TheUltimateGuidetoGROWINGYOUR

OWNFOOD

TheUltimateGuidetoGROWINGYOUR

OWNFOODSaveMoney,LiveBetter,andEnjoyLifewith

FoodfromYourOwnGarden

MonteBurch

SkyhorsePublishing

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Contents

Chapter1WhyGrowYourOwnFood

Chapter2PlanningtoGrow

Chapter3PreparingtheSite

Chapter4GrowingFoodinSmallSpaces

Chapter5GrowingVegetables

Chapter6VegetableSpecifics

Chapter7GrowingFoodforFallandWinter

Chapter8GrowingPerennialFoods

Chapter9Herbs

Chapter10SmallFruits

Chapter11TheHomeOrchard

Index

TheUltimateGuidetoGROWINGYOUR

OWNFOOD

1

WhyGrowYourOwnFood

Learningtogrowfoodwasamilestoneinthedevelopmentofthehumanrace.As hunters and gatherers learned to cultivate food, they began to developsocieties.Manyof theNativeAmericanswereexpert foodgrowersand taughtthe pilgrims to grow native foods such as corn, beans, and squash, thussustainingthestrugglingsettlements.Acommunityfoodgardenwasthenormasthesesettlementsgrew.Asthepioneersworkedtheirwayacrossthecountry,afood garden was a necessity for survival. In days past, every farm had a biggarden, and even those in the citieswith big backyards grew their own food.Thesedaysamuchsmallernumberofpeoplegrowtheirownfood,whilemostdependonthegrocery-storeshelvestoprovidetheirnutrition.

Thesedays,withallofourpurchasedfood,weexpectfoodsnotinseasontobeavailableyear-round.Wealsoenjoytheexperienceoftastingnewfoodsthathaveneverbeenavailableinourlocalareas.isconveniencecomesatahighcost.Transportingfoodfromeasttowestandfromnorthtosouthfromoneendofthecountry to theother and fromonecountry to another is amajoruseofoil forfuel.Packagingfoodstobeshippedalsoutilizesatremendousamountofenergy,as well as oil for producing plastic and trees for paper. Other major factors,however,arethetasteandtextureoffood.Muchoftheproducefoundontoday’sgrocery-store shelves is bred to be picked green, not ripe, so it won’t ripenbeforeithitsthestores.isproduces,insomeinstances,atasteless,hard-texturedfood.Justcomparethehot-housetomatotoa juicyfreshlypickedtomatofromthegarden.

Growingyourownfoodoffersmanybenefitsincludingareduceduseofourdwindlingenergysuppliesasfoodisprocessed,packaged,andshippedallovertheworld.

Tastingyourownripetomatoes,freshgreenbeans,blueberries,andpeaches,aswellasapricotsoffyourowntrees,isfardifferentfromtheproduceyoufindatyourlocalgrocer’s.

So why grow your own food? Granted, we can’t all have huge gardenscompletelyfulfillingourfoodneeds.Butthereareseveralgoodreasonstogrowwhatwecan.Firstisthetaste.Yousimplycan’tbeatthetasteoffreshlypickedsweet corn, brought in from the garden and directly to the table. The taste ofhomegrowntomatoes,ripeandburstingwithjuice,isheaventoatomatolover.And how about fresh green beans with new potatoes, one of our families’favoritehomegrowndishes.Even thosewith limitedspacecangrowtheirownsalad garden, with fresh lettuce, spinach, onions, and radishes. Peaches andapples,lusciousblueberries,blackberries,andstrawberriesthattastenothinglikestore-boughtonesarealsoprimefoodsyoucangrow.

Thesecondreason ishealth.Moreandmoreproblemsaredevelopingwithcommerciallygrownandprocessedfoods.Bygrowingyourown,youcanlimittheuseofharmfulchemicalssuchaspesticides,insecticides,andherbicides.Oryoumaydecidenottouseanychemicalsandgroworganically.Youwillknowwhatyourfamilyiseatingwhenyougrowityourself.Doctorsandresearcherswarnofourgrowinghealthproblemsfromdiabetesandobesity.Manypeople,especially youngsters, live on fast foods and don’t even get aminimum daily

requirementoffruitsandvegetables.Health.govsuggestsweneedtwotothreeservingsoffruitsandvegetableseachday.Mostfruitsandvegetablesarelowincaloriesandhighinvitaminsandfiber.Growingyourownfruitsandvegetablesincreasestheopportunityformorehealthyfoodsforyourfamily.

Formany,attaininggoodhealthisthereasonforgrowingtheirownfood.Bygrowingyourownfoods,youcancontrolwhat’susedinthewayofpesticidesandotherchemicals,aswellasfertilizers.Thecabbageshownhasafewchewedinsectholes,butnochemicals.

The third reason is also health related. Growing your own food gets yououtside and serves as a form of exercise. Although too much sun can bedangerous,studieshaveshownalackofsunlighttobeacommonproblemwithmany people. Fresh air, sunlight, and enjoying the outdoors are also stressrelievers.Tilling,planting,weeding,watering,andharvestingallrequireeffort,creatinghealthydailyexercises.

The fourth reason is simply economics. You can definitely save moneygrowingyourownfood.Andifyougrowenoughtoputfoodupforfutureuseeither by canning, drying, root-cellaring, or freezing, the savings reallymountup.We always keep a record ofwhatwe grow, eat, and put up each year. Itdoesn’t,however,countwhatweeatfreshaswellasthebushelsofproduceandfruitwegiveaway toneighbors, friends,andfamily.Theamountand typesoffood varies from year to year. For instance, one year we might have anabundance of sweet corn but fewer tomatoes, or lots of broccoli one yearfollowedbyaless-productiveyear.Ourorchardoftenoverproduces,followedby

ayearwithlittleornofruit.Whenwehaveanabundanceoffruit,everyonegetsjams and jellies for Christmas. The following is our record for 2010 and themonththefoodwasputup.

Homegrownfruitsandvegetablesarejustplaingoodforyou.

Growingyourownfoodisamajorstepinsavingmoney—andifyouprocessthefoodsyougrow,youreallysave.

May,2pt.spinach(freezer)May,4pt.asparagus(freezer)May,4pt.spinach(freezer)June, 3½ gal. chopped apricots for jam (freezer) June, 7 qt. apricot halves in

light syrup (pie filling/freezer) June, 1 gal. sugar snap peas (loose-frozen)June,4qt.strawberries(freezer)

June,8qt.apricothalves(freezer)June,3qt.driedapricothalvesJune,6qt.raspberries(freezer)June,2qt.asparagus(freezer)June,8qt.blueberries(freezer)June,3batchesapricotjamJune,1gal.apricothalvesforcobbler(freezer)June,2batchesapricotjamJune,4qt.strawberries(freezer)June,2qt.rhubarb(freezer)June,2qt.asparagus(freezer)June,6qt.choppedcabbage(freezer)July, 2 qt. French-cut green beans (freezer) July, 14 qt. green beans (pressure

canned)July,7qt.beets(pressurecanned)July, 14 pt. beet pickles (pressure canned) July, 14 qt. green beans (pressure

canned)July,14qt.sweetcorn,cutoffthecob(freezer)July,4qt.and6pt.blackberries(freezer)July,4qt.rhubarb(freezer)

July, 7 qt. sweet dill pickles (water bath canned) July, 7 qt. whole tomatoes(pressure canned) August, 7 qt. sweet sliced pickles (water bath canned)August,2gal.refrigeratordillpickles

August,9pt. tomatoandonionconcentrate(freezer)August,7qt.wholeplumtomatoes(pressurecanned)August,4qt.strawberries(freezer)

August,2qt.peaches(freezer)August,4qt.zucchini(freezer)August,13pt.tomatorelish(pressurecanned)August,11pt.hotsalsa(pressure

canned) August, 13 pt. mild salsa (pressure canned) August, 5 bushelspotatoes (basement cellar) August, 14 qt. peach halves (pressure canned)August, 7pt. tomatoandonionconcentrate (freezer)August, 3qt. peaches(freezer)

August,2gal.peachesforcobbler(freezer)August,2qt.peaches(freezer)August,2gal.peachesforcobbler(freezer)August,14pt.Italian-flavoredplum

tomatoes (pressure canned) August, 3 gal. peaches for cobbler (freezer)August,14pt.tacosauce(pressurecanned)August,6pt.cantaloupeinlightsyrup (freezer) August, 7 qt. pizza sauce mix with three meats (freezer)September,9pt.pears(pressurecanned)

September, 16 pt. apple butter (water bath canned) September, 32 qt. tomatojuice(pressurecanned)September,2qt.friedapples,readytoheatandserve(freezer)September,4pansapple-piefilling(freezer)September,2qt.applepeelsforjelly(extrapeelsmakearosyredapplejelly,freezer)September,7pt. tomato-and-onion concentrate (freezer) October, 7 pt. roasted red bellpeppers (freezer) October, 6 pans stuffed peppers, ready to cook (freezer)October,10pt. roasted redbellpeppers (freezer)October,5qt.bagssweet(red, green, and yellow) peppers, diced (freezer)October, 4 qt. bags sweet(red,green,andyellow)peppers,diced(freezer)October,6qt.friedapples,ready to heat and serve (freezer)October, 6 qt. bags sweet peppers, diced(freezer)October,6bushelssweetpotatoes(basementcellar)October,4cupsgratedhorseradish

October,7pt.roastedred,green,andyellowpeppers,diced(freezer)October,6qt. bags sweet red and green peppers, diced (freezer)As ofOctober 2010,appleswere still available aswell as a freezer of strawberries, raspberries,andblackberriestobemadeintojamsandjellies.Abushelofgreentomatoesis slowly ripening in the garage and will provide ripe tomatoes throughThanksgiving. I’m not sure I can even figure how much money we havesavedthisyeargrowingourownfood.Ifyoutakethegreenbeansandbeetsaloneandfigure¢75acan,twocansor$1.50perquart,at44quarts,that’s$66.00.Ourcostforseedandfertilizerforthatsameproducewaslessthan$10.00. When you begin to figure the savings in fruit, you really save,especiallyfruitreadytoserve.Grantednoteveryonehasthetime,inclination,andspacetogrowandputupthisquantityoffood,butanyamountyougrowyourselfisahelp.If you can’t grow your own food, or are limited inwhat you can grow, a

major step you can take is to purchase from farmers’markets and other localsources. Not only are you “greening” by cutting down on the use of fuel fortransportation,butyouarealsoenjoyingmuchtastierandhealthierfoods.Andyou’rehelpingthelocaleconomy.

2

PlanningtoGrow

Onceyou’vedecidedtogrowyourownfood,thenextstepistoplanyourfoodgarden.Planningisextremelyimportant.Themoretimeyouspendplanning,thefewerhasslesyou’llhave,themoreyouwillenjoygrowingyourownfood,andthemoreproductiveitwillbe.Thefirststepistochoosealocation,thesecondistodecidewhatyouwanttogrow,andthethirdistodecidehowbigagardenyouwanttohaveorhowmuchyouwanttogrow.It’simportanttoberealisticinallthreechoices.

LocationAswithrealestate,andagardenis“realestate,”it’sallaboutlocation,location,location.Mostofusdon’tbuyahomeorpurchaseapropertywithagardensiteforemostinmind.We’reoftenlimitedtowhat’savailable.That’snottosaywitha littleeffortand imaginationyoucan’tgrowmost foods justaboutanywhere.Regardless ofwhere you live, it’s important to pick your best garden locationdepending on several factors. Understand your geographic area; the averagemean temperatures, including first and last frosts; amount of sunlight; and thesoiltypes.Elevationcanhaveagreatdealtodowithfrosts.WeliveonanOzarkhillside,butagoodportionofourfarmisdownthehillinavalley,asaresomeofourneighbors,lessthanaquarteramileaway.Weoftendon’tgetnearlyasmuchfrostasourneighborsorthevalleybelow.Notonlycanwegardenlonger,butwealsohavebetterchancesthanourneighborsdoforfruitblossomsurvival.

Growingyourownfoodrequiresawell-drainedgardenspot,withatleast6to8hoursoffullsunperday.

Folksinthenorth,withextremelyshortseasonsandrelativelycoolweather,mayhave troublegrowing long-seasonplants,althoughmanynorthernershavediscoveredtricksforextendingtheirseason.Gardenersinthoseareasoftengrowplantsstartedinrowcoversorcoldframestoextendtheseason.Thechapteronfallgardeningcoversmanyideasonhowyoucanextendyourseason,evengrowfoods year-round in some instances. On the other hand, growers in northernareascangrowrhubarbwhilethoseinthesouthhaveproblemswiththisplant.

Sunlight is extremely important.Most vegetables, fruits, berries, and treesneedfullsunoratleastsixhoursoffullsunperday.Thismayrequireshade-treepruning or even removal of a tree or two near your garden site. I had this

problem formanyyearswith anoldoakon thewest endofmygarden, and Ifinally had to remove it. You can also build reflectors, including decorativefences, tohelpdistributemoresunlight.Limitedshading,however, isgoodforsomeplants.Ifpossible,thegardenshouldrunsouthtonorth.Thisprovidestheoptimumamountofsunlightasthesuntravelseasttowest.Ifyourgardenrunseast towestasdoesmycurrentgarden,youcanremedy thisbyplanting tallerplantsonthenorthandworkingsouthwithshorterplants.

Trytolocatethegardenonarelativelylevelarea,butinaplacethatdrainswell.Ifyouhaveaslightslope,runtherowsacrossthesloperatherthanupanddowntopreventerosion.Severeslopeswillrequireterracing.Ifthegardenareadoesn’tdrainwell,asevidencedbycontinuedpuddles,youmayneedtoutilizedrainlinesor,betteryet,createraisedbeds.Thegardenshouldalsoberelativelyclosetoawatersource,inmostcasesahose-supplyfaucet.

Thenextmajor factor is soil.Again thiscanvary,but inmost instances, agarden plot isn’t “ready-made” for productive food growing.Asmentioned, acontinually wet area is not a good spot. Extremely sandy soil causes otherproblems,asdoesaheavy-claysoil.Althoughweharvestabountifulsupplyoffood each year from our Ozark hillside garden, we probably have the worstgardenspot.The topsoil isvery thin.Digabout four inchesdownandyourunintoahardpanofclayandflintstones.Andtheresimplyisn’taflatspotonourhillsidehomelocation.Ourhousestartsatgroundlevelinthefrontandendsupfour feet above ground level at the back.And the garden location isn’tmuchbetter. Two tactics have been used to create our productive food garden. Thefirstwastoterracethehillside.Weusedlogscutfromtrimmingourtimberland,aswellas railroad tiesand landscaping timbers tobuildup the lowside.Thencame filling in the lowareawithgood topsoil.Even thathasbeencontinuallyimproved with regular additions of compost and well-rotted manure.We stillcontinuallytillordigupandgardenaroundrocks,andwesometimesthinkthegardengrowsrocksbetterthananythingelse.Regardless,thesoilproduces.

It’simportanttodeterminewhattypesofandhowmuchfoodyouwanttogrow,aswellashowmuchtimeyouwanttoputintobothgrowingandpreserving.

WhatandHowMuchtoGrowThisisthehardpartforbeginningfoodgrowers.Beginnersusuallywanttogroweverything,andyoucangrowalmostanyfoodyoucanbuy.Youshouldaimtoproduce asmuchhigh-quality food aspossible fromyourgrowing area.Growfamily favorites and a variety of foods so you can keepmeals interesting andnutritious. It’s also important to choose foods based on what you and yourfamilyliketoeat.Forinstance,ifnoonewilleatbroccoli,whygrowit?

Evenifyouhaveunlimitedspace,don’tplantoolargeagarden,especiallyifyou’renewtogardening.It’sbesttohaveawell-keptsmallgardenthanalargegardenthatbecomestoomuchwork.I’vebeenthere.Yearsago,whenourkidswere growing up, we had four gardens, a half-acre sweet corn patch, and agarden just for potatoes.Oneyear the potatopatchproduced a pickup loadofpotatoes.Thentherewasthegeneral-purposegardenandfinallyagardenforthewildlife.Weallworked longdays from light todark togrowour food.ThesedaysmywifeandIhaveonlyonegarden,andit’snotparticularlybig;we’rejustgrowing“smarter.”Sorryforthepun.Thegardenisbetterorganized,utilizesalotofraisedbeds,andisaboutone-fourththework,yetproducesanabundance

of food. Growing some plants in volume in the home garden isn’t practical,except for the satisfaction of growing food and the fun of tasting your ownhomegrown produce. Specific plants require specific spacing, depending onwhethertheyaregrowninconventionalrowsorintensivegardening.Chapter6on “Vegetable Specifics” illustrates howmuch food can be grown in specificspacing,aswellashowmuchisneededperperson.Measureyourgardenareatodetermine how much space is available. Some plants can be grown in smallspaces;others,suchascornandpotatoes,requirelargerareas.Afterdetermininghowmuchspaceyouhaveandhowmuchyourgardencantheoreticallyproduce,thenextstep is toconsiderrealisticallyhowmuchtimeandeffortyouwant toputintogrowingandprocessingyourownfood.Growingyourownfoodcanbetime-consuming, especially if you grow enough to process or store for futureuse. There’s the garden preparation: seeding and planting, weeding, watering,harvesting,andprocessing.Thelattercanalsobealotofwork.Anexampleofthetimeinvolvedisoursweetcornpatch.We’veharvestedenoughroastingearsinoneweekendto lastusfor thirtydays in therefrigerator,plusputnumerousquartsofcut-off-the-cobcornin thefreezer.Notcountingthetimeinvolvedinplanting andmaintaining, it takesmywife Joan and I onewholeweekend toshuck, process, and store the harvest.Other plants aren’t quite somuchwork.We dug almost two hundred pounds of sweet potatoes from six plants andsimply stored them in the basement. Some plants also require more effort ingrowing, and again corn is one of those, although with some tricks andtechniques, you can cut down on a lot of the work. Some of the easiestvegetablestogrowinvolume,however,includecorn,aswellaspotatoes,bushbeans,cabbage,tomatoes,lettuce,spinach,andothersaladgreens.

Otherplantsdonotproducethequantitybutstillhaveaplaceinyourgardensimplybecausethehomegrownfoodstastesogood.Agoodexampleofthisispeas.Wegrowpeassimplybecausetheytastesogreatwithnewpotatoesinthespring,butwe’vefoundithardtogrow,harvest,andpodmorethanafewpintsforthefreezer.

Someplantsrequiremorespacethanothers.Alotoftomatoescanbegrowninasmallspace.

It’sagoodideatomeasureyourgardenspaceandtomakeagardenplanonpaperbeforeyoustartdigging.

Green beans, on the other hand, often become so prolific it’s hard to keep upwiththevolume,andwepressurecanlotsofbeans,eatlots,andgiveawaylots.It does, however, take time to snap and process any volume of green beans.Some plants, such as corn and watermelons, take a lot of space to grow.Tomatoesalsotakeupspace,butgrownvertically, theytakeuplessspaceandareagardenfavorite.Onetomatoplant,grownproperly,canproduceuptofiftypoundsofdelicious,mouth-wateringhomegrown tomatoeseachseason.Byallmeans,includesometomatoesinyourgarden.Beans,broccoli,cabbage,lettuce,

zucchinisquash,chard,andspinachareallplants thatproducea lotof food inlimitedareas.

Beforeyoubegintoplantyourgarden,planitonpaper.Useatapemeasureor step off tomeasure the size of your food plot.Again, chapter 6 details thespacingofspecificplantsinatraditionalrowgarden,aswellashowmanyplantsare normally needed per person. Using this you can lay out your garden onpaper.Usesquaredordraftingpaper,ormarkoffsquaresonpaperwitharuler,witheachsquarerepresentingonefoot.Thenwriteinwhereyouwanttopositiondifferentfoodplants.

Keepadiarywithasketchorplanofwhatvarietiesareplanted.Alsonotehoweachvarietygrewandproducedinthatgivenyear.Overtheyearsthisdiarywillbecomeinvaluableinchoosingvarietiesthatthriveinyourgarden.

Also,rememberyoudon’thavetogrowallyourfoodatonetime;successiveplantingscankeepyourgardenproducingthroughoutthegrowingseason.Planyourgardentotakeadvantageoffencesthatmightbeborderingit,forinstance

growing peas, cucumber, or pole beans on the fences. Most importantly,however, is positioning plants so tall-growing plants don’t shade out shorterplants.Ifagardenrunseasttowest,forexample,cornandpolebeansshouldbeplanted on the north side, followedby tomato plants in cages, then beans andpotatoes, followedby lettuceandother lower-growingplants.Living ina ruralareaandwithabigyard,we’vealwaysgrown the traditionalbig farmgarden,althoughwe’ve scaled back greatly in the past few years.Our present gardenruns east to west, measures 30 × 50 feet, and one-fourth of the garden iscompletelymadeofraisedbeds.Threeofthebedscontainstrawberries,withonebedrejuvenatedeveryyearsowecankeepacontinuoussupplyofplantsgoing.Theregular-rowportionisusedtogrowcorn,beans,andpotatoes.Asinglerowoftomatocagesandahalfrowoftomatoesandhalfrowofpeppersdividetherowportion from thebedportion.One-halfof thebedportion isused togrowlettuce, cabbage, broccoli, cucumbers, squash, spinach, radishes, onions, andothersaladgreens.Theotherhalfofthebedportion,orone-fourthofthegarden,isused togrowmelons,watermelons,cantaloupe,muskmelons,andhoneydewmelons,alongwithaplantortwoofpumpkins.

Some plants do better with their crops rotated each year, so remember tokeepyourgardenplans fromyear toyear inorder todeterminecrop rotations.Wealsomakeupaplantingplanaswellforcropssuchastomatoesandpeppers,wheremore than one variety is often planted in a row or bed. This lists eachvarietyplantedsowecandeterminewhichvarietiesdobesteachyear.Keepadiary of what grew best, how long it took plants to germinate or fruit, theweatherconditions,andthefirstandlastfrosts.Thesepaperrecordswillbecomeinvaluable over the years. If you put up or give away surplus foods, keep arecordofthataswell.

Interplantspeciesthatcanbegrowntogetherwithsomematuringfasterthantheircompanionplants.Forinstance,plantradishesandcarrotstogether.Asyouharvest the radishes, the slowergrowing carrotswill havemore room togrowandareautomatically“thinned.”Anothertactictoproducealongersaladgardenistogrowvarietiesoflettucethatgrowwellincoolweatherbuttendtoboltinhot weather. Follow this with New Zealand spinach that can produce saladgreenseveninhotweather.

Interplantingslow-andfast-growingvarieties,suchasspinach,radishes,andonionstobeusedasyounggreenonions,producesthemostfromyourgrowingspace.

Saveonespotinthegardenfortryingnewvarietiesorevennewspecieseachyear.Itaddstothefunofgrowingyourownfoodandalsospicesupyourmeals.

While planning your garden, make the most of local gardeners. Most aremore than delighted to discuss their food gardens. Check out local countyextensionofficesforinformation.Goodinformationonwhatgrowsbestinyourareaisavailableandwillsaveyoualotoftime,expense,andhassle.Partofthefun of growing your own food is poring over the various seed catalogs anddroolingoverthemouth-wateringphotosofdeliciousfoods.Thesecatalogscanalsobeagreathelpinplanningyourgarden.Inmanyinstances,morevarietiesof seed are available earlier than can be found locally. Other seeds—such ascorn, spinach,beets, lettuce, andonion sets—orplants aremoreeconomical ifpurchasedinbulklocallyandareavailablewhenit’stimetoplant.

With time spent planning your food garden, you’ll enjoy a productive,money-saving, tasty supply of food for you, your family, and probably evensomeofyourfriends.

3

PreparingtheSite

Growingyourown food requiresmore than simply throwingout someseeds.Youwillneedtocreateagrowingarea.Preparingthegrowingsitecanbeagreatdeal ofwork, or relatively easy depending on the site location, soil type, andwhetherornotagardenhasalreadyexistedonthearea.Nomatterwhattypeofsoilthesitehas,itcanprobablybeimproved.Theveryfirstessentialstepistotakeasoiltest.Removethesodanddigupseveralsamplesofsoilfromthearea.Mixthesesamplestogetherinaplasticcontainerandallowthemtodry.Takeahalf pint of the sample to your local cooperative extension office. Itwill takeaboutaweekforthesampletobesenttothetestcenterandwillcostjustafewbucks.Theresultsofthesoilsamplewilltellyouwhatmaterialsyouwillneedtoaddtoyoursoil.

Properlypreparingthegrowingsiteisvitalforaproductivegardensuchasthisgardenwithtomatoes,corn,andgreenbeans.

UnderstandingSoilAshort“scienceclass”canhelpinunderstandingyoursoilandhowtocreateaproductivefoodgarden.First,soilisthesinglemostimportantingredientofanygarden. Second, soil is alive and constantly changing. Third, any soil can beimproved.Fourth,allgardensoilsneedregularmaintenanceandcare.Oneofthemostimportantfactorsinsoil is thesizeandarrangementoftheparticles.Thisdeterminesthetypeofsoilandhowyoucanamendit.Asimpledemonstrationcanprovideyouwiththetypeofsoilinyourgardenlocation.Placeaquartercupofsoilfromyourgardenlocationandapintofwaterinaglassfruitjar.Placealid or cap on the jar and shake well. Allow the particles to settle for a fewminutesandthenshakewellagain.Setthejarasideforfivetosevendays.Thesoilwillsettleoutinlayers,andthewaterwillclear.Studythedifferentlayersinthe jar. The heaviest particles, coarse sand or small rocks, will make up thebottom layer, followedby finesand, thensilt, and finallyclay.Bitsoforganicmattermayalsobefloatingontopofthewater.Ifthesedimentishalfsand,itiscalledalightsandysoil.Ifthesedimentisoverhalfsiltbutwithlittleclay,it’scalledaheavysiltsoil.Ifitismorethanone-fourthclaywithalargeamountofsilt,it’scalledaclaysoil.Ifthelayersareabouttwo-fifthssand,two-fifthssilt,andtherestclay,it’scalledagoodloam,theidealsoil.

Eachofthesesoiltypeshasplusesandminuses.Alightsandysoiliseasyto

work, warms up quickly in the spring, and normally has good drainage. It,however, won’t hold moisture or nutrients very long, so it needs water andfertilizermoreoften.Addingorganicmatter,peatmoss,compost,leafmold,orsawdustcanhelpthesoilretainmoistureandnutrients.Heavyclayorsiltsoilsareslowertowarmanddryoutinthespring,usuallydrainpoorly,andcompactveryeasily.Theyshouldn’tbeworkedwhenwet,ortheywillformhardclumpsor clods. Add organic matter to make them lighter andmore porous. Addingquantitiesofcoarsebutnotlightsandcanalsohelp.

Youmustfirstunderstandthetypeofsoilinyourgardensite.Asoilsampleplacedinajarofwaterwillsettleout,providingadescriptionofyourtypeofsoil.

Humus is a very important part of soil. Humus is basically the result ofdecomposition,actuallythe“life”ofthesoil.It’sjustaboutimpossibleforasoiltohavetoomuchhumus,andmostsoilsdon’thavenearlyenough.Humusaddsanumberofthenutrientssoilneedsandimprovesthetextureortilthofthesoil,allowingit tobetterabsorbandholdwaterandnutrients.Humusalsoactsasabuffer against the problems of possible overdoses of fertilizer and, in somecases, some herbicides. Rich, deep, well-fertilized soil that is dark brown orblackisoftencalledahumussoil.

Humus is an organic matter, produced by countless microorganisms thatbreakdowndeadtissuesandthenreducethemfurtherintochemicalformsplantscanutilize.Humusisconstantlybeinglostandreplacedinnature.Ingardening

or farming, more humus is normally lost than is naturally replaced. For thisreason,youshouldalwaysaddhumusofsomesortwhenyouprepareagardentoplant. This humus can be compost, manure, peat moss, leaf mold, and otherorganicmaterials. Compost is the best choice, as the organicmaterials addeddirectlytothesoilanddugincancreateatemporarynitrogendeficiency.Ifyoudig undecayed organic materials into the soil, add a bit of nitrogen. A greenmanurecropcanalsoaddhumus.Ryegrassorcloverisplowedunderafteritisabout half grown. Normally this is done by planting in the fall and plowingunderinthespring.

MakingCompostThe single most important chore you can do to grow a lot of food is to addcomposttoyourgardensite.Compostisbasicallymadeupoforganicmaterialsthathavealreadybeenbrokendownorareinthelaststepsofbeingbrokendownbymicroorganisms.MotherNaturedoesthisnaturallywhenplants,insects,andanimals die, returning them to the soil. The soil organisms decompose theorganicmattersotheirnutrientscanbeusedbyplants.Decomposingisgoingonall the time all around us. Composting basically organizes and speeds up theprocess. Many communities now ban waste such as grass clippings, leaves,paper,andothernaturalmaterialsfrompubliclandfillsandarecompostingtheminstead.Do-it-yourselfcompostingwillgreatlyimproveyourfoodgardenwhilerecyclingmaterialsfromyouryardandkitchen.Compostingiseasy,andwhendone properly, it doesn’t provide noxious smells nor create a “nuisance”appearance.Basicallyallyouneedtodoistossgrassclippings,leaves,andevenyourcoffeegroundsintoabin,andinaboutfourweeksorless,you’llhavefreefertilizertoaddtoyoursoil.Inmostinstances,compostingisdoneinabinthatcanbemadefairlyinexpensivelyfromanumberofmaterials—stackedconcreteblocks, a cage ofweldedwire, chickenwire, old hay bales, even landscapingtimbers,oraconstructedwoodenbin.Thelatterisfairlyeasytomakeevenforanon-do-it-yourselfer.Regardlessofthematerialused,thebinshouldhavelotsofholesforaircirculation.Thebinshouldbeabletoholdapileofmaterialsaboutthree feet square and three feet high.Any smaller and itwon’twork quite asefficiently;any tallerand thematerialsmaycompact rather thanstay loose forpropercomposting.

Compostisthesinglemostimportantmaterialyoucanaddtoanygrowingsite.It’seasytocreate,aswellasagreatwayofrecyclingmaterialsfromyouryardandkitchen.Acompostbincanbemadequiteeasilyusingtreated5/4-inchdeckingboards.

The first step is to choose a site that’s well drained and on bare soil. Ifpossible,locatethebinclosetoyourgardentoavoidhauling.Thebinshouldbeinapartiallyshadyareatopreventdirectsunlightfromdryingthematerialsouttooquickly.Thenorthsideofabuildingisanideallocation.Youshouldalsobeabletoreachthebinwithagardenhose.Manygardenersliketobuildtwobins,onethat’s“working”andonethatholdsfinishedcompost.Thetwobinsareusedtogether, tossingmaterials back and fourth.Three binswork even better,withtwobinsworkingandoneholdingmaterialstobecomposted.

Althoughyoucansimplydumpmaterialsintothebin,thebestmethodistodividetheorganicmaterialsintotwocategories:dryorbrownmaterials,whicharehighincarbon,andgreenorwetmaterials,whicharehighinnitrogen.Thedry materials include straw, wood chips, dried leaves, and dried plants. Thegreen materials include grass clippings and green leaves, as well as manure,green gardenwaste, and kitchen scraps.Do not usemeat scraps, fat, or otherfoods thatwill attract theneighborhoodcritters.Experts like todivide the twomaterials into about twenty-five to thirty parts high-carbonmaterials and onepart high-nitrogen materials. Shred or cut up larger materials as much aspossible.Usea lawnmower to chop leavesandcutkitchen scrapsandgardenrefuseassmallaspossibleorblendwithabitofwater.Thesmallerthesizeofthematerials, themore their surface is exposed, and the quicker the pilewilldecompose. Do not add weeds that have seed heads. Also, be aware someherbicidescanremainintheplantsandkillplantswhenusedascompost.

Anothereasycompostbincanbemadefrom1x4sandhardwarecloth.

Thenit’ssimplyamatterofplacingthematerialsinthebininlayers.Startwithafour-to-five-inchlayerofcoarsebrownmatter.Addathinlayerofgreenmaterials such as grass clippings,manure, and so forth.Add about a one inchlayer of garden soil. This will help introduce the microorganisms needed forcomposting.Thenaddmorebrownmaterialssuchasdriedhay,straw,orleaves.Followwithathinlayerofgreenmaterials.Sprinklewithwaterasyoubuildupthe layers. Build the pile to at least three feet high. Once you have the pileconstructed, coverwitha tarporoldpieceofplywood tokeep rainwater fromslowingthecompostingprocess.Anidealbinhasacoverconstructedtofit.

Allowthepiletositforacoupleofdaysandthen,usingapitchfork,turnthepile.This iswhere the secondbincomes in. It’s easier to simply fork thepileinto the second bin than turn over all thematerials in one bin. Turn the top,bottom,andsidesofthepileintothecenter.Thisintroducesairintothepileandexposes fly eggs and plant pathogens to the heat created by the decomposingpile.Turnandmix thepileat leastevery thirdday.Turning itmoreoftenwillspeeduptheprocess.Ifthepilehasbeenproperlymadeandturned,itwillheatupinafewdaystoapproximately160°Finthecenter.Thepilewillreturntothistemperatureeachtimeitisturneduntiliteventuallybeginstocooldown.Afteraboutthreeorfourweeks,thepilewillcooldowncompletely,andthematerialscanthenbeaddedtothegarden.Youreallydon’thavetocreateabigcompostpile.Compostcanactuallybecreated inanynumberofsmallcompostmakersavailable through garden-supply catalogs. Or simply place materials in largeplasticleafbagswithholespunchedinthem.Dampenthematerialsinthebagsandplaceinanout-of-the-wayplace.Turnandshakethebagstwiceaweek,andyoushouldhavecompostinacoupleofmonths.

Layerthematerials,allowthepiletositforacoupleofdays,andthenuseapitchforktoturnthecompostpile.

FertilizerEvenwith the addition of humus and compost, tomaintain good soil fertility,you will need to add some sort of fertilizer on a regular basis.Most organicmaterials are low in phosphate and produce limited amounts of nitrogen.Growingplantsneednutrients,includingtheelementsmagnesium,phosphorus,potassium,andnitrogen.Magnesium(Mg)comes from limestone.Theamountofmagnesiumcarbonateingroundlimestonevariesquiteabit.Phosphorus(P)hasmany important functions inplants, theprimaryonebeing the storageandtransfer of energy through the plant. Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) andadenosine triphosphate (ATP) are high-energy phosphate compounds thatcontrolmost processes in plants, including photosynthesis, respiration, proteinand nucleic acid synthesis, and nutrient transport through the cell walls.Phosphorus is essential for seed production, and it promotes increased rootgrowth,produceshealthygrowth,andencouragesgoodfruitdevelopment.Rockphosphateisthemostcommonsourceofphosphorus.

