IICA Barbados Backyard Gardening Booklet

Acknowledgements

Sow and Reap the

Benefits!

Gardening to reduce your food bill and to

improve your health

This booklet was completed as part of an undergraduate

internship with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation

in Agriculture (IICA) in Barbados, and part of a research

project for McGill University and the University of the West

Indies Cavehill Campus.

This project (and internship) was undertaken with the

financial support of: the Canadian International

Development Agency (CIDA) Students for Development

Program (SFD).

Many thanks to: Mr. Jeff Chandler (UWI), Dr. Francis Lopez

(UWI), Mrs. Susan Mahon (McGill Bellairs Research Institute

(Barbados)), Dr. Danielle Donnelly (McGill), Dr. Stan Kubow

(McGill), Mr. Joseph Peltier (IICA), Mr. Damien Hinds (IICA)

The editors sincerely hope that this booklet is used successfully to establish home gardens in Barbados, engender

a love and appreciation of gardening and food production, as well as well as contribute to the improvement of the health,

financial security and well-being of the Barbadian people

Editors:

Katia Colton-Gagnon Lauren Forbes Annelise Miller

Page 1

Chief Editor/ Layout Design: Annelise Miller

Page 24 Last updated: 26.08.2009

Photos: Lauren Forbes, Annelise Miller, Katia Colton-Gagnon

Page 2 Page 23

Table of Contents Introduction

The Benefits of Home Gardening……………

Garden Setups and Structures……………….

General Gardening Information………………

Good Agricultural Practices…………………….

Observation, Records, Weeding……..

Crop Rotation, Intercropping………….

Manure and Composting………………….

How to compost……………………………….

Basic Crop by Crop Growing Guide

Beets, Carrots, Celery.……………………………

Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Bok Choy

Cucumbers, Squash, Watermelon………….

Lettuce…………………………………………………….

String Beans, Okra ………………………………..

Sweet Peppers…………………………………………

Tomatoes…………………………………………………

Thyme, parsley, chives…………………………..

Advanced Information

Crop Quick Guide…………………………………….

Pest Guide……………………………………………….

Disease Guide………………………………………….

References…………………………………………………….

Acknowledgements…………………………………….

References

Commercial Vegetable Production Guides. North Willamette Research and

Extension Center, Horticultural Sciences Deparment of Oregon State

University,18 Apr 2005. Available at:

http://hort-devel-nwrec.hort.oregonstate.edu/vegindex.html.

Accessed 7 Jul 2009.

Composting: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. United States Environmental

Protection Agency, 2008. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/waste/

conserve/rrr/composting/index.htm. Accessed 25 Jul 2009.

Extension Series, OSU. Plant Disease Series Index. The Ohio State

University Extension Services Series, 2009. Available at: http://

ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/index.htm. Accessed 04 Jul 2009.

“How to Grow…” Crop Information Pamphlets [Celery, cruciferous

vegetables, curcurbits, lettuce, okra, string beans, sweet pepper,

tomatoes]. Barbados Ministry of Agriculture, 2001.

IFAS, UFL. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science,

Dept. of Entomology and Nematology; Florida Department of

Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, Jun

2009. Available at: http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/.


Taiz, L. and E. Zeiger. A Companion to Plant Physiology. Fourth edition,

online. Available at http://4e.plantphys.net/article.php?ch=t&id=289.


UC IPM Online: Statewide integrated pest management program. University

of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2009. Available at:

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/index.html. Accessed 25 Jun 2009.

