iica barbados backyard gardening booklet
DESCRIPTION
Guide for backyard gardens.TRANSCRIPT
Acknowledgements
Sow and Reap the
Benefits!
Gardening to reduce your food bill and to
improve your health
This booklet was completed as part of an undergraduate
internship with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation
in Agriculture (IICA) in Barbados, and part of a research
project for McGill University and the University of the West
Indies Cavehill Campus.
This project (and internship) was undertaken with the
financial support of: the Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA) Students for Development
Program (SFD).
Many thanks to: Mr. Jeff Chandler (UWI), Dr. Francis Lopez
(UWI), Mrs. Susan Mahon (McGill Bellairs Research Institute
(Barbados)), Dr. Danielle Donnelly (McGill), Dr. Stan Kubow
(McGill), Mr. Joseph Peltier (IICA), Mr. Damien Hinds (IICA)
The editors sincerely hope that this booklet is used successfully to establish home gardens in Barbados, engender
a love and appreciation of gardening and food production, as well as well as contribute to the improvement of the health,
financial security and well-being of the Barbadian people
Editors:
Katia Colton-Gagnon Lauren Forbes Annelise Miller
Page 1
Chief Editor/ Layout Design: Annelise Miller
Page 24 Last updated: 26.08.2009
Photos: Lauren Forbes, Annelise Miller, Katia Colton-Gagnon
Page 2 Page 23
Table of Contents Introduction
The Benefits of Home Gardening……………
Garden Setups and Structures……………….
General Gardening Information………………
Good Agricultural Practices…………………….
Observation, Records, Weeding……..
Crop Rotation, Intercropping………….
Manure and Composting………………….
How to compost……………………………….
Basic Crop by Crop Growing Guide
Beets, Carrots, Celery.……………………………
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Bok Choy
Cucumbers, Squash, Watermelon………….
Lettuce…………………………………………………….
String Beans, Okra ………………………………..
Sweet Peppers…………………………………………
Tomatoes…………………………………………………
Thyme, parsley, chives…………………………..
Advanced Information
Crop Quick Guide…………………………………….
Pest Guide……………………………………………….
Disease Guide………………………………………….
References…………………………………………………….
Acknowledgements…………………………………….
References
Commercial Vegetable Production Guides. North Willamette Research and
Extension Center, Horticultural Sciences Deparment of Oregon State
University,18 Apr 2005. Available at:
http://hort-devel-nwrec.hort.oregonstate.edu/vegindex.html.
Accessed 7 Jul 2009.
Composting: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. United States Environmental
Protection Agency, 2008. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/waste/
conserve/rrr/composting/index.htm. Accessed 25 Jul 2009.
Extension Series, OSU. Plant Disease Series Index. The Ohio State
University Extension Services Series, 2009. Available at: http://
ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/index.htm. Accessed 04 Jul 2009.
“How to Grow…” Crop Information Pamphlets [Celery, cruciferous
vegetables, curcurbits, lettuce, okra, string beans, sweet pepper,
tomatoes]. Barbados Ministry of Agriculture, 2001.
IFAS, UFL. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science,
Dept. of Entomology and Nematology; Florida Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, Jun
2009. Available at: http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/.
Accessed 3 Jul 2009.
Taiz, L. and E. Zeiger. A Companion to Plant Physiology. Fourth edition,
online. Available at http://4e.plantphys.net/article.php?ch=t&id=289.
Accessed 15 Jul 2009.
UC IPM Online: Statewide integrated pest management program. University
of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2009. Available at:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/index.html. Accessed 25 Jun 2009.
