Courter, J.W.

Hopen, Herbert John

English

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Digitized by the Internet Archivein 2011 with funding fromUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaignhttp://www.archive.org/details/vegetableminigar1155hopeCIRCULATING COPYj^s^GRlCULIURE LIBRARY.VegetableMinigardens\University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignCollege of Agriculture • Cooperative Extension ServiceCircular 1155COVER: A container vegetable garden on a balcony. When space isseverely limited, vegetables can be grown in various kinds ofcontainers. Container vegetable gardens not only provide freshharvest but can enhance the appearance of balconies, patios,terraces, etc.This circular was prepared by H.J. Hopen and J.W. Courter,extension horticulturists, University of Illinois atUrbana-Champaign.Urbana, Illinois April, 1978Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, incooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. JOHN B. CLAAR, Director, CooperativeExtension Service, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Illinois CooperativeExtension Service provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.15M—4-78—39828TNO v\\S5Contrary to popular belief, vegetable gardens do not require large plotsof ground. Small gardens— "minigardens" — can be planted in conven-tional soil beds in confined areas, in raised beds alongside a fence, house,or sidewalk, or in various kinds of containers. If you have adequate space,however, a standard backyard garden is usually more convenient andpracticable than a minigarden. (Circular 1150, "Vegetable Gardeningfor Illinois," deals in detail with the planning, ^planting, and care of thestandard backyard garden.)There are many good reasons for planting a vegetable minigarden. Aminigarden requires only a small amount of space, and can be easily in-corporated into the total landscape. Homegrown vegetables are fresherand are often of better quality than those from the grocery store, arereadily available, and contribute to a balanced diet. A minigarden canalso be an enjoyable hobby, and offers an opportunity to grow noveltyvarieties that are not well adapted to the standard backyard garden.Conventional Soil-Bed MinigardensVegetables can be grown in conventional soil beds that range in sizefrom small plantings around the doorway or patio to gardens measuringfrom 20 to 200 square feet. When space is limited, the border or back-ground of flower gardens may be a good place to "tuck in" vegetables.The vegetable greens, tomatoes in cages, and trellised vegetables are welladapted for this purpose.Plant vegetables with attractive leaves as border plants in the vege-table or flower garden. Lettuce, parsley, and herbs are especially suitablefor the foreground, and swiss chard, asparagus, and kale for the back-ground. Display individual characteristics of vegetable plants by growingsingle specimens or planting in random groupings rather than in straightrows.Raised BedsRaised beds are constructed above the existing soil level. The simplestkind of raised bed is rectangular in form, with the soil supported by stone,brick, telephone poles, railroad ties, or 8- to 10-inch redwood or cypressboards reinforced at the corners. The length can be adjusted to the avail-able space, and a 3-foot width is sufficient to accommodate two or threerows of the smaller vegetables such as lettuce, carrots, and beets. Waterand fertilizer can be easily controlled in raised beds. Use high-qualitysoil to fill the forms above the existing soil level.Conventional soil-bed minigarden. Vegetables can be grown in conven-tional soil beds located next to the house or garage or at other selectedsites.Vegetable-flower convenf/'ona/ so/7 beds. Blending vegetables and flowersadds beauty to the home landscape and fresh produce to the table.Tiered beds make it possible to grow more vegetables than in a one-level bed of comparable size. This type of growing system is especiallysuitable for sloping sites.Raised beds have several advantages over conventional soil-bed mini-gardens. They can be neat and attractive ; they allow you to provide goodsoil and proper water drainage on a poor growing site; and they warmthe soil sooner in the spring, permitting early planting.Container