NORTHERN TIER GARDENING DAY

Saturday, March 29th, the Penn State Master Gardeners of Bradford County presented a Gardening Day at the Towanda High School. Duane Campbell, a syndicated gardening columnist, told us to “Forget Your Grandfather’s Huge Garden”. It was subtitled “Learning a modern, easy approach to fresh vegetables all summer long”. Yes – easy after the double digging is done!

He recommended a raised bed 4’ x 8’ made of three 2” x 8’ boards and 12 nails (or preferably screws). He suggested that we could figure out how to make a rectangle from those three pieces, using a saw. Pressure treated lumber lasts longer, does not contain arsenic and will not harm you or your veggies.

Select a spot in full sun, nearby your door (so you don’t forget your plants) and lay out the 4’ x 8’ space. Then DOUBLE-DIG – two feet deep into the soil. First, dig one spade width wide and deep the whole length of the 4’ side, putting the soil on the ground to the side of the trench. Then go back and dig second layer of the trench, incorporating pine bark mulch and fertilizer. Peat moss, he said, is too fine, dries out, is acidic and is too expensive. Sawdust, manure and compost would also be good. Use a balanced fertilizer and spread enough to look like “stars on a clear night”.

Then do a second row, same as the first. Pile the top layer on the first row, dig the second layer (double dig) and go on to the third row. Continue that pattern until you dig the final row, at which time you move the set-aside pile of soil from the first row all the way to the last row.

Put the frame in place, add mulch and additional soil to fill up the frame. He does use a Mantis rototiller, though he said it will compact the soil some. You now have deep, friable soil in which to grow your vegetables! And because the soil is so deep, plants’ roots go further down resulting in less chance of their drying out during drought spells.

What to grow? “Not field crops!” This is like “square foot gardening”. Space is used twice (or more) and crops are grown vertically. His “tomato cages” are made of concrete reinforcing wire 5’ high, 30” round and staked in place with a 5’ length of rebar. These materials last “forever” he claims “not like the cheapy wire tomato cages from Wal-mart”.

Because soil warms faster in raised beds, some vegetables can be planted now (late March, April). You don’t need rows; just scatter seeds. A helpful aid is a 1 foot square of the concrete reinforcing wire. Just plant each 6” square with lettuces, spinach and radishes. Then when it’s time for the tomato plants, just pull out the lettuce in a small area (and sprinkle some radish seeds). Pole beans can be handled the same way. (Bush beans ripen all at the same time, so if you don’t want a huge quantity all at once to can or freeze, don’t get them.) Cucumbers, peas and peppers climb, also. If you must have squash, plant at the edge of frame and let them sprawl out on the lawn!

For early protection, floating row covers (Remay) increase humidity, warmth and pest control. Remove when blossoms appear to get pollination Plastic around bottom of the cages helps, as does using plastic gallon jugs.

Mulch the garden with grass clippings and fertilize occasionally. Weeding can be accomplished with your fingers, the soil is so fluffy.

When warm weather crops are over, replant “spring” crops. Use the row covers as needed and have fresh veggies until Thanksgiving!