VEGETABLE GARDENING ENCYCLOPEDIA
CONTENTS PART 1: THE BEAUTY AND BOUNTY OF VERTICAL GARDENING THE VERTICAL ADVANTAGE THE PERFECT PRODUCE PRACTICE LESS REALLY IS MORE LESS TIME AND WORK LESS MONEY FEWER WEEDS, PESTS, AND DISEASES AND MORE … IS MORE VERTICAL IS VERSATILE LOCATION IS KEY START WITH A “CAVEMAN SUN BLUEPRINT” KNOW YOUR USDA GROWING ZONE THE MAGIC OF MICROCLIMATES NATURALLY OCCURRING MICROCLIMATES MANIPULATING YOUR MICROCLIMATES GARDEN STRUCTURES AS MICROCLIMATES THE GREENHOUSE BEST BETS: CONSULTANTS VERTICAL GARDEN STRUCTURES AND CONTAINERS TWINERS, SCRAMBLERS, AND CLINGERS THE TWINERS THE SCRAMBLERS THE CLINGING CLIMBERS ORNAMENTAL AND PERMANENT STRUCTURES BOUNDARY FENCES TRELLISES AND LATTICES ARBORS AND ARCHES OBELISKS POTS AND PLANTERS STACKABLE POTS WOOLLY POCKET WALLYS EARTHBOXES MOBILEGRO PORTABLE GARDEN CART HANGING PLANTERS AND BASKETS UPSIDE-DOWN PLANTERS PLANT STANDS PRE-FAB CLIMBING SUPPORT MAKE YOUR OWN BED THE BENEFITS OF RAISED GARDEN BEDS CONSIDERING RAISED BED MATERIALS THE SAFETY SPEECH BUILD A RAISED BED CINDERBLOCK RAISED BED INSTANT GARDEN BEDS THE LITTLE ACRE GREENLAND GARDENER WOOLLY POCKETS DIY STRUCTURES FROM SCRATCH SUMMING UP SUPPORT CLIMBING MATERIALS FRAMING MATERIALS TIE ONE ON BUILD A SANDWICH BOARD A-FRAME TWISTS ON TRELLIS MAKE A BASIC TRELLIS POST AND TWINE BAMBOO AND TWINE WIRE PANEL TENT FLAT LADDER TEEPEE WIRE PANEL ARBOR LIFETIME TOMATO CAGES CINDERBLOCK PLANTING WALL TERRA COTTA TOWER CREATIVE REPURPOSING SPICE RACK PLANTER HANGING TIN TUB GARDEN UPSIDE-DOWN PLANTER SHOE BAG PLANTER GROW POTATOES IN A GARBAGE BAG ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES FEED BAGS BUSHEL BASKETS HORSE TROUGHS FENCE PANELS TETHERBALL OR CLOTHESLINE POLES 5-GALLON BUCKETS LADDERS DISCARDED TABLE STANDS SAWHORSES OLD SWING SETS MATTRESS SPRINGS BROKEN BABY GATES AND FRAMES KIDDIE POOLS GARAGE SHELVES OLD DRESSERS PLASTIC DRUMS PART 2: THE BASICS: SOIL AND SEED GARDEN SOIL SOIL MEDIUM FOR CONTAINERS AND RAISED BEDS DEFINE “GREAT” SOIL CLAY SOIL SANDY SOIL WHAT IS PH AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? TESTING SOIL AT HOME DIY KITCHEN PH TEST DIGGING DEEPER: PROFESSIONAL SOIL ANALYSIS COMPOST IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN OBTAINING COMPOST MAKING YOUR OWN COMPOST HOW IMPORTANT IS A COMPOST BIN? COMPOST PILE MAINTENANCE COMPOSTING STYLES: HOT, WARM, OR COLD COMPOSTING MYTH-BUSTERS MYTH #1: COMPOST PILES SMELL BAD MYTH #2: COMPOSTING IS COMPLICATED MYTH #3: COMPOSTING IS EXPENSIVE MYTH #4: COMPOSTING TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT MYTH #5: YOU NEED A LOT OF LAND TO COMPOST CORRECTLY MYTH #6: YOU NEED TO ADD SPECIAL COMPOST