GardensVegetables grown in containers may be both decorative and providea fresh harvest. Container gardens can be attractive pots of kitchen herbsor parsley, hanging baskets of ripe red tomatoes, and bright leaf lettuce orfresh radishes. Tubs, raised beds, shallow boxes, metal drums, sewer tiles,rubber tires, and other containers may also be used for gardening in areaswhere conventional soil beds or raised beds are not practicable.You may also use more than one container for the same vegetable andplant at intervals. This technique will establish different growth stages forvegetables such as radishes that tend to mature their harvest at one time.All containers should have bottom holes for drainage. Place stones,crushed rock, or broken pot chips over the holes to prevent plugging andto insure free drainage of excess water.Containers may be located almost anywhere — the kitchen, patio, ter-race, balcony, rooftop, or at strategic locations around the yard. Regard-less of location, the containers must have light, fertilizer, water, andfresh air.Restricting the soil volume and root system of a vegetable plant limitsthe plant's supply of fertility to that furnished within the container. Fre-quent watering is necessary to sustain this restricted root system. Trickleirrigation systems designed for the hobby gardener can supply water tocontainer gardens.Apply a water-soluble fertilizer (10-50-10, 20-20-20, 18-12-6, etc.) atrates of 1 tablespoon per 1 gallon of water once a week, or less often, asneeded for plant growth. Slow-release-type fertilizers may also be used incontainers. Do not use field-grade fertilizers. They cause excessive buildupof salts.Modular arrangements of plant boxes can add effectively to the land-scape decor in outdoor living areas. Containers with a 6-inch soil depthare suitable for green onions, radishes, most leaf lettuce varieties, swisschard, parsley, and chives. An 8- to 10-inch depth should be used forlarger vegetables.Types of containers. Clay and plastic pots, concrete blocks, sewer tiles,bushel baskets, fluted tires, etc. can be used as containers for vegetableminigardens. All containers should have bottom holes for drainage.Raised beds. Raised beds and tiered raised beds (above) can be used aslandscape accents and to overcome deficiencies in the growing environment.Cold frame. A cold frame can be used to start transplants early in theseason and as an open growing space for vegetables during the remainderof the season.Vegetables on a fence. Trailing or vining vegetables (pole beans, tomatoes,peas, cucumbers, melons, etc.) can be planted next to a fence, trellis, build-ing, etc. It is often necessary to tie or fasten the plants to the supportingstructure.Planting and CultureVegetables can be started either from seeds or from transplants. Manykinds of vegetables do not transplant readily, and must be started fromseeds.Buy transplants whenever possible to reduce the time from planting toharvest. Be sure to get healthy, good-quality transplants. You can growyour own plants if you have adequate facilities, but specialized techniquesare required. (See Circulars 884 and 1150 for detailed instructions abouthow to grow transplants.) Avoid overcrowding, particularly with seededvegetables, and thin when necessary to achieve vigorous growth.Adding high-quality soil, organic materials, and fertilizer to minigar-dens will help correct poor soil drainage, low fertility, and inadequatewater-holding capacity. Several lightweight growing materials such aspeat, perlite, vermiculite, and prepared commercial mixtures are alsoavailable. These usually contain fertilizer, and offer excellent water-hold-ing capacity.Vegetables in containers need frequent, thorough waterings, especiallyin windy or exposed locations. Do not allow the soil to dry out completelybetween waterings. Do not overwater. Overwatering will reduce thegrowth of vegetables planted in heavy soil or poorly drained containers.Vegetables require full sunlight for proper growth, although leafyvegetables (lettuce, swiss chard, etc.) can be grown satisfactorily in par-tial — but not full— shade. Train or arrange plants vertically to take ad-vantage of restricted areas. Stakes, trellises, and fences can be used tosupport crops such as tomatoes