Aiden's HOS1014 Garden Blog

 For the last week, class was at the same time as an event in the Teaching Garden (I think it was called the Fall Festival?). There were a lot of plant related organizations there as well as plenty to do. Some notable ones were the you pick sunflowers, sweet potato harvest, and cassava harvest (as shown in the pic below with Kevin) I forgot to take a photo of the garden this week, honestly it looks very similar to last week. With the cold weather, the plants aren't growing much anymore, and they're pretty much fully grown too.  Here is a photo on my way out, I always like the clear skies and sunsets in the fall. And I just wanted to say thank you for teaching this awesome class! Your vegetable gardening class is one of the best and definitely the most memorable course I have taken at UF. What a great way to learn about gardening, by doing hands on work literally in the field. Thank you for providing me with this experience, and also thank you for introducing me to Connor and t...

I started off the day by harvesting cucumbers and beans from the garden. They did really well and look perfect! Now for the bad news, the cucumber plants' leaves are still slowly dying from whatever disease they got. But the cucumbers are still growing.    Key takeaways from the Protected Ag presentation: Lack of bacterial contamination by herbivores = greater food safety Types of hydroponic systems = Nutrient film technique, deep water culture, wick system, ebb and flow, drip system, aeroponics Pros of hydroponics = up to 90% less water used, no chemicals, consumers get it fresher, reduces damage/spoilage/waste due to not having to be transported as far, more can be grown quickly Cons of hydroponics = time consuming, requires expertise, requires 24/7 on site supervision/maintenance, needs constant electricity

First thing that I noticed at the garden is that something had gotten to everyone's cucumber plants. The leaves on all of the plants were completely dying, starting with the oldest leaves. Then I noticed that my watermelon was leaking water for some reason After determining that it was either due to an insect getting inside or from absorbing too much water (there has been a lot of rain), we decided to open it. Unfortunately the photos of it being opened are on someone else's phone but it had a ton of pressure inside and did seem to have just absorbed too much water. Very strange!  Key takeaways from the Composting presentation: Build a compost pile = Layer equal amounts of greens and browns in 3-4 inch layers, water the layers as you go, stop layering at 3-5 feet in height. Managing your pile = Check temperature, moisture, and smell Do not compost = Dairy and meat, pet waste, pesticides, oils, pressure-treated wood, seeds

 Everything is growing well and the corn is really tall. I did notice one of the watermelon plants has brown spots on its leaves and seems to be dying. Seems to be diseased, hopefully it can last until the watermelon is ready to be harvested. Photo of a wasp that seemed to be eating bugs off of the corn plants.  Key takeaways from the Container Gardening presentation: Metal/dark containers = Overheat plants Terra cotta pots = "Breathe" better Plastic pots = Do not "breathe", do not dry out as fast as terra cotta Recycled wood fiber pots = Will decompose, be careful when moving them

 This week not much had changed in the garden, I did some weeding and noticed some red bugs on the cucumber and bean plants, and a few wasps around the corn.  Sunset after class Key takeaways of the presentation on Garden Diseases and Pests: White flies = common in greenhouses, control with yellow sticky traps, parasitic wasps, or lady beetles. Leafminers = attacks members of the pumpkin, solanaceae, and pea families, but luckily are just a cosmetic issue.  Southern flatcoil snail = thrives in moisture and shade, prevention includes keeping foliage dry, thinning plants to leave space for air circulation, and watering in the morning.  Bean leafroller = attacks legumes, control by hand Squash bugs = attacks members of the pumpkin family, difficult to control with insecticides after reaching adulthood.

 This week I have noticed that there is something making some of the cucumber leaves turn very light colored, and also a watermelon has appeared. I think the plants will be sprayed with something to prevent the discoloration from getting worse.  My first watermelon Key takeaways from the photosynthesis presentation:  Photosynthesis = Sunlight is used to form sugars (carbohydrates) from 2 low-energy compounds (CO2 & H2O) Diurnal fluctuations = Temperature maximum shortly after noon, temperature minimum at sunrise Optimum range = most favorable growth, varies between family, genera, species, and sometimes cultivar Growing degree days or heat units = The quantity of heat experienced by a plant, determines when the plant will mature Temperature too low = Water can freeze in cells and burst them, causing the plant to die Temperature too high = Chemical reactions shut down as their machinery stops functioning and plant dies

I started by checking on the plants since they may have been affected by the hurricane last week. The winds were really strong leaving myself (and most of Gainesville) without power for days. The tomato plants had fallen over and some plants were looking a bit rough but they all survived! And also seem to have really enjoyed the extra water.  Main takeaways from the Plant Nutrition presentation: Soil = 45% inorganic mineral particles, 5% organic matter, 25% water, and 25% air. Humus = organic matter Macronutrients = Essential element required in large amount for normal plant growth and development Micronutrient = Essential element required in very small amounts for normal plant growth and development If fertilizer says 20-10-15 = 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, 15% potassium

 Class was skipped due to hurricane Helene but I went a couple days before and weeded and took a photo of the garden. 

 This week we added hay to the gardens to prevent weeds naturally by stopping sunlight from getting to the soil. I also added two cherry tomato plants from Professor Clark's class (with permission of course).  Key takeaways from the presentation on Direct Seeding, Transplants, and Cuttings: Direct seeding = for crops with sensitive root systems (such as nasturtiums, carrots, spinach, peas, beets, and snapdragons) and quick germination (such as radishes, beans, peas, turnips, and beets). Transplanting = more predictable results, more resistant to insect and other pests due to greater maturity, will mature sooner and give an earlier harvest. Cuttings = duplicates the plant, cut below the node and put in a special mixture. 

 This week was exciting because we could start transplanting the plants into the ground. Most of my plants were ready to be transplanted, but some did get to stay in the greenhouse for longer until they had better roots.  Photo of Kevin after learning why to not pull them straight out of the soil when transplanting. Main takeaways from the Seasons and Gardening Choices presentation: Cool season crops = 50 - 64 F Warm season crops = 64 - 86 F Gainesville plant hardiness zone = 9a

 The seeds are no longer just seeds! All the seeds have sprouted which is great to see. They will be left in the greenhouse until next week.   Key takeaways of the presentation on Plant Anatomy & Plant Families: Shoot = Above ground growth Root = below ground growth Vegetative organs = roots, stems, leaves Reproductive organs = flowers, fruits, seeds Easily & quickly produced = leaves, stems May take longer = roots

  On the first day of class we were given the syllabus, a tour of the teaching garden and greenhouse, as well as seeds and a seed starting tray.  The greenhouse was really interesting because of the temperature regulation system and the various plants and hydroponics.  I chose to plant watermelon, cucumbers, corn, pumpkins, and kohlrabi. I chose watermelon because I have never grown it before but it is one of my favorite fruits. Cucumbers and pumpkins were chosen because I like them and was interested in trying to grow some for the first time. Kohhlrabi I found interesting but I am actually not very familiar with it.  After the seeds were put away in the greenhouse, we were allowed to take some sunflowers so here is a  photo of them!