7. Veg production Flashcards
1
Q
Name key conditions that effect vegetable productivity
A
Soil
- Water - Is water available naturally, does the area need watering/irrigation
- Nutrients - NPK
- pH - Should be 6.5-7 for max availability of nutrients
- Space - Is the area large to allow suitable spacing
Aspect
- Sun/Shade levels - requirements will vary but tend to need sunny aspect
- Slope - Top pone to wind, bottom prone to frost (best to plant near top and add wind protection), should not be too steep to push a wheelbarrow
- Wind - Cold wind can chill plants and soil, cause damage to buds and delay production
2
Q
Name ways to protect plants from strong winds
A
- Completely blocking with wall is likely to create turbulence
- Best to use a permeable windbreak as this reduces cold air by 50-60% but prevents turbulent areas being created
- Can be living or non-living
3
Q
Compare living and non-living windbreaks
A
Living (hedging)
- Can self repaire, relatively cheap
- Slow growing, can be hard to repair severe damage quickly and takes nutrients from the soil
- Salix alba
- Populus nigra ‘italica’
Non-living (fencing)
- Erected instantly, can be easily repaired and has no impact on soil nutrients
- Expensive as may need substantial supports and will require maintenance
- Picket/trellis
- Woven bamboo/ Slit wood screening
- Windbreak mesh / heavy duty webbing
- Above 2m needs to be installed by professional due to high level of bracing required
4
Q
State soil requirements for Fruit & Veg production
A
- Medium loam needed (neither heavy or light/clay or sandy)
- Needs to be deep to allow roots to reach req nutrients
- High level of fertility
- Good crumb structure
- pH 6.5-7 for maximum availability of nutrients
- Compacted soils should be cultivated
5
Q
Describe cultivation methods to prepare for Fruit & Veg production
A
Primary
- Turning over of soil, breaking up large clods and removing weeds
- Digging with a spade/fork
Secondary
- Further breaking up to a fine crumb/tilth
- Use fork on light or rotavator on heavy soils
- Rake to a fine tilth
Settling
- Must be allowed to settle for a few weeks before planting
- Consolidation can be applied to light soils
6
Q
When to cultivate soil and why it’s important to get it right
A
- Can cause long lasting damage to soil structure which is hard to repair if gotten wrong
- Medium = Any time of year except when wet or frozen
- Heavy = Autumn/Spring - winter too wet, summer too hard
- Light = Autumn to spring - summer likely to cause wind erosion to dry soil
7
Q
Describe growing systems available when planting Fruit & Veg
A
- Open ground = Can be grown in rows or blocks, no clear distinction between growing area and path
- Beds = Area separated from the rest of the garden/path
- Raised bed = Level of soil built up above the level of the path
8
Q
List advantages and disadvantages of growing in a Bed system
A
- Reduced risk of compaction
- Manure/compost can be incorporated into the correct area without wastage
- Higher density of crop is possible - less space for weeds
- Sloped ground can be terraced
- Easier to record crops and ease rotation
- Limited size - hard to extend once built
- Often separated by grass paths which can cause weed problems - edging needs to be monitored (use paving slab, mulch or weed suppressing geo-textile to combat)
9
Q
List advantages and disadvantages of growing in a Raised bed
A
- Plant care is easier for people with mobility issues
- Can improve drainage on wet soils
- Original substrate and imported top soil are kept separate
- Can be raised high enough to prevent damage from livestock
- Heat up/dry out more quickly also freeze quicker
- Sides can become a refuge for snails
- Cost and labour to build
- If badly designed can waste space and soil
10
Q
Describe the size requirements of a raised bed
A
- As large as possible
- Paths should be suitable for required access (bigger than wheel barrow)
- Sides should be sunk 5cm into ground (min)
- Beds should be no wider than twice arms reach 1.5-2m
- Sides should be made of rot resistant timber, recycle plastic boarding or brick
11
Q
Describe the No dig method and disadvantages
A
- Soil cultivation kept to a minimum - remove weeds and prepare for planting
- Much/compost/straw used to cover soil surface between crops (rapidly decaying material) - mimics natural process
- Worms will incorporate into soil and build up healthy structure minimising labour
- Mulch should be applied annually
- Removal of all weeds and roots at the start is essential
- Mulches can harbour pests
- Mulch can be damaged by birds to intern damage seedlings
12
Q
How to prolong season for Fruit & Veg
A
- Early/Late crops have been developed to extend the season
- Glass/plastic cloches can be used to trap heat in soil allowing for earlier germination or prolonging growth into autumn
- Plastic sheeting warms the soil but not the plant - encourages early germination for tubers (black so absorb heat and prevent weed growth
13
Q
Options for sewing Fruit & Veg seeds
A
- Sewn directly in open ground - Hardy
- Sewn in a nursery bed, then transplanted - Initially slow growing or need wider spacing to develop
- In containers undercover, then transplanted - Non-hardy
14
Q
What are base dressings?
A
- Added before crop sown/transplanted
- Ideally done about one month before but can be raked in just before sowing/transplanting if soil is moist
15
Q
What are top dressings?
A
- Added to soil surface around the base of growing plants
- Foliar feeds
- Useful in correcting deficiencies
- Nitrogen frequently required as a top dressing. This is because nitrates are lost over the winter through leaching by rain. Therefore they must be applied in the spring to avoid being leached out by the spring.
