Problem Vegetable Garden - Ask Extension
We have had a small vegetable garden for 19 years that never was great but good enough for us. It is surrounded by railroad ties on 3 sides and our n...
Knowledgebase
Problem Vegetable Garden #880958
Asked August 10, 2024, 5:07 PM EDT
We have had a small vegetable garden for 19 years that never was great but good enough for us. It is surrounded by railroad ties on 3 sides and our neighbor's chain link fence (which had a very nice garden on their side of the fence) on the other side. 2 years ago, our garden started out okay but went downhill. Nothing did well.
Last year and this year, nothing hardly grows. Seeds come up but hardly grow and tomato plants grow a little bit and have a few scrawny tomatoes. We don't even have a healthy crop of weeds. We've had our soil tested. It is low in phosphate and potash, high is magnesium and calcium. The PH is 7.4. We had other places in our yard tested. All have similar results though the garden is more extreme. There are boxwood plants on one side by the ties which are doing great.
I don't know whether it has anything to do with our problem but 3 years ago, our neighbors with the beautiful garden moved and the new owner has let the garden go to weeds: very tall weeds. The main weed that grows in our garden is one of those weeds which is very green with prickly leaves.
Any help would be appreciated. The test said to add 3.5 lbs per 100 sq. ft. of 5-10-10 and .5 lbs per 100 sq. ft. of 0-46-0
Summit County Ohio
Expert Response
Follow the instructions about adding fertilizers as written on your soil test results. It’s always a good idea to add compost/organic matter as well
At this point in the season, it would be best to add these amendments after harvest, in the fall.
Keep the garden free of weeds. Mulch can help with this.
Does the vegetable garden still get full sun/8 hours a day of unfiltered sunlight?
It is important to rotate plant families in the garden from year to year, to prevent disease that can be in the soil when the same plant family is located in the same spot year after year. https://extension.psu.edu/plant-rotation-in-the-garden-based-on-plant-families/
Is the garden located near turf that is treated with weed control products like “Weed and Feed?”
Finally, does the garden get sufficient water during especially hot and dry periods? It is helpful to mulch your vegetable garden to retain some moisture and help prevent weeds. You may want to consider planting a cover crop over the winter to protect the soil. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5814
At this point in the season, it would be best to add these amendments after harvest, in the fall.
Keep the garden free of weeds. Mulch can help with this.
Does the vegetable garden still get full sun/8 hours a day of unfiltered sunlight?
It is important to rotate plant families in the garden from year to year, to prevent disease that can be in the soil when the same plant family is located in the same spot year after year. https://extension.psu.edu/plant-rotation-in-the-garden-based-on-plant-families/
Is the garden located near turf that is treated with weed control products like “Weed and Feed?”
Finally, does the garden get sufficient water during especially hot and dry periods? It is helpful to mulch your vegetable garden to retain some moisture and help prevent weeds. You may want to consider planting a cover crop over the winter to protect the soil. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5814
