ON THE GARDEN PATH by Carolyn Herriot
When establishing a new garden, rototilling (or deep digging) is needed to initially incorporate organic amendments, but once the garden is established, there should be no need to cultivate deeply, which would destroy the soil food web. If soil becomes compacted, it may be necessary to turn soil amendments under with a light forking, but mulches of compost, leaves, seaweed or manure will generally break down readily in established beds, without having to be turned under.
When starting a new garden, if soil fertility is in question or when revitalizing soil, organic fertilizer blends are useful. Nutrients in natural-source fertilizers are released slowly to plants as they grow. Once good soil fertility is established, there should be no need to apply these soil ‘supplements.’
After heavy winter rains, it’s best to lime except in areas where acid-loving plants such as blueberries, strawberries and potatoes, grow. Dolomite lime adds calcium and magnesium and keeps soil in the neutral pH range favoured by most food plants.
Cool-weather vegetables: globe artichokes, lettuces, cress, chard, coriander, radishes, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, summer cabbage, kale, spinach, orach, arugula, beets, peas, onions, leeks, summer mesclun mixes (baby salad greens) and oriental greens are the first to get planted in the season.
Heat lovers: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil, dill, amaranth, quinoa, corn, squash and beans cannot go outdoors until the soil has warmed up.
Winter vegetables: lettuce, cress, chard, coriander, favas, radishes, cauliflower, broccoli, winter cabbage, kale, spinach, orach, arugula, beets, onions, winter mesclun mixes, mustards and oriental greens are seeded from June to the end of August.
Root crops: carrots, turnips, parsnips, beets, kohlrabi and celeriac can be direct-seeded in late spring once the soil begins to warm; they will not germinate until it has.
Hardening off
When planting seedlings, don’t just throw your ‘green babies’ from under cover out into the cold. To avoid shock, they need to be hardened-off to gradually acclimatize to much cooler growing conditions. Harden young plants off for a week to 10 days by moving them outside during the day and back inside at night (or at least protect them from frost.) Tip: Squash and artichoke seedlings resent disturbance. Grow them in their own individual pots and wait until the soil is well and truly warmed up before transplanting the seedlings outdoors.
Crop rotations
Crop rotation is a pillar of organic gardening because it significantly reduces the build-up of pest and disease problems that affect specific families of plants. It’s very straightforward; just don’t plant the same species of plants that are members of the same family in the same place. Tip: Keep empty seed packets handy for reference and map plants onto a garden plan. Referring to a garden map makes crop rotations a snap. Even easier is leaving plant markers in place until you plant the following crop.
Isolation distances for seed saving
Self-pollinators: Tomatoes peppers and eggplants 6 feet / Tomatoes (potato-leaf varieties) 30 feet / Lettuces 10 feet / Bush beans 10 feet / Pole beans 30 feet.
Biennial root crops: Beets, carrots, celeriac, leeks, onions, parsnips, radishes and turnips 1/4 mile. (Carrots cross with wild carrot ‘Queen Anne’s Lace’ if grown within ¼ mile).
Brassicas: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collards, kale and kohlrabi ¼ mile.
Squash: ¼ mile.
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Carolyn Herriot is author of A Year on the Garden Path, a 52-Week Organic Gardening Guide and The Zero Mile Diet, a Year-round Guide to Growing Organic Food (Harbour Publishing). She grows ‘Seeds of Victoria’ at The Garden Path Centre in Victoria, BC. earthfuture.com/gardenpath/
Plant families
- Apiaceae: carrots, celeriac, celery, parsnips, parsley
- Asteraceae: lettuce, endive, chicory, salsify
- b spinach, chard, beets
- Brassicaceae: cabbages, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, radish, turnips, rutabagas, arugula, kohlrabi, mustard
- Cucurbitaceae: squash, cucumber, melons, gourds
- Fabaceae: beans, favas, peas, soybean, chickpeas, lentils, lima beans
- Lilliaceae: onions, leeks, shallots, scallions and garlic
- Solanaceae: tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, potatoes
- Poaceae: corn
