature is the main thing to watch for as they prefer higher temperatures, so be sure that the chance of frost is long gone. Soil should be well drained and fertilized before planting.

Peppers do well planted near tomatoes.

HEALTH BENEFITS: Peppers contain vitamin C, which powers up your immune system and keeps skin youthful. They are also a good source of Vitamin E, which plays a key role in keeping skin and hair looking youthful and provide a good source of vitamin B6, essential for the health of the nervous system and cell renewal.

The sulfur content in bell peppers makes them play a protective role in certain types of cancers and certain enzymes in bell peppers, such as lutein, protect the eyes from cataracts and macular degeneration later in life.

BEETS are an earthy, sweet treat that can be planted as soon as soil can be worked in the spring.

They are a fast growing crop that can be grown just about anywhere, though they grow best in full sun and well-drained soil. They are generally grown in spring and fall as they prefer cool temperatures. Although beets are known as a root crop, all parts of the beet plant are edible and baby beet greens can be harvested when thinning a row of beets. They are tender and delicious raw in a salad and contain loads of vitamins and nutrients.

HERE COMES THE SUN ‌ AND WATER All vegetable gardens need sunlight. When choosing where to put your garden, pick a spot that receives a minimum of 6 hours of sunshine per day.

Remember to place taller plants on the north side of your plot to prevent shadows from forming and inhibiting the growth of shorter plants. Sun worshippers include tomatoes, squash, beans, eggplant, corn, and peppers, whereas those less dependent on the sun are leafy vegetables, potatoes, carrots, and turnips. Also, plants that need less sun can be sown in early spring or late summer when the sun is less vibrant.

Water is also essential for a healthy garden. At the slightest sign of a dry spell, give your garden a good soak and, if possible, keep the ground moist for as long as the dry weather lasts. If you notice leaves, fruit, or buds start to brown or droop, increase the water supply. However, don’t go overboard. If a plant is water-logged, oxygen is unable to circulate to its roots and the plant will show signs of stress similar to when it is dehydrated. Green leaves and stems that turn yellow or lighten in color could also be a sign of overwatering.

Early morning is the best time to water plants, while it is still cool.

This allows the water to run down into the soil and reach the roots of the plant without too much excess water lost to evaporation, allowing the plant to make it through the heat of midday. Watering early will also make the water available to the plants throughout the day so that the plants will be able to deal better with the heat of the sun. CAUTION: If you water later in the day, make sure you leave enough time for leaves to dry before night comes or else you risk fungus problems.

WHAT TO GROW & WHEN All plants start from seeds. Although it is cheaper to start from seed, it is more labor intensive and can be challenging when just starting out. Purchasing seedling plants from your local nursery or garden center which are ready to plant directly into the soil once the threat of frosts pass. Regardless of which option you choose, the SPRING/FALL SUMMER packets of seeds or seedlings will BROCCOLI BEANS include directions BRUSSEL SPROUTS CORN about spacing, watering, and CABBAGE CUCUMBER thinning practices COLLARDS EGGPLANT that are most suitable for that ENGLISH PEAS GOURDS particular KALE MELONS vegetable or herb.

Additionally, because vegetables need either warm or cool weather, crops sort themselves into two distinct categories: cool season (for spring and fall) and warm season (for summer). Planting in the proper season is a key step to a bountiful garden.

PARSLEY

OKRA

RADISH

PEPPERS

SPINACH

PUMPKINS

TURNIP

SOUTHERN PEAS

BEETS

SUMMER SQUASH

CARROTS

SWEET POTATOES

CAULIFLOWER

TOMATOES

CELERY

ZUCCHINI need good moisture and prefer warm soil . They dislike the wind, so be sure that your plot has some protection.

They come in a variety of shapes and colors. Bush varieties take up relatively little space and if harvested often, will keep producing right up to frost. You will only need a few plants to feed an entire family as squash is a high yielding plant. Harvest when squash is about 8-10 inches long.

CUCUMBERS grow almost like week as long as they receive sunlight, warm temperatures, support for climbing and/or sprawling outward, generous amounts of organic matter, and regular water. According to the National Gardening Association, bush rather than vine cucumbers are best for containers or small spaces. To increase production, harvest regularly.

POTATOES LETTUCE RADICCHIO RUTABAGA SWISS CHARD

GREEN BEANS can be directly sown into the ground once the threat of frost has passed. Plant seeds in well-drained soil where they will receive full sun. Sow the seeds every few weeks to enjoy a continual harvest through the summer.

Zucchini, cucumbers and beans are best when simply prepared.

Drizzle zucchini and beans with olive oil, season with your favorite spices and bake in a 400 degree oven until tender, about 30 minutes. Cucumbers are refreshing and cooling during hot summer months when sliced and dressed with a splash of apple cider vinegar and dried or fresh dill.

CARROTS, like most root vegetables, are hardy and can be planted directly in the garden early in the spring and left until fall.

The only thing about carrots is they might not grow very large, especially if you have rocky soil. Deep, welldrained, stone-free soil is preferable and a raised bed would work well too.

Although they prefer full sun, they will tolerate

light shade. Plant carrots as soon as the soil can be worked.

Thin and weed carefully and mulch to keep soil cool.

ROASTED CARROTS Preheat oven to 350 degrees Place the whole carrots into a baking dish, and drizzle with olive oil. Mix until the carrots are completely covered with olive oil then sprinkle with dried rosemary, thyme and garlic salt and mix until evenly coated.

Bake in oven until just tender, or cooked to your desired degree of doneness, 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Beta carotene, the pigment that makes carrots orange, is the same compound the body converts to vitamin A, which is essential for vision, healthy skin, & a strong immune system

LETTUCE Leafy greens are a great start to any meal, supplying vitamins A, C, K, and folate. Vitamin A is need to maintain healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for vision. Vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and Vitamin K plays a key role in helping the blood clot, preventing excessive bleeding.

