Summer Vegetable Gardening Considerations By Ashley Appling Virginia Cooperative Extension – Culpeper County Horticulture Extension Agent
There is always a lot of excitement in late spring surrounding the prospect of vegetable gardening. The Extension Office receives phone calls and emails about what to plant, when to plant, how to take care of the vegetable plant, and harvesting on a regular basis in the spring time. I share the enthusiasm of these gardeners, and I hope to answer some of your questions in this article. As we head towards late April and into May, vegetable planting season starts in earnest. Our last average spring frost date is around April 15 to April 25. The transplanting of warm - season vegetables can now commence in relative safety. Plants such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, and summer squash should be started from seed indoors in mid - March to early April. If you missed that window, you can still buy plants from the local garden centers and place them in your garden. Other vegetables such as sweet corn, watermelon, cantaloupe, winter squash, and pumpkins should be directly sown in the vegetable garden starting in mid - May to early July. Pumpkins for Halloween should generally be planted in early July. Make sure to read the seed packets and plant tags to determine timing. A Virginia Tech soil testing report will help you determine how much fertilizer and lime you should add to the vegetable garden. You can find more information on how to take a soil test in this article: https://digitalpubs.ext.vt.edu/vcedigitalpubs/1198948978743472/ MobilePagedReplica.action?pm=2&folio=1#pg1. After adding the needed nutrients, it is a good idea to mulch the garden with materials such as straw, hardwood chips, or leaves. A depth of 2 to 3 inches is a good rule of thumb to follow. Consider how you are going to water the vegetable garden. Your vegetable plants should receive about 1 inch of water per week either through rain fall, or irrigation. A rain gauge will help you determine how much water your plants are receiving. Sprinklers, soaker hoses, and drip irrigation can be used to supply the needed water. If you use sprinklers, water in the morning to allow the water to dry quickly on the leaves. Your plants will be less likely to suffer from diseases. For more information and to obtain a soil sampling box, contact the Orange Extension Office by phone (540) 672 - 1361 or by email ashappling@vt.edu.
Page 20 | May 2021
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