PREPARING YOUR GARDEN FOR THE WINTER

The better the clean-up job you do in fall, the easier
it will be to start in on the new growing season in
spring. You may be tempted to skip some of these
last-minute chores, but they're really worth doing
because they can make a big difference to the
success of next year's garden. True, they could be put
off until spring, but come spring you'll have so
much to do in the garden that it'll be a big relief to have
some of the work out of the way ahead of time.
• It's a good idea to plant what farmers call a green
manure or cover crop in the fall as part of your
preparation for the following year. This is a crop
that you don't intend to harvest. It's there simply to
provide protection for the soil underneath, and
when you're preparing for your spring planting you
dig the whole crop into the soil. A cover crop will
keep your precious topsoil from blowing or
washing away, and tilling it into the soil in spring
will provide valuable organic matter to enrich the
texture of the soil. It's not necessary to plant the
whole cover crop at one time to cover the entire
garden; you can plant in each area of the garden
as you harvest. Some of the best green manure or
cover crops are rye, clover, oats, soybeans, and
vetch. Scatter the seeds over the area you want to
plant—if it's a large area a hand spreader will do
the job comfortably.
• As an alternative to planting a cover crop, you can
prepare the soil ahead of time. Tilling your soil in the
fall can save you a lot of time and help you get an
earlier start in the spring, because the soil is often
too wet in early spring to let you use a spade or a
rototiller. If you do till your soil in the fall, make sure
to cover the soil with mulch to keep it from
blowing or washing away.
• If you're growing perennial crops in a cold climate,
fall is the time to protect them against winter
temperatures. Apply a mulch over the whole
plant when the soil first freezes, but not before
then; if you mulch when the soil is still warm,
you'll encourage root rot problems. Remember to
remove this mulch as soon as the soil starts to
thaw out in the spring. The best materials to use for
this mulch are organic materials that will let the
plants breathe; straw, hay, leaves, and compost are
all suitable. Crops you may need to mulch for
winter protection include: artichokes (in some
areas); chayotes; rhubarb; and such herbs as
chives, garlic, marjoram, mints, oregano, rosemary,
sage, tarragon, and thyme.
When you're through with these final tasks, you
have done the best you can to prepare your garden for
winter. It's time to sit back and relax—and if you
miss the time in your garden, you can beguile your
winter hours by reading seed catalogs and planning
the garden you're going to plant come spring.
One of the most challenging—and sometimes
frustrating — aspects of being a gardener is all
the natural forces you have to combat. Even in the
unlikely event that you have perfect soil and a
marvelous climate, you're still not home and dry;
all sorts of pests are In competition with you for your
crop. The pest problems you're likely to encounter
in your vegetable garden fall Into two categories:
insects and the like, of which there are a remarkable
variety; and animals, usually the four-legged kind but
occasionally two-legged intruders as well.
Most gardeners have to contend with insect
problems at some time during the growing season,
but the problems are not always obvious. It can
come as quite a surprise, just when it looks as though
all your hard work is paying off and your plants are
progressing healthily towards a fine harvest, to find
that the pests are at work. You may notice one
morning that a couple of healthy young plants have
keeled over and died — a pretty sure indication that
you've got cutworms working away beneath the soil
level. Or you may see tiny holes in the leaves of your
eggplant, signaling the activity of the flea beetle.
Your plants are subject to diseases, too, and you
know you're in trouble when the leaves turn'yellow, or
the plants seem stunted and weak, or mildew starts
to show up on leaves and stems. Plant diseases spread
rapidly and must be curbed as soon as they appear,
but this isn't always easy. There are certain measures
you can take to forestall disease problems — like
planting varieties that have been bred to be disease-
resistant, and rotating some crops when it's
possible to do so. Beyond that, once a disease attacks
a plant, about all you can do is remove the infected
plant — among horticulturalists this process is called
"culling" — to stop the disease from spreading to
neighboring healthy plants. On the whole, pest
problems are easier to control than problems
caused by plant diseases.
CONTROLLING INSECT PESTS
To many people anything In the garden that crawls
or flies and is smaller than a chipmunk or a sparrow
can be classified as an insect. In fact, a lot of the
creatures that may bug your vegetable plants are not
insects at all — mites, slugs, snails, nematodes,
sowbugs, and symphylans among them. Another
popular misconception is that insects and similar
creatures are harmful or unnecessary and have no
place in the garden. Again, it isn't true. While some
insects are destructive, many are perfectly harmless. A
lot of them are actually important to the healthy
development of your garden crop, some because they
perform a specific service by keeping down other
pests that do harm your crop, and some because
they pollinate the plants. When you set out to control
harmful pests, it's important to realize that
indiscriminate controls may destroy the good as
well as the bad; the useful creatures as well as the
harmful ones.
Controlling the insect pests that attack your
vegetable garden can be a challenge; the method you
choose for controlling them can also be
controversial. Many gardeners rely on chemical
insecticides to do away with the enemy that's
competing for the crop. Some people, however,
object to the use of chemicals because they believe
that the chemicals may remain on the plant and harm
the person who eats it or that they may harm the
environment. These gardeners prefer to rely on
organic, or nonchemical, means of control. There
may also be times when it's better not to use a
chemical control even if you have no personal
objection to it — if you catch a caterpillar attack in the
early stages, for example, it can be easier to pick off
the offenders by hand than to mix up a whole batch of
insecticide. This chapter discusses the most
effective means of control — both chemical and
organic — for the pest problems you're most likely
to encounter.
CHEMICAL CONTROLS: INSECTICIDES
The surest way to control most of the insects and
similar creatures that threaten your vegetable crop is
by using a chemical insecticide. A word here about
terminology: In horticultural language the terms
"pesticide" and "insecticide" are not
interchangeable. A pesticide is any form of chemical
control used in the garden; an insecticide is a
specific type of pesticide used to control a specific
situation — to kill insects. A herbicide is a different
kind of pesticide with a different application — it's
used to help control garden weeds. These
distinctions are important, because using the wrong
one will cause havoc in your garden. For instance, if
you use a herbicide instead of an insecticide you'll
lose your entire crop for the season. It's also
important to keep separate equipment for use with
each kind of pesticide.
Insecticides are chemical products that are
sprayed or dusted on the affected crops. The type you
spray on is bought in concentrated form, then
diluted for use with a hand sprayer or a spray
attachment fitted to the end of your garden hose.
Dust-on insecticides are powders that you pump on to
the plants. Spraying is preferable because it gives
more thorough coverage, and it's easier to treat the
undersides as well as the tops of leaves and plants
with a spray. You can also apply insecticides directly to
the soil to kill insects under the soil surface — this
technique is known as applying a "soil drench."
Used correctly and responsibly, insecticides are
not harmful to humans or other animals. They are
toxic, but the toxicity levels are low, and their
residual or carryover effect is short — the longest any
of the insecticides commonly used in the home
garden will remain on the plant is about 14 days.
Malathion, for instance, has the same toxicity level
as Scotch whiskey and breaks down faster. As to any
long-lasting hazards that may be involved —
nobody knows if hazards exist or what they might be;
we don't know what the long-lasting hazards of any
product might be. The choice of an organic or a
synthetic pesticide is a matter of personal opinion.
If you know all the options you'll be able to make your
own choice.
Commonly used insecticides
The insecticides listed below for use in your home
vegetable garden will provide effective control of
garden insects with minimum hazard. Remember,
though, that most insecticides are poisons and must
be handled as such.
Diazinon. This is an organic phosphate, and it's an
effective insecticide for general use. Diazinon is a
contact poison. Its toxicity is low, and it's a good
control for underground insects that attack the roots
of cabbage family plants, onions, and radishes. You
can get it as a wettable powder or in liquid form.
Malathion. This is also a phosphate insecticide; it
kills sucking insects like aphids. Its effects are not as
long-lasting as those of some other insecticides,
but it's effective and safe in use. It's available as a dust,
a wettable powder, or a liquid.
Sevin. This is also known as carbaryl and is
another safe material for use in home gardens. It's an
effective control for many leaf-eating caterpillars
and leafhoppers, and is available as a wettable
powder or a dust.
Bacillus thuringiensis. This is an organic
insecticide. It's a bacterium that is considered
harmless to all but insects, and you can buy it under
the brand names of Dipel, Thuricide, or Bactur. It
controls cabbage worms and other caterpillars and
is available in wettable powder or liquid forms. This is
the choice of many gardeners who prefer not to use
chemical insecticides.
Cause and cure: Be sure you've got them right
Because an insecticide can't distinguish between
friend and foe, it's your responsibility to make sure
you're eliminating the pest, not the friendly insect
that's out there working for you. Let's say, for
instance, that aphids are attacking your cabbage
plants, and you use carbaryl (Sevin) to try to get rid of
them because you know carbaryl is a relatively safe
insecticide with a short residual effect. You've
overlooked the fact that carbaryl has to enter the
insect's stomach in order to kill it, and since the
aphid's mouth is inside the cabbage plant, none of
the insecticide is going to enter the insect through the
mouth and reach its stomach. Ladybugs, however,
love aphids and are most helpful in keeping down
their numbers. So when the ladybug eats the aphid,
the carbaryl on the aphid's body enters the ladybug's
stomach and kills it. Despite the best intentions in
the world, you've killed off the useful insect and left
the pest unharmed. In fact you've done the pest a
favor by killing off its enemy — a ladybug can put
away hundreds of aphids in a day.
Carbaryl can also be toxic to bees, and bees are
important to your garden because they pollinate most
fruiting vegetable crops. To avoid killing the bees,
spray in the late evening when the flowers are closed.
This way you kill the destructive pests but protect
the bees.
If you use an insecticide you must always be
aware also of how long its residual effect is going to
last. A residue of insecticide left on the plant when
it's harvested is poisonous. The residual effect of an
insecticide that you use in your vegetable garden is
likely to be fairly short, but the effect may vary from
one type of crop to another. And because the effect
is not long-lasting, you can't spray as a preventive
measure; you have no way of knowing which pests .
are going to attack your plants before they're actually
on the scene.
How to use an insecticide
Because research is constantly being done to
determine the safety of insecticides and improve their
effectiveness, it's difficult to give long-term
recommendations about their use. Basic rules,
however, always apply: Read the directions and
precautions on the label and follow them
meticulously, and never make the solution
stronger than the label says because you think it'll
work better that way. If the product would be more
effective in a stronger solution the label would say so.
You need to use common sense when working
with an insecticide. If there are just a few, visible
insects on your plants, it may be a lot easier to
remove them by hand than to go through the full
routine of applying a chemical remedy. Also,
weather conditions limit when you can use a product
that has to be sprayed or dusted on the plants —
you can't do it on a windy day because you can't
control the direction of the application. The wind
can take your insecticide over into your neighbor's
garden; so you'll both fail to correct your own pest
problem, and you'll make your neighbor mad. As the
one who's using the pesticide, you are responsible
for it.
You'll also defeat your own purpose by using an
insecticide if rain is expected within 12 to 24 hours.
The insecticide must dry on the plant in order to be
effective. Whether you use a spray or a dust, make
sure that you reach all parts of the plants—you're
aiming for a light covering on both the tops and the
undersides of all the leaves. Don't give the pests a
place to hide; proper coverage is essential if the
insecticide is to do its job.
The products we suggest are commonly used in
the home vegetable garden as we write this. But
before you go out to buy one, check with your local
Cooperative Extension Service to make sure that these
recommendations are still current.
If you do decide to use a pesticide to control
insects in your vegetable garden, here are some
important points to remember:
• Read the whole label; observe all the precautions
and follow all the directions exactly.
• Check the time period that must elapse between
application of the insecticide and harvesting the
plant, and observe it strictly. Note all restrictions
carefully — often products must be applied at a
certain stage in the plant's development.
• Wear rubber gloves while handling insecticide
concentrates; don't smoke while you're handling
them, and take care not to breathe the spray or
dust.
• Sprays usually have to be mixed before each use.
Follow the directions, and use only the exact
proportions indicated on the label. If it's not used
exactly as indicated, an insecticide may be harmful
to people, animals, or plants.
• Use equipment that you keep specifically for use
with insecticides. Don't use equipment that has
been used for herbicides.
• Do not apply an insecticide near fish ponds, dug
wells, or cisterns; do not leave puddles of pesticides
on solid surfaces.
• Use a spray or dust-type insecticide only when the
air is still. Wind will carry the product away from
your garden and, possibly, be a nuisance to
someone else. Don't spray or dust within 12 to 24
hours of an expected rain — the insecticide must
dry on the plants to be effective; rain will wash it off.
• After using an insecticide, wash your clothes and
all exposed parts of the body thoroughly with soap
and water.
• Store unused material (undiluted) in its original
container out of the reach of children, irresponsible
adults, or animals — preferably in a locked
cabinet or storage area.
• Dispose of the empty container carefully. Do not
leave it where children or animals can get to it or
where it might be recycled for another use.
• Wash all treated vegetables carefully before
eating them.

























NONCHEMICAL CONTROLS;
ORGANIC ALTERNATIVES
It's not always necessary to use a chemical
insecticide in your vegetable garden even if you have
no particular personal objection to its use. In some
cases organic controls can give acceptable results if
you don't mind putting in a little more labor for a
little less reward at harvesting time. And if you're an
organic gardener, there are a few things you should
know about helping your vegetables survive attacks
by pests.
Planting problem-free vegetables
First of all, you can take the simple precaution of
planting only varieties that are not susceptible to
major pest problems. There are a lot of vegetables
that pests usually don't attack, or don't attack in large
enough numbers to cause you any real grief or
require the use of nonorganic methods of control.
All these are fairly problem-free vegetables:
artichokes, asparagus, beets, carrots, celeriac,
celery, chard, chicory, cucumbers, dandelion,
horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, okra,
onions, parsnips, peas, radishes, rhubarb, salsify,
soybeans, spinach, turnips, and almost all the herbs.
Some vegetables are almost always attacked by
caterpillars that can be controlled by Bacillus
thuringiensis, an organic product that is harmless
to humans and animals. These include all the cabbage
family plants — broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, and kohlrabi. The
other insects that commonly attack the cabbage
family plants can also usually be controlled by natural
and physical methods.
Some vegetables are almost always attacked by
large numbers of insects that cannot be controlled by
natural or physical methods. This is not to say that
you can't grow these crops without using pesticides;
you can, but usually your yield will be low. These
vegetables include most of the beans, Chinese
cabbage, sweet corn, eggplant, lettuce, mustard.
peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, rutabagas, sweet
potatoes, tomatoes, and watermelons.
Squash are not included in any of these
categories, because although the squash vine borer —
their main enerpy—cannot be effectively
controlled without using a pesticide, most squash are
prolific enough to give you an acceptable crop even
If you do lose some to bugs.
Physical controls
Sidestepping pest problems by planting vegetables
that are least likely to be seriously threatened by pests
is one practical way to protect your crop. Another is
the physical, do-it-yourself method of removing the
offenders by hand. If you're going to do this, it's
essential to identify pests in the early stages of their
attack. It's not a big deal to pick a couple of dozen
aphids off your broccoli; but when the attack is well
under way and your plant is covered with aphids,
you might as well forget about hand-picking, because
it's not going to work.
If you slip up and let a pest problem get past the
early stages, you can try a good blast of water from the
garden hose to knock the insects off the plant. Try
to do this on a dry day so that the leaves won't stay wet
for too long; wet leaves make the plant more
susceptible to disease and may give you a new
problem to replace the one you've just solved.
Other physical control methods can be effective
with specific pests. These methods are discussed in
detail later in this chapter.
Natural controls
These have to be the original "organic" ways of
controlling pest problems in the garden — you're
simply relying on harmless insects to destroy the
harmful ones. The effectiveness of these natural
methods of control is questionable; in some cases
you're probably just perpetuating old wives' tales. It's
true that insects like ladybugs, lacewing flies,
praying mantises, and aphis lions feed on bugs that are
destructive to your crop and should, therefore, be
protected when you find them in your garden. But it's
also true that they can't offer a complete answer to a
pest problem. If these helpful creatures visit your
garden, welcome and protect them. But don't
expect them to control all the pests that bother your
plants. That's asking too much of them.
It's possible to buy ladybugs, praying mantises,
and the like through the mail from garden supply
companies. However, you're likely to be wasting
your time and money by doing so. All these insects are
winged, and they're all very shy of people. The odds
are they'll wing it away as fast as you put them out,
deserting your vegetable garden for a more
secluded spot. Also, the beneficial Insects that you
import may not consider the specific variety of pest
that you have in your garden to be a particular
delicacy. In this case they'll fly off in search of more
appetizing fare. Either way, they're likely to let you
down as far as solving your pest problem is
concerned.
IDENTIFYING GARDEN PESTS
When you're talking about pest control it's an
advantage to group the types of pest you may
encounter in categories: Some work at night; some
work underground; some chew the plant's leaves;
others bore into the stems. The following is a list of
pests you're most likely to meet in your vegetable
garden, and chemical and nonchemical controls for
each insect.
Underground and nocturnal pests
The pest you can't see can be the hardest to deal
with. The following creatures work underground or at
night, so you don't know they're around until the
damage they do is visible.
Cutworms. These are the fat caterpillars of a
hairless night-flying moth. They spend the day curled
up just under the soil's surface, and they feed at
night; in spring they cut off seedlings and transplants
at ground level. Later in the season they climb up
some vegetable plants and chew large holes in the
fruit. Cutworms can be controlled chemically by
applying carbaryl to the base of the plants at the first
sign of chewing. You can discourage them without
using chemicals by putting a collar around each plant
when you transplant it. Thin cardboard or a
Styrofoam cup with the bottom removed makes an
effective collar. The collar should go down at least an
inch into the soil and should stand away from the
plant 11/2 to three inches on all sides.
Grubs. Grubs are beetles in their immature or
larva stage. They live just below the soil surface and
feed on plant roots. You may suspect they're active
if your plants are growing poorly for no apparent
reason, or if you pull a plant and discover the
damage. Grubs are normally only a problem where a
lawn area has been dug up to make a new garden.
Repeated tilling of the soil over a number of years will
control the problem. To control grubs in the first
year you will need to apply a soil drench of Diazinon.
Root maggots. Maggots are fly larvae. They are
yellowish-white, legless, wormlike creatures (a
quarter to VA inches long) that feast on roots and
stems just under the soil's surface. The best
nonchemical control is prevention. Discourage the
fly from laying eggs near the seedlings by putting
shields of plastic three or four inches square
around each plant. Take care not to cover the paper
with soil when you cultivate. Root maggots attack
beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots,
cauliflower, radishes, spinach, squash, and
turnips. You can control them chemically by
drenching the soil around the plant that's under
attack with Diazinon. Don't spray until you see the
damage; if your plants are growing poorly, and you
can't figure out why, root maggots may be the cause.
Wireworms. Wireworms are slender, hard worms
about an inch long. They eat the seed in the ground
and feed on underground roots and stems. After
doing their damage, which appears as poor-growing,
yellow, wilted plants, they grow up into click
beetles. To control wireworms, apply a soil drench
of Diazinon when the wireworms are present.
Chewing pests
Chewing pests are usually easy to find, especially
when they have put in a good clay's work, and they're
easier to control by nonchemical methods than the
nocturnal and underground pests are. Many of them
can be hand-picked off the plant or knocked off
with a blast from the hose. Almost every chewing
insect that feeds on the outside of the plant can be
controlled chemically by using carbaryl. Check to
make sure that you have identified the guilty party;
apply insecticide when the pest is first discovered,
and repeat the treatment as often as necessary
according to the directions on the label.
Ants. Except for the leaf-cutting varieties found in
the South and West, ants generally do not create much
of a problem for the home gardener. If they do nest
in your garden, they can be controlled physically by
digging up and destroying their nest. They can be
controlled chemically by drenching their nests with
Diazinon.
Beetles. Beetles come in many sizes and shapes.
Some prefer one or two special vegetables; others
chew on whatever looks appetizing at the time.
Some get their names from their favorite delicacy.
Asparagus beetles feed on asparagus; Mexican bean
beetles love beans. Blister beetles feed on beans,
beets,chard, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and squash.
Cucumber beetles (spotted and striped) often attack
melons, pumpkins, squash, and watermelon, as
well as cucumbers. Their eating habits may not cause
much damage, but they carry cucumber bacterial
wilt, which will kill any of these plants when they're
older. Flea beetles will eat almost any garden crop.
They're very small, and it's difficult to spot them, but
you'll know they're there when tiny black dots jump
from the plants when you come near, and when you
notice that the leaves of your vegetable plants are
suddenly full of small holes scattered over the entire
leaf surface. Potato beetles chew on eggplants,
potatoes, and tomatoes. If there are too many small
beetles to hand-pick, try to hose them off. All these
beetles can be controlled chemically with carbaryl,
used according to the label directions.
Borers (squash vine borers). Cucumbers, melons,
pumpkins, and squash are attacked by this borer. The
egg is laid on the outside of the stem by a night-
flying moth. The eggs hatch, and the borers tunnel
inside the stem of the plant. As they grow inside the
stem, they eat it out, and eventually the plant wilts and
dies. Watch for the warning signs: stunting or
unexplained wilting of the plant or — this is the
surest evidence of who the culprit is — a small hole at
the base of the plant and a scattering of sawdustlike
material around it. A chemical control of carbaryl
needs to be applied at weekly intervals to the crown
of the plants before the borers get inside the stem.
Once the borer gets inside the plant chemical
controls will not help. You can control them physically
if you slit the stem, remove all the borers, and cover
the spot with earth to encourage root growth at that
point. This attempt at a cure may have the opposite
effect and kill the plant. But it's your only chance to get
rid of the borers.
Cabbage loopers and cabbage worms. These
caterpillars love to feed on all members of the cabbage
family; occasionally they will make do with lettuce.
To control them, spray with Bacillus thuringiensis, an
organic insecticide that is available under a number
of trade names including Dipel, Thuricide, and Bactur.
This is a completely safe organic spray that will
destroy the caterpillars without harming humans or
animals.
Corn earworms. These caterpillars prefer corn,
but they also feed on beans, tomatoes, peppers, and
eggplant. They are also called tomato fruitworms.
To effectively control them, be prepared to spray on a
regular schedule with carbaryl. Hand-picking and
cutting out the damaged parts of the vegetables will
give limited control of this pest.
Grasshoppers. They have great appetites and will
eat anything and everything. They usually appear in
late summer and are more active where the winters
are warm and the summers are hot. Try to control
them when they are young by hand-picking them
off the plants or by destroying the untended weedy
spots near the garden where they begin life.
Control them chemically when they are young by
spraying untended weedy areas with carbaryl.
Hornworms. Hornworms are large green
caterpillars three to four inches long with a hornlike
growth on their rear end. They eat the foliage and
fruit of your tomato plants. Since the large hornworms
do not usually invade in great numbers, hand-pick
them individually off the plants. If your garden is
invaded by numerous hornworms spray them with
Bacillus thuringiensis.
Parsley caterpillars. These feed on parsley, dill,
fennel, and other members of the parsley family.
They're not common enough to be a major
problem, and hand-picking usually provides
satisfactory control.
Leaf miners. Leaf miners are the larvae of a fly that
feed on the external portions of a leaf. They will feed
on cabbage and its relatives, and on chard, beets.
and occasionally lettuce. The best method of
controlling the leaf miner is to remove affected
leaves from the plant by hand and to hand-pick egg
masses that can usually be found on the backside of
older leaves. Since the leaf miner is inside the leaf
surface, chemical controls are ineffective.
Slugs and snails. Snails have shells and slugs don't.
Both are more closely related to oysters and clams
than they are to insects. You can detect their
presence by the slimy trail they leave from the scene of
their activity. They don't like to be out in the heat of
the day; they eat and run and can be hard to control.
They like to feed on cabbage and all its relatives,
and on carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, and turnips. To
control them remove their hiding places — old
boards, cans, bricks, and other garbage. Lay
scratchy sand or cinders around each plant to
discourage them. Or set a saucer in the soil with the
rim flush with the soil surface, and fill it with stale beer.
The slugs and snails will be attracted to the beer and
fall in and drown. Then you can dispose of them in the
morning.
Sucking pests
Aphids, leafhoppers, mites, and thrips may be hard
to see. By the time their damage is apparent it is often
too late to take much action. Watch for scraped and
rusty-looking places on leaves, twisted and deformed
leaves and leaf-tips, and stems that look unusually
thick.
Aphids. Aphids are tiny pear-shaped insects,
often green, that will attack almost every vegetable
crop commonly grown. They feed by sucking the
sap of the tender stems and leaves, causing
distortions. They also exude a sweet substance
called honeydew, which is attractive to ants and can
cause sooty molds. Aphids are also carriers of
mosaic virus and other diseases. Ladybugs and their
larvae eat aphids — provided that they're hungry
and the aphids are the kind they like — and may help
you control the pests. Aphids can also be controlled
nonchemically by pinching out infested tips. Aphids
can be chemically controlled by an application of
Malathion or Diazinon (make sure to cover the
underside of the leaves). Malathion generally has a
shorter residue effect.
Leafhoppers. These are green, jumping, winged
insects about an eighth inch long when adult. They
feed on the undersides of the leaves, sucking sap
and causing light-colored spotting on the upper side.
They can also spread plant diseases. Populations can
be discouraged organically by hosing them off the
leaves. You can control leafhoppers chemically by
spraying the underside of the leaves with carbaryl or
Malathion. They will feed on beans, carrots,
chayote, cucumbers, endive, lettuce, melons, and
potatoes.
Spider mites. Spider mites are very small and
difficult to see. You can be fairly sure that spider mites
are to blame if the leaves are losing color in spots
and turning yellowish, light green or rusty and there
are silvery webs on the undersides. Spider mites are
difficult to control even if you use the proper
chemicals. You can spray the undersides of the
foliage with Diazinon before populations get too
large. If you don't want to spray or if the spraying is
ineffective, remove the affected plants before the
spider mites spread.
Thrips. Thrips are small, fast-moving insects that
are almost invisible to the naked eye. The damage they
do shows up first as white blotches, then there is a
distortion of the leaf tips. When thrips attack onions.
they dwarf and distort the bulbs. Thrips also attack
beans, beets, carrots, cabbage and its relatives,
celery, cucumbers, melons, onions, peas, squash,
tomatoes, and turnips. Large populations of thrips can
be discouraged by hosing them off the plants.
Thrips can be controlled chemically if you spray them
with Malathion or Diazinon.
Whiteflies. Whiteflies are minute sucking insects
that look like tiny white moths. They live and feed on
the undersides of leaves and live unnoticed until
you disturb the plant, then they fly out in great white
clouds. Whitefly populations can be discouraged
by hosing them off the plants. Control them
chemically by spraying the undersides of the leaves
with Malathion or Diazinon,



















PLANT DISEASES: PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE
A number of plant diseases are the result of
unfavorable growing conditions, but many are caused
by parasitic bacteria and fungi that cannot produce
their own food and rely on the plant for nourishment.
Some diseases are airborne, and others can live for
years in the soil, so it's difficult for the gardener to
predict or control them.
As a matter of policy, prevention is better than
cure — or attempting a cure — where plant diseases
are concerned. You can try to avoid the conditions
that promote disease by choosing your planting sites
wisely. Primarily you want to avoid the combination
of too much moisture, too much shade, and soil that's
too cool — the three conditions that provide an
ideal environment for the propagation of diseases.
You can also plant disease-resistant varieties, rotate
crops, and take steps to keep your garden clean and
healthy.
If your preventive measures don't work, you'll
have to cut your losses. There's little you can do to
save a plant that has been attacked by a parasitic
fungus or bacterial disease, and your best bet is to
remove the affected plant as soon as possible
before the disease has a chance to spread to healthy
plants. This may seem drastic, and you may be
tempted to save the plant, especially if it's near
harvesttime. Don't give in to temptation —you're
risking the rest of your crop. Remove the diseased
plant and burn it, put it in the garbage, or dispose of
it elsewhere well away from your vegetable garden.
Don't leave it lying around the garden, and don't
put it on the compost pile.
Protecting your garden from disease
Maintaining a healthy garden requires you to be a
conscientious gardener. Here are methods you can
use to keep your garden free from disease:
Prepare the soil properly. Make it easy for your
plants to grow well. Plant vegetables in full sun if you
can; strong sunlight is a great disinfectant, and the
energy plants draw from the sun gives them extra
strength. Make sure the soil is well-worked, has
good drainage, and is high in organic matter so the soil
moisture will remain even. Do not plant the
vegetables when the soil and air are too cold. Place
plants far enough apart so to avoid crowding; this
will allow good air circulation, and the plants will be
able to dry out after a rain.
Select disease-resistant varieties. Where possible,
buy seeds that are certified as disease-free. Use seeds
that have been treated with fungicide, or start your
seeds in a sterile soil mix. Your local Cooperative
Extension Service can supply you with a list of
disease-resistant vegetable varieties for your area.
Rotate your crops. Do not grow the same plant
family in the same spot year after year. Repetition of
the same crop gives diseases a chance to build up
strength. There are three major vegetable families:
cole crops (cabbage family) — broccoli, Brussels
sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, rutabaga,
and turnip; cucurbits (cucumber family) —
cucumber, gourds, muskmelons, pumpkins,
summer and winter squash, and watermelons; and
solanaceous plants (tomato and pepper family) —
eggplant, Irish potato, pepper, and tomato. After
growing a crop from one of these families one year,
choose a variety from one of the other families to
plant in the same spot the following season.
Don't work with wet plants. Do not work the soil
when it is wet. When you're watering the garden, try
not to splash water on the plants, especially in hot,
humid weather. Handling plants when they're wet
spreads diseases.
Control garden pests. Keep insects and other small
pests under control. Some insects spread disease;
sometimes insects just weaken the plant so that it
becomes more susceptible to disease.
,Don't infect your own plants. If you smoke, wash
your hands well with soap and hot running water
before working with tomatoes, peppers, and
eggplant. Smokers can infect these plants with
tobacco mosaic virus, causing them to mottle,
streak, drop their leaves, and die.
Keep your garden clean. Always keep the garden
clear of weeds, trash, and plants that have finished
producing. Remove infected plants. If you have a
sick plant in the garden, identify the problem. If it's a
virus or fungus disease, remove the affected plant
as quickly as possible. Destroy the plant; do not put it
in the compost pile. This removal of infected plants
Is called "culling." Don't think of it as killing a plant;
Common problems in vegetable gardening
PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSES POSSIBLE CURES
Plants wilt Lack of water Water
Too much water Stop watering; improve drainage;
pray for less rain
Disease Use disease-resistant varieties;
keep your garden clean
Leaves and stems are spotted Fertilizer or chemical burn Follow instructions; read all fine
print; keep fertilizer off plant
unless recommended
Disease Use disease-resistant varieties
of seed; dust or spray; remove
affected plants
Plants are weak and spindly Not enough light Remove causemove plants
of shade or
Too much water Improve drainage; stop watering;
pray for less rain
Plants are crowded Thin out
Too much nitrogen Reduce fertilizing
Leaves curl Wilt Destroy affected plants; rotate
crops; grow disease-resistant
varieties
Virus Control aphids; destroy
affected plants
Moisture imbalance Mulch
Plants are stunted — yellowand peaked
Too much water Reduce watering
Poor drainage Improve drainage; add more
organic matter before next
planting
Compacted soil Cultivate soil more deeply
Too much rubbish Remove rubbish
Acid soil Test, add lime if necessary
Not enough fertilizer Test, add fertilizer (this should
have been done before planting)
Common problems in vegetable gardening (cont.)
PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSES POSSIBLE CURES
Plants are stunted — yellowand peaked (cont.)
Seeds do not come up
Young plants die
Leaves have holes
Tortured, abnormal growth
Blossom ends of tomatoes andpeppers rot
Insects or diseases
Yellow or wilt disease, especiallyif yellowing attacks one side ofthe plant first
Not enough time for germination
Too cold
Too dry
Too wet, they rotted
Birds or insects ate them
Seed was too old
Fungus (damping-off)
Rotting
Fertilizer burn
Insects, birds, rabbits
Heavy winds or hail
Herbicide residue in sprayer, in
grass clippings used as mulch, indrift from another locationVirus
Dry weather following a wet spellNot enough calcium in soil
Identify and follow
recommendations from your
extension service
Spraying will not help; remove
affected plants; plant diseaseresistant
seed in clean soil
Wait
Wait — replant if necessary
Water
Replant
Replant
Replant with fresh seed
Treat seed with fungicide or plant
in sterile soil
Do not overwater
Follow recommendations for
using the fertilizer more closely;
be sure fertilizer is mixed
thoroughly with soil
Identify culprit and take
appropriate measures
Plan for better protection
Use separate sprayer for
herbicides; spray only on still
days; use another means
of weed control
Control insects that transmit
disease; remove infected plants
(do not put them on the
compost pile)
Mulch to even out soil moisture
Add lime
Common problems in vegetable gardening (cont.)
PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSES POSSIBLE CURES
Blossom ends of tomatoes and Compacted soil Cultivate
peppers rot (cont.) Too-deep cultivation Avoid cultivating too deeply
There is no fruit Weather too cold Watch your planting time
Weather too hot Same as above
Too much nitrogen Fertilize only as often and as
heavily as needed for the variety
No pollination Pollinate with a brush, or by
shaking plant (depending on
kind); do not kill all
the insects
Plants not mature enough Wait
Common names: artichoke,
globe artichoke
Botanical name: Cynara
scolymus
Origin: southern Europe, North
America
Varieties
There are very few varieties of
artichokes; Green Globe is the
variety commonly grown.
Description
The artichoke is a thistlelike,
tender perennial that grows three
to four feet tall and three to four
feet wide. It is grown for its flower
buds, which are eaten before
they begin to open. The elegant,
architectural leaves make the
artichoke very decorative, but
because it is tender and hates
cold weather, it's not for al!
gardens. Artichokes, an ancient
Roman delicacy, were introduced
to France by Catherine de
Medici. Later they were taken to
Louisiana by the French
colonists.
Where and when to grow
Artichokes have a definite
preference for a long, frost-free
season with damp weather.
They cannot handle heavy frost or
snow, and in areas where the
temperature goes below freezing
they need special care and
mulching. Artichokes grow best in
the four central California
counties and on the southern
Atlantic and Gulf coasts. In the
North, artichokes must be grown
in a protected location — the
temperature should not be over
70°F by day, or under 55°F at
night. Plant them on the average
date of last frost for your area.
How to plant
Artichokes are grown from
offshoots, suckers, or seed. For
best results, start with offshoots
or suckers from a reputable
nursery or garden center;
artichoke plants grown from seed
vary tremendously in quality.
Artichokes need rich, well-drained
soil that will hold moisture, and
a position in full sunlight. When
you're preparing the soil for
planting, work in a low-nitrogen (510-10)
fertilizer at the rate of one
pound per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Too much nitrogen will keep the
plant from flowering. Space the
offshoots or suckers three to four
feet apart in rows four to five
feet apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep the soil evenly moist.
Special handling
For the roots to survive the
winter in cooler areas, cut the plant
back to about 10 inches, cover
with a bushel basket, and then
mulch with about two feet of
leaves to help maintain an even soil
temperature. Artichokes bear
best the second year and should be
started from new plants every
three to four years.
Pests
Aphids and plume moths plague
the artichoke. The plume moth is
not a serious problem except in
artichoke-growing areas. Aphids
can be controlled chemically
by spraying the foliage with
Malathion or Diazinon or
nonchemically by hand-picking
or hosing them off the plants.
Detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping Your
Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Crown rot may occur where
drainage is poor or where the
plants have to be covered in
winter. To avoid this problem,
don't mulch until the soil
temperature drops to40°F, and
don't leave the mulch in place
longer than necessary.
Cut down on the incidence of
disease by planting disease-
resistant varieties when they're
available, maintaining the general
health of your garden, and
avoiding handling the plants when
they're wet. If a plant does
become infected, remove and
destroy it so it cannot spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease prevention
is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
50 to 100 days for artichokes grown
' from suckers; at least a year
until the first bud forms when
they're grown from seed. To
harvest, cut off the globe artichoke
bud with one to 11/2 inches of
stem before the bud begins to
open.
Storing and preserving
Artichokes can be stored in the
refrigerator for up to two weeks, or
in a cold, moist place up to one
month. Artichoke hearts can also
be frozen, canned, or pickled.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Cook artichokes in salted water
with a squeeze of lemon juice to
help retain their color. With hot
artichokes serve a Hollandaise
sauce; a vinaigrette is delicious
when they're cold. They're not as
messy to eat as you may
imagine — anyway, it's quite
legitimate to use your fingers.
Stuff artichokes with seafood or a
meat mixture and bake them. To
stuff, spread open the leaves and
remove some of the center
leaves; cut off some of the hard
tips of the outer leaves. An
interesting Italian-style stuffing
mix is seasoned breadcrumbs
with anchovies, topped with a
tomato sauce. For an Armenian-
style dish, try ground lamb and
bulgur (cracked wheat). Baby
artichokes are delicious in
stews, or marinated in olive oil,
vinegar, and garlic as part of an
antipasto. The Romans used to
bottle artichokes in vinegar and
brine.
Common name: asparagus
Botanical name: Asparagus
officinalis
Origin: Mediterranean
Varieties
Paradise, Mary Washington,
and Martha Washington are all
rust-resistant varieties.
Description
Asparagus is a long-lived hardy
perennial with fleshy roots and
fernlike, feathery foliage. The
plant grows about three feet tall,
and the part you eat is the tender
young stem. It takes patience to
establish an asparagus bed, but
it's worth it; once established, it's
there for the duration. Fresh
asparagus is a delicacy that
commands a devoted following—
the first asparagus is
as welcome to the gourmet as the
first crocus is to the gardener.