Folate enhances the body’s metabolism and promotes and restores cellular growth.

TOMATOES Tomatoes house a wealth of nutrients and vitamins, including vitamins A, C, K, and B6, folate, thiamin, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, and copper as well as dietary fiber, protein, and lycopene. These nutrients Improve eye sight, promote good stomach health and increased digestion, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

These nutrients also provide relief from diabetes, skin problems and urinary tract infections. They stimulate blood circulation, improve fluid balance, protect the kidneys, detoxify the body, prevent premature aging, reduce inflammation, and exert a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases and are proven to fight different forms of cancer as a result of antioxidants present.

EASY TO GROW LETTUCE grows quickly, takes up very little space, and is really easy to harvest. just snip the tops off the plants or pick leaves as needed. Lettuce is a great choice for container gardening. All types of lettuce grow best when the soil is kept constantly moist and outside temperatures range between 45-75 degrees. Since lettuce thrives in cooler weather, plant it in the spring and fall for a continuous harvest.

TOMATOES are versatile plants that can easily be grown in hanging baskets or other containers so long as they receive a lot of sun and have support for their stalks.

Seedlings from your nearest garden center are the easiest to grow. Small-fruited varieties like cherry tomatoes, are easy to grow because, unlike with larger tomatoes, you rarely have to worry about issues such as splitting or blossom end rot.

Tomatoes do fine even with a bit of neglect—if you forget to water them, it’s not a big deal. One or two smallfruited tomato plants will keep you happily harvesting tomatoes throughout the summer until the first frost. If you plant basil next to tomato plants, you will naturally repel pests and even improve the flavor of the tomatoes

TIPS ROTATE CROPS - Don’t plant the same vegetable in the same place every year. Change location to avoid depleting the soil of nutrients.

THINNING - Crowded carrots grow no larger than pencils, and bunched-up beets are marble-sized at best.

SUCCESSION PLANTING - To ensure a steady supply of crops make not one planting but several, spaced about two weeks apart. Plug extra seeds or seedlings into holes that result from harvesting.

TIMING - Plant crops a little earlier or later than normal to miss major insect-pest cycles.

FLOWERS - Within your garden, include flowers that attract beneficial insects and confuse pesky ones. Additionally, if you are doing traditional, in-ground gardening and are unable to put a fence around your site, you can plant marigolds which help discourage rabbits from the veggie buffet.

NEGLECT - Only weeds and pests thrive on neglect. Spend a few minutes every day pulling weeds and looking for signs of pests. If you do this, you will discover that the plot will almost take care of itself.

BUGS & CRITTERS Inspecting your garden daily lets you spot pest problems early. Here are five common garden pests and how to treat them.

JAPANESE BEETLES adults are blocky, metallic blue-green beetles. They have bronzecolored wing covers and their legs are relatively long, with large claws. Beetle larvae are fat, dirty white, C-shaped grubs with brown heads, up to ¾ inch long. In the early morning, handpick beetles or shake them from plants onto sheets, and then drown them in a bucket of soapy water. Aerate the lawn with spiked sandals to kill grubs while they’re close to the soil surface in late spring and early fall.

APHIDS are soft, pear-shaped, and very tiny. Aphids have a long antennae. Some have wings, which are transparent.

Aphids may be green, pink, yellowish, black, or powdery gray. Drench plants with strong sprays of water from a garden hose to kill aphids. Spray aphids with insecticidal soap, summer oil, and homemade garlic sprays.

CABBAGE LOOPER adults are mottled gray-brown moths with a silvery, V-shaped spot in the middle of each forewing. Their larvae are green caterpillars with pairs of wavy, white or light yellow lines down their backs and one line along each side. Handpick caterpillars several times a week. Plant pollen and nectar plants to attract predatory insects.

CUTWORM adults are large, brownish or gray moths. The larvae are fat gray or dull brown caterpillars with shiny heads.

Protect transplants by putting collars around the stems. Press the collars about 1 inch into the soil. Avoid the main population of cutworms by planting later in the season.

THRIPS are teeny tiny. They’re yellowish brown or black and have narrow, fringed wings. They move quickly and like to hide in tight crevices in plant stems and flowers.

Wash thrips off with a strong spray of water from your garden hose.

BABY SHAMPOO SPRAY This spray provides protection from codling moths, aphids, thrips, spider mites, scale insects, whiteflies INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons baby shampoo 1 gallon water INSTRUCTIONS - Mix shampoo and water together. Spray on vegetables. After several hours, carefully spray the mixture off with water. It is not recommended to use this spray on vegetables with a wax-like coating, such as squash or on plants with hairy leaves. Use spray on overcast days. Store at normal household temperatures.

OIL SPRAY This spray provides protection from aphids, thrips, spider mites, and whiteflies.

INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon dish soap 1 cup cooking oil INSTRUCTIONS - Blend water with oil mix at a ratio of 4 teaspoons of oil mixture to 1 pint of water and store in a cool, dark, dry location. Spray on vegetables once a week.

GARLIC SPRAY This spray provides protection from mealybugs, aphids, sucking insects, mice, and deer.

INGREDIENTS 10-12 garlic cloves 1 quart water 1 cup cooking oil INSTRUCTIONS - Using a blender, mix garlic and water. Strain mixture through cheesecloth into a small bowl. Add cooking oil.

Let mixture stand for two days before using. Store in a refrigerator and use within a couple of weeks to prevent rotting. Spray every few days on vegetables, fruits and herbs.