ACTIVATORS OR STARTERS MYTH #7: A COMPOST PILE ATTRACTS ANIMALS MAKE YOUR BED WITH A COMPOST SANDWICH A PLANT PRIMER SOME LIKE IT HOT: WARM-SEASON VEGETABLES SOME LIKE IT COLD: COOL-SEASON VEGETABLES WHY YOU MIGHT LOVE STARTS PROPAGATION: FREE PLANTS FOREVER STARTING WITH SEED INDOORS OR OUTDOORS? HYBRID SEEDS OPEN-POLLINATED SEEDS HEIRLOOM SEEDS FANTASTIC FLAVOR ADAPTABILITY CONTROL LINKS TO OUR HERITAGE GENETIC DIVERSITY HARDENING OFF SEEDLINGS CUTTINGS PART 3: TENDING THE VERTICAL VEGETABLE GARDEN FEED, WATER, AND NURTURE SMALL-TIME IRRIGATION SPRINKLERS HAND WATERING SOAKER HOSES DRIP IRRIGATION RAIN BARRELS MULCH MATTERS ORGANIC MULCH INORGANIC MULCH NPK: NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS, AND POTASSIUM ORGANIC SOIL AMENDMENTS COMPOST AND MANURE “TEAS” ABOUT CROP ROTATION FAMILY ROTATION PLAN SOIL FERTILITY ROTATION PLAN WHAT’S THE POINT OF PRUNING? PINCHING AND DEADHEADING WHAT’S BUGGING YOU? ORGANIC PEST CONTROL BENEFICIAL INSECTS WHO’S WHO? POLLINATING INSECTS NATURAL PREDATORY INSECTS COMMON VEGETABLE PESTS HELPFUL WILDLIFE LEAST-TOXIC PEST CONTROLS DIATOMACEOUS EARTH IRON PHOSPHATE INSECTICIDAL SOAPS BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS (BT) HORTICULTURAL OILS PYRETHRUM BREAKING OUT THE BIG GUNS SAFELY UNDERSTANDING PESTICIDE TOXICITY INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PART 4: VEGETABLES AND FRUIT THAT ENJOY GROWING UP (LITERALLY) VERTICAL VEGETABLES BEANS (FABACEAE) PLANTING BEANS TENDING BEANS HARVESTING BEANS BEST BETS: BEAN VARIETIES CUCUMBERS (CUCUMIS SATIVUS) PLANTING CUCUMBERS TENDING CUCUMBERS HARVESTING CUCUMBERS BEST BETS: CUCUMBER VARIETIES MELONS (CUCUMIS MELO AND CITRULLUS LANATUS) PLANTING MELONS TENDING MELONS HARVESTING MELONS BEST BETS: MELON VARIETIES PEAS (PISUM SATIVUM) PLANTING PEAS TENDING PEAS HARVESTING PEAS BEST BETS: PEA VARIETIES SUMMER SQUASH (CUCURBITA PEPO AND MAXIMA) PLANTING SUMMER SQUASH TENDING SUMMER SQUASH HARVESTING SUMMER SQUASH BEST BETS: SUMMER SQUASH VARIETIES TOMATOES (SOLANUM LYCOPERSICUM) PLANTING TOMATOES TENDING TOMATOES HARVESTING TOMATOES BEST BETS: TOMATO VARIETIES WINTER SQUASH AND PUMPKINS (CUCURBITA SPP) PLANTING WINTER SQUASH AND PUMPKINS TENDING WINTER SQUASH AND PUMPKINS HARVESTING WINTER SQUASH AND PUMPKINS BEST BETS: WINTER SQUASH AND PUMPKIN VARIETIES VERTICALLY CHALLENGED VEGGIES CARROTS (DAUCUS CAROTA) PLANTING CARROTS TENDING CARROTS HARVESTING CARROTS BEST BETS: CARROT VARIETIES EGGPLANTS OR AUBERGINES (SOLANUM MELONGENA) PLANTING EGGPLANTS TENDING EGGPLANTS HARVESTING EGGPLANTS BEST BETS: EGGPLANT VARIETIES LETTUCE (LACTUCA SATIVA) PLANTING LETTUCE TENDING LETTUCE HARVESTING LETTUCE BEST BETS: LETTUCE VARIETIES