Johnsons's Garden Centers Text File document - copyright 2006
PDF file available at http://www.johnsonsgarden.com/newsletter/vegetableherb.html

How Will Your Garden Grow?
April 2006
Wes Karst, Johnson's West 13th Store

    Spring is here and both novice and experienced gardeners are anxious
to get their vegetables planted. We all enjoy eating vegetables freshly
harvested from our own garden. By following a few easy guidelines,
you'll be well on your way to a successful gardening season.

    For starters, choose a site that gets at least six hours of direct
sunlight. The site should be well drained and away from trees and shrubs
so their roots won't compete for the same water supply. Also decide on
the size of your garden. In your enthusiasm, don't plant more than you
can realistically maintain.

    Next, you need to prepare your soil. Vegetables grow best in
fertile, well-drained soil. An ideal garden soil will contain at least
20% organic matter to improve aeration and drainage, as well as to hold
nutrients until plants can use them. A good way to improve your soil is
with Johnson's Soil Recipe that covers 100 sq. ft.:

    - Three 2-cu. ft. bags Cotton Boll Compost
    - 4 lbs. Hi-Yield Bone Meal
    - 4 lbs. ferti-lome Gardener's Special
    - 40 lbs. Gypsum
    - 1 lb. American Weed and Grass Stopper

    Use MYKE Vegetable Garden, a beneficial soil inoculant, along with
Johnson's Soil Recipe. MYKE contains a natural fungus that enhances
plant development when it comes into contact with plant roots.

    Next, decide what you would like to grow in your garden. Then draw
out on paper how you would like to arrange them. Lay out your plan so
that the taller vegetables don't block out the sun of the smaller ones.
If you want to plant vine crops but have limited space, don't despair.
There are "bush" varieties of vine crops such as cucumbers and squash.

    Another space-saving idea, especially for tomatoes, is to plant them
upside down with the Topsy Turvy II Tomato Planter. It's easy! Place
your tomato upside down out of the bottom of the planter and fill up the
rest of the planter with soil. Hang the planter on your deck or balcony
and you have an instant upside down garden. Water and fertilize from the
top and watch the tomato grow down from the bottom. Imagine ... no
weeding or staking; and you can walk right out the door to pick a
tomato. You can also plant cucumbers, peppers and flowers in the Topsy
Turvy II Planter.

    That's all for now. Hope you enjoy another new season of successful
gardening!