Potassium(K)comesfrommuriateofpotash,derivedfromlargedepositsofpotassiumchloride salts found in the southwesterndesertof theUnitedStates.Potassiumisneededforthemanufactureofcarbohydrates—sugarsandstarches.Potassium also increases resistance to disease and produces strong plant cellwallsandstems.Nitrogen(N)isnecessarytoconvertthesun’slightintoenergythrough photosynthesis. Plants also use nitrogen to form amino acids, thebuildingblocksofprotein.Theavailabilityofusablenitrogenoftendeterminesthequalityofplants.Plantswithdarkgreenleaveshaveahighorproperamount

of nitrogen availability. Slow-growing, stunted plants or thosewith yellowingleaves show a nitrogen deficiency. Each plant has different nitrogenrequirements.Corn, for instance,hasoneof thehighestnitrogen requirements,needing as much as 215 pounds of nitrogen per acre to produce high yields.Legumes,suchascloversandbeans,“fix”oraddnitrogentothesoil.Rhizobiumbacteriaformsnodulesontherootsoftheplantsandthentakesnitrogenfromtheatmosphereandmakesitavailabletotheplants.Forthisreason,acovercropofcloverplantedinlatefallandtilledinlatewinterorearlyspringisagreatwayofaddingnitrogentoyourfood-growingsite.

Growingfoodrequiressomesortofregularlyappliedfertilizer.Thesemaybecommerciallyproducedchemicalfertilizersororganic,oracombinationofboth.

Eachtypeofplanthasdifferentfertilizerrequirements.Forinstance,cornrequiresfertilizerhighinnitrogen.

Different typesofplants requiredifferent typesof fertilizers.Chapter6ongrowingspecificvegetablesdetails the fertilizer requirements foreachspecies.Fertilizers are available as chemical and as organic. The former are actuallymaterials found growing naturally and ground or manufactured to producenitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. The latter are from organic sources.Commercial chemical fertilizer is available in several forms. Farmers have abulkfertilizerdealermixtheingredientstospecificrequirements.Forthesmallamountsneeded,however,themostpracticalmethodforhomefoodgrowersisto purchase bagged fertilizers. A numerical code on the bag indicates theamounts of each element. The first figure is the percent of N (nitrogen), thesecondisthepercentofP(phosphateorphosphorus),andthethirdisthepercentofK(potashorpotassium).Forexample8-31-16haseightpoundsofnitrogen,thirty-onepoundsofphosphate,andsixteenpoundsofpotashperonehundredpounds. The rest of the materials are inert. The most common bagged

commercialfertilizersare10-10-10,12-12-12,or13-13-13.Thesecontainalltheelements in equal portions and are considered all-around general fertilizers.Simply applying thesewill provide the fertilizer requirements formost plants.Mostvegetables,withexceptionslikecorn,arereallynotheavyfeeders.Usuallyabout five pounds of a general-purpose fertilizer should be applied to a one-hundred-foot square. Apply half the fertilizer before you prepare the soil andthen add the remainder after the ground had been prepared, lightly raking thefertilizer into the top inch or so of soil. This positions fertilizer both for theseedlingswhentheyfirstputdownrootsanddeeperforwhentheplantsbegintogrow.Side-dressingwith fertilizer also helps provide amaintenance supply ofnutrientsthroughthegrowingseason.

Commercialgardenfertilizersarealsoavailable.Manyofthesearedesignedspecifically for plants such as beans, tomatoes, and so forth. Water-solublegardeningfertilizersdesignedtobeappliedwithwater,suchasMiracle-Gro,areextremely easy touse.Dry commercial fertilizers canbeover applied, but thewater-soluble fertilizersprevent thatproblem.Thewater-soluble fertilizers canbe applied by simply mixing a bit of the powder in a watering can, or withapplicators holding the powder and fastened to a hose. The proper mix offertilizer is applied as you water. This is a very consistent and easy way ofaddingfertilizer.

Commercialfertilizersareavailableinbagged(themostcommon)orinpopularwater-solubleforms.

Organic fertilizers are the choice of many gardeners. The commercialfertilizersmanufactured fromrockandsalthavea tendency toaddsalts to thesoil,andmanyfoodgrowersprefer toutilizeamoregreenapproach.Different

typesoforganicmaterialsprovide thedifferentplantnutrientneeds.Themostcommon organic fertilizers are the animal and bird manures. These are ratedaccording to the nutrients, with rabbit manure the highest, poultry manure orlittersecond,sheepmanurethird,horsefourth,andcowfifth.Ifyouhaveareadysourceofanyofthesemanures,you’relucky.Inmostinstances,youwillneedtopurchasebaggedmanure,andit’susuallycowmanurethatisavailable.Allthesemanures also add humus or organicmaterials to the soil, helping to build thesoil, theamountdependingon thesource.Themanuresalsodon’tbreakdownquiteasrapidlyaschemicalfertilizers.Freshmanuresshouldnotbeappliedtothe garden at planting time—especially poultry, rabbit, or horse manures—astheycanburntheplants.Thebesttacticwithfreshmanureistoapplyit inthefallorveryearlyinthespring,plowitunder,andthenplantinthespring.Driedmanurecanbeappliedthesameaswithotherfertilizers.Oneofthebestwaysofutilizingfreshmanureistocompostit.

Differentorganicmaterialsprovidedifferentelementsoffertilizer.

Inadditiontomanure,othernaturalororganicmaterialscanalsosupplythebasic nutrients of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. These can be appliedseparately to match specific plant needs, or you can make up mixes thatapproximate commercial mixes. For instance, wood ashes contain phosphorusandpotash,bloodmealishighinnitrogen,andcottonseedmealcontainsfairlyhigh amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. Bone meal providesphosphorus.Mostofthesematerials,however,arenotreadilyavailableinbulkin most locales. The plant meals, such as cottonseed meal, are available,however, as theyareoftenusedas animal feeds andare available at farmandfeedstores.Boneandbloodmealmayalsobeavailableinsomeareas.Byusingdifferentquantitiesofthevariousavailableorganicmaterials,youcanmakeupgeneral fertilizer mixes that resemble the amounts of elements in chemicalfertilizers.

You can also make up your own liquid fertilizers using either fish orseaweedemulsionormanure.Thelatter,calledmanuretea,iseasytomakeandlikeotherliquidfertilizersdoesn’tburnplantslikesomeharsherfertilizersdo.Itdoes,ofcourse,haveadistinct smell.Sincewe liveonaworkingcattle farm,withacow-calfoperation,wehavelotsofcowmanure.Weapplymanurefreshand tilled in, use it dried to create humus and compost, and make our ownmanuretea.Tomakeupyourownmanuretea,you’llneedafive-gallonplasticbucket,ameshbag,and,ofcourse,driedcowmanure.Thiscanbepurchased,oryoumay scoop your own. I guess you could utilize freshmanure, but believeme, dried is best. If you’re not brave enough, you can make a compost tea,whichisn’tquiteas“strong.”Placethedriedmaterialsinaplasticbagthathasholes in it.The idealbag is one that is actuallymadeof tightlywovenplasticmesh.Apairofpantyhosewillalsowork.Placearockinthebagforweightandtietheendshut.Placethebucketinaplacewhereitwon’tcollectrainwaterandaddthemanure-filledbag.Fillthebucketwithwater.Placeaboardlooselyoverthebuckettokeepoutcrittersandallowthe“tea”tosteepforafewdays.Youcanthenpouroffordiptheliquidandsprinkleoveroraroundyourplantswithagardenwateringcan.Youcanaddmorewaterandsteepanotherbatchor two,butitgetsweakerwithtime.Iliketokeeptwobuckets,one“working”andonefinishedtouseasfertilizer.

Youcanmakeupyourownmanuretealiquidfertilizer.

Homefoodgrowershavethechoiceofusingchemicalororganicfertilizersforgrowingtheirfood.Thisisapersonalchoice.OvertimeI’veusedboth.Bothtypes have advantages and disadvantages. Chemical fertilizers are quick andeasytouse,andyoucanfertilizefairlypreciselywiththem.Youcan,however,justaseasilyapply toomuchandburnor loseyourcrops.Chemical fertilizersaremorecostly (ifyouhaveaccess to thenaturalmaterials); they leachoutofthesoilfairlyquicklyandcanrunoffintowaterways,creatingrunoffproblems.Over time the soil can also accumulate chemical salts, actuallybringingdownfertilityormakingitnecessarytoaddcontinuallymorechemicalfertilizers.Forthemostpart,we’vegottenawayfromchemicalfertilizersonourfarmoperationandgarden.

Someplantsareheavyfeeders;othersaremediumandothersareonlylightfeeders.

Organicfertilizerstakeabitmoretimeinapplying,andtheystayinthesoillonger,buttheywillalsoleachfromsandysoils.Organicgardeninghasbecomeoneofthegreeninthings.Indayspast,organicgardenerstendedtousereadilyavailablebulkmaterials.Withthenewpopularity,alotoforganicfertilizersareavailable commercially, even from the big-box stores. If you purchase smallbagscommercially,theycanbecostly.Ifyouaccumulatethematerialsinbulk,they’re less expensive. The main advantage of organic fertilizers is they’rebasicallyrecyclingnature’smaterials,andtheirmanufactureisnotashardontheenvironment.Butmostimportantly,organicfertilizers,whenusedproperly,havelesschanceofburningplants,andtheyaddcontinualhealthtothesoilinorganicmaterialsthatdecomposeintothesoil.

Different vegetables need different types of fertilizers. Plants such as cornand the leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, cabbage, kale, and spinach, requiremorenitrogenthanotherplants.Rootandtubercrops,suchasturnips,parsnips,carrots, beets, potatoes, and sweetpotatoes, require ahigher amountofpotashandphosphorus.Beansandtomatoesrequire lessfertilizer,especiallynitrogen,whichcanstimulatefoliagegrowthattheexpenseofthefruitandpods.Bothofthese,however,dobetterwithapplicationsofphosphorus.Somecropsdobetterwith relatively heavy fertilizer applications and includes corn, onions, lettuce,spinach,celery,andtherootcrops.

ApplyingFertilizerFertilizers are applied both at the time of planting and as a side-dressing.Fertilizersmaybeappliedat the timeofplanting inoneof threemethods,andyoumayuseallthreeorjustoneortwodependingonthetimingofapplicationandthetypeoffood-growingmethodsused.

The first application is broadcasting. After the ground has been tilled orworked up initially, broadcast the prescribed amount of fertilizer over the soilsurface.Useeitherafertilizerspreaderorbroadcastbyhandandthentillthesoilagaintomixthefertilizerintothesoil.Ifneeded,limestoneshouldbeaddedatthis time as well. This is the most costly in both time and expense but iscommonlyused in traditional rowgrowingandwhenstartinganewsite,or atthefirstof thegrowingseasonbeforeplanting.Youcanalsoapplycompost inthismannertobeginanewgardenornewseason,andthemethodiscalledsheetcomposting.Ifgrowinginraisedbeds,thismethodisused,andyoustillhaveaneconomicalandeasymethodofapplication,becauseyou’reusingfertilizeronlywheretheplantsarelocated.

Fertilizercanbeappliedinseveralways.Oneofthemostcommonistobroadcastthefertilizeroverthegrowingsite,usingapushorhand-heldbroadcaster.

Ifyouknowthelocationofrowsforcrops,applyingthefertilizerintheareaoftherowsalsosavesontimeandexpense.Markofftherowanddigatwo-tothree-inchdeepfurrowaboutthreeinchestoeachsideofthemarkedrow.Applythe fertilizer using the prescribed amounts.With most fertilizers, this will beaboutonetotwopoundsperone-hundred-footofrow.Coverthefertilizerwiththesoil,fillinginthefurrows.Thencreateafurrowfortheseedintherowand

planttheseed.Plants that are set in hills (such as melons, squash, and cucumbers) and

transplanted plants (such as cabbage, broccoli, lettuce and spinach grown inraised beds, aswell as peppers and tomatoes) are often fertilized in the “hill”method.Atthetimeofsettingoutthetransplants,digaholeabouttwiceasdeepasneededforthetransplantroots.Addacoupleoftablespoonsoftheprescribedfertilizertothehole,coverwithacoupleofinchesofdirt,waterwell,andsetthetransplants.

Liquid fertilizers are extremely easy to apply. I’ve been using ScottsMiracle-Gro formany years, and it can be appliedwith a sprinkler can or bycombiningwithasoakerhose.Sinceit isbothafoliageandrootfeeder, itcanalso be sprayed onto the plantswith a sprayer available from the company. Ifgrowingyourownplantsfromseed,useafertilizerspecificallymixedforseedgrowth.Anumberare availablecommercially,oryoucanmakeupyourown.Fishemulsionormanuresarebothgoodchoices.Astarterfertilizercanalsohelpyour transplantsgetoff toagoodstart.Again, thesecanbepurchased,oryoucanmix your own using a complete chemical or organic fertilizer.Add abouttwoorthreetablespoonsoffertilizertoagallonofwater.Makesurethefertilizeriswelldissolved.Stirbeforeusingandaddaboutacupoffertilizeraroundsetplants.Fortomatoes,peppers,andeggplants,useasolutionofhighphosphorus,suchas10-50-19.Slow-releasefertilizersareavailableandarebestforcontainergardening.More informationoncontainergardening is inchapter4,“GrowingFoodsinSmallSpaces.”

LimingThe proper pH is extremely important for productive food growing. Mostvegetables grow best with a pH of 6.5 to 7.0, but most soils are acidic andrequire thepH tobe raised.Themostcommonmethodof raising thepH is toaddlimestone.Limestoneworksintothesoilfairlyslowly,atarateofaboutoneinchperyear.Applyat leastpartof the limestone, as requiredby the soil testresults,beforetillingthesoil.Usegrounddolomiteagriculturallimestone.Thiscomes in bag form and is easily applied. Thematerial also adds calcium andmagnesium, further improving the soil and making fertilizer elements morereadilyavailable.Asageneralrule,youshouldaddtwopoundsperonehundredsquarefeetoflightsoilandfiveandahalfpoundsperonehundredsquarefeetofheavysoil.Butfollowthesoiltestsuggestion.IfyouneedamajorchangeinpH,dosoastepatatime—nomorethanonepHunitperyear.Changesgreaterthan

one unit should be adjusted over a two-to three-year period. Again, yourextensionofficecanhelpyouwiththisinformation.

Fertilizingtherowsorhillssavesonfertilizerandavoidsfertilizinganyunwantedweeds.

LimingisextremelyimportantinmanyinstancestoraisethepHofacidicsoil.Inmostinstancesgrounddolomiteagriculturelimestoneisused.WoodashcanalsobeusedtoraisethepHandalsoaddstosoilfertility.

WoodashcanalsobeusedtoraisethepH,andithasotherelementsthatcanhelpraisesoilfertility.Thefollowingarethenutrientscommonlyfoundinwoodash:

Phosphorus–(1to2%)Potassium,aspotash–(5to25%)Lime,ascalciumcarbonate–(30to50%)Typically you need to use twice as much wood ash as you would with

limestone.Unlikelimestone,whichiscommonlyappliedinthefall,woodashisbestappliedinthespringbeforeplanting,asthenutrientscontained,especiallythepotash,leacheasilyfromthesoil.Whencollectingwoodashinthewintertospreadinthespring,keepitinadryplacetopreventcakingandlosingnutrients.

GroundPreparationYou will need to break up the soil to grow anything, and the method useddependsonthesite,thesizeoftheplot,andthetypeofequipmentavailableorfor rent, aswell as the amount ofwork youwish to do.Very small plots andraisedbedscanbeworkedorcreatedwithnothingmorethanaspadeorshovel.Makesureyouremoveallsodandworkthesoildeeply,turningitoversosomeofthesubsoilmixeswiththetopsoil.Addhumusandcompost,fertilizingasyoudo.

Youwillneedtobreakupthesoilinyourplantingsite.Arotarytilleristheidealtoolandagoodinvestmentforlargergardens.

Thebestfood-growinggardens,however,areactuallycreatedinthelatefall.Work at that time will pay off in less work throughout the growing season.Apply manure, fertilizer, humus in the form of compost, peat moss, ordecomposedleaves,aswellaslimestone.Leavethroughthewintermonths,andthen in thespringwhen thesoil isdryenough tocrumbleandwillnotballupwhen a handful is squeezed, till, spade, or plow the materials under. Analternativeistogrowawintergreenfertilizercropandthenapplycompost,well-driedcowmanure,orotheradditivesearlyinthespringassoonasthesoilcan

beworked.

Smallerareas,suchasraisedbeds,canbeworkedwithashovel.

If you have a large site, and especially if it’s a new garden area, you’llprobablyhavetotillitwitharotarytiller.Onalargeplot,youmayneedtohiresomeonewitha tractor-powered tiller, althoughawalking tiller canbeused ifyouhavethetimeandenergy.Theold-timemold-boardplowisstillhardtobeatfor initial breaking up and turning over of the soil, but the sitemust then begradedandleveledwithaharroworcultivator.Arotarytilleristhebestchoiceformostfoodgrowers.Notonlycanitbeusedforgettingthesiteready,butitcanalsobeusedtocultivatebetweenrowsduringtheseason.Tillersdoabetterjob than the traditional plows because they tend tomix the soil particles andorganicmatter.

If you’re limited to the pick-and-shovel gang, the best tactic is a methodcalled double-digging. Mark off the site with stakes and string. Dig a trenchabouta footwideand twelve toeighteen inchesdeep.Place the soil from thistrenchinawheelbarroworonatarp.Diganothertrenchnexttothefirst,placingthesoilfromthistrenchintothepreviouslydugtrenchandturningthesoiloverifpossible.Continuetrenchinguntilyougettotheoppositesideofthegarden,thentransportthesoilfromthefirsttrench,andplaceitinthelasttrench.

Doublediggingisagoodmethodforturningasoddedareaintoagrowingsite,orforcreatingaraisedbed.

You can work the soil in fall or spring. A fall tilling provides for earlierspring planting, but you won’t be able to use a green manure or cover crop.Heavysoils,however,arebestfalltilledtoallowthefreezingandthawingactionof the winter to help break up the soil. Fall site work is also best if you’reapplying fairly large amounts of organicmatter to build up the soil.With falltillingorplowing,allyouneedtodointhespringislighttillingorharrowing.Ifspringtillingorplowing,waitfortherightconditions.Plowingtooearly,whilethesoilisstillwetandcold,cancreatecloddyclumpsthatwillbeahassletheentire growing season. The ages-old test is to squeeze a handful of soil. If itcrumbleseasily, it’s time towork thesoil. If thesoilsqueezes intoaballor issticky,it’stoowetforgoodtillage.Plantassoonasyougetthesoilworkedtogetaheadstartontheweeds.Inourgarden,Itimethespringtillageforspecificplants.Itilltheareasforearlyplantsandplantorsetthem,leavingtheareasforlaterplants,suchascorn,andtillingthemimmediatelybeforeplanting.

4

GrowingFoodinSmallSpacesCreatinglushgardensinsmallspacesisnothingnew.ReplicatingtheHangingGardens of Babylon might be a bit impractical, but regardless of how tiny aspaceyouhaveforgrowingyourownfood,youcanuseavarietyofmethodstogrowabountifulcrop.Greenzonescanflourishonrooftops,patios,decks,andeven pint-sized apartment balconies by using containers, raised beds, and alsotheBabylon-styleverticalorevenhanginggardeningmethods.

ContainerGardensContainergardeningoffersmanyadvantages.Containerscanbeusedanywhere,but they’re especially useful where space is a problem. You can place eachcontainerexactlywhereyouwantandrearrangethemduringthegrowingseasonfor maximum effect. Pots and wooden boxes can be used to grow nearlyanything,dependingonthesizeofthecontainers;evendwarffruittreescanbegrownincontainers.

Youdon’tneedahugegardentogrowyourownfood.Manyfoodscanbegrowninsmallspaces,usingavarietyofmeans.

Containergardeningisagreatwayofgrowingfoodondecks,patios,orevenonanapartmentbalcony.

Almost anything imaginable has been used at one time or another forcontainer gardening, from discarded bathtubs to halves of wooden whiskeybarrels. Large plastic buckets,with drainage holes cut in the bottom, can alsoserve as containers. Old recycled food coolers also make great, if somewhatugly,containers.

Themostpopularcontainersareclayorplasticpotsandwoodenboxes.Thelattercanbepurchasedorbuiltathomeifyou’rehandywithyourhands.Do-it-yourselfershavetheadvantageofbuildingpreciselytosizeandshapetheboxestheyneed.

Containersforgrowingfoodcanbeanynumberofitemsincludingpurchasedpots.

Evensimple,do-it-yourselfwoodenboxesareeffectiveforgrowingfood.

Boxcontainerscanbeplacedonadeck,patio,walkwayorbalcony,fastenedto a window sill, or used as hanging planters on porches. Designs can be assimple or as elaborate as you like, and boxes can be crafted to suit yourindividual decorating or landscaping tastes.All containersmust have drainageholestopreventplantsfromdrowningorrottingfromtoomuchwater.Youcanevenbuildyourown“self-watering”containers.Ifyouintendtoplaceboxesor

containersonawoodensurfacesuchasadeck, it’sagoodideatoputshallowholding pans under them to catch excesswater and prevent staining the deck.Another idea for large-sized containers on roofs, decks, and patios is to addwheelsormakesimplewoodendollies.Thisallowsyoutomovethecontainersaroundforthebestavailablelight,orevenindoorsintheeventoffrost.

Youcanbuildself-wateringcontainersusinglarge5-gallonbucketstypicallyusedforcommercialstorage.

Asoilmixtureshouldbelightandabletoholdmoistureandnutrients.Pebbles,gravel,orbrokenclaypotpiecescanaddtodrainage.

Regardlessofdesign,woodenplantboxesneed tobeconstructedofwood,resistanttotheravagesofweather,insects,androt.Redwoodandwesterncedararetwopopularchoices.Orusepressure-treatedlumberforalong-lastingplantcontainer. Whatever type of wood you use, make sure to also use exterior

fasteners.Another advantage of container gardening is that the soil used can be

carefullypreparedandmatched to thespecificneedsof theplantsyouwant togrow.Asageneralrule,thesoilmixtureshouldbefairlylightandabletoholdmoistureandnutrients. It shouldalsobeable todrainwell.The first step is toplacea layerofpebbles,gravel,orpiecesofbrokenclaypots in thebottomofthe container to aid in drainage. Some experts like to put a few pieces ofcharcoalinthebottomtohelpkeepthesoil“sweet.”Theboxesarethenfilledtowithinone-halfinchorsoofthetopwithsoil.Useeitherpurchasedcommercialpotting soilmixes ormake up your own using one part garden soil, one partcompostorhumus,andonepartsand.Vermiculiteorperlitecanbesubstitutedforsandtoprovidealightersoilthatwilldrainwell,yetholdmoisture.Anothergoodrecipeissixpartsgood,richgardensoil;onepartpeatmoss;andtwopartsvermiculite or perlite. Some plants have specific alkaline or acid needs, andthesecanbemetwithsoiladditives.Yourgardensupplierornurseryshouldbeable to help you with those. If you are gardening on a rooftop or balcony,considerusingagrowingmediumwithoutsoil.Itweighsabouthalfasmuchasasoilmixture,whichaveragesabout twenty-fivepoundspercubicfoot.Plantingmixtureswithoutsoilareavailablecommercially,oryoucanmakeupyourown.Usethreepartspeatmossandonepartvermiculiteorperlite.Addaboutahalfpoundofgrounddolomiticlimestonepereachbusheltoneutralizetheacidinthepeatmoss.

Anynumberoffoodscanbegrownincontainers,including

tomatoesinhangingbaskets.

Strawberriescanbegrownintheoldfashionedstrawberryjars,butcanalsobegrowninahalf-whiskeybarrelplanterwithsmallholescutaroundthesides.

Allcontainer-grownplantsmustbekept suppliedwith thepropernutrientsaccordingtotheplantsneeds.Thisisespeciallyimportantformixtureswithoutsoil.LiquidfertilizerssuchMiracle-Groandothercommercialproducts,aswellas fish emulsion or homemade manure tea, should be applied once a week.Plantsincontainersalsoneedtobekeptwellwatered,andduringsummertimeheat, thatoftenmeansonceor twiceaday.Regularlycheckthesoil. If thetopinch is dry, water until thewater begins to drain out. Container-grown plantsmusthaveatleastsixhoursoflightdaily.Ifyoudon’thaveaplacewithfullsun,considermakingreflectorstohelpdirectsuntotheplants.

Any number of vegetables can be grown in containers, with tomatoes,peppers, herbs, onions, and lettuce some of the most popular. The small hotpeppersareespeciallypopularbecausetheyalsoadddecor.Anumberofplantvarietiesarealsoavailableespeciallyforgrowinginsmallspaces,suchasdwarfcucumbersandsoforth.

Strawberriesarepopularplantedintheold-fashionedstrawberrybarrel,andthese days “strawberry kits” complete with containers are available. Someplants,suchassomevarietiesoftomatoesandcucumbers,canevenbeplantedinhangingbaskets.

RaisedBedsforSupersmallGardens

Raisedbedsalsoprovidealotofgardeninginsmallspaces,regardlesswhetheryou want to grow vegetables or herbs. In a way, raised beds are just bigcontainers, and they have a number of advantages over traditional tilled-rowgardening.Raisedbedscanbebuiltandfilledwithanimprovedsoilmixtureinlesstimethanittakestodevelopagoodin-groundplot.Raisedbedsalsoallowforintensivegardening,oftencalledFrenchintensiveorsquare-footgardening,raisingmorefoodinlimitedspaces.Thismeansspacingplantsmuchcloserthanin traditional gardeningmethods. Experts suggest it takes five times asmuchspacetogrowfoodinconventionalgardening.

Oneofthebestwaysofgrowinginsmallspaces,eveninlargergardenareas,isinraisedbeds.

Wegrowagreatdealofourfoodinraisedbeds.Thebedsare

easiertoworkwith,thesoilstayssoftandworkablebecauseitisnotcompacted,andwecangrowalotmorefoodinasmallerspace.

Withproperplantingandcare,youcanproduceoverhalfatonofvegetablesinonlyafivehundred-square-footgardenusingthesetactics.Wehaveanumberofraisedbeds inourgarden.Infact,overhalfofourgardenismadeofraisedbeds,withmulchedareasandwalkwaysbetween.Builtthreefeetwide,thebedsallowyoutoreachtothecenterofthebedwithoutwalkingonitorgettinginitforplanting,weeding,andharvesting.Withoutthecompactionofwalkingonthesoil,theraisedbedsprovideacontinuouslyloose,friablesoil.Oldergardeners,suchasme,findtheheightsofraisedbedseasiertoworkonsincewecansitontheedgeoronastoolandnothavetostooporbendaswithground-levelplots.Raisedbedstakelesstimetoplantandmaintainaswell.First,youdon’tneedtotill.Merelydigupthebedinearlyspringwithashovelortrowel,whichiseasybecause thesoilhasn’tbecomecompacted.Anevenbettermethod is tomulchthebedsheavilyinthefall.

Merelyrakebackthemulchinspring,uncovertheloosesoil,andplant.Astheplants aregrowingclose together, theyalso tend to shadeoutmanyof theweeds,cuttingdownonweeding. If raisedwithmulch, raisedbedscanalmosteliminateweeding.Andofcourse,harvestingandwateringarealsoeasier.Withalittleplanning,youcandirectwatertospecificbedsorareas,cuttingdownonwaterandwateringtimes.

Raisedbedscanalsobecombinedwith framesholdingnetting tokeepoutbirdsandotherpests,aswellascoveredwithplasticforwintergardening.OneideaI’veusediscreatinga“cage”ofweldedwireusedforreinforcingconcrete.Thiscomesinfive-foot-widerolls,perfectformakingcagesformy3×5footbeds. Itkeepsout thedeer, andaddingmeshwire to thebottomkeepsout thesmaller critters such as rabbits. Covering the cagewith clear plastic creates aminigreenhouseforwintergrowing.Thereisoneraised-bedintensivegardeningproblem you need to be aware of. If growing plants such as peppers in anintensivegardeningmethod,theymaycross-pollinate.Plantonlyonevarietyofeachplantineachraisedbed.

Raisedbedsnotonlycontainplants,butcanalsohelpkeepoutcrittersifcoveredwithawiremesh—whichisgreatforthoselivinginareaswithanabundanceofwildlife.

Raised beds are often combined with modern-day mulches such as blackplasticorplasticscreeningmulchwithmicroscopicholes thathold inmoisturewhileholdingdownweedsforeasy-caregrowing.Thisisagreatwayofgrowingstrawberriesthatcutsdowngreatlyontheweedingproblem.Herbsdoespeciallywellinraisedbeds,andyoucancreateanattractiveherbgardenbydividingthebedintosectionsforeachvarietyofherbs.

Old-styleraised-bedgardeningconsistedofmoundingupthesoilintolong,raised,orroundedmoundswithwalkwaysbetweenthem.

Raisedbedscanbeusedwithblackplasticscreeningforweed-freegrowingofplantssuchasstrawberries.

Youcancreateaformalandattractiveherbbedusingwoodtocreateadividedraisedbed.

Theeasiestraisedbedconsistsofsimpleraisedmoundsofsoilwith

awalkwaybetweenthemounds.

This iseffective,butmore intensivegardeningcanbedonewithcontainedbeds.Whatmakesacontained,raisedbedisaborderthatholdsthesoilinplace.Myfirstbedsweresimplymadeoflogsobtainedbythinningthetimberonourhillsidefarm.Concreteblocks,bricks,androckscanallbeusedtobuildraisedbeds as can recycled railroad ties and landscaping timbers made of treatedlumberspecificallyforuseincreatingraised-bedgardens.

Theseareoftensimplylaidinplaceorheldtoslopinghillsideswithwoodenstakes.Cedar,redwood,ortreated2×6sor2×8scanbefastenedtogetherwithdeck screws to create a fast, sturdy, and economical raised bed. They’rebasicallyboxeswithoutbottoms.

Locatethebedwhereitwillcatchthemostsun,fullsunifpossible,andthenmarkofftheareawithstakesandstring.Useashoveltodigoutandremoveallsod,grass,andweeds.Thebestbedshaveverydeepsoilbases.

Containingtheraisedbedsmakesthemeasiertoworkwith,increasestheirproductivity,andkeepsthesoilinplace.

Raisedbedscanbecontainedmanyways,includingsimpletreated2×6frames.Oursarethreefeetwideandvaryinlengthfrom5to12feet.

Thisisdonebydigging,ifpossible,downtoatleasteighteentotwenty-fourinches.Ifyoucan’tdigthatdeep,asinmyareawithrocksatabouteightinches,simplybuildthebedshigher.

Someofmybedsaretwelveincheshighfor thatreason.Buildthesidesofthebedusingthematerialsyou’veselectedandreinforcethecornerswithstakesdrivenintothegroundandfastenedtothelogs,timbers,orplanks.

Aswithcontainergardening,soil thatdrainswellandisrichinnutrients isthekey tosuccess.Bothsoilandnutrients shouldsuit theplantsyou intend togrow.Becauseof thesizeandvolumeofaraisedbed,you’llprobablyhave tofill it with soil materials readily available in your area or obtainable at areasonablecost.Asageneralrule,amixtureofgoodtopsoil,compost,orwell-rottedmanure, peat, and sand is a good starting point.Once the bed has beenfilled, have a soil sample tested to determine pH level and to see if anyadditionalnutrientsarerequired.

Landscapetimberscanalsobeusedtocreatearaisedbed.

Onegreatwayofgrowingstrawberriesisinaraisedpyramidbed.

Youcangrowplantsmoreintensivelyinraisedbedswithcloserspacing.Ratherthanplantedinrows,plantsarespacedinanequidistanttriangularfashion.Acardboardtemplate,sizedtomatchthespacing,helpsspaceplantsproperly.Thischartshowsthespacing.

Another important factor in intensivegardening is tousepreciseandcloseplantspacing.Seedsortransplantsarenormallyspacedequidistanceapart.Thiswillincreaseyields.Onetricktogettingmoreproducefromintensivegardeningis to set or seed plants in a staggered fashion rather than in rows.Make up acardboardtemplateinatriangleshapeandusethistodetermineproperseedortransplant placement. This shape better utilizes the available space. But don’tplant tooclosely.Asanormalrule,youcanabouthalve thespacingforplantssuchaslettuce,broccoli,andcabbage.Wealsosimplysowlettuceandspinachonbaregroundinaraisedbed,ratherthaninindividualrows,andshovelmoreloose compost and well-rotted manure over the seeds. The plants are thenthinned as they sprout.We also interplant in raised beds, again adding to theintensivegardeningtactic.

Weoftenplantonionsandlettucetogether, lettuceorspinach,andcabbageor broccoli. The lettuce is harvested first, but as the broccoli gets bigger, itshades the lettuce, extending the lettuce harvest as well. And the lettuce cutsdown on theweeds until the broccoli gets started. Some food growers like tomakeabedor twoof the“big three”—corn,squash,andpolebeans.Thecornprovidessupportforthepolebeans,andthesquashkeepsdowntheweedsinthebeansandcorn.Anothertacticweuseistokeepthebedsproducingthroughoutthe seasonwith successiveplantings—for instance, spring lettuce, followedbysummersquash,followedbyfallspinach.Thisisespeciallyeffectiveifyoustartseedsindoors,orinthesummeronaporchorshadyarea,keepingplantsreadytogointothebedsatalltimes.Almostanythingcanbegrowninraisedbedsintheintensivegardeningmethod,evensomeplantsyoumightnotconsider.Youmightevenconsidergrowingafast-growingshortorearlycorninaraisedbed.

Spacetheseedsaboutsixinchesapartinalldirections.Oncetheplantsemerge,carefullyweed andmulchheavily.Drivewooden stakesor steel posts in eachcornerofthebedandmakeachickenwirecagearoundyourminicornpatch.Nopests,nofuss,andabountifulsupplyofsweetcornfromaverysmallspace.Afinal trick to increasingyields is tokeepproduceregularlyharvested.Wepicktomatoesassoonastheybegintoturnyellowororangeandallowthemtoripenoffthevine.Theytastejustasgoodasthoseleftonthevine,andremovingthetomatoes allows the plant to continue producing.The same tactic can be usedwithmanyothervegetablesaswell.

Growingcompanionplantsalsohelpssavespace.Atraditionisplantingbeans,corn,andpumpkinsnexttooneanother.

VerticalGardeningGrowingupwardisagoodchoicewhenyoudon’thaveroomtogrowoutward.Wealsouseverticalgardening techniques inourgardenaswell. In fact, someplants—suchascucumbers,peas,polebeans,andeventomatoes—notonlytakeup less space but also actually do better when grown vertically on supports.Fruitsorvegetablearelesslikelytobedamagedbecausethey’renotlyingontheground,andlargercropscanbegrownbecausetheirflowersaremoreexposedandthereforemorelikelytobepollinated.Grapesandberries,ofcourse,allneedtobesupportedbytrellisesorothermeans.

Fencesarethesimplestsupportsforsomeverticalgardening.Forgrapesor

berries,fencepostsshouldprotrudesixfeetabovegroundlevelwithno.9wirestapledtothem.Afenceforcucumbersandotherplantsthatputoutheavyvinescanconsistofsturdyhogwirestapledinplacetotheposts.Myfavoritesupportforgrowingcucumbersisa“cattle”panel.