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Disease Guide The Benefits of Home Gardening Bacterial Leaf Spot (left)

-affects leaves of tomatoes, sweet peppers, string beans

-Symptoms: water-soaked greasy spots on the leaves

surrounded by yellow halos. Spots can combine to form

large, yellow-brown and irregularly shaped dead spots

-Management: Prevention!! Crop rotation with non-host plants; re-

move diseased parts; deep plough diseased debris; avoid working

with the plants in wet conditions and irrigate early in the day to

avoid excess humidity on leaves (the bacteria thrives in wet condi-

tions)

Early Blight (left)

-commonly affects tomatoes

-Symptoms: small, irregular, dark brown or black dead

spots up to 1/2” diameter appearing on older leaves,

growing concentrically to be sunken dark spots with a

“bull’s eye appearance”. Affects leaves, stems, fruit

-Management: Prevention (crop rotation)! Remove dis-

eased areas; use disease-free seeds/seedlings; control

weeds; monitor soil fertility and greenhouse humidity (ensure soil fer-

tile; air not too humid)

Late Blight (left)

-affects tomatoes; extremely serious if not managed

-Symptoms: pale green, water soaked spots with

yellow halo on leaf edges, rapidly growing and turn dark

brown to purplish-black; when leaves wet and humidity

high, cottony white mould on lower leaf and at lesion

edges; green tomato fruit can develop large, hard,

brown, leathery spots sometimes covered in mould

-Management: dispose of infected parts properly (DO NOT LEAVE NEAR

FIELD) by burning, burying, shredding; use healthy tomato seedlings

free of lesions on leaves or stems

Why should I bother with home gardening?”

Health Benefits

-Physical Activity: Working in the garden can be a

part of your daily recommended physical activity requirements. Regular physical activity lowers your

risk for chronic disease and helps in weight

management

-Fresh vegetables: Vegetables are excellent sources

of vitamins, minerals and compounds good for health. Because home-produced vegetables are consumed

fresh, they are of high quality, are safe (you know

how they were produced!) and affordable!

Vegetables are integral part of a healthy diet and

producing your own is an affordable way to health!

-Relaxation/Therapeutic: Gardening is a relaxing

activity and serves as a good stress reliever

Financial Benefits

-Reduce your overall food bill and improve your

finances: Less money spent on over-priced vegetables at the supermarket leaves more money

for other important expenses and for pleasure

-Improves health resulting in lower medical expenses: Increased vegetable affordability and

consumption in addition to the physical activity benefits makes you healthier and reduces your

medical bill

Fun Factor/Educational

-Gardening can be very fun and getting kids involved in food production can increase their interest in consuming vegetables and improves their health

while having fun and learning about plants and about

responsibility!

-A simple design using any type of container that can hold soil (e.g. tires, plastic bottles/jugs, garbage cans, cement blocks, etc.)

-Flexible design and very inexpensive (if recycling materials). Reduces waste when using recycled containers

-Safety of the containers is the only concern (e.g.

Plastics degrading in the sunlight over time)

-The simplest, least expensive design of all: just using soil already found in your back/front yard

-Unused grassy areas and corners in front/back yards can be used by digging up the grass and applying fresh soil and manure before planting

- A covered garden that changes the growing en-vironment (like increased temperature and humid-ity) and allows you to grow in all kinds of condi-

tions (e.g. the wet season)

-Homemade or bought (using wooden, metal or PVC posts, plastic sheeting or shade netting or a clear plastic roof and a drip irrigation system)

-The most technical and expensive of the designs but durable and efficient in design

-A self-contained garden that is not covered

-Can be made with wood, cement blocks or other scrap material to make an enclosed space so soil can be added to a much higher level than the ground

-Much less expensive than a greenhouse, but cannot grow sun-sensitive plants in it and need to buy large amounts of soil to fill it

Page 4 Page 21

Pest Guide Diamond back moth (adult, above left)

-affects most cruciferous crops (broccoli, cauliflower,

cabbage, Chinese cabbage)

-damages seedlings, disrupts head formation

-Symptoms: presence of eggs (bottom left): oval

and flattened, 0.44 mm long & 0.26 mm wide,

yellow to pale green, deposited on the surface of

leaves — egg will hatch 5 - 6 days after deposition

Larvae feeding on the lower surface of the leaves.

