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Alternative Vegetable Gardening - University of Florida
- 1. 3/23/2011 Edibles! Alternative Vegetable Gardening Epcot, April 2010 Sydney Park Brown UF Extension Specialist – Consumer Horticulture Gulf Coast Research & Education Center Plant City http://tiny.cc/tm7sx Lots of people want to grow Edibles! food, but not everyone can or will dig up the yard New York Botanical Garden – June, 2010 Soil / Site Issues Human Issues • Poor soil • Soil pests • Trees • Limited space • Deed restrictions • Love the lawn! 1
- 2. 3/23/2011 Alternative Gardening Demo Alternative Veggie UF Plant City Teaching Gardens Gardens Above the ground; In I some type of container; t f t i In soil-less media; soil- All other veggie rules apply. Growing Media Alternative Gardening • Perlite • Vermiculite Sunlight Pests • Gravel • Sand • Sawdust • Bark • Rockwool • Coco Fiber • Compost • Combinations of these • Commercial soil mixes Minimum of 5-6 hours Scout frequently • Water + nutrients Alternative Gardening Small- Small-scale Advantages Disadvantages Containers • Avoid soil • Expensive – some • Good results • Assembly required • Portable – some – some • Pots – plastic, clay, glazed • Can garden on • Water intensive • Buckets, baskets, barrels, bags hard spaces • Limited growing • Grow boxes • Less physical space / yields • $$$ Payback? • Vertical systems • Great for kids and “challenged” 2
- 3. 3/23/2011 Containers • 1 gal – herbs, small veggies • 5 gal minimum – big veggies •P Provide drainage id d i • Stake / support Hanging Containers Other Containers Barrels Baskets Topsy Turvy TM Buckets Heavy! – Need strong support. “Lay- “Lay-flat Bags” Grow Bags Plastic bags filled with soil-less media soil- Plastic, mesh or felt bags. Some have handles; some come pre-filled pre- with media. Onions Lettuce Dwarf Herbs Cucumbers 3
- 4. 3/23/2011 Grow Boxes • Various sizes Soil Bags • Use potting (soil-less) mixes • Have a reservoir of water • Fertilize one time (2 cups granular fertilizer) • Keep cover on until you’re ready to replant • Vining plants need support ® EarthBox® EarthBox 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. http://www.earthbox.com Grow Boxes Tomatoes on a rope http://www.earthbox.com 4
- 5. 3/23/2011 Home- Home-made Grow Box Vertical Growing System • Very space efficient • Reduced disease - better air flow and less soil splashing • Easy to harvest http://www.wisefarmer.com/growbox/ Vertical Growing System Vertical Growing System • Great for ‘cut and • Commercial kits include: come again’ crops - poles such as: - styrofoam pots – L f greens Leafy - media – Herbs - fertilizer – Edible flowers - drip irrigation - pump, timer Transplants and nutrient tank not supplied Vertical Growing System Examples of Commercial Products • http://vertigro.com/ • http://www hydrostacker com/ http://www.hydrostacker.com/ • http://www.futuregrowing.com/ …and others 5
- 6. 3/23/2011 Low Cost Vertical System http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1186 Raised Beds Large- Large-scale Containers Concrete blocks • Raised beds • Hay bales Raised Beds Construction 4’ wide 6-18” high, 24” for wheelchairs Pressure treated lumber? P t t dl b ? The American Horticultural Therapy Association http://www.ahta.org 6
- 7. 3/23/2011 Easy Garden BoxTM Raised Beds 1. 2. 3. 4. Raised Bed Brackets Hay Bale Garden Hay Bale Garden Filtrexx Garden SoxxTM 7
- 8. 3/23/2011 Filtrexx Garden SoxxTM Raised Beds 2008 Victory Garden in San Francisco Soil Recipe Controlled- Controlled-release Sample Mixture Fertilizers For each bushel of soil-less media • Ex: Osmocote and Dynamite • 1.25 cups dolomite • Choose products that include • 1 cup 8 8 8 fertilizer w/ micronutrients 8-8-8 micronutrients i ti t • Select release rate based on crop (i.e. 3 month, 6 month, etc.) Hydroponic Potatoes in Perlite Gardening Growing plants in water and dissolved nutrients - no soil • Potato Box • Floating Gardens 8
- 9. 3/23/2011 Floating Gardens Plants “Float” on Styrofoam Bed with Roots in Nutrient Solution Clean & easy harvest Round II – Sweet Potatoes Plants “Float” on Styrofoam Bed Floating Garden Construction with Roots in Nutrient Solution • 2’x8’ boards used to construct 4’x8’ frame • 6 mil plastic lining Use any un-drained container at least un- Add Simple PVC Structures for 6” high Cold or Deer/rabbit Protection 9
- 10. 3/23/2011 What Can You Grow? Mix Nutrient Solution 2 tsp 20-20-20 (w/micros) or equivalent soluble fertilizer Lettuces, mustard greens, mizuna, + kale, basil, green onions, Swiss Chard, 1 tsp Epsom Salt cucumber, watercress. Others? …per gallon of water Drill Holes in Styrofoam 3” net pot = 35 cents • 1 1/2 inch styrofoam • Drill or cut holes 12” apart • Diameter of holes = size of net pots or cups Plastic Cup Styrofoam Cup Place Transplant into Cups Floating Garden Bottom of cup should extend no more than 35-gallon Plastic Garden Pond 1/8” below styrofoam 10
- 11. 3/23/2011 Floating Garden Go to http://vfd.ifas.ufl.edu/ for a “how to” video and more info Choosing Varieties Transplants: Store-bought or Store- Home- Home-grown? • Select proven varieties • Try dwarf/“mini” veggies TRANSPLANTS = • Choose pest-resistant Faster start varieties SEEDS = More choice 11
- 12. 3/23/2011 “Bio-sponges” (sphagnum moss and composted bark ) 120 - $12 Park Seed Co. Ready for a break? Thanks! DISCLAIMER Many other products exist. Mention of a exist company's name/product is not intended to be an endorsement or a preference over other products. 12