Thisisaheavy-dutygalvanized,welded-wirepanelavailableatfarmsupplystores.Sixteen feet longand five feethigh, it is supportedby three steelpostsandwillgrowlotsofcukeswelloffthegroundandeasytocareforandpick.

Tomatoes are a very common and popular vertical-gardening plant. Testshaveshowntomatoeswillproduceagreatdealmoregrownverticallyratherthanallowedtosprawl.Theplantsaretraditionallytiedtowoodenstakes,butifyouhavealotofplants,itcanbeahasslekeepingupwithretyingthefast-growingplants. The simplest method is to grow tomatoes in cages. These can bepurchased,oryoucanmakeyourownoutofheavywire.Imademyfirstcagesfrom hog wire, which creates a cage about four feet high. Then I discoveredweldedreinforcingwirenormallyusedinconcretepours.Thiscreatesafive-footcage that is much stronger and supports even the most prolific plants. As Idiscovered, thehigher thecage, themoretomatoesareproduced.Mytomatoeswilleventuallygrowrightover the topsof thefive-footcagesandhangdown,stillproducing.Eachofthetwo-and-a-half-footdiametercagesholdtwoplants,andwiththerightconditionsandvarieties,I’veharvestedalmostfiftypoundsoftomatoesfromeachcage.Ourgardenisonahillsideandcangetprettywindy.Stormscanblowthebigcagesover.Idrivewoodenstakesinbesidethecages,spacing them about every third cage. I then tie the cages together and to thestakes. So far, this has prevented the cages fromblowing over even in severewindstorms.

Keepvegetablespickedtohelptheplantcontinueproducing.Wepicktomatoesassoonastheybegintoturnorange.

Growingverticallycanalsohelpproducealotoffoodinsmallspaces.

Acattle-panel,heldinplacewithsteelposts,makesagreatpermanentverticalsupportforcucumbersandother“climbers.”

Tomatocagesareanextremelyproductivewayofgrowingtomatoesverticallyandare,infact,thebestwayofgrowingthefruit.

Peasandcucumberscanalsobegrownongardenpanelsmadeof1×4scoveredwithchickenwireandsupportedbyposts.

Polebeansalsoneedsupport.Thesecanbepurchasedsupports,oryoucanmakeyourown.Ateepeeof2×2polesor,inmycase,saplingsfromthetimberisasimpleandeasymethodofconstructingapolebeansupport.AnothertypeofsupportisanA-frameof2×2s.Thiscanbeboltedtogetherandthentakendownat theendof theseasonifdesired.CombinetheA-framesupportwitharaisedbedandyoucanraisealotofbeansinaverysmallspace.

Asimple,portablepolebeantowercanbemadefrom2×2sandtwine.

AnA-framesupportcanalsobemadefrom2×2sandsetoveraraisedbedforintensivelyraisingpolebeans.

Regardless of how tight your gardening space is, a little ingenuity and theright methods can help make your world a little more green. More elaboratesystems can be created if you’re interested in decor aswell as growing food.Don’t let the thought of a big garden deter you from growing our own food.These gardening methods can be combined to grow a lot of food in a smallspace.

Youcanevengrowcucumbersandotherplantsverticallyincontainerswithasimpleboxcontainerandatrellis-likesupport.

5

GrowingVegetables

SelectingSeedsandPlantsMostvegetablesareavailableinaconfusinglywidenumberofvarieties.Somevarieties take longer to mature; some produce smaller or larger fruits. Withvegetablesliketomatoesandcorn,therecanalsobeawidevarianceinflavors.It’s important when choosing seeds or plants for growing your own food tomatch the variety to your garden site, geography, and locale. Seed companiesofferanarrayofboth seedsandplants.Most seedcatalogs,however,describewhichvarietiesarebestforcertainspecificpartsofthecountryorcertainzones.Youwillalso,ofcourse,wanttoselectvarietieswithaflavoryoulike.

Thefirst-timefoodgrowerwillneedtodoalotofexperimentingtofindthebestchoices.Talkingwithotherlocalgrowerscanbeagreathelp.Ifpurchasingvegetablesfromalocalfarmer’smarket,askaboutthevariety.Eventuallyyou’lldiscover favorites that not only suit your tastes but are also easier to grow inyourparticulargarden.Tryingnewvarietiesofvegetables,however,ishalfthefunofgrowingyourownfood.

Vegetablesareavailableinanamazingnumberofvarieties.Thereare,infact,wholecatalogsjustontomatovarieties,includingthisyellowpeartomato.

It’simportanttomatchtheplantspeciesandvarietytoyourgrowingsite,topography,andweather.

Somevegetablesareavailableonlyasseedswhileothersasseedsorplants.If you’re just getting started, your local garden center can usually help inselectingseedsorplantsthataregoodproducersinyourarea.Farmsupplystoresarealsoanexcellentsourceoflocalseeds.Someseeds—forinstance,corn—aremoreeconomicalpurchasedinbulkfromtheselocalsourcesthanbymailorder.Otherseedsthatarecheaperinbulkincludethestandardlettucevarieties,beets,spinach,andturnips.Potatosets,onionsets,andplantsarealsomoreeconomicalpurchasedlocallyandareusuallysuitedtothearea.Ontheotherhand,youaremore limited in theavailabilityofmanyplantvarieties, for instance, tomatoes,peppers, andcorn, even lettuce.Mailordermaybeyouronly source for someseedvarieties.

Manyvegetables,suchascorn,arebestdirectseededintothegarden.Othervegetablescanbeeitherdirect-seededorstartedindoorsorinagreenhouseandthen transplanted into the garden.Manyof the latter are available as plants inflatsorpots,readytosetoutinyourgarden.Todayanalmostendlesssupplyofchain super-store, as well as mail-order plants are available. Vegetable andflower plantsmust be a very highmark-up itemsbecause there seems to be agrowingnumberofmarketers.I’venoticedovertheyearsthecostoftheseplantshasalsobecomeincreasinglyhigh.Themostpopularand traditionalplantsare

tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, but any number ofvegetablesareavailablethesedays.

Someplantsareavailableasseedandothersasplants,readytotransplant.

SowingSeedsIndoorsStartingyourownseedsindoorsandthentransplantingintoyourgardeniseasy,fun,andagreatwayofsavingongrowingyourownfood.Inaddition,youcangrowplantvarietiesnotavailablelocally.Growingyourownfoodisacontinuallearning process, and the past few years I’ve started seeds indoors for anincreasinglywidervarietyofplants.Thishasallowedus togreatlyextendourgrowing season. In addition to tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cabbage, andcauliflower, plants started from seed now include beets, lettuce, spinach, andevenonions.Somevegetables,however,arehardertotransplantintothegardenandarebestdirect-seeded.Thevolumeofsomeplantsneededalsomakesdirectseedingthebestchoice.

Seeds can be started and grown just about anywhere in your house. I’vestartedseedsindoorsformanyyears,eveninmybasement,usingafluorescenttube for light. A small greenhouse or sunny window can, however, be ahelpmate.Wehaveaverysmalllean-togreenhousethatispassivelysolarheatedused to start several hundred transplants in each season.We start some seedsindoorsandmovethemouttothegreenhousetocontinuegrowinguntilitistime

tosetthemout.Later,plantsarestarteddirectlyinthegreenhouse.Themost important factor in growing your own seeds indoors is when to

sowtheseedstosetoutthetransplantsattherightgrowingstageandintherightweather conditions. Ifyou start seeds indoors tooearly, they’ll be spindlyandhardtotransplantbythetimeyoufinallycangetthemsetout.Toolateandtheymaybetootendertowithstandtransplanting.Tostartseedsindoors,you’llneedtoknowthreethings:thelastexpectedfrostdateforspringgardensandthefirstexpectedfrostdateforfallgardens, the typeofweather theyoungplantgrowsbestin,andthenumberofweeksfromsowingtosettingoutsizeoftheplants.Althoughnationwidefrostchartsareavailable,theseareprettygeneral.Whetheryou liveat loworhighelevation inyour localarea,youcanalsohaveagreatdealofinfluenceonthefrostdatesforyourgarden.Yourlocalcountyextensionoffice can providemuchmore detailed information for your growing area. Inaddition to frost dates, other seasonal benchmarks are also important. Somevegetables germinate at different temperatures. For instance, some seeds needtemperaturesof70°Forwarmer,whileothersgerminatebestat55°Forcooler.Someyoungvegetableplantsgrowbest in coolweatherwhileothers thrive inwarm and hot weather. The temperatures referred to are soil, not air,temperatures.

Youcaneasilystartmanyseedsindoorsfortransplantingoutdoors.

It’simportanttostartseedsatthecorrecttimesoyoucantransplantthemattheappropriatetimeoftheseason.Manyseedpacketsprovidethiscrucialinformation.

Asyoucanguess,allseedsarenotstartedatthesametime.Forinstance,westart broccoli and cabbage on January 1; tomatoes and peppers are not starteduntil mid-March. It helps to make up a planning chart or calendar for thedifferentvegetablesyouplantogrow.Thechartshouldlistthefollowing:seedtype, transplant season, transplant date in your area, number of weeks fromsowingtogardensizetransplants,anddatetosow.Todecidewhentosow,picktherightdateforsettingoutinyourgardenandthencountbackthenumberofweeksneeded togrow theplants to the right size for settingout.Seedpacketshave this information: for instance, tomato seed packets suggest seeding sixweeksbeforesettingout.Inourarea,thelastfrostislateApril,andweplantosetoutonMay1,sotomatoseedsarestartedmid-Marchasstatedbefore.Onceyou’vedecidedwhentostartyourseeds,sorttheseedpackagesaccordingtothebeststartingdatesforeach.

Youcanpurchaseormakeupaseedstartingkit.Shownisasimplewooden-flatsuspendedoveraheatmatandisselfwatering.

Seedscanbestartedandgrownnearasunnywindow,butagrow-lightsuspendedovertheplantsprovidesmoreconsistentresults.

In addition to the seeds, you’ll also need some supplies. First is a seed-starting medium. A number of these are available commercially, or you canmakeupyourown.Themediumshouldbeporous,welldrainedyetabsorbent,and loose and friable, not heavy. Finely textured humus or compost is oftenused.Oneofthemostcommonhomemixesisablendofpeatmossandperliteorvermiculate,aswellasonepartfinelysiftedcomposttofivepartsofthepeatmoss-perlitemix. is adds some fertilizer. In addition, you’ll need seed-startingtrays. These can be purchased as seed-starter kits, some even with startingmedium and a clear plastic cover. You can also make up your own quiteeconomicallyusinganumberofrecycleditems.

Anynumberoftacticscanbeused,dependingonthenumberofplantsyouintend to grow and your growing area. I’ve created a very easy, consistentlysuccessful seed-starting technique. e technique utilizes warm heat and bottomwatering,alongwithagrowlightabove.

Theseunitsaresoldthroughmanyseedcatalogsandareveryefficient,butI’veconstructedmyownquiteeconomically.Asolidplastictrayhastwoholesboredinit.Sectionsofsoftropearethreadedthroughtheholes,andtheropeislaidoutonthebottomoftheplastictray.Theropeextendsouttothebottomofthe tray, and the ends are placed in a plastic pan of water. The water gentlywicksuptheropeintotheseed-startingtray.

Theseed-startingtraysitsonawirerackoverthetopofanelectricheatpadmadejustforstartingseeds.Overthetopofthisisarackholdingafluorescentgrowlight.Apieceofkitchenplasticwrapoverthesoilkeepsinmoistureand

providesawarmertemperatureuntilthetinyseedsfirstsprout;thentheplasticisremoved.

ThisiswhereIdepartfrommanyothertactics.Allmyearly-seasonseedsarethickly sown in rows. The growing medium is placed in the tray and wellwatereduntilitisthoroughlysoaked.Oryoucanplacethegrowingmediuminaplasticbagandaddwateruntilitiswellsoakedandthenaddtothestartingtray.In either case, the starting medium must be well flattened and pressed outsmooth.Iuseapieceofone-quarter-inchthickplywood(orrecycledpaneling)to press tiny “furrows” or indentations in rows in the tray. Seeds are droppedintothefurrowsandcoveredlightlywithmorestartingmedium,theamountofcoveringdependingonseeddepthrequirements.Normallyseedsarecoveredtoabouttwicetheirthicknessandthestartingmediumpresseddowntoassuresoilcontact.Someseedswillnotgerminatewithoutlightandshouldnotbecovered.Checktheinstructionsontheseedpacket.Icutplasticfoodcontainerssuchascottagecheesecontainersintoone-half-inch-widestripsandaboutoneandahalfincheslong.Imarkthedifferentvarietieswiththese“rowmarkers.”Plasticwrapisplacedover the trayandover the topsof the rowmarkers; the top lightandbottomheatpadareboth turnedon.Theunit is left toruntwenty-fourhoursadayuntiltheseedlingsemerge,andthentheplasticisremoved.It’simportanttocheck twice a day and full thewater container as needed. In a few days or aweek,seedlingswillsprout,andtheplasticwrapisremoved.Usingthismethod,Istartseveralhundredseedlingsinaverysmallspace.

Seedsarestartedinrowsintinyfurrows.Plasticseedmarkerscutfromplasticfooddishesandapieceofplasticfoodwrapcreateamini-greenhouse.

Whentheplantshavethreeleavesthey’rereadytotransplantintopotsorindividualplanttrays.

Theseedlingscanbetransplantedintoanynumberofcontainers,frompurchasedpotsandtraystorecycledfoamplasticcups.Oneofmyfavoritesisrollednewspaperpots.

Whentheseedlingsbecomelargeenoughtohavetwoactualleaves,theyaretransplantedintoindividualpots tocontinuegrowinguntil theyarereadytobesetout.I’verecycledanynumberofitemsintopotstoholdtheindividualplants.This includes reusing plastic trays from purchased plants, foam plastic drinkcups,andmyfavoriterolled-upnewspaperpots.

Doubleapieceofnewspaperandcutittofitthesizeofavegetablecan,withaboutaninchextra.Rollthepaperaroundthecan.

Tapetheendofthepaperinplace.

Pushtheextralengthofpaperdowninsidethecup.

Removethecupandinsertitbottom-sidedownintothepapertubetocompressthebottomfoldedsectiontightlytogether.

These not only recycle newspapers but can also be used with plants thatdon’ttransplantwellbecausetheyaresetoutinthepotswithoutdisturbingtheroots. Foamplastic cupsmust have a hole punched in their bottoms forwaterdrainage.Paperpotsdotendtodryoutfasterthanplasticones,somakesuretokeepthemwellwatered.

Placetheindividualpotsorplantcontainersintoasolidplastictray.Filleachwithagoodpottingsoilmixandyou’rereadytotransplant.Thepottingsoilcanbepurchasedorhomemade.Asimplerecipeisonebushelofpeat,onebushelof

perlite or vermiculite, one bushel of compost, and one-half cup groundlimestone.Addnutrientsifyouwish,evenmatchingeachplant’sspecialneeds,butkeeptheamountsfairlylow.

Waterthepotsandthenuseawoodenpenciltopokeaholeinthecenteroftheplantingmedium.Usingawoodenpopsiclestick,digunderandgentlypryupafewseedlings.Gentlyseparatetheplantsbyholdingthembytheirleaves.Place the roots down in the hole in themediumanduse the eraser endof thepenciltopressthesoilaroundtheroots.

Markeachtrayorpotastovariety.Iusetheplasticstripsfortraysandwriteonfoamcupswithafeltmarker.Waterwellandplaceinaslightlycooler,butnotcold,butsunnyplace for theseedlings tocontinue togrowproperly.Keepwellwateredbybottomwatering.Thesoilshouldn’tdryoutbutshouldn’tdrowntheplantseither.

Seedsforlettuce,spinach,melons,andothersarestartedinindividualpots.Isow seeds that don’tmind having their roots disturbed—like lettuce, spinach,andbeets—inthewoodentrays.

Regardlessofthecontainersused,fillwithagoodpottingsoil,waterwell,anduseafatpenciltopokeaholeinthesoilinthecenterofthecontainers.

UseaPopsiclestickorsimilaritemtogentlypryaseedlingfromthestartingtray.

Inthiscase, theplantsaredividedbycuttingaroundeachplantwithadullknifeandseparatingtherootsattransplantingtime.Thisonlyworkswithplantsthatdon’tmindhavingtheirrootsdisturbed.

Presprouting isagood tactic for seeds thatarehard to sproutorexpensiveandscarce.Dampenadouble layerofpaper towelsandplace theseedson thetowel,makingsuretheydonottouch.Rollthetowelup,makingsuretheseedsdon’t shift.Label a plastic bagwith the seed name and place the roll into theplasticbag.Partiallyclosethebag.Theseedsshouldhavesomeair.Placeinawarmspot. In twodays check the seeds to see if theyhave sprouted and thencheck daily until the seeds sprout. Once they sprout, place in individualcontainers.Besurenottodamagethetenderrootsandstems.

The more traditional method of starting seeds indoors is to start them inindividualpotsorplanttrays.Inthiscase,thetraysorpotsareplacedinalargeplastic tray, and the starting medium is added and moistened. Two seeds areplacedineach“cell”orpot.Thetraysorpotsarecoveredwithplasticwrapandtheholdingtrayplacedinawarmareawithatleast70°Ftemperature.Thetopofa refrigerator or hot-water heater is a traditional choice, or you may use anygentleheatsource.Youwon’tneedlightfortheseedstogerminate.

Placetheseedlingroots-downinthehole,asdeeplyaspossiblewithoutcoveringtheleaves.Usetheeraserendofthepenciltogentlypressinplace.Thenpresssoilaroundtheseedling.

Someseedsdobestpresprouted.Placeindampenedpapertowelsandtheninsertthetowelsintoaplasticbagandplaceinawarmspot.

Begincheckingafterthefirstcoupleofdaysandthencheckdailyforthefirstsprouts.Oncetheseedssprout,removetheplasticandplacethetrayinaslightly

coolerspot,around60°to65°F,butwithplentyofsunlight.Nearapatiodoororalargewindowisagoodchoice.Turnthetrayeachdaytopreventtheseedlingsfromgrowingsidewaystowardthelight.Iftheseedlingsmissadayoflight,theywillbecomespindly.Again,thebesttacticistouseabankoffluorescenttubes.Keep thebulbs two to three inchesawayfromtheseedlingsandallowat leastsixteenhoursoflightaday.Watertwoorthreetimesadaytokeepthesoilfromdrying out, but water lightly to prevent disturbing the soil. This is especiallyimportantiftheplantsarenearawindow.Don’toverwateranddrowntheplantsorkeepthemsowetafungusforms.Bottomwateringisthebesttactic.Keepacloseeyeonyourseedlings.Iftheybendoverandwilt,thesoilistoodry.Iftheybendoverwithabreakat soil line, the soil is toowet, creatingadamping-offthatcankillyourentirecropofseedlings.Damping-offisalsosometimescausedbypooraircirculation.Allowthesurfaceofthesoil todryoutslightly,butdonotletthebottomdry.

Themoretraditionalmethodofstartingseedsisinindividualcellsofplastictrays.Planttwoseedstoeachcellandsnipoffonewhentheseedlingshaveemerged.

Oncetheplantssettwopairsofleaves,useapairofsharpscissorstosnipoffoneoftheplants,leavingonlyoneplantpercellorpot.Onceaweek,feedtheseedlings with a diluted liquid fertilizer, such as fish or seaweed emulsion,composttea,oracommercialliquidfertilizer.Ifgrowingunderlights,continuetomovethelightsupsotheystayjustafewinchesabovethetopsoftheplants.Placingasmallfanneartheseedlingswillhelpkeeptheplantsdryandfungusfree, as well as keep the air stirred around them, creating a better supply ofcarbon dioxide. Provide more water, but less frequently, and feed with the

diluted fertilizer. At this time, about April 1 in my area, all my growingtransplants are moved into my small greenhouse for further growth. It’scrowded, but itworks.At about fiveweeks, youmaywish to repot theplantsinto larger three-or four-inch pots or trays. Thiswill provide sturdier-, larger-stemmedplantsfortransplanting.

Themoretraditionalmethodofstartingseedsisinindividualcellsofplastictrays. Plant two seeds to each cell and snip off one when the seedlings haveemerged.

Placeseedlingsinasunnylocation.Weuseoursmallgreenhouse.

Useaflatwoodensticktogentlyliftouttheplantandplaceinthelargerpothalffilledwithpottingsoil.Presssoilaroundtheplantandwater.Makesurethetransplant is planted deep, up to the lower leaves. Growing on to garden-sizeplantsmaytakejustafewmoredays,oraweekorso,dependingonthevariety.It’s best to be able to transplant into the garden before the plants beginflowering.

HardeningOffHardening off is a very important step in successfully transplanting yourcarefullygrownseedlings.Theyoungplantshavebeencoddledandwell takencareof.Ifyouset themoutinthegardenimmediately, they’llsufferfromsun,wind,andrain.Hardenthetenderyoungplantsbymovingyourtransplanttraysoutdoorstoashadyspotoutofthewind.Startwithanhouraday,increasingthetimeeachdayandbringingthetraysbackinatnighttime.Keeptheplantswellwatered,buttheywillwiltsomewhatevenatthat,sodon’tgettooworried.Theplants will perk back up when brought inside. After a couple of days in theshade,movethemintoapartiallysunnylocationforacoupleofmoredays.Then

movetoasunnyspotforadayortwo,andtheplantsarehardenedandreadytotransplant.

TransplantingPropertransplantingisalsoimportant.Transplantlateintheafternoonifpossiblesotheplantsdon’tstart theirfirstdaywithfullsun.Makesureyourgardenorbed iswell prepared to receive the transplants. Position the plants, still in thepotswhereyouwantthem,toachieveproperspacing.Digholeswithashovelortrowelforeachplant.Abulbplanterworkswellforsmallplants.Addwatertoeachhole.Setting theplants to the correctdepth and in the correctposition isimportant.Someplants,suchascabbageandlettucewithbasebranches,shouldnot have their stems buried. Other plants, such as peppers and tomatoes, dobetterifburieddeeper.Butneverburytheleaves.Ifyouburypartofthestem,pinchofftheleaves.Keepdebrissuchassticksorleavesoutofthetransplantinghole.

Properlytransplantingseedlingsisimportant.Transplantinlateevening.Digaholeandsettheplantgentlyinplace.

Pressthesoilfirmlyaroundtherootsandwaterwell.

Press the soil firmly down around the transplants and water well. It’simportanttothoroughlysoakthesoilwithwaterto“waterin”thetransplants.Inbeds,thesoilshouldbewettoseveralinchesbelowthesurface.Onetacticistosoakthebedsjustbeforeplanting.Widelyspacedplantsshouldbewatereduntilawaterpuddleformsaround thebaseof theplants.Thishelps toeliminateairpocketsandcreatesbettersoilandrootcontact.Addingamulchassoonastheplantsaresetoutandwateredcanhelpthetransplantsgetofftoagoodstartandwillpreventweedsfromcompetingwiththeyoungplants.Useoldorweatheredmulch, not fresh organic materials. Old hay, straw, dry grass clippings, andwoodshavingsaregoodchoices.Makesurethemulchisuparoundtheplants,butbecarefulnottobreakthestems.

DirectSeedingManyvegetablesaredirectseededintothegarden.Thiscanbedoneinseveralways,dependingon theplants, timing,andso forth.Makesureyourgarden iswellpreparedandthetimingiscorrectfortheseedchosen.Directseedinginthesoft soil of raised beds is easy. Simply push the seeds into the soilwith yourfingertothedepthandatthespacingneeded.Waterandwaitfortheseedlingstoemerge. For row seeding, firstmark out the rows.The distance between rowsdependsonthevegetablevariety,aswellasthegardeningmethodandtools.Ifyouplantotillbetweentherows,leaveroomforyourtiller.

Ifyouplantohoeormulchbetweentherows,plantsomewhatcloserbutstillstickfairlyclosetothesuggestedrowspacingforeachvariety.Ikeepapieceofblackplasticelectricians’tapearoundahoehandle.Thedistancefromtheheadof the hoe to the tape is the correct width between rows for my tiller. Some

plantsneedwiderspacing, for instance,beansneedmore thancornbecauseoftheirbushygrowinghabit.

Manyplants,suchasbeansandcorn,areplantedinrows.

Amarkeronahoeorrakehandlecanbeusedtohelpevenlyspacerows.

Mostplantsaregrowninrows.Tomakerows,tieapieceofheavystringtoacoupleofstakes,drivethestakesinplaceateitherendoftheproposedrow,anduse the corner or edgeof a hoe todig a furrowwith the correct depth for theseeds.Droptheseedsatthecorrectspacing.Youmayprefertoseedthickerthanthefinalspacingandthinplantstoassureacompletelyfullrow.Forinstance,Iplantcorninthismanner,makingsuretheentirerowisthicklyplantedandthinaftertheplantsareup.Addfertilizerbeforeorafterplanting,dependingonthevarietyorspecies.Removethestringlineanduseagardenraketobringthesoilbackover the furrowandcover theseeds. I like touse thebackof the rake togentlycompressorpackthesoildownontheseedstoassuregoodsoilcontact.Someplants,suchasthetinyseedsoflettuce,needlighttogerminate.Justcoverlightly.Allthat’sleftistowaterandwait.

Watering

Successfullygrowingfoodrequireswater.Somemethodofregularlysupplyingwater toyourplants,whether transplantsordirectseeded, is required. Insomepartsofthecountry,wateringplantsmaybeaproblem.Droughtsandrestrictedwaterusemayrequiretheuseofcollectedrainwaterinsomeareas.Anynumberofwayscanbeusedtoconservewater,yetsupplymoisturetoyourplants.Oneofthemostimportantstepsbeginsatseedingtime.Keeptheseedbedmoistuntiltheseedshavesprouted.Donotallowittodryout.Useafinespraywithyourhosenozzleorwateringcantopreventwashingsoilawayfromtherowsorfromaroundtransplants.Rainis,ofcourse,yourbestsourceofwater.Onceseededorplanted,yourgardenwillneedaboutone inchof rainperweek,dependingonevaporation.You’llneedslightlymoreinthesummermonths.Ifthisislackingor you notice plants wilting during the heat of the day, they’re not gettingenoughwater.Checkthesoilmoistureweekly,especiallyduring thefirst threeweeks of planting. If the top couple of inches of soil are dry, you’ll need towater.Later in theseason,as the rootsgrowdeeper,you’llneed towater less.It’s best towater deeply and less frequently than lightly andmore frequently.Soakthoroughlyateachwatering.Insummer,thismaymeanwateringforuptofourhoursormore.Allowtheupperportionofthesoiltodryoutslightlybeforewateringagain.Thishelpstoincreaserootgrowth.

Inmostareasandinstancesyou’llhavetosupplywatertoyourgarden.Thiscanbedoneinnumerousways.Asprinklerisoneofthemostcommon.Wefastenacircularsprinklertoasteelposttoraiseitabovetheplantsforbettercoverage.

Amuchbettermethodthatutilizeslesswaterandplaceswateronlywhereitisneededisasoakerhose.Usedwithmulch,it’sextremelyeffective.

Watercanbeprovidedforplantsinanumberofways.Soakerhosesareoneofmyfavoritemethodsofwateringrows.Soakerhoses,aswellastrickletubes,allowfordeepsoakingof thesoilanddon’tapplywater to foliage,whichcancausediseaseproblems. I’ve recycledanumberofbrokenoldsoakerhosesbycuttingthemtofitexactlythespaceneededandthenputtingnewhoseendsonthem.It’seasyandefficienttousethesehosesundermulch,providingthebestandsimplestmoisturemanagementsystem.Ievenusesoakerhosesonmycornpatch,whichoftenconsistsoffiveorsixrowsat least fiftyfeet long.I lay thesoakerhosenexttoonerow,waterforacoupleofhours,turnoffthehose,pullitout,andpullitbackintothenextrow,continuinguntil theentirecornpatchiswellwatered.Youcanalsopositionaliquidfertilizerfeederjustbeforethehose.

Anumberofmechanicalwateringdevicesareavailable. Impulsesprinklerscanprovidealotofwatertoalargeareabuttendtobeatdownsmallortenderplants.Anoscillatingorwhirlingsprayerprovidesafinermist,andmanycanbeadjustedtowateronlyaspecificarea.Thesimplestmethod,however,istheold-fashionedgardenwateringcan.Raisedbedsandsmallgardensareeasilywateredwiththese.It’seasytoaddfertilizertothewateringcanandwaterandfeedyourplantsatthesametime.

A simple method I’ve used with hilled plants, such as melons andcucumbers,istopunchholesinplasticfoodcontainersandplacetheminholesnexttotheplants.Fillwithwaterandallowthewatertoseepthroughthebottomandtotheplantroots.Again,youcaneasilyaddliquidfertilizerormanureteatofeedtheplantsatthesametime.

Hilledplantscanbegrowneasilyusingblackplasticorothermulchandaplasticcontainerwithholespunchedinthebottom.Fillwithwateroraddwatersolublefertilizerormanuretea.

ThinningandWeedingOnce your seedlings are up, it’s important to thin them to the spacinginstructionsontheseedpacketortotheinformationinchapter6on“VegetableSpecifics.” It’s also extremely important to keep your gardenweeded.Weedsprovide direct competition for food, and if they get too high, weeds can alsoshadeoutthesun.Handweedingandhoeingweremuchhatedchoresbymanycountrykidswhowererequiredtohelp.Iknow!IwasoneofthekidsthatneverwantedtoraiseagardenwhenIgrewup.

MulchMulching canbeoneof themost important tools for growingyour own food.Notonlydoesitconservewater,butitalsokeepsthesoilfromhardpanningandprovidesalightersoilforrootstomoreeasilygrow.Anditkeepsdownweeds.You really can’tmulch toomuch, unless you cover the leaves of your plants.Justaboutanyplantcanbemulchedalthoughit takes time,effort,andafairlylarge amount of materials to mulch a big corn patch. The best thing aboutmulchingisoncedone,you’vecutyourgardeningchoresgreatlyfortherestoftheseason.Mulchshouldbeappliedassoonasplantsareupandthinned.Anynumberofmaterialscanbeusedasmulch.Regardlessofwhatisused,themulchshouldbedried,notgreen.

Mulchingmakesgrowingyourownfoodmucheasier.

Anynumberofmaterials,includingsawdustorwoodchips,maybeusedasmulch.

Commonmulchingmaterials include the following: straw, old hay, leaves,driedgrassclippings,sawdust,andwoodchips.Somefolkshavehadgoodluckusingoldnewspapersformulch.Wefeedcalvesatweaningtimefromourcow-calfoperationandendupwithasupplyofpaperfeedsacks.Theyrecyclegreatintomulchingmaterials aroundmy tomatoplants andunder the tomato cages.It’s important to provide plenty of mulch, usually four to six inches is aminimum,andyou’llprobablyneedtoaddmoremulchastheseasonprogresses.

Blackplasticcanalsobeusedasmulch,andit’sagreatwayofwarmingupthe soil in northern areas for quicker garden starts or extending the growingseason in the fall. Iuseblackplastic toprovidea totalmulch formelons.Theplasticcoverstheentirepatchwithholescutforeachmelon“hill.”Themelonssprawlovertheblackplasticastheygrow,andtherearenoweedsbetweenand

aroundthevines.

Anynumberofnaturalitemscanbeusedformulch.

FeedingYou’ll also need to side-dress or apply fertilizer of some sort as the seasonprogresses. Yellowish leaves and a slow growth usually indicate a lack ofnutrients. The type of fertilizer, amount applied, and method depends on theplantandyourgardensoilnutrients.Chapter6on“VegetableSpecifics”detailsfertilizingfordifferentvarieties.Mostplantsneedabitofnitrogenside-dressing.Theamountandtimingareimportant.

Blackplasticisaneffectivemulchformanyplants,includingmelonsandcantaloupes.

c

Mostplantsneedtobeside-dressedwithsomesortoffertilizerduringtheseason.

DiseasesandPestsAhealthygarden,withgoodgardensoilandcaredforproperly,willhavefewerpests and diseases than an ill-kept garden.Many diseases are caused by poorgardeningtactics.Severalsimplepracticescanhelppreventdiseasesandinsectinfestations. Overwatering or watering at the wrong time and keeping foliagewetcanbeamajorcauseofseveraldiseases.Waterinearlyafternoontoallowfoliagetodrybeforenightfall.Ifyouhavelongperiodsofwetweather,youmaywish toconsiderusinga fungicideonsomeplants.Oneeasystep is tochoosedisease-freeplantsandseeds.This isespecially important ifyouhavediseases

specific toyourarea.Seedcompanies listplantsandseeds thatare immune tospecificdiseases.

Inadditiontodiseases,awholehostofcreatureslovethefoodyougrow,orat times seemingly attempt to grow.One of the best preventivemethods is torotateyourplants.Don’tgrowthesameplantyearafteryearinthesamespottopreventthespreadofsoil-bornediseases.Thisisespeciallyimportantforplantssuchaspotatoesandtomatoes.Keepyourgardenclean.Removealldebrisattheend of the season. Fall tilling and then planting a green cover crop will alsoexpose and kill some of the insects and insect eggs that overwinter in gardendebris. Keeping a continuous watch on your plants is important to stopinfestations before they become major problems. Watch for signs of insectproblems, including chewed leaves, droppings, and the insects themselves.Handpickoccasionalpests,butbereadytoapplyinsecticidesbeforepestsbeginmultiplying.Again,propergardenhygienecangoalongwayincuttingbackoninsectpopulations.

Diseaseandbugscanbeaproblem.Theycanbecombatedinanumberofways.Keepingacleangarden—freeofdebris—isnecessary.Somebugscanalsobehandpickedforcontrol.

Ifyouspotheavyinfestations, it’s timetodobattle.Anumberofwaysareavailabletobattle infestations,buthowyoucombatthisarmyisyourchoice.I

tendtouseacombinationofmethods.Whenmykidswerelittle,Ipaidthemasinsectbountyhunters.Ahornwormoff the tomatopatchmeantadimein theirpiggybank.Coloradopotatobeetleswentforapennyapiece,asdidsquashbugs.Slugswerealsoadimeapiece.Companionplantingcancombatsomepests.Forinstance, interplanting marigolds along with vegetables such as cabbage andbroccolicancutdownonpests.Anumberofnaturalremediesareavailableforhelpingtocontrolinsectpests,asarechemicalpesticides.Keepyourgardenwellweeded.Weedscanharborinsectpestsanddiseases.

Chemical pesticides or insecticides are extremely effective in controllinginsect infestations,butinsomecases, theyalsodestroybeneficial insects,evensome that prey on harmful insects. If you decide to use chemical pesticides,make sure you carefully followall label directions.Measure accurately.Don’tspray when there is any wind. Follow all safety precautions in mixing andhandlingandwearprotectiveclothing.Alwaysfollowthespecificdays-before-harvest information for that particular chemical. Inmost instances, thismeanstwoweeksbeforeharvest.Manypestsanddiseasesarespecifictoregionalareas.Check with your local county extension office for further information oncontrollingdiseasesandpestsinyourarea.

Wildcrittersfromrabbitstodeercanalsobeamajorproblemwhengrowingyourownfood.