-Management: Grow cruciferous vegetables in an area sealed by

netting; when eggs are detected, immediately remove them;

remove cruciferous weeds in the area (they are hosts)

Information from: http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/leaf/diamondback_moth.htm Photos: http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/leaf/diamondback_moth.htm ; http://www.inra.fr/hyppz/IMAGES/7032741.jpg

Mealybug (top left)

-Very small. Mostly attacks fruit trees but it can at-

tack garden vegetables

-Symptoms: Feeds on stems and leaves,

secretes “honeydew”/wax (bottom left) on stems,

leaves, fruits which attracts ants and may cause

“sooty mold” (a black, fuzzy mold)

-Management: introduce ladybugs (lady beetles) as a

natural control measure; can apply a dry soap wash (dish soap on a

sponge that has been squeezed out to remove excess moisture);

Remove loose bark from trees located near the garden (they may

hibernate in the bark) Information and photos from: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/ PESTS/mealybugs.html

Garden Setups and Structures Greenhouse

Grow Box

Container Garden

Soil plot

http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/leaf/diamondback_moth.htm



http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/PESTS/mealybugs.html

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/PESTS/mealybugs.html

Page 20 Page 5

Pest Guide Leafminer (adult top left)

-Adult is a yellow and black fly, but it is the larvae

that are damaging

-Symptoms: twisting “mines”/lines on the leaf

(bottom left) due to larva feeding under the leaf sur-

face

-Mostly affects seedlings, chards, and spinach but has

no long-lasting negative effect other than being unsightly

-Management: Protect seedlings with cloth (polyethylene, polyester,

plastic), clip off damaged leaves.

Information and pictures from: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/

vegleafminers.html

Nematode (top left)

-Eel-like, microscopic roundworms; root knot, cyst, root

lesion nematodes most commonly affect vegetable

crops

-Symptoms: Aboveground: symptoms similar to lack of

water or nutrients—yellowing, wilting (even when soil

moisture adequate), loss of vigor, slowed growth, fewer

and smaller leaves

Belowground: root knot nematodes produce

characteristic swollen roots (called “galls”)

-Prevention: crop rotation (particularly with marigolds), soil solari-

zation (moist the soil and cover its surface with a clear plastic)

every year. Sanitation important (spread is by infected plant parts

or infected soil) so buy nematode-free seedlings and soil, and avoid

moving plants and soil from infested areas. Keep the soil moisture

high by adding organic matter regularly (compost, manure)

-Management: introduce roundworms into the soil; removal and

disposal of all infected areas

A few basic things to increase the productivity of your garden

Buy fungicide-treated seeds

If using drip irrigation, plant seeds/seedlings approx. 2” from each emitter

(hole); otherwise, use the same plant spacing between each seedling/seed

as between rows (e.g. 15 cm between plants, 15 cm between rows)

When watering, make sure not to splash soil onto the plant—this may

spread disease and contaminate edible plant parts

Transplant seedlings in the afternoon instead of the morning to reduce

heat stress

Use “Safer Soap” or a neem-based natural insecticide (like Neem-X) for

pest control (if using Neem-X, use a pH buffer like pH plus)

Irrigate/water frequently and lightly in the dry season and monitor soil

moisture during the wet season ; prevent water-logging by ensuring

adequate soil drainage (raised/ sloped soil beds or plant on a ridge)

Practice good agricultural practices (GAPs) to manage your garden

sustainably (see following pages)

Consult the Ministry of Agriculture for treatment options in cases of

severe infestations / disease outbreak:

Barbados Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

(246)428-4159 ext. 2289 OR 2272

[email protected]

Or IICA:

Joseph Peltier/ Damien Hinds (246)427-4740/1/2

Garden Basics

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/vegleafminers.html

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/vegleafminers.html

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e Key Concepts in Sustainable Gardening

or Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)

Rather than talking about “organic” growing, a term that

implies regulation and certification, it is more useful to talk

about sustainable gardening and good agricultural practices

(GAPs)

Well, what is meant by “sustainable” (in this context)?