Where and when to grow
Asparagus grows well in most
areas of the United States, with the
exception of the Deep South. It
likes a climate where the winters
are cold enough to freeze the
top few inches of soil and provide
it with the necessary period of
dormancy. Advance planning is
essential when you're starting
an asparagus bed, because it's
virtually impossible to move the
bed once it's established. You'll
probably have to order asparagus
crowns by mail through a
nursery catalog; order early, and
plant asparagus four to six
weeks before your area's average
date of last frost.
How to plant
Asparagus needs well-drained ,
soil, with a pH over 6. Full sun is
best, but asparagus will tolerate
a little shade. When you're
preparing the soil, spade down
eight to 10 inches, and dig in one to
11/2 pounds per 100 square feet
of a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer. Asparagus is usually
grown from crowns; look for well-
grown, well-rooted specimens,
and be sure they don't dry out. To
plant asparagus crowns, dig out
a trench or furrow 10 inches wide
and 10 to 12 inches deep, and
put in two to four inches of loose
soil. Space the crowns in the
prepared bed in rows 18 inches
apart, leaving 12 to 18 inches
between plants. Place the crowns
on the soil, with the roots well
spread out, and cover with two
more inches of soil. As the
spears grow, gradually fill in the
trench to the top.
Fertilizing and watering
Apply a high-nitrogen (15-10-10)
fertilizer after harvesting the
spears, at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. Detailed
information on fertilizing is given
in "Spadework: The Essential
Soil" in Parti.
It's important to give asparagus
enough water when the
spears are forming. The plant is
hardy and will survive without
extra watering, but the stalks may
be stringy and woody if you
don't keep the soil moist.
Special handling
Do not handle the plants when
they are wet. Asparagus does not
relish competition, especially
from grass plants. Weed
thoroughly by hand; control
weeds conscientiously, or they will
lower your yield considerably.
Pests
The asparagus beetle may attack
your plants, but should not be a
problem except in commercial
asparagus-growing areas. If you do
encounter this pest, pick it off,
or spray with carbaryl. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Asparagus can develop rust;
you can lessen the incidence of
disease by opting for a rust-
resistant variety. Generally,
asparagus is a problem-free
crop and suitable for the organic
gardener. Detailed information
on disease prevention is given in
"Keeping Your Garden Healthy"
in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Asparagus should not be
harvested until it's three years old;
the crowns need time to
develop fully. During the third
season, cut off the spears at or
slightly below soil level. Move a
little soil gently aside as you cut
the spears so you can see what
you're doing — if you cut blind
you may damage young spears that
have not yet pushed through
the surface. Harvest asparagus
when the spears are eight to 10
inches tall; if the stalks have
started to feather out, it's too
late to eat them. Stop harvesting
when the stalks start coming up
pencil-thin; if you harvest them all,
you'll kill the plants.
Storing and preserving
The Romans began to dry their
asparagus for out-of-season dining
as early as 200 B.C. These days,
you can store it up to one week in
the refrigerator — keep it
upright in an inch or so of water, as
you'd keep flowers. You can
also freeze or can It, but it's best
eaten fresh. Detailed
Information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
In the first century the Emperor
Augustus told his minions to carry
out executions "quicker than
you can cook asparagus," and they
knew they'd better get the job
done fast. One of the earliest
records of asparagus being
eaten in America recommends it
with "oil and vinegar," which is
still one of the best ways. Steam
asparagus quickly, or cook it
upright in a pan, so the stems cook
faster than the tender tips. Fresh
asparagus adorned with nothing
but a little melted butter is
superb — or try it with creamed
chicken on toast or laid on toast
and topped with a thin slice of
prosciutto and cream sauce.
Chive mayonnaise, mustard
butter, or a caper butter sauce
are all splendid alternative
dressings for asparagus.
Common names: bean, broad
bean, horsebean, fava bean,
Scotch bean, Windsor bean
Botanical name: Vicia faba
Origin: Central Asia
Varieties
Long Pod (55 days); Broad Long
Pod (57 days). Few varieties are
available; grow the variety
available in your area.
Description
The broad bean is a bushy,
hardy annual that grows three to
four feet tall; it has square stems
with leaves divided into leaflets.
The white flowers are splotched
with brown. The pods are six to
eight inches long and when
mature contain four to six or more
light-brown seeds. The broad
bean has quite a history. Upper-
class Greeks and Romans
thought that eating "horse beans"
would cloud their vision, but
the species became a dietary staple
of the Roman legionnaires (who
knew them as fava beans) and later
of the poor people in England.
In fact, they're not true beans at all
but are related to the vetch,
another legume.
Where and when to grow
Broad beans will grow in cool
weather that would be unsuitable
for snap beans. They like full sun
but need cool weather to set their
pods. They prefer temperatures
below 70°F and should be planted
very early in the growing
season; they will not produce in
the summer's heat. In areas
where winters are mild, plant
broad beans in the fall for a
spring crop. In cold areas they can
be grown instead of lima beans,
which require a warmer and longer
growing season.






















How to plant
Plant broad beans very early in
spring. Choose a location in full
sunlight with soil that is fertile,
high in organic matter, and well-
drained. Broad beans prefer an
alkaline soil. When you're
preparing the soil for planting,
work in a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one
pound per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Plant broad bean seeds one to
two inches deep in rows four feet
apart. When the seedlings are
growing strongly, thin them to
stand eight to 10 inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Beans set up a mutual exchange
with soil microorganisms called
nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which
help them produce their own
fertilizer. Some gardeners
recommend that if you haven't
grown beans in the plot the
previous season, you should treat
the bean seeds before planting
with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria
inoculant to help them convert
organic nitrogen compounds into
usable organic compounds.
This is a perfectly acceptable
practice but it isn't really
necessary; the bacteria in the soil
will multiply quickly enough
once they've got a growing bean
plant to work with.
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Water broad beans before the
soil dries out, but don't
overwater — wet soil conditions
combined with high temperatures
are an invitation to root diseases.
Pests
Beans are attacked by aphids,
bean beetles, flea beetles,
leafhoppers, and mites. Aphids,
leafhoppers, and mites can be
controlled chemically by
spraying with Malathion or
Diazinon. Bean beetles and flea
beetles can be controlled
chemically by spraying with
carbaryl. Beans are almost
always attacked by large numbers
of pests that cannot be
controlled by organic methods;
this doesn't mean they can't be
grown organically, but it does
mean that yields may be lower if
only organic controls are used.
Detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping Your
Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Beans are susceptible to blight,
mosaic, and anthracnose. You can
cut down on the incidence of
disease by planting disease-
resistant varieties when they're
available, maintaining the general
health of your garden, and
avoiding handling the plants when
they're wet. If a plant does
become infected, remove it and
destroy it so it can't spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Broad beans can be harvested
when the beans are still the size of
a pea and used like snap beans.
It's more usual, however, to let
them reach maturity and eat
only the shelled beans. Time from
planting to harvest is about 85
days.
Storing and preserving
Unshelled beans can be kept up
to one week in the refrigerator.
You can freeze, can, or dry the
shelled beans. Dried shelled broad
beans can be stored in a cool,
dry place for 10 to 12 months.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Broad beans are good steamed
and served with a light white or
cheese sauce. Or top steamed
broad beans with a little sauteed
parsley, garlic, and onion. Use
them in a casserole with onions,
tomatoes, and cheese, or add
them to a hearty vegetable soup
along with any other vegetables
you've got on hand. You can
prepare broad beans any way
you prepare lima beans.
Common names: pinto beans,
navy beans, horticultural beans,
flageolet
Botanical name: Phaseolus
species
Origin: South Mexico, Central
America
Varieties
Dry beans are so called because
the mature seeds are generally
dried before they're eaten.
There are many types, and some of
the most common are
cranberry. Great Northern,
michilite, pinto, red kidney,
white marrowfat, and pea beans.
Horticultural beans, the
genuine French flageolets, are a
type of dry bean highly regarded
by gourmets; they're usually eaten
in the green-shell stage. Ask
your Cooperative Extension
Service for specific
recommendations for your area.
Description
Dry beans are tender annuals.
Their leaves are usually composed
of three leaflets, and the small
flowers are pale yellow or white.
Dry beans are seldom planted in
the home vegetable garden
because it's so easy and
inexpensive to buy them. They're
fairly easy to grow, however,
and give good yields, so if you have
space in your garden you may
want to try them.
You can grow either bush or
pole varieties of beans. Bushes are
generally easier to handle; they
grow only one to two feet tall, and
they mature earlier. Pole beans
require a trellis for support; they
grow more slowly, but produce
more beans per plant.
Where and when to plant
Beans require warm soil to
germinate and should be planted
on the average date of last
spring frost. Use the length of your
growing season and the number
of days the variety takes to mature
to figure your latest planting
date. If you need to sow before
your area's average date of last
frost, start the seed indoors in
peat pots and transplant the
seedlings when the soil has
warmed up. Time your planting
so that the beans will mature
before very hot weather; they
will not set pods at temperatures
over80°F.
You can plant bush beans
every two weeks to extend the
harvest, or start with bush beans
and follow up with pole beans. In
some parts of the country —
California, for example — you
can get two crops by planting in
the spring and then planting again
in early fall for a winter harvest.
How to plant
After the last frost is over,
choose a bed in full sunlight;
beans tolerate partial shade, but
partial shade tends to mean a
partial yield. When you're
preparing the soil, mix in a pound
of low-nitrogen (5-10-10)
fertilizer — don't use a high-
nitrogen fertilizer; too much
nitrogen will promote growth of
foliage but not of the beans.
Bean seeds may crack and
germinate poorly when the
moisture content of the soil is too
high. Don't soak the seeds
before planting, and don't
overwater immediately
afterwards.
Plant the bean seeds an inch
deep. If they're bush beans, plant
the seeds three to four inches
apart in rows at least 18 to 24 inches
apart. Seeds of pole beans
should be planted four to six
inches apart in rows 30 to 36
inches apart. Or plant in inverted
hills — five or six seeds to a hill,
and 30 inches of space around each
hill. When the seedlings are
large enough to handle, thin the
plants to four to six inches apart.
Cut the seedlings with scissors at
ground level; be careful not to
disturb the others. Beans don't
mind being a little crowded — in
fact, they'll use each other for
support.
Fertilizing and watering
Beans set up a mutual exchange
with soil microorganisms called
nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which
help them produce their own
fertilizer. Some gardeners
recommend that if you haven't
grown beans in the plot the
previous season, you should treat
the bean seeds before planting
with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria
inoculant to help them convert
organic nitrogen compounds into
usable organic compounds.
This is a perfectly acceptable
practice but it isn't really
necessary; the bacteria in the soil
will multiply quickly enough
once they've got a growing bean
plant to work with.
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep the soil moist until the
beans have pushed through the
ground. Water regularly if
there's no rain, but remember that
water on the flowers can cause
the flowers and small pods to fall
off. When the soil temperature
reaches 60°F you can mulch to
conserve moisture.
Special handling
Don't touch bean plants when
they're wet or covered with heavy
dew; handling or brushing
against them when they're wet
spreads fungus spores.
Cultivate thoroughly but with care,
so that you don't disturb the
bean plants' shallow root systems.
If you're planting pole beans,
set the trellis or support in position
before you plant or at the same
time. If you wait until the plants are
established, you risk damaging
the roots when you set the
supports. Make sure the
support will be tall enough for the
variety you're growing.
Pests
Beans may be attacked by
aphids, bean beetles, flea beetles,
leafhoppers, and mites. Aphids,
leafhoppers, and mites can be
controlled chemically by
spraying with Malathion or
Diazinon. Bean beetles and flea
beetles can be controlled
chemically by spraying with
carbaryl. Beans are almost always
attacked by large numbers of
pests that cannot be controlled by
organic methods. This doesn't
mean the organic gardener can't
grow them, but yields may be
lower if only organic controls are
used. Detailed information on
pest control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Beans are susceptible to blight,
mosaic, and anthracnose. You can
cut down on the incidence of
disease by planting disease-
resistant varieties when they're
available, maintaining the general
health of your garden, and
avoiding handling the plants when
they're wet. If a plant does
become infected, remove and
destroy it so it cannot spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Harvest dry beans when the
plants have matured and the leaves
have turned completely brown.
At this time the seeds should be
dry and hard — bite a couple of
seeds; if you can hardly dent them
they're properly dry and ready
to harvest.
Storing and preserving
Unshelled beans can be kept up
to one week in the refrigerator.
You can freeze, can, or dry the
shelled beans, and they can also be
sprouted. Dried shelled beans
can be stored in a cool, dry place
for 10 to 12 months. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Dried beans are tremendously
versatile and have the added
advantage of being
interchangeable in many recipes.
They're also nourishing and
figure prominently in vegetarian
recipes. Chili and baked beans
are two of the famous dishes that
depend upon dried beans, and
beans are essential to the famous
French Cassoulet — a hearty
stew that combines beans with
pork, chicken, sausage, or a
mixture of all three depending on
the region the cook comes
from. Try retried pinto beans as a
filling for tacos. Add sausage or
ham to a thick bean soup for a
winter supper to cheer up the
chilliest evening.
Common names: bean, green
bean, snap bean, string bean,
French bean, wax bean, pole
bean, bush bean, stringless
bean
Botanical name: Phaseolus
vulgaris
Origin: South Mexico, Central
America
Varieties
The most commonly grown
beans are the green or snap bean
and the yellow or wax variety.
Since 1894, when Burpee
introduced the Stringless Green
Pod, most of these beans have
been stringless. The following
are only a few of the varieties
available. Ask your Cooperative
Extension Service for specific
recommendations for your
area.
Green bush (green snap bean,
bush): Astro (53 days); Blue Lake
(56 days); Contender (53 days);
Provider (53 days); Tendergreen
(57 days); Tender Crop (53
days) — all resistant to bean
mosaic virus. Wax bush (yellow
snap bean, bush): Cherokee Way
(55 days); Early Wax
(50 days) — both resistant to
bean mosaic virus. Green pole
(green snap bean, pole): Blue
Lake (65 days); McCaslan (65
days) — both resistant to bean
mosaic virus; Kentucky Wonder
(65 days).

Description
Beans are tender annuals that
grow either as bushes or vines.
Their leaves are usually
composed of three leaflets; their
flowers are pale yellow,
lavender, or white. The size and
color of the pods and seeds
vary. Snap beans require a short
growing season — about 60
days of moderate temperatures
from seed to the first crop.
They'll grow anywhere in the
United States and are an
encouraging vegetable for the
inexperienced gardener. The
immature pod is the part that's
eaten. Beans grow as bushes or
vines. Bushes are generally easier
to handle; they grow only one to
two feet tall, and they mature
earlier. Pole beans require a
trellis for support; they grow more
slowly, but produce more beans
per plant.
Where and when to grow
Because many varieties have a
short growing season, beans do
well in most areas, whatever the
climate. They require warm soil to
germinate and should be
planted on the average date of last
spring frost. You can plant bush
beans every two weeks to extend
the harvest, or you can start with
bush beans and follow up with
pole beans. In some parts of the
country — California, for
example — you can get two
crops by planting in the spring and
then planting again in early fall
for a winter harvest. Use the length
of your growing season and the
number of days the variety takes to
mature to figure your latest
planting date. If you need to sow
before your area's average last
frost date, start the seed indoors in
peat pots and transplant the
seedlings when the soil has
warmed up. Time your planting
so the beans will mature before
very hot weather; they will not
set pods at temperatures over 80°F.
How to plant
After the last frost is over,
choose a bed in full sunlight;
beans tolerate partial shade, but
partial shade tends to mean a
partial yield. Prepare the soil by
mixing in a pound of 5-10-10
fertilizer — don't use a high-
nitrogen fertilizer, because too
much nitrogen will promote
growth of foliage but not of the
beans. Work the fertilizer into
the soil at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet.
Bean seeds may crack and
germinate poorly when the
moisture content of the soil is
too high. Don't soak the seeds
before planting, and don't
overwater immediately afterward.
Plant seeds of all varieties an
inch deep. If you're planting bush
beans, plant the seeds two
inches apart in rows at least 18 to 24
inches apart. Seeds of pole
beans should be planted four to six
inches apart in rows 30 to 36
inches apart. Or plant them in
inverted hills, five or six seeds to
a hill, with 30 inches of space
around each hill. For pole
varieties, set the supports or
trellises at the time of planting.
When the seedlings are
growing well, thin the plants to
four to six inches apart. Cut the
seedlings with scissors at ground
level; be careful not to disturb
the others. Beans don't mind being
a little crowded; in fact, they'll
use each other for support.
Fertilizing and watering
Beans set up a mutual exchange
with soil microorganisms called
nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which
help them produce their own
fertilizer. Some gardeners
recommend that if you haven't
grown beans in the plot the
previous season, you should treat
the bean seeds before planting
with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria
inoculant to help them convert
organic nitrogen compounds into
usable organic compounds.
This is a perfectly acceptable
practice but it isn't really
necessary; the bacteria in the soil
will multiply quickly enough
once they've got a growing bean
plant to work with.
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep the soil moist until the
beans have pushed through the
ground. Water regularly if there
is no rain, but remember that water
on the flowers can cause the
flowers and small pods to fall off.
When the soil temperature
reaches 60°F you can mulch to
conserve moisture.
Special handling
Don't bother bean plants when
they're wet or covered with heavy
dew; handling or brushing
against them when they're wet
spreads fungus spores.
Cultivate thoroughly but with care,
so that you don't disturb the
bean plants' shallow root systems.
If you're planting pole beans,
set the trellis or support in
position before you plant or at
the same time. If you wait until the
plants are established, you risk
damaging the roots when you set
the supports. Make sure the
support will be tall enough for the
variety of beans you're growing.
Pests
Beans may be attacked by
aphids, bean beetles, flea beetles,
leafhoppers, and mites. Aphids,
leafhoppers, and mites can be
controlled chemically by
spraying with Malathion or
Diazinon. Bean beetles and flea
beetles can be controlled
chemically by spraying with
carbaryl. Beans are almost always
attacked by large numbers of
pests that cannot be controlled by
organic methods. This does not
mean the organic gardener can't
grow them, but yields may be
lower if only organic controls are
used. Detailed information on
pest control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Beans are susceptible to blight,
mosaic, and anthracnose. You can
cut down on the incidence of
disease by planting disease-
resistant varieties when they're
available, maintaining the general
health of your garden, and
avoiding handling the plants when
they're wet. If a plant does
become infected, remove and
destroy it so it cannot spread
disease to healthy plants.
Detailed information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
50 to 60 days for bush beans, 60 to
90 days for pole beans. Harvest
the immature pods, and continue
removing the pods before they
become mature, or the plant will
stop producing. Once the seeds
mature, the plant dies. Do not
harvest when the weather is
very hot or very cold.
Storing and preserving
Snap beans are a snap to store.
They'll keep up to one week in the
refrigerator, but don't wash
them until you're ready to cook
them. You can also freeze, can,
dry, or pickle them. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Really fresh, tender snap beans
are delicious eaten raw; they make
an unusual addition to a platter
of crudites for dipping. They're
also good lightly cooked and
tossed with diced potatoes and a
little onion and bacon for a
delightful hot bean salad. Try them
on toast with a light cheese
sauce for lunch. And vary
everyone's favorite bean dish by
replacing the classic Amandine
sauce with a Hollandaise or
mushroom sauce. Or try tossing
them with a few thinly sliced
mushrooms and onions that have
been lightly sauteed in butter.
You can also cut snap beans in
lengths and saute them all
together with diced potatoes,
carrots, and onions for an
interesting vegetable dish. Purists
will object that this means
cooking the beans too long, but
you can always add them
halfway through the cooking time
to preserve their crispness.
Well-seasoned, this is a good,
filling, vegetable dish for a cold
day. On their own, snap beans take
well to many spices, including
basil, dill, marjoram, and mint.
Common names: bean, lima
bean, butter bean, civit bean
Botanical name: Phaseolus
lunatus
Origin: South Mexico, Central
America
Varieties
Bush lima: Burpee Improved
Bush (75 days); Fordhook 242 (75
days) — both resistant to bean
mosaic; Allgreen (67 days);
Thorogreen (66 days). Pole lima:
King of the Garden (90 days);
Prizetaker (90 days).
Description
This tender, large-seeded
annual bean grows as either a bush
or a vine. With this type of bean
the mature seed is eaten, not the
entire pod. Lima beans need
warmer soil than snap beans in
order to germinate properly,
and they need higher
temperatures and a longer
growing season for a good crop.
Bush lima beans are generally
easier to handle than pole
varieties; bushes grow only one
to two feet tall, and they mature
earlier. Pole beans require a
trellis for support; they grow more
slowly, but produce more beans
per plant.
Where and when to grow
Lima beans require warm soil
(five days at a minimum
temperature of 65°F) to
germinate, and should be planted
two weeks after the average
date of last spring frost. Use the
length of your growing season
and the number of days the variety
takes to mature to figure your
latest planting date. If you need
to sow before your area's average
last frost date, start the seed
indoors in peat pots and
transplant them when the soil has
warmed up. Time your planting
so the beans will mature before
very hot weather; they will not
set pods at temperatures over 80°F.
Plant bush beans every two
weeks to extend the harvest, or
start with bush beans and follow
up with pole beans. Because limas
need a long stretch of pleasant
weather, the slower-growing
pole varieties are difficult to raise
successfully where the growing
season is short.
How to plant
After the last frost is over,
choose a bed in full sunlight;
beans tolerate partial shade, but
partial shade tends to mean a
partial yield. Prepare the soil by
mixing in a pound of 5-10-10
fertilizer; don't use a high-
nitrogen fertilizer, because too
much nitrogen will promote
growth of the foliage but not of the
beans.
Plant seeds of all varieties an
inch deep. If you're planting bush
limas, plant the seeds two
inches apart in rows at least 18 to 24
inches apart. Seeds of pole
beans should be planted four to six
inches apart in rows 30 to 36
inches apart, or plant them in
inverted hills, five or six seeds to
a hill, with 30 inches of space
around each hill. For pole
varieties, set supports or
trellises at the time of planting.
When the seedlings are
growing well, thin the plants to
four to six inches apart. Cut the
seedlings with scissors at ground
level; be careful not to disturb
the others. Beans don't mind being
a little crowded; in fact, they'll
use each other for support.
Fertitizing and watering
Beans set up a mutual exchange
with soil microorganisms called
nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which
help them produce their own
fertilizer. Some gardeners
recommend that if you haven't
grown beans in the plot before,
you should treat the bean seeds
before planting with a nitrogen-
fixing bacteria inoculant to help
them convert organic nitrogen
compounds into usable organic
compounds. This is a perfectly
acceptable practice, but it isn't
really necessary; the bacteria in
the soil will multiply quickly
enough once they've got a
growing bean plant to work with.
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Bean seeds may crack and
germinate poorly when the
moisture content of the soil is
too high. Don't soak the seeds
before planting, and don't water
immediately afterward. Keep the
soil moist until the beans have
pushed through the ground.
Water regularly if there is no
rain, but avoid getting water on the
flowers; this can cause the
flowers and small pods to fall off.
You can mulch to conserve
moisture when the soil
temperature reaches 60°F.
Special handling
Don't handle bean plants when
they're wet or covered with heavy
dew; handling or brushing
against them when they're wet
spreads fungus spores.
Cultivate thoroughly but with care,
so you don't disturb the bean
plants' shallow root systems.
If you're planting pole beans,
set the trellis or support in position
before you plant or at the same
time. If you wait until the plants are
established, you risk damaging
the roots when you set the
supports. Make sure the
support will be tall enough for the
variety of beans you're planting.
The large lima bean seed
sometimes has trouble pushing
through the soil, although this
should not happen if the soil is well
worked. If your soil tends to
cake, you can cover the seeds with
sand, vermiculite, or a peat
moss/vermiculite mix instead.
Pests
Beans may be attacked by
aphids, bean beetles, flea beetles,
leafhoppers, and mites. Aphids,
leafhoppers, and mites can be
controlled chemically by
spraying with Malathion or
Diazinon. Bean beetles and flea
beetles can be controlled
chemically by spraying with
carbaryl. Beans are almost always
attacked by large numbers of
pests that cannot be controlled by
organic methods. This doesn't
mean the organic gardener can't
grow them, but yields may be
lower if only organic controls are
used. Detailed information on
pest control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Beans are susceptible to blight.
mosaic, and anthracnose. You can
cut down on the incidence of
disease by planting disease-
resistant varieties when they're
available, maintaining the general
health of your garden, and
avoiding handling the plants when
they're wet. If a plant does
become infected, remove and
destroy it so it cannot spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Parti.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
about 60 to 75 days for bush limas
and 85 to 110 days for pole limas.
Harvest when the pods are plump
and firm; if you leave them too
long the beans will get tough and
mealy. If you pick the pods
promptly, limas will continue to
yield until the first frost. In
warmer climates, bush limas
should give you two or three
pickings.
Storing and preserving
Unshelled lima beans can be
kept up to one week in the
refrigerator. Shelled lima beans
freeze satisfactorily; they can also
be canned or dried. Dried
shelled limas can be stored in a
cool, dry place for 10 to 12
months. Detailed information on
storing and preserving is given
in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Try limas raw for an unusual
treat. Serve them in a salad with
thinly sliced red onion, parsley,
and a vinaigrette dressing, or
marinate them for 24 hours in
oil, lemon juice, and freshly
chopped dill. Cook limas just
until tender and serve with a
creamy sauce. For a tangy
treatment, bake them in a
casserole with honey, mustard,
and yogurt.
Common name: mung bean
Botanical name: Phaseolus
aureus
Origin: India, Central Asia
Varieties
Few varieties are available.
Grow whichever variety is
available in your area, or plant
the seeds that are sold for
sprouting.
Description
The mung bean is a bushy
annual that grows about 21/2 to
three feet tall, and has many
branches with typical, hairy,
beaniike leaves. The flowers are
yellowish-green with purple
streaks and produce long, thin,
hairy pods containing nine to 15
small, yellow seeds. The seeds
are used to produce bean sprouts.
Where and when to grow
Mung beans can be grown in
any area of the United States
that has 90 days of frost-free
temperatures. Plant them on the
average date of last frost for your
area.
How to plant
Mung beans grow best in full
sun, in a rich well-drained soil.
When you're preparing the soil
for planting, dig in a complete,
well-balanced fertilizer at the
rate of one pound per 100 square
feet or 10 pounds per 1,000
square feet. Because the only
seeds you may be able to get are
not very reliable in growth, plant
the seeds several at a time. Plant
them an inch deep and 18 to 20
inches apart In wide rows 18 to
24 inches apart. When the
seedlings are about two inches
tall, thin them to leave the
strongest of each group
growing. Cut off the extra
seedlings at ground level to
avoid disturbing the survivor's
roots.
Fertilizing and watering
Beans set up a mutual exchange
with soil microorganisms called
nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which
help them produce their own
fertilizer. Some gardeners
recommend that if you haven't
grown beans in the plot the
previous season, you should treat
the bean seeds before planting
with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria
inoculant to help them convert
organic nitrogen compounds into
usable organic compounds.
This is a perfectly acceptable
practice but it isn't really
necessary; the bacteria in the soil
will multiply quickly enough
once they've got a growing bean
plant to work with.
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Mung beans don't like to dry
out between waterings. If it
doesn't rain, keep them well-
watered.
Pests
Mung beans have no serious
pest problems.
Diseases
Mung beans have no serious
disease problems.
When and how to harvest
It usually takes about 90 to 100
days for mung beans to mature,
and you can expect one to two
pounds of seeds from a 10-foot
row. Harvest them as soon as a
few of the pods begin to split. If the
pods are picked when they are
too young they won't store or
sprout. Remove the seeds from
pods when you harvest them.
Storing and preserving
Mung beans are usually grown
for sprouting. Unshelled beans
can be kept up to one week in
the refrigerator; shelled beans,
naturally dried, can be stored in
a cool, dry place for 10 to 12
months. Detailed information
on storing and preserving is given
in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Bean sprouts turn up in all sorts
of Chinese dishes. They're good in
salads and sandwiches —
vegetarians love them, and
rightly so, because they have a
high Vitamin C content.
Common name: beet
Botanical name: Beta vulgaris
Origin: southern Europe
Varieties
Early Wonder (53 days);
Burpee's Golden (55 days); Ruby
Green (56 days); Cylindra, also
called Formanova or Tendersweet
(60 days); Long Season, also
called Winter Keeper (80 days).
Description
The beet is grown as an annual,
although technically it's a
biennial. It originated in the
Mediterranean, where it existed
first as a leafy plant, without the
enlarged root we grow it for these
days. Swiss chard, which is a
bottomless beet, is an improved
version of the early, leafy beets.
The modern beet has a round or
tapered swollen root — red,
yellow, or white — from which
sprouts a rosette of large leaves.
The leaves as well as the root can
be eaten.
Where and when to grow
Beets can tolerate frost and do
best in the cooler areas of the
country, but they'll go to seed
without making roots if the plants
get too cold when they're
young. Plant beets two to three
weeks before the average date
of last frost. They're planted as a
winter crop in the South. If you
live in a hot climate you'll need to
pay special attention to watering
and mulching to give seedlings a
chance to establish themselves.
In very hot weather the roots
become woody.
How to plant
Beets can tolerate shade and
thrive in well-worked, loose soil
that is high in organic matter.
They don't like a very acid soil, and
they need a lot of potassium.
Before planting, work a complete.
well-balanced fertilizer into the
soil at the rate of one pound per
100 square feet or 10 pounds per
1,000 square feet. Remove stones
and other obstacles, and break
up any lumps In the soil that might
cause the roots to become
malformed.
Beets are grown from seed
clusters that are slightly smaller
than a pea and contain several
seeds each. Plant the clusters an
inch deep and an inch apart in
rows spaced 12 to 18 inches apart.
The seedlings may emerge over
a period of time so that you've got a
group of seedlings of different
sizes. Since several seedlings will
emerge from each seed cluster,
they must be thinned to two to
three inches apart when the
seedlings develop true leaves. Eat
thinned seedlings like spinach;
they do not transplant well. Plant
all the seed clusters — most
seeds store well, but these clusters
have only a short period of
viability.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Be sure to provide plenty of
water for the tender young
roots — lack of moisture will
result in stringy, tough vegetables.
Special handling
Cultivate by hand regularly;
beets do not like competition from
weeds. Take care, because the
roots are shallow and easily
damaged.
Pests
Beets have no serious pest
problems. They are a good crop for
the organic gardener.
Diseases
Beets have no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
from 40 to 80 days. It takes about 60
days for a beet to reach 11/2
inches in diameter — a popular
size for cooking or pickling —
although they'll get bigger
quickly if they have plenty of
water. Pull them up when
they're the size you want. Twist the
leaves off rather than cutting
them off; this prevents
"bleeding," which causes less
intense color and, some people
claim, less flavor.
Storing and preserving
You can store beets in the
refrigerator for one to three
weeks; store the greens in a
plastic bag in the refrigerator up to
one week.
Beets will keep for five to six
months in a cold, moist place. You
can also freeze, dry, and can
both the root and the greens, (use
the recipe for "greens"). You
can even pickle the root. So there's
never any problem figuring
what to do with the excess crop.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Beets are more versatile than
they're often given credit for. Eat
them raw, or serve the tops raw
as a salad green — if you don't
cook them, you'll retain some of
the vitamins normally lost in
cooking. If you cook beets in
their skins, the skins will slip off
readily at the end of the cooking
time. Hot, try them dressed with
orange juice and topped with a
few slivers of green onion, or glaze
them with orange marmalade.
Or keep the dressing simple: just a
little butter, lemon juice, and
seasoning. Beets are the basis of
the thick, delicious Russian
soup called borscht. Serve borscht
with a dollop of sour cream.
Common names: broccoli, Italian
broccoli. Calabrese, brocks
Botanical name: Brassica
oleracea italica
Origin: Mediterranean
Varieties
Green Comet (40 days);
Premium Crop (60 days); Royal
Purple Head (90 days, resistant
to disease, yellow virus).
Description
This hardy biennial, grown as an
annual, is a member of the
cabbage or cole family. It grows
11/2 to 21/2 feet tail and looks a bit
like a cauliflower that hasn't
quite gotten itself together. The
flower stalks are green, purple,
or white; when it comes to the
white-budded ones, the U.S.
government has trouble deciding
where a broccoli stops and a
cauliflower starts. The flowers of
all of them are yellow, but
they're usually eaten while they're
still in bud, before they bloom.
Americans didn't discover
broccoli until the 1920s, even
though this vegetable had been
an Old World favorite well before
that date.
Broccoli has four stages of
growth: (1) rapid growth of leaves;
(2) formation of the head (which
is the part you eat); (3) a resting
period while the embryonic
blossoms are being formed; and
(4) development of the stalk,
flowers, and seeds. The head
formation stage is essential for
the production of the vegetable,
but not at all necessary for the
survival of the plant. Broccoli that's
held in check by severe frost,
lack of moisture, or too much heat
will bolt, which means it will go
directly to seed without bothering
to form a head at all.
As with other cole family
crops, you can grow broccoli in a
container on the patio or
indoors — a single broccoli plant
in an eight-inch flower pot
might make a novel houseplant.
You can also grow broccoli as an
accent in a flower bed.
Where and when to grow
Broccoli is frost-hardy and can
tolerate low 20°F temperatures. It's
a cool season crop and does
best with day temperatures under
80°F and night temperatures
20°F lower. Weather that's too cold
or too warm will cause the plants
to bolt without forming a head.
Broccoli will grow in most areas
of the United States at one
season or another but is not a
suitable crop for very hot
climates. Time planting so that
you'll harvest broccoli during
cool weather. In cold-winter areas,
plant for summer to early fall
harvest. In mild climates, plant for
late spring or fall harvest; in the
South, plant for harvest in late fall
or winter.
How to plant
Broccoli likes fertile, well-
drained soil with a pH within
the 6.5 to 7.5 range — this
discourages disease and lets the
plant make the most of the
nutrients in the soil. Broccoli is
usually grown from transplants
except where there's a long cool
period, in which case you can
sow seed directly in the garden in
fall for winter harvest.
When you're preparing the
soil for planting, work in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. If you have
sandy soil or your area is subject
to heavy rains, you'll probably
need to supplement the
nitrogen content of the soil. Use
about a pound of nitrogen
fertilizer for a 10-foot row.
Plant transplants that are four
to six weeks old with four or five
true leaves. If the transplants are
leggy or have crooked stems, plant
them deeply (up to the first
leaves) so they won't grow to be
top-heavy. Plant the seedlings
18 to 24 inches apart, in rows 24 to
36 inches apart. Plan for only a
few heads at a time, or plant seeds
and transplants at the same time
for succession crops — you'll get
the same result by planting early
and midseason varieties at the
same time. If you're planting
seeds, set them half an inch deep
and three inches apart, and thin
them when they're big enough to
lift by the true leaves. You can
transplant the thinned seedlings.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Broccoli needs abundant soil
moisture and cool moist air for the
best growth. Cut down on
watering as the heads approach
maturity.
Pests
The cabbage family's traditional
enemies are cutworms and
caterpillars. However, cutworms,
cabbage loopers, and imported
cabbage worms can all be
controlled by spraying with
bacillus thuringiensis, an organic
product also known as Dipel or
Thungicide. Detailed information
on pest control is given in
"Keeping Your Garden Healthy" in
Part 1.
Diseases
Such cabbage family vegetables
as broccoli are susceptible to
yellows, clubroot, and downy
mildew. Planting resistant
varieties, rotating crops from
year to year, and maintaining the
general health of your garden
will cut down on the incidence of
disease. If a plant does become
infected, remove it before it can
spread disease to healthy
plants. Detailed information on
disease prevention is given in
"Keeping Your Garden Healthy" in
Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Broccoli grown from seed will
take 100 to 150 days to mature, and
some transplants can be
harvested in 40 to 80 days.
Harvesting can continue over a
relatively long period. Cut the
central head v^ith five to six
inches of stem, when the head is
well developed and before it
begins to loosen and separate — if
the small yellow flowers have
started to show, it's past the good-
eating stage. Leave the base of
the plant and some outer leaves to
encourage new growth. In many
varieties small clusters will grow in
the angles of the leaves and can
be harvested later.
Storing and preserving
Broccoli can be stored in the
refrigerator up to one week, or in a
cold, moist place for two to
three weeks. Detailed information
on storing and preserving is
given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
The good taste of broccoli has
been appreciated since way back.
Pliny the Elder wrote in the
second century that it was much in
favor with the Romans. The
classically American way to serve
broccoli is with a cheese or
Hollandaise sauce, au gratin, or in
casseroles. It's also delicious
raw, broken into flowerets and
used in a salad or with a dipping
sauce; the small flowerets are
decorative on a platter of raw
vegetables. If you've got stalks left
over after using the head for
salads, parboil them and then
saute them in oil with a little
onion and garlic. To make sure the
stems cook adequately without
overcooking the tender tops, cook,
broccoli like asparagus —
upright in a tall pot so that the
stems boil and the tops steam.
Common names: Brussels
sprouts, sprouts
Botanical name: Brawsica
oleracea gemmifera
Origin: Europe, Mediterranean
Varieties
jade Cross (90 days) is resistant
to yellows virus.
Description
If you've never seen Brussels
sprouts outside of a store, you may
be quite impressed by the actual
plant. Miniature cabbagelike
heads, an inch or two in
diameter, sprout from a tall, heavy
main stem, nestled in among
large green leaves. Brussels
sprouts belong to the cabbage
or cole family and are similar to
cabbage in their growing habits
and requirements. They're hardy
and grow well in fertile soils,
and they're easy to grow in the
home garden if you follow
correct pest control procedures.
Don't try growing the Brussels
sprout as a houseplant — it's too
big to domesticate.
