vegetable croopp production - ucanr

Vegetable Crog

Richard SmithV bl C d W dVegetable Crop and WeedUniversity of California CMonterey CountyMonterey County

op Production p

d S i F Ad id Science Farm AdvisorCooperative Extension

VegetablVegetablVegetablVegetabl

•• There are innumerable There are innumerable worldworld

•• Vegetables form an impVegetables form an imphuman diethuman diet

•• They provide minerals,They provide minerals,antioxidants sugars santioxidants sugars santioxidants, sugars, santioxidants, sugars, s

•• They provide flavor andThey provide flavor and

le Cropsle Cropsle Cropsle Crops

vegetable crops in the vegetable crops in the

portant part of the portant part of the

, fiber, vitamins, , fiber, vitamins, starch etcstarch etcstarch, etc. starch, etc. d variety to the dietd variety to the diet

TopTop1.1. Types of vegetable croTypes of vegetable cro22 Their seasonTheir season2.2. Their season Their season 3.3. Growing requirementsGrowing requirements4.4. Growing SystemsGrowing Systems5.5. EquipmentEquipment5.5. EquipmentEquipment6.6. FinancingFinancing77 Quality & MarketingQuality & Marketing7.7. Quality & MarketingQuality & Marketing8.8. What to GrowWhat to Grow9.9. Sources of InformatioSources of Informatio

picspicsopsops

ss

nn

Cool SeasonCool SeasonLettuces Lettuces

Baby LeafBaby Leaf

ArtArtyy

Endive

n Vegetablesn Vegetables Cole Crops Cole Crops

ichokesichokes

Peas CeleryPeas Celery

CardoonCardoon

Warm SeasoWarm SeasoSS

CucurbitsCucurbitsSweeSwee

Green Beans

on Vegetableson VegetablesCC

SolanaceousSolanaceouset Cornet Corn

Chili PepperChili PepperChili PepperChili Pepper

Root VegRoot VegRoot VegRoot VegAlliumsAlliums

LeekLeek

getablesgetablesgetablesgetables

Sweet PotatoSweet PotatoPotatoPotato

Daikon RadishDaikon Radish

Specialty VeSpecialty Ve

CilantCilant

NopalesNopales

JicamJicam

Swiss Swiss Mustard GreensMustard Greens

egetablesegetables

Bitter MelonBitter Melontrotro

Snake GourdSnake Gourdmama

ChardChardRed Heart Radish

VegetableVegetable

•• Cool Season Cool Season Vegetables that can be Vegetables that can be spring (nearly year rounspring (nearly year rounTypical mean growing teTypical mean growing teto 70 ºFto 70 ºFCan handle light frosts Can handle light frosts Edible portions are ofteEdible portions are ofteExamples are cabbage, Examples are cabbage, spinachspinach

e Seasonse Seasons

grown fall through winter to grown fall through winter to nd in the Salinas Valley)nd in the Salinas Valley)emperatures range from 50 emperatures range from 50

or even freezingor even freezingn leaves, stems or rootsn leaves, stems or rootspotato, carrot, lettuce & potato, carrot, lettuce &

VegetableVegetable

•• Warm Season VegetabWarm Season VegetabggGrown spring through fGrown spring through fTypical temperature ranTypical temperature ranyp pyp pIntolerant of frostIntolerant of frostEdible portions are usuaEdible portions are usuaEdible portions are usuaEdible portions are usuaExamples are green beaExamples are green beasquashsquashqq

e Seasonse Seasons

leslesfall (April to November)fall (April to November)nge is from 65 to 85 ºFnge is from 65 to 85 ºFgg

ally fruit or podsally fruit or podsally fruit or podsally fruit or podsans, tomatoes, melons and ans, tomatoes, melons and

Growing ReGrowing ReWith reference toWith reference toWith reference toWith reference to

•• A key factor affecting aA key factor affecting ay gy gvegetables vegetables

Length of growing seasLength of growing seasg g gg g g•• Nearly year round for cooNearly year round for coo

to November for warm seto November for warm seClimatic factors (highs aClimatic factors (highs a

•• Below freezing and over Below freezing and over Soil quality factorsSoil quality factors

•• Drainage, depth, texture Drainage, depth, texture production early) slopeproduction early) slopeproduction early), slope, production early), slope,

equirementsequirementso Salinas Valleyo Salinas Valleyo Salinas Valleyo Salinas Valley

ability to grow ability to grow y gy g

sonsonol season vegetables and April ol season vegetables and April eason vegetableseason vegetablesand lows)and lows)90 ºF can be problematic90 ºF can be problematic

(affects ability to get into (affects ability to get into etcetcetc.etc.


•• Adequate and timely irrAdequate and timely irr


igation igation


•• FertilityFertilityyyNitrogen is always neceNitrogen is always necePhosphorus and potassPhosphorus and potassp pp pmacronutrientsmacronutrientsCalcium is mostly addeCalcium is mostly addeyyZinc is the most commoZinc is the most commoneededneeded


essary to addessary to addsium are also sium are also

d to amend the soil d to amend the soil on micronutrient that is on micronutrient that is

Growing ReGrowing ReGrowing ReGrowing ReLow total N content

<120 lbs/acreMedium

cont120-200

Baby Greens CarBeans Gar

C b L ttCucumbers LettRadish Melo

Spinach OniopSquashes Pepp

SweetTToma

equirementsequirementsequirementsequirementsm total N

tentlbs/acre

High total N content>200 lbs/acre

rrot Broccolirlic Cabbaget C lifltuce Cauliflowerons Celeryons Potatoperst Cornatoes