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Disease Guide The Benefits of Home Gardening Bacterial Leaf Spot (left)
-affects leaves of tomatoes, sweet peppers, string beans
-Symptoms: water-soaked greasy spots on the leaves
surrounded by yellow halos. Spots can combine to form
large, yellow-brown and irregularly shaped dead spots
-Management: Prevention!! Crop rotation with non-host plants; re-
move diseased parts; deep plough diseased debris; avoid working
with the plants in wet conditions and irrigate early in the day to
avoid excess humidity on leaves (the bacteria thrives in wet condi-
tions)
Early Blight (left)
-commonly affects tomatoes
-Symptoms: small, irregular, dark brown or black dead
spots up to 1/2” diameter appearing on older leaves,
growing concentrically to be sunken dark spots with a
“bull’s eye appearance”. Affects leaves, stems, fruit
-Management: Prevention (crop rotation)! Remove dis-
eased areas; use disease-free seeds/seedlings; control
weeds; monitor soil fertility and greenhouse humidity (ensure soil fer-
tile; air not too humid)
Late Blight (left)
-affects tomatoes; extremely serious if not managed
-Symptoms: pale green, water soaked spots with
yellow halo on leaf edges, rapidly growing and turn dark
brown to purplish-black; when leaves wet and humidity
high, cottony white mould on lower leaf and at lesion
edges; green tomato fruit can develop large, hard,
brown, leathery spots sometimes covered in mould
-Management: dispose of infected parts properly (DO NOT LEAVE NEAR
FIELD) by burning, burying, shredding; use healthy tomato seedlings
free of lesions on leaves or stems
Why should I bother with home gardening?”
Health Benefits
-Physical Activity: Working in the garden can be a
part of your daily recommended physical activity requirements. Regular physical activity lowers your
risk for chronic disease and helps in weight
management
-Fresh vegetables: Vegetables are excellent sources
of vitamins, minerals and compounds good for health. Because home-produced vegetables are consumed
fresh, they are of high quality, are safe (you know
how they were produced!) and affordable!
Vegetables are integral part of a healthy diet and
producing your own is an affordable way to health!
-Relaxation/Therapeutic: Gardening is a relaxing
activity and serves as a good stress reliever
Financial Benefits
-Reduce your overall food bill and improve your
finances: Less money spent on over-priced vegetables at the supermarket leaves more money
for other important expenses and for pleasure
-Improves health resulting in lower medical expenses: Increased vegetable affordability and
consumption in addition to the physical activity benefits makes you healthier and reduces your
medical bill
Fun Factor/Educational
-Gardening can be very fun and getting kids involved in food production can increase their interest in consuming vegetables and improves their health
while having fun and learning about plants and about
responsibility!
-A simple design using any type of container that can hold soil (e.g. tires, plastic bottles/jugs, garbage cans, cement blocks, etc.)
-Flexible design and very inexpensive (if recycling materials). Reduces waste when using recycled containers
-Safety of the containers is the only concern (e.g.
Plastics degrading in the sunlight over time)
-The simplest, least expensive design of all: just using soil already found in your back/front yard
-Unused grassy areas and corners in front/back yards can be used by digging up the grass and applying fresh soil and manure before planting
- A covered garden that changes the growing en-vironment (like increased temperature and humid-ity) and allows you to grow in all kinds of condi-
tions (e.g. the wet season)
-Homemade or bought (using wooden, metal or PVC posts, plastic sheeting or shade netting or a clear plastic roof and a drip irrigation system)
-The most technical and expensive of the designs but durable and efficient in design
-A self-contained garden that is not covered
-Can be made with wood, cement blocks or other scrap material to make an enclosed space so soil can be added to a much higher level than the ground
-Much less expensive than a greenhouse, but cannot grow sun-sensitive plants in it and need to buy large amounts of soil to fill it
Page 4 Page 21
Pest Guide Diamond back moth (adult, above left)
-affects most cruciferous crops (broccoli, cauliflower,
cabbage, Chinese cabbage)
-damages seedlings, disrupts head formation
-Symptoms: presence of eggs (bottom left): oval
and flattened, 0.44 mm long & 0.26 mm wide,
yellow to pale green, deposited on the surface of
leaves — egg will hatch 5 - 6 days after deposition
Larvae feeding on the lower surface of the leaves.