Simply: to be self-sufficient by excluding synthetic

(artificial/chemical) fertilizers and pesticides; by

maximizing the use of local/natural resources and by

applying good agricultural practices

Why GAPs/ sustainable practices?

Financial: less money spent needlessly on products

Practical: less dependence on external inputs, safer

vegetables and fruits

Environmental: GAPs keep your soil and environment

in good condition, further reducing your need for future

inputs and assuring long-term viability of production!

Concepts to be discussed:

Observation Skills & Record-Keeping

Weeding

Crop Rotation

Intercropping

Manure/Compost Use

GAPs

Page 18 Page 7

Observation Skills and Record-Keeping

As a gardener, your most useful attribute is your

eyesight—your observation skills.

Regular observation of your garden:

Detects the presence of insect pests, weeds, diseases

or any other abnormalities with the crops

Allows for easier management of pests, weeds,

diseases

Develop prevention strategies based on observations and garden records like crop rotation and

pest management strategies

Minimize damage/inputs by early detection and

management

Record-Keeping

Allows for you to track garden expenses and profits/

savings

Document pest, weed and disease management

practices for future reference (what practices were

used? Were they successful? Why/why not?)

Note where crops are planted to make crop rotation and intercropping more efficient and effective

Weeding (manually!!)

What is weeding? The removal of unwanted plants that compete with the desired plants. Weeds should be removed when they are

young and not yet established. Ensure roots are removed.

Why is it important?

Weeds compete with your vegetable plants for food, sunlight and water and can secrete chemicals that damage/

kill your crops. They can also be hosts for insect pests and

diseases which can damage your vegetable crops.

Thyme, Parsley, Chives —Where to grow—

-Can be grown in pots, in a greenhouse, in cement

blocks or a grow box

-Best interspersed between other crops to reduce pest

infestation

-Best grown in full sun and can thrive in drier, less fertile

soil

—Spacing—

-Seedlings should be 6”-8" apart in a row or in a pot

—Time until harvesting—

-Vary depending on the variety and growing conditions

—Harvesting—

-As soon as leaves are large enough for harvesting but

do not over harvest

—Other recommendations—

- DO NOT apply fertilizer to herbs because that will cause

them to grow too quickly and lose their flavour

- Prune/remove flowers from the plant to increase

bushiness and lengthen the duration of the harvest

-Do not plant chives near string beans as chemicals

emitted by the chives inhibit string bean growth

Page 8 Page 17

GAPs Crop Rotation

What is meant by crop rotation?

The practice of changing the location of each vegetable crop in your garden every planting and/or

choosing different vegetable crops each planting

For example:

Planting #1 (e.g. May) Planting #2 (e.g. November)

Why practice crop rotation?

Breaks the pest and disease cycle for crops (if you plant in the same place multiple times, insects and diseases get more easily established because their

optimal environment is always there)

Prevents the depletion of soil nutrients and can con-

tribute nutrients back to the soil (beans and other le-

guminous crops contribute nitrogen to the soil)

Intercropping

The practice of planting two or more crops in the same space instead of mono-cropping (only planting

one type of vegetable in your garden)

Why practice intercropping?

Prevent the establishment of diseases and pests by

keeping the garden environment diverse

Diverse array of vegetables for your consumption!

String Lettuce Tomatoes

Beans

String Lettuce Tomatoes

Beans

Lettuce Sweet String

Peppers Beans

Lettuce Sweet String

Peppers Beans

Tomatoes

—Where to grow—

-Best grown in a greenhouse/ covered garden to avoid

sun scalding & bird damage

—Spacing—

-Seedlings should be 12" apart in the row.