Insect Insect With reference toWith reference toWith reference toWith reference to

Aphids (many different Aphids (many different Worms (larvae of mothsWorms (larvae of mothsSymphyllansSymphyllansy yy yLeafminerLeafminerMany othersMany othersyy

IssuesIssueso Salinas Valleyo Salinas Valleyo Salinas Valleyo Salinas Valley

species)species)s)s)

DiseaseDiseaseWith reference toWith reference toWith reference toWith reference to

Downy mildew of lettuceDowny mildew of lettuceSclerotiniaSclerotiniaPowdery MildewPowdery MildewyyVerticilliumVerticilliumVirusesVirusesMany othersMany others

e Issuese Issueso Salinas Valleyo Salinas Valleyo Salinas Valleyo Salinas Valley

ee

Weed IWeed IWeed IWeed IWith reference toWith reference to

•• Cool and Warm SeasCool and Warm Seas

IssuesIssuesIssuesIssueso Salinas Valleyo Salinas Valley

son Weedsson Weeds

Winter aWinter a

NettleNettleNettleNettle

Groundsel Groundsel

annualsannuals

Shepherds PurseShepherds PurseShepherds PurseShepherds Purse

Sow Thistle Sow Thistle

Summer AnnualsSummer Annuals

PurslanePurslane

NightshadesNightshades

Nettleleaf GoosefootNettleleaf Goosefoot

Weed ControWeed ControWeed ControWeed Contro

•• CulturalCultural•• CulturalCultural•• BiologicalBiologicalgg•• ChemicalChemical

ol Strategiesol Strategiesol Strategiesol Strategies

Growing Growing

•• ConventionalConventional–– Able to utilize standard Able to utilize standard

insects, disease, nematinsects, disease, nemat–– Can use standard fertilizCan use standard fertiliz

•• OrganicOrganicOrganicOrganic–– Only able to use organicOnly able to use organic

pest management, soil fpest management, soil fp g ,p g ,–– Emphasis is placed on bEmphasis is placed on b

qualityqualityq yq y

SystemsSystems

pesticides to control pesticides to control todes and weedstodes and weedszerszers

cally approved products for cally approved products for fertility fertility yybuilding soil fertility and building soil fertility and

EquipEquip

•• Vegetable farming is eqVegetable farming is eqg g qg g qyou can almost never hyou can almost never h

DiscDisc LL

Deep RipperDeep Ripper SpSp

pmentpment

quipment intensive and quipment intensive and q pq phave enough equipmenthave enough equipment

Listing BedsListing Beds

ike Tooth Harrowike Tooth Harrow

EquipEquip

PlanterPlanter

Brush HoeBrush Hoe

pmentpment

Cultivator

Following CultivationFollowing CultivationFollowing CultivationFollowing Cultivation

FinancFinancFinancFinanc•• Finding capital to finanFinding capital to finanFinding capital to finanFinding capital to finan

growing operations begrowing operations beand can be soldand can be soldand can be soldand can be sold

cingcingcingcingnce planting andnce planting andnce planting and nce planting and efore the crops mature efore the crops mature

Quality andQuality andQuality and Quality and •• Quality is critical to suQuality is critical to suQuality is critical to suQuality is critical to su•• Consumers demand hConsumers demand h

produceproduceproduceproduce

MarketingMarketingMarketingMarketinguccessuccessuccessuccessigh quality, blemish free igh quality, blemish free

Quality andQuality andQ yQ y•• Marketing is critical to gMarketing is critical to g

for your investment of tfor your investment of tfor your investment of tfor your investment of t

There are many optionsThere are many optionsy py p•• Farmer’s MarketsFarmer’s Markets•• Direct to retail/food serviceDirect to retail/food service•• Community SupportedCommunity Supported•• Community SupportedCommunity Supported

AgricultureAgriculture•• Wholesale Wholesale

The right choice will be The right choice will be key to the success of your key to the success of your y yy yoperationoperation

d Marketingd Marketinggggetting the best returns getting the best returns time and moneytime and moneytime and moneytime and money

What toWhat toWhat toWhat to•• This is a key questionThis is a key questionThis is a key question This is a key question

answeranswer•• The answer comes asThe answer comes as•• The answer comes as The answer comes as

investigation on markeinvestigation on markeproduction for vegetabproduction for vegetabproduction for vegetabproduction for vegetabevaluations of cost of evaluations of cost of

•• Given the high cost ofGiven the high cost of•• Given the high cost of Given the high cost of mostly we are growingmostly we are growing(berries flower vegeta(berries flower vegeta(berries, flower, vegeta(berries, flower, vegeta

GrowGrow Grow Growthat only you canthat only you canthat only you can that only you can

the result of muchthe result of muchthe result of much the result of much et prices, times of et prices, times of bles in your areables in your areables in your area, bles in your area, production, etcproduction, etcproduction in this areaproduction in this areaproduction in this area, production in this area,

g high value products g high value products ables organic etc)ables organic etc)ables, organic, etc)ables, organic, etc)

S fS fSources of Sources of •• Numerous websitesNumerous websites

–– See handoutSee handout•• University of California University of California

Cooperative ExtensionCooperative Extension

I f tiI f tiInformationInformation•• Seed Seed

companies/catalogscompanies/catalogs•• Other farmersOther farmers•• ConferencesConferences•• Equipment dealersEquipment dealers

vegetable croopp production - ucanr

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