CritterControlIftheinsectarmyisn’tenough,therearealsomoreandbiggercrittersreadytofeed off your efforts. Living in the Missouri Ozark hills means living withwildlife,andthere’salotofitaroundourhome,includingdeer,turkeys,rabbits,squirrels, ducks, and geese, as well as lots of snakes, field mice, moles,groundhogs, possums, raccoons, and gophers, not to mention thousands ofsongbirds such asblue jays that love fruits.We thoroughly enjoy thewildlife,but when it comes to growing our food, it’s a different matter. When I wasyoungerandhadmoreenergy, I simplyplantedenough forall.But thesedaysI’m more protective of my food garden. I plant lots of food plots scatteredaroundourpropertyjustforthewildlife,butthatwon’tkeepcrittersoutofthegarden.

Simplecagescanbeconstructedaroundraisedbedstokeepoutthecritters.Cageshownisfromconcretereinforcingwire.

We’ve tried just about everything to keep the critters under control.Raccoonsinthecornpatchhavebeentheworst.AneighborsuggestedIrunanextensioncord tomypatchandhanga floodlight. Ididand theyhit thepatchagain thatnight.Thenhe suggested I adda radio. Ididand theyhit thepatchagain.Allwedidwasprovidemusic and lights for theirparty.Myyoung sonMichaelhadabigoldLabcalledFireballthatwenteverywherewithMichael.Ihitonthe ideaofparkingmypickupnext to thecornpatch,puttingasleepingbaginthebackofthetruckforMichael.WethoughtFireballwouldstaycloseto

Michaelandkeepthecoonsoutofthecorn.ThenextmorningwhenIlookedatthepatch,ithadbeendevastatedagain.Michaelwasinhissleepingbagasleep,butsowasFireball.

Agoodfencecangoalongwaytowardprotectingasmallgarden.Itmust,however, bedeerhigh, rabbit short, andgroundhog tough tobe effective.Thefencecanbeconstructedofmanythings,butoneextremelyeffectivepermanentfence ismade fromsectionsofcattlepanels fastened to steelpostsdriven intothe ground. This creates a sturdy five-foot-high fence. To keep the smallercrittersout,includeasectionofpoultrywirearoundthebottom.

Ifyoudon’twanttoenclosethewholegarden,analternativeistousewirecages over raised beds or row covers. Wire cages made of welded concretereinforcingwire are effective for deer, and you can also add poultrywire forsmallercritters.Oneadvantagethesehaveisyoucansimplyplaceplasticoverthecagestocreateminiaturegreenhousesforearlyspringorlatefallandwinterfoodgrowing.

Oneofthebestmethodsofcrittercontrolisanelectricfence.

Designedproperly,anelectricfencewillkeepoutsmallandlargecritters.

FencingAnelectric fence is theonly curewe’ve found formarauding coons anddeer.Weuseonelowstrandforkeepingoutraccoonsandgroundhogsandonehighstrand for deer.Myneighbors have the ultimate in an electric fence, and theyneeditforthelargedeerpopulationinthearea.Theirfenceconsistsofcloselyspaced electricwires spaced from just a few inches off the ground to the topstrandatalmostfivefeetofftheground.Anelectricfenceconsistsofacharger,whichcanbepluggedintoahouseholdcircuit,orsolarpowered.

Youcansaveseedsfromsomeplantstogrowyourown.Onlyseedsfromheirloom,standard,andnon-hybridplantscanbesaved.Placeseedsinpapertowelsinasafeplacetodry,thenstoreinenvelopes.

No,theelectricfencewon’telectrocuteanimals.Agood,powerfulcharger,however,willgivethemaheftycharge,anditdoesn’ttakeanimalslongtolearntoavoid it.Youwill alsoneedpostsandwire.Aportable fencecanbe setupwithplasticpush-inpostsandawirecalledpolywire,whichconsistsofplasticwireinterlacedwithfinemetalwires.Tapewireisalsoavailable,andit’smorevisible and carriesmore current.Both are economical, easy to install and takedown,anduse.Forapermanentfence,usemetalposts,insulatorconnectorsontheposts,andwireortapefencing.

6

VegetableSpecifics

Each type of vegetable has different growing requirements. The amounts ofseed, thenumberofplantsneededperperson,whenandwheretoplant—theseare all important for the serious foodgrower.Beloware the details of how togroweachspecificvegetable.

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Beans(bush,pole,filet,lima,andshellordrybeans)Description. In their many different types, beans are one of mankind’s mostimportant foods. And they’re easy to grow. If you were to grow only onevegetable,beanswouldbeagoodchoice.They’regreatfresh,canned,dried,orfrozen.Beansbelongtothelegumefamilywithotherfoods,suchassnappeas,soybeans, lentils, and peanuts. Beans are a very important source of fiber, aswellashighinprotein.Beansarealsovirtuallyfatandcholesterolfreeandarefullofvitamins.

Beans,suchasgreensnapbeans,aresomeofthemostimportantandeasiestoffoodstogrow.

Beanvarietiesincludebothbushandpoletypes.

Types.Beansareavailableinbothbushandpolevarieties.Bushbeanstendtoputonamaincrop,followedbysuccessivecrops,andaregoodfreshandforcanningorfreezing.Bushbeansgrowasbushesorclosetotheground.Theydonot need supports, but some varieties tend to producemore sprawling plants,takingupmorespaceandallowingbeanson thebottomtocontact theground.Polebeansmatureovera longerseason,butwith less initialproductivity.Thismakes them good choices for picking and eating a continuous crop of freshbeans.Polebeans require seven-to eight-footpolesor supports for their vines.Sincepolebeansareupofftheground,theyareusuallycleanerbecauseoflesssplatteringwithsoil inheavyrainsandareeasiertopick.Snapandlimabeansareavailableasbothbushandpole.Bushbeanscanbesowneverytwoweekstoprovideacontinuoussupplythroughoutthesummer.

Thefollowingarethekindsofbeansyoumayconsidergrowing:Snap beans. By far themost popular type of bush snap beans include the

wide variety of green beans. These includemany of the classic home garden

plants.Another type is theyellowwaxbean,producing thebrightyellowsnapbeansooftenused in thepopular three-beansalad.Thesebeans tend tomaturemoreslowly.ItalianorRomabeansareaflatterversionwithamorepronouncedand rich bean flavor. Filet beans are a traditional and favoriteEuropean bean,often used as baby French green beans. They have some of the tendencies ofbothbushandpolewithlongstring-freepods.Polesnapbeansincludeanumberofgreenbeans,aswellaswaxandRomano.

Lima beans. Limas love hot climates. They are available as the smaller-seeded bush as well as pole beans. The bush lima beans tend to be sweetertasting than the pole versions. The latter produce the popular big-pod butterbeans. Bush limas for the most part don’t require staking, although somevarieties can grow to twenty-four inches and tend to fall over.Mulchingwithhayaround theplantshelpskeep thebeans,off the soil, clean,weed free, andeasiertopick.

Beanvarietiesalsoincludelimasaswellastypesthatareoftendriedsuchasnavyandpintobeans.

Shell and dried beans. A staple the world over, shell or dried beans aregrownfortheseedsinsidethepod.Shellbeansareharvestedwhenthepodsarefullyformedbutstillsomewhatgreenandsoft.Driedbeansareallowedtodryontheplantsbeforeharvesting.Driedbeanscanbestoredandtransportedeasilyand can be used in a wide variety of dishes from soups to salads and maindishes.Shellanddrybeansarealsoavailableinanumberofvarieties,oftenwithcolorfulbeanseeds.Theseincludethepopularkidneybeansusedinchili;greatnorthern,thepopularsoupandmaindishbean;navybeans,usedinbakedbeans;the unusual maroon-speckled Jacob’s cattle beans; pinto beans for tacos,tamales,and refriedbeans;blackbeans foranumberof traditionaldishes;andhorticulturalbean,abeanthatisoftenusedasashellbeanorwhensemidryorcanalsobedried.Wehavegrownhorticulturebeansformanyyears,substitutingthemforpintoandkidneybeans.They’reeasytoharvestandgreatasacannedbean.Garbanzobeansmayalsobeusedinthegreenshellordried.Theyhavearichnuttyflavor,arealsocalledchickpeas,andareoftenservedinsaladbars.Bush fava beans, also called English broad beans, are green beans used likelimas.Theyareeasiertogrowinthenorththantraditionallimas.

Edible soybeans have become increasingly popular as a home-garden foodandwithgoodreason.Theyshouldnotbeconfusedwithagriculturalsoybeans,butareeatenbyboilingthefreshbeansandremovedfromthepods.Theyhave

anextremelyhighproteincontent.

CultureA.Propagation:directseededB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:1lb.C.Amountneededforpoleplantings:½lb.D.Wheretoplant:fullsunE.When toplant:After all dangerof frost andwhen soil temperature reaches

60°FF.Rowspacing:24in.G.Polerowspacing:30in.H.Plantspacinginrows:3in.I.Plantspacinginhills:36in.J.Plantingdepth:1in.K.Howmuchperpersoninrows:fresh,10to15ft.;processed,20to30ft.

L.Howmuchperpersoninhills:fresh,3to5hills;processed,5to10hillsM.Daysfromplantingtoeating:bushbeans,50to60;polebeans,70to95

Requirements

A. Soil type: Well-drained friable and fertile soil. Work in well-rottedmanureorotherorganicmaterialsbeforeplanting.

B.pH:6.5to7.C.Fertilizer:Avoidhigh-nitrogen fertilizersas theyproduce lotsof foliage

withfewpods.Growing tips.Beans are awarm-season crop andmust beplanted after all

dangeroffrosthaspassedandthesoilhaswarmeduptoatleast50°F.Ipreferthesoiltobearound60°F.Poorgerminationresultsfromplantingtooquicklyinthe spring and is especially sowith limas. Some companies treat seedwith afungicide to protect the emerging plants from disease.Untreated seeds shouldnot be planted until the soil is thoroughlywarm.Asbeans are a legume, theybenefitfromtheuseofaninoculant.Somecompaniesofferinoculant,anditcanincreaseproduction.Ifyouwantacontinuoussummercrop,planteverytwotothree weeks throughout the summer months. The soil should be well tilled,loose, and friable. Heavy, cloddy soil results in poor germination. Beforeplanting,incorporateaboutacupperfiftyfeetofrowofalow-nitrogenfertilizer,suchas5-10-10orcomparableorganicfertilizer.Waterthefertilizerintothesoilandplanttheseed.Beanscanbeveryproductive,evenjustafewplantswiththecorrect care, and it’s usually not toomuch effort to plant a fifty-foot row byhand.Iliketooverplantandthintotherecommendedspacingaftergermination.Youcanalsouseasmallmechanicalseederforlargerareas.Keeptherowswellweeded, lightly cultivated to keep down weeds, and keep the plants wellwatered.Side-dresswithacompletecommercialfertilizeronceor twiceduringthegrowingseasonbyapplyingalongside the rowand lightlycultivating it in.Oncefloweringandthepodsbegintoset,side-dresswithonecupofammoniumnitrate(33-0-0)orequivalentnitrogenfertilizerperfiftyfeetrow.Donotallowthe fertilizer to contact the foliage, lightly cultivate, and thenwater it into thesoil.Heavynitrogen,earlyon,however,resultsinlotsoffoliagewithfewpods.Polebeansneedlotsofsupportwithpolesseven-toeight-foottall.Usepolesintripodfashion,postswithwireorheavy-dutytwinestrungbetweenthem,orA-frame-type supports. The latter can be fastened to a raised bed for efficientlygrowingpolebeansinasmallarea.Clippingofftheendsoftheplantswhentheyreachthetopcreatesbushierplants.

Pests.Beansdon’thaveasmanypestsassomeotherplants,butanumberofbeetlevarietiescanbeaproblem.Rabbitsanddeerlovethetenderyoungplantsandpods.

Harvest. Pick snap beans while the pods are still tender. Older pods canbecometoughandstringy.Limasandpolebeanstendtomatureafewatatime,overalongerseason,requiringyoutopickthebeansonthebottomoftheplantand work upward as they mature. Pick shell beans, such as horticulture, justwhen the shell begins to dry but before the beans begin to harden. Pick driedbeansa_erthepodsandshellshavedried,allowingthebeanstodryonthevine.

Storage.Forsnapbeans,pressurecan,freeze,ordehydrate.Fordriedbeans,keepcoolanddryandawayfrompests.

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Beets

Description. Beets belong to the root crop family and are extremely easy togrow, actually one of the easiest crops to grow, as they are bothered by fewpests,willgrowinawiderangeofsoiltypes,andgrowrelativelyfast.Beetsareagreatchoiceforraised-bedgardening,andyoucangrowsuccessivecropsfortheentiresummer,plantingabouteverythreeweeks.A4×6footraisedbedcanproducemorethanfiftypoundsofbeetsplusthetops,agreatchoiceforsmall-space gardening. And that’s just one planting. Beets are also a very versatilekitchenfood.Theycanbepureedandmashedtobeusedinsoups;ovenroasted,simmered, and cooked for Harvard beets; pressure canned; or pickled for thepopularbeetpickles.Evenbetteryet,beetsaregoodforyou.Theycontainlotsoffiber,iron,andfolicacidaswellasvitaminsB1,C,andA.ThetopsorgreensareevenbetterforyouprovidingvitaminsCandAaswellasiron.

Beetsarearootcropandalsoveryeasytogrow.

Types.Beetvarietiesareavailable in two types,dependingon theshapeoftheroot:globesandcylinders.Beetsarealsoavailableasearlyorlatematuring.

CultureA.Propagation:directseededortransplantedB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:2oz.C.Where to plant: Full sun but do best when temperature of soil and air is

slightlycool.Beetsdobestinthenorthernportionofthecountrybutcanbegrowninthesouthinlatewinterandearlyspring.

D.Whentoplant:Beetseedswillgerminateinsoiltemperaturesaslowas40°F.Manygrowersplantwhentheyplantpeasorsetoutcabbage.

E.Rowspacing:18in.F.Plantspacing:3in.G.Depth:½in.H.Howmuchperperson:5-to10-ft.rowfresh,10-to20-ft.rowprocessedI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:45to65

Requirements

A.Soiltype:Soilshouldbelooseandloamyforpropergrowthoftheroots.Hard-packedsoilsshouldbebuiltupwithcompostorwell-rottedcowmanure.Donotplantinfreshmanure.

B.pH:6.5to7C. Fertilizer:Beets are not heavy feeders.Organic fertilizer, such aswell-

rotted cowmanure, will suffice formost instances; however, application of awater-soluble fertilizerwill help createbigger roots.Addingorganic fertilizerswithpotashcanalsohelp.Oruse5-10-5orsimilarcommercialfertilizer..

It’simportanttokeepbeetsthinned.Usethethinningsasbabybeetsandtopsforsalads.

Growingtips.Thetwomainfactorsingrowingbeetsareagood,loosesoilandasteady,plentifulsupplyofwaterthroughoutthegrowingseason,atleastaninchperweek.Thebiggestproblemwithgrowingbeetsissowingtheseedstooclosetogetherornotthinningthemproperly.Beetseedsareactuallyfruitsoraripened ovary containing several seeds. You’ll often get four ormore sproutsfromeachseed.I liketoplantaboutadozenbeetseedsperfootofrow,allowthem to sprout, and use scissors to cut off all but one sprout from each seed.After theplantshavegrown for three to fourweeks, I thin theplants to aboutthreeinchesapart.Thethinningleavesaredeliciousinsalads,andthetinytenderbeets can be simmered. Soaking the seeds in water overnight will also helpgermination.Formanyyears I simplyplanted rowsofbeetsandhopedfor thebest. Spotty germination, resulting in lots of sprouts in one spot and little ornothinginotherareas,ledtopoorproductionandlotsofweedproblems.ThenI

tried planting beet seeds in my greenhouse at the same time as cabbage andbroccoli.Beets transplantveryeasily,andit’seasytomaintainproperspacing.Plantedinraisedbedsinthismanner,they’remuchmoreproductivethandirectseededintorows.

Beetsrequirelittleinthewayofcareexceptweedingandwatering.Theydonot like direct weed competition. A mulch of straw around the plants afterthinning helps maintain more even soil temperatures and prevents pale orirregularcoloringoftherings(calledzoning).

Pests.Beetshaveveryfewpests,withleafminersandsomebeetleschewingontheleaves.

Broccolibelongstothecabbagefamilyandishighlynutritious.Itdoestakeabitmoreefforttogrow.

Harvest.Beetscanbeharvestedanytime,andmanyvarietiesaregrowntoproduceearly“babybeets.”Thesmallerbeets,aboutthesizeofagolfball,willbemore tenderandhavebetter textureand flavor than say softball size.Beetscanbeleftuntiltheygetlarger,butdonotleavemuchlongerthanthematuritydaysontheseedpacket,astheplantscangetwoodyorfibrous,especiallyduringhotsummerweather.Tocookbeets,leaveaboutaninchofthetopsattachedtotheunpeeledbeettopreventexcessivebleeding.

Storage.Beetscanbeusedfresh,pressurecanned,anddehydrated;or late-seasonorfallbeetscanbekeptinarootcellaroraboxfilledwithmoistsandinacoolbasement.Inareaswithmildwinter,simplycoverthebeetswithathick

layerofstrawforfreshbeetsanytime.

***

Broccoli

Description. Broccoli belongs to the cabbage family and is one of the mostnutritiousvegetables.ItisveryhighinvitaminsA,B,andCandalsoprovidesboth calcium and iron. One cooked cup of fresh broccoli is less than fiftycaloriesyetcanprovidehalftheminimumdailyrequirementofAanddoublethedailyrequirementforCforanadult.Broccoliisalsoanexcellentsourceforfolicacid,anditisrichinfiber.

Broccoli is not the easiest plant to grow, and it does take space. Broccolirequirestherightcooltemperaturesforpropergrowthandisverysusceptibletoinsectattacks.Notgrownproperly,itcanbebitterwithstuntedheads.Ifyouliveinanareawithnospringandlotsofhotweatherearlyintheyear,youwilldobestgrowingbroccoliinthefall.Insomeareas,youmaybeabletodoublecropwithbothspringandfallcrops.

Types.Broccoli is available in anumberofvarieties,mostlydependingonthe length tomaturity.Twotypesareavailable,headingwhichproducesheadslike cauliflower and sprouting. Sprouting varieties can produce a continuouscropofsproutsoveralongerseason,butwithsmallerheads.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededortransplantedB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:½oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.When toplant: early spring, evenbefore last frost if you can cover the

plantsE.Rowspacing:30in.F.Plantspacing:24in.G.Depth:½in.H.Howmuchperperson:fresh,3to5plants;processed,5to10plantsI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:55to70,dependingonvariety

RequirementsA.Soiltype:Arichloamysoilproducesbest,butbroccoliwillgrowinlessthanperfectsoils.

pH:Broccolidoesnotlikeacidicsoils,6.5to7.Fertilizer: Broccoli is not a heavy feeder.Well-dried cowmanure worked

into the bed will add to productivity as will occasional fertilizing with acommercialwater-solublefertilizer.Toomuchnitrogen,however,produceslotsoffoliageinsteadofheads.

Growingtips.Broccolicanbedirectseededinthegardenorbed,anditisthemethodoftenusedforproducingafallcrop.Broccoliismostoftengrownfromtransplants, either plants purchased to set out in March or early April or bystarting your own plants indoors. Plant the seeds in a flat in early January,sowingabouthalf-inchdeep.Broccoliplantsareeasytogrow.Isowtinyrowsof seeds in a flat under a light and transplant into plastic trays, paper pots, orfoam coffee cups once the plants have two leaves. Keep plants well wateredthroughoutthegrowingseason.

Pests.Treatpestsassoonasyouspotthem.Everythingthatcrawlsandflieslovesbroccoli,butthemostcommonpestandonethatcausesthemostproblemsisthecabbageworm.Buryinginsidethehead,they’reinsidiouslyhardtospot.

Harvest.It’simportanttoharvestbroccolibeforethebudsflowerandbeginto dry out. Cut off heads so a long stem remains on the plant. With somevarieties, numerous side shoots will form. Soak harvested heads in saltwaterbeforeeatingorpreservingifheavilyinfestedwithworms.

Storage. Broccoli is best fresh but can also be blanched and frozen forstorage.

***

BrusselsSprouts

Description. Brussels sprouts should be called frosty plants because they areprimarilyafallcropandactuallydobestafteralightfallfrost.Amemberofthecabbagefamily,Brusselssproutsaresomewhathardtogrow.

Types.Only a few varieties are available, the differencemostly in time tomaturity.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededandtransplantedB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:½oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:seedinMay,transplantinJulyforfallcropE.Rowspacing:24in.F.Plantspacing:12–18in.G.Depth:¼in.H.Howmuchperperson:fresh,5to6plants;processed,5to10plantsI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:80to100days

Requirements

A.Soiltype:Loamy,richinorganicfertilizerB.pH:6.5to7C. Fertilizer: Liquid water soluble or 10-10-10 side-dressed after

transplanting

Cabbageisoneofthemostimportantfoodcropsandisaneasygrowerforthehomefoodgarden.

Growingtips.StartseedindoorsoringardeninbedsinMay.Transplantintothe garden in July. Keep well watered, weeded, and inspect for pests. FrostimprovestheflavorofBrusselssprouts.

Pests.Itdoesnothavemanypests,exceptforsomebeetles.Harvest.Allow buds to remain on plants until after frost and then harvest

often,startingwiththebottombuds.Storage.Canbekeptinrootcellarandcoolbasementinboxesordoeswell

frozen.

***

Cabbage

Description.Avery importantcrop inmanypartsof thecountry,cabbage isacool-seasoncropandrelativelyeasytogrow.Cabbageispopularbothasafreshfood aswell as cooked and added to other dishes.Cabbage is often grown asbothaspringandfallcrop.

Types.Cabbageisavailableinbothgreenandredtypeswithseveralvarietiesavailable, as well as in ball or leafy heads. Chinese cabbage is also popular.Anotherfactorinthevarietiesistheagetomaturity.Early-maturingvarietiesareeatenfreshorfrozen.Later-maturingvarietiesareoftengrownforwinterstorageinrootcellars.Somevarietiesarebredtoresistdiseasesfromthesoil,andsomegrowbetter inhotterweather.Most types,however,succumbtodisease,pests,andtheheadssplittingopeninthehotweather.Forthebestcabbage,plantsotheheadsripenbeforehotweather.

Culture

A.Propagation:Springplantingscanbedirectseeded,butareusuallystartedindoorsand transplanted.Fallplantingscanbestarted indoorsoroutdoors inashady,somewhat-protectedareaordirectseededinthebeds.

B.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:¼to½oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:veryearlyspringorinmid-tolatesummerforafallcropE.Rowspacing:24in.F.Plantspacing:12inG.Depth:¼inH.Howmuchperperson:3to10plantsballheads,5to10plantsChinese

varietiesI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:55to105days

Requirements

A.Soiltype:Aloose,friable,richsoilB.pH:6.5to7C.Fertilizer:Addonepoundofcomplete12-12-12or10-10-10fertilizerper

row before planting or transplanting. Side-dresswith a high nitrogen fertilizerafterheadsbegintoform.

Growingtips.Cabbagefromtransplantsiseasytogrow,andit’seasytostartthe seed indoors. This is a good choice for beginning food growers.We start

seedsinourgreenhouseandtransplant.PlantosetoutplantsinAugustforafallcrop.Cabbage requireswatering throughout thegrowing season.Severalyearsagowestartedgrowingcabbageinraisedbeds,andit’seasytokeeptheplantswellweededandwatered,andyoucanalsospacethemsomewhatcloserforanintensivegardeningsituation.

Pests. Cabbage worms, cabbage butterfly, looper worms or inch worms,importedcabbagewormsaresomeoftheworstpests.Sevindustwillkeepthemundercontrol.Woodashesareanorganicremedy.

Harvest.Harvestheadsaftertheyfirmupbutbeforetheysplitand,ifyou’renotintopesticides,beforethebugsgettothem.

Storage.Earlyvarietiescanbekeptrefrigeratedtousefresh,frozen,ormadeintosauerkraut.Latervarietiescanbekeptinacoolstorageareaorevencoveredwithstrawandkeptinthegardeninsomeareas.

***

Cauliflower

Description.Cauliflowerisapopularvegetablemanygardenerstrytogrow,butit’sabitmoredifficulttogrowproperlythanmanyothervegetables,includingits cousin broccoli.Cauliflower is a cool-season crop andmust be started andplantedveryearlyinordertogrowtheheads.Oncehotweatherhits,cauliflowerstops producing. You may be better off growing as a cool-season, fall crop.CauliflowerisrichinironandvitaminC.

Types. Cauliflower varieties are relatively few in number. The biggestdifference is in its time to mature. Shorter-maturing varieties are best for thesouth,buttheheadsareusuallysmalleraswell.Coloredvarietiesratherthanthewhite heads are also available. Some “self-blanching” varieties are alsoavailable.

Culture

A. Propagation: By direct seeding or transplanting. Starting indoors andtransplantingisusuallythebestmethod.

B.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:¼oz.C.Wheretoplant:fullsunD.Whentoplant:earlyspringorlatesummerforfallcropinsomeareasE.Rowspacing:24in.F.Plantspacing:24in.G.Depth:¼in.H.Howmuchperperson:fresh,5plants;processed,10plantsI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:65to70

Requirements

A.Soiltype:rich,loosewithfullsunandgooddrainageB.pH:6to7C.Fertilizer:Highinnitrogenwithtraceelementsofboron.Lackofnitrogen

cancausetheheadstobestuntedandyellowed.Inordertoproduce,cauliflowermust grow fast. Soilmust be rich in organic fertilizer. Use a general-purposefertilizerbeforeplantingandthenaddnitrogenastheheadsbegintofill.IfthepHislow,addlime.Alkalinesoilscanpreventtheplantsfromabsorbingboron,animportantmineralforcauliflower.Granitedustandrockphosphatearegoodsourcesofboron.

Growingtips.Thebestmethodinmostinstancesistostarttheseedsindoorseightweeksbeforethelastfrostdateforyourarea.Thisshouldcreatetransplantsreadytosetoutfromtwotothreeweeksbeforethelastfrostdate.Forafallcrop,sow seeds inpots twelveweeksbefore the first fall frost.Set out plantswhentheyhavethreeleavesandasmallbudinthecenter,whichwillformthehead.When transplanting,make sure the soil around the plant is thoroughly soakedandtheplantsarewellsettled.Astheplantgrows,theleavestendtocurlawayfrom the heads. When the heads are about two inches in size, the heads areshieldedfromthesunbypullingtheleavesupandtyingthemaroundtheheadwithasoftclothorstring.

Pests.Cabbagewormscanbeaproblem.Harvest.It’sbesttoharvestcauliflowerearlierthanlater,astheheadstendto

becomelooseandlosetheirwhitecolor.Thisisusuallywhentheheadsarefourtosixinchesindiameterandthecurdsarestillcompact.Cutofftheheadswithasharpknife,leavingtheinnerlayerofleavesaroundthehead.

Storage.Cauliflower is best eatenwhile fresh, but a bountiful crop canbeblanchedandfrozen.

***

Carrots

Description.Rich in vitaminA and beta-carotene, carrots are one of themostcommonvegetables,aswellasoneofthemostbeneficialandnutritious.Carrotsarecool-seasonrootcropsthatgrowalmostanywhere,butrequireloose,poroussoil.

Types.Carrotsareavailableinseveralvarietiesmostlydependentonthesizeandshapeof the root.Sturdy,blockyvarietiesyieldmorepoundsper rowandarethebestchoicesforcanningandstoring.Themoreslendervarietiesarebest

foreatingfresh.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:¼to½oz.dependingonvarietyC.Wheretoplant:fullsunD.When to plant: Early spring with successive plantings through spring.

Late summer for fall crop in someareas.Carrotsdonotgerminatewell inhotweather.

E.Rowspacing:18in.F.Plantspacing:3in.G.Depth:¼in.H.Howmuchperperson:fresh,5to10ft.;processed,10to15ft.I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:75to80

Requirements

A.Soiltype:richandloosewithfullsun,gooddrainage,andnorocksB.pH:6.5to7.0C.Fertilizer:general-purposeGrowingtips.Makesurethegroundiswellpulverizedandloose,notclayor

cloddy. Rocks, roots, and other objects can cause the carrots to split. Addingsomesandmayhelpascanabigdoseofcompost.Beforeworkingthesoil,addtwopoundsofcompletefertilizerperone-hundred-footrowandworkwellintothe soil. Do not use freshmanure, as it canmake the carrots tough. Plant asearly,asyoucanworkthesoil in thespring.Ascarrotsareslowtogerminate,adda few radishes tohelpmark the rows.Once stalks appear, side-dresswithone pound of high nitrogen fertilizer per one-hundred-foot row. Keep wellweededandkeepthecrownscoveredtopreventtheroottopsfromturninggreen.Mulchingcanbeagreathelpinkeepingdownweedsandlightlyprotectingthetops.

Manycrops,suchascarrots,canbestoredinanold-fashionedroot

cellar.

Pests.Carrotsaretroubledbyfewpestsanddiseases,andwirewormscanbeaproblem.Sprinklewoodashesalongtherowsforprotection.

Harvest.Harvestassoonasyoulikewiththefirsttender,juicybabycarrots.Forageneralcrop,waituntilatterthefirstfrost,thendig,andstoreorprocess.

Storage. Carrots can be stored in several ways—pressure canned, frozen,dehydrated, or even in the old-time root cellar or in a cool, moist area withtemperature from just above freezing to about 43°F and with a fairly highhumidityof90to95percent.Oneold-timemethodwastherootbarrel,usingabarrelorlargebucket.Fill thecontainerwithcarrotsandthenfill themouthofthebarrelwith strawor hay.Bury thebarrel in a trenchon its side and coverwithstraworhayandthenaddathinlayerofsoil.Addmorestrawandathickerlayerofsoil.

***

SwissChard

Description.Swisschardisactuallyavarietyofbeetbutwithout theroot.Thetopslookmuchthesameasbeetsandthefine-texturedleavesareoftenusedlikespinach.Swisschard iseasy togrow,doeswell inhotweather,evendroughtyconditions,andisoftensubstitutedforspinachinhotclimates.ItisnotonlyrichinvitaminA,butitalsoadds“decor”toyourgarden.Swisschardcanbegrownearly in spring as a cool-season plant and also doeswell as a fall planting. Ifcoveredwithathicklayerofstrawmulch,itwillkeepproducingthroughoutthewinterinsomeareas.

Swisschardisanothereasy-growerandcanbegrowninspringorfall.

Types.Swisschardisavailableintwotypes,redveinedorwhiteveined,andseveralvarieties.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededortransplantedB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:2oz.C.Wheretoplant:fullsunD.Whentoplant:2to4weeksbeforelastfrostdateE.Rowspacing:18in.F.Plantspacing:3to6in.G.Depth:½in.H.Howmuchperperson:fresh,5to10ft.;processed,10to15ft.

I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:55to65

Requirements

A.Soiltype:anyloose,goodsoilB.pH:Itdoesnotdowellinacidsoil.C.Fertilizer:Side-dresswithnitrogenfertilizerafterplantsarewellstarted.Growing tips. Swiss chard grows fairly prolifically, even throughout the

summer.Successiveplantingsarenotusuallyrequired,althoughsomegardenersmaywish tomake a fall planting. About the only requirement is to keep theplantswellwateredandweededormulched.

Pests.Ithasfewpests.Harvest.Harvesttheouterorfirstmost-tenderleaves,usuallyinacoupleof

months.Leavetheinnerleavestodevelopforacontinuousharvest.Storage.Quiteoftenusedfreshbutmayalsobefrozenlikespinach.

***

Collards

Description.Primarilyknownasasoutherngreen,collardscanalsobegrowninthenorthsincetheywithstandbothheatandcoldquitewell.Theygrowandtastesimilar tocabbagebutdonotformheads.Collardsarerich inbothvitaminsBandC.Inmanyareas,theydobestasafallandwintercrop.

Types.Notalotofvarietiesareavailable,andseedsarenotasavailablefromasmanyseedcompanies.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededortransplantedB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:½oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.When toplant:Early spring, evenbefore last frost ifyoucancover the

plants.E.Rowspacing:24in.F.Plantspacing:12in.

G.Depth:¼in.H.Howmuchperpersonperyear:fresh,5to10ft.;processed,10to15ft.I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:85to95

Requirements

A. Soil type: A loose, friable, rich soil. Adding well-rotted manure orcompostcanbeagreathelp.

B.pH:6.5to7.0C.Fertilizer:Add1lb.ofcomplete12-12-12or10-10-10fertilizerperrow

beforeplantingorsettingout.Fertilizeduringmidseasonwith1poundof12-12-12perrow.

Growingtips.Growasforcabbagestartingseedsindoorsordirectseeding.Make sure to keep well watered during hot, dry weather. Weeds can be aproblem. Keep the plants well cultivated and weeded.Mulching can help cutdownonweeds.Flavorimprovesafteralightfrost.

Pests.Ithasfewpests.Harvest.Theyoungplants canbeusedwhole, although themost common

tacticistoremovethetendertopleaves,especiallyastheplantmatures.Storage.Thetenderleavescanbeblanchedandfrozenfollowingdirections

forspinach.

***

Corn

Description. Sweet corn is from the grass family, and it is a true NativeAmerican plant. In fact, the Native Americans taught the first immigrants togrowthisvaluablefood.Itisfairlyeasytogrowandextremelypopular.Sweetcorndoesrequirequiteabitofspace,richsoil,lotsoffertilizerandwater,andsomeeffort.TheNativeAmericansplantedcorninhillsorgroupsofseedwithadeadfishplacedalongside theholeas fertilizer.The tasteofhomegrownfreshcornmakesitwellworththeeffort.

Choosing sweet corn can be confusing. First, sweet corn is classifiedaccording to the colors of the kernels. It is available as yellow, white, andbicolor.Bicolorcornusuallyhasabout20percentwhiteand80percentyellowkernels.Inaddition,sweetcornisavailableasopenpollinatedorhybrid.Open-

pollinatedorheritagevarietieshavewithstoodthetestoftimeandstillproducelots of corn, especially for market growers or preserving. For the most part,heritagevarietiesarehardierthanhybridsandincludesuchfavoritesascountrygentleman,Stowell’severgreen,andgoldenbantam,popularcorn foroveronehundredyears.Hybridsweetcornvarietieshavebeenbred toproducespecifictraits, and a wide variety exists, mostly concerning the sugar content. Thepackage or catalog describes the types. These different types have differentculturalrequirements.

Sweetcornisagardenfavorite,butitdoestakespaceandsomeeffortingrowing.

TypesA.su

Theseareanormalsweetcornwithafirmyetcreamytexture.Varietieshavedifferinglevelsofsugarcontent(9–16percent).Thesugarsofthistypeconvertquiterapidlytostarchafterharvest,sothevarietiesmustbeconsumedquicklyor

processedafterharvest.Thisis theoldest typeofhybridandproducesaheartycornwithvigorousgerminationandiseasytogrow.Itmustbeisolated(250to300ft.orbythree-plusweeksinmaturity)fromsh2varieties.

