1. Location of year Vegetable Garden: Your vegetable garden should enjoy full sun away from trees and shrubs. Be sure the soil is level and well drained and that water for irrigation is nearby.
2. Building your Garden: Now is the time to start your garden preparation by removing all plant debris, weeds, roots and large stones. Apply peat moss and treated cow manure (available at your local nursery). Add five pounds of granular fertiliser (10-20-20) to each 100 sq. feet of the garden. Spade these materials into the soil eight-12 inches deep and water liberally.
3. Best vegetables for your garden: You should compile a list of vegetables that you would like to grow and enjoy eating. Your proposed garden may not be big enough to use one packet of seeds. I would therefore suggest that you visit your local nurseries to ascertain whether they have plants that you can purchase ready to set out in your garden.
4. Sowing Your Seeds: Mark your rows with stakes at each end and tie a length of twine between them. Make farrows 1/2 inch deep for small seeds and 1 inch deep for large seeds. Once you have planted the seeds, they need moist soil for germination. If there is no rainfall then water every 4 to 5 days depending on the heat of the sun and the humidity.
5. Starting seeds in Containers: Fill the container to about 1/2 inch below its rim with a commercial seed starting mixture or you can mix your own as follows: 1 part of sterilised soil, 1 part peat moss, 1 part perlite. Mix these materials together level and water the soil. Sow your seeds 1/4 inch – 1/2 inch deep. Remember to label all planted seeds.
6. Thinning your Seedling: Start thinning your seedlings when they reach a height of 1 to 2 inches and lift them out of the ground very carefully, straight-up to avoid disturbing the roots of other seedlings.
7. Setting Plants Out in Your Garden: The best time to set out your plants is on a cloudy day or in the late afternoon. Having completed digging your holes you should remove each plant along with the soil that surrounds its roots. Firmly and gently push the soil around the root balls and water immediately to seal the roots. Sprinkle Ortho Bug-Geta Plus around the seedlings to protect them from attacks snails – slugs and cutworms.
8. Watering: This chore is practically important for young plants with shallow roots. As plants grow larger their roots thrust deeper into the soil. Deep watering is far more effective than the brief shallow or mere sprinkling of your plants.
9. Mulching: This is a soil cover composed usually of organic materials, i.e. peat moss, saw dust, mixed wood chips, leaves, pine needles and grass cuttings. When these materials decompose they add nutrients to your soil and assist in aerating the soil. Add a granular nitrogen fertiliser to these materials.
Bahamas Met Office (1971-2000) Average Rain Fall for September: 6.46 inches
Planting Guide for September
FLOWERS: Alyssum, African Daisy, Aster, Calendula, Baby's Breath, Candy turf, Carnation Celosia, Dianthus, Gallardia, Hollyhock, Lupin, Marigold, Nasturtium, Pansy, Periwinkle Petunia, Phlox, Painted Daisy, Queen Anne's Lace, Shasta Daisy, Sunflower, Snapdragon, Stocks, Sweet William, Sweet Peas, Verbena,
VEGETABLES: Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Collard, Cucumber, Garlic, Leek, Lettuce, Okra, Onion Seed, Onion Set, Parsley, Peas, Radish, Spinach, Squash, Tomato.
GRASSES: Bahia, Bermuda.
For help with your Garden Problems,
Write to: GARDEN KORNER, P.O.Box N-3011, Nassau.
By: Oscar Phillips , The Nassau Guardian