Brussels sprouts have four
stages of growth: (1) rapid growth
of leaves; (2) formation of the
heads (which is the part you eat);
(3) a resting period while the
embryonic blossoms are being
formed; and (4) development of
the stalk, flowers, and seeds. The
head formation stage is
essential for the production of the
vegetable, but not at all
necessary for the survival of the
plant. Brussels sprouts that are
held in check by severe frost, lack
of moisture, or too much heat
will bolt, which means that they'll
go directly to seed without
bothering to form a head at all.
Where and when to grow
Brussels sprouts are frost-
hardy— in fact, they're the most
cold-tolerant of the cole family
vegetables — and can tolerate low
20°F temperatures. Brussels
sprouts do best in a cool growing
season with day temperatures
under 80°F and night temperatures
20°F lower. Weather that's too
cold for too long or too warm will
make them taste bitter; if the
sprouts develop in hot weather,
they may not form compact
heads, but will remain loose tufts
of leaves. Brussels sprouts are
not a suitable crop for very hot
climates, although they will
grow in most areas of the United
States in one season or another.
Time planting so that you harvest
Brussels sprouts during cool
weather. If your area has cold
winters, plant for summer to
early fall harvest. In mild climates,
plant for late spring or fall
harvest. In the South, plant for
harvest in late fall or winter.
How to plant
Brussels sprouts like fertile,
well-drained soil with a pH within
the 6.5 to 7.5 range — this
discourages disease and lets the
plant make the most of the
nutrients in the soil. They're
usually grown from transplants,
except where there's a long cool
period, in which case seeds are
sown directly in the garden in fall
for winter harvest.
When you're preparing the

soil for planting, work in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. If you have
sandy soil or your area is subject
to heavy rains, you'll probably
need to supplement the
nitrogen content of the soil. Use
about a pound of nitrogen
fertilizer for a 10-foot row.
Plant transplants that are four
to six weeks old, with four to five
true leaves. If the transplants are
leggy or have crooked stems, plant
them deeply (up to the first
leaves) so they won't grow to be
top-heavy. Seedlings should be
thinned to 24 inches apart when
they're three inches tall. If
you're planting seeds, set them a
half inch deep, three inches
apart in rows 24 to 36 inches apart.
Thin them when they're big
enough to lift by the true leaves
and transplant the thinned
seedlings.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Brussels sprouts need
abundant soil moisture and cool
moist air for the best growth.
Cut down on watering as they
approach maturity.
Special handling
If you live in an area with cold
winters, pick off the top terminal
bud when the plant is 15 to 20
inches tall. This encourages all of
the sprouts to mature at once.
Some gardeners believe that
Brussels sprouts develop better'
If the lower leaves are removed
from the sides of the stalk as the
sprouts develop. A few more
leaves can be removed each
week, but the top leaves should be
left intact.
Pests
The cabbage family's traditional
enemies are cutworms and
caterpillars. Cutworms,
cabbage loopers, and imported
cabbage worms can all be
controlled by spraying with
bacillus thuringiensis, an
organic product also known as
Dipel or Thungicide. It's
especially important to control
insects on Brussels sprouts; if
they insinuate themselves into the
tightly curled sprouts, you'll
have a lot of trouble dislodging
them. Detailed information on
pest control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Cabbage family vegetables may
develop yellows, clubroot, or
downy mildew. Lessen the
incidence of disease by planting
disease-resistant varieties when
they're available, maintaining the
general health of your garden,
and avoiding handling the plants
when they're wet. If a plant does
become infected, remove and
destroy it so it cannot spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Parti.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
85 to 95 days for Brussels sprouts
grown from seed, 75 to 90 days
from transplants. The sprouts
mature from the bottom of the
stem upward, so start from the
bottom and remove the leaves
and sprouts as the season
progresses. Harvesting can
continue until all the sprouts are
gone. The leaves can be cooked
like collards or cabbage.
Storing and preserving
If you have sprouts still on the
stem in late fall, remove all the
leaves from the plant, and hang
the plant in a cool dry place; it will
give you a late harvest. The plant
can be kept up to one month in a
cold, moist place. Sprouts will
keep for about a week in the
refrigerator. Remove loose or
discolored outer leaves before you
store them, but don't wash
them until you're ready to use
them. You can also freeze or dry
sprouts. Detailed information on
storing and preserving is given
in Parts.
Serving suggestions
Sprouts are traditionally served
with turkey at an English Christmas
dinner. They're also good lightly
steamed and served with a lemon-
butter sauce. Don't overcook
them; young sprouts should be
slightly crunchy, and light
cooking preserves their delicate
flavor. Older sprouts have a
stronger taste. Brussels sprouts
can also be french fried, baked,
or pureed. When you trim them for
cooking, cut an X in each stem
so that the sprouts cook evenly; be
careful not to trim the stem ends
too closely or the outer leaves will
fall off when you cook them. A
walnut in the pot when you cook
Brussels sprouts should cut
down on the cabbagey smell.
Common name: cabbage
Botanical name: Brassica
oleracea capitata
Origin: South Europe
Varieties
Green: Stovehead (60 days);
Jersey Wakefield (63 days); Golden
Acre (65 days); Market Prize (73
days); Badger Ban Head (98 days);
Flat Dutch (105 days). Savoy:
Savoy Ace (80 days); Savoy King (85
days). Red: Red Acre (76 days);
Red Ball (70 days).
Description
Cabbage, a hardy biennial
grown as an annual, has an
enlarged terminal bud made of
crowded and expanded
overlapping leaves shaped into
a head. The leaves are smooth or
crinkled in shades of green or
purple, and the head can be
round, flat, or pointed. The
stem is short and stubby, although
it may grow to 20 inches if the
plant is left to go to seed. Cabbage
is a hardy vegetable that grows
well in fertile soils, and it's easy to
grow in the home garden if you
choose suitable varieties and
follow correct pest control
procedures. Like other members
of the cabbage or cole family
(broccoli and kale are among
them), cabbage is a cool-
weather crop that can tolerate frosl
but not heat.
Cabbages have four stages of
growth: (1) rapid growth of leaves;
(2) formation of the head (which
is the part you eat); (3) a resting
period while the embryonic
blossoms are being formed; and
(4) development of the stalk,
flowers, and seeds. The head
formation stage is essential for
the production of the vegetable,
but not at all necessary for the
survival of the plant. Cabbages thai
are held in check by severe
frost, lack of moisture, or too
much heat will bolt, which
means that they will go directly to
seed without bothering to form
a head at all. And even if the
cabbage does make a head, if
the weather gets too hot once it
reaches that stage, the head can
split.
Cabbages are decorative in
the flower garden; purple
cabbages and savoys look good
in a mixed border. Flowering
cabbages look like enormous
variegated blossoms. In small
spaces, grow cabbages as an
accent in each corner of a flower
bed or as a border. Decorative
cabbages can be grown in
containers on the patio or even
indoors. Try growing a single
cabbage in an eight-inch
flowerpot; choose a flowering
cabbage or a small early variety.
Where and when to grow
Cabbages are frost-hardy and
can tolerate low20°F
temperatures. They do best in a
cool growing season with day
temperatures under 80°F and
night temperatures 20°F lower. If
the plants are cold for too long a
period or if the weather is warm,
they will bolt without forming a
head. If the head has already
formed, it will split in hot
weather — splitting happens when
the plant takes up water so fast
that the excess cannot escape
through the tightly overlapped
leaves, and the head bursts. The
cabbage is not a suitable crop
for very hot climates, although it
will grow in most areas of the
United States at one season or
another. Time planting so that
you harvest cabbage during cool
weather. If your areas have cold
winters, plant for summer to early
fall harvest, in mild climates,
plant for late spring or fall harvest.
In the South, plant for harvest in
late fall or winter.
How to plant
Cabbages like fertile, well-
drained soil with a pH within
the 6.5 to 7.5 range — this
discourages disease and lets the
plant make the most of the
nutrients in the soil. When you're
preparing the soil for planting,
work in a complete, well-balanced ,
fertilizer at the rate of one
pound per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet. If
you have sandy soil or your area is
subject to heavy rains, you'll
probably need to supplement the
nitrogen content of the soil. Use
about a pound of nitrogen
fertilizer for a 10-foot row.
Cabbages are usually grown from
transplants except where
there's a long cool period, in which
case you can sow seed directly
in the garden in fall for winter
harvest. Plant transplants that
are four to six weeks old with four
or five true leaves. If the
transplants are leggy or have
crooked stems, plant them
deeply (up to the first leaves) so
they won't grow to be top-
heavy. Plant the seedlings 18 to 24
inches apart in rows 24 to 36
inches apart. Plan for only a few
heads at a time, or plant seeds
and transplants at the same time
for succession crops; you'll get
the same result by planting early
and midseason varieties at the
same time. If you're planting
seeds, set them an inch deep
and space them three inches apart.
Thin them to 18 to 24 inches
apart when they're big enough to
lift by the true leaves, and
transplant the thinned seedlings.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Cabbages need abundant soil
moisture and cool air for best
growth. Cut down the watering
as the heads approach maturity to
prevent splitting.
Pests
The cabbage family's traditional
enemies are cutworms and
caterpillars. Cutworms,
cabbage loopers, and imported
cabbage worms can all be
controlled by spraying with
bacillus thuringiensis, an
organic product also known as
Dipel or Thungicide. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Yellows virus, clubroot fungus,
and black rot may attack cabbage.
Cut down on the incidence of
disease by planting disease-
resistant varieties when they're
available, maintaining the general
health of your garden, and
avoiding handling the plants when
they're wet. If a plant does
become infected, remove and
destroy it so it cannot spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Parti.
When and how to harvest
Cabbages mature in 80 to 180
days from seed, depending on the
variety, or in 60 to 105 days from
transplants. A 10-foot row should
give you five to eight heads.
Start harvesting before the winter
gets too warm, when the head is
firm. To harvest, cut off the head,
leaving the outer leaves on the
stem. Often a few small heads will
grow on the stalk, and you can
harvest them later.
Storing and preserving
Cabbage stores well in the
refrigerator for one to two weeks,
and can be kept for three to four
months in a cold, moist place.
Cabbage can also be dried, and
freezes fairly well; it can be canned
as sauerkraut. Cabbage seeds
can also be sprouted. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Soggy cabbage is a staple of
English childhood reminiscences.
Actually, steamed or boiled
cabbage is an excellent dish — the
secret is to cut it into small
pieces before you cook it so that it
cooks fast and evenly. Or try
braising it in a heavy-bottomed pan
with butter and just a little
water; toss a few caraway seeds
over it before serving. Sweet
and sour red cabbage is an
interesting dish. Stuffed
cabbage leaves are delicious, and
cabbage makes a good addition
to soup — the leaves add an
additional texture to a hearty,
rib-sticking winter soup. The Irish
traditionally serve cabbage with
corned beef, and a British
combination of cooked cabbage
and mashed potatoes sauteed
together is known as "bubbleand-
squeak." French country
cooks stuff a whole cabbage
with sausage, then simmer it with
vegetables — aversion known
as chou farci. One way or another,
there's a lot more to cabbage
than coleslaw.
Common name: cardoon
Botanical name: Cynara
cardunculus
Origin: Europe
Varieties
Large Smooth; Large Smooth
Spanish; Ivory White Smooth.
Grow any variety available in
your area.
Description
Cardoon is a tender perennial
grown as an annual for its young
leaf-stalks, which are blanched
and eaten like celery. It looks like a
cross between burdock and
celery but is actually a member of
the artichoke family and has the
same deeply cut leaves and heavy,
bristled flower head. Cardoon
can grow to four feet tall and two
feet wide, so it will need plenty
of space in your garden.
Where and when to grow
Cardoon will grow anywhere in
the United States. Plant it from
transplants in the spring.
How to plant
Transplants should be moved to
the garden three to four weeks
after the average date of last
frost in your area, so if you're
growing your transplants from
seed you'll need to start them six
weeks ahead of your planting
date. Cardoon prefers full sun but
can tolerate partial shade and
grows quickly in any well-drained,
fertile soil. When you're
preparing the soil, dig in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. Space the
young plants 18 to 24 inches
apart, with 36 to48 inches between
the rows.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Part 1.
Allow the plants to dry out
between waterings.
Special handling
Cardoon is usually blanched to
improve the flavor and to make it
more tender — the stalks can
get very tough. Blanch when the
plant is about three feet tall, four
to six weeks before harvesting. Tie
the leaves together in a bunch
and wrap paper or burlap around
the stems, or hill up the soil
around the stem.
Pests
Aphids may be a problem. Pinch
out infested foliage or hose the
aphids off the cardoon plants.
Control aphids chemically with
Malathion or Diazinon. Detailed -•
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Cardoon has no serious disease
problems.
Cylindrical (six to seven inches):
Nantes Coreless (68 days);
Harvest the plants four to six
When and how to harvest
Tuchon Pioneer (75 days); Royal
weeks after blanching. Cut them
Cross Hybrid (70 days). Standard
off at ground level and trim off
(seven to nine inches):
the outer leaves. Tendersweet (75 days); Spartan
Bonus {77 days); Gold Pak (75
days); Imperator (75 days).
Storing and preserving
Keep stalks on root, wrap, and
Description
refrigerate; they will keep for one
to two weeks. The plants can be
kept for two to three months in a
Carrots are hardy biennials
cold, moist place. Cardoon
grown as annuals. They have a
freezes fairly well and can be
rosette of finely divided fernlike
canned or dried; handle it like
leaves growing from a swollen,
celery. Detailed information on
fleshy taproot. The root, which
storing and preserving is given
varies in size and shape, is
in Part 3.
generally a tapered cylinder that
grows up to 10 inches long in
different shades of orange.
Until the 20th century and the
Cut the stalks into sections and
Serving suggestions
discovery of mechanical
parboil them until tender — the
refrigeration techniques, root
time will depend on the size of
crops like carrots were almost
the stalks. Serve cardoon stalks cut
the only vegetables available in the
into pieces and chilled with an
winter. They are cool-weather
oil and vinegar dressing, or hot
crops and tolerate the cold;
with a cream sauce. Dip chunks
they're easy to grow and have
into batter and deep-fry them. The
few pest problems, so they're
Italians are fond of cardoon.
good crops for the home
gardener. The carrots we grow
today originated in the
Mediterranean. By the 13th
century the Europeans were
well aware of the carrot's food
value. The first settlers brought
them to America, and the
Indians were quick to recognize
their potential.
Common name: carrot
There are all sorts of carrots —
Botanical name: Daucus carota
long, short, fat, thin — but
Origin: Europe, Asia
basically they differ only in size and
shape. However, the sort of soil
you have will influence which
variety you choose. The shorter
Short (two to four inches): varieties will better tolerate heavy
Goldinhart (60-65 days); Amstel Minipak (60-65 days); Tiny soil; the long types are more
(60-65 days); Gold Nugget (60-65 Sweet (60-65 days). Half-iong (five particular about their
days); Sweet and Short (60-65 to six inches): Danvers Half-environment. Finger carrots can
days). Finger (three to four long (75 days); Royal Chantenay be satisfactorily grown in
inches): Little Finger (60-65 days); (70 days); Gold King (70 days). containers.
Varieties
where and when to grow
Carrots are a cool-weather crop
and fairly adaptable. Plant them in
spring and early summer for a
continuous crop, starting two to
three weeks after the average
date of last frost. Although carrots
are tolerant of cold, the seeds
take a long time to germinate, and
when they're planted in cold,
raw weather they may give up
before they come up. Starting
two to three weeks before the
average date of last frost for your
area, plant successive crops every
two to three weeks until three
months before the average date of
first fall frost.
How to plant
Carrots need a cool bed. They
prefer full sun but will tolerate
partial shade. Before planting,
work half a cup of low nitrogen
(5-10-10) fertilizer into the soil,
and turn the soil thoroughly to a
depth of about 10 or 12 inches.
This initial preparation is vital for a
healthy crop; soil lumps, rocks,
or other obstructions in the soil
will cause the roots to split, fork,
or become deformed.
Sow the seeds in rows 12 to 24
inches apart. Wide-row planting of
carrots gives a good yield from a
small area. When you're planting
in early spring, cover the seeds
with a quarter to a half inch of soil.
Later, when the soil is dryer and
warmer, they can be planted a little
deeper. When the seedlings are
growing well, thin to two to four
inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
To keep carrots growing
quickly, give them plenty of water.
As they approach maturity,
waterless — too much moisture at
this stage will cause the roots to
crack.
Special handling
In areas with high soil
temperatures, mulch to regulate
the soil temperature;
otherwise, the roots will grow
short and pale. Carrot seedlings
grow slowly while they're young,
and it's important to control
weeds especially during the first
few weeks. Shallow cultivation
is necessary to avoid damaging
the roots.
Pests
Carrots have no serious pest
problems. They're a good crop for
the organic gardener.
Diseases
Carrots have no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
from 55 to 80 days, depending on
the variety. Small finger carrots
are usually ready to harvest in 60
days or less; other varieties
need longer. When you think
they're ready, pull a few
samples to check on their size. If
they're three quarters inch thick
or more (for regular varieties),
they're ready to harvest. Pull
them up by hand, or use a spading
fork to lift them gently out of the
ground. Pull carrots when the soil
is moist — if you try to pull them
from hard ground you'll break the
roots.
Storing and preserving
Carrots are most obliging
vegetables when it comes to
preservation — most methods
can be used. They'll store for one
to three weeks in plastic bags or
aluminum foil in the refrigerator,
or for four to five months in a
cold, moist place. They can also be
canned, frozen, or dried.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Carrots fresh from the garden
are wonderful raw. Shredded raw
carrots are delicious with a
touch of oil and lemon; or add
raisins and fresh pineapple for
an exotic flavor. Add shredded
carrots to a peanut butter
sandwich. Carrot cake is a staple
American confection; try it with
a cream cheese frosting. There are
any number of ways to cook
carrots; perhaps the best
treatment for very young fresh
carrots is simply to boil them and
toss with a respectful touch of
butter. You can also try them
boiled, then rolled in
breadcrumbs and deep-fried, or
served with a marmalade glaze.
Most herbs complement the taste
of carrots; parsley is the most
common, but try cooked carrots
and peas with a touch of mint to
enhance the flavor.
Common name: cauliflower
Botanical name: Brassica
oleracea botrytis
Origin: Europe, Mediterranean
Varieties
Super Snowball (55 days);
Snowball Imperial (58 days);
Snowball M (59 days); Self-
Blanche (70 days); Greenball (95
days); Royal Purple (95 days).
Description
Cauliflower is a single-stalked,
half-hardy, biennial member of the
cole or cabbage family. It's
grown as an annual, and the edible
flower buds form a solid head
(sometimes called a curd), which
may be white, purple, or green.
Cauliflower and broccoli are easy
to tell apart until you meet a
white-flowered broccoli or a green
cauliflower. Both also come in
purple, and even the U.S.
Department of Agriculture can't
always tell one from the other.
Cauliflowers are prima donnas
and need a lot of the gardener's
attention. Mark Twain
described a cauliflower as a
cabbage with a college
education.
Cauliflower has four stages of
growth: (1) rapid growth of leaves;
(2) formation of the head (which
is the part you eat); (3) a resting
period while the embryonic
blossoms are being formed; and
(4) development of the stalk,
flowers, and seeds. The head
formation stage is essential for
the production of the vegetable,
but not at all necessary for the
survival of the plant. Cauliflower
that's held in check by severe
frost, lack of moisture, or too
much heat will bolt, which
means that it will go directly to
seed without bothering to form
a head at all.
Where and when to grow
Cauliflower is more restricted
by climatic conditions than other
cole family vegetables like
cabbage or broccoli. It's less
adaptable to extremes of
temperature; it doesn't like cold
weather, won't head properly if
it's too hot, and doesn't tolerate
dry conditions as well as
broccoli.
Cauliflower needs two cool
months in which to mature and is
planted for spring and fall crops
in most areas. Plant for a winter
crop if your winters are mild. For
a spring crop, plant transplants
four to six weeks before the
average date of the last frost in
your area. If you're growing
your own transplants from seed,
start them about six weeks
before your outdoor planting date.
How to plant
Cauliflower likes fertile, well-
drained soil with a pH within the
6.5 to 7.5 range — this
discourages disease and lets the
plant make the most of the
nutrients in the soil. Like other
cole crops, it's usually grown
from transplants except where
there is a long cool period, in
which case you can sow seed
directly in the garden in fall for
winter harvest. When you're
preparing the soil for planting,
work in a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one
pound per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet. If
you have sandy soil or your area
is subject to heavy rains, you will
probably need to supplement
the nitrogen content of the soil.
Use about a pound of high-
nitrogen fertilizer for a 10-foot
row. Plant transplants that are
four to six weeks old, with four or
five true leaves. If the
transplants are leggy or have
crooked stems, plant them
deeply (up to the first leaves) so
they won't grow to be top-
heavy.
Plant the seedlings 18 to 24
inches apart in rows 24 to 36 inches
apart. Plan for only a few heads
at a time, or plant seeds and
transplants at the same time for
succession crops; you'll get the
same result by planting early
and midseason varieties at the
same time. If you're planting
seeds, set them half an inch deep
and space them three inches
apart. Thin them when they're big
enough to lift by the true leaves,
and transplant the thinned
seedlings.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Abundant soil moisture and
cool moist air are needed for the
best growth; do not let the
ground dry out. The plants must be
kept growing vigorously; if
growth is interrupted by heat,
cold, damage, or lack of water,
the head will not form properly.
Special handling
Cultivate cauliflower regularly
to diminish weed competition and
prevent a crust from forming on
the soil's surface. Take care not to
damage the roots.
The objective with cauliflower
is to achieve a perfect head, with all
the flowerets pressed tightly
together. Unless it's supposed to
be green or purple, the color
should be untinged creamy-white,
and too much sun or rain can
damage the head. To prevent this,
you blanch (whiten) it. Blanch
the cauliflower when it gets to be
about the size of an egg, by
gathering three or four leaves and
tying them together over the
head. If you secure the leaves with
colored rubber bands you can
keep track of cauliflowers tied at
different times. Check the
heads occasionally for pests that
may be hiding inside. The self-
blanching cauliflower doesn't
need to be tied, but it will not
blanch in hot weather. Blanching
cauliflower is a cosmetic
procedure; the flavor is not
significantly improved, as is
celery's, by blanching.
Pests
The cabbage family's traditional
enemies are cutworms and
caterpillars, and cauliflower is
particularly susceptible to them.
However, cutworms, cabbage
loopers, and imported cabbage
worms can all be controlled by
spraying with bacillus
thuringiensis, an organic
product also known as Dipel or
Thungicide. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Cauliflower may be susceptible
to root rots; the first indication of
this disease is yellowing of the
leaves. Cut down on the incidence
of disease by planting disease-
resistant varieties when they're
available, maintaining the
general health of your garden, and
avoiding handling the plants
when they're wet. If a plant does
become infected, remove and
destroy it so it cannot spread
disease to healthy plants.
Detailed information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
55 to 100 days for cauliflower
grown from transplants and 85
to 130 days for cauliflower grown
from seed. Under good growing
conditions the head develops
rapidly to about six or eight
inches in diameter. The mature
head should be compact, firm,
and white. Cut the whole head
from the main stem. The leaves
can be cooked like collards or
cabbage.
Storing and preserving
Unwashed and wrapped in
plastic, cauliflower can be stored
for up to one week in the
refrigerator, or for two to three
weeks in a cold, moist place.
Cauliflower freezes satisfactorily
and can also be dried or used in
relishes or pickled. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Boil the whole cauliflower head
just until the base yields to the
touch of a fork. Add lemon juice
to the boiling water to preserve the
curd's whiteness. Coat the head
with a light cheese sauce or simply
with melted butter and parsley.
Tartar sauce is an original
accompaniment to cauliflower,
or sprinkle it with browned
breadcrumbs for a crunchy
texture. The flowerets can be
separated, too, and french
fried. Raw cauliflower lends a
distinctive flavor to salads and is
good served with other raw
vegetables with a mustard- or
curry-flavored dip. Cauliflower
pickles are good, too.
Common names: celeriac,
turnip-rooted celery, celery
root, knob celery
Botanical name: Apium
graveolens rapaceum
Origin: Europe and Africa
Varieties
Alabaster (120 days); Giant
Prague (120 days).
Description
Celeriac is a form of celery, a
member of the same family, and
similar in growing habits and
requirements. Its physical
characteristics and culinary
uses, however, are quite different.
The edible root of celeriac is
large and swollen, like a turnip,
and develops at soil-level; a
rosette of dark green leaves
sprouts from the root. The
stems are hollow. The French and
Germans are more accustomed
than Americans to celeriac; it's
commonly used In stews or
eaten raw.
Where and when to grow
Celeriac does best in cool
weather and especially enjoys cool
nights. To grow celeriac, start in
spring in the North, in late summer
in the South. In the North, start
from transplants; the seeds are
very slow to germinate. Plant
them on the average date of last
frost; set the plants six to eight
inches apart in rows 24 to 30 inches
apart. In the South you can grow
celeriac from seed. Sometimes a
second crop is grown by
seeding directly outdoors in
spring. Plant the seeds a quarter
inch deep in rows 24 to 30 inches
apart, and when the seedlings
are large enough to handle, thin
them to six to eight inches apart.
How to plant
Celeriac tolerates light shade
and prefers rich soil that is high in
organic matter, well able to hold
moisture but with good drainage.
It needs constant moisture and
does well in wet locations. It's a
heavy feeder and needs plenty
of fertilizer to keep it growing
quickly. When you're preparing
the soil for planting, work in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet.
If you're sowing seeds for
transplants start indoors two to
four months before your
estimated planting date — the
seeds germinate slowly. Cover
the seeds with an eighth of an inch
of soil, and then lay a material
like burlap over the containers to
keep the moisture in.
Transplant carefully. To give the
seedlings a good start, plant
them in a trench three to four
inches deep. Space the
seedlings eight to 10 inches apart
in rows two feet apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Part 1.
Frequent watering is
important; celeriac, like celery, is
shallow-rooted, and a lack of
soil moisture can stop its growth. ^
Keep the top few inches of soil
moist at all times.
Special handling
Celeriac cannot compete with
weeds. Cultivate conscientiously,
but be careful not to disturb the
shallow roots. As the tuber
develops, snip off the side roots
and hill up the soil over the swollen
area for a short time to blanch
the tubers. The outer surface will
be whitened, but the interior
will remain a brownish color.
Pests
Celeriac has no serious pest
problems; it's a good vegetable for
the organic gardener.
Diseases
Celeriac has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
110 to 120 days from seed. A 10-foot
row should give you 16 to 20
roots. Pick off the lower leaves —
you can use them to flavor soups
and stews. Harvest celeriac when
the swollen root is three to four
inches wide. In warmer climates,
harvest the roots when they're
about the size of a baseball.
Celeriac increases in flavor after
the first frost, but should be
harvested before the first hard
freeze.
Storing and preserving
You can dry the leaves to use as
an herb in soups and stews. Keep
the roots in the refrigerator up
to one week, or store them in a
cold, moist place for two to
three months. They will keep in
the ground in areas where freezing
weather is not a problem. You
can also freeze the roots; handle
them like turnips. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Peel, dice, and cook celeriac
roots; then marinate them in
vinegar and oil, seasoned to
your taste. Or shred the raw roots,
dress them with a light
vinaigrette, and add them to a
salad. Celeriac makes an
interesting addition to any
luncheon.
Common name: celery
Botanical name: Apium
graveolens dulce
Origin: Europe
Varieties
Summer Pascal (115 days);
Golden Plume (118 days); Utah 52-
70 (125 days).
Description
Celery is a hardy biennial grown
as an annual. It has a tight rosette of
eight- to 18-inch stalks, topped
with many divided leaves. The
flowers look like coarse Queen
Anne's lace and are carried on tall
stalks. Celery is a more popular
vegetable in this country than its
cousin celeriac (which it doesn't
resemble at all in looks or taste).
Both are members of the parsley
family, to which dill and fennel also
belong, and probably
originated in Mediterranean
countries. Celery had been used
earlier for medicinal purposes, but
the French were probably the
first to use it as a vegetable,
somewhere around 1600. It was
brought from Scotland to
Michigan, where it was grown
by Dutch farmers during the last
half of the 19th century, and was
not produced commercially in the
United States until the 1870s. It's
a versatile vegetable — you can eat
the stalks, leaves, and seeds —
but it needs a lot of attention,
and it's not an easy crop for the
home gardener.
Where and when to grow
Celery does best in cool
weather and especially enjoys cool
nights. Cold weather will inhibit
growth. Grow celery in spring in
the North, planting transplants
two to three weeks before the
average date of last frost, or in
the late summer in the South.
Celery seeds are very slow to
germinate, so it's usually more-
satisfactory to use transplants.
How to plant
Celery tolerates light shade and
prefers rich soil that is high in
organic matter, well able to hold
moisture but with good drainage;
it does well in wet, almost boggy
locations. It's a heavy feeder and
needs plenty of fertilizer for
continuous quick growth. When
you're preparing the soil for
planting, work in a complete, well-
balanced fertilizer at the rate of
one pound per 100 square feet or
10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
If you're sowing seeds for
transplants, start them two to
four months before your
estimated planting date — they
germinate slowly. Cover the seeds
with an eighth inch of soil, and
then lay a material like burlap over
the containers to keep the
moisture in. Transplant them in
trenches three to four inches
deep and two feet apart. Space the
seedlings eight to 10 inches
apart, and as they grow mound the
soil up around them to blanch
the stems. Having the plants fairly
close together will also help
blanching.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Make sure that the plants get
plenty of water at all stages of
growth. Celery is a moisture-
loving plant, and lack of water may
slow growth and encourage the
plant to send up flower stalks — it
will also get very stringy.
Special handling
Celery does not like
competition from weeds during
the slow early growth stage, so
cultivate regularly, taking care to
avoid damage to the roots,
which are close to the soil surface.
Unlike cauliflower, which is not
much affected in flavor by
blanching or whitening, celery
will be bitter if it isn't blanched.
Blanching is achieved by
covering the plants to protect them
from the sun, which encourages
them to produce chlorophyll and
turn green. This should be
started 10 days to two weeks
before harvesting.
There are a number of
blanching methods to choose
from, but none of them should
be left on more than 10 days to two
weeks or the celery stalks will
become pithy and rot. Soil can be
mounded around each side of
the celery row and built up to the
tops of the stalks. Or use boards
tilted to shade the celery plants.
Heavy paper — freezer paper or
layers of newspaper — can also be
used; wrap it around each plant
and fasten it with a rubber band.
You can also place milk cartons
with the top and bottom cut out
over the plant, or gather the
stalks together and fit cylinder-
shaped tiles over the tops of the
plants.
Pests
It's some consolation for all the
work growing celery demands that
the crop has no serious pest
problems. This means it's a good
choice for the conscientious
organic gardener.
Diseases
Pink rot, black heart, and blights
can all attack celery. Magnesium
and calcium in the soil
discourage these conditions, and
with adequate fertilizing you
shouldn't have a problem. If you
do, check the mineral content
of your soil. Detailed information
on disease prevention is given
in "Keeping Your Garden Healthy"
in Parti.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
100 to 130 days from transplants,
about 20 days longer from seed.
A10-footrowshouldyieldabout20
heads of celery. Start harvesting
before the first hard frost, when
the head is about two to three
inches in diameter at the base. Cut
off the head at or slightly below
soil level.
Storing and preserving
You can refrigerate celery for up
to two weeks; or if you cut the
leaves to use as herbs, you can
keep the leaves in the refrigerator
up to one week. Celery can be
dried or canned, and it freezes
fairly well; or you can store it for
two to three months in a cold,
moist place. The leaves and
seeds are used as herbs; follow the
procedures given in "How To
Store and Use Herbs." Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Celery is versatile. You can eat
the stems, the leaves, and the
seeds. The stems can be boiled,
braised, fried, or baked; most
people are more accustomed to
celery as a raw salad vegetable or
relish, but celery is great
creamed or baked au gratin. And
what could be more elegant
than cream of celery soup? The
leafy celery tops that most
people throw out can be made into
a refreshing drink. Boil and
strain them, chill the liquid, and
drink it by itself or combined
with other vegetable juices.
Common names: chard, Swiss
chard, sea kale, Swiss beet, sea
kale beet
Botanical name: Beta vulgaris
cicia
Origin: Europe, Mediterranean
Varieties
Lucullus (50 days); Fordhook
Giant (60 days); Rhubarb (60 days).
Description
Chard is basically a beet without
the bottom. It's a biennial that's
grown as an annual for its big
crinkly leaves. Chard is a
decorative plant; with its juicy
red or white leaf stems and rosette
of large, dark green leaves, it
can hold its own in the flower
garden. It's also a rewarding
crop for the home vegetable
gardener — it's easy-going and
very productive. If you harvest the
leaves as they grow, the plant
will go on producing all season.Chard
has an impressive
history, too; it was a popular
foodstuff even before the days
of the Roman Empire.
Where and when to grow
Chard prefers cool
temperatures; high temperatures
slow down leaf production, but
chard tolerates heat better than
spinach does. In a mild climate
you can plant chard from fall to
early spring; in the North, plant
from spring to midsummer.
How to plant
Plant chard from seed clusters
(which each contain several seeds)
about the average date of last
frost in your area. Chard tolerates
partial shade and likes fertile,
well-worked soil with good
drainage and a high organic
content; like the beet, it is not fond
of acid soil. Work a complete,
well-balanced fertilizer into the
soil before planting, at the rate
of a pound per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Plant the seed clusters an inch
deep and four to six inches apart
in rows 18 to 24 inches apart. When
they're large enough to handle,
thin seedlings to stand about nine
to 12 inches apart. Although you
are growing from seed clusters,
each of which is likely to
produce several seedlings,
thinning is not as important as it
is when you're growing beets,
which must have ample room for
root development. Chard plants
can stand crowding — they'll
produce smaller leaves but
more of them. A few extra plants
will also give you replacements
for any that bolt or go to seed in hot
weather. Remove any plants
that bolt, and let the others grow.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
The crop does need enough
water to keep the leaves growing
quickly, so keep the soil moist at
all times.
Pests
Aphids and leaf miners are the
major pests you'll have to contend
with. You can usually control
aphids by pinching out the
affected area; if there are a lot of
them, try hosing them off the
plants. Leaf miners, wormlike
insects that feed inside the leaf
surfaces, can also be controlled
physically; pick off the older leaves
where you see that miners have
laid rows of pearl-white eggs.
Detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping Your
Garden Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Chard has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
55 to 60 days. A 10-foot row of
chard should give you nine
pounds or more of produce. Start
harvesting chard when the
outside leaves are three inches
long; don't let them get much
over 10 inches long or they'll taste
earthy. Some gardeners like to
take off the outside leaves a few at a
time; others prefer to cut the
entire plant down to three inches
and let it grow back. Chard will
grow and produce steadily all
summer, and if the soil is fertile
and the weather doesn't get too
cold, harvesting may continue
into a second year.
Storing and preserving
Chard can be stored for one to
two weeks in the refrigerator. It
can also be frozen, canned, or
dried; use the recipes for greens.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Chard is delicious steamed or
cooked like spinach. The leaves
have a sweet taste like spinach,
and they're colorful in a salad.
Chard stalks can be cooked like
celery. Cut them into pieces two or
three inches long and simmer
them until tender; serve them hot
with butter or chilled with a light
vinaigrette. If you're cooking the
leaves and stalks together, give
the stalks a five-minute head start
so that both will be tender at the
end of the cooking time.
Common names: chayote,
chocho, chuchu, sou-sou,
vegetable pear, one-seeded
cucumber
Botanical name: Sechium edule
Origin: Central America
Varieties
Plant whatever variety is
available. You plant the whole
vegetable so you can use the
chayote you buy in the local
Spanish mercado.
Description
The chayote is a tender
perennial vine that grows from a
tuber and can climb to 30 feet.
It's a member of the gourd family,
and it has hairy leaves the size
and shape of maple leaves; male
and female flowers are borne on
the same vine. The fruit looks like a
greenish or whitish flattened
pear. You can eat the young
shoots, the fruit, and, if the
plant lives long enough, the
tubers. Chayote is very popular
in Mexico and Central America; it
also has a place in American
Creole cooking.
Where and when to grow
The chayote prefers warm to hot
temperatures and cannot survive
temperatures below freezing.
California, Texas, and Florida have
the sort of climate the chayote
enjoys, but it can be grown farther
north if the growing season is
long. In areas where the season is
short, chayote can be grown in a
pot inside and then set out in the
soil or kept in a pot and brought
back inside when the weather
turns cold.
How to plant
You plant the whole fruit with
the fat side placed at an angle half
way down in the soil so that the
stem area is level with the soil
surface. Before planting, work a
complete, well-balanced fertilizer
into the soil at the rate of one
pound per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet.
The chayote likes well-drained soil
with a high content of organic
matter and will tolerate partial
shade. Space the plants 24 to 30
inches apart, with four or five feet
between rows. You don't need
to provide a support for the vines
unless you want to save space.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Give the chayote plants plenty
of water to keep them growing
strongly.
Pests
Aphids may visit your chayote
vines. Hand-pick or hose them off,
or control them chemically by
spraying with Malathion or
Diazinon. Detailed information
on pest control is given In
"Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Chayote has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
120 to 150 days. Cut the chayote off
the vine while the fruit is young
and tender; don't wait until the
flesh gets hard.
Storing and preserving
Chayotes will keep in the
refrigerator up to one week.
Freeze your extra chayotes
either diced or stuffed like squash.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given In Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Chayote can be prepared any
way you prepare squash. Chayote
Is best eaten young and tender.
If It overripens, scoop out the
flesh, remove the seed (a large
seed, in what looks like a terry
cloth bag), mash the flesh with
cheese or meat, restuff the empty
shell and bake. The tubers of
very mature plants are edible and
filling, but not very flavorful.