B.se,se+,orEHThese sugar-enhanced varieties produce an increased tenderness and

sweetness.Theconversion fromsugar to starch is slower, so theykeep longeroncepicked.Somese+varietiescan lastup to twoweeksbeforeconverting tostarchandbecoming tougher.Somevarietiesdonothave tobe isolated; somemustbeisolatedfromsh2andsuvarieties.

C.sh2ThesecornvarietiesarecalledsupersweetorXtrasweet.Thesugene(short

forshrunken)createsacornwithveryhighsugarcontent(28–44percent)thatisveryslowtoconverttostarchandwithagreatlyincreasedsweetness.Thiscornhas extrasweet flavor and crispness. The seeds or dry kernels of this type areverysmallandshriveledup.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:¼lb.C.Where to plant: Corn does best in areaswith lots of hot, summer sun,

althoughsomevarietiescanbeplantedincoolerclimates.Theareachosenforacornpatchshouldhaveatleast8to10hoursoffullsunlight.

D.Whentoplant:Soiltemperatureofatleast60°Fand7to10daysafterlastpredictedfrostor,betteryet,later.

E.Rowspacing:36in.F.Plantspacing:10to12in.G.Depth:½in.H.Howmuchperpersonperyear:fresh,15to25ft;processed,30to50ft.I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:70to85

RequirementsSoiltype:rich,loosewithfullsunandgooddrainage

pH:6.0to6.5Fertilizer: Requires high-nitrogen fertilizer. Purchased high-nitrogen

fertilizersmaybeusedorcottonseedmealorwell-driedmanure.

Growing tips. Corn is very sensitive to cool weather. Most corn packetssuggestwaitinguntilthesoiltemperatureisatleast60°F,andinmanyareasthiswillwork,aslongasthereisn’talatefrost.Irefertowaituntilsoiltemperatureis at least 70°F and at least a week after the last predicted killing frost. WeusuallyplantcornthefirstweekofMayintheMissouriOzarkswherewelive.Cornplanted too earlywill simply rot in the ground andnot sprout.TheXtrasweet varieties require extremely warm soil. Faster growing, early corn youplant earlier and takeyour chances. In someareas,with late springs and shortgrowingseasons,onesolutionistocoverthesoilwithblackplasticandallowittowarmthesoil.Thenpunchholesintheplasticandplantcorn.Ifyouwanttoputupcornforthewinter,plantasinglelate-springcroptoripenallatonce.Itdoes takequite abit of space toplant a cornpatchproviding food toprocess,about a thirty-to fifty-foot row per person. Corn should also be spaced aminimumof thirty-six inches apart, soyou’re looking at about a15×50 footareaforafamilyoffour.Manyvarietieswillstaysweetintherefrigeratorfortendaystotwoweeks,providinglotsoffreshcornonthecob.Ifyouwishtoextendyour roasting-ear season, plant successive crops, spaced two to three weeksapart,orplantvarietieswithdifferentmaturitydates.Butwatchmixingthesupersweets,astheyshouldbeisolatedbyatleastfivehundredfeet.

Cornmaybeplantedinrowsorinhillsorseedgroups.Inthelatter,threetofour seeds are planted every fifteen inches. I prefer to plant in rows.You canplantcorninamoreintensivespacing,evenascloseastwenty-four-inchrows,but it requiresmorework inweeding. Ialsoplantcorncloser than thepacketssuggest,aboutfour inchesapart,andthenthintheplants toabouteight inches.Closerspacingusuallyresultsinonlyoneearperstalkwhilewidespacingtwoearsperstalk.Cornisamonoeciouswiththeplanthavingbothmaleandfemaleflowersoneachstalk.Thetasselatthetopisthemaleflower,withthesilksthefemaleflower.Thesilksprotrudingfromthetopofthecobareactuallyhollowtubes leading towhatwillbeakernelof corn.Pollination isbywind, and thepollenfromthemaleflowermustlandoneachsilktoproduceafullear.Eearsonly partially filled are due to poor pollination. One major cause of poorpollination is a windstorm that blows the stalks from their upright position.Anotherreasonistheplantingpattern.Cornshouldnotbeplantedinasingleordouble long row, but in blocks of at least three and preferablymore rows inordertoprovideproperpollination.

The soil should bewell worked to a depth of at least eight incheswith atiller,working incompostorwell-rottedmanure.Onesecret toaddingorganicnitrogenistoalternatethecornpatchwithalegumesuchasabeanorpeapatch,

as theseplants addnitrogen to the soil.Anotherold-timemethod is toplant alegumesuchascloverinthefallandthenturnitunderinearlyspring.Thebestplanting is on a finely worked soil, so don’t till or work the soil during wetweather tokeepfromcreatingclods.Plantinga largecornpatchbyhandtakesquite abit ofwork, layingout the rowswith a string line, creating the furrowwithahoe,dropping theseed,andcoveringwitha rake.Asmallhand-pushedmechanicalplantercanmakethischoremucheasierandfaster.

Asoiltestshouldbedoneandfollowedforthebestcorncrop.Withoutasoiltest,astandardpracticeistousesixpoundsof10-10-10orfivepoundsof12-12-12fertilizerperonehundredfeetofrow.Layouttherowsandspreadthisbeforeplantingtheseed.Fortheultimatecornpatch,theplantsshouldbeside-dressedwithahigh-nitrogenfertilizer twoto three timesduring theseason,oncewhenthe plants are about six inches high, just before the plants begin to tassel andwhentheplantsareinfulltasselwithsilksexposed.Toside-dress,digashallowfurrownear therow,add thefertilizerandcover,butbecarefulnot tocut intothe stalk roots. In the past, ammonium nitrate (34-0-0) has been the mostcommon commercial fertilizer used by home gardeners, or you can use theorganiccottonseedmealfertilizer.

Cultivateshallowlytoremoveweedsbut,again,becarefulnottodamagetherootsystem.Hoeingasmallmoundofsoiluparoundtherootscanhelpprotectstalks fromwinddamage.Smallpatchescanbemulched tocontrolweedsandhelpcontainmoisture.Water,water,andmorewaterareneededtogrowcorn—thereasonirrigatedfarmcorndoesthebest.Provideaminimumofoneinchofwater per week, and this is especially important during pollination and eardevelopment.It’simportanttowaterintheearlymorningorbyearlyafternoontoallowthefoliagetodrybeforedark.Oneexcellentmethodofwateringcornistouse soakerhosesplacedalongside the rows. Iusuallyplaceonehose in thepatch,pullingitoutandmovingittothenextrowonceeachrowisthoroughlysoaked.

Cucumbersareeasytogrowandareamustforgarnishingsummersalads.

Pests.Thecornearwormisthemostcommonpest.Placingadropofmineraloil in each ear just as it begins to tassel can help. Other pests include thefollowing: aphids, flea beetles, cutworms, seed-corn maggots, southern cornrootworm, wireworms, fall armyworms, European corn borers, and Japanesebeetles.

Harvest. Best picked at the milk stage or when a milky juice squirts outwhenthekernelsarepiercedwithathumbnail.Theearsshouldeasilysnapoffthestalk.

Storage: Best eaten immediately, but some varieties will store for severaldays,evenaweekorsoinarefrigerator.Pressurecan,freeze,ordehydratethecut-off kernels. Dent or field corn grains can be dried on the plant and thengroundintomealforstorage.

***

Cucumber

Description: Cucumbers are a delightfully easy vegetable to grow, and theyprovidebothfreshcucumbersforsaladsandothersummerdishes,buttheyarealsoprocessedtoproduceawidevarietyofpickles.Cucumbersfreshfromyourgardenresemblenothinglikethewaxedkindoftenfoundingrocerystores.

Types.Awiderangeofvarietiesareavailable,includingthepopularburplesstypes,big,small,long,andshort.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:¼oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:latespring,wellafterfrostdangerE.Rowspacing:36in.F.Plantspacing:48in.G.Depth:½in.H.Howmuchperperson:fresh,2to3hills;processed,3to6hillsI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:65to70

Requirements

Soiltype:arich,deepsoilpH:6.5to7.0Fertilizer:ageneral-purposefertilizer,chemical,ororganicGrowing tips.Cucumbers need lots ofwater and lots of fertilizer. Inmost

instances,cucumbersaregrowninhills rather thanrows,unlessyou’remarketgardening. You’ll usually get fifteen to thirty seeds ofmany hybrids and onehundredormoreseedsofmoststandardvarietiesinapacket.Spacehillsaboutfivefeetapart.Digdeepholeswherethehillswillbe.Fillintheholewithplentyofwell-rottedmanureorcompost.Thenaddaboutthreeinchesofgardensoiltocreatethehill.Placeaboutfivetosixseedstoahill.Cultivateshallowlyuntilthevinesbegintogrow.Heavymulchcanpreventalotofweedingproblems,butitwill take quite a bit tomulch the entire space. Cucumbers do extremelywellgrown on trellises or vertically, and they don’t take up nearly asmuch space.Growingonblackplastickeepsdowntheweeds,buttheytakeupalotofgardenspaceinthismanner.Mycucumbertacticshavebeenrefinedoveranumberofyears,growing themmore intensively. I haveapermanent trellismade fromasectionof cattle panel supportedby steel posts and centered in a raisedbed. Iplant three hills on each side of the fifteen-foot panel, spacing closer thanconventional spacing. As soon as the plants are up, I mulch the bed heavily.Cucumbersneedlotsofwateraswellasfood.Thelattercanbeintheformofchemicalororganicfertilizer,usingageneralfertilizermix.Mymethodisevensimpler.Iburyaplasticfoodcontainer,withthebottomperforated,inthecenterof the hill and plant the seeds around the container. Once a day during the

growing season, I fill the containerswithwater.About once aweek, I fill thecontainerswithmanuretea.Anyliquidfertilizerwilldo.

Pests.Therearelotsofbugsandbeetlesthatlikecucumberplants,especiallythestripedcucumberbeetle.RemovebyhandorshakeonSevindustorwoodashes.

Harvest. Harvest cucumbers for slicing and salads when they’re aboutmedium size and while they’re still dark green. For pickling, harvest thecucumbers while they’re still fairly small. Regardless, keep picking, usuallyeveryotherday.Allowingoldcucumberstostayonthevinereducestheyield.

Storage. Store for short periods in perforated bags in the refrigerator.Preserveaspickles.

***

Eggplant

Description. Eggplants are a semitropical plant used in many Mediterraneandishes. It has beautiful purple flowers and glossy black fruits. These plantsprovidenotonlyabitofdecortoyourgardenbutcanalsobegrownasatasty“ornament,” intermingled with flowers in containers on your deck or patio.Eggplantsareextremelysensitivetocold.

Types.Severalvarietiesareavailable,mostlydependingonsizeofthefruitsanddaystomaturity.

Culture

Eggplantisbothadecorativeandediblefoodplant.

A.Propagation:transplantedB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:½oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsuntopartialshade(youngplantsneedsomeshade)D.Whentoplant:latespring(1to2weeksafterdangeroffrost)E.Rowspacing:24in.F.Plantspacing:24in.G.Depth:2to3in.H.Howmuchperpersonperyear:2to3plantsI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:80to90

RequirementsSoiltype:rich,loamy

pH:6.5to7.0Fertilizer:general-purpose,side-dresswithagoodgeneral-purpose

Growingtips.Makesurethetransplantsarewellhardenedandsetoutafteralldangeroffrost.Mulchingheavilykeepsthegroundcoolandmoist,amustforeggplant.

Pests.Lotsofbugslikeeggplant,includingthepotatobug.Harvest.Harvestwhenfruitsarefullygrown,butstillbrightincolor.Storage.Itwillnotstorewell,eveninarefrigerator.

***

Garlic

Description.Aflavorfulvegetableutilizedinmanydishes,garliciseasytogrowandisgrowninmuchthesamemannerasonions.Garlicisgoodforyou,withchemicalcompounds thataresaid tohelp lowerbloodpressureandreduce therisksofheartdiseaseandcancer.

Types. Several varieties are available, some for southern and some fornortherngrowers.

Culture

A.Propagation:settingoutbulbsB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:4lbs.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:springorfallE.Rowspacing:18in.F.Plantspacing:8to10in.

G.Depth:1to2in.H.Howmuchperpersonperyear:1lb.I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:6mos.

Requirements

Soiltype:deep,fertilepH6.57Fertilizer:general-purpose,side-dresswithgeneral-purposeGrowingtips.GarliccanbeplantedinearlyspringforharvestinAugust,or

itcanbeplantedinthefallforharvestinthespring.Thelattermethodproducesbiggerbulbs.Plantand fertilize in thesamemanneras foronions.Garlicdoesbest,especiallywhenfallplanted,inraisedbeds.Interminglewithonionswhenspring planting. Keep well mulched, especially important if fall planting andoverwintering.

Pests.Ithasfewpests.Harvest.Harvestwhenbulbsarebigenoughtouse.Storage.Canbedriedandkeptinmeshbagsorbraidedaswithonions.

***

Kale

Description. Although kale doesn’t form a head, it’s thought to be a form ofcabbage.Kale can be grown almost anywhere in spring or fall and is easy togrow. It ismostoftenplantedas a fall cropandwill evenoverwinter in someareasofmildfreezing.KaleishighinvitaminAandmakesagreatwintergreenandsubstituteforcabbage.Liketurnips,theflavorisimprovedbyafrost.

Types.Itsvarietiesaresomewhatlimited.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededortransplantedB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:½oz.C.Wheretoplant:fullsunD.Whentoplant:mid-tolatesummer,dependingonthelocaleE.Rowspacing:24in.F.Plantspacing:8in.G.Depth:¼in.H.Howmuchperperson:fresh,5to10ft.;processed,10to15ft.I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:50to65

Requirements

A.Soiltype:Adeeploamysoil.Itdoesn’tdowellinheavy-claysoils.pH:6.5to7.0Fertilizer:Applygeneralfertilizerbeforeseeding.Growingtips.Kalecanbeseededsuccessivelyabouttwoweeksapartfora

continuousharvest.Pests.Ithasfewpests.Harvest.Harvest after a frost, cutting away the outer leaves.Or cut entire

plantanduseonlythetenderinnerleaves.Storage.Maybekeptinperforatedplasticbagsinrefrigeratorforacoupleof

weeks.Blanchandfreezeexcesstobeusedlikecookedcabbage.

***

Kohlrabi

Description.Whatastrangevegetablekohlrabi is.Unusual lookingandwithasomewhat strange taste, kohlrabi resembles a turnip, and it has becomeincreasingly popular. Kohlrabi can be grown both as a spring and fall crop,although it grows best in coolweather.Kohlrabi is deliciouswhen cooked orfreshand ishigh invitaminC.Hotweather tends tomake therootssomewhatbitter.

Types. Not a lot of varieties are available of this strange plant. Most arewhiteskinned,butpurplevarietiesarealsoavailable.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:¼oz.C.Wheretoplant:fullsunD.Whentoplant:earlyspringorlatesummerE.Rowspacing:24in.

Growingyourownlettuceforasummersaladiseasy,evenfor

first-timers.Lettuceisavailableinseveralvarieties.Atleftisonetypeoflettuce.

F.Plantspacing:4in.G.Depth:¼in.H.Howmuchperperson:fresh,3to5ft.I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:55to65RequirementsSoiltype:Kohlrabiisfairlyeasytogrow,requiringonlyarichorganicsoil

withnostones,althoughtherootgrowsprimarilyoutoftheground.pH:6.5to7.0Fertilizer:all-purposeGrowingtips.Keepwellwateredandweededormulched.Pests.Ithasfewpests.Harvest.Pull thebulbswhen they’reaboutoneandahalf to two inches in

diameter.Astheygetbigger,theybecometougherandsomewhatbitter.Storage.Usefreshorstoreinacool,dryplacesuchasarootcellar.

***

Lettuce

Description. Lettuce is one of the easiest foods to grow and one of themostpopular.Lettucecanbegrowninagarden,inacontainer,eveninagreenhouseforwinter-longsalads. It’salsogood foryoubecause ithas lotsofvitaminA.Lettucecanbesownforsuccessivecropsinbothspringandsummer,butitdoesnotdowellinextremelyhotweather.

Types.Awidevarietyoflettuceisavailable.Partofthefunofgrowingyourown is growing several different varieties to produce colorful and flavorfulsalads. Lettuce is divided into four varieties. Three varieties are popular withhome food growers. Loose-leaf or nonheading varieties have a loose leaf androundedorrosetteshape.Theyaretheeasiesttogrowandareavailableinbothgreen and red types. Butterheads are a semiheading typewith loosely foldingleaves.Theyarealsoeasytogrow.Cosorromaine,thecontinentallettuce,hastall upright, loosely formed headswith a unique flavor. They’re easy to growanddobetterinhotweatherthanothertypes.Mostareself-blanching,buttyingtheouterleavestogethercanproduceamoredelicateflavor.Thelasttypesare

thecabbageheads.Theseare the lettuceheadsfoundat thesupermarket.Theydonotdowellinhotweatherandcanbeachallengeinsomeareasforthehomefood grower to produce, especially to produce the big heads that arecommerciallygrown.

Aboveisromainelettuce.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededortransplantedB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:¼oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:2weeksbeforeaveragedateoflastfrostE.Rowspacing:18in.F.Plantspacing:2in.G.Depth:¼in.H.Howmuchperperson:5to10ft.peryearI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:35to50

Requirements

A.Soiltype:anygood,well-drainedgardensoilB.pH:6.75.Itdoesnotdowellinacidsoil.C.Fertilizer:alightapplicationofcompletefertilizeratplantingorseeding

timeGrowingtips.You’vegottobeattheheattogrowlettuce.Onemethodisto

start seeds indoors and transplant just after the last frost. Both romaine andbutterheadvarietiesdowellstartedindoors;looseleafcanalsobestartedbutisusually so fast growing it’s best direct seeded. Sow at ten-day intervals for acontinuedspringorearly-summercrop.Lettuceissomewhatslowtogerminate,especiallyduringcoldorcoolweather,sowhensowingdirectlyintothegarden,sprinkleafewradishseedsalongwiththelettuce.Keepwellwatered.Lettuceisalsoagreatplantforgrowinginraisedbedsoreveninpatioplanters.

Pests.Lettucedoesn’thavemanypests,asitusuallygrowsfairlyfast.Harvest. Lettuce may be harvested in several ways. The most common

methodistoremovetheouterleavesassoonastheybecomelargeenoughtoeat.Thisisthebesttacticwithleaflettuce.Anothermethodistothintheplantsandallow them to formcompact heads and thenharvest the entire plant.Romaineandbutterheadsdowellwiththismethod.Anothermethodistousescissorstoclipoffthetopsoftheplant.Theplantwillregrowleaves.

Storage.Lettucecanbekeptforseveraldaysinarefrigerator inperforatedplasticbags.Orwrap thecleandamp leaves in adamp towel andplace in therefrigerator.Ifpickedandcleanedinthemorning,theleaveswillbecrispforaneveningsalad.

***

Leeks

Description: Milder in flavor but similar to onions, leeks are a very populargourmetvegetable,addingaEuropeantastetoanynumberofdishes.Leeksdonotbulbasdoonions.

Summersalads,suchaslettuceandspinach,dowellinraisedbeds.

Types.Varietiesaresomewhatlimited.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededorcanbestarted indoors for transplantingasbunches

B.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:1oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:indoors,8weeksbeforeoutdoorplantingtime;outdoors,

earlyspringE.Rowspacing:18in.F.Plantspacing:3in.G.Depth:½in.H.Howmuchperperson:fresh,10to15ft.

I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:130daysRequirementsSoil type:Leeks require a rich, deep loamy soil.They growbest in raised

beds.pH:6.5to7.0Fertilizer:Leeksrequirelotsofnitrogenforgoodgrowth,especiallyduring

theearlystagesoftheirgrowth.Growingtips.Leeksareavailablebothasseedsandasplantsinbunchesto

be set out. Plant as you would onions. Leeks, however, are not day-lengthsensitive, and their tops do not fall over. Sow in shallow trenches. Keep theplants well watered and side-dress with nitrogen during the growing season.Leeksdonot likecompetition,sokeepthemwellweededandwatered.Hillingup the soil from the sides of the trenches around the plants about six to eightinchesblanchesthelowerstemsandkeepsthemwhite.Deepmulchcanalsobeusedforthesamepurpose.

Pests.Aswithonions,therearefewpestsexcepttheonionmaggot.Harvest.Harvestassoonasthestalksmature.Storage.Mostcommonlyused freshbutcanbestored inperforatedplastic

bagsintherefrigeratorforashortperiodoftime.

***

Melons

Description.Themelons,honeydew,andmuskmelon,alsoknownascantaloupe,arepopularespeciallyasbreakfastfoods.Theyprovidealotoffiberinadditiontotheirgreattastes.Cantaloupeshaveanettedskinandmoreofanaromathanmuskmelons.Growing your ownmelons takes quite a bit of space and effort.Melonsalsorequirealonggrowingseason.Anycoolweathercaneasilyinjuremelons.

Melons,suchascantaloupes,muskmelons,andhoneydews,takeupalotofgardenspace,butthehomegrowntastecan’tbebeat.

Types.Awidevarietyofcantaloupes,muskmelons,andhoneydeworgreen-fleshedmelonsisavailable.

CultureA.Propagation:directseededortransplantedB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:¼oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:latespringafterallchanceoffrostE.Rowspacing:48in.F.Plantspacing:60in.G.Depth:½in.H.Howmuchperperson:3to5hillsI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:80to90

Requirements

Soiltype:richsandysoilpH:6.5to7.0Fertilizer:all-aroundgeneral-purposeGrowingtips.Becauseofthelonggrowingseason,transplantsareoftenthe

bestchoiceforsomeareas.Theplants,however,mustbetransplantedwithcare,as they don’t like their roots disturbed. Plant seeds indoors in peat pots ornewspaper pots. If you have a long growing season, direct seed in hills.Hillsshouldbespacedaboutsixfeetapart.Digdeepholesandaddsomecoarsesandand compost aswell aswell-rottedmanure. I like to place a plastic containerwithholesinthebottomineachhill.Bringthehilluparoundthecontainerwithcompost or rich garden soil and plant eight to ten seeds per hill.Keep lightlycultivateduntiltheseedlingsareup.Thenthintojustfourofthebestplantsandmulchheavily.Ihaveapermanentmelonpatchcoveredwithblackplastic.Thisprevents having toweed, keeps the soilwarmer for earlier starts, and actuallycreatesminiatureraisedbeds.Ineverwalkontheareasthatgrowtheplants,sothere is no compaction. Merely dig the hills over and refill with humus andfertilizereachyear.Melonsneedlotsofwaterandfood.Thecontainersallowforeasywateringandfeedingoftheplants.

Pests.Melonshavelotsofpests,includingthecucumberbeetle.Harvest.Harvestwhenthefruitscomeoffeasilyfromthestem.Liftupthe

melon;ifit’sripe,itwillcomeoffeasily.Storage. Store in the refrigerator. Cut into balls or cubes, place in a light

sugarandwatersyrup,andfreezeforwinteruse.

***

Okra

Description. Also called gumbo, the pods are used mostly in soups, addingflavor and thickening the soup. They’re a very important ingredient of theLouisianaCajundishcalledgumbo.Okraisalsopopularbreadedandfried.

Types. A number of varieties of this unusual plant are available, mostlydependingonsize.Smallersizesareavailableforcontainerorpotgrowing.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededortransplantedBAmountneededfor100-ft.row:1oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:directseedortransplantafteralldangeroffrostE.Rowspacing:30in.F.Plantspacing:12in.G.Depth:½in.H.Howmuchperperson:fresh,3to5ft.;processed,5to10ft.I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:55to60

Requirements

Soiltype:rich,deep,andfertilepH:7.0to7.5Fertilizer:highnitrogenGrowingtips.Asyoucanguess,thisplantdoesbestinhotweather.Waitat

leastacoupleofweeksafteryourlastfrostorwhenthesoiltemperaturereachesat least 70°F. For direct seeding, sow seeds one inch apart and then thin toeighteeninchesapartoncetheseedlingsarewellup.Fortransplants,usepaperorpeatpots,asokradoesn’tdowellwhentherootsaredisturbed.Soaktheseedsovernight inwarmwater to increasegermination.Okramusthavedeep, loose,andfriablesoildowntoatleasteighttoteninches.Useplentyofcompostanddriedmanuretocreatearich,deepsoil.Okraisalsoaheavyfeeder,especiallyofnitrogen.Side-dresswithnitrogenaswell.

Pests.Okrahasfewpests.Harvest.Harvestthepodswhenthey’reabouttwotothreeinchesinlength.

Astheycontinuetogrowandmature,theybecometoughandstringy.Storage.Storeinplasticbagsinthewarmestpartofyourrefrigerator.Freeze

forfutureuseorbreadandfreezeforfriedokra.

***

Onions

Description.Another“easygrow”forthefirst-timers,onionsarealsooneofthemost popular plants with all gardeners. Although easy to grow, successfullygrowing onions can be somewhat confusing because they can be grown fromseed, sets, and transplants or bunches.And if thatwasn’t enough, onions alsocome as winter or self-seeding onions. Onions are good for you, as they arepackedwithcompoundssaidtoreducerisksfromcancerandheartdisease.

Types. A wide range of types as well as varieties of onions are availableincludingthefollowing:sweetandkeeper.Onionsgrowintwostages—thefirststageisimmediatelyafterplantingwhenalltheenergyisdirectedtogrowingthegreentops.Thesecondstage,theformingofthebulb,beginsafterthetopsarewell established. The length of day and sunlight has a direct effect on theformationofthebulb.Onionbulbsorvarietiesareavailableinthreetypes:longday,shortday,andneutral.Long-dayonionsneedfromthirteentosixteenhoursof sunlight per day and do best in the north. Short-day onions do best in thesouth.Day-neutralonionscanbesuccessfullygrownanywhere.

Onionsarealsoeasytogrowanddowellinbeds.

Onionsareavailableasseed,bulbs,ortransplants.

Perennial,Egyptian,orwinteronionsarea totallydifferent story, and theyalso definitely have a place in the garden. They can provide green onions orscallions during the year when regular onions are not producing. They’reactuallynotperennials,butdirect-seedthemselveswithtinybulbletsat theend

ofthegrowingseason.

Onionscomeinavarietyofcolors,likewhite,yellow,andred.

Inlatesummer,thetinybulbsformonthetopofthemotherplant.Ifleftasis, they will fall over and reseed themselves, producing green onions by fall.Theywilloverwinteras is insomelocales,or lightmulchwillhelpkeepthemthroughthewinterincolderclimates.Youcanpulloffthetinybulbsandplanttheminthefallbutdonotstorethemtoplantinthespring,astheytendtodryout.

Culture

A.Propagation:seed,sets,transplantsB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:½oz.

PerennialorEgyptianonionscanproducescallionsduringwinterandearlyspringseasons.

C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:earlyspringE.Rowspacing:18in.F.Plantspacing:3in.G.Depth:¼in.H.Howmuchperperson:25to50ft.I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:100to120

Requirements

A.Soiltype:loose,friable,rich,andwelldrainedB.pH:7.0to7.5C. Fertilizer: Use fertilizers high in phosphorus and potash aswell as use

well-rottedmanureandcomposttocreateafertiledeepbed.Growing tips. Although onions are commonly grown in rows, I prefer to

grow them in raised-bed boxes. One of the main reasons is the soil isn’tcompacted,andIcanapplythecorrectmixoffertilizerforgoodgrowth.Onionsdotheirbestgreengrowthincoolweather,sogettheminthegardenassoonasthe soil can be worked. I typically plant both sets and bunches. The sets areplaced equidistant three inches apart. Pick through the sets to obtain bulbs atleast one-half inch in diameter. Smaller bulbs will not produce large onions.Plantthebulbsone-half-inchdeep.Bunches,whichIusuallyuseasscallionsorgreenonions,areplantedthicklyinrowsandthenthinnedastheygrow.Iusethethinningsasgreenonions.Onionsdonotlikecompetition.It’simportanttokeepthem well weeded using shallow cultivation or by hand-pulling weeds. Since

onionsareshallowrooted,theymustbekeptwellwatered.Mulchcanalsobeagreathelpingrowingonions,especiallyinraisedbeds.

Onionsarepulledwhenthetopsfallover,areallowedtodry,andthencanbebraidedinstrings.

Onions can also be grown from seeds. Although it takes more time andeffort,more seedvarieties are available thanwithbunchesor sets.Plant seedsfor transplant onions indoors at least twelve weeks before transplanting time.Treataswithanyotherindoorseededplant.

Pests.Oneofthemostcommonpestsistheonionmaggot.Plantingradishesin with the onions can help remedy the problem, as the maggots prefer theradishestotheonions.

Harvest.Harvestwhenthe topsfalldown.Throwintowindrowsandallowthem to cure for two to three days. Protect from rain and sunscaldwith light

shadeifnecessary.Donotwaituntilthecool,wetdaysoffall,astheplantsmaybeginasecondgrowthandwillnotkeepaswell.

Storage. After the bulbs are dry, store in mesh bags, slatted crates, or bybraiding into strings. Ideal temperature for storage and long keeping is 40° to45°F.

***

Peas

Description.Peasareanothergardentradition.Theytakeabitofefforttogrowbut are great canned or frozen. You can’t beat fresh-out-of-the-garden peas,especiallywhen cookedwith new potatoes. Peas belong to the legume familyandprovidelotsofvitaminA,B,andC.Peasareacool-seasoncropanddobestplanted early when the soil temperature reaches 45°F. Peas must also besupportedoffthegroundtoproduceanykindofcrop;evenbush-typepeasneedsomesupport.

Peasareanearlyspringplantandagardentraditioninmanyareasofthecountry.

Types. Peas are available in a number of varieties and three basic types:English or shelling peas, snap peas, and snow peas. Shell peas are the mostcommon.Youeat thepodsandallonsnappeasorwaituntil theymatureandshellthem.Snowpeas,alsocalledsugarorChinesepeas,areeatenwholewhenthepeasfirstbegintoforminthepods.They’redeliciousraw,steamed,ortheirmostpopularuse,stir-fried.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:1lb.C.Wheretoplant:directsun

Peasareavailableinthreebasictypes:shelling,snap,orsnow.Thelatterfeaturesediblepods.

D.Whentoplant:Plantinearlyspring,asearlyastwomonthsbeforeyourlastfrostdate.Canalsobefallplantedinsomesouthernareas.

E.Rowspacing:24in.F.Plantspacing:3in.G.Depth:1in.H.Howmuchperperson:fresh,10to15ft.;processed,20to30ft.I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:50to60

Requirements

Soil type: Does best in rich, deep, andwell drained because of the early-springplantingtime.Peasdonotdowellinclayorhard-pannedsoil.

pH:7Fertilizer:Althoughpeasfixnitrogenfromthesoil,theyusemostofit.Usea

general-purposefertilizer.Peasdobestwithoutadditionalnitrogen,whichmaycauseexcessivefoliagegrowth.

Growing tips. Peas are usually the first things seeded in the garden, oftenwhenthesoilisstillcold,wet,andclumpyfromthewinter.Sincepeasmatureearly, leaving space for successive planting of other vegetables, I plant peasalong one side of the garden, tilling only that area and leaving the rest of thegardentotillforlaterplanting.Anothertacticistoheavilymulchtheareaforthepearowsinthefall.Merelyrakebackthemulch;digafurrowinthesoil,whichwillbemorefriable;andplanttheseed.Peasrequiresteadymoistureand,astheweathergetswarmer,protectionfortherootsfromheat.Whentheplantsappear,simply rake themulch back in place. Peas can be planted in double rows forincreasedproductivity.

Peasneedsupportofsometype.

Mostpeasneedsupportinthewayofsomesortoftrellis.Acommontrellisisthree-footpoultrynettingfastenedtowoodenstakes.Onemethodistoplantarowoneithersideofthetrellis.Forthebestyields,peasneedtobeinoculatedwith nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. Seed sellers also sell the inoculant. During dryweather,keepthepeaswellwateredbutdonotuseoverheadwatering,asitmaycausemildew.Ifyoucultivate,doshallowcultivationtopreventrootdamage.Insome areas of long spring weather, peas can be planted successively for anumberofcrops,buttheydonotdowellinhotweather.

Peasandpotatoesmakeagreatearlyspringfoodcrop.

Pests.Peasarenotbotheredbymanypests.Harvest.Snapandshellpeasshouldbeharvestedoncethepodshavefilled.

Early,immaturepeasarethemosttender.Forfuller,“meaty”peas,waituntilthepodsaresolid.

Storage. Keep them stored in perforated plastic bags or containers in therefrigerator.Pressurecan,freeze,ordehydratethesurplus.

***

Peppers

Description. Peppers are another all-time favorite food to grow. They’reextremelyversatileandcanbegrownintraditionalgardenrows,raisedbeds,andevenincontainersonadeckorpatio.Peppersareamuchfavoredfoodinmany

dishes, and they’re good for you. One sweet green pepper has almost all thevitaminCyouneedforaday.Amatureredoryellowpepperhasevenmore.

Types.Pepperscomeinawiderangeofvarieties:sweet,hot,reallyhot,red,yellow,green,orange,andevenpurple.

Culture

A.Propagation:Peppersneedwarmweatherandalonggrowingseason.Forthisreason,mostpeppersaregrownfromindoorstartedseedsfortransplants.

Peppersareanotherpopularhomegrownfoodcropandareavailableinawiderangeofvarietiesfromhottomild,red,green,andyellow.

B.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:½oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:latespring,afterallchanceoffrostE.Rowspacing:30in.F.Plantspacing:18in.G.Depth:2to3in.fortransplantsH.Howmuchperperson:fresh,2to3plants;processed,3to6plantsI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:70to80

RequirementsSoiltype:rich,welldrained

pH:6.5to7.0Fertilizer: Use an all-purpose fertilizer. Over-application of nitrogen can

createexcessfoliageandalate-seasonbloom.Growing tips. Pepper plants are extremely popular in the garden centers.

Peppersareeasytogrowaslongasyouhaveahotsummer.Theyalsodobestinhigh-humidity areas butwillwithstand drought fairlywell.You can also startyourownpepperplantsindoorsfromeighttotenweeksbeforesettingout.Notonlydoesthissavemoney,butitalsogivesyouabiggerchoiceofvarieties.Itdoesn’ttakealotofpepperplantstofeedafamily.Inormallystartabouthalfoftheseedsinapacket,savingtherestforthefollowingyear.Idon’tgetquiteasgoodgerminationonthesecondyearbutstillhaveplentyofseedlings.Mulchingcanhelpagreatdealinholdingmoisturefortheplants.Irunasoakerhosealongthe pepper plants and cover itwithmulch.The plants often grow four feet ortaller,soIsupportthembytyingthemtowoodenstakeswithsoftclothstrips.Itpaystokeepthepepperspickedtokeepthemproducingthroughouttheseason.

Pests.Peppershavefewpests.Harvest.Harvestsweetpeppersassoonasthepeppersarebigenough.They

shouldbewellformedandfirrm.Almostallsweetpeppers,withtheexceptionofyellowpeppers,willturnrediflefttomaturefully.Forhotpeppers,pickwhatyouneedthroughtheseasonfordishesbutleavethemajorityontheplant.Pulltheplantattheendoftheseasonandhanginawarmplacetodry.Underaporchroofisagoodchoice.