-Management: Grow cruciferous vegetables in an area sealed by
netting; when eggs are detected, immediately remove them;
remove cruciferous weeds in the area (they are hosts)
Information from: http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/leaf/diamondback_moth.htm Photos: http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/leaf/diamondback_moth.htm ; http://www.inra.fr/hyppz/IMAGES/7032741.jpg
Mealybug (top left)
-Very small. Mostly attacks fruit trees but it can at-
tack garden vegetables
-Symptoms: Feeds on stems and leaves,
secretes “honeydew”/wax (bottom left) on stems,
leaves, fruits which attracts ants and may cause
“sooty mold” (a black, fuzzy mold)
-Management: introduce ladybugs (lady beetles) as a
natural control measure; can apply a dry soap wash (dish soap on a
sponge that has been squeezed out to remove excess moisture);
Remove loose bark from trees located near the garden (they may
hibernate in the bark) Information and photos from: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/ PESTS/mealybugs.html
Garden Setups and Structures Greenhouse
Grow Box
Container Garden
Soil plot
Page 20 Page 5
Pest Guide Leafminer (adult top left)
-Adult is a yellow and black fly, but it is the larvae
that are damaging
-Symptoms: twisting “mines”/lines on the leaf
(bottom left) due to larva feeding under the leaf sur-
face
-Mostly affects seedlings, chards, and spinach but has
no long-lasting negative effect other than being unsightly
-Management: Protect seedlings with cloth (polyethylene, polyester,
plastic), clip off damaged leaves.
Information and pictures from: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/
vegleafminers.html
Nematode (top left)
-Eel-like, microscopic roundworms; root knot, cyst, root
lesion nematodes most commonly affect vegetable
crops
-Symptoms: Aboveground: symptoms similar to lack of
water or nutrients—yellowing, wilting (even when soil
moisture adequate), loss of vigor, slowed growth, fewer
and smaller leaves
Belowground: root knot nematodes produce
characteristic swollen roots (called “galls”)
-Prevention: crop rotation (particularly with marigolds), soil solari-
zation (moist the soil and cover its surface with a clear plastic)
every year. Sanitation important (spread is by infected plant parts
or infected soil) so buy nematode-free seedlings and soil, and avoid
moving plants and soil from infested areas. Keep the soil moisture
high by adding organic matter regularly (compost, manure)
-Management: introduce roundworms into the soil; removal and
disposal of all infected areas
A few basic things to increase the productivity of your garden
Buy fungicide-treated seeds
If using drip irrigation, plant seeds/seedlings approx. 2” from each emitter
(hole); otherwise, use the same plant spacing between each seedling/seed
as between rows (e.g. 15 cm between plants, 15 cm between rows)
When watering, make sure not to splash soil onto the plant—this may
spread disease and contaminate edible plant parts
Transplant seedlings in the afternoon instead of the morning to reduce
heat stress
Use “Safer Soap” or a neem-based natural insecticide (like Neem-X) for
