Vegetable Gardening in the Arizona Highlands - Jeff Schalau Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources Arizona Cooperative Extension

Vegetable Gardening in the
    Arizona Highlands
               Jeff Schalau
  Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources
      Arizona Cooperative Extension

Site Characteristics

• 6-8 hours of
  sun (preferably
  more)
• Water available
  for irrigation
• Soil that can be
  adequately
  improved
• Fencing/gates

Garden Soil
• Bagged products are inferior to mineral
  (real) soil and few contain any real soil
• Loams are ideal, but clays and sands can
  be amended and become more productive
  over time
• Do not add sand or rocks to your soil to
  try and alter the texture
• Bagged media can be used in pots, but
  must be replaced each year
• If purchasing soil, be very careful to avoid
  rocks, undesirable weeds, and toxic
  materials (paint chips, chemicals, etc.)

Soil Preparation
• Organic Matter/Compost (up to 4” deep)
• Check pH - 6.5-7.0 is best – add soil
  sulfur if needed
• Nitrogen
• Phosphorus
• Till to homogenize
• Irrigate to settle
• Allow to dry
• Rake to level
      OR
• Skip last three steps and tamp
  aggressively with an iron rake

Fertilizers
• Some crops (corn) have high nitrogen
  requirements and side dressing N in
  mid-season is recommended
• Organic fertilizers provide timed
  release effect
• Inorganic fertilizers may also be used
  •   Timed-release products (osmocote, etc.)
  •   Urea
  •   Triple Super Phosphate
  •   Others…

“Organic” Fertilizers

• Homemade Compost
• By-products (feather, hoof, horn, bone,
  blood, fish, etc.)
• Alfalfa Meal
• Green Manure
• Manures and guanos
• Seaweed
• Avoid compost/
  manure teas

Fertilizers

Manure    N%     P%     K% Availability
Cattle    2-3   0.5-1   1-2 moderate
Horse     1-2   0.5-1   1-2   slow
Swine     2-3   0.5-1   1-2  rapid
Poultry   3-4    1-2    1-2  rapid
Sheep     3-4   0.5-1   2-3 moderate

Food Safety in the Home Garden
• Raw manures can contain pathogenic
  E. coli
• It is recommended to add raw
  manures 120 days prior to harvest
• Plant parts in contact with the soil
  pose greater risk
• To avoid these issues, manure can be
  composted before application
• Commercial producers must also
  conform to these guidelines

Fencing
Rabbits - three foot tall
chicken wire fence with 1-inch
hexagonal mesh buried a few
inches
Deer - 6 to 8 feet tall fence,
mesh or electric could be
considered, many designs
Raccoon - combination of
rabbit and deer fence
Squirrels – completely
covered cages

Irrigation
•   Drip Tape
•   Soaker
•   Microsprinklers
•   Mulch to conserve water

Planting Times
• Warm Season Crops – plant beans,
  squash, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant,
  cucumbers, etc. after soil has warmed
  (mid-May in Prescott and late April/early
  May in VV).
• Cool Season Crops – generally root
  crops and/or leafy green crops – some
  have dual planting seasons – check “Ten
  Steps to a Successful Vegetable Garden
  Publication”.
• Corn and potatoes can be planted early
  spring with frost protection.
  2022 Summer Garden Under Construction

Plant Spacing
• Plants will compete for light, water, and
  nutrients
• Plan with the mature plant size in mind – if
  you don’t know, look at seed catalogs for
  spacing info
• In home gardens, you can usually plant more
  densely than in production settings
• When direct seeding, thin as early as possible
  to ensure highest quality crop
• Vertical growing allows for denser plantings
• Utilize four dimensions – 3D space and time

Seeds vs. Transplants
• Many crops can be direct seeded and thinned
• Most gardeners use transplants for their
  tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.
• Warm season crops should only be direct
  seeded when soils reach 70 degrees F.
• Taprooted plants do not transplant well
  (spinach, arugula, carrots, beets, parsnips,…)
• Cole crops (cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale)
  perform well as transplants
• Seeded leeks and onions are often grown as
  transplants

Growing your Own Transplants
• Lights, trays, heat mats, thermostats,
  sterile media, labelling supplies, and a
  few small gadgets are necessary
• Seed catalogs and other resources
  often include information
• Many local libraries have started seed
  libraries – these seeds are true
  breeding or “heirloom” varieties
• Consider hybrids if your growing space
  is limited – these can be more
  flavorful, more productive, faster
  growing, smaller sized, etc. I’ve been
  pleased with my results using hybrids.
• Seedlings must be gradually
  acclimated to outdoor growing
  conditions

Growing your Own Transplants

Season Extenders
• Cold frames – good for winter
  greens and hardening transplants
• Floating Row Cover (remay, frost
  cloth) is great for starting early
  spring crops and for protecting crops
  from birds and grasshoppers
• Low Tunnels are made from ½”
  PVC, conduit or wire hoops with
  plastic or floating row cover
• Hoop houses work well for season
  extension, but need to be opened up
  in the heat of summer
• Walls of Water – for early planting
  of warm season crops

Recordkeeping
• Crop rotation is critical to garden success
  because pathogens can build up in areas
  where certain plant families are grown
  (especially the Nightshade Family)
• Keep records of crop (and variety name)
  planted during each growing season
• Take photos to create a visual record
• Record improvements, major changes, high
  or low temperatures, etc.
• Consider having an indoor/outdoor
  thermometer and rain gauge (contribute to
  rainlog.org)

Raised beds w/hoops

My Garden: Fence iterations

2012 Summer Garden

2012 Summer Garden

2012 Summer Garden

2012 Summer Garden

Composting Area 2023

Composting Area 2023

2022 Summer Garden Under Construction

2022 Summer Garden Under Construction

2023 Winter Garden

2023 Winter Garden

2023 Winter Garden
    Cole Crops

Lettuce Varieties    Spinach, Kale, Arugula

                    2023 Winter Garden

Lettuce Varieties

             2023 Winter Garden

Spinach, Kale, Arugula

               2023 Winter Garden