Storage.Storesweetpeppers in the refrigerator for two to threeweeksandfreeze surplus. Sweet peppers can be roasted, peeled, and frozen or diced anddehydrated.Driedhotpepperscanbeleftontheplantandhunginabasementorotherarea.Oryoucanpulloffsomehotpeppersandstringonthreadforuseinthekitchenaswellasfordecor.Excessgreenchilipeppersshouldbefrozen.

Peppersdobestgrownwithmulchandstaked.

***

Potato

Description.Untilyougrowyourownpotatoes,youwon’trealizethedifferencebetween store-bought and homegrown. The flavor and texture are greatlydifferent.Newpotatoesareamelt-in-your-mouthtreatyoudefinitelywon’tfindat the market. It takes space to grow potatoes, but they grow fairly easily.Potatoes are a cool-seasonplant andmustbeplanted early in the spring, rightafterthepeas.

Types.Potatoesareavailableasredsorwhites,dependingontheskincolor.Andafairlylargevarietyisavailableineachcolor.Somevarietiesarebestformashedpotatoes,somebestforbakers,andsomearegoodall-aroundpotatoes.

Culture

A.Propagation:planting“eyes”orseedpotatoesB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:10lbs.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:earlyspringE.Rowspacing:30in.F.Plantspacing:12in.G.Depth:4in.H.Howmuchperperson:50to100ft.freshandstoredI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:100to120

Potatoesareatraditionalhomegrownfood.Theydotakeupspacebutproducealotoffood.

Requirements

Soil type: Because they’re a root crop, potatoes do best in a deep, rich,friablesoil.

pH:Itrangesfrom6.0to6.5,butdonotover-lime,asthiscancausescabbypotatoes.

Fertilizer: Use the general-purpose. Potatoes do best with applications ofphosphorusandside-dressingwithnitrogenoncetheybloom.

Growingtips.Potatoesaregrownfrompiecescutfromseedpotatoesor, in

someinstances,smallwhole-seedpotatoes.Thesearenotthesamepotatoessoldinthesupermarketaseatingpotatoes.Seedpotatoesaretreatedtohelppreventrottinguntiltheysprout.Mydadusedtokeepthesmallestofhispotatocroptoplant the next year’s crop, but I’ve found this reduces production somewhat.Seedpotatoesarenormallyavailablelocallyandusuallythevarietiesthatdobestinyourarea.Seedpotatoesarealsoavailablemailorderwithagreatselectionofvarieties.Makesureyouusecertifieddisease-freeseedpotatoes.

Potatoesaregrownfromchunkscutfromseedpotatoes.Eachchunkmusthavetwoeyes.

Potatoesaremostcommonlygrowninrows.

Ifplantingchunks,cutseedpotatoesintochunksabout1½×1½inchesandwithatleastoneeye.Iprefertwoeyes.Allowthecutchunkstodryforadayortwo ina shady,cool spot.Traditionally,potatoesareplanted in rows.Applyalayer ofwell-rottedmanure and a general fertilizerwith highphosphorus.Tillmanure and fertilizer deeply into the soil and then dig a four-to six-inch-deepfurrow. Plant the cut side down, spacing the chunks twelve to sixteen inchesapart. Pull the soil up and over the chunks, covering them well to preventfrostbiteandrotting.Whentheplantssproutandbegintogrow,continuetopullsoil up around the rowonboth sides.Pickoff theblossoms as they appear tokeeptheenergyinproducingthespuds.

Potatoescanalsobegrowninoldautomobiletires,orwithapotatotowerofwireandplastic.

In years past, I’ve discovered a heavy hay or strawmulch to be the easy-does-itmethod.Icontinuetoaddmulchastheplantsgrow.Whenitcomestimetodigpotatoes,there’snodigginginvolved.Simplypullbackthemulchandpulloutthepotatoes.Potatoesshouldn’tbegrowninthesameplaceeachyear,soIalternate with another cool-season crop—peas. You don’t, however, need tohavealongrowofpotatoestoenjoyhomegrown.

Potatoes can also be grown in a number of imaginativeways. I’ve growntheminoldtires,placingonetireinplace,addingsomesoil,plantingthechunks,andthenaddingmoresoilandtirestocreateaminipotatopatch.Ifyoudon’tlikethelooksorhavingtodealwitholdtires,abettertacticistocreateacageofhogor chicken wire, line the inside with black plastic, and plant like the tires,startingseedpotatoesandaddingsoilastheplantsgrow.

Firstdigafurrow.

Pests.TheColoradopotatobeetlecanbeamajorpest.ThisisoneplaceIuseSevindusttopreventaninfestation.

Harvest. Harvest new potatoes as soon as the blossoms appear. If you’reusing straw mulch, simply reach under the straw and “steal” a few smallpotatoes.Waituntiltheplantsdiedowntoharvestmaturepotatoes.Donotleavepotatoes in the ground and exposed to the sun after the tops die down, as thepotatoeswill turn green andbecomeuseless.Washdirt from the potatoes andallowthemtocureinashady,well-ventilatedplace,butoutofthelight.

Thecutchunksarethenplacedinthefurrow.

Storage. Store in a cool placewith fairly high humidity, good ventilation,andnolight.

***

Thenthechunksarefullycovered.

Potatoescanbestoredinabasementorcellarbutmustbekeptawayfromsourcesoflight.

Pumpkin

Description. Halloween wouldn’t be Halloween without jack-o’-lanterns, andThanksgivingwouldn’t be Thanksgivingwithout pumpkin pies. Pumpkins arefunandfairlyeasytogrow.They’realsoagreatwaytointroduceyoungsterstogrowingtheirownfunfood.Pumpkinsareverygoodforyou,andthatincludestheroastedseeds.

Types.Pumpkinsareavailableinanumberofvarietiesandinawiderangeofsizes,fromthetinydecorativepumpkinstothegiantsgrownforbigpumpkincontests.Inbetweenarenumerousvarietiesforcooking.Thelattertendtohaveasweettaste,aresmaller,andmoretenderthanlargervarieties.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:1oz.C.Wheretoplant:suntopartialshadeD.Whentoplant:afterdangeroffrostE.Rowspacing:48in.F.Plantspacing:60in.G.Depth:½in.H.Howmuchperpersonperyear:3to5hillsI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:110

Requirements

Soiltype:rich,deeppH:6.5to7.0Fertilizer:general-purposeattimeofplantingGrowingtips.Atraditionalmethodofplantingpumpkinsisinthecornpatch.

Pumpkinsdon’tlikeextremelyhotorcoldweather,andthecornprovidespartialshade. Plant about a dozen seeds in each hill. After the plants are wellestablishedandalldangerfrombugsispast,thintothreeplantsperhill.Adding

compost or well-rotted manure to the hills at planting will give pumpkins aboost.Ifyouwanttogrowgiantpumpkins,pickoffallbutoneortwoblossomsatthebeginningoftheirgrowth.

Pests.Pumpkinshavemuchthesameproblemassquashwithsquashbeetles,Coloradopotatobugs,andmanyothers.

Harvest. Harvest when the skin darkens and turns hard. They must beharvestedbeforefrost.

Storage.Storeinacool,dryplace.

***

Radish

Description. Radishes are another fun crop almost anyone can grow almost

anywhere.Theonlyexceptionisextremelyhotweather.Radishestendtoturntoseedproduction inhotweather.They’rebasically a cool-to cold-weather crop.Radishes can be grown throughout the winter in some areas, and almostanywhereit’scoldinhotbedsorcoldframes.Radishescanbeplantedspringorfallforafallorwintercrop.

Types.Althoughmanyknow radishesonlyas thebright redglobes sold inthesupermarkets,radishesareavailableinawiderangeofvarieties,fromtinytobigwinterradishes,andinawidearrayofcolors.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:1oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:veryearlyspring,latefallE.Rowspacing:18in.F.Plantspacing:1in.G.Depth:¼in.H.Howmuchperpersonperyear:5to10ft.I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:25to35

Requirements

Soiltype:Willgrowjustaboutanywherebutdoesbestinadeep,richsoil.pH:6.5Fertilizer:general-purposeatplantingGrowing tips. Because they’re so easy to grow, radishes are a great kid’s

“grow your own.” Make successive plantings to provide salad fixings frommidspring through early summer. Keepwatered and grow fast. Slow-growingradisheshaveapungentflavorandwoodytexture.Interplantradisheswithanynumberofslower-germinatingseedsinthespringtomarkrows.Pullradishesastheymature,creatinganaturalthinningofthesecondaryplants.

Radishesareanotherfuncropthatbrightenssummersalads.

Pests.Ithasfewpests.Harvest.Harvestwhenhalftooneinchindiameterforgloberadishes.Storage.Washwell and store in perforatedplastic bags in the refrigerator.

Winterradishescanbestoredthesameasforcarrots.

***

Spinach

Description.Popeye, the famouscartooncharacter,had it right.Spinach is thesuperfood.Fullofvitamins,minerals,andcancer-fightingcompounds,spinachcanbeservedraworcooked.Spinachisacool-seasonvegetable.Itwillnotdowellineitherhotorcoldweather.

Spinachisasuperfood—superforyou—andeasytogrow.

Types.Spinachcomes inseveralvarieties,withsome,suchasAsian types,moretolerantofharshweather.NewZealandspinachismoreheatresistant.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededbutmayalsobetransplantedB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:1oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:earlyspring,midfallE.Rowspacing:18in.F.Plantspacing:3in.G.Depth:¼in.H.Howmuchperpersonperyear:fresh,5to10ft.;processed,10to15ft.I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:40to50

Requirements

Soiltype:deep,rich,well-drainedsoil

Saladgreens,suchasspinachorlettuce,canbepulledasplants.

pH:6.5Fertilizer:highnitrogenGrowing tips. Spinach is easy to grow under the rightweather conditions.

This is a great plant for raised-bed gardening.Make successive plantings twoweeks apart for a continuous supply through the spring and early summermonths. Then plant again in the fall and use row covers to provide a cropthroughearlywinter.

Youmayalsousegardenshearstocutoffthetops.

Pests.Ithasfewpests,butbeetlescanbeaproblem.Harvest. Harvest leaves when they reach a suitable size. Pinch off outer

leavesandtopstokeeptheplantproducing.Orharvestthewholeplant.Storage. It doesn’t storewell. Keep in a damp cloth in the refrigerator or

blanchandfreezeexcess.

***

Squash

Description.SquashisoneofAmerica’soriginalfoods.Squashgrowseasilyandoften,asinthecaseofzucchiniwhichproducessomuchsofast,it’shardtofindsomething to dowith all the harvest. Squash is extremely good for you,withwinter squash providing lots of vitamin A. The deep orange flesh of wintersquashalsohasalotofbeta-carotene,acancer-fightingcompound.

Squashisanall-Americannativefood.

Squashisavailableinbothsummerandwintervarieties.Thisisayellowzucchini.

Types.Squashisavailableasbothasummerandwintervariety.Twotypesareavailable;bushvarietiesareplantedinhillsfourtofivefeetapart,sprawlingvine types requireeightormore feetof roombetweenplants.Squash isalsoavery decorative plantwith lots of unusual colors and shapes, including acorn,butternut,andevenvegetablespaghetti.

Thisisasummersquash.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededortransplantedB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:summer,1oz.;winter,½oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:summer,latespring,winterE.Rowspacing:summer,48in.;winter,60in.F.Plantspacing:summer,48in.;winter,60in.G.Depth:½in.H.Howmuchperpersonperyear:summer,2to4hills;winter,4to5hillsI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:summer,80to90;winter,125to160

Requirements

Soiltype:rich,welldrained,somesand,noclaypH:6.5Fertilizer:Usegeneral-purposeandside-dresswithfertilizerlowinnitrogen.

Excessnitrogencausesexcessivegrowthofvines,withlessfruit.Growingtips.Squashshouldbeplantedafteralldangeroffrost.Ifyouwant

earlierplants,startindoorsinpeatornewspaperpots.Theplantsdonotdowellif their roots are disturbedduring transplanting.Plant in hills, adding compostanddriedmanureinaholedugforeachhill.Coverwithabitoftopsoilandplantseeds or transplant. If direct seeding, plant about six seeds to a hill. You cangrowthebushvarietiesinraisedbeds,andtheydoquitewell.Spacethemaboutone and a half to two feet apart for intensive growing.Mulch and keep wellwatered. Since summer squash produces so heavily, you won’t need a lot ofplants.Butplantmorewintersquashaswinterkeepers.Keepwellwateredandmulched.

Pests. Squash have quite a few pests, most notably squash bugs, squashborers,andanumberofbeetles.RegularlydustingSevinorwithwoodashescanhelpkeepdowninfestations.

Harvest. Pick summer squash while they are still young and tender. Pickevery day or so during their growing season, as they grow fast. Pick wintersquashwhentheskinscan’tbepiercedwithyourfingernail.

Storage.Keepsummersquashintherefrigeratorforashorttime.Freezeforfutureuse.Storewinter squash inawarm,dryplace, suchasabasement, inasinglelayeronashelfsotheyhavegoodaircirculation.

***

Sweetpotatoesareextremelyversatileandeasytogrow.Theycanalsobeextremelyproductive.

SweetPotatoes

Description.Basicallyatropicalplant,sweetpotatoesdowell inthesouth,butanyonewithonehundreddaysof frost-freegrowing cangrow sweet potatoes.Sweetpotatoesareanextremelyversatilefood.Theycanbebaked,deep-fried,made into casseroles and even pies. They also provide lots of health benefits.OnesweetpotatocanprovideallthecaroteneandvitaminA,plusaboutathirdofthedailyrequirementofvitaminC.Sweetpotatoesarefairlyeasytogrowandcan be stored through the wintermonths. Nothing can be easier to prepare—merelymicrowaveafewminutesandaddadollopofbutter.

Sweetpotatoesareplantedasslips.Theyshouldbeplantedinraisedfurrows.

Types. A handful of varieties are available, mostly depending on days toharvest. Growers in the north should use the shorter-season varieties. Sweetpotatoesareavailablewithdifferentskincolors,buttasteissimilar.

Culture

A.Propagation:byrootedslipsB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:100slipsC.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:afteralldangeroffrostE.Rowspacing:30in.F.Plantspacing:12in.G.Depth:2in.H.Howmuchperpersonperyear:2to6plantsI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:90to150

Requirements

Soiltype:deep,richsandyloam

pH:6Fertilizer:lotsofwell-rottedmanure,general-purposeGrowingtips.Sweetpotatoslipsareavailablemailorderandusuallythrough

local garden centers. You can also very easily start your ownwith purchasedpotatoes.Butyoumaynotknowthevariety.Slipscanbestarted in twoways.Onesimplemethodistoplacethesweetpotatoinaglassorjarofwater.

Youcanstartyourownslipsbyplacingatuberinajarofwater.

Sticktoothpicksintothepotatoaroundthecenter,thensuspendinthewaterwith the tiny purple eye, or end facing away from the root end up. Sproutsshouldappear ina fewweeks.Themorecommonmethod forproducing largenumbers of slips is to place a little seed-starting soil or coarse sand in acontainer, such as a seed flat. Place a layer of sweet potatoes on thematerial,coverandwaterwell.Providebottomheatandalittlelight,forinstancefromagrowlight.Sproutsshouldappearinfromthreetofiveweeks.Keeptheslipsingoodlight,warm,andwellwatereduntiltimetoplant.

Whenyou’rereadytoplant,simplygraspaslipandyankitoff.Youwon’thurtit.Sweetpotatoesarenormallyplantedinridgessixtoeighteenincheshigh.Create these ridges by layering compost, coarse sand,well-rottedmanure andthenmixingthenwell.Theseridgesheatquickerthanlevelground.Makerowsabout thirty inchesapart and space theplants about eighteen inchesapart.Digholesforthetransplantsorslips,waterthehole,andplanttheslip,makingsurethesoiliswellpackedaroundtheslip.Keepwellwateredandinafewweeksthevineswillstarttosprawl.Mulchingaroundtheplantandbetweentherowscutsdownonweedingandkeepsmoistureinthesoil.Sweetpotatoescanbegrowneveneasier,especiallyinthenorthernareaswithblackplastic.Preparetheridgeasbeforeandcreateafurrowdownthecenterofthetop.Covertheentireareawithblackplasticatleasttwoweeksbeforeplanting.Thiswillwarmupthesoil.Waituntillateafternoonofthedayyouintendtoplantandthencutsmallslitsintheplasticovertherowandspacedabouteighteeninchesapart.Digholesfortheslips, addwater, and transplant.Makesure to firm the soilwelluparound theplantsand theplasticdoesn’tcoverany leaves. In thesouth, remove theblackplasticaftertheplantsarewellestablishedandmulchheavily.Isimplyfoldtheplasticdownofftheridgesbutleaveonbothsidesandthenaddaheavylayerofhaymulch. Keepwell watered and stand back. Sweet potato vines can reallycoveranarea.

Youcanalsostartfromtubersplacedhorizontallyinstartingflatsofsand.

Pests.Sweetpotatoesarebotheredbyfewpests.Undergroundcritters,mice,andfieldratsreallyliketochewonthedelicioustubers.

Harvest.Harvestinthefallbeforefrosts.Useapotatoforkandbecarefulindiggingnottodamagethetenderroots.Cureforaweekinawarmplace(80°to85°Fisideal)butoutofthesun.

Storage.Storeat55° to60°Fwitha fairlyhighhumidity. If inabasement

near a furnace, place in ventilatedboxesor on shelves andkeep coveredwithburlapsacks,periodicallymoistened.

Tomatoesaretheall-timefavoritefoodtogrow.

***

Tomatoes

Description.The favorite homegrown food is tomatoes.Almost everyonewhogrowsfoodgrowstomatoes,evenpatiogardenerswhosimplylikethedecorofatomatoplant.Homegrowntomatoesalsohaveaflavorandtexturethatisnothinglikethesupermarkettomatoes.Tomatoesarealsoveryeasyandfuntogrowandprovidelotsofhealthbenefits,anexcellentsourceofvitaminsAandCaswellasprovidelycopene,acompoundthatresearchersbelievethatcouldhelppreventprostratecanerinmen.Tomatoesarealsoextremelyversatile.Theycanbeeatenfresh,whole, in salads and are amain ingredient inmanymeals.And they’re

greatcannedasjuiceandinanumberofsauces.Types. Tomatoes are available in numerous varieties, including tiny, huge,

red, yellow, black, all purpose, and orange-striped.Most local garden centerscarry tomatoes favored in their area. The larger box stores carry standardvarieties.Mail-order seed companies produce a very wide range of tomatoes,bothasplantsandseeds.Tomatoesareavailableintwotypes:determinateandindeterminate.Determinate tomatoesripenover three tofourweeksandareonbushier vines. Indeterminate tomatoes will continue to grow and producetomatoesallseasonlongoruntilfrost.Tomatoesaresusceptibletoanumberofdiseases and pests; however, many varieties have been bred to withstanddiseases.Tomatoplantorseedsellersuse letters todenoteresistance.V standsforverticilliumwiltdisease,FFstandsforresistancetofusariumwiltraceIandII,Nforroot-knotnematodes(asoil-dwellingpestcommoninthesouth),andTfortobaccomosaicvirus.

Tomatoesareavailableinawiderangeofvarieties,includingthesetiny“grape”tomatoes.

Tomatoesaremostcommonlystartedbysettingouttransplants.

Culture

A.Propagation:canbedirectseededbutmorecommonlytransplantedB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:.125oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:afteralldangeroffrostE.Rowspacing:48in.

Youcanstartyourowntransplantsfromseed.

F.Plantspacing:18in.(stakedorcages)G.Depth:2in.

H.Howmuchperpersonperyear: fresh,3 to6plants;processed,6 to12plants

I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:75to90

Requirements

Soiltype:Tomatoesdon’tneedanoverlyrichsoil.pH:6.5to7.0Fertilizer: Too much nitrogen can cause heavy foliage with less fruit.

Applicationsofphosphorusandpotassiumcanhelp.Growingtips.Thereareprobablyasmanydifferentwaystogrowtomatoes

astherearevarieties.Afteroverfiftyyearsofgrowingtomatoes,I’veprobablytried themall and settledon a system thatworks forme. I startmyown seedindoors. The tomatoes are grown in big cages, about twenty-four inches indiameter,madeofweldedconcretereinforcingwire.Aweekorsobeforetimetoplant,Ilayasoakerhosedownthelengthofthegardenandpositionmytomatorow.Ilaythecagesnearthesoakerhoseas“spacers.”Usingashovel,digaholeonboth sidesof the soakerhose.Theholewillbeabouta footdeep.Abitofcompostorwell-rottedmanureisshoveledintotheholeandworkedintothesoil.Youdon’twanttoorichasoil,sogolightlyonthemanure.Whenitcomestimeto transplant, Iwaituntil lateafternoon,position theplantsnear theholes,andmarkthevarietylocationsinanotebook.AteaspoonofEpsomsaltsisappliedtoeachhole,andtheholesarewellwatered.

Myfavoritemethodofgrowingtomatoplantsisinlargemetalmeshcages,withmulchandasoakerhoseforwater.

UsingthismethodIcangrowalotoftomatoesinasmallspace.

Properlysettingoutthetransplantsisimportant.

The plants are removed from the pots, and the bottom leaves pinched off.Theplantsarelaidintheholeswiththeirrootendsfacingoutwardorawayfromthecenter.Thestemsaregentlybentsoonlythetopsofthetransplantsareabovesoillevel.Thesoilshoveledoutisrakedbackandfirmedoverthetransplantedstemsandroots.Thentheplantsarewateredagain.Aftertheplantshavebecomeestablishedandbeforetheweedsstartgrowing,mulchheavilyaroundtheplantsand over the soaker hose. Then the cages are positioned over the plants, twoplantstoacage.

Because of highwinds in our area, I drive stakes every third cage and tiecagestoeachotherandtothestakes.Otherthanregularwatering,that’sallIdountilblossomsappear.ThenIbegintoaddaliquidtomatofertilizeroronehighinphosphorus.Youwillalsoneedtoapplysomenitrogenoncetheplantsstarttosetfruit.Nitrogenappliedtooearlyortoomuchcancausetheplantstogivealltheirenergytoproducingfoliageinsteadoffruits.Blossom-endrotisacommontomatoproblem,usuallycausedbyinconsistentwatering.Tomatoesrequirelotsof water; however, don’t water overhead, as this can cause problems with

mildew.Manytomatogrowerspinchoffthesuckerstemsthatgrowbetweenthemain and secondary stem. I don’t bother with this, as I’ve found it doesn’tincreaseproductionthatmuch.

Settheplantshorizontallyforbestresults.

Pests. Tomatoes have pests, principally the hornedworm,Colorado potatobeetles,andevengrasshoppers.Thelattercanreallyworkovertheplantsindryweatherwhenothersurroundingfoliageisdryanddead.

Harvest.Althoughmany suggest harvestingwhen the fruit is bright red orripe,Iprefertoharvestredtomatoeswhentheyfirstbegintheirblushofcolor.Tomatoeswillripenjustaseasilyoffthevineifplacedinashady,warmarea.Thismethodkeepstheplantsproducingheavily.Pickallthegreentomatoesjustbeforethefirstfrost.Somecanbeusedingreentomatodishes,butmostareleftto ripen. I usually pick the first week of October and have ripe tomatoes forThanksgiving.

Storage.Tomatoes canbekept in the refrigerator, a coolplace, canned,orfrozen.

***

Turnip

Description. Turnips and their relative, rutabagas, are an extremely importantfood,grownnotonlyforhumanconsumptionbutalsoasalivestockfoodcrop.Turnips are extremely easy to grow. They are a cool-season crop and can begrowninspringorfall,butmorecommonlyinthefall.

Types.Notalotofvarietiesareavailable,butturnipseedisavailablelocallyatalmostanygardensupplyorfarmstore.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:½oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:mid-tolatesummerE.Rowspacing:18in.F.Plantspacing:6in.G.Depth:¼in.H.Howmuchperpersonperyear:10to15ft.I.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:35to60

RequirementsSoiltype:good,loose,friablesoilpH:6.5to7.0Fertilizer:general-purposeGrowing tips. Turnips have few growing requirements except for cool

weatherandarelativelygoodsoil.Thesoilshouldbefairlylooseandfriableforthe roots to grow properly. Do not sow too many seeds, as crowded plants

produceless.Keepwellwatered.Pests.Rootmaggotsandfleabeetlescanbeaproblem.Harvest. Can be harvested any time they’re one inch or bigger. Turnips

becomesweeterafterfrostsandcanwithstandseverallightfreezes.Storage.Storeinacool,moistareasuchasarootcellar.Orcoverwithheavy

layersofstrawandleaveinthegarden.

***

Watermelon

Description.Formanyfolks,summerwouldn’tbesummerwithoutwatermelon.Once you taste the sweetness of homegrown watermelons out of your owngarden,you’lldefinitelybespoiled.Watermelonsareveryeasytogrow,buttheyrequirealonghotgrowingseason,andthesprawlingvinestakealotofspace.

Growingwatermelonstakesalotofspaceandeffort,butit’saveryhealthfulsummertimetreatyoucangrowyourself.

Growinginblackplasticcanmakethechoreeasier.

Types. A number of varieties are available, including honeydew melons,growninthesamemannerastraditionalwatermelons,withredtoyellowflesh,white or green flesh. Melons are available in numerous sizes, from giants to“personal” size.Watermelons are available seededor seedless.The seededaretheeasiesttogrow.Seedlessseedscomewithpollinatorseedsthatmustalsobeplanted.

Culture

A.Propagation:directseededorstartedindoorsinpeatorpaperpotsB.Amountneededfor100-ft.row:1oz.C.Wheretoplant:directsunD.Whentoplant:afterlastfrostE.Rowspacing:96in.

F.Plantspacing:96in.G.Depth:½in.H.Howmuchperpersonperyear:3to6hillsI.Daysfromplantingtoeatingstage:65to95

Requirements

Soiltype:deep,richsandyloampH:6.5to7.0Fertilizer:general-purposeGrowingtips.Watermelonsaregrowninhills.Ifyoursoildoesn’thavesand,

addabitofcoarsesand,aswellaslotsofwell-rottedmanuretothelocationofthe hills. I couldn’t grow watermelons until I started growing them on blackplastic.Thisnotonlywarmsup thesoil foranearlier start,butyoualsodon’thave to weed around the sprawling vines.Watermelon vines don’t like to bedisturbed.Iplaceaperforatedplasticcontainerineachhillandplanteightseedsor three transplants. The seeds are thinned to three or four plants after theseedlingsarewellstarted.Ialsodriveawoodenstakeinthelocationofeachhillbecause once the vines really get going, you won’t know the location of theroots.Keeptherootswateredandusealiquidsprayfertilizer.

Pests.Watermelonshavefewpests,butColoradopotatobugs,squashbugs,andsomebeetlescanbeaproblem.

Harvest.Forgetaboutthumpingthemelon.Afteranumberofyearsgrowing,Istillcan’tdeterminearipemelonbythismethod.Therindshouldbedull,notshiny, and a whitish to yellow spot should be on the underside. Mostimportantly,ifthetinycurlingtendrilnearestthestemofthemelonisdried,themelonisripe.

Storage. In your tummy. Watermelon will store at room temperature foraboutaweek.Oritcanbekeptinarefrigeratororcoolerfortwotothreeweeksat45°to60°F.

7

GrowingFoodforFallandWinterWhenmost folks thinkofgrowingfood, they thinkof thespringandsummergrowingseasons,butsomefoodscanbegrowninthefallaswell.Withtherightcircumstancesandalittlework,somefoodscanbegrownyear-round.I’llhaveto admit to being a bit lax in winter gardening. Usually I’m worn-out fromgardeningandputtingupfoodaboutthetimeI’msupposedtobestartingafallandwintergarden.Ontheotherhand,growingfood in thefallcanactuallybeeasierinmanywaysthaninthespringandsummer.Thisisespeciallysoofthecool-season crops such as cabbage, spinach, turnips, and others. The pests ofsummer,heat, andweedsarenot asmuchaproblem in late-seasongardening.Growing fall and winter foods can be done in four ways: in the gardenunprotected,inthegardenprotected,takeninsideatthestartofcoldweather,orgrowncompletelyinsideagreenhouse,sunroom,orevennexttoasunnydoororwindow.

Youcangrowsomefoodsinfallandwinterwithafewtricks.Cabbageisaneasyfallandwinterfoodcrop.

GrowingintheGardenSomefoodsareeasiertogrowinthefallthanothers,andcoolseasoncropsaretheeasiest.Notonlydotheygrowbestincoolweather,buttheyalsotypicallyhaveafairlyshortgrowingseason.Ifyouplantogrowthesecropsunprotected,thefirststepistodeterminethetimingofyouraveragefirstfallfrost.Theplantsyou grow and the timing of their planting depends on that factor. In mostinstances,youshouldsowseeds,orsetplants,aboutsixtosevenweeksbeforeyour first fall frost.Thiswillvarysomewhat,dependingonyourclimate, late-summer/fall temperature, and available moisture as well as time to maturity.Frostdoesn’thurtsomeplants,forinstance,turnipsandBrusselssprouts.

If direct seeding, prepare the soil in the samemanner as for a spring foodcrop.If theweatherishotanddry,youmaywishtowaterthesoilwellbeforeseeding.Plantsthatdowelldirectseededincludethefollowing:carrots,turnips,lettuce,spinach,andradishes.Broccoliandcabbagecanbedirectseeded,butIprefertostartseedsinflatsinashadyplace,butwithgood,butnotdirectsun,suchasunderanawningorporch.Ialsostartsomelettuceandspinachtogeta“jump”onthefallgarden.Transplantinthegardenafteraboutfourtosixweekswhen the plants are well started and usually just about the first of the cool

weatherinourpartofthecountry.I typicallystartseedsinearlyAugusttosetoutinlateSeptember.

Onemethodistogrowplantsinawirecage.

Most of these plants will do well even through light frosts without anyprotection, but you can greatly extend the season by adding protection. Thesimplestplantprotectionistocovertheplantstheeveningbeforeanightlyfrostwithalightblanketortarp.Floatingrowcoversareabettermethod.Theseareavailable as lightweight, clear plastic coverings from seed and nursery supplycompanies. The covers are simply spread or floated over the plants and willincreasesoilandairtemperature,trappingheatduringthedayandreleasingitatnighttokeepplantsgrowingevenincoldweather.TheTunLcoverfromBurpeeisanevenbetterchoice.Theseexpandtoeighteenfeetlongandareplacedovertherowtoactlikeamini-greenhouse.TheTunLcoverwillkeeptemperaturesupto25°Fwarmerthantheair temperature.Withtheseyoucangrowthroughthefallfrostsandrightthroughthewinterwithsomeplantsinsomeareas.

Useplastictocoverthecagesinextremecoldweather.

Allfall-plantedfoodsdowellinraisedbeds;infact,that’stheeasiestmethodofgrowing them.Here’swhereyoucan reallygetcreativewithprotecting falland winter plants. I build raised-bed cages from welded concrete reinforcingwiretofitovermyraisedbedsandprotecttheplantsfromdeerandothercrittersduringthespringandsummerseasons.It’seasyinfallandwintertosimplyadda clear plastic cover over these cages and grow through frost and freezingweather,liftingtheclearplasticasneededduringextrawarm,sunnydays.

Radishesandlettucearealsogoodchoicesforacoveredfallbed.

Ahoophouseoverraisedbedsprovidesmoregrowingspaceina“mini-greenhouse.”

Thenextstepup is thehoophouse.Thesecanbebuiltoverrowsor largerraised beds, and you can actually get inside them to work. They’re basicallyinstant greenhouses and consist of plastic plumbing pipe bent into hoops andcovered with clear plastic. The edges are held down with hay bales or othermeans.Hoophousesdohavesomeproblemsinwindyareas.

ColdFramesandHotbedsAnothergreatway of growing through the fall andwintermonths aswell ashavingagreatplace tohardenoff springplants is incold framesandhotbeds.Coldframesarebasicallyraisedbedswithlidsthatallowsunlighttofilterinandheat the interior, but keep out the cold. They can be purchased or very easilyhomemade. Cold frames can be constructed as permanent free-standingstructures, as attachments to the south side of a building, or even as portableunits if bolts are used in the corners so they can easily be disassembled andmoved or stored as desired. If you construct several raised beds early in thespringandusethemthroughthesummermonths,youmightsimplyaddacoldframelidtooneinthefallforwintergardening.

Acoldframeorhotbedextendsfoodgrowingthroughbothfallandwinterandisgreatforearly-seasonspringplanting.

Themaindifferencebetweenacold frameanda raisedbed is that thebedsurfaceinacoldframemustbelowenoughtoallowforplants,suchaslettuce,togrowunhindered.Thisusuallymeansadepthofsixtoeightinches.

An discarded old wooden stormwindow or even recycled window sashescanbeusedasthelid,oryoucancreateyourownusingdouble-strengthglassorspecialgreenhousefiberglasspanels.Thelatteraresafer,astheyarenotpronetobreakage.Constructionof thecoldframebox is thesameasfor raisedbedsoftreatedlumber.

Theboxforthecoldframe,however,shouldbesetinthegroundtopreventcoldairfromseepinginaroundtheedges.Ormoundsoiluparoundtheedgesofthebox.

Acold frameworksbest if it has a slanted top to allowmoreof the sun’srays to reach the interiorof thebox, compensating forwinter’s fewerdaylighthours.Although the lid canbe left unattached, it ismore efficient if the lid issecuredtothebackoftheboxwithbutthinges.Apropboardorastickisusedtoholdthelidpartiallyopentoallowaircirculation.Duringwarmwinterdays,thelid isproppedopentocoolandclosedin thelateafternoontokeepin theheatduringthenight.It’sagoodideatoincludeanoutdoorthermometerinthecoldframetobettermonitorandmaintaintemperatures.

Youcanbuildacoldframeorhotbedquiteeasily.

The old-fashioned hotbedwas amajor feature onmany farmsteads of thepast.Thehotbedisactuallynothingmorethanacoldframewithheatsupplied.In the olden days, horsemanure, a very hotmanure,was dugwell below theplanting soil toprovide theheat.Thesedays special electricheating cablesdothe jobmuch easier and with less hassle and smell. If using a heating cable,removethesoilbelowthebottomedgeoftheframeandputatwo-inchlayerofsandinplace.Laythecableoverthesandandthenaddthesoilontop.(Makesuretheheatingcablespecifiesitisforuseasaburiedcable.)

Anothermethodinextendingtheseasonistosimplydragplantsindoors.Ifyou’realreadycontainergardening,thisisano-brainer.Asunroomistheideal,buta sunnywindoworpatiodoorcanalsoprovidea food-growingspace. It’simportanttocheckfrequentlyandkeepindoorwinter-grownplantswellwateredandlightlyfertilizedwithawater-solublefertilizer.