PEPPERS (CAPSICUM ANNUUM) PLANTING PEPPERS TENDING PEPPERS HARVESTING PEPPERS BEST BETS: PEPPER VARIETIES POTATOES (SOLANUM TUBEROSUM) PLANTING POTATOES TENDING POTATOES HARVESTING POTATOES BEST BETS: POTATO VARIETIES RADISHES (RAPHANUS SATIVUS) PLANTING RADISHES TENDING RADISHES HARVESTING RADISHES BEST BETS: RADISH VARIETIES SPINACH (SPINACIA OLERACEA) PLANTING SPINACH TENDING SPINACH HARVESTING SPINACH BEST BETS: SPINACH VARIETIES SWISS CHARD (BETA VULGARIS) PLANTING SWISS CHARD TENDING SWISS CHARD HARVESTING SWISS CHARD BEST BETS: SWISS CHARD VARIETIES VERTICAL FRUIT ESPALIER APPLES (MALUS) PLANTING APPLE TREES TENDING APPLE TREES HARVESTING APPLES BEST BETS: ESPALIER APPLE VARIETIES PEACHES, APRICOTS, AND NECTARINES (PRUNUS) PLANTING PEACHES, APRICOTS, AND NECTARINES TENDING PEACHES, APRICOTS, AND NECTARINES HARVESTING PEACHES, APRICOTS, AND NECTARINES BEST BETS: PEACH, APRICOT, AND NECTARINE VARIETIES PEARS (PYRUS) PLANTING PEARS TENDING PEARS HARVESTING PEARS BEST BETS: PEAR VARIETIES GRAPES (VITIS) PLANTING GRAPES TENDING GRAPES HARVESTING GRAPES BEST BETS: GRAPE VARIETIES BLACKBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES (RUBUS) PLANTING RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES TENDING RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES HARVESTING RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES BEST BETS: RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES STRAWBERRIES (FRAGARIA ANANASSA) PLANTING STRAWBERRIES TENDING STRAWBERRIES HARVESTING STRAWBERRIES BEST BETS: STRAWBERRY VARIETIES KIWIS (ACTINIDIA) PLANTING KIWIS TENDING KIWIS HARVESTING KIWIS BEST BETS: KIWI VARIETIES THE VERTICAL HERB GARDEN BEST BETS: HERB CONTAINERS BASIL (OCIMUM BASILICUM) PLANTING BASIL TENDING BASIL HARVESTING BASIL BEST BETS: BASIL VARIETIES CHIVES (ALLIUM SCHOENOPRASUM) PLANTING CHIVES TENDING CHIVES HARVESTING CHIVES BEST BETS: CHIVE VARIETIES CILANTRO AND CORIANDER (CORIANDRUM SATIVUM) PLANTING CILANTRO TENDING CILANTRO HARVESTING CILANTRO HARVESTING CORIANDER BEST BETS: CILANTRO VARIETIES MINT (MENTHA SPP) PLANTING MINT TENDING MINT HARVESTING MINT BEST BETS: MINT VARIETIES PARSLEY (PETROSELINUM CRISPUM) PLANTING PARSLEY TENDING PARSLEY HARVESTING PARSLEY BEST BETS: PARSLEY VARIETIES OREGANO (ORIGANUM VULGARE) PLANTING OREGANO TENDING OREGANO HARVESTING OREGANO BEST BETS: OREGANO VARIETIES ROSEMARY (ROSEMARINUS OFFICINALIS) PLANTING ROSEMARY TENDING ROSEMARY HARVESTING ROSEMARY BEST BETS: ROSEMARY VARIETIES SAGE (SALVIA OFFICINALIS) PLANTING SAGE TENDING SAGE HARVESTING SAGE BEST BETS: SAGE VARIETIES THYME (THYMUS VULGARIS) PLANTING THYME TENDING THYME HARVESTING THYME BEST BETS: THYME VARIETIES