Common names: chick pea,
gram, garbanzo
Botanical name: Cicerarietinum
Origin: southern Europe and
India
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
Chick peas or garbanzos are
regarded as beans, but their
botanical place is somewhere
between the bean and the pea.
They're tender annuals and
grow on a bushy plant, rather like
snap beans but they have a
longer growing season. Chick peas
have puffy little pods that
contain one or two seeds each. In
some areas they're grown as a
field crop as a food for horses, but
they're good food for people,
too.
Where and when to grow
Chick peas are tender plants
and can't tolerate much cold — a
hard frost will damage the
immature beans. You can grow
them anywhere in the United
States that has 90 to 100 frost-free
days. Plant chick peas from seed
on the average date of last frost for
your area.
How to plant
Choose a bed in full sunlight;
chick peas tolerate partial shade,
but partial shade tends to mean
a partial yield. Prepare the soil by
mixing in a pound of 5-10-10
fertilizer — don't use a high-
nitrogen fertilizer, because too
much nitrogen will promote
growth of foliage but not of the
pods. Work the fertilizer into
the soil at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet. The
seeds may crack and germinate
poorly when the moisture content
of the soil is too high. Don't soak
the seeds before planting, and
don't overwater immediately
afterward. Plant seeds an inch
deep and two inches apart in rows
at least 18 to 24 inches apart.
When the seedlings are growing
well, thin the plants to four to six
inches apart. Cut the seedlings
with scissors at ground level; be
careful not to disturb the others.
They don't mind being a little
crowded; in fact, they'll use each
other for support.
Fertilizing and watering
Chick peas set up a mutual
exchange with soil
microorganisms called
nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which
help them produce their own
fertilizer. Some gardeners
recommend that if you haven't
grown beans in the plot the
previous season, you should
treat the seeds before planting
with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria
inoculant to help them convert
organic nitrogen compounds
into usable organic compounds.
This is a perfectly acceptable
practice but it isn't really
necessary; the bacteria in the
soil will multiply quickly enough
once they've got a growing plant
to work with.
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep the soil moist until the
chick peas have pushed through
the ground. Water regularly if
there's no rain, but remember that
water on the flowers can cause
the flowers and small pods to fall
off. When the soil temperature
reaches 60°F you can mulch to
conserve moisture.
Special handling
Don't bother the plants when
they're wet or covered with heavy
dew; handling or brushing
against them when they're wet
spreads fungus spores.
Cultivate thoroughly but with care,
so that you don't disturb the
bean plants' shallow root systems.
Pests
Chick peas may be attacked by
aphids, bean beetles, flea beetles,
leafhoppers, and mites. Aphids,
leafhoppers, and mites can be
controlled chemically by
spraying with Malathion or
Diazinon. Bean beetles and flea
beetles can be controlled
chemically by spraying with
carbaryl. Chick peas are almost
always attacked by large
numbers of pests that cannot be
controlled by organic methods.
This doesn't mean the organic
gardener can't grow them, but
yields may be lower if only organic
controls are used. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Chick peas are susceptible to
blight, mosaic, and anthracnose.
You can cut down on the
incidence of disease by planting
disease-resistant varieties when
they're available, maintaining the
general health of your garden,
and avoiding handling the plants
when they're wet. If a plant does
become infected, remove and
destroy it so it cannot spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Parti.
When and how to harvest
If you want to eat them raw, pick
chick peas in the green shell or
immature stage. For drying,
harvest the chick peas when the
plants have matured and the
leaves have turned completely
brown. At this time the seeds
should be dry and hard — bite a
couple of seeds; if you can
hardly dent them they're properly
dry and ready to harvest.
Storing and preserving
Unshelled chick peas can be
kept up to one week in the
refrigerator. You can freeze,
can, or dry the shelled chick peas,
and they can also be sprouted.
Dried shelled chick peas can be
stored in a cool, dry place for 10
to 12 months. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Shelled chick peas can be
steamed or boiled like peas, or
roasted like peanuts. Vegetarian
cooks often use chick peas with
grains as a protein-rich meat
substitute. In the Middle East
they're pureed with garlic,
lemon juice, and spices.
Common names: chicory,
witloof, French endive, Belgian
endive, succory
Botanical name: Cichorium
intybus
Origin: Asia, Europe
Varieties
For chicory root: Brunswick;
Magdeburg; Zealand. For Belgian
endive: Witloof.
Description
Chicory is a hardy perennial
with a long, fleshy taproot and a
flower stalk that rises from a
rosette of leaves. It looks much like
a dandelion except that the
flowers grow on a branched stalk
and are pale blue.
Chicory is grown either for its
root, which can be roasted to
produce a coffee substitute, or
for its tender leaf shoots, which are
known as Belgian or blanched
endive. This plant is not to be
confused with endive or
escarole, which are grown as salad
greens. Both chicory and endive
belong to the same family, and the
names are often used
interchangeably, but they aren't
the same plant. If you want to
produce the chicory root or the
Belgian endive, you grow
chicory (Cichorium intybus) — you
can eat the leaves, but that's not
why you're growing the variety. If
you're growing specifically for
greens, you grow endive
(Cichorium endivia).
Chicory has two stages of
development. The first produces
the harvestable root. In the
second stage, you harvest the root
and bury it upright in damp sand
or soil until it produces sprouts or
heads of pale, blanched leaves;
these heads are the Belgian
endives. Once you've harvested
the heads, you can still use the
roots, although they won't be as
satisfactory as roots grown
specifically for their own sake.
Where and when to grow
Chicory is very hardy, tolerates
cold, and can be grown for Its roots
anywhere in the United States.
Since the second stage that
produces the heads takes place
after harvesting, climate is not an
issue. Plant chicory seeds in the
garden two to three weeks before
the average date of last frost for
your area.
How to plant
Chicory tolerates partial shade.
The soil should be well-drained,
high in organic matter, and free
of lumps that might cause the roots
to fork or split. Work a
complete, well-balanced fertilizer
into the soil before planting, at
the rate of one pound per 100
square feet or 10 pounds per
1,000 square feet. Plant the seeds
an inch deep in rows 24 to 36
inches apart, and thin them to 12 to
18 inches apart when the
seedlings are four inches tall. You
can eat the thinnings.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed Information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep the plants evenly moist.
Special handling
If chicory is planted in well-
cultivated soil that's rich in organic
matter, it should develop large
roots. If you're growing the plants
for the roots alone, they'll be
ready to harvest about 120 days
after planting. If you want to
produce the blanched heads,
follow this procedure. Before
the ground freezes, dig up the
chicory roots and cut off the
tops about two inches above the
crown or top of the root. Store
the roots in a cool, humid
place — an outdoor pit or a root
cellar. In winter and spring, bury
the roots to "force" them and
produce the blanched sprouts —
for a continuous supply repeat
the procedure every few weeks.
To prepare the roots for
forcing, cut off the tips so that the
roots are six to eight inches
long, and pack them upright in a
box, pot, or other container
filled with fine sand or a mixture of
sand and peat moss. Cover the
tops of the roots with seven or
eight inches of sand or sawdust,
water thoroughly, and keep at a
temperature of 60° to 70°F. Put
them in your basement or in a cold
frame or trench in the garden.
You may need to water
occasionally during the three or
four weeks the heads take to
develop. When the heads break
the surface, remove the potting
material and cut the heads with a
knife where they meet the root.
Pests
Chicory has no serious pest
problems. It's a good crop for the
organic gardener who doesn't
mind doing the extra work that
chicory requires in its second
stage of growth.
Diseases
Chicory has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
It takes more than 100 days to
produce a mature chicory root. For
the traditional blanched endive,
you'll have to wait three or four
weeks after starting the forcing
procedure. You should be able to
get 30 to 50 blanched heads from
a 10-foot row of chicory plants.
Storing and preserving
Refrigerate the cut heads until
you're ready to serve them, up to
one week. You can keep the
entire plant — root and all — for
two to three months in a cold,
moist place, or you can dig up the
roots and store them for 10 to 12
months. Detailed information on
storing is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
The roots of chicory are
sometimes roasted and ground to
add to coffee or used as a coffee
substitute. Wash and dice the root,
then dry it and roast it before
grinding. Blanched endive heads
are good braised or in salads.
Mix endive with peppers,
artichoke hearts, and sardines
for an Italian-style salad, or with
olives, cucumbers, anchovies,
and tomato wedges in the Greek
manner.
Common names: Chinese
cabbage, white cabbage,
flowering cabbage, celery
cabbage, pakchoy, Michihii,
Napa cabbage
Botanical name: Brassica
chinensis
Origin: China
Varieties
Burpee Hybrid (75 days); Crispy
Choy (pakchoy type, 53 days);
Michihii (heading type, 72 days).
Description
Chinese cabbage is a hardy
biennial grown as an annual, and
it's not a member of the cabbage
family. It has broad, thick, tender
leaves; heavy midribs; and can
be either loosely or tightly headed
and grow 15 to 18 inches tall. The
variety with a large compact heart
is called celery cabbage,
pakchoy, or Michihii. In Chinese,
call \tpe-tsai; in Japanese, say
hakusai. Despite the name, the
appearance and taste of
Chinese cabbage are closer to
lettuce than to regular cabbage.
Where and when to grow
Chinese cabbage can be grown
only in cool weather, because it
bolts (goes to seed) quickly in
hot weather and long days — it
bolts much faster than the
cabbage family vegetables. It's
usually grown as a fall crop in
the North and as a winter crop in
the South. It can be started
inside and transplanted outside in
the spring, but Chinese cabbage
shocks easily, and transplanting
sometimes shocks it into going
to seed.
How to plant
Chinese cabbage is difficult to
grow in the home garden unless
you can give it a long, cool
growing season. Plant it four to six
weeks before your average date
of last frost. Even if the first fall frost
arrives before the head forms
you'll still get a crop of greens.
Chinese cabbage will tolerate
partial shade. The soil should be
well-worked and well-fertilized,
high in organic matter and able to
hold moisture. When you're
preparing the soil for planting,
work in a complete, well-
balanced fertilizer at the rate of
one pound per 100 square feet
or 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Sow seeds in rows 18 to 30
inches apart, and when the
seedlings are large enough to
handle, thin them to stand eight to
12 inches apart. Don't even
attempt to transplant Chinese
cabbage unless you've started
the seeds in peat pots or other
plantable containers.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Water frequently to help the
young plants grow fast and
become tender. They'll
probably go to seed if their growth
slows down.
Pests
Flea beetles, aphids, and
cabbage worms make Chinese
cabbage difficult to grow
without spraying. Aphids can be
partially controlled without
chemicals by hand-picking or
hosing, and cabbage worms can
be controlled by spraying with
bacillus thuringiensis, which is
an organic product. Flea beetles
usually must be chemically
controlled with carbaryl, which
will also control cabbage loopers.
Detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping Your
Garden Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Yellows virus, clubroot, and
black rot may attack Chinese
cabbage. Cut down on the
incidence of disease by planting
disease-resistant varieties when
they're available, maintaining the
general health of your garden,
and avoiding handling the plants
when they're wet. If a plant does
become infected, remove and
destroy it so it cannot spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Parti.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
50 to 80 days, and a 10-foot row
should give you 10 or more
heads. Harvest when the heads are
compact and firm and before
the seedstalks form. With a fall
crop, harvest before hard-
freezing weather. To harvest, cut
off the whole plant at ground
level.
Storing and preserving
Chinese cabbage stays fresh in
the refrigerator up to one week, or
in a cold, moist place for two to
three months. You can also freeze
or dry it, and the seeds of
Chinese cabbage can be sprouted.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Chinese cabbage has a very
delicate, mild flavor, more
reminiscent of lettuce than of
cabbage. It makes an interesting
slaw, with a sour cream dressing
and a little chopped pineapple. Or
serve it in wedges like cabbage.
Of course, the ideal use is in
Chinese stir-fry dishes and
soups. Try shredding the Chinese
cabbage with a bit of carrot,
flavoring it with ginger and soy
sauce, and dropping it in
spoonfuls into oil in the wok. It's
crunchy and delicious. You can
also butter-steam Chinese
cabbage as an accompaniment
to roast pork, or use the leaves to
make cabbage rolls.
Common name: collards
Botanical name: Brassica
oleracea acephalo
Origin: Europe
Varieties
Georgia (75 days); Vates (75
days).
Description
A hardy biennial grown as an
annual, the collard grows two to
four feet tall and has tufts or
rosettes of leaves growing on
sturdy stems. Collard is a kind of

kale, a primitive member of the
cabbage family that does not
form a head. The name collard is
also given to young cabbage
plants that are harvested before
they have headed. Collards
were England's main winter
vegetable for centuries.
Where and when to grow
Like other members of the cole
or cabbage family, collards are
hardy and can tolerate low20°F
temperatures. They're also more
tolerant of heat than some cole
crops; they can take more heat
than cabbage and more cold
than cauliflower. In the South, get
ahead of the warm weather by
planting collards in February or
March. In the North, you can get
two crops by planting in early
spring and again in July or
August.
How to plant
Collards like fertile, well-
drained soil with a pH within the
6.5 to 7.5 range — this
discourages disease and lets the
plant make the most of the
nutrients in the soil. Collards are
usually grown from transplants
planted four to six weeks before
the average date of last frost,
except where there is a long cool
period; in this case you can sow
seed directly in the garden in fall
for a winter harvest.
When you're preparing the
soil for planting, work in a
complete well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. If you have
sandy soil or your area is subject
to heavy rains, you'll probably
need to supplement the
nitrogen content of the soil. Use
about a pound of nitrogen
fertilizer for a 10-foot row.
If you're planting seeds, set
them an inch deep and space them
three inches apart. Thin them
when they're big enough to lift by
the true leaves. You can
transplant the thinned seedlings. If
you're planting transplants,
they should be four to six weeks
old with four or five true leaves.
If the transplants are leggy or have
crooked stems, plant them
deeply (up to the first leaves) so
that they won't grow to be top
heavy. Plant the seedlings 12
inches apart in rows 18 to 24
inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Part 1.
Water them regularly to keep
the leaves from getting tough.
Special handling
If collard plants get too heavy
you may need to stake them.
Pests
The cabbage family's traditional
enemies are cutworms and
caterpillars. Cutworms,
cabbage loopers, and imported
cabbage worms can all be
controlled by spraying with
bacillus thuringiensis, an
organic product also known as
Dipel or Thungicide. Generally,
collards have fewer pest problems
than other cole crops. They are
one of the best and most prolific
crops for the organic gardener.
Detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Collards have no serious
disease problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
75 to 85 days from transplants, 85 to
95 days from seed. A 10-foot row
should yield eight pounds or more
of collard greens. Collards
become sweeter if harvested after
a frost, but you should harvest
them before a hard freeze. In
warmer areas, harvest the leaves
from the bottom up before they
get old and tough.
Storing and preserving
Collards can be stored in the
refrigerator up to one week, or in a
cold, moist place for two to
three weeks. Collards can be
frozen, canned, or dried; use
the recipes for greens. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Collards can be steamed or
boiled; serve them alone or
combine them with ham or salt
pork. Corn bread is a nice
accompaniment.
Common names: corn, sweet
corn
Botanical name: Zea mays
Origin: Central America
Varieties
A large number of varieties are
available. Your local extension
service can give you suggestions
for the best corn to grow in your
area. These are just a few of the
good varieties available: Polar Vee
(55 days); Sugar and Gold (white
and yellow kernels, 60 days);
Earliking (66 days); Butter and
Sugar (white and yellow kernels, 78
days); Golden Cross Bantam (84
days). For late crops, try Aristogold
Bantam Evergreen (90 days) or
Silver Queen (92 days).
Description
Corn, a tender annual that can
grow four to 12 feet tall, is a
member of the grass family. It
produces one to two ears on a
stalk, of which only one may be
harvestable. The pollen from the
tassels must fall into the cornsilk
to produce kernels, and if
pollination does not occur, all
that will grow is the cob. The
kernels of sweet corn can be
yellow, white, black, red, or a
combination of colors. Corn is
the No. 1 crop in the United States
and (with rice, wheat, and
potatoes) one of the top four crops
in the world. But despite the
popularity of sweet corn and
popcorn, most corn is eaten
secondhand — 80 percent of the
United States corn crop goes
into the production of meat. Corn
is not the easiest crop to grow in
your home vegetable garden, and
it doesn't give you a lot of return
for the space it occupies. Don't be
taken in by all that lush
foliage — you will generally get
only one harvestable ear of corn
from a stalk, although some dwarf
varieties will produce two or
three.
Where and when to grow
You can grow corn in any area,
but the time it will take to reach
maturity depends on the
amount of heat it gets; corn
doesn't really get into its stride
until the weather warms up. You
may get two crops, depending
on which variety you plant.
How to plant
Corn likes well-worked, fertile
soil with good drainage, and it
must have full sun. Fertilize the
soil before planting, using a third
of a pound of a complete, well-
balanced fertilizer on each side of a
10-foot row. Place the fertilizer
an inch below and two inches away
from where you plan to put the
seed.
Plant corn when the soil
temperature reaches 60°F. Plant
the seeds two to four inches
apart, in rows (short rows in a
block, rather than one long row)
or inverted hills. Planting In
clumps or blocks ensures
pollination. For a continuous
supply, plant a dozen seeds of
the same variety every two weeks
(or when the previous planting
shows three leaves), or plant early,
midseason, and late varieties at
the same time. When the corn is
about six inches tall, thin short
varieties to two feet apart, tall
varieties to three feet apart.
Corn can be grown closer together
than this, but then the roots are
more crowded and more watering
and feeding are needed.
Fertilizing and watering
Corn is a heavy user of nitrogen.
Fertilize in spring, again when the
corn is eight inches tall, and
again when it's 18 inches tall. Side-
dress between the rows, using a
third pound of complete, well-
balanced fertilizer on each side
of a 10-foot row. Detailed
information on fertilizing is given
in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Watering is very important.
Keep the soil evenly moist. Corn
often grows so fast in hot
weather that the leaves wilt
because the roots can't keep the
leaves supplied with moisture.
Although corn requires so much
water, rain or water on the tassels
at the time of pollination can
reduce the number of kernels on a
cob — and sometimes can
destroy the whole crop. When
watering corn, try to avoid
getting water on the tassels.
Special handling
Keep the competition down.
Weed early and keep the weeds
cut back, but remember that
corn has very shallow roots; a
vigorous attack on the weeds
may destroy the corn. Be sure to
thin extra corn plants —
crowding stimulates lots of
silage, but no cobs. Protect the
ears with paper bags after
pollination if you're having trouble
with birds.
Pests
Corn is attacked by many
pests — notably cutworms,
wireworms, flea beetles, corn
earworms, and corn borers — and
they usually attack In numbers
too large to control by physical
methods. Be prepared to use
the appropriate insecticide at the
first signs of insect damage.
Cutworms and wireworms can be
controlled with a soil drench of
Diazinon. Spray flea beetles with
carbaryl when they first appear.
The corn earworm deposits its
eggs on the developing silks of
the corn, and the small caterpillars
follow the silks down into the
ears, where they feed on the tips.
Once they get inside the ear
there is no effective control, so
watch out for them and spray
with carbaryl before the earworms
get inside the protective cover
of the ear. Corn borers damage
stalks, ears, and tassels. They
tunnel into the plant and can cause
such severe damage that the
stalks fall over. Watch for them,
and spray with carbaryl every
five days, starting when the first
eggs hatch.
Raccoons and most rodents
love corn and know exactly when
to harvest it — usually the day
before you plan to. Removing the
offenders' homes and fencing in
the garden are about the only ways
to deter them. Because it takes
up so much room and has so many
pest problems, corn is not the
ideal choice for either the organic
gardener or the novice
gardener. But for the experienced
gardener with lots of room and a
good spray tank, there's nothing
like the taste of fresh, homegrown
sweet corn. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Corn smut and Stewart's wilt are
corn's two main disease problems.
Corn smut is a fungus disease
that attacks the kernels — the
kernels turn gray or black and
are about four times larger than
normal. Destroy the affected
plants, and plant your corn in a
new part of the garden next
time. Smut spores can survive in
the soil for two years. Stewart's
wilt is a bacterial disease spread by
flea beetles. It causes a general
yellowing of the leaves and severe
stunting of the whole plant. Try
to prevent It by planting resistant
varieties and controlling flea
beetles when they first appear.
Detailed information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
From planting to harvest takes
55 to 95 days depending on the
variety and, to some extent, the
weather. Your harvest won't be
generous — maybe five to eight
ears from a 10-foot row. Harvest
your corn when the kernels are
soft and plump and the juice is
milky. Have the water boiling
when you go out to harvest and
rush the corn from the stalk to
the pot, then to the table. The goal
is to cook the corn before the
sugar in the kernels changes to
starch. A delay of even 24 hours
between harvesting and eating will
cause both flavor and texture to
deteriorate noticeably.
Storing and preserving
If you must keep corn before
eating, wrap the whole thing, ear
and husk, in damp paper towels;
store in the refrigerator for four
to eight days. Corn can be
sprouted, and it also freezes,
cans, and dries satisfactorily.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving Is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
After you've given your homegrown
corn all that care and
attention — to say nothing of a
good deal of your garden space —
it is almost unthinkable to do
anything with It beyond boiling or
steaming it quickly and
annointing it with a dab of butter.
You can also roast it in the husks
In a hot oven or on the barbecue
grill. If you have lots, make a
delicate corn soup or souffle.
Common names: cress, garden
cress, peppergrass
Botanical name: Lepidium
sativum
Origin: Asia
Varieties
Few varieties are available
commercially; grow the variety
available in your area.
Description
Cress is a hardy annual with
finely divided tiny green leaves
that have a biting flavor. You can
grow cress from seed indoors or
out — it will even sprout on
water-soaked cotton. It takes only
15 to 20 days from planting to
harvest, which means more or less
instant gratification for the least
patient gardener. Children love to
grow it.
Cress has a peppery flavor
that gives a lift to salads. There are
several kinds available, but the'
curled variety is the most common.
Other types of cress are
upland or winter cress (Barbarea
vernapraecox) and watercress
(Nasturtium officinale). Upland or
winter cress (Barbarea
vernapraecox) is a hardy biennial
from Europe. You can sow it in
the garden in early spring and
harvest soon after midsummer.
The plants are tough and will
survive a cold winter if you
mulch them.
Watercress is a trailing
perennial of European origin with
dark green peppery leaves and
is usually grown in water. It's easily
grown from seed but is usually
propagated in temperate climates
from stem-pieces, which root
easily in wet soil. If you're
fortunate enough to have a
stream running through your
garden, you can try growing
watercress on the bank. You can
also grow it indoors in pots set in
a tray of water. Watercress adds a
kick to salads and makes a pretty
garnish. It's full of vitamin C and
minerals.
Where and when to grow
Cress grows anywhere in the
United States. Garden cress,
which is the one you're most likely
to grow, is started from seeds
sown every two weeks starting
early in spring.
How to plant
When sown outdoors, cress
likes well-worked soil with good
drainage. It will flourish in
shade or semishade and can
tolerate a wide range of
temperatures. When you're
preparing the soil, dig in a
complete, well-balanced fertilizer
at the rate of one pound per 100
square feet or 10 pounds per 1,000
square feet. Sow the seeds
thickly,aquarterof an inch deep in
wide rows, 18 to 24 inches apart,
and for a continuous crop repeat
the planting every 10 to 14 days.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Part 1.
Cress needs even moisture.
Try not to wet the leaves more than
necessary since the soil that
lodges there when water splashes
on them is impossible to wash
out without damaging the leaf.
Cress grown indoors must have
good drainage or it tends to rot.
Pests
Cress has no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
Cress has no serious disease
problems.
How and when to harvest
Often the plants are eaten at
their very early seed-leaf stage.
Cut off the cress with scissors
and enjoy in salads or
sandwiches.
Storing and preserving
Cress does not store well, but it
can be kept in the refrigerator up
to one week. The seeds can be
sprouted. Detailed information on
storing is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
The English nibble "small
salads" of cress and mix the young
sprouts with mustard for dainty
cress sandwiches. Use it in salads
or for a garnish. The peppery
taste is a good foil to more bland
salad greens.
Common name: cucumber
Botanical name: Cucumis sativus
Origin: Asia
Varieties
There are dozens of varieties of
cucumber, including "burpless"
ones, which are supposed to be
more digestible than regular
cucumbers, and round yellow
lemon cucumbers. In the
United States cucumbers are
divided into the slicing kind,
which are large and stay green for a
long time, the small stubby
pickling varieties, and novelty
varieties that are smaller than
usual and suitable for containers or
small gardens.
The following are a selection
of varieties in each of these
categories. Talk to your local
extension service to find out about
other varieties that will do well
in your area. Pickling: Spartan
Dawn Hybrid (50-60 days); SMR18
(50-60 days), both resistant to
mosaic and scab. Slicing:
Poinsett (65 days) resistant to
anthracnose, downy and
powdery mildews, and leaf spot;
Burpee Hybrid (60 days)
resistant to downy mildew and
mosaic; Challenger Hybrid (60
days), resistant to downy mildew
and mosaic. Burpless: Sweet
Slice Hybrid (65 days) resistant
to downy and powdery mildews,
mosaic, and scab. Novelty: Patio
Pik Hybrid (50-55 days) pickling
type, tolerant of downy and
powdery mildews; Peppi Hybrid
(50 days) pickling type, tolerant
of downy and powdery mildews,
mosaic, and scab.
Description
Cucumbers are weak-stemmed,
tender annuals that can sprawl on
the ground or be trained to
climb. Both the large leaves and
the stems are covered with short
hairs; the flowers are yellow. Some
plants have both male and
female flowers on the same vine,
and there may be 10 males to
every female flower, but only the
female flowers can produce
cucumbers. The expression "cool
as a cucumber" has long been
used to describe a person who is
always calm in a crisis, and
cucumbers do seem to give off a
cool feeling. They're tender
plants, however, and not at all
tolerant to cold themselves.
Gulliver, in the report of his
voyage to Brobdingnag, told of a
project for extracting sunbeams
from cucumbers, sealing them
in jars, and letting them out to
warm the air on raw days. Long
before Gulliver, the Emperor
Tiberius was so fond of
cucumbers that the first
greenhouses — sheets of mica
in window sashes — were
developed to keep the plants
growing on happily indoors when
it was too cold to take them
outside. You can grow cucumbers
in a large pot or hanging basket,
or train them up a fence or over an
arbor.
Where and when to grow
The cucumber is a warm-
weather vegetable and very
sensitive to frost. It will grow
anywhere in the United States,
however, because it has a very
short growing season — only 55 to
65 days from planting to
harvest — and most areas can
provide it with at least that much
sunshine. Cucumbers like night
temperatures of 60° to 65°F, and
day temperatures up to 90°F. Plant
them when the soil has warmed
up, three to four weeks after your
area's average date of last frost.
How to plant
Cucumbers will tolerate partial
shade, and respond to a rich, well-
worked, well-drained soil that is
high in organic matter. When
you're preparing the soil, dig in
a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one
pound per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Plant cucumbers in inverted hills,
which you make by removing an
inch or two of soil from a circle 12
inches across and using this soil
to make a rim around the circle.
This protects the young plants
from heavy rains that might wash
away the soil and leave their
shallow roots exposed. Plant six or
eight seeds in each hill, and
when the seedlings are growing
strongly, thin them, leaving the
three hardiest plants standing six
to 12 inches apart. Cut the
thinned seedlings off with scissors
at soil level to avoid disturbing
the roots of the remaining plants.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Cucumbers are 95 percent
water and need plenty of water to
keep them growing fast. Don't
let the soil dry out. In hot weather
the leaves may wilt during the
day, even when soil moisture is
high, because the plant is using
water faster than its roots can
supply. This is normal; just be
sure that the plant is receiving
regular and sufficient water.
Mulch to avoid soil compaction
caused by heavy watering.
Special handling
Cultivate to keep weeds down.
If you are growing cucumbers
inside, or in an area where there
are no insects to pollinate the
female flower — your 51st floor
balcony, for example — you may
need to help with pollination.
Take a soft-bristled brush and dust
the inside of a male flower (the
one without an immature fruit on
the stem), then carefully dust
the inside of the female flowers.
Harvest promptly; mature
cucumbers left on the vine
suppress the production of
more flowers.
Pests
Aphids and cucumber beetles
are the pests you're most likely to
encounter. To control aphids,
pinch out infested vegetation or
hose them off the cucumber
vines, or spray with Malathion or
Diazinon. Cucumber beetles
may not do much feeding damage,
but they carry cucumber
bacterial wilt. Hand-pick them off
the vines promptly, or spray
them with carbaryl. Cucumbers
are so prolific that the organic
gardener who doesn't want to use
chemical controls can afford to
lose a few to the bugs. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Cucumber plants are
susceptible to scab, mosaic, and
mildew. Planting disease-
resistant varieties and maintaining
the general cleanliness and
health of your garden will help cut
down the incidence of disease.
If a plant does become infected,
remove and destroy it before it
can spread disease to healthy
plants. Cucumbers are not
tolerant to air pollution; a high
ozone level may affect their
development. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
55 to 65 days, and a 10-foot row
should give you as many
cucumbers as you can use. Pick the
cucumbers while they're
immature — the size will depend
on the variety. When the seeds
start to mature the vines will stop
producing.
Storing and preserving
Cucumbers can be stored in the
refrigerator up to one week, but if
the temperature is too low
they'll freeze and turn soft. You
can pickle them or use them for
relish if they're the right variety.
Detailed information on
storing and preserving is given in
Part 3.
Serving suggestions
In the Gay '90s the hallmark of
an elegant tea party was cucumber
sandwiches, open-faced on
thin-sliced bread. In England the
sandwiches are closed and cut
into small squares or triangles.
Slice cucumbers thinly and
dress them with plain yogurt and a
little dill. Don't peel them —
cucumbers are mostly water
anyway, and most of the vitamins
they do contain are in the skin.
Instead of eating them, you can
make them into a refreshing
face cleanser — cucumbers are an
ingredient in many cosmetic
products.
Common name: dandelion
Botanical name: Taraxacum
officinale
Origin: Europe and Asia
Varieties
Thick-leaved; Improved Thick-
leaved.
Description
The dandelion is a hardy
perennial that's grown as an
annual for its foliage and as a
biennial for its roots. The jagged
green leaves grow in a short
rosette attached by a short stem to
a long taproot. Bright yellow
flowers one to two inches wide
grow on smooth, hollow flower
stalks. The dandelion is best
known — and feared — by
gardeners as a remarkably
persistent lawn weed, but its
leaves are actually high in vitamin A
and four times higher in vitamin
C than lettuce. It's also versatile:
Dandelion leaves are used raw
in salads or boiled like spinach,
and the roots can be roasted and
made into a coffeelike drink.
Where and when to grow
Dandelions grow well in any soil
anywhere. They prefer full sun but
will do fine in partial shade.
They're very hardy and will survive
both the hottest summers and
the coldest winters. Plant the seeds
in early spring, four to six weeks
before the average date of last
frost.
How to plant
Dandelions grow best in a well-
drained fertile soil from which
you've removed all the stones
and rubble. If you're growing
dandelions for their foliage
only, they'll tolerate soil in poorer
physical condition. When
you're preparing the soil, dig in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. Plant seeds
in the garden a quarter inch
deep in rows or wide rows 12 to 18
inches apart. Thin plants six to
eight inches apart after the true
leaves appear.
Fertilizing and watering
Don't bother to fertilize
dandelions at midseason. Detailed
information on fertilizing is
given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.

Keep the plants supplied with become pests themselves by
water; the dandelion's foliage may seeding all over your and your
become even more bitter than it neighbors' lawns.
is naturally if it's subjected to long
periods of drought. Diseases
Pests Dandelions have no serious
disease problems.
Pests don't bother dandelions.
If you let the dandelions produce When and how to harvest
their delicate clocklike seed
heads, however, they may well Harvest dandelion greens at
your pleasure throughout the
growing season. Harvest the
roots in the fall of the second year;
pull the whole root from the
ground — or lift the roots with a
fork to avoid breaking them.
Storing and preserving
You can refrigerate the greens
up to one week, or store the roots
for 10 to 12 months in a cold,
moist place, as you do with
chicory. Detailed information
on storing and preserving is given
in Parts.
Serving suggestions
Dandelion wine is a brew much
beloved of do-it-yourself vintners.
Or make dandelion tea, and
drink it well-chilled. Remove the
stalks from the dandelions and
toss the leaves in a vinaigrette
dressing. Or try a hot dressing,
as for a wilted spinach salad. Cook
the leaves quickly and serve
them with lemon and oregano,
Greek-style. To use the roots,
wash and dice them, then dry and
roast them before grinding.
Common names: eggplant,
aubergine, guinea squash
Botanical name: Solanum
melongena
Origin: East Indies, India
Varieties
Black Magic Hybrid (73 days);
Jersey King Hybrid (75 days); Black
Beauty (80 days). Long slender
fruits: Ichlban (70 days); Slim Jim
(75 days).
Description
Eggplant is a very tender
perennial plant with large grayish-
green hairy leaves. The star-
shaped flowers are lavender with
yellow centers, and the long,
slender or round, egg-shaped fruit
is creamy-white, yellow, brown,
purple, or sometimes almost
black. Eggplants will grow two
to six feet tall, depending on the
variety. They belong to the
solanaceous family, and are
related to tomatoes, potatoes,
and peppers, and were first
cultivated in India.
Where and when to grow
Eggplant is very sensitive to cold
and needs a growing season with
day temperatures between 80°
and 90°F and night temperatures
between 70° and 80°F. Don't
plant eggplant seedlings until two
to three weeks after your
average date of last frost, or when
daytime temperatures reach
70°F.
How to plant
You can grow eggplant from
seed, but you'll wait 150 days for a
harvest. It's easier to grow from
transplants, started inside about
two months before your outside
planting date. Don't put your
transplants into the garden until
two or three weeks after the
average date of last frost for your
area — eggplants won't be rushed,
and if you plant them too earlythey won't develop. Eggplants
must have full sun. They'll grow
in almost any soil, but they do
better in rich soil that is high in
organic matter, with excellent
drainage. When you're
preparing the soil, dig in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. Set the
plants 18 to 24 inches apart in
rows 24 to 36 inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Eggplants are very fussy about
temperature and moisture and
must be treated with solicitude
until they're well established. Try
to maintain even soil moisture
to ensure even growth; eggplants
are susceptible to root rot if
there's too much moisture in the
soil.
Special handling
If you live in an area where an
unpredictable late frost may occur,
provide protection at night until
all danger of frost is past. In hot
climates the soil temperature
may become too warm for the
roots; in this case, mulch the
plants about a month after you set
them outside. Plants that are
heavy with fruit may need to be
staked.
Pests
Eggplants are almost always
attacked by one pest or another, so
they're not the ideal crop for the
organic gardener. The pests you're
most likely to encounter are
cutworms, aphids, flea beetles,
Colorado potato bugs, spider
mites, and tomato hornworms.
Hand-pick hornworms off the
plants; control aphids and beetles
by hand-picking or hosing them
off the plants and pinching out
infested areas. Collars set
around the plants at the time you
transplant them will discourage
cutworms. Spider mites are
difficult to control even with the
proper chemicals; spray the
undersides of the foliage with
Diazinon before the populations
get too large. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Fungus and bacterial diseases
may attack eggplants. Planting
disease-resistant varieties when
possible and maintaining the
general cleanliness and health
of your garden will help lessen the
incidence of disease. If a plant
does become infected, remove it
before it can spread disease to
healthy plants. Protect the plants
against soilborne diseases by
rotating your crops and planting
vegetables from a different
plant family in the eggplants' spot
the following season. Detailed
information on disease prevention
is given in "Keeping Your
Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
100 to 150 days from seed, 70 to 85
days from transplants. Harvest
the fruit young, before the flesh
becomes pithy. The fruit should
be firm and shiny, not streaked
with brown. The eggplant fruit is
on a sturdy stem that does not
break easily from the plant; cut
it off with a sharp knife instead of
expecting it to fall into your
hand.
Storing and preserving
Whole eggplant will store up to
one week at 50°F; don't refrigerate
it. You can also freeze or dry it.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Eggplant is very versatile and
combines happily with all kinds of
other foods — cheese,
tomatoes, onions, and meats all
lend distinction to its flavor. The
French use it in a vegetable stew
called ratatouille, with
tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic,
and herbs. Ratatouille is a good
hot side dish or can be served cold
as a salad. Eggplant is also a key
ingredient of the Greek moussaka,
layered with ground meat and
topped with a bechamel sauce. Or
coat slices in egg and
breadcrumbs and deep-fry them.
To remove excess moisture
from eggplant slices before you
cook them, salt them liberally,
let them stand about half an hour,
wash them, and pat them dry.
Or weight the slices with a heavy
plate to squeeze out the
moisture.
Common names: endive,
escarole
Botanical name: Cichorium
endivia
Origin: South Asia
Varieties
Full Heart Batavian (90 days) has
smooth leaves. Salad King (98days)
has curled leaves.
Description
Endive is a half-hardy biennial
grown as an annual, and it has a
large rosette of toothed curled
or wavy leaves that are used in
salads as a substitute for lettuce.
Endive is often known as escarole,
and they're varieties of the same
plant; escarole has broader leaves.
Endive should not be confused
with Belgian endive, which is the
young blanched sprout of the
chicory plant. Both endive and
chicory, however, belong to the
genus Cichorium.
Where and when to grow
Like lettuce, endive is a cool-
season crop, although it's more
tolerant of heat than lettuce.
Grow it from seed planted in your
garden four to six weeks before
your average date of last frost.
