Edible Demo Garden

When the winter rains end, it’s time for gardeners to focus on providing spring and summer edibles with the water they need to grow and produce. While hand watering may be the simplest way to adjust watering to the needs of individual plants, it’s not the most efficient means for getting the right amount of water to an entire garden.

Drip irrigation has proven to be the best option for home gardeners. It is particularly suitable for edible gardens because it delivers the water at the soil level and avoids water on the plant leaves which can lead to problems with mold and mildew. 

Drip irrigation is also waterwise, reducing loss by evaporation and runoff and maintaining a desirable balance of air and water in the soil through slow application of water to plant roots.

What can go wrong with drip irrigation?

Whether installed by professionals or as a do-it-yourself project, drip irrigation requires routine maintenance. It’s recommended that the lines be checked monthly when the system is operating. It is especially critical when the drip irrigation is first turned on in the spring. Here are some common problems to look for:

• Leaks. The dreaded geyser is a sure sign that there is a break in the line somewhere. It could be a dislodged emitter or a damaged line. Thirsty rodents like to chew on the tubing and lines can be unintentionally broken by shovels and spades.

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Finding a wet spot where there is no emitter can signal a problem in the supply line. If the line is buried, it will take some digging to find the leak. This was a recent problem in the Edible Demo Garden. The drip irrigation was installed some time ago and it was unclear which lines led to which bed. The search for this particular leak is still continuing.

• Blocked lines and emitters. Lines may get clogged, and emitters can be plugged by debris, mineral buildup, and algae. Pinched lines, especially the smaller feeder lines, can also be a problem. Periodically walking the circuit and checking flow from the emitters while the system is running is a good way to spot irrigation problems before plants start showing signs of distress.
• Low water pressure. Drip irrigation operates at 15-25 pounds per square inch (psi) which is much lower than sprinkler systems which can require up to 50 psi, and household systems running at 50-80 psi. A pressure regulator is needed to reduce the incoming household pressure to that for which the drip systems are designed. However, pressure in the lines can be lowered further by elevation gain, friction in the tubing, and long line lengths. It is recommended that 1/2” supply lines be limited to 200 feet in a single zone and the number of one gallon per hour emitters per line not exceed 200. If a drip emitter at the end of a line is not delivering sufficient water, it could be a low-pressure problem.

Fixing drip problems

With the right supplies, many common irrigation problems can be easily fixed. An emergency drip repair kit should include spare flow emitters of different sizes, connectors (both straight and elbow), line plugs, end caps, and tubing. It’s also handy to have a tool for cutting tubing, a punch to make holes in 1/2” line, and metal staples for securing the lines. The same supplies are useful when drip lines need to be added for new plants.

Lines can be flushed to remove debris, and clogged emitters can be cleaned or replaced. Small holes in lines can be plugged. Larger damaged sections in lines can be removed and connectors used to join the undamaged sections.

A water pressure test gauge, available at hardware stores, is helpful in determining if the pressure in the drip system is in the right range. Low pressure problems due to overly long lengths of supply line or too many drip emitters might involve changing the drip line layout or adding another zone to the system.

Controlling drip irrigation

Drip systems require control valves to direct water into the system. These are generally automated with an AC or battery powered controller/timer that makes it easy to set irrigation frequency and duration. These devices range from simple timers to more complicated “smart” controllers. All these devices include the option to run the system manually, allowing gardeners to conduct their periodic system maintenance checks.

Click here for more information on irrigation systems.

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It’s hard to find a gardener who doesn’t love checking out new seed varieties and anticipating the abundant and tasty harvest they promise. The photos and descriptions are tantalizing and the names intriguing. Who wouldn’t be curious about a pumpkin variety called ‘Abominable’, a pepper named ‘Frodo’, or a tomato tagged ‘Dancing with Smurfs’?  With so many seed varieties to select from, narrowing down the choices can be challenging. In January this year, a team of EDG volunteers had a lot of fun picking out varieties for our spring and summer crops.

How Seeds are Selected

Seed selection starts with a garden plan, taking into consideration the space available for each type of crop. Once decisions are made about which crops to plant and where to plant them, choosing the right varieties becomes the focus. The Demo Garden is the perfect place to try out some of those new and different seed options while continuing to plant those varieties that have proven to be reliable. Planting more than one variety of each crop makes it possible to directly compare them in terms of growth and productivity.

Time to maturity is important in determining which summer crop varieties to plant. The soil must be consistently warm (over 55 degrees) for the time specified in the variety description to produce a crop. The climate in the Indian Valley Organic Farm and Garden where the Edible Demo Garden is located provides a long enough growing time for most summer crops. However, varieties requiring more than 120 days to maturity may not achieve full production before the weather turns cool.

Seeds planted in the Edible Demo Garden must be organic certified. Organic seeds are from plants grown in compliance with federal standards which exclude the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically modified technologies. Seed choices for the Demo Garden are often based on the descriptions provided by organic seed companies and it’s up to the volunteers to determine which varieties seem well suited for the garden conditions and promise the best taste.

Planting the Seeds

On February 27th, the new MMG training class got hand-on practice in seed starting. Seeds are planted in a starting soil mix in flats of cells with 2 or 3 seeds per cell. Supervised by EDG volunteers, the trainees planted 60 cells of cucumbers (‘Armenian’, ‘Crystal Apple’, ‘Jin Yang’ and ‘Early Fortune’) and 90 cells of sweet peppers (‘Pusztagold’ and ‘Bacskai Feher’), along with 30 cells of green onions and 72 cells of lettuce. The class will have the chance to take some of the cucumber and pepper starts home to plant in their own gardens where they can assess how well they grow in our different microclimates. The planted seeds are now germinating in the greenhouse.

Starting plants in the greenhouse gives them an advantage and allows better timing for optimum crop production. They are not ready for transplanting outside until they have developed at least one set of true leaves. The first set of leaves to appear are embryonic leaves called cotyledons. They look different from the plant’s typical foliage. True leaves are the more recognizable leaves that develop above the cotyledons. The time required for seedlings to be ready for transplanting varies. Beans can be ready in 3 to 4 weeks while peppers can take more than 8 weeks.

New Varieties in the Demo Garden

EDG volunteers look forward to growing the new seed varieties they have selected for the summer. The seeds have been ordered but not all have been planted. ‘Dancing with Smurfs’, an indigo-colored cherry tomato, along with ‘Altai Orange’ and ‘Woodstock’ are among the new tomato varieties. Two new melon varieties, ‘Sweet Freckles’ and ‘Farthest North Galia’ will be tried in the garden. The ‘Pusztagold’, and ‘Bacskai Feher’ peppers, now germinating in the greenhouse, are small, sweet Hungarian type peppers. Last summer’s pepper crop included an overabundance of hot peppers, so it’s sweet peppers in demand this year.

Starting with seeds is rewarding. There is the pleasure of choosing seeds from the many available varieties and the joy of nurturing them and watching them grow into tiny plants. It’s even better when the veggies and fruits turn out to be as yummy as the seed descriptions promise.

Click here for more information on planting from seeds.