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Replanting after Ivan
Gardening is a relaxing pastime, provid ing quiet time to reflect or to just clear one’s mind while carrying out the simple tasks of planting, weeding, watering or harvesting. It can also be therapeutic: Watching plants grow, blossom and produce a harvest can be a celebration of life and after the destruction and devastation of Hurricane Ivan, we may find some healing in helping things grow. Grow Boxes: These are excellent for the home garden as they are easy to construct and maintain. Grow boxes allow for increased yields while decreasing the garden area required and the orderliness of grow boxes produces attractive, efficient gardens. They also help those with low lying properties as they raise plants higher above the water table. Grow boxes can support a variety of food and ornamental plants but large, trailing plants like watermelon and pumpkin are not recommended. Cucumber can do well if supported on a trellis and allowed to grow up instead of being left to spread. Small vegetables that tend to mature all at once or that are used only in small amounts may be planted at staggered times so that there is always a supply that is harvestable. The same goes for ornamentals used in the home such as sunflowers and lilies. Vegetables like escallion and pak choi (Chinese cabbage) can be planted between tomato seedlings or the seedlings of other large vegetables. The smaller vegetables will mature quickly and can be removed before the tomatoes need the space. Setting Up:Grow boxes are simply wooden frames holding soil. Dimensions can be made to suit your space and to accommodate the amount of produce you want. However, for easy cultivation, the maximum width should not exceed 5 feet. The sides of a grow box should not be built too high (max. 8") or the plants will be raised too far above the water table, resulting in water-stressed plants. Build your grow box in a sunny location and fill with soil, or a combination of soil and pro mix. If the soil in your area is heavy, some sand may be added to increase drainage. Incorporate a high phosphate fertilizer like Triple Super Phosphate at a rate of 1 - 2½ lbs per 100 ft2 of soil mixture, then level and water the soil in the grow box. Transplants:Starting vegetables as transplants is good: Transplanted seedlings mature faster and produce higher yields. Also, if few plants are needed, they can be bought as seedlings, saving the cost of buying a whole pack of expensive seeds. When transplanting, set plants that are strong and disease free. Hold plants upside down and tap the bottom of the container to avoid damaging roots. The soil and root system should come out together and can then be planted directly into the plant bed at an appropriate distance from each other (see table). Regular applications of a general soluble fertilizer like Miracle Grow are beneficial and result in greater yields.
Garden Pests:Every backyard gardener will have to use some form of pest control at some time or risk losing his crop. Currently recommended for dealing with pests in the field, home and garden is an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. Actually, most home owners already apply the principles of this management system. For example, pulling weeds, mulching, pesticide application, use of fly strips, etc. All of these practices take into mind economics, safety, practicality and effectiveness. The point of IPM is to weigh the pros and cons of each possible control measure, keeping in mind that every pest situation is different, and then to act accordingly. Monitoring is one of the most important practices in IPM systems. Good observation is the best defense against plant pests. If grow boxes are closely checked, there is little chance of a pest getting out of control; therefore yield losses are largely avoided. Another easy measure is to use repellant plants in your grow box. Repellant plants are those which many pests find offensive; they are normally useful and attractive plants to people but insects and other pests cannot tolerate their smell. Examples include: marigold, scallion, aloe and many of the plants used for seasoning, such as rosemary and mint. Repellants are an easy way to keep out pests and many can be reaped just like vegetable crops. Seedlings for Sale:The Department of Agriculture now has seedlings for sale at the Lower Valley Office and Nursery. Sweet peppers, seasoning peppers and scotch bonnet peppers are all available. Also offered are cucumber, tomato, pak choi, broccoli and cauliflower seedlings. Seedlings are being sold in 3" cups at $0.50 a plant. Callaloo seeds are also for sale at $1.00 per pack. This time of year is favorable for growing vegetables such as tomatoes, broccoli, pak choi and cauliflower, all of which prosper in cooler weather.
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