Three Steps to Bushels of Veggies

At home, I count on my neighbor Patty to share whatever new techniques she's figured out, whether it's mulching with old coffee bags or a better way to brew manure tea. Here at work, I'm the ever-willing student of Rich Davidson who is in his sixth year tending the extraordinary Cook's Garden demonstration gardens in Burlington's Intervale.

Rich grows about 600 different varieties of herbs, vegetables and flowers. And what a garden it is. It's simply the most lush, beautiful vegetable garden I've ever seen.

Whenever I get the chance, I like to go out and stroll through the garden beds. There's not a weed in sight. Just super-healthy plants and picture-perfect produce. Last year Rich grew a maze, and the tomato-plant walls were 7-feet tall!

A couple of weeks ago, I convinced Rich to take a break from planting and share some of his vegetable-growing secrets with me.

"I've found that if you pay attention to just a few variables, you can have a healthy, organic garden that yields a really big harvest," he said.

Rich's short list of what's important:

1. Start at the Bottom: The Soil
Rich is lucky, and he knows it. His garden sits smack on top of an old barnyard. The naturally sandy soil is mixed with many years of composted manure. To augment this enviable fertility, Rich adds about an inch of compost to all the garden beds at least every other spring.

"You really can't beat compost, especially if there is a good element of animal manure in it," he said. "It adds organic matter, provides nutrients. If there is only one thing you can do for your garden, you should add compost."

Some plants, like tomatoes and corn, need a little something extra. Rich uses organic fertilizers, but sparingly. (He also has a soil test done each year to see if the soil is deficient in any nutrients.) He adds a handful of organic (5-5-5) fertilizer right in the planting hole for tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, and sprinklers fertilizer on the beds of other heavy feeders.

"I'm careful to get the fertilizer right where the plants are going to use it," he said. "I don't waste any of it on the paths."

2. Eliminate the Competition
Rich gardens in raised beds, which he works by hand with a spade. When he needs to plant or weed one of his beds, he puts down boards and walks on them. This decreases compaction, keeps the soil structure intact and allows plant roots to grow freely.

There's a zero tolerance rule for weeds in Rich's garden. "Weeds compete with the plants you want to grow for nutrients, light and water," Rich said, "so I try to get rid of them right away."

How does he get rid of them so fast? "I kill them before I even see them," he said with a smile.

"The trick is to get in there early - about once a week - with a hoe and loosen up the soil between the rows and plants," he said. Just germinated weed seeds dry out and die, saving his plants from unwanted competitors.

3. Let There be Light
While we usually think about adding fertilizer and compost to feed our plants, that is not where plants truly derive their energy. Leave that to the sun.

Green plants use light energy to form food from carbon dioxide and water. Without light, plants can't survive, and without adequate light, they can't thrive.

Rich's garden is in a beautifully sunny spot. But he still must pay attention to his plants' needs for light. Some, like peas, corn and tomatoes, grow tall and will cast shadows on the plants nearby. Others, like lettuces, will bolt quickly in Vermont's intense summer sun without adequate shade.

Rich plans his garden to accommodate all their needs. "I assess each type of plant and figure out how much light it needs and how it will get that light," he said.

For instance, onions and shallots need full sun exposure all summer long. But, spinach and chard do best where they will get afternoon shade from taller plants.

You might want to incorporate some of Rich's techniques into your own garden this season. Or, lean over the fence and see what your neighbor has to suggest.

If you have any tips and techniques to share, we'd love to hear from you. Write to us at: innovativegardener@gardeners.com