| Show i Get the most from fro m your garden Ily By Alvin n. n Damson Extension Horticulturist Utah State University We measure the value of a ahome home garden in various ways The avid gardener counts as recreation and relaxation the time spent in the garden Many people grow a garden primarily for Cor the value of the food produced Families find that a garden has a significant value in providing opportunity to teach their children to work and appreciate the products of their labors Perhaps the richest rewards of gardening enjoyed by all come from Crom the enjoyment of oC exquisite quality of oC garden fresh vegetables r As we consider capitalizing i on these values of gardening r we realize that much that we wet t might say here is already well known by the experienced avid r gardener Extension agents in counties over the state see a ar r 3 great grea t mounting interest t in growing gardens to supplement supplement sup sup- the food supply People are scared about food and drought They have been advised advised advised ad ad- by church and government government government govern govern- ment leaders to use available space and water to grow vegetables where possible y Even without that concern there is much value in growing I your own food Studies have haves s indicated that returns of eight to ten dollars an hour can be bed d obtained from labor spent in gardening This is calculated on the retail value of vegetables i produced 1 Many gardeners may not be that labor efficient but they can enjoy the unsurpassed goodness of vegetables right from the thet t J garden For example sweet corn com harvested moments before it is cooked and served cannot be duplicated Garden fresh peas and beans far surpass those that tha t ha have ve been allowed to stand for even a few hours and andi i rapidly lose their sugar 0 Varieties play an important part in the value of your garden Tomato varieties planted in the garden can be selected on the basis of oC early carly and intermediate yield to be enjoyed throughout the summer and later yield for table and canning Varieties of other vegetables can be selected to suit the local situation and individual desires See Extension Circular Vegetable Varieties for Utah available from Crom County extension extension extension ex ex- tension office Planting early maturing varieties of vegetables is particularly advisable where water supplies are likely to run short later in inthe inthe inthe the season On the other hand varieties of vegetables that mature later have better storage qualities to be con con- University specialists and county ext extension agents have been advising people who use water from Crom irrigation systems to apply water to their soil as soon as it is available in canals and ditches They have suggested that those who use culinary water to sprinkle their soil would do well to irrigate while water is yet plentiful They can use the soil as a reservoir of moisture for the growing season The water which enters the soil soli is held on the soil particles Excess water will drain from the soil by the pull of gravity leaving the soil with the maximum amount of water which it will contain depending on the particle size of the soil When the soil profile to maximum depth of crop roots has been filled to capacity that water will be available for the roots of garden vegetables bles when the garden is planted Allow sufficient drying of the surface of the soil for adequate soil preparation without pud pud- or balling Before working the soil check it by digging about six inches into the soil with the shovel to determine the moisture content Squeeze a handful of the soil soli Upon releasing pressure if the ball of soil crumbles readily it is sufficiently dry for plowing or spading If the ball of soil remains plastic and does not crumble it is too wet to till Prepare the soil in such a manner that it is not overly compacted The most desirable garden soil will be pliable with witha a fine Cine surface seedbed and a relatively loose subsoil which may be penetrated easily by bywater bywater bywater water and air Take special care in a dry year to properly fertilize vegetables for maximum growth If an excess of nitrogen is applied vegetative growth will be encouraged and the crops will be large and succulent succulent succulent suc suc- and will suffer more severely from drought A balanced fertilizer containing one part of nitrogen to two parts of phosphorus will facilitate growth of vegetables without the soft succulence ca caused us d by excessive nitrogen Phosphorus applied in balance with nitrogen hastens maturity which will be especially important in a dry year Fertilizers with analyses of 8 16 0 20 10 or 20 16 would supply the nutrients approximately at the two one-two ratio Three pounds of 20 16 or four to five pounds of the other per square feet will supply the nutrient requirements for most vegetable crops Garden soils in Utah generally do not require potash because this is supplied adequately as a soluble salt in inthe inthe inthe the irrigation water For most efficient application of fertilizer put it in a band three inches to the side and slightly deeper than the seed or at least three inches deep If the fertilizer is banded the amount which is normally broadcast to square feet may be placed in approximately fifty feet of row three inches to the side and approximately three inches deep Since each gardener has a favorite system to use in growing a garden spacing is somewhat an individualized matter Those with sufficient land for a large garden generally use motorized equipment that requires spacing between the rows to accommodate the equipment On the other hand if you are growing a garden in the city on Continued on Page 5 s iA a 4 K ti M A GET THE MOST FROM YOUR GARDEN Theres real satisfaction in growing a good garden garden garden gar gar- den Jimmy and Debbie Merrill of College Ward Word tell their county agent Ray Burtenshaw |