pest control (if using Neem-X, use a pH buffer like pH plus)
Irrigate/water frequently and lightly in the dry season and monitor soil
moisture during the wet season ; prevent water-logging by ensuring
adequate soil drainage (raised/ sloped soil beds or plant on a ridge)
Practice good agricultural practices (GAPs) to manage your garden
sustainably (see following pages)
Consult the Ministry of Agriculture for treatment options in cases of
severe infestations / disease outbreak:
Barbados Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
(246)428-4159 ext. 2289 OR 2272
Or IICA:
Joseph Peltier/ Damien Hinds (246)427-4740/1/2
Garden Basics
Qu
ick
Cro
p G
uid
e
Page 6 Page 19
Cro
p
Pla
nt
spac
ing
(in
inch
es)
Tim
e u
nti
l beg
inn
ing
of
har
vest
O
ther
Cro
p n
ote
s
Bee
ts
8
8-1
0 w
eek
s h
arve
st e
nti
re p
lan
t an
d c
an c
on
sum
e le
aves
Bro
cco
li 1
2-1
6
7-8
wee
ks (
50
-60
day
s)
rem
ove
sid
e b
ran
ches
to
incr
eas
e h
ead
siz
e; m
on
ito
r fo
r la
rvae
Cab
bag
e
12
-16
5
-10
we
eks
(55
-75
day
s)
mo
nit
or
for
larv
ae
Car
rots
8
1
2-1
6 w
eek
s h
arve
st e
nti
re p
lan
t an
d d
isca
rd le
ave
s
Cau
liflo
wer
1
2-1
6
app
rox
8 w
eeks
(5
8 d
ays)
ti
e le
ave
s ar
ou
nd
cu
rd w
hen
fir
st v
isib
le; m
on
ito
r fo
r la
rvae
Cel
ery
6
-8
4-5
mo
nth
s (1
10
-15
0 d
ays)
gr
ow
in s
had
ed a
rea;
rem
ove
ou
ter
stal
ks t
o in
crea
se s
ize
Ch
ines
e C
abb
age
1
2-1
6
app
rox
1 m
on
th (
28
-35
day
s)
mo
nit
or
for
larv
ae, c
ater
pill
ars
Ch
ive
s 6
-8
vari
es
rem
ove
flo
wer
bu
ds
wh
en t
he
y fo
rm; d
o n
ot
app
ly f
erti
lizer
Cu
cum
ber
1
2
7 w
eek
s h
arve
st b
efo
re t
oo
mat
ure
; can
sta
ke if
vin
e gr
ow
th e
xce
ssiv
e
Lett
uce
8
-12
5
-6 w
eeks
en
sure
ad
equ
ate
irri
gati
on
; har
vest
in t
he
mo
rnin
g
Okr
a 5
-10
6
-8
har
vest
eve
ry 1
-2 d
ays
du
rin
g co
ol p
erio
d o
f d
ay
Par
sley
6
-8
vari
es
rem
ove
flo
wer
bu
ds
wh
en t
he
y fo
rm; d
o n
ot
app
ly f
erti
lizer
Squ
ash
1
8
7-9
wee
ks
har
vest
be
fore
to
o m
atu
re; c
an s
take
if v
ine
gro
wth
exc
ess
ive
Stri
ng
Bea
ns
2-3
6
-7 w
eeks
h
arve
st e
very
5-7
day
s b
efo
re s
eed
s b
eco
me
pro
min
ent
Swe
et P
epp
ers
9-1
2
11
we
eks
avo
id e
rrat
ic ir
riga
tio
n, u
se c
rush
ed e
ggsh
ells
to
co
ntr
ol s
lugs
Thym
e 6
-8
vari
es
rem
ove
flo
wer
bu
ds
wh
en t
he
y fo
rm; d
o n
ot
app
ly f
erti
lizer
Tom
ato
es
12
1
0-1
2 w
eek
s p
run
e n
ew g
row
th b
etw
een
maj
or
bra
nch
po
ints
; mo
un
d s
oil
Wat
erm
elo
n
24
1
2 w
eek
s h
arve
st b
efo
re t
oo
mat
ure
; can
sta
ke if
vin
e gr
ow
th e
xce
ssiv
e Key Concepts in Sustainable Gardening
or Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)
Rather than talking about “organic” growing, a term that
implies regulation and certification, it is more useful to talk
about sustainable gardening and good agricultural practices
(GAPs)
Well, what is meant by “sustainable” (in this context)?
Simply: to be self-sufficient by excluding synthetic
(artificial/chemical) fertilizers and pesticides; by
maximizing the use of local/natural resources and by
applying good agricultural practices
Why GAPs/ sustainable practices?