Long, hot summer days will
force the plants to bolt and go to
seed. If your area has a short,
hot growing season, start endive
from seed indoors and transplant
it as soon as possible so that the
plants will mature before the
weather gets really hot. Sow
succession crops, beginning in
midsummer. In a mild-winter
climate, you can grow spring, fall,
and winter crops.
How to plant
Endive needs well-worked soil
with good drainage and moisture
retention. When you're
preparing the soil, dig in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. If you're
using transplants, start them
from seed eight to 10 weeks before Water regularly to keep the
the average date of last frost in plants growing quickly; lack of
your area. If you're direct-seeding water will slow growth and
endive in the garden, sow seeds cause the leaves to become bitter.
a quarter inch deep in wide rows 18
to 24 inches apart, and when the Special handling
seedlings are large enough to
handle, thin them to nine to 12 Endive tastes better in salads if
inches apart. Thinning is important you blanch it to remove some of
because the plants may bolt if the bitter flavor. Blanching
they're crowded. Plant transplants deprives the plants of sunlight and
nine to 12 inches apart in rows 18
to 24 inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
discourages the production of
chlorophyll. Blanch two to three
weeks before you're ready to
harvest the plants. You can do this
in several ways: Tie string
around the leaves to hold them
together; lay a board on
supports over the row; or put a
flowerpot over each plant. If
you tie the endive plants, do it
when they're dry; the inner
leaves may rot if the plants are tied
up while the insides are wet.
Pests
Cutworms, slugs, and snails can
be troublesome. You may also
have to deal with aphids. Put a
collar around each plant to
discourage cutworms, and trap
slugs and snails with a saucer of
stale beer set flush to the soil. To
control aphids, pinch out infested
foilage, or hose the aphids off
the plants. You can also spray them
with Malathion or Diazinon,
taking care to spray the undersides
of the leaves. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Endive has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
90 to 100 days from seed. To
harvest, cut off the plant at soil
level.
Storing and preserving
Like lettuce, endive can be
stored for up to two weeks in the
refrigerator, but you can't
freeze, can, or dry it. Share your
harvest with friends. Detailed
information on short-term storage
is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Chill endive and serve it with an
oil-and-vinegar dressing; add
chunks of blue cheese or
croutons. Mix it with other salad
greens to add a distinctive
flavor. The French use endive in a
salad with heated slices of mild
sausage, diced bacon, and
croutons.
Common names: fennel,
Florence fennel, finocchio,
fenucchi
Botanical name: Foeniculum
vulgaredulce
Origin: Mediterranean
Varieties
Few varieties are available.
Crow the variety available in your
area.
Description
Florence fennel or finocchio is
the same as the common or sweet
fennel that is grown for use as a
herb. The leaves and seeds of both
are used the same way for
seasoning, but Florence fennel is
grown primarily for its bulbous
base and leaf stalks, which are
used as vegetables. Florence
fennel is a member of the parsley
family. It's a stocky perennial
grown as an annual, and looks
rather like celery with very
feathery leaves. The plant grows
four to five feet tall and has
small, golden flowers, which
appear in flat-topped clusters
from July to September. The whole
plant has an anise flavor.
Where and when to grow
Fennel will grow anywhere in
the United States. It tolerates both
heat and cold, but should
mature in cold weather. Grow it
from seed sown two to three
weeks before your average date of
last frost.
How to plant
Fennel needs well-drained soil
that's high in organic matter.
When you're preparing the soil
for planting, work in a complete,
well-balanced fertilizer at the
rate of one pound per 100 square
feet or 10 pounds per 1,000
square feet.
Plant the seeds a quarter of an
inch deep, in rows two to three
feet apart, in full sun. When the
seedlings are growing strongly,
thin them to stand 12 inches
apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep fennel on the dry side.
Special handling
Fennel plants grow four to five
feet tall; you may need to stake
them if they are becoming

unwieldy. It's not often necessary,
so don't bother to set stakes at
the time of planting.
Pests
Since fennel is a member of the
parsley family, the parsley
caterpillar may appear. Remove
it by hand. It has no other serious
pest problems, so fennel is a
good bet for the organic gardener.
Diseases
Fennel has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
You can start harvesting a few
sprigs as soon as the plant is well-
established and growing
steadily; use them for flavoring.
Harvest the bulbous stalk when
it is three inches or more in
diameter; cut the whole stalk
like celery, just below the point
where the individual stalks join
together.
Storing and preserving
Fennel leaves can be frozen or
dried as herbs; crumble the dried
leaves and store them in an
airtight container. You'll probably
want to eat the stalks fresh;
store them in the refrigerator up to
one week or in a cold, moist
place for two to three months. The
stalks can also be frozen or
dried; handle them like celery.
Serving suggestions
Fennel is featured in many
Italian dishes. The leaves add
flavor to soups and casseroles,
and fennel goes well with fish. You
can prepare Florence fennel in
many ways as you do celery. Cut
the fennel stalks into slices,
simmer them in water or stock
until tender, and serve buttered.
Bake slices of fennel with
cheese and butter as an
accompaniment to a roast, or eat
the stalks raw as a dipping
vegetable. French and Italian
cooks have been using fennel
for generations — hence the
variety of names by which it's
known. The French served grilled
sea bass on a bed of flaming
fennel stalks, and the dried stalks
can be used for barbecuing, too.
Common name: horseradish
Botanical name: Armoracia
rusticana
Origin: Eastern Europe
Varieties
New Bohemian.
Description
Horseradish looks like a giant,
two-foot radish. In fact, it's a hardy
perennial member of the
cabbage family. Ninety-eight
percent of all commercial
horseradish is grown in three
Illinois counties near St. Louis.
Horseradish has a very strong
flavor and — like the animal for
which it's named — can deliver a
powerful kick when you're not
expecting it.
Where and when to grow
Horseradish is a very cold-hardy
plant, which does well in the North
and in cool, high-altitude areas
in the South. Grow it from crowns
or roots planted four to six
weeks before the average date of
last frost for your area.
How to plant
Horseradish tolerates partial
shade and needs rich, well-
drained soil. Turn over the soil
to a depth of 10 to 12 inches, and
remove stones and lumps that
might cause the roots to split.
When you're preparing the soil,
dig in a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one
pound per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Plant the roots in a trench, and
place them 24 inches apart with
the narrow end down. Fill in the
trench until the thicker end is
just covered.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep the soil evenly moist so
that the roots will be tender and
full of flavor; horseradish gets
woody in dry soils.
Pests
Horseradish has no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
Horseradish has no serious
disease problems.
When and how to harvest
Plants grown from roots cannot
be harvested until the second year.
A 10-foot row should give you
six to eight roots. Horseradish
makes its best growth in late
summer and fall, so delay
harvesting until October or
later. Dig the roots as needed, or in
areas where the ground freezes
hard, dig them in the fall. Leave a
little of the root in the ground so
that you'll have horseradish the
following year, too.
Storing and preserving
Store in a glass jar in the
refrigerator one to two weeks. To
freeze, grate the roots and mix
with vinegar and water, as
specified in "How to Freeze
Vegetables." You can also dry
horseradish or store the roots in
a cold, moist place for 10 to 12
months. Detailed information
on storing and preserving is given
in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Horseradish is a classic
accompaniment to beef roasts and
steaks. Serve it solo, freshly
grated, to brave souls who
appreciate its full flavor. For the
less stern of stomach, calm the
flavor with whipped or sour
cream. Serve it as one of the
dipping sauces with a beef
fondue. Since the fumes are very
strong, grate horseradish
outdoors if you can. If you must do
it indoors, use a blender.
Common names: Jerusalem
artichoke, sunchoke
Botanical name; Helianthus
tuberosus
Origin: North America
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the varieties available in your area.
You may find Jerusalem
artichokes growing wild by the
side of the road. Commercial
Jerusalem artichokes are
sometimes sold in supermarkets;
use these to start your own crop.
Description
Jerusalem artichokes are large,upright,
hardy perennials, with
small yellow flowers two to
three inches across and rough,
hairy leaves four to eight inches
long. This plant, which grows five
to 10 feet tall, was grown by the
North American Indians for its
tubers, which look like small
potatoes. The tubers are low in
starch and taste a bit like water
chestnuts.
The Jerusalem artichoke isn't
an artichoke, and it didn't come
from Jerusalem. It's related to
the sunflower, and the name is
probably derived from the
Italian name for a sunflower,
girasole, which means turning
to the sun.
where and when to grow
Jerusalem artichokes will grow
anywhere, and in almost any soil as
long as it's warm and well-
drained. Plant the tubers two to
three weeks before the average
date of last frost for your area.
How to plant
Give Jerusalem artichokes the
least productive soil in your garden
(provided the location is
sunny); they'll probably love it,
and they'll take over areas
where nothing else will grow. Plant
them as a screen or windbreak.
Be sure you know where you want
them before you plant,
however, because once Jerusalem
artichokes become established
little short of a tornado will shift
them. It's not necessary to
fertilize the soil before planting.
Plant the tubers two to six inches
deep, 12 to 18 inches apart. You
won't need to cultivate because
weeds are no competition for a
healthy Jerusalem artichoke.
Fertilizing and watering
Don't fertilize Jerusalem
artichokes at midseason — they'll
do fine on their own.
Water only during extremely
dry periods. The plants themselves
can survive long dry spells, but
the tubers will not develop without
a regular supply of water.
Pests
Aphids occasionally visit the
Jerusalem artichoke, but they
don't present any significant
problem. If they do appear, pinch
out infested foliage or hose the
aphids off the plants. Chemically
aphids can be controlled with
Malathion or Diazinon. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Tuber rot may occur if the soil is
not properly drained. Maintaining
the general health and
cleanliness of your garden lessens
the incidence of disease. If a
plant does become infected,
remove it before it can spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
120 to 150 days, and a 10-foot row
should yield about 20 pounds of
tubers. As the plant grows, cut off
the flower stalks as soon as they
appear; this will encourage tuber
production. If the plant is using
its energy to produce seeds, it
won't produce tubers. (The
flowers, in fact, are cheerful. If
you're growing Jerusalem
artichokes for decorative as well as
practical purposes, you may be
willing to sacrifice a few tubers so
you can enjoy the flowers).
Harvest the tubers when the leaves
die back; dig them up with a
spading fork, leaving a few in the
ground for next year.
Storing and preserving
Store Jerusalem artichokes in
the refrigerator for seven to 10
days, or store in a cold, moist
place for two to five months. You
can also freeze Jerusalem
artichokes or leave them in the
ground as long as possible, and
dig them up as you need them.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
The slightly nutty flavor of the
Jerusalem artichoke goes well with
mushrooms. Serve them cooked
until tender then cooled and
sliced, in a salad with mushrooms
and a vinaigrette dressing. They
can also be used raw, peeled, and
thinly sliced, in a mushroom
salad. Cooked, you can puree
them, saute slices with
tomatoes, or simply toss them with
butter and seasonings as a side
dish with meat or poultry. They can
also be used as an extender in
meat loaf.
Common names: kale, borecole,
collards, green cabbage,
German greens
Botanical name: Brassica
oleracea acephala
Origin: horticultural hybrid
Varieties
Dwarf Blue Curled (55 days);
Dwarf Blue Scotch (55 days); Vate;
(55 days); Dwarf Green Curled
(60 days).
Description
Kale is a hardy biennial plant
grown as an annual. It's a member
of the cabbage family and looks
like cabbage with a permanent
wave. Scotch kale has gray-
green leaves that are extremely
crumpled and curly; Siberian or
blue kale usually is less curly and is
a bluer shade of green. There
are also decorative forms with
lavender and silver variegated
leaves.
Where and when to grow
Kale is a cool-weather crop that
grows best in the fall and will last
through the winter as far north
as Maryland and central Indiana.
Frost even improves the flavor,
and kale is better adapted for fall
planting throughout a wide area
of the United States than any other
vegetable. Kale doesn't tolerate
heat as well as the collard — which
it resembles in being one of the
oldest members of the cabbage or
cole family. All cole crops are
frost-hardy and can tolerate low
20°F temperatures. Kale does
best in a cool growing season with
day temperatures under 80°F.
Time plantings so that you can
harvest kale during cool
weather. If your area has cold
winters, plant for summer to
early fall harvest. In mild climates,
plant for late spring or early fall
harvest. In the South, plant for
harvest in late fall or winter.
Plant kale from transplants early in
the spring and again in the
midsummer if your summers
aren't too hot. Direct-seed in
the fall.
Flowering varieties of kale can
be planted in containers or as
accent points in a flower bed.
The leaves are attractive, and their
color is at its best in cool fall
weather.
How to plant
Kale likes fertile, well-drained
soil with pH within the 6.5 to 7.5
range; this discourages disease
and lets the plant make the most of
the nutrients in the soil. Kale is
usually grown from transplants
except where there is a long
cool period, in which case seed
can be sown directly in the
garden in fall for winter harvest.
When you're preparing the
soil for planting, work in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. If you have
sandy soil or your area is subject
to heavy rains, you'll probably
need to supplement the
nitrogen content of the soil. Use
about a pound of nitrogen
fertilizer for a 10-foot row.
Plant transplants that are four
to six weeks old, with four or five
true leaves. If the transplants are
leggy or have crooked stems, plant
them deeply (up to the first
leaves) so they won't grow to be
top-heavy. Plant the seedlings
eight to 12 inches apart, in rows 18
to 24 inches apart. If you're
planting seeds, set them half an
inch deep and space them three
inches apart. Thin them when
they're big enough to lift by the
true leaves, and either transplant
the thinned seedlings or eat
them right away.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Part 1.
Abundant soil moisture and
cool moist air are needed for the
best growth. Regular watering
keeps kale growing strongly and
prevents it from getting tough.
Pests
The cabbage family's traditional
enemies are cutworms and
caterpillars. Cutworms,
cabbage loopers, and imported
cabbage worms can all be
controlled by spraying with
bacillus thuringiensis, an
organic product also known as
Dipel or Thungicide. Kale does
not suffer too much from pests, so
it's a good choice for the organic
gardener. Detailed information on
pest control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Kale has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
55 days from transplants, 70 to 80
days from seed. A 10-foot row
will produce about 10 plants. Leave
kale in the garden until needed.
As the plants mature, take outside
leaves, leaving the inner ones to
grow, or cut off the entire plant.
But harvest kale before it gets
old and tough.
Storing and preserving
If possible, leave kale in the
garden until you want to eat it. It
will store in the refrigerator in a
plastic bag for up to one week, or
in a cold, moist place for up to
three weeks. You can also freeze,
can, or dry it; use the recipes for
greens. Detailed information on
storing and preserving is given
in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Young kale makes a distinctive
salad green; dress it simply with oil
and vinegar. You can also cook it
in a little water and serve it with
butter, lemon juice, and
chopped bacon. Instead of
boiling, try preparing it like
spinach steamed with butter and
only the water that clings to the
leaves after washing. The Italians
steam kale until tender, then
add olive oil, a little garlic, and
breadcrumbs, and sprinkle it
with Parmesan cheese in the last
minute or two of cooking. You
can also prepare kale Chinese-
style, stir-fried with a few slices
of fresh gingerroot.
Common names: kohlrabi,
turnip-rooted cabbage, stem
turnip, turnip cabbage
Botanical name: Brassica
caulorapa
Origin: horticultural hybrid
Varieties
Early White Vienna (55 days);
Early Purple Vienna (60 days).
Description
Kohlrabi is a hardy biennial
grown as an annual and is a
member of the cabbage clan. It
has a swollen stem that makes it
look like a turnip growing on a
cabbage root. This swollen stem
can be white, purple, or green,
and is topped with a rosette of
blue-green leaves. In German,
kohl means cabbage and rabi
means turnip—a clue to the
taste and texture of kohlrabi,
although it is mild and sweeter
than either of them. Kohlrabi is a
fairly recent addition to the
vegetables grown in northern
Europe. In this country, nobody
paid it any attention until 1800,
Where and when to grow
All cole crops are hardy and can
tolerate low 20°F temperatures.
Kohlrabi tolerates heat better
than other members of the
cabbage family, but planting
should be timed for harvesting
during cool weather. Kohlrabi
has a shorter growing season than
cabbage. It grows best in cool
weather and produces better with
a 10° to 15°F difference between
day and night temperatures. If
your area has cold winters, plant
for summer to early fall harvest. In
the South, plant for harvest in
late fall or winter. With spring
plantings, start kohlrabi early so
that most growth will occur before
the weather gets too hot.
How to plant
Kohlrabi likes fertile, well-
drained soil with a pH within
the 6.5 to 7.5 range; this
discourages disease and lets the
plant make the most of the
nutrients in the soil. The soil
should be high in organic
matter. When you're preparing the
soil for planting, work in a
complete, well-balanced fertilizer
at the rate of one pound per 100
square feet or 10 pounds per 1,000
square feet. Cole crops are
generally grown from transplants
except where there's a long cool
period. Kohlrabi, however, can be
grown directly from seed in the
garden. Sow seeds in rows 18 to 24
inches apart and cover them
with a quarter to a half inch of soil.
When the seedlings are growing
well, thin them to five or six inches
apart—you can transplant the
thinnings. Cultivate carefully to
avoid harming the shallow roots.

Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Part 1. Kohlrabi
should have even moisture or it
will become woody.
Pests
The cabbage family's traditional
enemies are cutworms and
caterpillars. Cutworms,
cabbage loopers, and imported
cabbage worms can all be
controlled by spraying with
bacillus thuringiensis, an
organic product also known as
Dipel or Thungicide. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Cabbage family crops are
susceptible to yellows, clubroot,
and downy mildew. Lessen the
incidence of disease by planting
disease-resistant varieties when
they're available; maintaining the
general health of your garden;
and avoiding handling the plants
when they're wet. If a plant does
become infected, remove and
destroy it so it cannot spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Storing and preserving
Kohlrabi will store for one week
in a refrigerator or for one to two
months in a cold, moist place.
Kohlrabi can also be frozen.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Small, tender kohlrabi are
delicious steamed, without
peeling. As they mature you can
peel off the outer skin, dice them,
and boil them in a little water.
Kohlrabi can also be stuffed, like
squash-
Try young kohlrabi raw,
chilled, and sliced; the flavor is
mild and sweet, and the
vegetable has a nice, crisp texture.
You can also cook kohlrabi,
then cut it into strips and marinate
the strips in an oil and vinegar
dressing; chill this salad to serve
with cold cuts. Cooked kohlrabi
can be served just with seasoning
and a little melted butter or
mashed with butter and cream. For
a slightly different flavor, cook it
in bouillon instead of water.
Common name: leek
Botanical name: Allium porrum
Origin: Mediterranean, Egypt
Varieties
Titan (120 days); American Flag (120
days); Broad London (130 days); Tivi
(115 days).
Description
The leek is a hardy biennial
grown as an annual. It's a member
of the onion family, but has a
stalk rather than a bulb and leaves
that are flat and straplike
instead of hollow. The Welsh
traditionally wear a leek on St.
David's day (March 1) to
commemorate King
Cadwallader's victory over the
Saxons in A.D. 640, when the
Welsh pulled up leeks and wore
them as ID's. The more
decorous now wear a daffodil
instead.
Where and when to grow
Leeks are a cool-weather crop.
They'll tolerate warm
temperatures, but you'll get
better results if the days are cool;
temperatures under 75°F
produce the best yields. Plant
leeks from seed in the spring
four to six weeks before the
average date of last frost and
from transplants in fall for a late
harvest. Plant transplants in
spring if you want to speed
up the crop to avoid a hot
summer.
How to plant
Leeks like a place in full sun
and thrive in rich, well-worked
soil with good drainage. When
you're preparing the soil, dig in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. Plant the
seeds an eighth inch deep in
rows 12 to 18 inches apart, and thin
them six to nine inches apart. To
plant transplants, make holes six
inches deep, about six to nine
inches apart, in well-worked soil.
Double rows save space; to
make them, stagger the plants with
their leaves growing parallel to
the rows so they will not grow into
the pathway. Drop the leeks in
the holes, but do not fill in with
soil. Over a period of time,
watering will slowly collapse the
soil around the leeks and settle
them in.
Special handling
In order to grow a large, white,
succulent leek, blanch the lower
part of the stem by hilling the
soil up around the stalk as It
develops.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Give leeks plenty of water to
keep them growing strongly.
Pests
Onion thrips may show up on
leeks in dry weather. Discourage
them by hosing them off the
plants, or spray them with
Malathion or Diazinon, Leeks
will do well in the organic garden
despite the thrips. More
detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Leeks have no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
about 80 days from transplants and
120 days or more from seed. A
10-foot double row should give
you about 20 leeks. Around
midsummer, start removing the
top half of the leaves. This will
encourage greater growth of the
leek stalk. Pull the leeks as you
need them, but harvest them all
before frost.
with small, yellowish flowers on
the stalk. The lettuce most
commonly found in supermarkets
(iceberg or head lettuce) is the
most difficult to grow in the home
vegetable garden. Butterhead
and bibb lettuces, which are often
so extravagantly expensive in
the store, are easier to grow.
Butterhead lettuces have loose
heads and delicate crunchy leaves.
Stem lettuce (celtuce) might
fool you into thinking you're
eating hearts of palm and makes
a crunchy addition to a salad.
Celtuce is grown in the same
way as lettuce, except that you
want celtuce to bolt or go to
seed, because you're going to
harvest the thickened stem. You
use the leaves of celtuce as you
would regular lettuce; the heart
of the stem is used like celery. Cos
or romaine lettuce forms a
loose, long head and is part way
between a butterhead and leaf
lettuce in flavor. Leaf lettuce is
delightfully easy to grow, grows
fast, and provides bulk and color to
salads.
Leaf lettuce and butterhead
lettuce make attractive borders or
accents in a flower garden, and
either kind can be grown singly in a
four-inch pot or in a window
box. With a little planning you can
grow an entire salad garden in
containers on a balcony or terrace.
Historically, King Nebuchadnezzar
grew lettuce in his
gardens in ancient Babylon. The
Romans used lettuce as a
sedative.
Where and when to grow
Lettuce is a cool-season crop,
usually grown from seed planted in
the garden four to six weeks
before your average date of last
frost. Long, hot summer days
will make the plants bolt, or go to
seed; when this happens the
plant sends up a flower stalk and
becomes useless as a vegetable.
If your area has a short, hot
growing season, start head
lettuce from seed indoors eight to
10 weeks before your average
date of last frost and transplant it as
soon as possible so that the
plants will mature before the
weather gets really hot. Sow
succession crops, beginning in
midsummer. In a mild-winter
climate, grow spring, fall, and
winter crops.
How to plant
Lettuce needs well-worked soil
with good drainage and moisture
retention. When you're
preparing the soil, dig in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. Start
transplants from seed eight to 10
weeks before your average date of
last frost. If you are direct
seeding lettuce in the garden, sow
seeds a quarter inch deep in
wide rows, and when the seedlings
are large enough to handle, thin
leaf lettuce to stand six to eight
inches apart and head lettuce 12
inches apart. Thinning is
important; heading lettuce
won't head, and all lettuce may
bolt if the plants are crowded.
Transplant the thinnings.
Fertilizing and watering
Give the entire garden a
midseason application of fertilizer.
Your successive crops of lettuce
will benefit from it, even though
you will already have harvested
an early crop. Detailed
information on fertilizing is
given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Always keep the soil evenly
moist but not soggy, and don't let
the shallow-rooted lettuce
plants dry out. Heading lettuce
needs careful watering when
the head is forming. Try not to
splash muddy water on the
lettuce plants — the cleaner they
are, the easier they are to
prepare for eating. Use a light
mulch of straw or hay to keep
soil off the leaves.
Pests
Cutworms, slugs, and snails can
be troublesome. You may also
have to deal with aphids. Put a
collar around each plant to
discourage cutworms, and trap
slugs and snails with a saucer of
stale beer set flush to the soil. To
control aphids, pinch out infested
foliage, or hose the aphids off
the plants. Control aphids
chemically with Malathion or
Diazinon, taking care to spray the
undersides of the leaves.
Detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Lettuce has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
As the lettuce grows, either pick
the outer leaves and let the inner
leaves develop, or harvest the
whole plant at once by cutting it off
at ground level. Try to harvest
when the weather is cool; in the
heat of the day the leaves may be
limp. Chilling will crisp up the
leaves again.
storing and preserving
Don't harvest lettuce until
you're ready to use it. It can be
stored for up to two weeks in the
refrigerator, and everyone has a
favorite way of keeping it crisp.
Some suggest washing the lettuce
first, then wrapping it in a cotton
or linen towel and keeping it in the
refrigerator. Others suggest
storing the whole lettuce in a
plastic bag. You can't freeze,
dry, or can lettuce, but you can
sprout lettuce seeds. If you've
got lots, share your bounty with
friends. Detailed information
on short-term storage is given in
Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Yes, salads, of course — but
there are other ways to serve
lettuce. Braise it in butter with
seasoning to taste — the French
use nutmeg. Make a wilted salad
or cream of lettuce soup, or stir-fry
it with mushrooms and onions.
Cook peas and shredded lettuce
together in a little butter —
throw in the lettuce just before
you take the peas off the heat. Use
several varieties of lettuce
together for an interesting
combination of shades and
textures. Serve a very plain
salad — a few leaves of lettuce
dressed with oil and a good wine
vinegar — to cleanse the palate
between courses of a fancy dinner.
Common name: mushroom
Botanical name: Agaricus
species
Origin: Mushrooms are found
all over the world.
Varieties
Although there are many
varieties of edible mushrooms,
only a few are available for
home production; grow the
varieties that are available
commercially.
Description
Mushrooms are the fruiting
bodies of a fungus organism, and
there are between 60,000 and
100,000 species of fungus that
produce mushrooms. Because
many mushrooms are poisonous,
and it's extremely difficult to
tell the edible variety from the
poisonous kind, gathering wild
mushrooms to eat is a very risky
pastime. There are, however,
many good books on the market
that will help you recognize
some of the 50 or more edible
varieties that grow wild in the
United States; so if you do want
to go mushroom-hunting, do a
little homework first. You can also
grow mushrooms at home
from prepared trays, kits, and
spawn that are available
commercially through seed
catalog companies and garden
suppliers. It's not too difficult,
and it can be both productive
and fun.
Where and when to grow
Because you're growing them
indoors, the type of climate you
live in is a matter of indifference
to your mushrooms. You can
also grow them at any time of the
year, but the trays or kits are
usually available commercially
only from October through
April.
How to plant
Mushrooms grow best in a
dark, humid, cool area. In most
homes the best places are the
basement and the cabinet under
the kitchen sink. A little light
won't hurt the mushrooms, but
they do need high humidity —
80 to 85 percent — and a cool
temperature —55° to 60°F.

Mushrooms for growing at
home are available in two
different forms — in kits or as
spawn. You can buy prepared
trays and kits already filled with
the growing medium and the
mushroom spores. All you
have to do is remove the tray from
the package, add an inch of
topsoil, and water. Keep them in a
dark, humid, cool place, and
you should be harvesting
mushrooms within about four
weeks.
Many seed companies also
sell mushroom spawn; growing
from spawn is less expensive,
but it does require a little more
care. Plant half-inch pieces of
the spawn about two inches deep
and eight to 10 inches apart in a
well-rotted strawy horse or cow
manure. Keep the planted
spawn in a dark, humid room with
the temperature at about 70°F
for the first 21 days; then lower
the temperature to about 60°F
and cover the bed with a one-inch
layer of good, sterilized
topsoil. If the conditions are
right, you should be able to
start harvesting in about four
weeks.
Fertilizing and watering
You don't need to fertilize
mushrooms.
Keep them moist; don't let
the mushrooms dry out, but don't
allow water to stand on the soil.
Pests
Pests present no serious
problems when you're growing
mushrooms at home.
Diseases
Mushrooms grown at home
have no serious disease problems.
When and how to harvest
Whether you're growing
mushrooms from a kit or from
spawn, you'll wait about four
weeks for results. You can harvest
the mushrooms as immature
buttons, before the caps open, or
when the cap is fully open and
the gills exposed — at this stage
the mushrooms are ripe and
their flavor is at its highest level.
Never pull the mushrooms out
of the soil; cut them off at soil level
with a sharp knife. Check and
harvest your mushrooms every
day; if you leave mature
mushrooms in the planting bed
your yield will be lower, but if
you pick them regularly the bed
will produce continuously for as
long as six months.
Storing and preserving
Mushrooms can be stored in the
refrigerator up to one week. You
can also freeze, can, or dry
them. Detailed information on
storing and preserving is given
in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Fresh mushrooms are
wonderful raw, sliced thinly and
eaten alone or tossed in a green
salad. Simmer them in red wine
and tomatoes with parsley and
herbs for a delicious vegetarian
supper dish. Stuff them with
herbed breadcrumbs and broil
them, or saute them lightly and
toss them in with a dish of plain
vegetables — try them with
zucchini. Use mushrooms in your
stir-fry Oriental dishes; the
quick cooking preserves their
flavor and texture. You can also
fold them into an omelette topped
with sherry sauce for an elegant
lunch dish.
Common names: muskmelon,
cantaloupe, cantaloup
Botanical name: Cucumis melo
Origin: South Asia, tropical
Africa
Varieties
Muskmelons are very
dependent on climate and
growing conditions. Check with
your garden center or local
extension office for the varieties
that grow best in your area.
Description
The muskmelon is a long,
trailing annual that belongs to the
cucumber and watermelon
muskmelon is usually called a
cantaloupe, but it should not be
confused with the real
cantaloupe, which is a warty or
rock melon. The word
cantaloupe means "song of the
wolf" and was the name of an
Italian castle. In 1885, when
William S. Ross brought two
barrels of muskmelons into the
South Water Market in Chicago,
everyone laughed at the little
melons. Ross, however,
laughed all the way to the bank.
The U.S. Department of
Agriculture spells it cantaloup,
without the final "e."
Another type of melon you
may like to try in your garden is the
honeydew. It's sometimes
referred to as a winter melon, but
again the name is inaccurate —
the true winter melon is a
Chinese vegetable. Honeydews
family. The netted melon or
have a smoother surface than
muskmelons, and lack their
distinctive odor. They also ripen
later and require a longer growing
season, which means that they
will not ripen fully in short-season
areas. Your Cooperative
Extension Service will advise you
on growing honeydews in your
area. The following growing
information for muskmelons
applies also to honeydews.
Where and when to grow
Muskmelon is a tender, warm-
weather plant that will not tolerate
even the slightest frost. It also
has a long growing season, which
means that you must be careful
to select a variety suited to your
area's climate. In cool areas
you'll do better with small-fruited
varieties; in warmer areas,
where you can accommodate their
need for a longer season, you
can grow the large varieties. In
cool areas grow muskmelons
from transplants, using individual,
plantable containers at least
four inches in diameter so that the
root systems are not disturbed
when you plant them. Set the
plants in the garden when the
ground is thoroughly warm, two to
three weeks after your average
date of last frost.
How to plant
Muskmelons must have full sun
and thrive in well-drained soil that
is high in organic matter. When
you're preparing the soil, dig in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. Grow
muskmelons in inverted hills
spaced four to six feet apart. If
you're planting from seed, plant
six to eight seeds in each hill; when
the seedlings have developed
three or four true leaves, thin them
to leave the strongest two or
three seedlings In each hill. Cut the
thinned seedlings with scissors
at soil level to avoid damaging the
survivors' root systems. Where
cucumber beetles, other insects,
or weather are a problem, wait a
bit before making the final
selection. If you're using
transplants, put two or three in
each hill.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Muskmelons need a lot of
water while the vines are growing.
Be generous with water until the
melons are mature, then stop
watering while the fruit ripens.
Special handling
To keep competitive plants
weeded out, cultivate carefully
until the vines cover the
ground. The roots are very shallow
and extend quite a distance, so
proceed with caution. You can
grow muskmelons three feet
apart on fences instead of in
Inverted hills. As the fruits
develop, they may need support if
you're growing them on a fence.
A net or bag will do the job — try
using old pantyhose. If the
muskmelons are growing in a hill,
put a board under each melon to
keep it off the ground.
Pests
Aphids and cucumber beetles
are the pests you're most likely to
encounter. To control aphids.
pinch out infested vegetation,
hose them off the vines, or spray
the aphids with Malathion or
Diazinon. Cucumber beetles
may not do much feeding damage,
but they carry cucumber
bacterial wilt. Hand-pick them off
the vines promptly, or spray
them with carbaryl. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Muskmelon vines are
susceptible to wilt, blight, mildew,
and root rot. Planting disease-
resistant varieties when possible
and maintaining the general
cleanliness and health of your
garden will help cut down the
incidence of disease. If a plant
does become infected, remove
and destroy it before it can spread
disease to healthy plants.
Detailed information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Parti.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
60 to 110 days, depending on type,
and in a good season you might
get 10 melons from a 10-foot row.
Leave melons on the vine until
they're ripe; there is no increase in
sugar after harvesting. Mature
melons slip easily off the stem; a
half-ripe melon needs more
pressure to remove than a ripe
melon, and often comes off with
half the stem attached.
Storing and preserving
You can store muskmelons up
to one week in the refrigerator or,
if you have a lot, for two to
three weeks in a cool, moist place.
You can also freeze your extras
or make pickles with them.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Muskmelon or honeydew is
delicious by itself. A squeeze of
lemon or lime juice brings out
the flavor nicely. Or fill the halves
with fruit salad, yogurt, or ice
cream. You can also scoop out the
flesh with a melon-baller, and
freeze the balls for future use. Mix
balls or chunks of different
types of melon for a cool dessert.
Serve wedges of honeydew with
thinly sliced prosciutto as an
appetizer.
Common names: mustard,
Chinese mustard, leaf mustard,
spinach greens
Botanical name: Brassica juncea
Origin: Asia
Varieties
Tendergreen (spinach mustard,
30 days); Green Wave (45 days);
Southern Giant Curled (40
days).
Description
Mustard is a hardy annual with a
rosette of large light or dark green
crinkled leaves that grow up to
three feet in length. The leaves and
leaf stalks are eaten. The seeds
can be ground and used as a
condiment. If you had lived in
ancient Rome, you would have
eaten mustard to cure your
lethargy and any pains you
suffered.
Where and when to grow
Mustard is a cool-season crop;
it's hardy, but the seeds will not
germinate well if you sow them
too early, so plant seeds in the
garden on your average date of
last frost. Mustard is grown like
lettuce; it is more heat-tolerant
than lettuce, but long hot summer
days will force the plants to bolt
and go to seed. As mustard has a
very short growing season, most
areas of the United States can
accommodate it without any
problems.
How to plant
Mustard tolerates partial shade
and needs well-worked soil, high
in organic matter, with good
drainage and moisture retention.
When you're preparing the soil,
dig in a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one
pound per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Plant the seeds half an inch deep in
rows 12 to 24 inches apart, and
when the seedlings are large
enough to handle, thin them to
stand six to 12 inches apart.
Transplant the thinned seedlings,
or eat them in soups or as greens.
For a continuous harvest,
plant a few seeds at intervals,
rather than an entire row at one
time. As soon as the plants start
to go to seed, pull them up or
they will produce a great number
of seeds and sow themselves all
over the garden. Plant mustard
again when the weather begins
to cool off.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Part 1.
Water mustard before the soil
dries out to keep the leaves
growing quickly.
Pests
Mustard is almost always
attacked by some pest or other and
is more susceptible than other
crops to attack by flea beetles and
aphids. Hand-pick or hose these
pests off the plant, or pinch out
aphid-infested foliage. Or use a
chemical spray of Malathion or
Diazinon. Because of its pest
problems, mustard is not the ideal
crop for the organic gardener.
Detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Mustard has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Pick off individual leaves as they
grow, or cut the entire plant.
Harvest when the leaves are
young and tender; in summer the
leaf texture may become tough
and the flavor strong. Harvest the
whole crop when some of the
plants start to go to seed.
storing and preserving
You can store mustard in the
refrigerator for up to one week, or
you can freeze, can, or dry your
excess crop; use the recipes for
greens. You can also sprout
mustard seeds. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Use young, tender leaves of
mustard in a salad, alone or mixed
with other greens. Boil the older
leaves quickly in just the water that
clings to them after washing;
dress them with a little olive oil and
vinegar, or add some crumbled
bacon. Substitute mustard greens
for spinach in an omelette or
frittata.
Common names: okra, lady's
fingers, gumbo
Botanical names: Hibiscus
esculentus
Origin: Africa
Varieties
Emerald (56 days); Clemson
Spineless (58 days); Dwarf Green
Long Pod (52 days).
Description
Okra, a member of the cotton
and hibiscus family, is an erect,
tender annual With hairy stems
and large maplelike leaves. It
grows from three to six feet tall,
and has large flowers that look like
yellow hibiscus blossoms with
red or purplish centers. When
mature, the pods are six to 10
inches long and filled with
buckshotlike seeds. Okra is
used in Southern cooking, in
gumbo or mixed with tomatoes.
Where and when to grow
Okra is very sensitive to cold;
the yield decreases with
temperatures under 70°f, but it
has a short season, which permits
it to be grown almost anywhere
in the United States. Plant okra
from seed in the vegetable
garden about four weeks after your
average date of last frost. Okra
does not grow well in containers.
How to plant
Okra will grow in almost any
warm, well-drained soil and needs
a place in full sun. When you're
preparing the soil, dig in a
complete well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. Plant the
seeds a half inch to an inch deep
in rows 24 to 36 inches apart, and
when the seedlings are growing
strongly, thin them to stand 12 to
18 inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep the plants on the dry
side. The stems rot easily in wet or
cold conditions.
Special handling
Don't work with okra plants
when they're wet. You may get an
allergic reaction.
Pests
Flea beetles and aphids may visit
okra. Spray flea beetles with
carbaryl. Pinch out aphid-
infested vegetation, control the
aphids chemically with
Malathion or Diazinon. Detailed
Information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Okra may be attacked by
verticillium or fusarium wilt. Okra
varieties are not resistant to
these diseases, but maintaining
the general cleanliness and
health of your garden will help cut
down the incidence of disease.