or cucumbers (see Circulars 981 and 1 150).Insects, diseases, and weeds can severely reduce yields and create un-sightly areas in your garden. These can be controlled by cultivation andproper use of a suggested pesticide (see the list of references on page 11).Suggested VarietiesAll vegetables, or even varieties of the same vegetable, are not equallysuitable for minigardens. Vegetables that will grow in a limited space andproduce a continuous growth and yield, such as tomatoes, lettuce, pepper,parsley, cucumbers, or swiss chard, are good choices.The varieties listed on pages 9 and 10 are especially suitable for vege-table minigardens. Those varieties marked with an asterisk (*) may alsobe grown in containers. Characteristics that are important in selectingvarieties for containers are compact, bush, or dwarf growing habits;colorful foliage or fruits; and varieties that will supplement your othergarden harvests or local supply.VarietiesAsparagusMary WashingtonBean, snap and waxBlue Lake (snap, bush and pole)Kinghom Wax (bush)Resistant Cherokee Wax (bush)Tender Crop (snap, bush)Bean, horticulturalFrench Horticultural (bush)BeetDetroit Dark RedGolden BeetRuby QueenBroccoliGreen CometPremium CropBrussels SproutJade CrossCabbageEarly Jersey WrakefieldMarket PrizeRed HeadResistant Golden AcreSavoy KingCarrotDanvers Half-longFinger Carrot (several varieties)Nantes CorelessCauliflowerSnow CrownSnow KingChardLucullus*Rhubarb*Chinese CabbageBurpee HybridMichilifor MinigardensCucumberBurpless Hybrid (trellis, slicing)*Bush Whopper (dwarf, slicing)*Challenger Hybrid (slicing)*Patio Pik Hybrid (dwarf, pickling)*Poinsett (slicing)*EggplantBlack MagicBurpee HybridIchiban*Slim Jim*EndiveGreen CurledSalad KingEscaroleBroad Leaved BatavianFlorida Deep HeartKaleDwarf Curled (Vates)Dwarf SiberianKohlrabiEarly White ViennaLeekAmerican Flag*LettuceBibb*Buttercrunch*Grand Rapids*Prizehead*Ruby*Salad Bowl*Slobolt*MuskmelonShort and SweetSugar BushOkraClemson Spineless* May be grown in containers.Varieties for MinigardensOnion, greenEvergreen Long White BunchingOnion, transplantsSweet SpanishParsleyTriple Curled*Italian*PepperBell Boy*California WonderGold Spike*Sweet Banana*Yolo WonderPeaEdible Podded (sugar pea, trellis)Little MarvelWandoPumpkinCinderella (bush)Spirit (semivining)RadishAll SeasonsChampionCometIcicleRed PrinceRhubarbMac DonaldValentineVictoriaSquash, SummerScallopini*Zucchini*Squash, WinterTable King (bush)Tomato, standard-sized fruits andplantsBetter BoyBig GirlBraggerBurpee VFFloramerica*Jet StarSunripe*Super FantasticSupersonicTomato, small fruits and standard-sized plantsGardeners' Delight*Sugar Lump*Sweet 100*Tomato, small fruits and dwarfplantsPatio*Pixie*Salad Top*Small Fry*Tiny Tim*Toy Boy*Tumblin Tom*TurnipPurple Top White GlobeTokyoMinor VegetablesGourds (trellis)Husk TomatoShallotSpaghetti Squash (trellis)SunflowerHerbsAnise*Basil*Chive*Dill*Garlic*Mint (grown in containers only)*Parsley*Rosemary*Sage*Summer Savory*Sweet Marjoram*Thyme** May be grown in containers.10For Further ReferenceThe following publications contain additional information that maybe helpful in growing your vegetable minigarden. These publications maybe obtained from your county extension adviser or by writing to the ad-dresses listed below. They are free unless otherwise indicated.Office of Agricultural Publications, 123 Mumford Hall, Urbana, Illinois61801:Controlling Weeds in the Home Garden, Circular 1051. 12 pages.Growing Tomatoes at Home, Circular 981. 12 pages.Growing Vegetable Transplants, Circular 884. 32 pages.Insect Pest Management Guide: Home, Yard, and Garden, Circular 900.8 pages.Landscaping Your Home, Circular 1111. 250 pages ($4.00).Vegetable Gardening for Illinois, Circular 1150. 136 pages ($2.00).Department of Plant Pathology, 218 Mumford Hall, Urbana, Illinois61801:Recommendations for Controlling Diseases in the Home Vegetable Gar-den, Report on Plant Diseases 900. 6 pages.Department of Agricultural Engineering, 202 Agricultural EngineeringBuilding, Urbana, Illinois 61801:Outdoor Living— Planning and Construction Guide, MWPS-12. (Con-tains information about materials and construction of modular con-tainers.) 52 pages ($2.00).11ffU^r 1""'

Vegetable minigardens / 1155

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