Financial: less money spent needlessly on products
Practical: less dependence on external inputs, safer
vegetables and fruits
Environmental: GAPs keep your soil and environment
in good condition, further reducing your need for future
inputs and assuring long-term viability of production!
Concepts to be discussed:
Observation Skills & Record-Keeping
Weeding
Crop Rotation
Intercropping
Manure/Compost Use
GAPs
Page 18 Page 7
Observation Skills and Record-Keeping
As a gardener, your most useful attribute is your
eyesight—your observation skills.
Regular observation of your garden:
Detects the presence of insect pests, weeds, diseases
or any other abnormalities with the crops
Allows for easier management of pests, weeds,
diseases
Develop prevention strategies based on observations and garden records like crop rotation and
pest management strategies
Minimize damage/inputs by early detection and
management
Record-Keeping
Allows for you to track garden expenses and profits/
savings
Document pest, weed and disease management
practices for future reference (what practices were
used? Were they successful? Why/why not?)
Note where crops are planted to make crop rotation and intercropping more efficient and effective
Weeding (manually!!)
What is weeding? The removal of unwanted plants that compete with the desired plants. Weeds should be removed when they are
young and not yet established. Ensure roots are removed.
Why is it important?
Weeds compete with your vegetable plants for food, sunlight and water and can secrete chemicals that damage/
kill your crops. They can also be hosts for insect pests and
diseases which can damage your vegetable crops.
Thyme, Parsley, Chives —Where to grow—
-Can be grown in pots, in a greenhouse, in cement
blocks or a grow box
-Best interspersed between other crops to reduce pest
infestation
-Best grown in full sun and can thrive in drier, less fertile
soil
—Spacing—
-Seedlings should be 6”-8" apart in a row or in a pot
—Time until harvesting—
-Vary depending on the variety and growing conditions
—Harvesting—
-As soon as leaves are large enough for harvesting but
do not over harvest
—Other recommendations—
- DO NOT apply fertilizer to herbs because that will cause
them to grow too quickly and lose their flavour
- Prune/remove flowers from the plant to increase
bushiness and lengthen the duration of the harvest
-Do not plant chives near string beans as chemicals
emitted by the chives inhibit string bean growth
Page 8 Page 17
GAPs Crop Rotation
What is meant by crop rotation?
The practice of changing the location of each vegetable crop in your garden every planting and/or
choosing different vegetable crops each planting
For example:
Planting #1 (e.g. May) Planting #2 (e.g. November)
Why practice crop rotation?
Breaks the pest and disease cycle for crops (if you plant in the same place multiple times, insects and diseases get more easily established because their
optimal environment is always there)
Prevents the depletion of soil nutrients and can con-
tribute nutrients back to the soil (beans and other le-
guminous crops contribute nitrogen to the soil)
Intercropping
The practice of planting two or more crops in the same space instead of mono-cropping (only planting
one type of vegetable in your garden)
Why practice intercropping?
Prevent the establishment of diseases and pests by
keeping the garden environment diverse
Diverse array of vegetables for your consumption!
String Lettuce Tomatoes
Beans
String Lettuce Tomatoes
Beans
Lettuce Sweet String
Peppers Beans
Lettuce Sweet String
Peppers Beans
Tomatoes
—Where to grow—
-Best grown in a greenhouse/ covered garden to avoid
sun scalding & bird damage
—Spacing—
-Seedlings should be 12" apart in the row.
