SIMPLE WAYS TO GROW
Understanding no-till and vertical gardening techniques
The tradition garden is tilled several times a year. This disturbs the soil and the soil’s health.
In this article, we are sharing the information on successful gardening with the “No-Till” method from our friends Joe and Teresa Cooper from Reliance. We met the Coopers at the Polk County UT Extension monthly garden club and have learned so much about their method of gardening.
The basic reason for No-Till is soil health. There are many side benefits as well, such as: it is easier, it allows you to get into the garden sooner in the spring, it reduces weed pressure, it provides drought and erosion protection, pests and diseases decreases, and you save money on tillers and fuel.
Healthy soil produces healthy plants, which in turn promotes better health is us, as we eat the plants/vegetables.
Healthy soil consists of a complex web of microorganisms which are disturbed when you till the soil Did you know that one teaspoon of soil has more living organisms than there are people in the world? Soil is more than just dirt! The less the soil is disturbed, the healthier it becomes.
The basic steps of no-till gardening are: Disturb the soil as little as possible, keep the soil planted as much as possible, keep the soil covered as much as possible, and plant as much diversity as possible.
This is the way that nature works: nature does not plow the soil, nature has living roots in the soil at all times, whether in a forest or in a meadow. Nature keeps the soil planted. Nature keeps the soil covered/much (either from leaves fallen from trees, or other dead plant life.) Nature does not use monoculture. There is diversity everywhere in nature.
One local farmer in Bradley County, Harry Dale also uses the No-till method of gardening. We have also used some of these techniques in our raised garden.
For more information on No-Till gardening, The Cooper’s recommend “The living soil handbook” by Jesse Frost.
Vining-type fruits and vegetables, like, cucumbers, tomatoes, and melons are some of the most popular vegetables/fruits grown in home gardens.
Some people, have plenty of room to allow these vining produce to roam free on the ground, hower, others use the advantage of trellising, staking, or caging the produce.
Benefits of vertical supports include: it protects the plants from damage, allows for better pest management, reduces weeding efforts, allows the plants to grow upward, which minimizes growing space, makes harvesting easier, allows better air movement through the plant-which can reduce disease pressure, making pest control easier.
The three most popular methods of vertical supports are staking, caging, and trellising.
Staking requires five-to-six-foot metal, plastic, or wooden stakes. Wooden stakes should be at least one inch square, and should not be chemically treated. Vines can be tied to single stakes, or you can group three or four stakes together in the form of a tripod and train the vines to climb each pole. Weaving a wire, cording or branches between the tripod stakes and training the vines to climb along the woven material and up to the tripod system. You can also use the stake-and weave method to support plants in a row. Stakes are spaced about 6 feet apart. Nylon or polypropylene cording (because they do not stretch) is tied to the first stake about six to ten inches above the ground. The cord is ran to the second stake and wrapped around it once at the same level. You must keep the cord tight. Repeat this process going to each stake in the row. Then come back with the cord on the opposite of the stakes, also wrapping it around each stake. The plants will be held in space between the cords; this will help support the plants. The process will need to be repeated as the plants grow, higher on the stakes so the branches of the plant are always held between the cording.
Caging used cages, and are usually used with tomatoes, squash, melons, and other vegetables. The cages are normally two-foot in diameter and are made from wood or wire-which allow for easy trellising and harvest. You can purchase ready made cages, or make your own from hog-wire or woven wire panels. For easier plant management, it is recommended that you cage your plants at planting time and train the vines as the plant grows.
Trellising A vertical trellis can be built by setting support post that are sturdy about two feet into the ground and about 12 – 20 feet apart. The tops of the post should be about six feet high from the ground. You then stretch a heavy wire, cable, or wooden two-by-fours between the top of the post and another at the base of the support, near the soil. One trellising method is to drop vertical twines from the upper support down to each plant. If you have a 2nd wire at the base, (which works better), you would tie the twine to the bottom support. This will prevent the twine from slipping toward the center as the plants grow and become heavier. As the plants grow, wrap, or tie them around the twine for support. Another method is to use nylon mesh or hog wire with a 4-inch grid instead of the twine. Either of these can be attached to the upright stakes and upper supports to provide the trellising. This information was taken from UW Extension pamphlet A3933-01
GREAT NEWS ABOUT THE BRADLEY COUNTY PLANT CLINIC:
Beginning June 25, 2024.
We will have a "live plant clinic" on Tuesdays and Fridays from 1:00 pm until 4:00pm.
Feel free to visit the UT Extension office at 2373 Parker ST NE, at the Pie Center with your gardening/lawn questions of problems. Master Gardeners will be there to give you immediate assistance.
If you can't visit the office during those hours, you can always call at (423) 728-7004 or visit the website at: https://bradley.tennessee.edu/bradley-county-plant-clinic/