—Time until Harvesting—

-10-12 weeks from transplanting

—Harvesting—

-Harvest when pink if sending to local markets or fully ripe (red and tender to the touch) if consuming at home

—Diseases, Insects—

-Diseases: bacterial leaf spot, root rot

-Insects: aphids, leafminers, whiteflies, russett mite,

leaf-eating caterpillars, fruit worms, flea beetles, cut

worms, mole crickets, flower midge, millipedes


-Once a week, heap soil around base of plant

-Mulching using bagasse, coconut husk or plastic

recommended to retain soil moisture

-In the wet season, plants out in the open should be

covered in plastic to prevent disease and damage

-Prune the plant by removing any new growth emerging

between main branches

Page 16 Page 9

GAPs

Manure and Compost Compost and manure should ideally be incorporated into the

soil before each time you plant

Manure

Manure from many sources can be used in your

garden to improve soil fertility (in particular nitrogen

content)

Chicken, cow or sheep manure are the most common

and can be bought fresh or in dried (pellet) form

It is best to buy well-rotted manure or to allow the

manure to decompose before using by leaving it out

in a pile in the sun for 1-2 weeks before applying

Always acquire your manure from a reputable source and choose well-rotted manure to avoid the spread

of diseases and weeds (seeds can be in the manure)

Compost

An excellent source of nutrients for your soil

Reduces household waste, beneficial for the

environment and can be done indoors or outdoors

How to compost

The easiest way to compost is to set up your own

compost pile indoors or outdoors. All you need is three parts: browns (e.g. dead leaves, twigs, small branches), greens (e.g. vegetable waste, grass clippings, fruit scraps, coffee

grounds) and water

Browns and greens should ideally be in equal proportion

when mixed and should be chopped into small pieces

(continued next page)

Composting information from US EPA:http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/ composting/index.htm

Sweet Peppers —Where to grow—

-Best grown in a greenhouse/ covered garden to avoid

scalding & bird damage

—Spacing—

-Seeds/seedlings should be 9"-12" apart in the row.


-11 weeks from transplanting to harvest

-harvesting can continue for 6 to 9 months

—Harvesting—

-usually harvested when green and fully

formed if planning to sell at local markets

-peppers can be left in the field to further

redden if being consumed at home

-harvest with the stem on


-Diseases: bacterial leaf spot, root rot

-Insects: aphids, plant bugs, thrips, whiteflies, flower midge, slugs, leaf miners


-Crushed eggshells on soil surface work well to control

slug problems

-Avoid excess nitrogen fertilization and erratic irrigation (this causes a rotting of the fruit)

Page 10 Page 15

Composting, continued

Outdoor composting

This can be done by setting up a compost pile or by

buying/making your own bin in a dry, shaded area.

Method 1: Add greens and browns as needed and moisten if

they are dry. Once pile is established, make sure to bury (10” deep) new greens and browns when added. Compost that is

ready is dark and rich in colour(the bottom will be ready first)

Method 2: Layer the composting area with 6” brown, followed

by 3” of green materials with a bit of soil, and mix together. On top of the mixed layer, add 3” brown materials and mois-

ten with water. Turn the pile with a pitchfork or shovel every 1-2 weeks and move dried material on the edges to the mid-

dle. Continue until the pile does not reheat after turning.

Indoor composting

Done using a special bin that can be bought or home-made. Instructions on how to make an indoor compost bin and for further composting can be found on the EPA site: http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/composting/by_compost.htm

What to compost?