—Time until Harvesting—
-10-12 weeks from transplanting
—Harvesting—
-Harvest when pink if sending to local markets or fully ripe (red and tender to the touch) if consuming at home
—Diseases, Insects—
-Diseases: bacterial leaf spot, root rot
-Insects: aphids, leafminers, whiteflies, russett mite,
leaf-eating caterpillars, fruit worms, flea beetles, cut
worms, mole crickets, flower midge, millipedes
—Other recommendations—
-Once a week, heap soil around base of plant
-Mulching using bagasse, coconut husk or plastic
recommended to retain soil moisture
-In the wet season, plants out in the open should be
covered in plastic to prevent disease and damage
-Prune the plant by removing any new growth emerging
between main branches
Page 16 Page 9
GAPs
Manure and Compost Compost and manure should ideally be incorporated into the
soil before each time you plant
Manure
Manure from many sources can be used in your
garden to improve soil fertility (in particular nitrogen
content)
Chicken, cow or sheep manure are the most common
and can be bought fresh or in dried (pellet) form
It is best to buy well-rotted manure or to allow the
manure to decompose before using by leaving it out
in a pile in the sun for 1-2 weeks before applying
Always acquire your manure from a reputable source and choose well-rotted manure to avoid the spread
of diseases and weeds (seeds can be in the manure)
Compost
An excellent source of nutrients for your soil
Reduces household waste, beneficial for the
environment and can be done indoors or outdoors
How to compost
The easiest way to compost is to set up your own
compost pile indoors or outdoors. All you need is three parts: browns (e.g. dead leaves, twigs, small branches), greens (e.g. vegetable waste, grass clippings, fruit scraps, coffee
grounds) and water
Browns and greens should ideally be in equal proportion
when mixed and should be chopped into small pieces
(continued next page)
Composting information from US EPA:http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/ composting/index.htm
Sweet Peppers —Where to grow—
-Best grown in a greenhouse/ covered garden to avoid
scalding & bird damage
—Spacing—
-Seeds/seedlings should be 9"-12" apart in the row.
—Time until harvesting—
-11 weeks from transplanting to harvest
-harvesting can continue for 6 to 9 months
—Harvesting—
-usually harvested when green and fully
formed if planning to sell at local markets
-peppers can be left in the field to further
redden if being consumed at home
-harvest with the stem on
—Diseases, Insects—
-Diseases: bacterial leaf spot, root rot
-Insects: aphids, plant bugs, thrips, whiteflies, flower midge, slugs, leaf miners
—Other recommendations—
-Crushed eggshells on soil surface work well to control
slug problems
-Avoid excess nitrogen fertilization and erratic irrigation (this causes a rotting of the fruit)
Page 10 Page 15
Composting, continued
Outdoor composting
This can be done by setting up a compost pile or by
buying/making your own bin in a dry, shaded area.
Method 1: Add greens and browns as needed and moisten if
they are dry. Once pile is established, make sure to bury (10” deep) new greens and browns when added. Compost that is
ready is dark and rich in colour(the bottom will be ready first)
Method 2: Layer the composting area with 6” brown, followed
by 3” of green materials with a bit of soil, and mix together. On top of the mixed layer, add 3” brown materials and mois-
ten with water. Turn the pile with a pitchfork or shovel every 1-2 weeks and move dried material on the edges to the mid-
dle. Continue until the pile does not reheat after turning.
Indoor composting
Done using a special bin that can be bought or home-made. Instructions on how to make an indoor compost bin and for further composting can be found on the EPA site: http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/composting/by_compost.htm
What to compost?
