Reflections on the 2013 gardening season in West Virginia
and what we can learn
T
he 2013 growing season was
marked by gardening challenges
in many regions of West Virginia.
Below average temperatures coupled
with wet weather had a negative
impact on most vegetable crops;
however, the season was productive
for peppers and sweet corn, which
thrived in the abundant rainfall and
cooler temperatures. Cultural practices,
such as mulching, proper spacing, and
other preventative methods for disease
infection, were especially important
this year but are also good practices
to use regularly.
Mulching
Either
organic or
synthetic
mulch
can have a
tremendous
impact on
how well
a vegetable
crop grows.
Mulching reduces fertilizer or nutrient
leaching and protects the crop from
rain-splashed soil, which can trigger
disease infection. Organic mulches
keep the soil cool, whereas synthetic
plastic mulches generally warm the
soil. Therefore, it is important not
to apply organic mulches too early
for heat-loving vegetables planted
early in the season.
Fungicides
When weather conditions are wet and
cool gardeners should be prepared to
spray protectant fungicides containing
chlorothalonil (Daconil, Fungonil) or
liquid copper to prevent blight from
destroying their tomatoes, peppers,
and bean crops. These sprays should
be applied to the plants at flowering
and every 7 to 10 days thereafter.
Remember
to read the
label and
follow the
directions for
spraying the
specific crop
being treated.
Multiple
plantings
To avoid the problems of diseases
and insects, one strategy is to make
multiple plantings of the same
vegetable throughout the growing
season. The planting window for
many vegetables starts in the spring
and extends to mid-summer or
fall. Expanding the planting and
harvesting season can reduce loss
of an entire planting due to a pest
outbreak.
Disposing of crop residue
Fall is an ideal time to prepare the
garden for winter and for next year’s
gardening season. After most annual
vegetable crops have produced
their season’s yield, the residue can
be removed and either composted
or tilled into the soil. Discarding
or tilling-in plant residue prevents
many diseases and insects from
overwintering. Diseased plants and
all weeds should always be removed
from the garden site and discarded.
The residue can be placed in the
trash, burned, or buried. Do not
compost
diseased
plants, since
this may
allow the
disease to
reappear in
the garden
the following
season.
Soil test and soil health
Fall is also a good time to conduct
a soil test. The soil nutritional status
after a crop has been removed is an
accurate indicator of soil health. If
the garden soil is too acidic (low
pH), lime can be applied in the fall,
allowing time for the lime to adjust
the soil pH. Compost, manure,
and other organic materials can
be applied and tilled into the soil
in the fall. A
winter cover
crop (e.g.,
rye, triticale,
winter wheat)
can be seeded
in early
November
to prevent
nutrient and
soil erosion from winter rains. As an
added benefit, the cover crops provide
a boost to the soil’s organic matter
when they are tilled-in the following
spring.
By Lewis Jett, Commercial Horticulture,
WVU Extension Service
Insert Provided by WVU Extension Service and Davis College of Ag., Natural Resources, and Design
Fall 2013 / iii
West Virginia Farm Bureau News 15