Garden Layout

[jdmidwest]

Finally got around to tilling the main garden today for the planting season. For the first time in 12 years, I had it plowed with a tractor and plow to give it a good turning over. I started the plot with a tiller and it had never been plowed.

I had been putting off planting in the main garden this season till the time was right. i had planted beans, cucs, and squash in a raised bed a few weeks ago about the time it turned off dry and then cold. The seeds never sprouted. There was frost Tues. here in low lying spots, but I think the danger has past now.

I am moving things around this year. I moved the corn down to the lower end to make it easier for the squirrels to eat it. I am putting the tomato patch in the middle of the garden away from the area that I have used in the past. The rest will be scattered about.

Does anyone have any certain order about placement of veggies in the garden? Do you avoid planting certain stuff next to the tomatoes? Do you switch things out every year or plant everything in the same place?

[Midwest troutbum]

I'm not too sure on rotating crops similar to large scale farming operations, but the idea would make a lot of horticulture and botanical sense, since corn is a plant that pulls nitrogen out of the soil, and beans are a part of the legume family, which have nodules that replenish and retain the nutrients (mostly nitrogen) in the soil. Not sure on the tomatoes, just they like a lot of sun typically, so nothing too tall shading them out should be planted nearby.

As far as tomatoes go, the best advice is that they have plenty of room to grow to maturity. Room for both the plant and maintaining or supporting the plant as it grows to maturity. It's much easier if you can walk entirely around a tomato plant when they are a mature 8'-0 tall, than reaching into a tangled mess of branches and stems trying to pick tomatoes between plants later. I've found for indeterminate tomato plants,( plants than are more upright than bush type) heavy duty hog wire or concrete reinforcing metal mesh make the best cages. Build large cylinder's approx 4'-0" or larger in diameter and 6 feet tall or greater, using the mesh bound together at the seam with bailing wire. Large scale cylinder mesh cages will hold the plant much better than any stake or tomato cage found at the local hardware store, and can be re-used year after year, after year. Cow manure spread and tilled into the garden soil mix in the late fall will bring good results in the spring and summer. Have the soil checked by MoBOT or other garden center if your uncertain of the soil ph, and nutrient levels. We've had pictures of tomato plants reaching the 10'-0" mark on a regular yearly basis with these fine tuned methods, and have canned tomato juice to prove it. We have not rotating crops in the vegetable garden, but have been religious on rototilling in many organic and inorganic amendments each year. Broccoli tends to like the organic and amendment rich soils too, and does well given the right mixture of some shade in the afternoon.

[3wt]

If you have the luxury of rotating your tomatoes every couple of years do it. The idea would be to be to have a spot that has not had tomatoes (and other nightshades like peppers and eggplant) in a three years. So maybe do corn in a spot for a few year, then move beans in, then squash (maybe could reduce SVB infestations), corn. If you have enough "types" then a yearly cycle can work out nicely.

I know this because I currently cannot do this, and have fusarium wilt (fungus) built up in the soil where I put my tomatoes. Not a good thing and difficult to deal with and you really never get rid of it. So if you have the space and do a pretty good variety then rotate every few years. The nitrogen fixation from legumes is nice, but not as nice as just adding compost. But if you end up wiht a soil born pathogen you'll wish you had avoided it.

[jdmidwest]

That was what I was looking for, this spring. I did rotate my tomatoes down a few rows into where I had been planting corn and they did better. But I think the fungus might be in mine also. You can order varieties of tomatoes that resist that from the seed catalogs. It did not really matter, the dry heat took more of a toll on everything anyhow.

I am still trying to figure out what is going on with the okra, last 2 years it has only gotten about knee hi and not done anything. First time in 12 years that I have not picked a piece of okra out of the garden.

[3wt]

That was what I was looking for, this spring. I did rotate my tomatoes down a few rows into where I had been planting corn and they did better. But I think the fungus might be in mine also. You can order varieties of tomatoes that resist that from the seed catalogs. It did not really matter, the dry heat took more of a toll on everything anyhow.

I am still trying to figure out what is going on with the okra, last 2 years it has only gotten about knee hi and not done anything. First time in 12 years that I have not picked a piece of okra out of the garden.

The dry heat seems to make wilts worse.

Cut a branch of the affected tomatoe and look at the ring of tissue right beneath the green skin. If it's brown you have some kind of soilborne pathogen. Then take the cutting and stick it in a glass of water. If you see a stream of distinct white stuff coming from the cut then you have bacterial wilt. If not it is most likely fusarium or veriticilum wilt. If only tomatoes are affected it's probably fusarium. Pretty sure verticilum is not real prevalent in our part of the country.

So if tomatoes are the only one affected rotate and try to put tomatoes in a spot that has not seen them in a few years. There is some evidence that planting mustard greens in fall and plowing them under will help cotnrol bacterial and fungal pathogens in soil. There are also biological controls that are supposed to help, mainly sporulating bacteria that are beneficial to plants and competitive to other microbes. I would imagine that heavy ammendment with compost should help in the same way.

Many common hybrids around nurseries are VFN (covers both fusarium and verticilum but not bacterial wilt). Celebriety, better boy, others. If you're into heirlooms not much resistance out there.

I think the rotation schedule would probably be your best defense since it sounds like have the room. If you do determine you have verticilum, you need to be more discriminating on the order. Verticilum affects almost everything, so if you rotate out an affected crop and rotate in a different affected crop you won't be doing anything.

And not to brag, but I picked a total of 2 okra pods this year. I know...pretty impressive.

[jdmidwest]

Glad to see the okra is not just me. Part of mine got razed last night by a band of roving rabbits. Just some stems today.

I will try the mustard greens. I have been planting turnips and radishes in the fall for ground cover.

[Chief Grey Bear]

You ever try grilling your turnips?? Dang fine eating right there!!

[jdmidwest]

Nope, I have never eat a turnip since I was a kid. I dig em up and take them out to Dad.

[Chief Grey Bear]

You should try it. Wrap in foil, grill about an hour. When it feels soft and mushy, its done. Salt and pepper to taste. I don't mind raw turnips, but grilled is outta this world.

[Midwest troutbum]

Just another suggestion to any potential newbie gardeners or horticulturalist is try to keep from watering the tomato plants leaves. This is best achieved with soaker hoses or commercially available drip tape. This practice can be applied to most plants including ornamental plants in the landscape. It helps to keep many spore based plant diseases down. Removing dead leaf and plant matter from both the plant and along the ground throughout the seasons is also good practice.