The last and ultimate winter-growing space is a greenhouse. Serious foodgrowers dream of their own greenhouse, and yes, you can grow just aboutanythinginagreenhouse.This,however,islaborintensive.Ittakesdailyworktomaintain the temperature andhumidityof agreenhouse forwintergrowing.

Not tomentionthedailycareof theplants.Homegreenhousescanbeas largeandexpensiveasyoucanimagineandjustassimpleandeconomical.Ourfirstgreenhousewassimplya6×12footA-framenailedtogetherandcoveredwithclear plastic. The plastic lasted through one season; the greenhouse recoveredtwicethroughthreeseasons.Butwegrewalotoffoodforourgrowingfamily.Thencameafancyall-glassgreenhouseonthesideofourhouse.Weuseditforanumberofyears,butitfacedtheroadanddrivewayentranceandwhennotinuse during the off seasonwas an eyesore. Finallywebuilt the greenhousewehavetoday.It’sbasicallyaverysmall6×8footandattachedtothesouthsideofagardenstorageshed.Ithasaconcretefloor,fiberglasspanels,andispassivelyheated. The heat comes from black plastic barrels filledwithwater along thebackofthegreenhouse.Thereisnoelectricityorotherheatsource.Evenwhentemperaturesgetbelow10°F,itstayswellabovefreezing,usuallyaround40°to42°Finthosecoldtemperatures.Thisistrueaslongasthedaysaresunny.

8

GrowingPerennialFoods

A number of plants are grown as perennials. Some annuals can, in fact, begrown as perennials in warm-season areas. True perennials, however, willcontinue to produce crops for many years if properly cared for. The mostcommon perennials include the following: artichokes, asparagus, rhubarb, andhorseradish.

ArtichokesFirst todistinguishis that theartichokescommonlyfoundingrocerystores

areglobeartichokes,notJerusalemartichokes,whichareannuals.Noteveryonecangrowglobeartichokes,nomatterhowmuchtheymightdesirethisunusualand expensive gourmet food. Globe artichokes have very specific climaterequirements.TheyarebasicallyaMediterraneanplantanddobestinareaswithalonggrowingseason,mildwinters,andadampclimate.Insouthernareaswithhot,dryclimates, theglobesbecome tough.Youcangrowglobeartichokes innorthernclimatesbygrowingthemasannuals,digginguptheplantsandstoringthemoverthewinterinacool,darkplace.

Someplants,suchasrhubarb,aregrownasperennials.

Artichokesarecommonlysoldasseeds.Sowseedindoorsabouteightweeksbeforethelastfrost.Transplantafterfrostdangerinrowssixfeetapartandwithplantsspacedthreetofourfeetapart.Plantinarich,well-fertilizedsoil.Plantingin partial shade can help productivity in hot southern areas. The key tosuccessfullygrowingartichokesistokeepacontinuoussupplyofmoistureandgeneral-purposefertilizerorplantfood.Mulchingtheplantshelpsagreatdeal.

Asparagus

Asparagusisanold-timefavoritethatcanproducelotsofnutritiousfoodformanyyearsonceit’sstarted.Itdoes,however,takesometimeandefforttogetabed started.Asparagus is a cool-season crop, one of themost delicious of thespringvegetables.Itistraditionallycommerciallygrowninrowsandinbedsingardens.Asparaguscanbegrowninagroundlevelorraisedbed.

Thelatteroffersacoupleofadvantages.It’seasiertoweed,andyoucandoabetter job of soil preparation. The plants, however, may eventually spreadoutside the bed. The single most important facet in productively growingasparagusisgroundpreparation.

Thebedmustbeverydeepandrich.For thebest results,youmustdig thesoil down eighteen to twenty-four inches deep. In hard-pan or rocky and clayareas, thismaybe almost impossible, and again, a raisedbedmaybe thebestchoice.Aslightlysandysoilthatcanmaintainsomemoistureisthebest.

Asparagusisatraditionalperennialfavorite.Oncestarteditwillgrowforyears,producingagourmetdelight.

It’simportanttoproperlyprepareandplantanasparagusbed.

Harvestwhenthespearsare6to10incheshigh.

Spadeordigthebedintoatrench,settingthetopsoilaside,nearthetrench.Fillthebottomsixinchesorsowithcompostandwell-rottedmanure.Addasix-inchorsolayerofgoodgardensoil,mixedwellwithageneral-purposeorganicfertilizer.

Asparagus is grown fromcrowns. Set the crowns on top of the soil in thetrench,spacedtwelvetoeighteeninchesapart.Coverwithacoupleofinchesofsoil, compress the soil around the roots, andwaterwell.Keep the plantswellwatered,andastheygrow,continuetofill inthetrencharoundtheplantswithgood garden soil and compost. The trench should be completely filled in andslightlyraisedbytheendofthefirstgrowingseason.

Donotcutorpickanyspearsonthefirstgrowingseason.Harvestthespearssparinglyonthesecondyearafterplanting.Bythethirdseason,youcanexpecttoharvestafullcrop.Afterharvest,applyafertilizerofthreetofivepoundsof

general-purpose (10-10-10) or organic fertilizer per one hundred square feet.After the second season, remove the tops of the plants in late fall to preventinsects and diseases from wintering over. Several inches of a good mulch isimportantincoldclimateareastopreventwinterdamagetothecrowns.Repeatthe fertilizerapplication in the spring.Rakeoff themulch,apply the fertilizer,andlightlyrakeintothesoilsurface.

Toharvest,pickthespearswhentheyaresixtotenincheshighandonlyforaboutsixtoeightweeks.StopharvestafterJuly1toallowtherootstostorefoodfor thecomingyear.Asparagus isgreat freshbutcanalsobe frozenfor futureuse.

RhubarbAnother all-time favorite perennial is rhubarb.Rhubarb is also great for youwithlotsofvitaminC,potassium,andfiber.It,too,canbeachallengetogrowinsomeareas.Itdoesnotdowellinwarmclimates.Thoseinthesouthmayhaveproblemsgrowing rhubarb consistently, although somevarieties arebred for abetterchance inwarmerareas.Rhubarbgrowsbest inareaswithacool,moistsummeryetwithcoldwinters thatwill freeze theground fairlydeep.Rhubarbgrowsasaperennialintheseareas,asitrequireswinterdormancy.

Ifyouliveinahotarea,you’llneedtogrowafreshcropeachyear.Asyoucanguess,thestateofWashingtonistherhubarbcapitalofNorthAmerica.Theeffortsarewellworthitwhenyoutastearhubarbpiefromyourowngarden.Ontheotherhand,rhubarbisrelativelyeasytogrowifconditionsareright.Rhubarbcan be grown from seed or from crowns. In most instances, you’ll receivecrownsfromamailorderorgardensupplycenter.Rhubarbcanbeplantedinthespringorfall,butspringisthemostcommonplantingtime.

Rhubarbisagreathealthfoodanddeliciousinpies,cakes,andjams.Itdoesbestinareaswithcool,moistsummersbutcanbesuccessfullygrowninmanyotherlocales.

Rhubarbrequiresadeep,fertilesoil.Digadeepholeandaddsomebonemeal.

Like asparagus, rhubarb is a very heavy feeder, requiring a very rich soil.

Grownproperly,rhubarbisalsoaprolificspreader.Theplantsshouldbespacedthreetofourfeetapart.Digaholeatleasttwenty-fourinchesdeepandtwenty-four incheswideorabout the sizeofabushelbasket.Fill theholeabout two-thirdsfullwithamixtureofhalfcompostandhalfwell-rottedmanure.

Addsomebloodmeal.

Positionthecrownsonthislayerandcoverthecrownswithatwo-inchlayerof compostwithwell-rottedmanuremixed in.Compressdownwell and leavethecrownsaboutthreetofourinchesbelowthesurface.

Water well and cover with a deep layer of mulch, leaving an open spacearoundthecrownssotheycangrowupthroughthesoilandmulch.

Waterwell.

Rhubarbcomesasacrownorpotted.Placeinthefertilized,wateredhole.

Waterandfeedwellthroughoutthegrowingseason.Donotharvestthefirstseason.Harvestlightlythesecondseason.

By the third season, the plants should be well established, and you canharvest fromearly spring through early summer. In some areas, youmay alsohave a fall harvest. If you don’t harvest for a period of time, the stalks canbecomewoody.Cutoffalltopgrowth,waterwell,andyou’lloftenberewardedwithasecondcrop.Duringfall,coverwithalayerofwell-driedcowmanure.In

earlyspring,applyanotherlayerofwell-rottedcowmanureorageneral-purposefertilizer.

Fillinaroundtheplantandcompressthesoilwellthenwateragain.

Ifyouhavethespaceyoucangrowyourownhorseradish.Itdoestendtospreadsobesuretohaveawaytocontainitifpossible.

To harvest, cut off the stalks as they become about the diameter of yourthumborslightly larger.Removethe leaves.Donoteat the leaves,as theyarepoisonous.

Abouteverysixorsevenyears, likemostperennials,you’llhave todiguptheplantsanddivide them.Whenyounotice thecrowngettingbiggerand thestalkssmaller,it’stimetodivide.Divideinfallorspring,butthebesttimeisinearlyspringbeforethenewstalksappear.Usingaspade,digaroundthecrownabouteighttoteninchesdeep,cuttingthecrownfromtheextendingroots.Usinga sharp, heavyknife, divide the crown following the natural indentations.Thecrown should be cut into pieces about the size of your fist, with at least onegrowingbudoneach.Leaveaboutathirdoftheoriginalcrowninplaceandsetoutthenewcrownsinanotherarea.

HorseradishAnotherpopularperennialishorseradish.Horseradishisafavoritecondimentina number of gourmet sauces and dishes. It is also one of the easiest plants togrow,anditdoesn’ttakealotofhorseradishtofeedafamily.Planthorseradishin anout-of-the-wayplace inyourgardenbecause it can, in fact, spreadquiterapidly.Likerhubarb,horseradishdoesbestincoolclimatesandwithdeep,richmoistsoils.Horseradishisestablishedfromrootcuttingsorsets.

Dig holes about 12 × 12 inches and 8 to 10 inches apart in sun or partial

shade.Inhotclimates,growinpartialshade.Growinginaraisedbedallowsyouto contain the plant somewhat. Partially fill with compost and well-rottedmanure.Settherootcuttingswiththelargeendfacingupwardandaboutthreeinches deep.Compress the soilwell around the cuttings andwater.Keepwellwatered and fed throughout the growing season.Keepweededduring the firstseason; after that, itwill prettywell take care of itself.You shouldbe able toharvestyourfirsthorseradishrootsintwotothreeyears.Digandcutthelargerrootsinthefall,leavingthesmallerrootsforregrowthoftheplant.Touse,peelandgratetheroots.Youcanalsodigrootstoestablishmoreplantsifdesired.

Ginger

One unusual perennial, although grown somewhat differently, is ginger.Ginger is a tropical plant that requires warm, moist growing conditions. Youcan,however,growenoughforflavoringindoorsinpots.Purchaseagingerrootat a groceryorOriental food store, as the roots are not readily available fromseedcompaniesorgardencenters.Planttherootinasix-toeightinchcontainerfilledwithagoodpotting soil.Waterwell andplace in a sunny southorwestwindow.Keepwellwatered.Ifyourhouseisdry,occasionallymistwithasprayof water.When the root fills the pot, remove and cut off a two-to three-inchpiece to restart.Keep the root in a dry place for use or slice and store in thefreezer.

9

HerbsYoudon’tneedtogrowahugegardentoenjoygrowingfoods.Herbsaresmall-garden favorites. Some can even be grown in pots on your deck, patio, orwindow.Cookingwithyourownherbsaddspersonalizedflavoringandspicestoyourdishes.Mostherbsarefairlyeasytogrow,andmanyalsoadddecortoyourbackyard or garden. Some herbs are grown as annuals, some as perennials.Annualsareavailableasseed,perennialsasplants.Mostherbsdobestinfullsunandinwell-drainedsoil.Mostseedsareplantedone-fourth-inchdeep,andseedsandtransplantsshouldbekeepwellwatered,atleastoneinchofwaterperweek.Mulchingcanconservemoistureforgarden-plantedherbs.Makesuretokeeptheplantswellweeded.

Mulchcanalsobeagreathelpinweedcontrol.Ifgrowinginagardenandifyou’re likeme,you’llhave trouble identifying theyoungseedlings. Iprefer tostart herb seeds indoors and then transplant, making it easier to identify theyoungplants.Perennialsshouldbedugupanddividedinthespringeverythreeorfouryears.Cutawaytheoutsideclumpsandreplant;replantthemainclumpinthesamearea.Thefollowingaresomefavoriteherbsandhowtogrowthem:Growing your own herbs, such as dill, is a fun and great way of adding

excitementtoyourcooking.

Balm

Anise. Grow as an annual.Young leaves are used for garnishes, seeds for

flavoringcandyandcakes,aswellasgroundforsachetpowder.Thedistilledoilisusedinperfumes.

Borage

Balm. Grow as a perennial. Leaves have a lemony fragrance and aresometimes used for flavoring stews and soups. Balm is also a honeybeeattractant.

Basil.Growasanannual.Awiderangeofdifferentbasilsareavailable,eachwithaslightlydifferentflavor.Sweetbasilhasaveryaromatic,sweetclovelikefragrance. Fresh basil leaves are used in stews, for flavoring salads, and indressings.Driedleavesareusedinsaucesandinsausages.

Borage.Growasanannual.Tenderyoungleaveshaveacucumber-liketasteandareusedinsaladsandtospiceuplemonade.Thisisanotherplanthoneybeeslove.

Catnip.Growasanannual.isherbismostcommonlymadeintoasoothingtea.It’samemberofthemintfamilyandspreadsrapidly.Catsandbeesloveit.

Catnip

Caraway.Growasanannualandasabiennial.Youngleavesandshootsareusedinsalads.Seedsarethemostimportantpartofthisherb.

Chives

Carawayseeds

Thedistilledoilisusedinflavoringcakes,candy,sauces,breads,andsoups.Chives. Grow as an annual or perennial. This herb belongs to the onion

familybutislesspungent.Chivesareusedtoflavorsoups,salads,andstir-fry.Somevarietiesalsohaveaslightgarlicflavor.

Manyherbs,suchascilantro,areeasilygrowninpotsorcontainers.

Coriander

Cilantro.Grow as an annual.Also calledChinese orMexican parsley, theleavesofcilantroareusedasflavoringinpopularethnicdishes.

Coriander.Growas anannual.Coriander is thedried seedsof the cilantroplant.Theyareusedwholeorgroundineverythingfrommeatdishestodesserts,soupsandbreads.

Dill. Grow as an annual. Seeds and stems are used in dill pickles, dillvinegar,andasaflavoringforstews,soups,andsauces.

Fennel

Lavender

Epazote.Grow as an annual. It is a spice used inMexican bean dishes topreventgasandindigestion.

Fennel. Grow as a perennial. The stem bases have an aniselike flavor.Leavesareusedinfishandvegetabledishes.Seedsareusedinsoups,onbakedgoods,andinsausages.

Horehound.Growasaperennial.Ithasanaromaticodorandpungent,bittertaste.Itisoftenusedasatonicincoughsyrupsand,inlargedoses,isalaxative.

Marjoram

Oregano

Lavender.Growasaperennialorannual.Thedried leavesandflowersareusedinpotpourriandsachets.

Rosemary

Sage

Marjoram, sweet. Grow as a perennial. Young leaves and stems are usedfreshordriedinfishandmeatsauces,dressingsandstews.

Oregano. Grow as an annual. Strongly aromatic leaves are used dried orfreshintomato-basedsauces,salads,meatandfishdishes,andinItaliandishes.

Mint

Summersavory

Rosemary.Growas aperennial.Young leaves and stemsareused freshordriedtoflavorfishandmeatdishes.

Sage. Grow as an annual or perennial. The extremely aromatic leaves areused both fresh and dried for seasoning meats, especially pork sausage. Alsousedasaspiceinturkeystuffing.

Thyme

Spearmint.Growas anannualorperennial.Hasa fresharomapopular foruseincandies,jellies,anddrinks.

Summer savory. Grow as an annual. The leaves and stems are used bothfreshanddriedinmeatsaucesandstews.Summersavoryisalsocalledthebeanherbbecauseit’softenusedasaflavoringinlentilbeandishes.

Thyme.Growasanannualorperennial.Theleavesandstemsareusedfreshanddriedinmeatsauces,poultrydishes,andinsausages.

Someherbsareannuals,someperennials.It’simportanttoknowhowtostartandgroweach.

The leaves and stems ofmany herbs are simply snipped off as needed toflavordishes.Youcankeepmanyherbsgrowingallwinterinpotsindoorsoragreenhouse for a continuous supply of flavorings. Most herbs should beharvested just before the flowers open, including marjoram, summer savory,basil, sage, oregano,mint, and fennel. Thyme and rosemary can be harvestedwhenplantsareinfullbloom.

Herbscanalsobedriedforfutureuse.Todry,looselytietheherbstemsin

bundles and hang in a cool, dark roomwith plenty of ventilation.Or you canspreadtheherbsoutoncheeseclothtodry.Inthiscase,checkregularlyandstirfrequentlytomakesuremolddoesn’tform.Youcanalsouseafooddehydratortospeedup theprocess.Storedriedherbs inairtightcontainers inacool,darkarea.

10

SmallFruits

Small fruits, including raspberries,blackberries,blueberries,strawberries,andgrapes,aresomeof themostsatisfyingandrewardingfoodstogrow.Growingthe volume of small fruits for a family to eat fresh and preserved, however,requires a fairly large area. Themouth-watering flavor of homegrown berriesandthesavingsfromgrowingyourownarereasonsenoughtogrowasmuchasspaceallows.Allthesmallfruitsareextremelygoodforyouandlowincalories.

Thefollowingarethemostcommonsmallfruitsandhowtogrowthem:

StrawberriesStrawberries are themost popular small fruit. Some growingmethods are

primarily for commercial productions and can be labor intensive anddiscouraging to the first-timer or home food grower.Newer growingmethodsmakegrowingstrawberrieseasierandmoreproductive.

Growingyourownsmallfruits,suchasstrawberries,isverysatisfying,agreatbudgetextender,andawayofprovidingyourfamilywithlotsofhealthyfoods.

Strawberriesareaverypopularsmallfruittogrowinahome

garden.

Strawberriesarebasicallyshort-livedperennials.Sometraditionalstrawberryvarieties take a year for the plants to reach bearing size, and then they willproduce for a coupleof seasons.As theygrow, theplants sendout runners tocreatenewor“daughter”plants.A traditionalestablishedbedconsistsof threedifferenttypesofplants—plantsnotyetbearingbutstillgrowing,plantsinfullproduction, and plants that have stopped bearing. This makes growingstrawberries a bit complicated for the first-timer. Strawberries also requirepatience when grown traditionally, as it takes at least two years to get aproductivecrop.

Awide range of strawberry varieties are availablewith differing qualities.The berries of some varieties have the firmness needed for shipping and thelargesizeneededbycommercialgrowers.Otherqualitiesincludeberriesbestforfreezing,berriesforpreservesandjam,berriesthatdobestinpoorordrysoils,aswellasberriesforverycoldclimates.Therearealsoearlymidseasonandlate-bearing varieties. If all that isn’t confusing enough, strawberries are alsoavailableasJunebearers,everbearing,andthenewerdayneutral.

June-bearing strawberries ripen in lateMay and June and produce a goodmain crop for processing. These berries are managed to produce a crop thefollowing or second season after planting.All blossoms are removed the firstyear.Runnerscreatingdaughterplantsfillinthemattedrow.

Ever-bearing plants can often be productive in the fall following a springplanting.Inthesecondseason,ever-bearingstrawberriesareproductiveinbothspringandfall.Everbearers,however,arenotasproductiveasJunebearers,butproducesomeberriesthroughouttheseason.Everbearersareeasiertogrowandareoftenused indeckplanters,strawberrybarrels,andpyramidplantings.TheberriesareusuallysmallerthantheJunebearers.

Day-neutral strawberries are grown much different than both the Junebearersandtheolder,moretraditionalever-bearingvarieties.Day-neutralberriesproducefruitthroughouttheseason,producingflowerbudscontinuouslyaslongasthetemperatureisnottoohigh(above85°F).Day-neutralberriesarenormallyproductiveduring theyearofplanting.Theyalsoproduce thesecondyearandthenarereplanted.It’simportanttopinchoffallrunnersastheyform.Becausewhenalltherunnersarepinchedoff,newplantsmustbepurchasedtoreplenishthebed.Forbiggerberries,pinchoffthefirstblossomsforaweekorsoandthenlet theberries form.Theseberries typicallymake theirbestproduction the fallfollowingtheinitialplanting.

Strawberriesareplantedinoneofthreesystems.Thisisaspacedrow.

Aboveisahillsystem.

Aboveisamattedrowsystem.

It’s important to match the berries to your locale. Check with your localcooperative extension once as to the best varieties for your area. Alwayspurchasedisease-free,certifiedvirus-freeplants.You’llneedabout twenty-fiveplantstostartastrawberrybedforafamilyoffour.

Strawberrieshavetraditionallybeenplantedinthreesystems:thehillsystem,matted rows, and spaced rows. The hill system is best for those with limitedspacebutisnotasproductiveovertime.Settheplantstwelvetoeighteeninchesapart inalldirections.Removeall runnersas theyform.This isagoodsystemforsmallbeds,producingafewchoiceberriesforfresheating.Incoolclimateareas, the hill system is often used in conjunctionwith black plasticmulch towarmthegroundandextendthegrowing.

The most common planting system for more production is the old-timematted row.Theplantsareset twelve to twenty-four inchesapart in rowsfourfeetapart.Alltherunnersareallowedtogrowandarespacedoutwardtocreateawidemattedrow.Thisisaneasymethod,andalsolesstime-consumingbecauseweedingiscutdownbythestrawberryfoliage.

The spaced-row system is a good choice for home gardeners. They areplantedinthesamemannerasforamattedrow,excepttherunnersarethinnedas soonas they formuntil aboutmid-June, creatingplants spaced six to seveninchesapart.Thisproducesthebest,high-qualitybiggestfruit.

Strawberrieshavespecificrequirementstobeproductive.Theyneedasunnyareawitharich,well-drainedsoil.Althoughtheplantsareextremelyhardy,theblossoms are very easily damagedby spring frosts.The upper side of a slightslopeisagoodchoice.Growingstrawberriesinraisedbedsisanexcellentideaforthehomefoodgrower.Theraisedbedsareeasiertoworkandmaintain;it’seasiertocreatethedeep,richsoil;andmoreimportantly,it’seasiertobattletheweeds.Weedsare thebaneof thestrawberrygrower.Don’tsimplydigup turfand start a strawberry patch.You’ll be fightingweeds forever. If you’ve evertriedtokeepquackgrassorcrabgrassoutofastrawberrybed,you’llknowutterfrustration.

Strawberriesrequireasunnyspotwithwell-drainedsoil.Araisedbedcanbeextremelyproductive.

Preparethebedinlatesummerorearlyfallforaspringplantingifpossible,althoughthebedcanbepreparedinearlyspringinsomeareas.Till,dig,spade,whateverisneededtodeeplybreakupthesoil.Althoughstrawberrieslikewell-drained soil, it must also hold some moisture. Add plenty of organic matter.Layer rotted manure, compost, peat moss, and other materials over the bed.Abouttwobushelsofmanureperonehundredsquarefeetofbedareneeded.Tillandmixtoadepthofsixtoeightinches.Ifpreparingthebedinfall,spreadlightstrawmulchoverthebedforthewinter.Thiswillkeepthesoillooseandfriable,readyforeasyplantinginthespring.

Strawberryplantscomeastransplantsthatmustbesetout.

Arich,deepbedprobablywon’tneedmuch fertilizer atplanting time,butstrawberries need nutrients. A general-purpose fertilizer, such as 12-12-12, orcottonseedmeal, fishmeal, anda littlewoodash shouldbe applied about twoweeks after planting. Apply one-half cup of 12-12-12 per twenty-five feet ofrow. Side-dress with the same amount twice more during the year. I usuallyapplyawater-solublefertilizerwithasoakerhose.

Inmostpartsof thecountry, strawberriesare setout inearly spring,aboutthe same time as cabbage transplants, or a few weeks before the last frost.Strawberry plants are sold in bunches from mail-order nurseries and gardencenters.Setouttheplantsassoonasyoureceiveorpurchasethem.Ifyoucan’tplant them immediately, place them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.Wrap the roots with damp paper towels. You can also keep the plants in ashallowtrenchinashadyspotinyourgarden.Covertherootswithsoil.

Theplantsmustbesetattheproperdepth

Thebesttimetosetoutplantsisaquiet,overcastday.Ifit’shot,waituntillateafternoon.Examinetheplantsanddiscardanythataremoldyordark.Placetherootsinacontainerofwaterwhileyouwork.Strawberriesmustbeplantedattherightdepth.

Theplantconsistsofroots,acrownorthecenterbulgingportionoftheplant,andtheleaves.Theplantsmustbesetwiththerootswellcovered,butthecrownatgroundlevel.

Thetraditionalmethodofplantingistodigaholebigenoughtospreadouttheroots,water,andsettheplantatthecorrectdepthwiththerootsfannedout.Compressthesoildownandaroundtherootsanduptothecrownlevelandthenwater again.Addinga teaspoonofwater-soluble fertilizer toagallonofwaterandusingforthelaststepwillhelpgettheplantsofftoagoodstart.

If using the hill system, mulch around the plants. If using the matted orspaced row,don’tmulch. Instead, tillorhoeshallowlyaround theplants.Thiskeepstheweedsoutandthesoillooseandfriableforeasierrootingofdaughterplants.Traintherunnerstofillinwhereyouwantthembypositioningthemandthenplacingsmallstonesorclodsofdirtonthestems.Nowcomesthehardpartwith traditional matted or spaced-row June-bearer plants—pick off all theblossomsonthefirstseason.Nope,nostrawberriesthefirstyear.Thisallowstheplantstoputalltheirenergyintogrowingafullbed.Everbearersonlyneedtobeprunedofblossomsuntilmidsummerandthenberriescanbepickedthatfall.

Digasmallhole,makeaslightraisedconeinthecenter,spreadthe

rootsoutoverthecone,andfillinaroundtherootswithsoil.

Waterwell.

Inlatefallcovertheplantswithmulch.

In late August or early September, side-dress with a general-purposefertilizer. This puts nutrients into producing next year’s berries. Side-dressingearlyinthespringtendstoputtheenergyintoproducingmorefoliage.

Afterafewfrosts in latefallbutbeforethetemperaturedropsbelow20?F,covertheplantswithfourtofiveinchesofgoodmulch.Makesurethemulchis

weed-seedfree.Strawisusuallythebestchoiceorwoodchipsorsawdust.Earlythenextspring, rakeoffabouthalf themulch, leavingsomearoundtheplants,andspreadbetweentherows.Leaveaboutatwo-inchlayerofmulchfortherestoftheseason.Theplantswillgrowthroughthemulch,yetitwillhelpkeeptheweedsdown.That’sthebiggestproblemwiththesemethods—youwillstillhaveweeds.Somegrowersutilizeherbicides,butIprefertoweedbyhand,althoughitcanbework.

Rakebackthemulchintheearlyspring.

Strawberries are luscious and juicy, and for that reason, they need lots ofwater,atleastoneinchperweek.Ifyoudon’tgetthatthroughrain,you’llhavetoirrigate.Setanemptycaninthebedtoindicatehowmuchrainyou’regettingorhowmuchfromirrigation.Duringthegrowingseason,Iliketoapplyawater-solublefertilizerasIwateronceaweek.Duringhotweather,Imayirrigatemoreoften.

Afterthesecondgrowingseason,manygrowerssimplytillintheplantsandstartagain.Forthisreason,youmayprefertohavetwobeds,rotatingthebedstokeep a regular supply of berries. The traditional matted-row method ofrenovationisusedcommerciallyandonlargerbeds.Immediatelyafterharvest,narrowtherowtosixtotwelveinchesinwidth.Rakeoutanydeadleavesandpullallweeds.Thintheplantsintherowtosixtonineinchesapart.Mowoverthebedwiththemowersetonetothreeinchesabovethetopsofthecrowns.Onraisedbeds,carefullyuseastringtrimmer.Applyalightcoveringofcompostorwell-rottedmanure.Side-dresswithfertilizerandwatertheplants.Keepthebed

weeded or apply a pre-emergent herbicide. Cover with mulch in the fall.Daughter plants can be dug up and planted in another bed for a continuoussupplyofplants.Ialsodigsomeofthedaughterplantsinthefallandheelthemoverintrenchesinthegardenforanewbedthefollowingspring.

Monte’seasy-does-itstrawberrymethodusesblackplasticaroundtheplants,withwood-chipmulchovertheplastic.

Monte’s easy-does-it strawberry method comes from several years ofstrawberry hassle. Two beds holding twenty-five plants each will produce anabundance of fresh berries, frozen berries, and preserves. The beds are raisedbeds,andthesoiliswellpreparedandfertilized.Asoakerhoseislaiddownthecenter of eachbed and a layer ofweed-barrier fabric stapled to the topof thewooden edges of the raised beds. The plants are planted in slits in the fabric.Oncetheplantsareestablished,sawdustmulchisappliedoverthefabric.Therearenoweeds,thebedsstaymoistbutnotsoaking,andstrawberriesareavailablefromfalltothesecondyearwitheverbearersandthroughoutthefirstyearwithday-neutral berries.After two years, the beds are started over.Make sure youkeepstrawberrieswellpickedtokeepacontinuouscropgrowing.

BlueberriesAnother small-fruit favorite is blueberries. These delicious and, in the

supermarket,extremelyexpensivesmall fruitsarenotonlya tasty treatbutarealso very good for you. Although blueberries have some fairly stringentrequirements,withalittleeffortsomevarietiescanbegrownalmostanywhere.

Blueberriesnotonlyprovidefoodbutalsoagreatbackyardornamentalplantaswell,addingcolorall season long.Blueberries requireanacidicsoil,at leasta160-daygrowingseason,andwintersnocolderthan-20°to-25°F.Anumberofvarieties are available with some bred for northern and some for southerngardens.Blueberries are relatively easy to growonce established and are veryeasy to pick and preserve. Blueberries are available as early-,midseason, andlate-seasonvarieties.Acoupleofplantsofeachwillprovideplentyofdeliciousberriesbothfreshandfrozen.Youwillneedatleasttwovarietiesforpollination.

Blueberriesareanothersmallfruitfavoritethatarereallygoodforyou.

Blueberryplantsmaybesetout in late fallorearlyspring.Makesureyoupurchase disease-free plants. Blueberry plants may be purchased as rootedcuttings, bare-rooted plants, and potted plants. The best choices for mostpurposes are the two-to three-year-old plants normally sold as bare rooted bymailorderorpottedinnurseries.Althoughabitmorecostly,theyusuallyhavebetterplantsurvivalandgetofftoanearlierstart.

The idealblueberry-growingsoilhasacontinuouswatersupplybecauseofthe shallow rootsyet iswell drained,has lotsoforganicmatter, and is acidic.Space plants four feet apart in rows eight to ten feet apart. To prepare forblueberry plants, dig a hole twelve to fifteen inches deep and large enough tohold the spread-out roots.Mix a half bushel ofwet sphagnumpeatmosswithcoarse sandandmix that inwith somecompostorgoodgarden soil.Spreadalayer of the mix in the bottom of the hole, spread out the blueberry roots

laterally,addmoreofthesoilmix,andcompressthesoildownaroundtheroots.

Blueberriesrequireanacidicsoil.Addsphagnumpeatmosstotheplantinghole.

Blueberryplantsareavailablebarerootorpotted.Thefirststepistodigaholelargeenoughtoaccommodatetherootsandalsotoincorporatetheadditionofpeatmossandsomecompost.

Settheplantinplaceandcompressthesoilaroundtheplant.

Waterwell,thenmulcharoundtheplantwithwoodchips.

Ifsettingoutpottedplants,makeshallowverticalcutsintheballofrootstoallowtherootstospreadintothesurroundingsoil.

Goodpermanentmulchatleastfourtosixinchesdeeparoundandbetweentheplantsisextremelyimportantforblueberries.Hay,straw,pineneedles,orthebestwoodchipsorsawdust,whichdoesn’tbreakdownquiteasrapidly,areallgood.Onemethodofkeepingacontinuouswatersupplyduringdryweatheristorunasoakerhosealongsidetheplantsandcoverthehosewithmulch.Ittakesalotofmulchtomaintainblueberries,andyouwillneedtoaddmoreeachyear.

Blueberriesarefairlyheavyfeeders.Applyfertilizeronestablishedplantsbeforetheblossomsopeneachspring.

Blueberriesarefairlyheavyfeedersandrequireannualapplicationsofeitherorganicorsyntheticfertilizer.Anapplicationofageneral-purposefertilizer(12-12-12)shouldbeappliedfourtosixweeksafterspring-plantedblueberries.Usetwotablespoonsspreadevenlyaroundeachplant.Aboutsixweekslater,fertilizeusingonetablespoonofammoniumsulfateperplant tohelpkeepthepHleveldown.

Blueberriesmustbeprunedproperlytocontinueproduction.Before.

After.

Water-solublefertilizersforacid-lovingplantscanalsobeused.Duringthesecondgrowingseason,whenthebudsbegintobreakinthespring,fertilizewithfourtablespoonsofgeneral-purposefertilizerperplant,followedsixweekslaterby two tablespoons ammonium sulfate per plant. Continue the ammoniumsulfateapplicationsat six-week intervals.Forestablishedplants, threeyearsorolder,applyone-halfcup13-13-13atbudbreakinthespring,followedbyone-fourthcupammoniumsulfatesixweekslater.Continuetheammoniumsulfateatsixweeksintervalstwomoretimesduringtheseason.

High bush blueberries are highly prolific and require pruning. Blueberriesproduce fruit on the previous year’s wood. Prune in early spring, usuallyFebruaryorMarchbeforethebudsbreak.Pruneverylightlyduringthefirstandsecond seasons, removing only dead or broken branches. Prune lightly duringthe thirdandfourthseasonsaswell,cuttingoutdeadandbrokenbranchesandstemsandremovingafewofthethin,spindlygrowthfromthepreviousseason.Bythefifthseason,moreseriouspruningisrequired.Inadditiontocuttingawaydeadanddamagedgrowth,cutouttheweakestyoungeststemsfromthepreviousseasonandremoveaboutone-fifthoftheoldest-producingcanesfromthebase.

Brambles,suchasblackberriesandraspberries,areeasytogrowbutdotakeupspace.

BramblesOtherfavoredsmallfruitsareblackberriesandraspberries.Theycanalsobe

grown at home for delicious pies, jams, jellies, and to be simply eaten fresh.Bramblesareveryeasytogrowand,infact,willoftenspreadandtakeoveranarea.

Bramblesareavailableinanumberofvarietiesbothastrailinganduprightberries.Theirrequirementsaresimilar.Allrequireadeeploamysoilwithlotsoforganicmaterial. Brambleswon’t tolerate heavy or poorly draining soil. Bothblackberriesandraspberrieslikelotsofsun,althoughraspberriescanbegrowninsuntopartialshade.It’simportanttoproperlypreparetheplantingsite.Digaholethatwillaccommodatetherootsandtwiceasdeepasneeded.Addalayerofcompostorgoodgardensoiltothehole.Waterandsettheplantsinplace.Donotplanttoodeep;thecrownoftheplantshouldbeatsoillevel.