Yes No
-Animal manure -Black walnut tree leaves or twigs
-Clean cardboard and paper (no oil) -Coal or charcoal ash -Coffee grounds and filters, teabags -Dairy products (butter,eggs,milk,etc)
-Dryer and vacuum lint -Diseased or infested (pests) plants -Eggshells -Fats, greases, oils, lard -Fireplace ashes -Meat or fish bones or scraps -Fruit and vegetable scraps -Pet wastes (cat/dog feces or litter) -Grass and yard clippings/trimmings -Yard cuttings or other plant material -Hair and fur, hay and straw treated with pesticides or other -Nut shells chemicals
-Shredded newspaper
-Sawdust, wood chippings
Info from:http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/ composting/index.htm
Okra
—Where to grow—
-Can be grown in a greenhouse or in the open
—Spacing—
-String beans are usually planted by seed. Seeds should
be sown 1”-1.5” deep and 2”-3” apart
—Time until harvesting—
-harvesting can be started 6-7 weeks after sowing but
full maturity reached at 10 weeks
-Harvest every 5 to 7 days before the seeds become
prominent in the pods
—Diseases, Insects—
-Insects: aphids, leaf-hoppers, leafminers, stink bugs, thrips, whiteflies, mites, leaf-eating
caterpillars
-Diseases: fusarium dry root rot,bacterial leaf spot
—Spacing—
-seeds should be sown 5” apart; seedlings should be
planted 10” apart (all to be done in a grow-box)
—Time until harvesting—
-Can be started 6-8 weeks after planting
-Harvest every 1-2 days during the cooler period of the
day with clean secateurs (scissors), leaving 1” of stem
on the fruit
String Beans GAPs
Page 14 Page 11
Beets, Carrots
Celery
—Spacing—
-Seedlings should be 8" apart in the row, in the open
—Time until harvesting—
-8-10 weeks for beets
-12-16 weeks for carrots
—Harvesting—
-Entire plant is removed for harvesting—carrot leaves
can be thrown out but entire beet plant can be
consumed
—Where to grow—
-Best grown in a greenhouse/covered garden (with
shade netting)
—Spacing—
-Seedlings should be 6”-8" apart in the row
—Time until harvesting—
-4-5 months after transplanting
—Harvesting—
-To increase bushiness, periodically remove outside
stalks; when harvesting, cut at soil level
Lettuce —Where to grow—
-Best grown in a greenhouse/ covered (plastic or shade
netting) garden, using drip lines to avoid soil splashing
—Spacing—
-Seeds/seedlings should be 8"-12" apart in the row.
—Time until harvesting—
-5-6 weeks from transplanting to harvest
-harvest when lettuce head is well- developed, of good green colour, firm
and crisp
—Harvesting—
-harvest in the early morning with the roots intact to maintain leaf firmness and cripiness
—Diseases, Insects—
-Insects: leaf hoppers, white flies, slugs
—Other recommendations—
-Adequate irrigation required to produce succulent
lettuce
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Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Chinese
Cabbage —Where to grow—
-Best grown in a garden sealed/covered by shade
netting to keep out pests, however can be grown in the
open if monitoring the plants for larvae presence
—Spacing—
-Seedlings should be 12"-16” apart in the row.
—Time until harvesting—
-Broccoli: 50-60 days after transplanting
-Cauliflower: 58 days
-Cabbage: 55-75 days
-Chinese cabbage: 28-35 days
—Harvesting—
-Broccoli: harvest when head deep green, firm and tight
-Cauliflower: 7-12 days after tying leaves around the
curd, when curd is compact and white
-Cabbage: when firm to touch and well-developed
-Chinese Cabbage: before seed stocks form
—Diseases, Insects—
-Insects: Diamond back both (larvae cause damage)
—Other recommendations—
-Broccoli: remove side buds to increase head size
-Cauliflower: tie leaves around the flower to prevent sun
and rain damage
Cucumbers, Squash, Watermelon —Where to grow—
-best grown in areas with a lot of room for vine growth:
for example a grow box
—Spacing—
-Cucumber: sow seeds 12” apart
-Squash: sow seeds 18” apart
-Watermelon: sow seeds 24” apart
—Time until harvesting—
-Cucumbers: 7 weeks
-Squash: 7-9 weeks
-Watermelon: 12 weeks
—Harvesting—
-Cucumbers: harvest when the spines on the
fruit fall off and the tendrils near the fruit dry
-Watermelon: harvest when tendrils near
the fruit are dry or when bottom of fruit
changes color from white to light yellow
—Diseases, Insects—
-Insects: thrips, whiteflies, leaf miner, aphids
—Other recommendations—
-harvest cucumber and squash before they are too
mature, otherwise the plant will use too much energy
and decrease later yields