Caring for the Garden
In most areas the garden requires a moisture supply equivalent
to about an inch of rain a week during the growing season for best
plant growth. It requires roughly that amount of watering a week
to maintain good production if the moisture stored in the soil
becomes depleted and no rain falls over periods of weeks.
An inch of rain is equivalent to about 28,000 gallons on an
acre, or 900 gallons on a 30- by 50-foot garden.
It is much better to give the garden a good soaking about once
a week than to water it sparingly more often. Light sprinklings at
frequent intervals do little, if any, good.
The best way to apply
water, when the soil and slope are suitable, is to run it the
length of furrows between the rows until the soil is well soaked.
If the soil is very sandy or the surface too irregular for the
furrow method, sprinklers or porous irrigating hose must be used.
Weeds rob cultivated plants of water, nutrients, and light.
Some weeds harbor diseases, insects, and nematodes that re-infest
garden crops in succeeding years.
As soon as the soil can be properly worked after each rain or
irrigation, it should be thoroughly hoed or cultivated to kill
weeds that have sprouted and to leave the surface in a loose,
friable condition to absorb later rainfall.
The primary value of hoeing or cultivating is weed control.
This cultivation should be shallow so as to avoid injuring the
vegetable plant roots that lie near the surface. Although it is
desirable to keep the surface soil loose, there is little to be
gained by hoeing or cultivating oftener than necessary to keep
weeds out of the garden.
In small gardens, weeds can be controlled with black
polyethylene mulch supplemented by hand weeding such as
pulling, hoeing, and wheel hoeing. Mulching vegetable crops with
organic material also is a common practice in small gardens.
The best organic mulches are partially decomposed hay, straw,
or grass clippings. The mulch should be applied 4 to 6 inches deep
when the plants are about 6 inches tall. Cabbage, tomato, and
other transplants usually are tall enough soon after they are set
in the garden.
Before applying mulch, hoe out all small weeds. Not only does
mulch control weeds, it also conserves moisture, keeps the soil
from packing, and increases the humus necessary for vigorous plant
Herbicides for the home garden
Herbicides are generally not recommended for home gardens;
however, trifluralin and DCPA are registered for use in many
vegetable crops. If these are used, care must be taken to insure
proper application. Soil fumigants usually kill most of the seeds
or vegetative reproductive organs of weeds present. The
non-selective, broad spectrum herbicide glyphosate may be used
prior to planting to control many perennial weeds, and many
gardeners use it with hand-held weed wipers to selectively control
weeds in the garden.
Controlling Diseases, Insects and Nematodes Garden crops are
subject to attack by a number of diseases and insects. Preventive
measures are best, but if an attack occurs and the gardener is not
familiar with the nematode, insect or disease and the proper
treatment to protect his crop, he is advised to consult the county
Among the most important disease-control measures are the use
of disease-free seeds and plants, and the use of disease-resistant
Great progress has been made within recent years in the
development of varieties that are resistant to certain diseases,
insects and nematodes.
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