If a plant does become infected,
remove it before it can spread
disease to healthy plants. Rotate
crops to prevent the buildup of
diseases in the soil. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
50 to 65 days, and a 10-foot row will
yield about six pounds of pods.
When the plants begin to set their
pods, harvest them at least
every other day. Pods grow
quickly, and unless the older
ones are cut off the plant will stop
producing new ones. Okra will
grow for a year if not killed by frost
and if old pods are not left on
the plant. Keep picking the pods
while they are quite small; when
they're only about two inches long
they are less gluey. If you let the
pods mature you can use them in
winter flower arrangements;
the pods and the stalks are quite
dramatic.
Storing and preserving
Pods will store in the
refrigerator for seven to 10 days.
You can also freeze, can, or dry
them. Detailed information on
storing and preserving is given
in Part 3,
Serving suggestions
Many people are disappointed
because their first mouthful often
tastes like buckshot in
mucilage. A taste for okra is
perhaps an acquired one. Try it
in gumbo, mixed with
tomatoes, or sauteed.
Common name: onion
Botanical name: Allium cepa
Origin: Southwest Asia
Varieties
Soil and growing conditions
affect the flavor of an onion as
much as the variety, so check
with a garden center or with your
Cooperative Extension Service
for specific varieties that will do
well in your area.
Description
Onions are hardy biennial
vegetables usually grown as
annuals. They have hollow
leaves, the bases of which enlarge
to form a bulb. The flower stalk
is also hollow, taller than the
leaves, and topped with a
cluster of white or lavender
flowers. The bulbs vary in color
from white through yellow to red.
All varieties can be eaten as
green onions, though spring
onions, bunching onions,
scallions, and green onions are
grown especially for their tops.
Green onions take the least time to
grow. Bermuda and Spanish
onions are milder than American
onions. American and Spanish
onions generally take longer to
mature than Bermuda onions.
Where and when to grow
Most onions are sensitive to day
length. The American and Spanish
onions need long days to
produce their bulbs, and the
Bermuda onion prefers short
days. Onions are also sensitive to
temperature, generally
requiring cool weather to produce
their tops and warm weather to
produce their bulbs. They're frost-
hardy, and you can plant
whichever variety you're using
four weeks before your average
date of last frost. In the South,
onions can be planted in the fall
or winter, depending on the
variety.
How to plant
Onions are available in three
forms — seeds, transplants, and
sets. Sets are onions with a case
of arrested development — their
growth was stopped when they
were quite small. The smaller the
sets are, the better; any sets
larger than the nail of your little
finger are unlikely to produce
good bulbs. Sets are the easiest to
plant and the quickest to
produce a green onion, but they
are available in the least number
of varieties, and are not the most
reliable for bulb production —
sometimes they'll shoot right on
to the flowering stage without
producing a bulb. Transplants
are available in more varieties than
sets and are usually more
reliable about producing bulbs.
Seeds are the least expensive
and are available in the greatest
variety, but they have disease
problems that sets don't have and
take such a long time to grow
that the forces of nature often kill
them before they produce
anything.
In limited space you can grow
onions between other vegetables,
such as tomatoes or cabbages,
or tuck them in among
flowers — they don't take much
room. They can also be grown in
containers. An eight-inch
flowerpot can hold eight to 10
green onions.
Onions appreciate a well-
made, well-worked bed with all the
lumps removed to a depth of at
least six inches. The soil should be
fertile and rich in organic matter.
Locate most bulbs in full
sun — green onions can be placed
in a partially shady spot. When
you're preparing the soil, dig in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet.
When you plant transplants
and sets, remember that large
transplants and large sets (over
three quarters inch in diameter)
will often go directly to seed
and should be grown only for
green or pulling onions. Grow
smaller transplants or sets for
bulbs. Plant transplants or sets
an inch to two inches deep, and
two to three inches apart, in
rows 12 to 18 inches apart. The final
size of the onion will depend on
how much growing space it has.
The accompanying illustration
shows how to plant onion
transplants or sets. If you're
planting onions from seed, plant
the seeds a quarter inch deep in
rows 12 to 18 inches apart, and thin
to one to two inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
The soil should not be allowed
to dry out until the plants
have started to mature — at this
stage the leaves start to get yellow
and brown and to droop over.
Then let the soil get as dry as
possible.
Special handling
Onions are not good fighters;
keep the weeds from crowding in
and taking all their food and
water. Keep the weeds cut off from
the very beginning since they
are hard to remove when they
snuggle up to the onion. Thin
conscientiously; in a crowded bed
onions will mature when very
small without growing a bulb.
Pests
Onion thrips and maggots are
the pests to watch for. Discourage
thrips by hosing them off the
plants, or control them chemically
with Malathion or Diazinon.
Prevention is the best
nonchemical control for
maggots — put a three- or four
inch square of plastic around
the plants to discourage flies from
laying their eggs near the plants.
To control maggots chemically,
drench the soil around the
plants with Diazinon at the first
sign of damage. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
In areas that produce onions
commercially, onions are
susceptible to bulb and root
rots, smut, and downy mildew.
Planting disease-resistant
varieties when possible and
maintaining the general
cleanliness and health of your
garden will help cut down the
incidence of disease. If a plant
does become infected, remove
it before it can spread disease to
healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease prevention
is given in "Keeping Your
Garden Healthy" in Parti.
When and how to harvest
Harvest some leaves for
flavoring throughout the season,
and harvest the green onions
when the bulb is full but not much
larger in diameter than the
leaves. Harvest dry onion bulbs
after the leaves have dried. Lift
them completely out of the soil; if
the roots touch the soil they may
start growing again and get soft
and watery.
Storing and preserving
Store green onions in the
refrigerator for up to one week. Let
mature bulbs air-dry for about a
week outside; then store them in a
cold, dry place for up to six or
seven months. Do not refrigerate
mature onions. You can also
freeze, dry, or pickle onions.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Onions are probably the cook's
most indispensable vegetable.
They add flavor to a huge variety
of cooked dishes, and a meat stew
or casserole without onions
would be a sad thing indeed. Serve
small onions parboiled with a
cream sauce, or stuff large ones for
baking. Serve onion slices
baked like scalloped potatoes.
Perk up a salad with thin onion
rings, or dip thick rings in batter
and deep-fry them. Serve
onions as one of the vegetables for
a tempura. Add chopped,
sauteed onion to a cream sauce for
vegetables, or fry a big panful of
slices to top liver or hamburgers.
Serve pickled onions with
cheese and crusty bread for a
"farmer's lunch." It's virtually
impossible to run out of culinary
uses for your onion crop.
Common name: parsnip
Botanical name: Pastinaca sativa
Origin: Europe
Varieties
Hollow Crown improved (95
days). All American (105 days),
Harris Model (120 days).
Description
Parsnips are biennals grown as
annuals and belong to the same
family as celery, carrots, and
parsley. A rosette of celerylike
leaves grows from the top of the
whitish, fleshy root. Parsnips taste
like sweet celery hearts. Roman
Emperor Tiberius demanded
annual supplies of parsnips
from Germany. Parsnips were the
potato of medieval and
Renaissance Europe.
Where and when to grow
Parsnips need a long, cool
growing season. They will tolerate
cold at both the start and the
end of their growing season, and
they can withstand freezing
temperatures. Plant them from
seed two to three weeks before
the average date of last frost.
How to plant
Parsnips prefer full sun but will
tolerate partial shade. Before
planting, work a 5-10-10
fertilizer into the soil at the rate of
half a cup to 100 square feet.
Turn the soil thoroughly to a depth
of 10 to 12 inches, and remove
all lumps and rocks. This initial-soil
preparation is essential for a
healthy crop; soil lumps, rocks, or
other obstructions in the soil
will cause the roots to split, fork, or
become deformed. Don't use
manure in the soil bed for root
crops unless it is very well-
rotted; it may also cause forking.
Plant seeds a half inch deep in
wide rows 18 to 24 inches apart.
When the seedlings develop
two true leaves, thin them to two to
four inches apart. Thinning is
very important; parsnips must
have adequate space for root
development. Do not pull out the
thinned seedlings; cut them off
at ground level to avoid disturbing
the remaining seedlings.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential.Soil" in Parti.
To keep parsnips growing
quickly, give them plenty of water.
As they approach maturity,
water less; too much moisture at
this stage may cause the roots to
crack.
Special handling
In areas with high soil
temperature, roots will grow short
unless you mulch to regulate
the soil temperature. Control
weeds, especially during the
first few weeks, but cultivate
shallowly to avoid damaging the
young roots.
Pests
Parsnips have few enemies, but
root maggots may be
troublesome. Discourage flies
from laying eggs near the plants by
putting a three-or four-inch
square of plastic around each
plant. Control maggots
chemically by drenching the soil
around the plants with
Diazinon. Detailed information on
pest control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Parsnips have no serious
disease problems.
When and how to harvest
Leave the parsnips in the soil as
long as possible or until you need
them. The roots are not harmed
by the ground's freezing. In fact.
some people think this makes
them taste better. The low
temperatures convert the roots'
starch to sugar. Dig them up
before the ground becomes
unworkable.
Storing and preserving
Store parsnips in the i
refrigerator for one to three
weeks, or in a cold, moist place
for two to six months. You can also
freeze them. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Parsnips can be cooked like
carrots. If the roots are very large,
remove the tough core after
cooking. Put parsnips around a
beef roast so that they cook in
the meat juices, or puree them and
add butter and seasonings.
Common names: pea, sweet pea,
garden pea, sugar pea, English
pea
Botanical name: Pisum sativum
Origin: Europe, Near East
Varieties
Shelling types: Little Marvel (62
days); Frosty (64 days); Wando (75
days); Dwarf Grey Sugar (65
days). Edible-pod types: Giant
Melting (65 days); Melting Sugar
(69 days); Oregon Sugar Pod (75
days); Sugar Snap (65 days).
Description
Peas are hardy, weak-stemmed,
climbing annuals that have leaflike
stipules, leaves with one to
three pairs of leaflets, and tendrils
that they use for climbing. The
flowers are white, streaked, or
colored. The fruit is a pod
containing four to 10 seeds, either
smooth or wrinkled depending
on the variety. Custom has it that
you can make a wish if you find a
pea pod with nine or more
peas in it.
Edible-pod peas are a fairly
recent development. Grow them
the same way as sweet peas, but
harvest the immature pod before
the peas have developed to full
size. Peas have traditionally been a
difficult crop for the home
gardener to grow, with yields so
low that it was hardly worth
planting them. The introduction of
the new easy-to-grow varieties
of edible-pod peas has made
growing peas a manageable
undertaking for the home
gardener, and no garden should
be without them. All you need to
grow peas is cool weather and a
six-foot support trellis.
Where and when to grow
Peas are a cool-season crop that
must mature before the weather
gets hot. Ideal growing weather
for peas is moist and between 60°
and 65°F, Plant them as soon as
the soil can be worked in spring —
about six weeks before the
average date of last frost.
How to plant
Peas tolerate partial shade and
need good drainage in soil that is
high in organic material. They
produce earlier in sandy soil, but
yield a heavier, later crop if
grown in clay soil. Although
soaking seeds can speed
germination, a lot of seed can be
ruined by oversoaking, and
peas are harder to plant when
they're wet, because the seeds
tend to break. Before planting,
work a complete well-balanced
fertilizer into the soil at the rate of
one pound per 100 square feet
or 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Plant the peas two inches deep,
one to two inches apart, in rows 18
to 24 inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Peas need ample moisture;
don't let the soil dry out. When the
vines are flowering, avoid
getting water on the plants; it may
damage the flowers and reduce
the crop.
Special handling
Provide trellises to support the
pea vines. Cultivate very gently to
avoid harming the fragile roots.
Pests
Aphids, rabbits, birds, and
people are attracted to pea vines.
Control aphids by pinching out
infested foliage or by hosing them
off the vines. Fence out the
rabbits, and discourage birds with
a scarecrow. Stern words may
do the trick with human
trespassers. Despite this
competition, peas are an excellent
crop for any garden. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Peas are susceptible to rot, wilt,
blight, mosaic, and mildew. New,
highly disease-resistant
varieties are available; use them to
cut down on disease problems
in your garden. You will also lessen
the incidence of disease if you
avoid handling the vines when
they're wet, and if you maintain
the general health and cleanliness
of the garden. If a plant does

become diseased, remove and
destroy it before it can spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Parti.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
from 55 to 80 days. A 10-foot row
may give you about three
pounds of pods. Pick shelling peas
when the pods are full and
green, before the peas start to
harden. Overmature peas are
nowhere near as tasty as young
ones; as peas increase in size,
the sugar content goes down as the
starch content goes up. Sugar
will also begin converting to starch
as soon as peas are picked. To
slow this process, chill the peas in
their pods as they are picked
and shell them immediately before
cooking.
Harvest edible-pod peas
before the peas mature. Pods
should be plump, but the
individual peas should not be
competely showing through the
pod.
Storing and preserving
Storing fresh shelling peas is
seldom an issue for home
gardeners; there are seldom
any left to store but they can be
stored in the refrigerator,
unshelled, up to one week. You
can sprout, freeze, can, or dry
peas. Dried peas can be stored in a
cool, dry place for 10 to 12
months. Edible-pod peas are also
so good raw that you may not
even get them as far as the kitchen.
If you do have any to spare, you
can store them in a plastic bag in
the refrigerator for seven to 10
days. Edible-pod peas also freeze
well and, unlike shelling peas.
lose little of their flavor when
frozen. Detailed information on
storing and preserving is given in
Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Freshly shelled peas are a luxury
seldom enjoyed by most people.
Cook them quickly in a little
water and serve them with butter
and chopped mint. Or add a
sprig of mint during cooking. Fresh
peas and boiled new potatoes
are the perfect accompaniment for
a lamb roast. Toss cold, cooked
peas into a salad, or add them to
potato salad — throw in diced
cooked carrots as well, and you've
got a Russian salad. Simmer
peas in butter with a handful of
lettuce tossed in at the end of
the cooking time. Or try lining the
pot with lettuce leaves and
cooking the peas briefly over low
heat. Add a few sauteed
mushrooms or onions for a
sophisticated vegetable dish.
Add edible pod peas to a stir-fry
dish — the rapid cooking
preserves their crisp texture and
delicate flavor. Eat them raw, or
use them alone, lightly steamed, as
a side dish.
Common names: pea, black-
eyed pea, cowpea, chowder
pea, southern pea, black-
eyed bean, China bean
Botanical name: Gigna sinensis
Origin: Asia
Varieties
California Black Eye (75 days);
Pink Eye Purple Hull (78 days);
Mississippi Silver (80 days).
Description
Black-eyed peas are tender
annuals that can be either bushy or
climbing plants, depending on
the variety. The seeds of the dwarf
varieties are usually white with a
dark spot (black eye) where they're
attached to the pod; sometimes
the spots are brown or purple.
Black-eyed peas originated in
Asia. Slave traders brought them to
Jamaica, where they became a
staple of the West Indies' diet.
Where and when to grow
Unlike sweet peas, black-eyed
peas tolerate high temperatures
but are very sensitive to
cold — the slightest frost will harm
them. They grow very well in the
South, but they don't grow well
from transplants, and some
Northern areas may not have a
long enough growing season to
accommodate them from seeds. If
your area has a long enough
warm season, plant black-eyed
peas from seed four weeks after
the average date of last frost.
How to plant
Black-eyed peas will tolerate
partial shade and will grow in very
poor soil. In fact, like other
legumes, they're often grown to
improve the soil. Well-drained,
well-worked soil that's high in
organic matter increases their
productivity. When you're
preparing the soil for planting,
work in a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one
pound per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Sow seeds half an inch deep and
about two inches apart in rows
two to three feet apart; when the
seedlings are large enough to
handle, thin them to three or four
inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Don't let the soil dry out, but
try to keep water off the flowers; it
may cause them to fall off, and
this will reduce the yield.
Pests
Beetles, aphids, spider mites,
and leafhoppers attack black-eyed
peas. Control aphids and
beetles physically by hand-picking
or hosing them off the plants,
pinch out aphid-infested
vegetation, or using a chemical
spray of Diazinon or Malathion.
Hose leafhoppers off the plants
or spray with carbaryl. Spider mites
are difficult to control even with
the proper chemicals; remove the
affected plants before the
spider mites spread, or spray the
undersides of the foliage with
Diazinon. Detailed information on
pest control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Black-eyed peas are susceptible
to anthracnose, rust, mildews,
mosaic, and wilt. Planting
disease-resistant varieties when
possible and maintaining the
general cleanliness and health of
your garden will help cut down
the incidence of disease. To avoid
spreading disease, don't work
with the plants when they're wet. If
a plant does become infected,
remove it before it can spread
disease to healthy plants.
Detailed information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
from 70 to 110 days. You can eat
either the green pods or the
dried peas. Pick pods at whatever
stage of maturity you desire —
either young and tender or fully
matured to use dried.
Storing and preserving
Unshelled black-eyed peas can
be kept up to one week in the
refrigerator. Young black-eyed
peas can be frozen, pod and all;
the mature seeds can be dried,
canned, or frozen. Dried shelled
black-eyed peas can be stored in
a cool, dry place for 10 to 12
months. Detailed information
on storing and preserving is given
in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Eat young black-eyed peas in the
pod like snap beans; dry the
shelled peas for use in

casseroles and soups. Combine
cooked black-eyed peas and
rice, season with red pepper
sauce, and bake until hot; or
simmer the peas with pork or
bacon for a classic Southern
dish.
Common name: peanut
Botanical name: Arachis
hypogaea
Origin: South America
Varieties
Few varieties are available. Try
either Virginia or Spanish peanuts,
whichever is available in your
area. If you can find raw peanuts at
the grocery store, plant those.
Description
The peanut is a tender annual
belonging to the pea family. It
grows six inches to 21/2 feet tall,
depending on whether it's the
bunch type, which grows
upright, or the runner type, which
spreads out over the ground.
Small clusters of yellow, sweet-
pea-like flowers grow on stems
called pegs. The pegs grow down
and push into the soil, and the
nuts develop from them one to
three inches underground. You
can grow a peanut plant indoors if
you give it lots of sunlight; it's a
novel and entertaining
houseplant.
Peanuts are 30 percent
protein and 40 to 50 percent oil.
George Washington Carver
made over 117 separate products
out of peanuts.
Where and when to grow
Peanuts need a frost-free
growing season four to five
months long. They're not grown
commercially north of
Washington, D.C., but they can
be grown for fun much farther
north. If your growing season is
short, start the peanuts in pots
inside, and then transplant
them outdoors when the weather
warms up. Start them two weeks
before your average date of last
frost, and transplant them
outside two to three weeks after
your average date of last frost.
How to plant
Peanuts like well-worked sandy
soil that is high in organic matter.
The pegs have difficulty
penetrating a heavy clay soil.
When you're preparing the soil
for planting, work in a complete,
well-balanced fertilizer at the
rate of one pound per 100 square
feet or 10 pounds per 1,000
square feet. Plant either shelled
raw peanuts or transplants six to
eight inches apart, in rows 12 to 18
inches apart. If you're growing
from seed, plant the seeds one to
three inches deep. Grow them
in double rows to save space.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep soil moisture even until
the plants start to flower, then
water less. Blind (empty) pods
are the result of too much rain or
humidity at flowering time.
Special handling
Use a heavy mulch to keep the
soil surface from becoming
hard — the peanut pegs will not
have to work so hard to become
established in the soil.
Mulching will also make
harvesting easier.
Pests
Local rodents will be delighted
that you've become a peanut
farmer. Discourage them by
removing their hiding places and
fencing them out of your
garden. Peanuts have no other
serious pest problems. In warm
climates they are a good crop for
the organic gardener. Detailed
information on control is given in
"Keeping Your Garden Healthy"
in Part 1..
Diseases
Peanuts have no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
120 to 150 days. Your yield depends
on the variety of peanut and the
weather at the time of flowering,
but usually there are not as
many peanuts as you might
imagine. Start harvesting when
the plants begin to suffer from
frost. Pull up the whole plant
and let the pods dry on the vine.
Storing and preserving
Shelled peanuts can be
sprouted, frozen, or used for
peanut butter, or roasted for
snacks. Dried shelled peanuts can
be stored in a cool, dry place for
10 to 12 months. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
You probably won't be able to
resist eating your peanuts as
snacks, but if you've got lots,
make peanut butter. Run the nuts
through a meat grinder for
crunchy peanut butter; for the
smooth kind put them in the
blender. And imagine homemade
peanut butter cookies with
homegrown peanuts — you'll be
one up on everyone at the
school bazaar. Add peanuts and
candied orange peel to a fudge
recipe — it makes a delicious
crunchy candy.
Common names: pepper, bell
pepper, sweet pepper, hot
pepper, wax pepper, chili
pepper, pimento
Botanical names: Capsicum
frutescens (hot pepper),
Capsicum annuum (sweet
and hot peppers)
Origin: New World tropics
Varieties
Peppers come in bell (sweet) or
hot varieties. The bell peppers are
the most familiar; most are
sweet, but there are a few hot
varieties. They're usually
harvested when green, but will
turn red (or occasionally yellow)
if left on the plant. Hot peppers —
sometimes called chili
peppers — are intensely flavored,
and there are more than a
hundred varieties. Ask your
Cooperative Extension Service
for specific recommendations for
your area.
The following are reliable
varieties for general use; the
initials TM indicate resistance to
tobacco mosaic disease. Bell
(sweet) peppers: Bell Boy (TM, 75
control aphids with Malathion
or Diazinon, and flea beetles with
carbaryl. Carbaryl can also be
used to control cutworms; apply it
to the base of the plants.
Detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Pepper plants are susceptible to
rot, blossom end rot, anthracnose,
tobacco mosaic virus, bacterial
spot, and mildew. Planting
disease-resistant varieties and
maintaining the general
cleanliness and health of your
garden will help cut down the
incidence of disease. If a plant
does become infected, remove it
before it can spread disease to
healthy plants. If you smoke, wash
your hands before working with
the plants to avoid spreading
tobacco mosaic virus. Detailed
information on disease prevention
is given in "Keeping Your
Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
If you want sweet red peppers,
leave your sweet green peppers on
the vine until they ripen and
turn red. Cut the peppers off the
vine; if you pull them off half the
plant may come up with the fruit.
Hot peppers can irritate skin, so
wear gloves when you pick them.
Storing and preserving
Peppers will keep up to one
week in the refrigerator or for two
to three weeks in a cool, moist
place. Sweet or hot peppers can be
pickled whole or in pieces, or
they can be chopped and frozen or
dried. Whole peppers can be
strung up to dry — a wreath of hot
peppers makes a great kitchen
decoration. Detailed information
on storing and preserving is
given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Stuffed, raw, pickled, or
roasted, sweet and hot peppers
add lively flavor to any meal.
Stuff sweet peppers with tuna,
chicken, a rice and meat
mixture, or chili con carne. For a
vegetarian dish, stuff them with
rice and chopped vegetables, a
cheese mixture, or seasoned
breadcrumbs. Stuff raw peppers
with cream cheese, slice into
rings, and serve in a salad. Use
thick rings in a dish of vegetables
for tempura. French-fry peppers,
or fry them Italian-style in oil
and garlic. Use chopped peppers
in chili and spaghetti sauce
recipes, and add a spoonful of
chopped hot pepper to a
creamy corn soup for an
interesting flavor contrast.
When you're preparing raw
hot peppers, cut and wash them
under running water and wash
your hands well when you're
finished. Avoid rubbing your
eyes while handling hot peppers.
Milk is more soothing than
water for washing the hot pepper's
sting from your skin.
Common names: potato, white
potato, Irish potato
Botanical name: Solanum
tuberosum
Origin: Chile, Peru, Mexico
Varieties
There are more than 100
varieties of potatoes in the United
States, and they fall into four
basic categories: long whites,
round whites, russets, and
round reds. The most important
variety is Russet Burbank, but it
does not grow successfully in all
areas. Good white varieties for
general use are Irish Cobbler (75
days) and Norchip (90 days).
Good red varieties for general use
are Norland (75 days) and Red La
Soda (110 to 120 days). Because
there are so many varieties, and
the results you get will vary
according to growing conditions
in your area, ask your
Cooperative Extension Service for
specific recommendations for
your area.
Description
The potato is a perennial grown
as an annual. It's a weak-stemmed
plant with hairy, dark green
compound leaves that look a little
like tomato leaves, and it
produces underground stem
tubers when mature. The potato
is a member of the solanaceous
family, and is related to the
tomato, the eggplant, and the
pepper; it originated at high
altitudes and still prefers cool
nights.
Potatoes haven't always been
as commonplace as they are now.
They grew in temperate regions
along the Andes for a couple of
thousand years before Spanish
explorers introduced them to
Europe in the 16th century. To
encourage the growing of
potatoes, Louis XVI of France
wore potato flowers in his
buttonhole, and Marie
Antoinette wore a wreath of
potato flowers in her hair to a ball.
But the people didn't become
interested in potatoes until an
armed guard was assigned to
watch the royal potato patch.
Where and when to grow
Potatoes need a frost-free
growing season of 90 to 120 days.
They're a cool- weather crop,
and they grow best in areas with a
fairly cool summer; the ideal
potato-growing temperature is 60°
to 70°F. Hot weather cuts down
on the production of tubers. Grow
potatoes in summer in the
North, and in fall, winter, and
spring in the South. Plant early
varieties just before your average
date of last frost, and plant fall
crops 120 days before the average
date of the first fall frost. If your
season is short, plant as soon as
possible for a late crop.
How to plant
Potatoes are grown from whole
potatoes or pieces of potatoes —
these are called seed pieces;
each piece must have at least one
eye. Always plant certified
disease-free seed pieces, and
don't try to use supermarket
potatoes, which have been
chemically treated to prevent
sprouting. Some suppliers are
experimenting with potatoes
grown from actual seed, but these
have yet to prove themselves,
and the use of potato seed is not
recommended at this stage.
Potatoes need well-drained
fertile soil, high in organic matter,
with pH of 5.0 to 5.5. Adding
lime to improve the soil and
reduce acidity usually increases
the size of the crop, but it also
increases the incidence of
scab — a condition that affects
the skin of the potato but not the
eating quality. When you're
preparing the soil for planting,
work in a complete, well-balanced 18 inches apart, in rows 24 to 36
fertilizer at the rate of one inches apart. You can also plant
pound per 100 square feet or 10 in a trench or on top of the ground
pounds per 1,000 square feet. and cover them with a thick
Plant potatoes or potato pieces in mulch, such as 12 Inches of straw
full sun, four inches deep, 12 to or hay. For a very compact plant,
you can grow potatoes in barrels,
old tires, or large bags — as the
plant grows you add layers of soil
to cover the leaves and stems.
This encourages the plant to
produce new tubers.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
For the best production, try to
maintain even soil moisture;
watering before the soil dries
out. A thick mulch will conserve
soil moisture, keep down
weeds, and keep the soil from
getting too warm.
Pests
Colorado potato bugs,
leafhoppers, flea beetles, and
aphids attack potatoes. Spray
Colorado potato bugs,
leafhoppers and flea beetles
with carbaryl. Spray aphids with
Malathion. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Part 1. Potatoes have so
many pest problems they may
not be a good choice for the
organic gardener.
Diseases
Potatoes are susceptible to
blight and to scab, which causes a
curly roughness of the skin but
does not affect the eating quality of
the potato. Plant resistant
varieties for the best results,
especially for large plantings,
and use seed certified as true to
type and free of disease.
Maintaining the general health and
cleanliness of your garden will
also lessen the incidence of
disease. If a plant does become
infected, remove and destroy it to
avoid spreading disease to
healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Parti.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
75 to 130 days, and a 10-foot row
will give you eight to 10 pounds
of potatoes. Each plant will
probably produce three to six
regular-size potatoes and a
number of small ones. Potatoes
are fun to grow, and the young
new potatoes are delicious. Dig
up new potatoes after the plant
blooms, or if it doesn't bloom,
after the leaves start to yellow. For
potatoes that taste like storeboughtones,
dig up the tubers two
weeks after the vine dies in fall.
Use a spading fork to dig the
potatoes, and be as gentle as
possible to avoid bruising or
damaging the skins.
Storing and preserving
Cure potatoes in a dark, humid
place for 10 days at 60° to 65°F; then
store them in a cold, moderately
moist place for four to six months.
Be careful not to let them get
wet, or they'll rot. Do not
refrigerate them. Prepared or
new potatoes freeze well and
potatoes can also be dried.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Potatoes are wonderfully
versatile in the kitchen — you can
boil, bake, roast, fry, puree,
saute, and stuff them. The
enterprising cook can serve a
different potato dish every day for
a month. Small new potatoes
are delicious boiled and tossed in
butter and parsley or mint;
don't peel them. Stuff potatoes
with tuna and spinach for a
nourishing all-in-one dish. Enjoy
low-calorie fries by brushing the
fries all over with oil and baking
them in a single layer on a
cookie sheet. Pipe pureed
potatoes around the edge of a
dish for an elegant garnish. Add
cubed, cooked potatoes with
other vegetables to an omelette or
frittata. Don't throw away
potato skins — they're full of
goodness. Deep fry them, or
simmer them to make stock. When
you're mashing potatoes use
hot milk, not cold — they'll be
lighter and fluffier; a teaspoon
of baking powder will have the
same effect.
A nonedible use for potatoes:
Cut a potato in half, and carve a
picture or design on the cut
surface; ink it, and press on paper
for an instant block print. It's a
splendid way of keeping the
children busy on a wet
afternoon.
Common name: pumpkin
Botanical names: Cucurbita
maxima, Cucurbita moschata,
Cucurbita pepo
Origin: tropical America
Varieties
Small pumpkins are grown
primarily for cooking;
intermediate and large sizes for
cooking and for making jack-o'lanterns;
and the very large
jumbo ones mainly for exhibition.
The bush and semi-vining
varieties are best suited to small
home gardens. The following
are a few of the varieties available,
and unless otherwise indicated
they are the vining kind. Ask
your Cooperative Extension
Service for other specific
recommendations for your
area. Small (four to six pounds, 100110
days): Early Sweet Sugar;
Luxury; Spookie; Sugar Pie.
Intermediate (eight to 15 pounds,
100-110 days): Cinderella (bush);
Green-Striped Cushaw; Jack-
O'-Lantern; Spirit (semi-vining).
Large (15 to 25 pounds, 100 days):
Big Tom; Connecticut Field;
Halloween; White Cushaw.
Jumbo (50 to 100 pounds, 120 days):
Big Max; King of the Mammoths.
Description
Pumpkins are tender annuals
with large leaves on branching
vines that can grow 20 feet long.
The male and female flowers —
sometimes as large as eight
inches in diameter — grow on the
same vine, and the fruit can
weigh as much as 100 pounds. The
name pumpkin is also given to a
number of other squashes and
gourds — anything that's
orange and hard. The harvest
poem reference, "when the
frost is on the pumpkin," means
the first light frost, not a hard
freeze. The first pumpkin pies
were made by pouring milk into
a pumpkin and baking it.
Where and when to grow
Pumpkins need a long growing
season; they will grow almost
anywhere in the United States,
but in cooler areas you'll do better
with a smaller variety. Pumpkins
are sensitive to cold soil and frost.
Plant them from seed two to
three weeks after your average
date of last frost when the soil
has warmed up. Pumpkins are
relatively easy to grow so long as
you have space to accommodate
them. They're not the vegetable
to grow in a small home garden,
although you can train them on
afence or trellis, and the bush type
requires less space than the
vining varieties.
How to plant
Pumpkins can tolerate partial
shade and prefer well-drained soil,
high in organic matter. Too
much fertilizer tends to encourage
the growth of the vines rather
than the production of pumpkins.
When you're preparing the soil
for planting, work in a complete,
well-balanced fertilizer at the
rate of one pound per 100 square
feet or 10 pounds per 1,000
square feet. Plant pumpkins in
inverted hills, made by
removing an inch of soil from a
circle 12 inches in diameter and
using the soil to build up a rim
around the circle; leave six feet
betv^een hills. Plant six to eight
seeds in each hill, and thin to
two or three when the seedlings
appear. When the seedlings
have four to six true leaves, thin to
only one plant in each hill. Cut
off the thinned seedlings at soil
level to avoid disturbing the
roots of the chosen survivor. One
early fruit can suppress the
production of any more
pumpkins. Some people
suggest removing this first
pumpkin, but this is a gamble
because there's no guarantee that
others will set. If you remove it,
eat it like squash.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Be generous with water;
pumpkins need plenty of water to
keep the vines and fruit growing
steadily.
Pests
Squash vine borers attack
pumpkins, and if the plant is
wilting it may be that borers are
to blame. Prevention is better than
cure with borers, because once
the pest is inside the plant,
chemical controls won't help. IT
you suspect borers are at work,
apply carbaryl to the crown of
the plant at weekly intervals. If the
vine wilts from a definite point
onward, look for a very thin wall or
hole near the point where the
wilting starts. The culprit may still
be there, but you may still be
able to save the plant. Slit the stem,
remove the borer and dispose
of it, then cover the stem with soil
to encourage rooting at that
point. Detailed information on
pest control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Pumpkins are susceptible to
mildew, anthracnose, and
bacterial wilt. Planting disease-
resistant varieties when possible,
maintaining the general
cleanliness and health of your
garden, and not handling the
vines when wet will help cut down
the incidence of disease. If a
plant does become infected,
remove it before it can spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
95 to 120 days. A 10-foot row may
give you one to three pumpkins —
when you're talking pumpkins,
your back yard starts to look like
small potatoes. Leave the
pumpkins on the vine as long as
possible before a frost, but not
too long — they become very soft
when they freeze. Cut off the
pumpkin with one or two inches of
stem.
Storing and preserving
Cure pumpkins in a dark, humid
place for 10 days at 80° to 85°F; then
store them at 50° to 55°F, in a dry
place for three to six months. Do
not refrigerate. Stored pumpkins
will shrink as much as 20 percent
in weight; they'll still make good
pies, but they look sad if kept
too long. You can dry or pickle
pumpkin, or freeze or can the
cooked pulp. You can also
sprout pumpkin seeds. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Spice up the cooked pumpkin
flesh for pie fillings, breads, or
muffins; or use it in custards, or
as a stuffing for meats or
vegetables. Roast the seeds for a
nutritious snack. If a pumpkin has
served only briefly as a jack-o'lantern,
you can still use the flesh
for cooking.
Common name: radish
Botanical name: Raphanus
sativus (spring radish),
Raphanus sativus
longipinnatus (winter radish)
Origin: temperate Asia
Varieties
Radishes can be grown for a
spring or winter crop. Spring
varieties are the commonly
known small red varieties. Winter
radishes are larger and more
oval and can grow eight or nine
inches long. The following are a
few of the varieties available.
Spring crop: Cherry Belle (22
days); Burpee White (25 days).
Winter crop: Black Spanish (55
days); White Chinese (60 days).
Description
Radishes are hardy annuals or
biennials that produce white, red,
or black roots and stems under a
rosette of lobed leaves. They're
fun to grow, and youngsters get
hooked on gardening after
growing radishes more than any
other vegetable. A bunch of
radishes, well washed, makes a
great posy to give away. Radishes
are distant relations to
horseradish.
Where and when to grow
Radishes are cool-season crops
and can take temperatures below
freezing. You can grow them
anywhere in the United States, and
they mature in such a short time
that you can get two to three crops
in spring alone. Start planting
them from seed in the garden two
or three weeks before the
average date of last frost for your
area. Radishes germinate
quickly and are often used with
slower-growing seeds to mark
the rows. Spring radishes produce
a crop so fast that in the
excitement very few people ask
about the quality of the crop.
Radishes can also be grown in six-
inch pots in a bright, cool
window. They will grow in sand if
watered with liquid, all-purpose
fertilizer diluted to quarter
strength.
How to plant
Radishes tolerate partial shade
and like well-worked, well-drained
soil. When you're preparing the
soil for planting, work in a
complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. If you're
planting winter radishes, be
sure to loosen the soil well and
remove soil lumps or rocks that
might cause the roots to become
deformed. Plant seeds half an
inch deep in rows or wide rows 12
to 18 inches apart. When the
seedlings are large enough to
handle, thin them according to
the variety; thin small spring
varieties one to three inches
apart, and give winter varieties a
little more space.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Give radishes enough water
to keep the roots growing quickly.
If the water supply is low,
radishes become woody.
Special handling
Radishes sometimes bolt, or go
to seed, in the summer, but this is
more often a question of day
length than of temperature. Cover
the plants in midsummer
so they only get an eight-hour
day; a 12-hour day produces
flowers and seeds but no radishes.
Pests
Aphids and root maggots
occasionally attack radishes, but
you harvest radishes so quickly
that pests are not a serious
problem. You can pinch out
aphid-infested foliage, and drench
the soil around the plants with
Diazinon to control root maggots.
Detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping Your
Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Radishes have no serious
disease problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
20 to 30 days for spring radishes, 50
to 60 days for winter radishes.
Pull up the whole plant when the
radishes are the right size. Test-
pull a few or push the soil aside
gently to judge the size, and
remember that the biggest
radishes aren't necessarily the
best. If you wait too long to
harvest, the centers of spring
radishes become pithy.
Storing and preserving
Radishes will store for one to
two weeks in the refrigerator. You
can also sprout radish seeds.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Radishes can be sculptured into
rosettes or just sliced into a salad.
They are low in calories and
make good cookie substitutes
when you have to nibble. Put
radishes on a relish tray, or on a
platter of vegetables for
dipping. Try "pickling" the excess
crop by mincing them and
marinating in vinegar.
Common names: rhubarb, pie
plant
Botanical name: Rheum
rhaponticum
Origin: southern Siberia
Varieties
Canada Red; MacDonald;
Valentine; Victoria (green stalks).