Yes No

-Animal manure -Black walnut tree leaves or twigs

-Clean cardboard and paper (no oil) -Coal or charcoal ash -Coffee grounds and filters, teabags -Dairy products (butter,eggs,milk,etc)

-Dryer and vacuum lint -Diseased or infested (pests) plants -Eggshells -Fats, greases, oils, lard -Fireplace ashes -Meat or fish bones or scraps -Fruit and vegetable scraps -Pet wastes (cat/dog feces or litter) -Grass and yard clippings/trimmings -Yard cuttings or other plant material -Hair and fur, hay and straw treated with pesticides or other -Nut shells chemicals

-Shredded newspaper

-Sawdust, wood chippings

Info from:http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/ composting/index.htm

Okra

—Where to grow—

-Can be grown in a greenhouse or in the open

—Spacing—

-String beans are usually planted by seed. Seeds should

be sown 1”-1.5” deep and 2”-3” apart


-harvesting can be started 6-7 weeks after sowing but

full maturity reached at 10 weeks

-Harvest every 5 to 7 days before the seeds become

prominent in the pods


-Insects: aphids, leaf-hoppers, leafminers, stink bugs, thrips, whiteflies, mites, leaf-eating

caterpillars

-Diseases: fusarium dry root rot,bacterial leaf spot

—Spacing—

-seeds should be sown 5” apart; seedlings should be

planted 10” apart (all to be done in a grow-box)


-Can be started 6-8 weeks after planting

-Harvest every 1-2 days during the cooler period of the

day with clean secateurs (scissors), leaving 1” of stem

on the fruit

String Beans GAPs

Page 14 Page 11

Beets, Carrots

Celery

—Spacing—

-Seedlings should be 8" apart in the row, in the open


-8-10 weeks for beets

-12-16 weeks for carrots

—Harvesting—

-Entire plant is removed for harvesting—carrot leaves

can be thrown out but entire beet plant can be

consumed

—Where to grow—

-Best grown in a greenhouse/covered garden (with

shade netting)

—Spacing—

-Seedlings should be 6”-8" apart in the row


-4-5 months after transplanting

—Harvesting—

-To increase bushiness, periodically remove outside

stalks; when harvesting, cut at soil level

Lettuce —Where to grow—

-Best grown in a greenhouse/ covered (plastic or shade

netting) garden, using drip lines to avoid soil splashing

—Spacing—

-Seeds/seedlings should be 8"-12" apart in the row.


-5-6 weeks from transplanting to harvest

-harvest when lettuce head is well- developed, of good green colour, firm

and crisp

—Harvesting—

-harvest in the early morning with the roots intact to maintain leaf firmness and cripiness


-Insects: leaf hoppers, white flies, slugs


-Adequate irrigation required to produce succulent

lettuce

Page 12 Page 13

Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Chinese

Cabbage —Where to grow—

-Best grown in a garden sealed/covered by shade

netting to keep out pests, however can be grown in the

open if monitoring the plants for larvae presence

—Spacing—

-Seedlings should be 12"-16” apart in the row.


-Broccoli: 50-60 days after transplanting

-Cauliflower: 58 days

-Cabbage: 55-75 days

-Chinese cabbage: 28-35 days

—Harvesting—

-Broccoli: harvest when head deep green, firm and tight

-Cauliflower: 7-12 days after tying leaves around the

curd, when curd is compact and white

-Cabbage: when firm to touch and well-developed

-Chinese Cabbage: before seed stocks form


-Insects: Diamond back both (larvae cause damage)


-Broccoli: remove side buds to increase head size

-Cauliflower: tie leaves around the flower to prevent sun

and rain damage

Cucumbers, Squash, Watermelon —Where to grow—

-best grown in areas with a lot of room for vine growth:

for example a grow box

—Spacing—

-Cucumber: sow seeds 12” apart

-Squash: sow seeds 18” apart

-Watermelon: sow seeds 24” apart


-Cucumbers: 7 weeks

-Squash: 7-9 weeks

-Watermelon: 12 weeks

—Harvesting—

-Cucumbers: harvest when the spines on the

fruit fall off and the tendrils near the fruit dry

-Watermelon: harvest when tendrils near

the fruit are dry or when bottom of fruit

changes color from white to light yellow


-Insects: thrips, whiteflies, leaf miner, aphids


-harvest cucumber and squash before they are too

mature, otherwise the plant will use too much energy

and decrease later yields

Documents

IICA Barbados Backyard Gardening Booklet