It’simportanttoplantbramblesattheproperdepth.

Therootsshouldbejustunderthesurface.Ifsettingoutpottedplants,plantatthesamedepththeywereinthepot.Waterandmakesurethesoil isfirmedaroundtheroots.Forbare-rootplants,prunethecanesbacktoabouttwoinches.Youwon’tneedtoprunepottedplants.Fertilizerisn’trequiredthefirstyear,butmulch the plants heavily and keep them well watered and weeded. Anapplicationof10-10-10orothergeneral-purposeplant fertilizercanbeappliedthenextspringandeachspringthereafter.

Properpruningisalsoneededforblackberries.Before.

After.

Blackberries are available in the traditional thorny and thornless varieties.New varieties such as Prime-Jan and Prime-Jim are totally different fromtraditionalvarieties.Mostberriesproduceonlastyear’scanes.Thenewvarietiesbearonbothlastyear’scanesaswellasthenewcanes.Thisnotonlypreventsfrostfromgettingtheberriesinnorthernpartsofthecountrybutalsospreadstheharvestthroughouttheseason.Blackberriesandboysenberriesshouldbespacedfive feet apart for upright varieties and eight feet apart for trailing varieties.Rowsshouldbeeightfeetapart.Cutofforpinchoffbudsthefirstyearsofruitswon’tset.Blackberriesmustbeprunedannuallyandproperlytobeproductive.Aftertheplantsareestablished,pruneinthespring.Pruneawayold,weak,anddeadwood.Cutallbuttheheaviestcanestotheground.Leavetheheavycanesspacedaboutsixtoeightinchesapart.Prunebackthetips,leavingabouttentotwelvebudspercane.Tiecanestowiresorothersupportsifdesired.

Raspberries are available in a number of varieties, producing some of thetastiest homegrown fruits. Raspberries are available in black, purple, red, andgold;andinsummer-bearing-andfall-orever-bearingvarieties.Plantraspberriesin rowswith plants spaced two feet apart for purple and red summer-bearingberries and one foot apart for fall-or ever-bearing berries.Leave at least eightfeetbetweenrows.Setoutraspberriesassoonasthegroundcanbeworkedon.

Waterandmakesuresoilisfirmedaroundtheplants.Oncetheplantsareset,cutthecanesdowntogroundlevelandapplymulch.Removeallcutcanesfromthearea.Raspberrydiseasesspreadrapidly.Onemonthafterplantingapplyonecupofageneral-purposefertilizerpertenfeetofroworaboutfiveplants.Thefirstyear after planting, apply one cup of fertilizer per ten-foot row inMarch. Insucceedingyears,applytwocupsofgeneral-purposefertilizerpertenfeetofrowinMarch.

Raspberriesareavailableinanumberofvarieties,includingblack,red,andgold.

Raspberriesalsoneedproperpruning,theappropriatemethoddependingonwhethertheberriesaresummerorfallbearing.The

abovedrawingsshowfallbearingpruned(beforeandafter).

Prune summer-bearing raspberries in January or February, removing anydamagedorspindlycanes.Thintothreeorfourcanesperfoot.Trimthetopsofthecanestoaboutfivefeethighbutdonotremovemorethanone-fourthofeachcane.Immediatelyfollowingharvestremovethecanesthatborefruit.Again,cutout all damaged or spindly canes. Remove all trimmings and cuttings frompruningandburn.

Thebelowdrawingsshowsummerbearingpruned(beforeandafter).

Prunefall-andever-bearingraspberries toproduceafallcropbycuttingallcanes down close to the ground in January or February. Do not damage thecrowns.Makesuretoremovealltrimmingsandburn.

Black andpurple raspberries produce fruit on sidebranchesor laterals.Toinducemorefruiting,cutthetipsofftheprimocanesthroughoutthesummerofthefirstyear,reducingblackraspberrycanestotwenty-fourinchesandpurpletothirtyinches.Thispromotesthedevelopmentofthesidebranchesthatwillbearfruit the following year. After the harvest in subsequent years, continue tosummer-trim theprimocanes.Cut the fruit-producingcanes toground level. InFebruary,cutbackthelateralstoeighttotwelveinches.Thinthecanestofourtosixperplant.

GrapesGrapes take more time and effort to get started and also more effort in

management.Grapesmustbetrainedontrellisestokeepthefruitoffthegroundandprovideaircirculation.Theymustbeprunedproperly inorder toproduce.

Birdsmaybeaproblem,requiringnettingtoprotectthefruit.Grapes,however,have been a tradition in many a backyard. The popular Concord grapes arerelatively easy to grow and produce the old-time standard eating grape, juice,and jellies. Most grape varieties bear fruit within two years, with each plantproducingaboutfifteenpoundsoffruitperyear.Youwillneedabouteightfeetoftrellisforeachplant.

Agrapearborwasatraditiononmanyhomesteadsandinmanybackyards.Youcangrowyourowngrapesforjuice,jelly,orwine.

Grapesareavailableinawiderangeofvarietiesandinred,white,andbluetypes. All varieties of grapes can’t be grown successfully in all parts of thecountry.It’simportanttogrowthevarietiesthatadapttoyourgeographicregionandclimate.GrowersinthenortheastandupperMidwestmustchoosevarietieshardyenoughtowithstandextremecoldwintersorhardyto-30°or-40°F.Forthe most part, American cultivars are hardier than the French-Americanvarieties.Ripening timesalsovary, frommidsummer through fall.Checkwithyourlocalcooperativeextensiononceastovarietiesthatdobestinyourarea.

Aswithmostplants,grapeshavespecificrequirements,withtheplantingsitethemost important.Grapes need full sun, good air circulation, awell-drainedarea,andonewithoutlate-springfrosts.Mostpeopledon’tthinkofMissouriasagrape-growingstate,butithaslotsofwineriesandgrapegrowers.Muchofthestateishilly,especiallythesouthernorOzarkswherewelive,andthehillsidesareidealforgrapeproduction.Anidealsiteisthetoporupperslopefacingsouth

oreast.North-andwest-facingslopesdon’treceivefullsununtillaterintheday,whichallowsdewtostayontheplantslonger.Goodaircirculationisextremelyimportanttohelppreventfungusgrowth,agrapebane.Ifpossible,runthegraperows parallel to the prevailingwinds to allow thewind to help dry the grapefoliageafterrainsanddew.

Spacethegrapesaccordingtothetype.Mostgrapesshouldbeplantedeightfeet apartwith ten feet between rows.Muscatine grapevines should be spacedtwelvetofifteenfeetapart.Mostgrapevinesarepurchasedasbare-rootcuttings.Inspect the cuttings.Roots that are darkbrownish, soft, and spongymayhavebeenfrozenandmayrot.Cutoffdeadorbrokenshoots.Soaktherootsinwaterforafewhoursandplantassoonaspossible.Keeptheplantsmoistwhilesettingthem out. Dig the planting hole large enough to accommodate all the rootswithout crowdingorbending them.Workplentyoforganicmatter inwith thesoilfromthehole.Mixabitofcompostorwell-rottedmanureinwiththegardensoil. In the bottomof thehole, create a smallmoundof the loosened soil andcompostandsettherootsonthemound.You’llnoticeadarkareaornurserysoilline on the trunk of the vine. Set the plant slightly deeper than this soil line.Makesureallrootsarewellspreadoutandthenfillinovertheroots.Addabitofthesoil/compostmixandwaterwell.Addtheremainderofthesoil/compostmix,compress thesoil,andwateragain.Prune the topof thevine toonestemcontaining three to four buds. Buds are the enlarged areas along the vine.Shallowcultivationduringthefirstpartofthegrowingseasonandmulchduringthesummermonthswillgetyourplantsofftoagreatstart.Donotfertilizenewplantings until growth has begun and then use three tablespoons of a general-purpose fertilizer such as 12-12-12. Scatter this in a two-foot-diameter circlearound each plant but maintain a six-inch space around the trunk. Repeat acouple of times the first twomonths, spreading the fertilizer inwider circles,thirty-sixandforty-eightinchesaroundthevines.Afterthethirdyear,applythesametypeoffertilizerinMarchorearlyAprilattherateofoneandahalfcupspervine.

It'simportanttosetoutgrapeplantsproperly.

Grapeplantsmustbetrainedtoatrellis,andprunedproperlyandannually.

Grapesneedatrellis,arbor,orothersupportwithatwo-wiretrellisthemostcommon support. Grapesmust also be trained onto the trellis. The traditionalfour-caneKniffenmethod is themost common and best for home growers. Ittakes three years to train the plants onto the trellis. During the first year, theplantsprobablywon’tgrowenoughtobegintraining.Atthestartofthesecondyear, begin training the vine onto the support.Keep themain trunk pruned toaboutfourandahalffeethigh.TwoshootsaretrainedtoeachofthewiresinaT-fashion.Tietheshootsinplacewithsomethingsoftenoughnottodamagethevines.Beginninginthethirdyear,shootswillbegoingineverydirection.Inlatewinterorearlyspring,pruneheavily.Pickthefourbestpencil-sizedstemsasthefruitingcanes.Pruneeachbacktoeightortenbudsandtietothewires.Nexttothebaseofthesestems,leavetwoshortstemswithatleasttwobudseach.Thesewillformthefruitingcanesforthefollowingyear.Trimawayallotherstems.Itsoundsdrastic,butyoumustdothiseachyearinorderforyourvinestoproduceproperly.

11

TheHomeOrchard

TheHomeOrchardGrowing fruits in your backyard is not only possible but also a great way ofprovidingyourfamilywithwholesomefoods.Nothingtastesbetterthanafreshpeachpicked fromyourown treeor a fresh steaminghot applepie fromyourorchard.Ifyouenvisionanorchardasacresoftreesinrows,thinkagain.Veryproductive orchards can be grown in very small spaces. With miniature andColonnadetreesfromStarksBro’s,full-sizedfruitscanbegrownonabalcony,patio,orsliverofground.Thebackyard,however,istheplacemostofusgrowfruit trees, and these days, even that doesn’t have to be large to produce anabundanceofdeliciousfruits.

PlanningAswithafoodgarden, thehomeorchardshouldn’tbesobig itcan’tbe takencare of properly. On the other hand, the orchard should be large enough toproduce fruit for your family, both fresh and processed. An orchard requiresspaceand,aswithgrowinganyfoods,work.Anysizeoforchardrequiresyearlywork. A poorly maintained orchard is not only unproductive, but it can alsobecome an eyesore. Fruit trees must be spaced properly to produce, so theorchardsizewillneed tomatchyour space.Fruit treesareavailable in severalsizes: standard, semidwarf, dwarf, and even miniature. Each matures to adifferentsize.

Youcangrowfruitsinyourownhomeorchard,eatingfreshandcanningorpreservingtheexcess,suchasthispeachjam.

Ahomeorchardtakesworkbutitnotonlyaddstoyourstockofhomegrownfoodbutthebeautyofyourbackyardaswell.

The crowns or tops of standard trees mature to around twenty feet indiameter. Semidwarfs grow to around fifteen feet, dwarfs to ten feet, andminiaturestosixfeetindiameter.Standardtreescangrowwellovertwenty-fivefeettall.Semidwarfstypicallygrowfifteentoseventeenfeet,anddwarfsseventotenfeettall.Spacingbetweenthetreesisneededtoassuregoodsunlightandair circulation. Just because the trees are smaller doesn’t mean they aren’tproductive.Semidwarfanddwarftreescanproduceplentyoffruitsforthehomeorchard.Theyalsoproducequickerthanstandard-sizetrees,althoughtheydon’tliveaslong.Keepinmindthatmanytreesrequireasecondvarietyplantedcloseathandasapollinator.Nuttreestypicallyareonlystandardsize.Theytakeupalotofspace,andittakesagoodnumberofyearsforthemtoproduce.Youmightconsider carefully before using limited orchard space for nut trees. The chartshows the time, estimated yield of the different trees, as well as time fromplantingtoharvest.

Ahome-orchardshouldbecarefullyplannedandspacedforproductivityandtoincreasethevalueofyourproperty.

Species time from planting to harvest, life in years, and estimated annualyieldarelistedbelow:

Apple

Standard:4to6years,35to45,10to15bu.pertreeSemidwarf:3to5,20to30,6to10bu.pertreeDwarf:2to4,15to20,3to6bu.pertree

Somefruitsareeasiertogrowthanothersincertainlocales.Forinstanceapricotsarehardtogrowincertainareas.

Awiderangeoffruitscanbehomegrownincludingapples.

Pear

Standard:5to8years,35to40,10to15bu.pertreeSemidwarf:3to5,20to30,5to10bu.pertree

Peach

Standard:2to4years,15to20,3to8bu.pertreeSemidwarf:1to2,10to15,1to3bu.pertreePlum4to6years15to203.5bu.pertreePiecherry3to5years,15to20,2to3bu.pertree

Awide range of fruit varieties are available both bymail order and fromlocal nurseries. It’s important to pick varieties that will dowell in your area.Some fruit trees arequite specific in theirneedsandmaynotproduce inyourarea.Checknurserycatalogsforzoneandclimaterequirements.It’salsoagoodideatocheckwithyourlocalcooperativeextensionofficeastothebestvarietiesforyourarea.

Peaches

Pears

Plums

LocationPicking the correct location for your orchard or individual fruit trees isextremelyimportant.Anorchardshouldhaveplentyofsunandawell-drained,fertilesoil.You’llneedatleastsixtoeighthoursofsunlight.Higherelevationsare alsobetter than lower, as lower elevations tend tohave later spring frosts,whichcandestroyblossoms.Aneastorsouth-facing,gentlyslopinghillside isthebestchoice.Soilscanbeamendedsomewhatandfertilizerapplied togrowyourtrees,butsoilswithverypoordrainageorofheavyclayshouldbeavoided.

Careful planning is extremely important. Once planted, fruit trees are apermanent fixture,as I learned thehardwayseveralyearsagoafterplantinga

fruit treewherewe later needed toplace adriveway. In addition toproducingfruit, the tree can also be a landscaping feature or nightmare. Determine thelocationofyourtreeortreesandtrytoimagineitasafull-growntree.Lookatthe surroundings. Are there sidewalks nearby, overhead lines, possibly buriedcables,sewerlines,orwaterpipes?Willitobstructyourvisionofareasyouwantto see? Plant at least ten to twelve feet away from patios and sewer andwaterlines.Therootstendtogrowtowaterandcancauseseriousproblems.Alsocheck for shade trees, buildings, or other objects that might shade your newtrees. Inmany instances, once you discover the pleasure and advantages of ahomeorchard,youmaywishtoexpand,soplanforfuturetreesaswell.Makeupan orchard plan on grid paper. Measure the area and mark the location ofimportantfeatures,buildings,patios,utilities,andsoforth.Thendrawcirclesofthecorrectsizeofmaturetreesinpossiblelocations.Withtheplaninhand,usestakestomarkoutlocationsofthetrees.Tomakesureyouplantthetreesintheexact locations of the stakes, use a planting board. Position the boardwith itsnotch in the tree locationstake.Thendrivestakesat thenotches ineitherend.Theoutsidestakesmarktheoutsideedgesoftheplantinghole.

PlantingFruittreescanbeplantedeitherspringorfall.Bothtimeshaveadvantages.Falltreesdon’t have to fight theweeds, insects, andpossible summerdrought, buttheytypicallydon’treallymakeanygrowthuntilthefollowingspring.Springistheusualplantingtime.Regardless,ifpossible,plantyournewtreesassoonasyoupurchaseorreceivethem.Thiswillhelptherootsgetofftoahealthystart.Ilike to havemy planting holes dug, everything on hand, and be ready formynew trees. If you can’t plant immediately, the trees can be stored for a shortperiod.Openthepackageandwrapthetreeroots indampnewspaperandthenrewraptherootsandnewspapercoveringbackinthepackingplastic.Storethedampened roots in a cool place such as a basement. Dampen the roots againeverycoupleofdays.Ifyoumustkeepthetreeslonger,theycanbe“heeledin”inashallowtrenchinyourgarden.Again,keeptherootswatered.

Fruittreesmustbeplantedproperly.

Soak the roots for twelve to twenty-four hours before planting. Keep therootswetwithdampnewspaperswhileplanting toprotect fromsunandwind.Themost important factor inplanting,however, is thehole.Theholemustbelargeenoughsotherootsarenotcrowdedanddeepenoughtobeabletosettheplant one-inch deeper than the nursery soil line. In many instances, youmayneedtoamendthesoil,addingcompostor,inthecaseofheavyclaysoil,aboutathirdpeat.Mixwellwiththeplantingsoil.Inheavyclaysoil,digtheholeaboutdouble the recommended size.Use theplantingboard and stakes todeterminethe size of the hole. Fill the hole about one-third with well-pulverized oramended soil. Set the tree in place,making sure the nursery-soil line is at theright height. Spread out the roots. Use the notched board across the hole todeterminethecorrectheight.Notethatgraftedtreesrequireasomewhatdifferentmethod, leaving the bud union aboveground. Follow planting instructions thatcamewithyourtree.Addsoiltofilltheholetoaboutthree-fourthsfullandtampthesoilfirmlyaroundtheroots.Pourinabucketofwaterandallowittosoakin.Somenurseriessellspecialtime-releasetreefertilizertobeappliedatthistime.Nootherfertilizers,however,shouldbeapplied.Afterthewaterhassoakedin,filltheholewiththeremainderofthesoil,leavingaslightdepressionaroundthetree trunk.Thisallowswater tostandandsoakinaroundthe treeanddowntotheroots.Inthefall,fillinthisindentationtopreventwaterfromcollectingandfreezing around the trunk and roots. Spread mulch around the tree to helpconservemoistureandkeepdownweeds.

Insomecases,nurserystock,suchasfruittrees,arepreprunedforplanting.In other instances, pruning may be needed at planting time. Follow theinstructionswith your tree for specific pruning details at planting time.Makesure to soak the soil frequently and thoroughly throughout the first growing

season.Notethatsomedormantorbare-rootstockmaytakequiteabitoftimetogetstarted.Bepatient.Ifyou’reindoubt,scratchatinyareaofbarkwithyourfingernail.Ifthetreeisgreenunderneath,it’salive.

Staking can help young trees get off to a good start and prevent winddamage.Inourpartofthecountry,deerandrabbitsareaseriousproblem.Deereattheyoungleaves,andbucksruboffthebark.Rabbitsnibblethebarkoffthetrunk.Wrapping the trunk with heavy paper is onemethod of preventing thetrunkproblems.Specialtree-trunkguardsarealsoavailable.Mytacticistostakethe tree, addmulch, anduse a cage,much like a tomatocagearound the tree.Thecageisalsostakedinplacetopreventbeingblownorpushedover.Youmaywishtopaintthelowertrunkandcrotchwithagood-qualitywater-solublewhitepaint. This reduces the problems of winter injury from the heat of the sun,creatingbarksplittingandotherdamage.Thepaintcanbeindoororoutdoorandshouldbethinnedhalfwithwater.Donotuseoil-basedpaints,astheycankillthetree.

Maintenance

nbsp;Tobeproductive,thehomeorchardrequiresyearlymaintenanceincludingregularfeedingandwatering.

Asyoucanimagine,fruittreesaresusceptibletolotsofpest,includingbugsandcritters.

Fruittreesrequirequiteabitofmaintenanceinordertobeproductive.Thisincludes regular watering, some fertilizing, and most importantly, properpruning.Youwillneedatleastaninchofwatereverytendaystotwoweeks.Intimesofdrought,make sure tokeepyour treewellwatered.Onemethod is touseagardenhosesettolightlytrickle.Ifyouhaveseveraltrees,asoakerhoseisa good idea. I’ve reworked sections of soaker and solid garden hose fromoldhosestocreatehosespacingformytreesandeasywatering,amustinourhot,dry Ozark summers. Don’t overwater. Frequently drowning the roots is adefiniteno-no.Keeptheareaaroundthetreeswellmulchedtoprotecttheroots,controlweeds, and keepmoisture in place.Use leaves, straw, orwood chips.Beforewinter,rakethemulchbackawayfromthetrunksomicewon’tnestnearthetrunk.

Fruit trees require fertilization but, in most instances, in specific anddiffering amounts. You can use general-purpose fertilizers or special orchardfertilizers. Again, follow instructions for your particular variety of tree as totypesoffertilizer,amount,andtiming.

PestsAsyoucanimagine,justabouteverythingthatwalks,flies,orcrawlslovesfruittreesandthefruits.Therearenumerouswaystohandletheproblems,includingmechanical, with organic, or chemical means. We use as much mechanical

meansaspossible.Squirrelsareamajorproblemwithapricots.Theydon’teatthefruits,butchewthroughthefruitstogettheseeds,whichtastelikealmonds.We tried any number of means of fighting these pests and finally solved theproblemwith aluminum tree guards placed around the trunk of the trees. Thesamemethodkepttheraccoonsoutofthepeartrees,afteryearsoffightingthatproblem as well. Birds can really be a problem, especially with cherries andapricots,butgardennetsstretchedoverthetreescansolvethatproblem.

Themostimportantpruningstepsinvolvecuttingawaydeadanddiseasedbranches,aswellaskeepingthecenterofthetreeopen.

Keepyourorchardclean.Pickoffallmummifiedfruitsanddestroythemimmediately.

Acleanorchardisthefirststepinfightingdiseaseandinsects.Makesuretokeepthetreesprunedproperly,cuttingawaydead,diseased,anddamagedlimbs.Burn the discards to prevent spreading diseases. Remove and burn any“mummified” fruitson the treesor any thatmayhavedroppedon theground.Mowandrakethegroundaroundthetreestoremoveanydebris.

Forthemostpartit’simportanttousesomesortofprotectionfrompestsanddiseasesonyourorchardtrees.

Most orchards, especially commercial orchards, rely heavily on pesticidesprays,andifyouwantperfectandbountifulfruit,it’srequired.Wetendtouseavariety of pest-control methods. Our apple orchard consists of about twentytrees,andtheonlychemicalusedonitisadormant-oilsprayinlatespring/earlysummer.

No, the apples are not perfect; they have splotches, black spots, and someinsectdamage.But theorchardproduces abountyofdelicious apples, andwedon’tmindthe“ugly”apples.Wealsodon’tsprayourpears.Ontheotherhand,weusesomespraysonourpeaches,althoughorganicmethodsareavailable.

Spraying pesticides should not be taken lightly. You can cause seriousdamagetoyourself,evenbekilledifyoudon’tfollowallsafetyprecautions.Asafarmer,I’vehadtobecertifiedtousecertainchemicals,althoughIrarelyandprefernottousethem.Theclassisaday-longaffairandseriousbusinessandis

requiredbeforepurchasingsomechemicals.

SafetyRulesReadthelabelbeforeopeningthecontainer.Noteallwarnings,precautions,

and antidotes. If the label suggests a respirator, goggles, rubber gloves, andclothing, you’re better off leaving it alone.Most orchard sprays, however, arenotthattoxicbutmuststillbecarefullyused.

Measure accurately.Mix all ingredients on a solid level surface topreventspilling. Ifyougetconcentrateonyourhandsorbody,wash immediatelywithsoapandwater.Ifyouspillitonyourclothing,changeclothesandimmediatelylaundertheclothing.

Makesuretofollowallsafetyruleswhensprayingchemicals.

Do not smoke or eat while mixing or spraying, or if your hands are

contaminated.Washhandsimmediatelyafterusingchemicals.Coverbirdbaths,dogdishes,andfishpools.Don’tleavepoolsofchemicals

dogsorcatsmaybeattractedto.Don’t spray when temperatures or winds are high. Spray in the early

morningandlateafternoon.Avoiddriftandbyallmeansdonot letspraydriftontoyou.

Don’tstoreleftoverdilutedspray.Sprayleftinthesprayershouldbepouredinto a pit and covered over. Properly discard empty pesticide containersaccordingtotheinstructionsonthelabel.

Storepesticides in their original containers only.They shouldbekept in alockedcabinetawayfromchildrenandpets.

Usethepropersprayingequipmentandmakesureitisworkingcorrectly.Forcorrectspraying,afruit-treescheduleshouldbefollowed.Therearefour

basic stages of fruit-tree spray: dormant, prebloom, bloom, and petal fall. Thetimingof applicationsdependson the treevarietyand thechemicalused.Andthisisfairlydetailed.Chartsdetailingthetypeofsprayandtimingforeachtypeof fruit areavailableatyour local cooperativeextensionoffice, fromchemicalcompanies,oronline.

Properpruningisalsoimportantforcontinuedproductivity.

PruningProper pruning is also extremely important for good fruit production.

Pruning can be somewhat complicated to understand at first, andmany bookshavebeenwrittenonhowtoprune.Asageneralrule,thetreesshouldbeprunedearlyeachspring,duringthedormantseason.Pruneawayanycrossinglimbsordead anddiseasedbranches.Proper pruning allowsmore sunlight to reach theinsidebranchesofthetree.

Each typeof tree,however,mustbeprunedproperly inorder to train it togrowandbeproductive.Itisimportanttostarttrainingearly,ifnotatplantingtime, thenearlythefirstspring.Twopruningmethodsareused.Apples,pears,and cherry trees are pruned and trained using the central leader method,consistingofamain,dominantlimbandaconeshapedtree.Peaches,nectarines,and apricot trees are pruned and trained in a vase shape. In both instances,pruning is done over a period of time, starting the first year and through thesecondorthirdyear.Afterthat,allpruningisformaintenance.

Treesshouldbeprunedduringthedormantseason.

Differenttreetypesrequiredifferentpruningmethodstotrainthetreesproperly.Aboveisaphotoshowingthetrainingofpeaches,apricots,andnectarines.

Cone-ShapedCentralLeader

Belowshowstrainingapple,pear,plum,andcherrytrees.

Startingwith a four-foot sapling in the first year, locate the lower scaffoldbranches,which should be located one and a half to two feet off the ground.Prune out all but five of these branches spaced evenly around the trunk. Thiscreates the first scaffold level. Up about one and a half feet above the lowerscaffold, prune off all but three more branches, again spaced as evenly aspossiblearoundthetrunk.Prunebackthecentralleadertocreateaconewiththetwo levels of scaffolds. This pruning cut releases growth hormones to thescaffoldbranches.

Forthesecond-yearpruning,prunebackeachscaffoldbranchasaseparatetree,orconeshape,makingtheoriginalscaffoldbranchthecentralleaderofthispruning.

Fruittreesalsorequireyearlypruningtokeeptheirshape.Belowisapyramid-shapedtree.

By the thirdyear, the tree shouldhavebeen trained to its basic shape.Allpruningafter thispoint is corrective.Removealldeadandbrokenbranchesaswellasthosethataretoolow,growstraightup,orthosethatcrossoverscaffoldbranches. Prune away any branches that might block light from the fruitinglimbs.Applesformontheinsideofthetree.

Vase-ShapedTreeDuring the first year choose scaffold branches to formwide angleswith thetrunkor central leader.The scaffoldbranches shouldbe about eighteen inchesoff the ground, but not over thirty-six inches. Trim back the central leader toaboutaone-fourth.

Inthesecondyear,eliminatethecentralleadercompletely,therebycreatingthevase-shapedtree.

Belowisthepruningforvase-shapedtrees.

After that, prune the tree regularly. Prune away dead, broken branches orthose thathaveonlysingle-leafbudsandaremostlynonfruiting.Fruitingbudshaveanouterpairofbudtriplets.Keepthemiddleofthetreethinnedsoitcangetsunlight.Usuallyafterthesecondyear,onlylightpruningisneededforthesetrees.Oneofthebiggestproblemsisthefruitingwoodgrowsfartheroutonthebranch ends. This creates overlong branches that can break when laden withfruit.Keepthesebranchesprunedbackyearly.

GeneralPruningTipsAlwaysprunebacktojustinfrontofthebudsaimedinthedirectionyouwantthe limb togrow. Inmost instances, theseare thebuds facingoutward,asyouwantthebranchestogrowoutwardratherthaninward.

Metalcollarscanbeusedtokeepclimbingcrittersawayfromthefruit.

Inseasonswithheavyproductionsyoumayhavetobraceupthetree’slimbs.

Make your pruning clean using a sharp pruning tool. The cuts should beclosetothebudsothereisnolongstubthatwon’thealoverproperly.Butdon’tprunetooclosetodamagethebud.

Prune to createwide crotches; narrowcrotcheswill eventually split.Manyexpertssaytoprunenocloserthanattenandtwoo’clockangles.

In some instances, you may need to use spreaders on trees to train thebranchesintomorehorizontalshapes.

Indexanise.Seeunderherbsbalm.Seeunderherbsbasil.Seeunderherbsbeans,

22,26,41,45,58,67,70.Seealsolegumesharvest,71

pestsof,71requirementforgrowing,70types,68–70

beetgrowingtips,72harvest,73pestsof,71requirementsforgrowing,72storage,73

borage.Seeunderherbsbroccoli,13–14,25–26,41–42,49,63growingtips,74harvest,74pestsof,74requirementsforgrowing,74storage,74

Brusselssproutsgrowingtips,75harvest,75pestsof,75requirementsforgrowing,75storage,75types,75

cabbage,13,14,25,26,41,49,57,63growingtips,76harvest,76pestsof,76

requirementsforgrowing,76storage,76types,75–76

caraway.Seeunderherbscarrots,25–26,41,122growingtips,78–79harvest,79pestsof,79requirementsforgrowing,78storage,79types,78

catnip.Seeunderherbscauliflower,25,49,73growingtips,77harvest,78pestsof,77requirementsforgrowing,77storage,78types,76–77

chemical fertilizer, 24–25. See also under fertilizer chives. See under herbscilantro.Seeunderherbscollards,

growingtips,81harvest,81pestsof,81requirementsforgrowing,81storage,81types,81

coldframe,123–124compost,19

making,19–20composting,19–21containergardening,33–35

boxcontainers,34plasticpots,34strawberrybarrel,36

clover,22.Seealsolegumescoriander.Seeunderherbscorn,12–15,17,22,26,31,42,47–48,57–58,81

growingtips,83–84harvest,84pestof,84requirementsforgrowing,82–84storage,84

types,82cucumber,13–14,25–26,41–45

growingtips,85harvest,85pestof,85requirementsforgrowing,85storage,86types,85

decomposing,19,21dill.Seeunderherbsdirectseeding,122eggplant,25,27

growingtips,86harvest,86pestof,86requirementsforgrowing,86storage,86types,86

English broad beans, 69. See also bush fava under beans epazote. See underherbsfennel.Seeunderherbsfertilizer,21,22

applying,26–27chemical,22,25liquid,24,27,26,85manuretea,24–25,59organic,23–25,72differenttypes,23–24

fishemulsion,27garlic,86

growingtips,87harvest,87pestof,87requirementsforgrowing,87storage,87types,87

growingyourownfoodelementsneededmagnesium,21phosphorous,21potassium,22nitrogen,22

perennialfoods,127–133

planningfor,9–15location,9–10

reasonsfor,4–7understandingsoil,18insmallplaces,33herbs,135–141

anise,136balm,136basil,136borage,136catnip,136caraway,136chives,137cilantro,137coriander,138dill,138epazote,138fennel,138horehound,138lavender,138marjoram,sweet,138oregano,138rosemary,139sage,139spearmint,139summersavory,140thyme,140

homeorchardcone-shapedcentral,170–171location,164–165maintenance,166pests,167planning,161–163planting,165–166pruning,170,172safetyrules,168–169vase-shapedtree,171–172

horehound.Seeunderherbshotbed,123–125humus,18,19

kale,26growingtips,88harvest,88pestof,88requirementsforgrowing,88storage,88types,87

kohlrabigrowingtips,89harvest,89pestof,89requirementsforgrowing,89storage,89types,88

lavender.Seeunderherbsleeksgrowingtips,91harvest,92pestsof,92requirementsforgrowing,91storage,92types,91

legumes,22lettuce,13–15,26,36,41–42,48–49–49,53,57,89,122–124

growingtips,90harvest,90pestsof,90requirementsforgrowing,90storage,91types,89–90

limestone,28liming,28liquid fertilizer,24,27,36,85.Seealso liquidunder fertilizermanure tea,59.Seealsounderfertilizerhowtomake,24–25marjoram,sweet.Seeunderherbsmelon,14,26,41,61

growingtips,92–93harvest,93pestsof,93requirementsforgrowing,92storage,93

types,92mulch,135okra

growingtips,94harvest,94pestsof,94requirementsforgrowing,94storage,94types,93

oniongrowingtips,96–97harvest,97pestsof,97requirementsforgrowing,96storage,97types,94–95

organicfertilizer.Seefertilizeroregano.Seeunderherbspeasgrowingtips,98–99harvest,99pestsof,99requirementsforgrowing,98storage,99types,97–98

pepper,99growingtips,100harvest,100–101pestsof,100requirementsforgrowing,100storage,99types,100

perennialfoods.Seealsoundergrowingyourownfoodartichokes,127–128asparagus,128–129ginger,133horseradish,132–133rhubarb,130

potato,12–14,26,41growingtips,102–104harvest,104pestsof,104

requirementsforgrowing,102storage,104types,101

pumpkin,25,growingtips,105harvest,105pestsof,105requirementsforgrowing,105storage,105types,105

radish,123growingtips,106harvest,106pestsof,106requirementsforgrowing,106storage,106types,106

rosemary.Seeunderherbsraisedbed,36–40ryegrass,19rockphosphate,21sage.Seeunderherbssmallfruits,143–158

blueberries,149–153brambles,153grapes,156–158raspberry,155–156strawberry,36,143–146

spearmint.Seeunderherbsspinach,13–15,25–26,41–42,48,49,106,121–122growingtips,107–108harvest,108pestsof,108requirementsforgrowing,107storage,108types,107

squash,13–14,26,41–42growingtips,109harvest,109pestsof,109requirementsforgrowing,109storage,109

types,108summersavory.Seeunderherbssweetpotato,25–26,109–110

growingtips,110–112harvest,112pestsof,112requirementsforgrowing,110storage,112types,110

Swisschard,25growingtips,80harvest,80pestsof,80requirementsforgrowing,80storage,80types,80

thyme.Seeunderherbstilling,5,31,62,tomato,12–14,17,23,25–27,42–44,47–50,57

growingtips,114harvest,116pestsof,116requirementsforgrowing,113–116storage,116types,112–113

turnip,25–26,48,87growingtips,117harvest,117pestsof,117requirementsforgrowing,116–117storage,117types,116

vegetables,23,26,28,42crittercontrol,63–65directseeding,57–58diseasesandpests,62–63feeding,61fencing,65hardeningoff,56mulching,60–61selectingseedsandplantsof,47–49

sowing,49–56thinningandwedding,60transplanting,56watering,58–59

verticalgardening,42–45watermelon,13–14,25,41

growingtips,118–119harvest,119pestsof,119requirementsforgrowing,118storage,119types,117–118woodash,28,76