Description
A hardy perennial, rhubarb
grows two to four feet tall, with
large, attractive leaves on strong
stalks. The leaf stalks are red or
green and grow up from a
rhizome or underground stem,
and the flowers are small and
grow on top of a flower stalk. Don't
allow the plant to reach the
flowering stage; remove the
flower stalk when it first
appears. You eat only the rhubarb
stalks; the leaves contain a toxic
substance and are not for eating.
Where and when to grow
Rhubarb is very hardy and
prefers cool weather. In areas
where the weather is warm or
hot, the leaf stalks are thin and
spindly. Rhubarb can be grown
from seed, but the plants will not
grow "true" — which means
they won't be the same variety as
the parent plant. Crow from the
divisions that grow up from the
parent stems for a close or exact
copy of the parent plant. Buy
divisions or divide your own
plants in spring, about four to six
weeks before the average date
of last frost. The timing is not
crucial, because you won't
harvest rhubarb the first year.
Refer to "Planting Your Garden"
in Part 1 for information on
dividing plants.
How to plant
Rhubarb likes rich, well-worked
soil that is high in organic matter
and drains well. Give it a place in
full sun or light shade. When
you're preparing the soil for
planting, work in a complete, well-
balanced fertilizer at the rate of
one pound per 100 square feet or
10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
you're ready to use them; in
very cold areas, mulch them
heavily. Store rutabagas in a
cold, moist place for two to four
months; do not refrigerate.
They can also be frozen. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Peel rutabagas and steam or boil
until tender; then mash them for
use in puddings and pancakes.
They can also be served sliced or
diced. Add rutabagas to
vegetable soups and stews. Saute
them in butter with apples and
brown sugar. Rutabaga is very
good with lots of butter or sour
cream; low-calorie alternatives
are yogurt or low-fat cream
cheese.
Common names: salsify, oyster
plant
Botanical name: Tragopogon
porrifolius
Origin: southern Europe
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
Salsify is a hardy biennial grown
as an annual. It's related to
dandelion and chicory, and its
flowers look like lavender chicory
blossoms. The edible part is the
long taproot. This salsify should
not be confused with black
salsify (Scorzonera hispanica) or
Spanish salsify (Scolymus
hispanicus); both of these are
related to the radish. Some
people claim that salsify has a slight
oyster flavor — hence the name
"oyster plant." In fact, it tastes
rather like artichoke hearts.
Where and when to grow
Salsify is hardy and tolerates
cold. Like its prolific cousin, the
dandelion, it's very easy to grow
and will grow anywhere in the
United States. Plant salsify from
seed two or three weeks before
your area's average date of last
frost.
How to plant
Plant salsify seeds in full sun in
rich, well-worked soil. When
you're preparing the soil for
planting, work in a complete, well-
balanced fertilizer at the rate of
one pound per 100 square feet or
10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Work the soil thoroughly to a
depth of eight to 12 inches, and
remove all stones, soil lumps, or
rocks that might cause the roots
to fork and split. Plant the seeds
half an inch deep in rows 18 to 24
inches apart, and when the
seedlings are large enough to
handle, thin them to stand two to
four inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Don't overfertilize salsify; it will
cause the roots to fork and split.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep salsify evenly moist to
prevent the roots from getting
stringy.
Pests
Salsify has no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
Salsify has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
about 120 days, and a 10-foot rov^
should yield 20 to 40 roots.
Salsify roots can take freezing, so
leave them in the ground as long
as possible until you want them.
The longer they're out of the
ground, the less they taste like
oysters. To harvest, dig up the
whole root.
Storing and preserving
Cut the tops off salsify and store
the roots in the refrigerator for one
to three weeks, or store in a
cold, moist place for two to four
months. For freezing, handle
salsify like parsnips. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Salsify roots should not be
peeled before cooking; they can
"bleed'." Scrub them clean,
steam, and slice them, then dip the
slices in batter or breadcrumbs
and fry; serve with tartar sauce.
People who have never had
oysters can't tell them apart. Try
salsify braised with lemon and
butter — the lemon helps preserve
the color. Or serve it with a
white sauce; add chopped parsley
for color.
Common name: shallot
Botanical name: Allium cepa
Origin: Asia
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
The shallot is a very hardy
biennial grown as an annual, and
it's a member of the onion
family. It's believed that French
knights returning from the
Crusades introduced them to
Europe, and that De Soto
brought them to America in 1532.
Shallot plants grow about eight
inches tall in a clump, with narrow
green leaves, and look very
much like small onions; they're
favorites with gourmets. The
roots are very shallow and fibrous,
and the bulbs are about a half
inch in diameter when mature. The
small bulbs have a more delicate
flavor than regular onions. Use the
young outer leaves like chives.
Where and when to grow
Shallots are easy to grow and
very hardy. You can grow them
anywhere in the United States
from cloves planted early in spring.

How to plant
Shallots can be grown in any soil
but may have less flavor when
they're grown in clay soils.
Shallots are very shallow-rooted
plants and need little soil
preparation. Although they prefer
full sun, they'll survive in partial
shade. Shallots seldom form seed,
so they're usually grown from
cloves, which should be planted
four to six weeks before your
average date of last frost. When
you're preparing the soil for
planting, work in a complete, well-
balanced fertilizer at the rate of
one pound per 100 square feet or
10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Plant the cloves six to eight inches
apart in rows 12 inches apart,
and set them so that the tops of the
cloves are even with the soil, but
no deeper. Keep them carefully
cultivated when they're small;
the shallow root systems don't like
to compete with weeds.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Water the shallots regularly;
do not allow the soil to dry out.
Pests
Shallots have no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
Shallots have no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Cut the green shallot leaves
throughout the growing season,
but be careful not to cut away
any new growth coming from the
central stem. Dig up bulbs when
the tops wither and fall over.
Storing and preserving
Store shallots in the refrigerator
for up to one week or store the
bulbs like onions in a cold, dry
place for two to eight months. You
can also freeze or dry them like
onions. The greens can be
chopped and frozen like chives.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Shallots have a delicate flavor
and are less overpowering than
many onions. They're very good
stirred into sour cream as a
dressing for vegetables or fish,
or chopped and added to an oil-
and-vinegar dressing for salads.
Use the small bulbs in the classic
French beef stew, boeuf
bourguignonne.
Common names: garden sorrel,
herb patience or spinach dock,
French sorrel, spinach
rhubarb.
Botanical name: Rumex acetosa,
Rumex patientia, Rumex
scutatus, Rumex abyssinicus.
Origin: Europe
Varieties
Few varieties are available
commercially; grow the variety
available in your area. Garden
sorrel, French sorrel, and herb
patience or spinach dock are all
good for eating.
Description
Several varieties of sorrel will do
well in your garden. Garden sorrel
(R. acetosa) grows about three
feet tall and produces leaves that
are good used fresh in salads;
herb patience or spinach dock (R.
patientia) is a much taller plant,
with leaves that can be used either
fresh or cooked. French sorrel
(R. scutatus) grows only six to 12
inches tall; its fiddle-shaped
leaves make good salad greens.
Spinach rhubarb (R.
abyssinicus) is a lofty plant— it
grows up to eight feet tall. As the
name suggests, you can cook the
leaves like spinach and the
stalks like rhubarb. Avoid other
varieties — they're weeds and
not good for eating.
Where and when to grow
All the sorrels are very hardy and
can be grown in almost every area
of the United States. Start them
from seed in the early spring
before your average date of last
frost.
How to plant
All the sorrels require a sunny
location with well-drained, fertile
soil. When you're preparing the
soil, dig in a complete, well-
balanced fertilizer at the rate of
one pound per 100 square feet or
10 pounds per 1,000 feet. Plant
sorrels from seed two to three
weeks before the average date
of last frost. Plant the seeds a half
inch deep in rows 18 to 24 inches
apart, and when the plants are six
to eight weeks old, thin them to
12 to 18 inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Part 1.
Sorrel plants should be kept
moist; water them more often than
the rest of the garden.
Pests
Aphids will probably show
interest in your sorrel. Control
them by pinching out infested
areas or hosing the aphids off the
plants; or spray with Malathion
or Diazinon. Detailed information
on pest control is given in
"Keeping Your Garden Healthy" in
Part 1.
Diseases
Sorrel has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Pick the fresh leaves of the
sorrel throughout the growing
season. Pick off the flowers
before they mature to keep the
plants producing new leaves
long into the fall.
Storing and preserving
Use sorrel fresh, or store sorrel
leaves in the refrigerator for one to
two weeks. You can also freeze
or dry the leaves as herbs, but
you'll lose some flavor. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
You can use sorrel leaves raw, as
salad greens or very lightly
steamed or boiled and tossed in
butter. Sorrel soup is a classic
French favorite, and the
Russians use sorrel in a green
borscht soup. In the time of
Henry VIII, sorrel was used as a
spice and to tenderize meat.
The English also mashed the leaves
with vinegar and sugar as a
dressing for meat and fish —
hence the name green sauce.
Common name: soybean
Botanical name: Glycine max
Origin: East Asia
Varieties
A number of varieties have been
bred to adapt to certain types of
climate. Ask your Cooperative
Extension Service for specific
recommendations for your area.
Description
The soybean is a tender, free-
branching annual legume. Though
it can grow five feet tall, it's
usually only two to 3y2 feet tall. The
stems and leaves are hairy; the
flowers are white with lavender
shading, and the pods are one to
four inches long and grow in
clusters. The soybean is
extremely high in protein and
calcium and is a staple of a
vegetarian diet. It's also very
versatile and can be used to
make milk, oil, tofu, or a meat
substitute. The ancient Chinese
considered the soybean their most
important crop. The United
States now produces about 75
percent of the world's soybeans.
Where and when to grow
Soybeans are sensitive to cold
and most varieties have a narrow
latitude range in which they will
mature properly and produce a
good crop. Plant a variety suited
to your area about two to three
weeks after the average date of
last frost. Don't plant before the
soil has warmed up.
How to plant
After the last frost is over,
choose a bed in full sunlight;
soybeans tolerate partial shade,
but partial shade tends to mean a
partial yield. Prepare the soil by
mixing in a pound of 5-10-10
fertilizer — don't use a high-
nitrogen fertilizer, because too
much nitrogen will promote
growth of foliage but not of the
beans. Work the fertilizer into
the soil at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. The seeds
may crack and germinate poorly
when the moisture content of the
soil is too high. Don't soak the
seeds before planting, and don't
overwater immediately
afterwards.
Plant seeds an inch deep, one
to two inches apart in rows 24 to 30
inches apart. When the seedlings
are growing well, thin the plants
to two inches apart. Cut the
seedlings with scissors at
ground level; be careful not to
disturb the others. Soybeans
don't mind being a little crowded;
in fact, they'll use each other for
support.
Fertilizing and watering
Soybeans set up a mutual
exchange with soil
microorganisms called
nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which
help them produce their own
fertilizer. Some gardeners
recommend that if you haven't
grown soybeans or beans in the
plot the previous season, you
should treat the seeds before
planting with a nitrogen-fixing
bacteria inoculant to help them
convert organic nitrogen
compounds into usable organic
compounds. This is a perfectly
acceptable practice, but it isn't
really necessary; the bacteria in
the soil will multiply quickly
enough once they've got a
growing plant to work with.
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep the soil moist until the
soybeans have pushed through
the ground. Water regularly if
there's no rain, but remember that
water on the flowers can cause
the flowers and small pods to fall
off. When the soil temperature
reaches 60°F you can mulch to
conserve moisture.
Special handling
Don't handle soybean plants
when they're wet or covered with
heavy dew; handling or
brushing against them when
they're wet spreads fungus
spores. Cultivate thoroughly but
with care, so that you don't
disturb the plants' shallow root
systems.
Pests
Soybeans do not have many
pest problems, unless you're
growing them in an area where
soybeans are produced
commercially. Flea beetles may
appear; hand-pick or hose them
off the vines, or spray with
carbaryl. Rabbits, raccoons, and
woodchucks love soybeans and
can be strong competitors for your
crop. Discourage them by
removing places where they can
nest or hide or by fencing them
out of your garden. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Soybeans have no serious
disease problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
45 to 65 days, and a 10-foot row will
supply one to two pounds of
beans. The yield is not generous,
so except for novelty value,
soybeans are not the ideal crop for
a small home garden. Harvest
when the pods are about four
inches long or when they look
plump and full.
Storing and preserving
Store fresh unshelled soybeans
in the refrigerator up to one week.
Shelled soybeans can be frozen,
canned, or dried. They can also be
sprouted. Dropping the pods
into boiling water for a minute or
two makes shelling easier.
Dried, shelled soybeans can be
stored in a cool, dry place for 10
to 12 months. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
The Japanese cook soybeans in
salted water, serve them in the
shell, and then squeeze out the
seeds and eat them. Soybeans are
extremely versatile; they can be
made into oil, milk, or tofu — a
major foodstuff among
vegetarians. Soybeans are also
used as a high-protein meat
substitute or ground into flour.
Soybeans supply about half the
vegetable fats and oils used in this
country.
Common name: spinach
Botanical name: Spinacia
oleracea
Origin: Asia
Varieties
Spinach: Bloomdale
Longstanding (43 days); America
(52 days). New Zealand Spinach:
Only a few varieties of New
Zealand spinach are available; use
the variety available in your
area.
Description
There are two kinds of
spinach — the regular kind which
is a hardy annual, and the less
well-known New Zealand spinach,
which is a tender annual and is
not really spinach at all. Spinach,
the regular kind, is a hardy
annual with a rosette of dark green
leaves. The leaves may be
crinkled (savoy leaf) or flat.
Spinach is related to beets and
chard. The cartoon character
Popeye made spinach famous
with young children because he
attributed his great strength to
eating spinach — probably with
some justification, because
spinach has a very high iron
content. Spinach was brought
to America by the early colonists;
the Chinese were using it in the
sixth century, and the Spanish
used it by the 11th century.
New Zealand spinach
(Tetragonia expansa) comes —
as the name indicates — from New
Zealand. It's a tender annual with
weak, spreading stems two to
four feet long, sometimes longer,
and it's covered with dark green
leaves that are two to four inches
long. New Zealand spinach is
not really spinach at all, but when
it's cooked the two are virtually
indistinguishable. The leaves of
New Zealand spinach are
smaller and fuzzier than those of
regular spinach, and it has the
advantage of being heat-tolerant
and able to produce all summer.
Heat makes regular spinach bolt,
or go to seed, very quickly.
Where and when to grow
Spinach is very hardy and can
tolerate cold — in fact, it thrives in
cold weather. Warm weather
and long days, however, will make
it bolt, or go to seed. Ideal
spinach weather is 50° to 60°F.
Spinach grows well in the winter
in the South, and in early spring
and late summer in the North.
Plant it about four weeks before
your area's average date of last
frost.
New Zealand spinach likes
long warm days. It grows best at
60° to 75°F and won't start
growing until the soil warms up. It
has a short season, however (55
to 65 days), so it can be grown
successfully in most areas of the
United States. Plant it on the
average date of last frost for your
area. Plant New Zealand spinach to
supply you with a summer
harvest long after it's too hot for
regular spinach.
How to plant
Both spinach and New Zealand
spinach are grown — like beets
and chard — from seed clusters
that each produce several
seedlings. This means they must
be thinned when the seedlings
appear. Both types tolerate
partial shade and require well-
drained soil that's rich in
organic matter. Spinach does not
like acid soil. When you're
preparing the soil for planting,
work in a complete, well-
balanced fertilizer at the rate of
one pound per 100 square feet
or 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Plant spinach seed clusters half
an inch deep, two to four inches
apart, in rows 12 to 14 inches
apart, and when the seedlings are
large enough to handle, thin
them to leave the strongest
seedling from each cluster.
For New Zealand spinach,
plant the seed clusters half an inch
deep, 12 inches apart, in rows 24
to 36 inches apart. Thin when the
seedlings are large enough to
handle, leaving the strongest
seedling from each cluster to
grow. Cut off the others with
scissors at soil level.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize both types before
planting and again at midseason, at
the same rate as the rest of the
garden. Detailed information
on fertilizing is given in
"Spadework: The Essential Soil"
in Parti.
Spinach does best when the
soil is kept uniformly moist. Try not
to splash muddy water on the
leaves — it will make the
spinach difficult to clean after
harvesting. Mulch to avoid getting
soil on the leaves. New Zealand
spinach especially needs a
regular supply of water to keep it
producing lots of leaves.
Special handling
Spinach does not like
competition from weeds. Cut
weeds at ground level to avoid
damaging the shallow roots of the
spinach plants.
Pests
Aphids and, occasionally,
leafminers may attack spinach.
Pinch out aphid-infested
foliage, and remove leaves on
which leafminers have laid their
eggs — look for the eggs on the
undersides of the leaves.
Control aphids chemically with
Malathion or Diazinon;
chemical controls are ineffective
on leafminers once they're
inside the leaf. New Zealand
spinach has no serious pest
problems and is a good crop for
the organic gardener. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Spinach is susceptible to rust,
but most varieties are rust-
resistant. Planting disease-
resistant varieties and maintaining
the general cleanliness and
health of your garden will help cut
down the incidence of disease.
If a plant does become infected,
remove it before it can spread
disease to healthy plants. New
Zealand spinach has no serious
disease problems. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
For spinach, time from planting
to harvest is 40 to 52 days, and a 10foot
row should yield about five
pounds of spinach leaves. To
harvest, either pick the outside
leaves periodically, or pull up the
whole plant at one time. Be sure
to wash spinach thoroughly to
eliminate the grit that sometimes
sticks to the crinkled leaves.
For New Zealand spinach,
time from planting to harvest is 55
to 65 days, and a 10-foot row will
produce about five to 10 pounds of
leaves. To harvest keep cutting
the tender tips off the ends of the
stems; this will encourage new
growth, and you can harvest
until the first frost.
Storing and preserving
Both types of spinach can be
refrigerated for up to one week.
They can also be frozen,
canned, or dried. Spinach seeds
can also be sprouted. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Both spinach and New Zealand
spinach can be used in the same
ways, and the following
suggestions apply to both. Fresh
spinach is wonderful in salads,
and its dark green leaves add color
and variety to lettuce. Add
orange segments and almonds to a
salad of fresh spinach, and toss
in a sweet-sour dressing. Or add
crumbled bacon, hard-cooked
egg, and croutons. Add cubes of
cheese to spinach, peppers, and
sliced fresh mushrooms for an
appealing lunch-time salad.
Children who hate cooked spinach
on principle often enjoy it raw.
Cooked spinach is delicious
creamed or in a souffle, in
crepes or topped with poached
eggs. Try it with a horseradish
sauce, or with melted butter and a
little garlic. Spinach is an
attractive ingredient for a quiche;
add flaked salmon for a more .
substantial meal.
Common names: summer
squash, crookneck, pattypan,
straightneck, scallop,
zucchini
Botanical name: Cucurbita
species
Origin: American tropics
Varieties
Crookneck: Golden Summer
Crookneck (53 days). Scallop or
pattypan: Peter Pan (60 days);
Scallopini hybrids (60 days); St.
Patrick Green Tint (60 days).
Straightneck: Early Prolific
Straightneck (50 days). Zucchini:
Gold Rush (60 days); Zucchini
hybrids (60 days). These are only
a few of the varieties available. Ask
your Cooperative Extension
Service for other specific
recommendations for your area.
Description
The cucumber family, to which
squashes belong, probably has the
greatest diversity of shapes and
sizes of any vegetable family
except the cabbages. It's the
genus Cucurbita and includes
certain gourds and pumpkins,
as well as squashes. Most are
trailing or climbing plants with
large yellow flowers (both male
and female); the mature fruits
have a thick skin and a definite
seed cavity. "Summer squash,"
"winter squash," and "pumpkin"
are not definite botanical
names. "Pumpkin," which any
child can tell you is a large
vegetable used for jack-o'-lanterns
and pies, is applied to long-
keeping varieties of C. moschata,
C. pepo, and a few varieties of
C. maxima. Summer squashes are
eaten when they are immature;
winter squashes are eaten when
mature.
Squashes are hard to confine.
A bush-type zucchini will grow
well in a tire planter if kept well-
watered and fertilized; a vining
squash can be trained up a
fence. Summer squashes are
weak-stemmed, tender annuals,
with large, cucumberlike
leaves and separate male and
female flowers that appear on the
same plant. Summer squash
usually grows as a bush, rather
than as a vine; the fruits have
thin, tender skin and are generally
eaten in the immature stage
before the skin hardens. The most
popular of the many kinds of
summer squashes are crookneck,
straightneck, scallop, and
zucchini.
Where and when to grow
Squashes are warm-season
crops and very sensitive to cold
and frost. They like night
temperatures of at least 60°F. Don't
plant the seeds until the soil has
warmed up in spring, about two to
three weeks after the average
date of last frost for your area.
Direct-seeding is best for
squashes, but if you're planting a
variety that requires a longer
growing season than your area can
provide, use transplants from a
reputable nursery or garden
center, or grow your own. To
grow your own transplants, start
four to five weeks before your
outdoor planting date, and use
individual plantable containers
to lessen the risk of shock when
the seedlings are transplanted.
Make sure that the plantable
containers are large enough for
the variety of squash you're
planting.
How to plant
Squash varieties like well-worked
soil with good drainage.
They're heavy feeders, so the
soil must be well fertilized. When
you're preparing the soil for
planting, work in a complete, well-
balanced fertilizer at the rate of
one pound per 100 square feet or
10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Two to three weeks after your
area's average date of last frost,
when the soil is warm, plant
squash in inverted hills. Make
inverted hills by removing an inch
of soil from an area about 12
inches across and using this soil to
form a ring around the circle.
Make the inverted hills three to
four feet apart, and plant four or
five seeds in each one. When the
seedlings are large enough to
handle, thin them to leave the two
or three strongest young plants
standing. Cut the thinned
seedlings off at soil level with
scissors; if you pull them out
you'll disturb the roots of the
remaining seedlings.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Part 1.
Keep the soil evenly moist;
squashes need a lot of water in hot
weather. The vines may wilt on
hot days because the plant is using
water faster than the roots can
supply; if the vines are getting a
regular supply of water, don't
worry about the wilting — the
plants will liven up as the day
gets cooler. If squash vines are
wilting first thing in the morning,
water them immediately.
Special handling
If you grow squashes indoors,
or in an area where there are no
insects to pollinate the female
flowers — your 51 st-floor balcony,
for instance — you may need to
pollinate the flowers yourself.
Take a soft-bristled brush and
dust the inside of a male flower
(the one without an immature
fruit on the stem), then carefully
dust the inside of the female
flowers.
Pests
Squash bugs, squash borers,
and cucumber beetles are the
major pests that squash plants
attract. They don't usually show up
until you have a good harvest, so
squash is still a good choice for the
organic gardener. Squashes are
prolific, so you can afford to lose a
few of your crop to the bugs.
Beetles can often be controlled by
hand-picking or hosing them off
the plants. Control them
chemically with carbaryl. To
control borers, apply carbaryl to
the crowns of the plants at
weekly intervals. Do this as soon as
there's any suspicion of
damage — once the borers get
inside the plants, chemical
controls are ineffective. If a small
hole in the stem tells you borers
are already inside, you may still be
able to save the plant. Slit the
stem, remove the borers, and
dispose of them. Then cover the
area with soil to encourage root
development at that point.
Detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Squashes are susceptible to
bacterial wilt, mosaic virus, and
mildew. Planting disease-
resistant varieties when they're
available and maintaining the
general cleanliness and health of
your garden will help lessen the
incidence of disease. When
watering, try to keep water off
the foliage, and don't handle
the plants when they're wet — this
can cause powdery mildew and
spread disease. If a plant does
become infected, remove and
destroy it before it can spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
when and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest
depends on the variety, as does the
yield you can expect. Harvest
summer squashes when they're
young — they taste delicious
when they're small, and if you
leave them on the plant too long
they will suppress flowering and
reduce your crop. Harvest
summer squashes like the zucchini
and crookneck varieties when
they're six to eight inches long;
harvest the round types when
they're four to eight inches in
diameter. Break the squashes
from the plant, or use a knife that
you clean after cutting each
one; if the knife is not perfectly
clean, it can spread disease to
other plants.
Storing and preserving
Summer squashes can be stored
in the refrigerator for up to one
week; don't wash them until
you're ready to use them. They can
also be frozen, canned, pickled,
or dried. Detailed information on
storing and preserving is given
in Parts.
Serving suggestions
Summer squashes lend
themselves to a good variety of
culinary treatments. Saute slices
of summer squash with onions and
tomatoes for a robust but
delicately flavored side dish. Add
sliced zucchini and mushrooms
to a thick tomato sauce for
spaghetti. Halve summer
squashes and stuff with a meat or
rice mixture, or bake them with
butter and Parmesan cheese. Pan-
fry slices of summer squash, or
simmer them with fruit juice for a
new flavor. Use the popular
zucchini raw on a relish tray and
among vegetables for a tempura
or slice it thinly in salads. Use
the larger fruits for making
zucchini bread.
Common names: acorn, banana,
buttercup, butternut, cushaw,
delicious, hubbard, spaghetti,
Turk's turban
Botanical name: Cucurbita
species
Origin: American tropics
Varieties
Not every type of winter squash
has specific recommended
varieties. These are some of the
varieties available; ask your
Cooperative Extension Service
for other specific recommendations
for your area.
Acorn: Ebony (80 days); Table
Ace (85 days); Table King (bushtype,
85 days). Butternut: Waltham
(95 days); Butterbush (smallfruited
bush, 90days); Hercules
(95 days). Delicious: Golden
Delicious (100 days). Hubbard:
Kinred (100 days); Blue Hubbard
(100 days).
Description
The cucumber family, to which
squashes belong, probably has the
greatest diversity of shapes and
sizes of any vegetable family,
except the cabbages. It's the
genus Cucurbita, and includes
certain gourds, and pumpkins,
as well as squashes. Most are
trailing or climbing plants with
large yellow flowers (both male
and female); the mature fruits
have a thick skin and a definite
seed cavity. "Summer squash,"
"winter squash," and "pumpkin"
are not definite botanical
names. "Pumpkin," which any
child can tell you is a large
vegetable used for jack-o'-lanterns
and pies, is applied to long-
keeping varieties of C. moschata,
C. pepo, and a few varieties of
C. maxima. Summer squashes are
eaten when they are immature;
winter squashes are eaten when
mature. Squashes are hard to
confine. A bush-type squash will
grow well in a tire planter if kept
well-watered and fertilized; a
vining squash can be trained up
a fence.
Gourds are a close relation of
squash. They're warm-season
vining crops that are grown
primarily for decorative uses; you
can also make cooking utensils
out of them, and some of them can
be eaten when immature. They
have the same growing
requirements as winter squash,
and they're harvested in fall when
the shells are hard and glossy.
The importance of the gourd was
recognized by Henri
Christophe, who fought in the
American Revolution under
Lafayette and was a leader of the
slave revolt in Haiti in the early
19th century. As Henry I, he used
gourds as a medium of
exchange, and Haitian currency is
still called gourde, which is also
Louisiana slang for a dollar.
Winter squashes are weak-
stemmed, tender annuals, with
large, cucumberlike leaves and
separate male and female flowers
that appear on the same plant.
Most winter squashes grow as
vines, although some modern
varieties have been bred to have a
more compact, bushy habit of
growth. Winter squash varieties
have hard skins when they're
harvested and eaten. Popular
types of winter squash include
hubbard, butternut, acorn,
delicious, banana, Turk's
turban, buttercup, and cushaw.
Spaghetti squash is technically a
small pumpkin and is planted and
cared for like pumpkins. Vining
types of winter squash can be
caged or trained to climb up a
fence or trellis to save space. If
you're growing a variety that will
need support, set the support in
place at the time of planting. If
you do It later, you risk damaging
the plants' roots.
Where and when to grow
Squashes are warm-season
crops and very sensitive to cold
and frost. They like night
temperatures of at least 60°F. Don't
plant the seeds until the soil has
warmed up in spring, about two to
three weeks after the average
date of last frost for your area.
Direct-seeding is best for
squashes, but if you're planting a
variety that requires a longer
growing season than your area can
provide, use transplants from a
reputable nursery or garden
center, or grow your own. To
grow your own transplants, start
four to five weeks before your
outdoor planting date, and use
individual plantable containers
to lessen the risk of shock when
the seedlings are transplanted.
Make sure that the plantable
containers are large enough for
the variety of squash you're
planting.
How to plant
Squash varieties like well-
worked soil with good drainage.
They're he^avy feeders, so the
soil must be well-fertilized. When
you're preparing the soil for
planting, work in a complete, well-
balanced fertilizer at the rate of
one pound per 100 square feet or
10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Two to three weeks after your
area's average date of last frost,
when the soil is warm, plant
squash in inverted hills. Make
inverted hills by removing an
inch of soil from an area about 12
inches across and using this soil
to form a ring around the circle.
Make the inverted hills three to
four feet apart, and plant four or
five seeds in each one. When
the seedlings are large enough to
handle, thin them to leave the
two or three strongest young
plants standing. Cut the thinned
seedlings off at soil level with
scissors; if you pull them out
you'll disturb the roots of the
remaining seedlings.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Part 1.
Keep the soil evenly moist;
squashes need a lot of water in hot
weather. The vines may wilt on
hot days because the plant is using
water faster than the roots can
supply; if the vines are getting a
regular supply of water, don't
worry about the wilting — the
plants will liven up as the day
gets cooler, if squash vines are
wilting first thing in the morning,
water them immediately.
Special handling
If you grow squashes indoors or
in an area where there are no
insects to pollinate the female
flowers — your51st-fioor balcony,
for instance — you may need to
pollinate the flowers yourself.
Take a soft-bristled brush and
dust the inside of a male flower
(the one without an immature
fruit on the stem), then carefully
dust the inside of the female
flowers.
Pests
Squash bugs, squash borers,
and cucumber beetles are the
major pests that squash plants
attract. They don't usually show up
until you have a good harvest, so
squash is still a good choice for the
organic gardener. Squashes are
prolific, so you can afford to lose a
few of your crop to the bugs.
Beetles can often be controlled by
hand-picking or hosing them off
the plants. Control them
chemically with carbaryl. To
control borers, apply carbaryl to
the crowns of the plants at
weekly intervals. Do this as soon as
there's any suspicion of
damage — once the borers get
inside the plants, chemical
controls are ineffective. If a small
hole in the stem tells you borers
are already inside, you may still be
able to save the plant. Slit the
stem, remove the borers, and
dispose of them. Then cover the
area with soil to encourage root
development at that point.
Detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
Diseases
Squashes are susceptible to
bacterial wilt, mosaic virus, and
mildew. Planting disease-
resistant varieties when they're
available and maintaining the
general cleanliness and health of
your garden will help lessen the
incidence of disease. When
watering, try to keep water off
foliage, and don't handle the
plants when they're wet — this
can cause powdery mildew and
spread disease. If a plant does
become infected, remove and
destroy it before it can spread
disease to healthy plants. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Leave winter squashes on the
vine until the skin is so hard that it
cannot be dented with your
thumbnail, but harvest before the
first frost. Break it off the vine,
or cut it off with a knife that you
clean after cutting each one; if
the knife is not perfectly clean, it
can spread disease to other
plants.
Storing and preserving
Cure squashes in a dark, humid
place for 10 days at 80° to 85°F; then
store them at 50° to 60°F in a
moderately dry, dark place for five
to six months. Winter squashes
can also be frozen or dried, and the
seeds can be sprouted. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Winter squashes lend
themselves to a good variety of
culinary treatments and have
the flexibility of adapting to both
sweet and savory uses. Cut
winter squashes into halves and
bake them; serve them with
honey or brown sugar and butter.
Fill the halves with browned
sausages, or mash the pulp and
season well with salt and
pepper. As a treat for the children,
top mashed squash with
marshmallow and brown it under
the grill. Use the pulp of winter
squash as a pie filling — it makes a
pleasant change from pumpkin.
Common names: potato, sweet
potato, yam
Botanical name: Ipomoea
batatas
Origin: tropical America and
Caribbean
Varieties
Centennial (150 days); Goldrush
(140 days); Jasper (150 days).
Description
The sweet potato is a tender
vining or semi-erect perennial
plant related to the morning
glory. It has small white, pink, or
red-purple flowers and swollen,
fleshy tubers that range in color
from creamy-yellow to deep
red-orange. There are "dry" and
"moist" kinds of sweet
potatoes, which describes the
texture when they're eaten;
some dry varieties have a higher
moisture content than some
moist ones. The moist varieties are
often called yams, but the yam is
actually a different species that is
found in tropical countries.
Sweet potato vines are
ornamental, so this vegetable is
often grown as ground cover or in
planters or hanging baskets.
You can even grow a plant in water
in your kitchen — suspend the
sweet potato on toothpicks in a jar
of water, and watch it grow.
Where and when to grow
Sweet potatoes are extremely
sensitive to frost and need warm,
moist growing weather. They
have a long growing season —
about 150 days — and in areas
with a shorter growing season,
tend to produce small potatoes.
Don't try to hurry sweet potatoes;
plant them four weeks after the
average date of last frost for
your area, or when the soil is
thoroughly warm.
How to plant
Sweet potatoes are planted
from rooted sprouts, or slips,
taken from a mature tuber. To
grow your own slips, place several
sweet potato roots about an
inch apart in a hotbed and cover
with two inches of sand or light
soil. Add another inch of soil when
the shoots appear, keep the bed
at a temperature between 70° and
80°F, and don't let it dry out. In
about six weeks you will have
rooted slips that can be planted
in the garden. Refer to "Planning
Your Garden" for information
on making and using a hotbed. If
you don't want to go to the
trouble of growing your own, buy
slips from a reputable garden
center or supplier.
A good, sandy soil is best for
sweet potatoes. Over-rich soil
produces luxuriant vines but
small tubers. The soil should be
moderately fertile, rich in
organic matter, and well-worked
to ensure looseness. Remove all
soil lumps, rocks, or other
obstacles that might cause
deformity of the tubers, and work
in a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet or 10 pounds
per 1,000 square feet. For good
tuber production sweet potatoes
must have full sun; in partial
shade the vine will be handsome
but not very productive. Set the
slips on ridges made by mounding
up the soil about eight inches
high along rows three feet apart.
Make the ridges about 12 inches
wide, and set the slips at 12-inch
intervals.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Part 1.
If the soil is too wet, the roots
of sweet potatoes may rot; in well-
worked, loose soil this should
not be a problem. Although sweet
potatoes will survive dry
seasons, the yield is much higher if
they get an inch of water every
week until three or four weeks
before harvesting. Do not water
during the last three or four weeks.
Pests
Insects and diseases are not
much of a problem in the North. In
the South, sweet potato weevils
and wireworms are common
pests. The damage they do
appears in the form of stunting or
weakening of the plants. Both
pests can be controlled by a soil
drench of Diazinon. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Fungus diseases and root rot
may attack sweet potatoes.
Planting disease-resistant
varieties and maintaining the
general cleanliness and health
of your garden will help cut down
the incidence of disease. If a
plant does become infected,
remove it before it can spread
disease to healthy plants.
Detailed information on disease
prevention is given in
"Keeping Your Garden Healthy"
in Parti.
When and how to harvest
The tubers are damaged by
freezing or cold soils, so dig up
sweet potatoes early rather than
late, before the first frost. Be
careful when you dig — these
potatoes are thin-skinned and
bruise easily.
Storing and preserving
Cure sweet potatoes in crates in
a dark, humid place for 10 days at
80° to 85°F; then store them at
55° to 60°F in a moderately moist
place for four to six months. You
can also freeze, can, or dry them.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Sweet potatoes are very
versatile; you can boil, steam, fry,
or bake them, and they take well
to either sweet or savory
seasoning. Use pureed sweet
potatoes in bread or cookies.
Candy them, or stuff them and
bake them in their skins, include
slices of raw sweet potato with
the vegetables for a tempura.
Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and
allspice all go well with sweet
potatoes.
Common names: tomato, love
apple
Botanical name: Lycopersicon
esculentum
Origin: tropical America
Varieties
The varieties of tomatoes
available would fill a book. Choose
them according to your growing
season, whether you plan to stake
or cage them or let them sprawl,
and what you want to do with the
fruit. Some varieties are specially
suited to canning and
preserving, others are better for
salads. Beefsteak varieties are
the large kind with rather
irregularly shaped fruits. Patio
varieties are suited to growing in
containers or small spaces, and
cherry tomatoes are the very small,
round ones. Ask your
Cooperative Extension Service for
specific recommendations for
your area.
The following are just a few of
the varieties available and are well-
adapted for use in most areas.
The initials V, F, and N refer to
disease resistance; some
varieties are resistant to
verticillium (V), fusarium (F),
and/or nematodes (N). If you've
never had any problem with any
of these, you can try any variety. If
you have had difficulty growing
tomatoes in the past you'll do
better to stay with resistant
varieties.
Varieties for general use: Better
Boy (VFN, 72 days); Burpee's Big
Boy (78 days); Early Girl (V, 62
days); Fantastic (70 days); Heinz
1350 (VF, 75 days); Terrific (VFN,
70 days); Wonder Boy (VFN, 80
days). Beefsteak varieties:
Beef master (VFN, 80 days); Pink
Ponderosa (90 days). Patio
varieties: Pixie (52 days); Toy Boy
(68 days); Tiny Tim (55 days).
Cherry varieties: Small Fry (VFN, 60
days); Tumblin' Tom (72 days).
Canning tomatoes: Roma VF (VF, 75
days); Chico III (F, 75 days);
Royal Chico (75 days).
Description
Tomatoes are tender
perennials grown as annuals.
They have weak stems and
alternate lobed and toothed leaves
that have a distinctive odor. The
yellow flowers grow in clusters.
