Home gardening continues to grow in popularity. Arkansas gardeners can produce tasty, nutritious vegetables year-round. To be a successful gardener, you need to follow a few basic rules and make practical decisions. Now is a good time to plan your garden, order your vegetable seeds and have your soil tested. Remember, soil tests are still free at your local Cooperative Extension Service Office.
Garden site selection
Gardeners may have little choice in selecting a garden site, but the garden site is extremely important. Many garden sites do not have the deep, well-drained fertile soil that is ideal for growing vegetables. If yours is one of them, you will need to alter the soil to provide good drainage and aeration. If you modify certain cultural practices and select the right crops, almost any site can become a highly productive garden.
Arkansas soils range from coarse sands to heavy clays. Each presents a special situation to the gardener. The type of soil is an important consideration if there is a choice. Sandy loam or loam soils are well adapted to vegetable production. Vegetables can be grown on heavier soils if they are well-drained.
Clay particles are smaller than sand and become quite hard when dry. They are usually productive if they can be managed properly. Material such as sand, finely ground bark, vermiculite or perlite can be added to clay soil to improve soil conditions and provided better air space for roots.
Composted organic matter and organic mulching materials also help. On the other hand, sandy soils are quite workable but do not hold water or fertilizer nutrients as well as clay soils. Adding large amounts of organic matter such as organic compost and manures will greatly improve the nutrient and water-holding ability of these soils. Organic matter that is not well composted can be very harmful since the rotting materials will compete for nutrients with the growing plants.
Growing plants in raised beds is a logical choice for gardeners with heavy, poorly drained soils. Raised beds permit plant roots to develop in soil held above the waterlogged or compacted zones. This provides a more optimum soil environment for root growth. As beds are built up, compost or other forms of organic matter may be incorporated, further improving soil structure, drainage and nutrient-holding capacity.
Crop selection
One of the first things you must do is decide what vegetables to grow. Plant the vegetables your family will enjoy most. You want to grow vegetables that return a good portion of nutritious food for the time and space they require. Vine crops such as watermelons, cantaloupes, winter squash, and cucumbers need large amounts of space, but if you plant them near a fence or trellis you may need less space for vine crops. Most crops require full sunlight or at least six hours. It is important to select the right variety of each vegetable. Between February and April, you can plant the following items: kale, leaf lettuce, mustard, peas, radish, spinach, turnips, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, endive, onions (plants), onion (sets), Swiss chard, and Irish potatoes.
If you plant the wrong variety for your area, you may not get a satisfactory yield no matter how much care you give the plants. Recommended varieties for Arkansas can be found at the University of Arkansas Cooperative extension website at http://www.uaex.edu under the "Yard & Garden" tab.
For more information on preparing your vegetable garden, call the Garland County Cooperative Extension Service office at 623-6841, email Alex at [email protected], or visit http://www.uaex.edu. The Garland County Extension Office is located at 236 Woodbine in Hot Springs and the office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Garland County Master Gardeners have published a cookbook, "Good Thyme Cooking," which will give you great recipes where you can use those fresh vegetables and herbs that you produce in your garden. If you would like more information about the cookbook, email [email protected]. The cost of the book is $20.
Master Gardener information
Master Gardener meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month online. The meetings are open to the public and guests are welcome. For more information, call the Extension Service office at 623-6841 or email Alex Dykes at [email protected].
EHC information
Are you interested in joining an existing Extension Homemakers Club? EHC is the largest volunteer organization in the state. For more information on EHC, call Alison Crane at 623-6841 or email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Facebook @garlandEGF and @Garland FCS, and EHC on Facebook @GarlandCountyEHC.
4-H information
For information about Garland County 4-H Club membership or program benefits, contact Carol Ann McAfee at the Extension Service office, 236 Woodbine, call 501-623-6841, or email [email protected]. More information is available at http://www.uaex.edu/garland.