edibles
o u t d o o r s
f o o d & w a t e r
Once you’ve gotten your garden
planted in good soil (see next page
for more about what to plant) a little
TLC will bring it to fruition.
W A T ER C O N S IS T E N T L Y
Avoid
large swings from wet to dry and
vice versa. The easiest way to
maintain consistent moisture is with
a drip irrigation system on a timer.
Using a hose-end sprinkler to water
is fine, too, but without a timer, you’ll
need to be very conscientious— don’t
let a badly wilted garden be the
signal that it’s time to water.
FE R T IL IZ E R EG U LA R LY
Annual soil
enrichment with composted manure
provides all the fertilizer plants need. If
you don’t want the work of tilling,
granular or liquid fertilizers are options.
T h i c k l a y e r s o f o r g a n i c m u l c h ,
like grass clippings, help conserve moisture
and improve the soil over time.”
Reader Tip from Lisa Gustavson, Rochester, NY
A well-cared-for garden often
requires few or no pest controls,
especially if you can tolerate minor
or cosmetic damage.
W E E D S
To reduce weeds, apply
a mulch— ground leaves, grass
clippings (that haven’t been treated
with chemicals), or compost. Bare
ground will produce many more
weeds. These can be controlled
with cultivation, but it’s much more
work without mulch.
D IS E A S E S
To reduce diseases,
grow crops in different parts of
the garden each year, and avoid
overcrowding so that air circulates
well around plants.
IN S E C T S
Flowers and aromatic
herbs repel pests, and also attract
birds and beneficial insects that
eat pests. Caterpillars such as
tomato hornworm and cabbage
worms are easy to control with
“ Bt,” a biological control.
BHG.com/vegetables
is your gateway to dozens of articles, plans, and
how-to Tor great vegetable gardens. Learn about:
■ Building raised beds ■ New varieties ■ Controlling
pests "Advice from other gardeners ■ Great
recipes for your fresh, homegrown produce
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS APRIL 2010
1 2 1
A b r u s h
t h a t h e l p s s t o p
g i n g i v i t i s b e f o r e
i t s t a r t s .
Oral-B® Vitality™ Precision Clean
removes up to 2x more plaquef
which can cause gingivitis.
So choose Oral-B Vitality to help
improve your oral health —
it's all yours for under $20.
*‘vs. a regular manual brush.
© Procter & Gamble, Inc., 2010
