How to Grow Vegetables in Utah
Growing vegetables is a satisfying and money-saving adventure. By paying attention to a few key issues, you can raise beautiful vegetables for yourself and your family in Utah. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Vegetable seeds or plants
- Shovel
- 10-20-0 fertilizer or manure
- Treble superphosphate fertilizer
Instructions
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Plan the garden carefully. Alvin R. Hamson, a horticulturist for the Utah State University Extension Service (USUES), suggests that gardeners should plant all their favorite vegetables while reserving some space for trying new ones. He also suggests planting enough vegetables to allow for canning and freezing some of them. USUES has prepared fliers that delineate the number of plants or seeds a family of five should plan to raise.
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Grow the right vegetables. Hamson says vegetables that grow well in Utah include tomatoes, asparagus, Swiss chard, beans, salsify, broccoli, rhubarb, corn, peas, eggplant, parsley, endive, onions, kale and culinary herbs.
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Plant them at the right time. The last average frost date in Utah ranges from March 26 in the parts of the state that lie at lower altitudes to as late as June 20. Contact your local extension service office to find out when the last average frost date is in your area, as well as to obtain guidelines for when to plant different vegetables.
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Buy good seeds. Hamson says not to expect good results from mediocre seeds. Plant them carefully according to packaging instructions.
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Fertilize your soil before you plant seeds or seedlings. Add 3 pounds of 10-20-0 fertilizer for each 100 square feet of soil.
In addition, you can mix in one to two bushels of manure per 100 square feet. Hamson advises that if you use manure every year, you should substitute 2 pounds of treble super phosphate fertilizer per 100 square feet in place of the 10-20-0 fertilizer.
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Plant several installments of crops like lettuce, which tend to go to seed quickly, so you'll always have fresh vegetables ready at their peak. By planting a row or two, waiting a week and planting more, you can eat all of one batch before it has a chance to bolt.
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Plant tomatoes in double hills by setting out the plants 6 inches apart, with 6 inches between each row. Stake the tomatoes or surround them with tomato cages to keep them from toppling over.
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Keep your garden producing. When you've harvested the spring peas, plant some cabbages or beets.
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Keep weeds under control. The second you see young weeds sticking their heads up, pull them up and discard them. Weeds sap the strength of young vegetable plants and, left unchecked, can overwhelm them.
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Stop pests before they gain a foothold in your garden. If you see signs of infestation, ask your local nursery for advice.
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References
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Comments
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