There has been a great resurgence of home vegetable gardens in the past couple of years as more and more families attempt to produce a bountiful harvest from their own backyards. However, most of our soils in Cheatham County tend to be rocky in nature. Some are located in old pasture ground, others in former wooded areas, and for some the only option is on fill dirt from which was moved by home construction. If you are lucky, you might even have a creek or river bottom soil on which to grow your garden. Nevertheless, each provides its own challenge as we plan the home garden.
First of all, proper soil preparation and fertility are a MUST if you are going to produce healthy vigorous garden plants and vegetables. The addition of organic matter from compost, dried manure, or cover crops, can greatly improve the soils moisture holding capacity, soil tilth, and overall productivity.
Some type of supplemental irrigation would be an excellent consideration as well. Limited or inconsistent soil moisture causes stress on plants which makes them much more vulnerable to insect and disease pressures.
Last but not least, find a good seed/plant source. Be sure to purchase recommended and disease resistant vegetable varieties that produce well in our region. If you purchased “starter plants” (in flats or pots) make sure that they are healthy and free of insects and diseases.
The University of Tennessee Cheatham County Extension can assist you with each of the above mentioned topics and we have numerous resources which are at your disposal. As already mentioned soil fertility is a key element to successful gardening. So, you should consider having your soil tested (a service we provide through our UT Soil and Plant Lab). The soil testing fee is $10.00 per sample.
Under the Vegetable Gardening subheading you will find various publications to help guide you as you make preparations for the spring or fall garden. One of the first publications you might want to view would be Planning the Vegetable Garden. If you need assistance, please contact Ronnie Barron or Sierra Knaus.