By: Kevin D. Starr
County Extension Director
N.C. Cooperative Extension Service



If participation in recent classes for beginning vegetable gardeners is any indication, the interest in this hobby is increasing. I spoke on this subject Saturday afternoon at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont and then Monday night at the Shanklin Library in Denver. There’s one more of these classes scheduled for Thursday, April 2 at 6:30 p.m. in Lincolnton. This last class will be held in the Extension demonstration kitchen on the first floor of the James W. Warren Citizens Center.

Here are some of the things we cover in the class. First of all is site selection. A good garden site needs to be in full sun, near your house, close to a water source, and as free of perennial weeds like Bermuda grass as possible. It doesn’t have to be a large conventional garden like many people grew up with. It may just be raised a bed or two in the back yard. The soil needs to be as good as possible but most gardens are going to need soil improvement. Many gardens will benefit from significant additions of organic matter. This may be in the form of compost, organic mulches, or cover crops.

It’s also important to know which crops are typically started from seed and which are best put into the ground as transplants. While growing your own transplants can be satisfying, most of us don’t have a good place to start our tomato and pepper plants.

You’ve got to know when to plant certain crops. I’ve already planted onion and lettuce plants as well as beet and radish seed. The seed potatoes have been purchased but haven’t made it to the garden yet. March is a good time to plant these as well as other cool-season crops. Most of these same vegetables, with the exception of white potatoes, can be planted in the late summer for a fall garden. In between are the main-season vegetables. Planting of these usually begins in late April with some of the really hot weather crops like okra waiting until May.

Then you begin to learn about the specific needs of the vegetables. What kind of staking system will you need for that tomato variety? How do you control the caterpillars that get on cabbage and its relatives? How do you tell when a watermelon is ripe?

With vegetable gardening, there’s always something new to learn. What worked last year may not work so well in this new growing season. But all the while, a garden can provide fun, exercise, stress relief, and a great contribution to a healthy diet.

If you would like to join us for our final class on Thursday, April 2 at 6:30 p.m., please call us at 704-736-8452 or 704-736-8461. The class is free and will be held on the first floor of the James W. Warren Citizens Center in Lincolnton.

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