Most tomatoes have vining
growth habits and need a fair
amount of space. Some are
advertised as bush varieties that
save space, but they'll still sprawl
if you let them, and you may still
have to stake or cage them.
Depending on the variety, the
fruit varies in size and in
color— red, yellow, orange,
and white.
Tomatoes can be divided into
two main groups, according to
growth habits: determinate and
indeterminate. On the
determinate tomato (bush
tomato), the plant stops growing
when the end buds set fruit —
usually about three feet tall. It
seldom needs staking. On the
indeterminate tomato (vine
tomato), the end buds do not set
fruit; the plant can grow almost
indefinitely if not stopped by frost.
Most of the varieties that are
staked or caged are indeterminate
tomatoes.
Tomatoes are also classified
by the size and shape of their fruit
(currant, cherry, plum, pear,
etc.), by their color (red, pink,
orange, yellow, and cream), and
by their use (eating, canning,
pickling). When you're short on
garden space, grow tomatoes in a
large pot or container. Dwarf
tomatoes can be grown in one
cubic foot of soil, and standard
tomatoes can be grown in two to
three cubic feet of soil. The
small-fruited tomatoes do very
well in hanging baskets or
window boxes. Plants growing in
containers may easily exhaust
the available moisture, in which
case the leaves will wilt.
However, the plants will revive
when they're watered.
Vining tomatoes can be
staked or caged to support the
fruit, or can be left to sprawl
naturally on the ground. Naturally
sprawling tomatoes require less
work than staked or caged plants;
they are less likely to develop
blossom end rot, and they produce
more fruit per plant. In dry
areas, sprawling on the ground
protects the fruit from sunburn.
But sprawling tomatoes are harder
to cultivate than staked or caged
plants, and they need mulching
under the fruit to keep them
clean to reduce disease. Staked
tomatoes give you cleaner fruit,
less loss from rot, and less loss
_ from problems that occur in
warm humid areas. They require
less room for each individual
plant. On the negative side, they
produce less fruit per plant, are
much more susceptible to
blossom end rot, and are more
work. Caged tomatoes require less
work than staked tomatoes, but
slightly more effort than doing
nothing. Caged tomatoes
conserve space, keep the fruit
cleaner, and are easier to work
around in small areas.
Where and when to grow
Tomatoes grow best when the
day temperature is between 65°
and 85°F. They stop growing if it
goes over 95°F, and if the night
temperature goes above 85°F
the fruit will not turn red. The
flowers will not set fruit if the
temperature goes below 55°F at
night. Start tomatoes either
from seed planted in the garden on
the average date of last frost for
your area or from transplants set in
the garden two to three weeks
after the average date of last frost,
when the soil has warmed up.
How to plant
Tomatoes must have full sun
and need warm, well-drained,
fertile soil. Although they will
produce earlier in sandy soils, they
will have a larger yield in clay
soils. When you're preparing the
soil for planting, work in a
complete, well-balanced fertilizer
at the rate of one pound per 100
square feet or 10 pounds per 1,000
square feet. Plant seeds half an
inch deep in rows 24 to 48 inches
apart (depending on how large
the variety will grow). When the
seedlings are large enough to
handle, thin them to 18 to 36 inches
apart.
Set the plants out on a cloudy
day or in the late afternoon. If the
sun is very hot, protect the
plants with hats made of
newspapers. Disturb the roots
as little as possible when
transplanting. Plants should be
gently slipped out of clay and
plastic pots. If they're planted in
peat pots, plant the entire
container. Make sure the tops of
the containers are below the soil's
surface or the peat will act like a
wick and evaporate the soil
moisture. If the plants are
growing together in a flat, cut the
plants apart several days before
transplanting them.
Put the plant in the soil so that
it's deeper than it was growing
before, up to the first leaves. If
the stem is very long or spindly, lay
it on a slant so that only the
leaves are above soil level. The
roots will grow from the
submerged stem, making a
sturdier plant. Set the
transplants 18 to 36 inches apart in
rows 24 to 48 inches apart,
depending on the variety.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Tomatoes need lots of water,
but they don't like to swim. Water
thoroughly before the soil dries
out. During the hot days of
summer the leaves sometimes
wilt because they use more water
than their roots can supply.
Don't worry about this if the
tomatoes are receiving a regular
supply of water. If the plants are
wilting first thing in the morning,
however, water them at once.
Sometimes tomato plants curl
their leaves as a survival tactic on
hot days or during a long period of
no rain. This is nothing to worry
about; just water them.
Special handling
To stake tomatoes, use six-foot
stakes (one by two inches) or
reinforcing rods, and set the
supports at the time of
transplanting. Staked tomatoes
should be pruned so that they
grow one straight stem. Prune
by removing any suckers that
appear below the first fruiting
cluster — the accompanying
illustration shows how to prune
a staked tomato plant. The suckers
are not productive, so you don't
affect the yield by pruning, and
pruned plants have more
energy to develop fruit. Let the
suckers develop two leaves
above the first fruiting cluster and
then pinch out the rest of the
sucker; the extra leaves will
provide shade for the fruit. To
cage tomatoes, use six-by-six-inch
mesh concrete reinforcing wire.
A five-foot width can be cut five
feet long and bent into a
cylinder by locking the ends.
Remove the bottom strand and
push the whole cage into the
ground six inches deep around
the tomato plant. If the area is
windy, drive in a supporting
stake. Or use commercially
produced cages — you can now
buy square cages that have the
advantage of folding flat for
storage.
Tomato plants will not set fruit
in rainy or very humid weather.
Sometimes a plant that has
plenty of water and fertilizer
produces a lot of foliage but no
tomatoes. As a last resort, try
giving the plant a shock by
pruning it back and cutting down
on water; it may start producing.
Pests
Aphids, tomato hornworms,
cutworms, tomato fruitworms,
and whiteflies are the major
problems. Tomatoes are almost
always attacked by some insect
and may not be the best choice for
the organic gardener; however,
the fresh taste of a ripe tomato may
overpower the logical choice.
Collars placed around the plants at
the time of transplanting help to
discourage cutworms, and
hornworms can be hand-picked
off the plants. Aphids and
whiteflies can be discouraged by
hosing them off the plants or
pinching out infested foliage.
Malathion or Diazinon chemically
control aphids and whiteflies.
Detailed information on pest
control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in
Part 1.
Diseases
Verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt,
early blight, septoria leafspot,
tobacco mosaic virus, and
blossom end rot are diseases that
can attack tomatoes. Planting
disease-resistant varieties and
maintaining the general
cleanliness and health of your
garden will help cut down the
incidence of disease. Keep
moisture off the leaves as far as
possible, and avoid handling the
plants when they're wet. If you
smoke, wash your hands
thoroughly before working with
tomato plants to avoid spreading
tobacco mosaic virus. If a plant
does become infected with any
disease, remove it before it can
spread disease to healthy plants.
Detailed information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
40 to 180 days from transplants,
depending on variety, and
several weeks longer from seed.
Transplants usually produce
earlier than tomatoes grown from
seed. A 10-foot row will give you
anywhere from 10 to 45 pounds of
tomatoes. The color when ripe
depends on the variety; ripe
tomatoes should feel firm —
neither squashy nor too hard.
When the temperature is high
during the day, the fruit may get
soft but not red. Take hard green
tomatoes inside at the end of
the season to ripen; don't leave
them on the plants.
Storing and preserving
Ripened tomatoes will keep up
to one week in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze, can, or dry
them whole, sliced, as juice, paste,
relish, or pickles. Green
tomatoes harvested before a frost
can be held in a cool, moist
place up to one month to ripen.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Fresh tomatoes from your
garden are wonderful with very
little embellishment — slice
them, and dress them with a touch
of olive oil and lemon juice and a
pinch of basil; or eat them as fruit.
with a little sugar. Alternate
slices of fresh tomato and cooked
potato for an interesting side
dish — add olive oil and parsley.
Add tomatoes to almost any
salad, or serve them alone, sliced
with bread and cheese for an
instant lunch. Stuff raw tomatoes
with tuna, chicken, or rice, or
broil them plain or topped with
breadcrumbs. Serve broiled
tomatoes with bacon and sausages
for a hearty breakfast. Use
cherry tomatoes, whole or halved,
in salads or on relish trays; the
green kind are delicious fried or
pickled. Cooked tomatoes,
whole, pureed, or as a paste, are
indispensable to all sorts of
dishes — spaghetti sauces, stews,
and casseroles — and fresh
tomato sauce, seasoned with a
little basil, is a delightfully
simple topping for pasta. Make an
unusual pie by alternating layers
of sliced tomatoes with chopped
chives and topping with pastry.
Oregano, sage, tarragon, and
thyme all go beautifully with
tomatoes.
Common name: turnip
Botanical name: Brassica rapa
Origin: northeastern Europe,
Siberia
Varieties
Shogin (30 days); Foliage Turnip
(30 days); Tokyo Cross (35 days);
Tokyo Market (35 days); Just
Right (40 days); Purple Top White
Globe (57 days).
Description
The turnip, a hardy biennial
grown as an annual, sports a
rosette of hairy, bright green
leaves growing from a root—^which
is not really a root, but a swelling
at the base of the stem. The turnip
is more commonly grown for
use as a root vegetable, but can
also be grown for the leaves,
which are used as greens. Turnips
originated in the Mediterranean
in prehistoric times. The rutabaga,
a younger cousin, is believed to
have come about in the Middle
Ages from a cross between a
turnip and a cabbage. Englishmen
have been known to refer to
each other as "turniphead"; this is
not a compliment, as turnips are
often considered to be rather dull.
In fact, they're quite versatile.
Where and when to grow
Turnips are a cool-weather
crop, grown in the fall, winter, and
spring in the South and in the
spring and fall in the North. They
don't transplant well, so grow
them from seed, and plant them
two to three weeks before the
average date of last frost for your
area.
How to plant
Turnips tolerate partial shade
and need soil that's high in organic
matter and well-drained but
able to hold moisture. Too much
nitrogen in the soil encourages ^
the plant to produce leaves and a
seed stalk rather than a good-
sized root, so when you're
preparing the soil for planting,
work in a low-nitrogen (5-10-10)
fertilizer at the rate of one
pound per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Plant seeds half an inch deep in
How to plant
Watermelons must have full
sun, and prefer well-drained soil
that holds moisture well. When
you're preparing the soil for
planting, work in a complete,
well-balanced fertilizer at the rate
of one pound per 100 square
feet or 10 pounds per 1,000 square
feet. Crow watermelons in
inverted hills, made by removing
an inch of soil from a circle 12
inches across and using the soil to
form a rim around the circle.
Space the hills six feet apart, and
plant four to five seeds in each
hill. When the seedlings have
developed three or four true
leaves, thin them to leave the
strongest one or two seedlings
in each hill. Cut the thinned
seedlings with scissors at soil
level to avoid damaging the
survivors' root systems. Where
cucumber beetles, other insects.
or weather are a problem, wait a
bit before making the final
selection. If you're using
transplants, put two or three In
each hill.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Watermelons are 95 percent
water, so make sure they have
enough to keep them growing
well. Do not let the soil dry out,
and use a mulch to keep the soil
moisture even.
Special handling
As the watermelons develop,
provide a support for the fruit. If
they're growing on a fence or
trellis, support the fruit with a net.
If the vines are trailing on the
ground, put a board under the fruit
to keep it off the ground. Mulch
helps keep the fruit clean as well as
regulating soil moisture.
Pests
Cucumber beetles may visit
your watermelon vines. They don't
cause much feeding damage,
but they carry cucumber bacterial
wilt; hand-pick them off the
vines as soon as they appear.
Watermelons are a good crop
for the organic gardener who has
lots of space. Detailed
information on pest control are
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Diseases
Watermelons are susceptible to
anthracnose and wilt. Planting
disease-resistant varieties when
they're available and maintaining
the general cleanliness and health
of your garden will help cut down
the incidence of disease. Don't
handle the vines when they're wet.
If a plant does become infected,
remove it before it can spread
disease to healthy plants.
Detailed information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
When and how to harvest
If one watermelon gets an early
start on a vine it can suppress all
further activity until it matures.
Some people suggest pinching
out this first watermelon to
encourage more melons, but this
is a gamble because, sometimes
no more watermelons will set.
It's easier to judge when a
watermelon is ripe than it is with
some other types of melon; a
watermelon is ready to harvest
when the vine's tendrils begin
to turn brown and die off. A ripe
watermelon will also sound dull
and hollow when you rap it with
your knuckles.
Storing and preserving
A watermelon will store for up to
one week in the refrigerator — it
takes about 12 hours to chill a
large one thoroughly before you
eat it. If you have a lot of melons,
store them in a cool, moderately
moist place for two to three
weeks. You can freeze the flesh of
the watermelon and make
pickles with the rind.
Serving suggestions
Slices of fresh watermelon make
a wonderful summer cooler.
Scoop out the flesh with a melon
bailer and add to other types of
melon for a cool fruit salad —
pile the fruit into a muskmelon
half. For a great party dish, serve a
big fruit salad in the scooped out
half-shell of the watermelon—or
carve the shell into a basket.
Make pickles with the rind.
Common name: anise
Botanical name: Pimpinella
anisum
Origin: Europe
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
Anise is a slow-growing annual
with low, spreading, bushy plants
that grow 12 to 14 inches tall and
almost as wide. The flowers are
yellowish-white in umbrella-
shaped clusters and appear about
10 weeks after planting. The
licorice-flavored seeds are most
commonly used in baking,
candy, or to flavor liquors. Anise
used to be credited with warding
off the evil eye; the Romans
flavored their cakes with it on
special occasions. Anise was one
of the first European herbs to
become popular in America.
Where and when to grow
Anise needs a long growing
season — at least 120 days free of
frost. It also prefers a moderate
and uniform rainfall, especially at
harvesttime.
How to plant
Anise prefers a well-drained
fertile soil. Work a complete, well-
balanced fertilizer into the soil
before planting at the rate of one
pound per 100 square feet. Give
anise a location in full sun, and
plant it from seed in early
spring, two weeks after the
average date of last frost. Plant
the seeds a quarter inch deep in
rows 18 to 24 inches apart, and
when the seedlings are six weeks
old, thin them to six to 12 inches
apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Anise prefers uniform
moisture especially at or just
before harvesting. Alternate
rainy and dry periods when the"
seed is near maturity can cause it
to turn brown, reducing quality
and yield.
Pests
Anise has no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
Anise has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Harvest the anise seed heads
approximately 100 days after
planting, while they are still
green and immature. Be sure to
harvest before the first frost.
Storing and preserving
The dry seeds can be stored for
months in airtight containers.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Add anise to bouillon for fish or
veal stews. Sprinkle anise seeds on
an apple crisp. Aniseed balls are
an old-fashioned favorite
children's candy.
Common name: basil
Botanical names: Ocimum
basilicum, Ocimum crispum,
Ocimum minimum
Origin: India, Central America
Varieties
Citriodorum (lemon-scented);
Dark Opal (purple-red leaves and
rose-colored flowers); Minimum
(dwarf variety). Or grow the variety
available in your area.
Description
These tender annuals grow one
to 21/2 feet tall, with square stems
and opposite leaves. Basil may
have either green or purple-red
soft-textured leaves, and spikes
of small whitish or lavender
flowers. In India basil is
considered a holy herb. In Italy it is
a love gift, and in Romania it is
an engagement token. In Greece
the connotation is less romantic;
there basil is a symbol of death and
hatred. Basil has the distinction
of being fragrant at all stages of its
development.
Where and when to grow
Like most herbs, basil can be
grown quite easily anywhere in the
United States. It prefers a
climate that does not run to
extremes of temperatures, but it
tolerates heat better than cold. The
first fall frost will kill the plant.
It's grown from seed or
transplants, and you can plant
either in spring, a week or two
after your area's average date of
last frost. Basil makes a
charming houseplant — put It in a
sunny window.
How to plant
Basil needs a well-drained soil
that's high in organic matter. It
does well in soil that many other
plants wouldn't tolerate; and
too-fertile soil is actually a
disadvantage, because it
encourages lush foliage but a
low oil content, which affects the
aromatic quality of the herb. If
you grow from seed, sow the seed
a quarter inch deep in rows 18 to
24 inches apart. When the
seedlings are growing strongly,
thin them to stand four to six
inches apart. A sunny spot is
best, but basil will tolerate light
shade. Basil seeds itself and will
often produce good plants if the
soil is not disturbed too much in
the spring. Using transplants in the
spring will mean you can harvest
your basil sooner. You can also buy
a healthy plant from a nursery or
farmers' market stand and plant
that. If you want to grow basil
indoors, put it in a sunny window
or under lights.
Fertilizing and watering
Do not fertilize basil;
overfertilizing is a disadvantage to
most aromatic herbs. If the soil
is very acid, sweeten it with some
lime. Otherwise, let it be.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
If basil needs water the leaves
will wilt — give it enough water to
prevent this.
Special handling
Pinch off the terminal shoots to
encourage branching and slow
down flower production. If you
don't, the plants will get tall and
leggy-
Pests
Basil has no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
Basil has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Pick the basil as you need it by
cutting a few inches off the top.
This will encourage the plant to
become bushy instead of going to
flower.
Storing and preserving
Store the crushed dry leaves in
an airtight container. You can also
freeze the leaves. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Fresh basil gives a wonderful
flavor to sliced tomatoes dressed
with a little oil and lemon juice,
and it's good in other salads, too.
Fresh basil is the essential
ingredient in pesto, a luxuriously
aromatic pasta dish. You can also
use the leaves — fresh or dried —
with fish, game and meat
dishes, on eggs, and in stews and
sauces. Try herbed butter with
basil, or make basil vinegar.
Common name: borage
Botanical name: Borago
officinalis
Origin: Europe
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
Borage is a tender annual that
grows two to three feet tall. The
stems and leaves are grey-green
and covered with velvety hair,
and the light blue flowers grow
In drooping clusters. When
borage is In flower it's a striking
plant, especially if you set it
high — on a wall, for instance —
because the nodding flowers
are seen to best advantage from
below. The flowers are used to
add color to potpourri. Borage,
like thyme, is supposed to give
courage. An old English jingle
goes: , Borage, Bring
Courage.
Where and when to grow
Borage will grow almost
anywhere in the United States. It
tolerates a wide range of
temperatures but will not survive
a hard frost. Because of its
striking coloring and unusual
flowers, it makes an attractive
indoor plant.
How to plant
Borage prefers well-drained
sandy soil in full sun. When
you're preparing the soil, dig in
a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet. Plant borage
from seed in early spring after
the average date of last frost.
Plant the seeds (which
germinate readily) a quarter inch
deep in rows 18 to 24 inches
apart, and when the plants are six
to eight inches tall, thin them to
stand 12 inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Do not fertilize borage again at
midseason. Detailed information
on fertilizing is given in
"Spadework: The Essential Soil" in
Part 1.
Let borage dry out between
waterings.
Pests
Borage has no serious pest
problems. Like most herbs, it's a
good choice for the organic
garden.
Diseases
Borage has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Harvest young leaves as needed
throughout the growing season,
and harvest the entire plant in
the fall before frost.
Storing and preserving
Refrigerate the stems and leaves
for fresh use, or freeze them.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Fresh borage leaves have a
cucumberlike taste and can be
used in salads, soups, and stews,
or cooked like spinach. You can
peel the stems and use them in
salads. Borage flowers are
sometimes candied for use as a
garnish in fruit drinks.
Common name: caraway
Botanical name: Carum carvi
Origin: Europe
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
Caraway is a biennial grown for
its leaves and seeds. It has fine
feathery leaves that grow in a
short rosette; the second year the
plant produces white, dill-like
flowers on fine, two-foot flower
stalks. The finely cut foliage
makes the caraway plant a
charming foil to flowers in a
garden border.
When and where to grow
If you only want the foliage, you
can grow caraway anywhere in the
United States. In some colder
areas, however, it may need winter
protection in order to produce
flowers and seeds in the second
year.
How to plant
Caraway prefers full sun but will
tolerate partial shade; it grows best
in a well-drained sandy soil.
When you're preparing the soil,
dig in a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet. Caraway has
a taproot, which makes it difficult
to transplant, so grow it from
seed sown in early spring in the
South or in fall in cooler
northern areas. Plant the seeds a
quarter inch deep in rows 18 to
24 inches apart, and thin the plants
to stand 12 to 18 inches apart.
Caraway will reseed itself in most
areas, assuring you a constant
supply.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
The second year do not fertilize at
midseason. Detailed information
on fertilizing is given in
"Spadework: The Essential
Soil" in Parti.
Allow caraway plants to dry
out between waterings.
Pests
Caraway is a member of the
parsley family, so you may
encounter a parsley caterpillar.
Hand-pick it off the plant.
Diseases
Caraway has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Harvest caraway leaves as
needed throughout the growing
season for use in soups and
salads. Harvest the seeds in the fall
of the second growing season.
Harvest when they dry out and turn
brown or before the first frost.
Storage and preserving
It's best to use caraway leaves
fresh, but they can be stored in the
refrigerator for a few weeks. The
seeds can be stored for months in a
sealed jar. Detailed information
on storing and preserving is given
in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Caraway seeds have all kinds of
uses—in breads, cakes, and
cookies; in sauerkraut; or to
flavor cheeses. They add a nice
crunch, as well as a distinctive
flavor.
Common name: chervil
Botanical name: Anthriscus
cerefolium
Origin: Europe and Asia
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
Chervil is a hardy annual of the
parsley family, and its lacy, bright
green leaves resemble those of
parsley, although its flavor is more
subtle. The plant grows one to
two feet tall, and the tiny white
flowers appear in umbels—
umbrellalike clusters. In folk
medicine, chervil was soaked in
vinegar and the liquid
administered as a cure for
hiccups.
Where and when to grow
Chervil prefers a cool climate,
but will grow anywhere in the
United States. Plant it early in
spring.
How to plant
Chervil grows best in a moist
and partially shaded environment.
When you're preparing the soil,
dig in a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet. In spring.
about the average date of last
frost, plant chervil seeds half an
Inch deep In rows 18 to 24 inches
apart. When the plants are six
weeks old, thin them to stand
three to four inches apart. To
encourage thicker foliage, cut
the flower stems before they
bloom.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Part 1.
For best growth, keep chervil
moist.
Pests
Chervil is a member of the
parsley family, so you may
encounter an occasional parsley
caterpillar. Hand-pick it off the
plant.
Diseases
Chervil has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Pick fresh leaves as you need
them during the growing season.
In the fall before a hard frost,
harvest all the stems and leaves
and dry them rapidly in a shady
area.
Storing and preserving
Store crushed dry leaves in a
tightly sealed container. You can
also freeze the leaves. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Add fresh chervil leaves to
salads; it also makes an attractive
alternative to parsley as a garnish.
Chervil is an especially appropriate
seasoning for fish, chicken, and
egg dishes.
Common name: chives
Botanical name: Allium
schoenoprasum
Origin: Europe
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
This hardy perennial relative of
the onion has tufts of thin hollow
leaves six to 10 inches long. In
the late spring, it produces striking
flowers — rounded soft purple
globes. The chive blossom
appears, dried or fresh, in many
soil dry out, the tips of the leaves —
the part you want to eat—will
become brown and unappetizing.
Special handling
Chives will take care of
themselves without much help
from you. Separate the clumps
from time to time. If you grow
chives indoors, grow several
pots so you can take turns clipping
from them when you need chives
for cooking and flavoring.
Pests
Chives are trouble-free. Onion
thrips may be a problem in a
commercial onion-producing
area, but they shouldn't bother
plants that have enough water.
Diseases
Chives have no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
If you start from seed, you can
start snipping chives after 90 days;
from transplanted divisions, after
60 days. Either way, the plants will
produce much better the
second year. To harvest, it's usual
to just snip the tops off the
leaves, but if you harvest from the
base you'll avoid unattractive
stubble.
Storing and preserving
If you're growing chives on the
windowsill or on the border of
your flowerbed, you may not
need to store any — you've got a
regular supply right there.
However, chives can be
satisfactorily frozen or dried.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Try a little chopped chives and
parsley in an omelette — it's quick
and a little different for
breakfast. Used raw, chives add a
mild onion flavor to any dish. Common name: coriander
They are often mixed with cottage Botanical name: Coriandrum
cheese, sour cream, or cream sativum
cheese. The blossoms can be eaten Origin: Europe, Asia Minor, and
too and are best when just Russia
coming into bloom.
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
Coriander is a fast-growing
annual that grows to about 12 to 18
inches in height. It has tall
slender stems with fine feathery
leaves; the flowers are pale pink
and grow in clusters. The seeds are
used for flavoring candies,
sauces, and soups. Coriander has a
strong odor that many people
don't like; it's one of the oldest
known herbs. It was grown in
ancient Egyptian gardens, and its
seeds have been found in
Egyptian tombs. Coriander is also
mentioned as a food source in
the Old Testament. The Spanish
for coriander is cilantro, and the
herb is sometimes known by this
name.
Where and when to grow
Coriander grows almost
anywhere that has a growing
season of at least 100 days. It's
not very hardy and will not survive
hard frost, so plant it in the
spring after all danger of frost has
passed.
How to plant
Coriander grows best in a
fertile, well-drained soil. It prefers
a sunny location but will survive
in a slightly shaded area. When
you're preparing the soil, dig in
a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one
pound per 100 square feet. Plant
coriander from seed in the early
spring, two to three weeks after
the average date of last frost.
Plant the seeds a quarter inch deep
in rows eight to 12 inches apart,
and thin the plants to stand 12
inches apart when the seedlings
are growing strongly.
Fertilizing and watering
Do not fertilize coriander at
midseason. Detailed information
on fertilizing is given in
"Spadework: The Essential Soil" in
Part 1.
Coriander should be kept
evenly moist throughout the
growing season, but when the
seeds are nearing maturity too
much rain can reduce the yield.
Pests
Coriander has no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
Coriander has no serious
disease problems.
How to harvest
You can pick a few coriander
leaves any time after the plants are
about six inches tall — the fresh
leaves are known as cilantro.
Harvest the coriander seeds
when they turn a light brown, two
to three weeks after flowering.
The seeds are small — only an
eighth inch in diameter — and
are split in half and dried after
harvesting.
Storing and preserving
The dried seeds can be stored
for months in an airtight container.
You can freeze or dry the leaves.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Add a little coriander to
guacamole or to Chinese soups.
The dried seeds are good in
bread, cookies, potato salad, and
fruit dishes. Coriander is used a
lot in sausages.
Common name: dill
Botanical name: Anethum
graveolens
Origin: Southeast Europe
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Bouquet is a dwarf variety.
Description
Dill, a member of the parsley
family, is a biennial grown as an
annual and grows two to four
feet tall. Dill has finely cut leaves
and small yellow flowers
growing in a fiat-topped cluster; it
has a delicate feathery look and
makes a good background for
flowers or vegetables. Carrying
a bag of dry dill over the heart is
supposed to ward off the evil
eye. Dill water was once used to
quiet babies and get rid of gas.
where and when to grow
Dill, like most herbs, can be
grown pretty much anywhere, and
can withstand heat or cold.
Grow it from seed sown in the
spring or fall. Once established,
dill will seed itself and return year
after year.
How to plant
Poor, sandy soil is an advantage
when you're growing dill — the
herb will have stronger flavor —
but the soil must drain well. Dill
will tolerate partial shade; in light
shade the plants won't get as
bushy as in full sun, so they can be
closer together. Plant the seeds
two or three weeks before your
average date of last frost in rows
two to three feet apart; they
germinate quickly. When the
seedlings are growing well, thin
them to 12 inches apart. You can
also thin dill to form a clump or
mass rather than a row. Make
sure you know where you want the
plants, because dill has a
taproot and is not easy to
transplant. Dill is short-lived, so
make successive sowings to give
you a continuous crop.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilizing is unnecessary for
dill. Detailed information on
fertilizing is given in
"Spadework: The Essentia! Soil"
in Parti.
It doesn't need too much
water and seems to do better if it's
kept on the dry side.
Special handling
The stems are tall and fine; you
may need to stake them.
Pests
Dili, like most herbs, is a good
choice for the organic gardener.
It's a member of the parsley
family, so you may encounter a
parsley caterpillar; hand-pick it
off the plant.
Diseases
Dill has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
70 days for foliage, 90 days for
seeds. To harvest, snip off the
leaves or young flower heads for
use in soups or salads. For
pickling, cut whole stalks when the
plant is more mature. Gather
the mature seeds for planting
(although the dill will do its own
planting without your help if you
leave it alone) or for drying.
Storing and preserving
Dill seeds can be sprouted if
they are allowed to dry naturally;
store the dried seeds in an
airtight jar. Crumble the dried
leaves, and store them the same
way. Detailed information on
storing and preserving is given
in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Dill pickles, obviously. You can
also make a marvelous leek and
potato soup seasoned with dill,
and dill adds a new kick to rye
bread. Dill Is very good with fish
or potatoes, and you can use it for
garnish if you run out of (or are
bored with) parsley.
Common names: fennel,
Florence fennel, finnochio
Botanical name: Foeniculum
vulgaredulce
Origin: Mediterranean
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
Fennel is a stocky perennial
grown as an annual, and looks a bit
like celery with very feathery
leaves. Ordinary fennel (F.
vulgare) is also a perennial. Its
leaves are picked for soups,
sauces, and salads. The whole
herb has an anise flavor. The plant
will grow four to five feet tall,
and the small, golden flowers
appear in flat-topped clusters
from July to September. A variant
called "Copper" has charcoal-
gray foliage and makes an
interesting contrast to other
colors in a flower bed. In folk
medicine all sorts of good results
have been attributed to fennel; at
one time or another it has been
credited with sharpening the
eyesight, stopping hiccups,
promoting weight loss, freeing a
person from "loathings" and
acting as an aphrodisiac.
Where and when to grow
Fennel will grow anywhere, and
tolerates both heat and cold. Grow
it from seed sown two to three
weeks before your average date of
last frost.
How to plant
Like most herbs, fennel needs
well-drained soil that is high in
organic matter. Plant seeds in
full sun, in rows two to three feet
apart. When seedlings are
growing strongly, thin them to
stand 12 inches apart. Fennel is a
difficult herb to transplant because
of its taproot.
Fertilizing and watering
Do not fertilize fennel. Detailed
information on fertilizing is given
in "Spadework: The Essential
Soil" in Parti.
Keep fennel on the dry side; it
just needs enough moisture to
keep it going.
Special handling
The plants grow four to five feet
tall; you may need to stake them.
Pests
Since fennel is a member of the
parsley family, the parsley
caterpillar may appear. Remove
it by hand. Like most herbs, fennel
is a successful bet for the
organic gardener.
Diseases
Fennel has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
You can start harvesting a few
leaves as soon as the plant is
well-established and growing
steadily; use them for flavoring.
Harvest the bulbous stalk when
it is three inches or more in
diameter for use as a vegetable.
Storing and preserving
The leaves of fennel can be
frozen or dried. Crumble the dried
leaves, and store them in an
airtight container. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3. You'll
probably want to eat the stalks
fresh, but they can also be frozen.
Serving suggestions
Fennel is featured in many
Italian dishes. The leaves add
flavor to soups and casseroles,
and fennel is a good seasoning
with fish. Add the seeds to rye
bread or a creamed cheese spread.
Common name: garlic
Botanical name: Allium sativum
Origin: South Europe
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
Garlic is a hardy perennial plant
that looks a lot like an onion,
except that the bulb is
segmented into cloves. The flower
head looks like a tissue paper
dunce cap and is filled with small
flowers and bulblets. There is an
old story that when the Devil
walked out of the Garden of
Eden after the fall of Adam and Eve,
onions sprang up from his right
hoof-print and garlic from his left.
Where and when to grow
Garlic must have cool
temperatures during its early
growth period, but it's not
affected by heat in the later stages.
Plant garlic in spring in the
North; in the South you can get
good results with fall plantings.
How to plant
You grow garlic from cloves or
bulblets, which are planted with
the plump side down. Use the
plumpest cloves for cooking and
plant the others. They need full
sun and well-worked soil that
drains well and is high in organic
matter. Do not fertilize the soil.
Plant the cloves four to six
weeks before the average date of
last frost. Plant them an inch or
two deep, four to six inches apart,
in rows about a foot apart.
Fertilizing and watering
The organic content of the soil is
important, but fertilizing isn't;
don't fertilize because it will
decrease the flavor of the garlic
bulbs. Detailed information on
fertilizing is given in "Spadework:
The Essential Soil" in Part 1.
Keep the garlic slightly dry,
especially when the bulbs are near
maturity; this also improves the
flavor. Keep the area cultivated.
Pests
Occasionally onion thrips may
attack garlic, but they don't
constitute a real problem; hose
them off the plants if they do
appear. Garlic is a good crop for
the organic gardener. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in Parti.
Disease
Mildew may occur in a warm,
moist environment, but it's not
common enough to be a problem. Keep the garlic fairly dry.
When and how to harvest
Harvest the bulbs when the tops
start to dry—that's the sign that the
bulbs are mature.
Storing and preserving
Store the mature bulbs under
cool, dry conditions. Braid the tops
of the plants together with twine
and hang them to dry — very
Gallic; in France you can still see
rural vendors on bicycles with
strings of garlic slung over their
handlebars. Detailed information
on storing and preserving is
given in Parts.
Serving suggestions
Garlic is indispensable to
French cooking, and its use is now
generally accepted in this
country. If you still know anyone
who disapproves of the strong
flavor of garlic, try to convert
him—he'll thank you later.
Spice up your next spaghetti
dinner with garlic bread. Rub a
salad bowl with a cut clove of garlic
before tossing the salad. Add a
clove of garlic to a homemade
vinaigrette; let the dressing
stand for a while before use if you
like your salad good and
garlicky. Insert slivers of garlic into
small slits in a roast, or rub a cut
clove over a steak before grilling.
Common names: marjoram,
sweet marjoram
Botanical name: Marjorana
hortensis
Origin: Mediterranean
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
A tender branching perennial,
usually grown as an annual,
marjoram grows 10 to 15 inches
tall. It has greyish opposite leaves
and lavender or whitish flowers
growing up most of the stem.
Marjoram means "joy of the
mountain." Venus was reputed to
be the first to grow this herb. Its
leaves and flowering heads,
steeped and made into a tea,
have been said to relieve
indigestion and headaches.
Where and when to grow
Marjoram will grow in most areas
of the United States, but it's
sensitive to frost and needs
winter protection to survive the
winter in very cold areas. Plant
marjoram from seeds or
transplants on your average
date of last frost.
How to plant
Marjoram tolerates light shade
and thrives in poor soil with good
drainage. Don't fertilize the soil
before planting; over-fertile soil
will produce lots of leaves, but
they'll have little flavor. One of the
attractive qualities of many herbs plants won't tolerate. Marjoram is
is that they'll thrive in the kind of started from seed or transplants.
soil conditions that a lot of Other On your average date of last
frost, sow seeds a quarter inch
deep in rows 18 to 24 inches
apart. Thin the seedlings about six
inches apart when they're
growing sturdily, or plant
transplants that are two or three
inches tall, and set them about six
inches apart. If the weather
warms up quickly, mulch
transplants to protect the roots
from too much heat until they're
acclimated. If you're afraid
marjoram won't survive the
winter, dig up the plants in the
fall, let them winter as
houseplants, and plant again in
spring — divide the clumps before
replanting.
Fertilizing and watering
Don't fertilize marjoram.
Detailed information about
fertilizing is given in
"Spadework: The Essential Soil"
in Parti.
Water sparingly. The less
water marjoram gets, the better
the flavor will be.
Special handling
About all the special attention
marjoram requires is a protection
of mulch to help it weather very
cold winters.
Pests
Marjoram has no serious pest
problems. Like most herbs, it's a
good plant for organic gardens.
Diseases
Marjoram has no serious
disease problems.
When and how to harvest
When the first blooms appear,
cut the plants back several inches;
you can do this several times
without harming the plant. Fresh
leaves can be harvested at any
time.
Storing and preserving
Dry leaves and flower tops
quickly. Store the crumbled, dry
leaves for winter use. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Marjoram is one of the
traditional components of a
bouquet garni. The leaves are
good with veal and liver, in meat
and egg dishes, and in poultry
stuffings. Try them in soups or
on roast beef sandwiches. Make
herb butter with them. Add
chopped marjoram leaves in
melted butter to spinach just
before serving.
Common name: mint
Botanical names: Mentha
piperita (peppermint); Mentha
spicata (spearmint).
Origin: Europe
Varieties
There are many varieties of
mint, of which the best known are
spearmint and peppermint.
Other varieties have different
flavors, like golden apple mint
or orange mint. Grow the variety
available in your area or the
scent and flavor you like best.
Description
A number of different varieties
go by the collective name of mint;
peppermint and spearmint are
probably the two most popular.
Both are hardy perennials, and
both are very prolific—once you
set them in a corner of the
garden they'll quietly take over.
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is
a tall, shallow-rooted, fast-
spreading perennial with square
stems and leaves that usually have
a purple tinge. The light
lavender flowers appear in
terminal spikes and bloom
through most of the growing
season. The plant grows to
about three feet tall. Spearmint (M.
spicata) is a perennial that grows
two to 2y2 feet tall, with square
stems and leaves that are slightly
curled and deeply veined. The
flowers are light purple to white
and grow in spikes two to four
inches long that start blooming
in early summer and continue well
into fall. You may also come
across varieties like golden apple
mint, which has a more delicate
flavor than spearmint. This plant
also has pale purple flowers, but
the leaves are dark green streaked
with gold. Orange mint,
sometimes known as bergamot
mint, gets its name from its
delicate scent of oranges. Orange
mint has reddish-green leaves
edged with purple; the flowers are
lavender.
where and when to grow
Both peppermint and spearmint
are very hardy and can be grown
almost anywhere in the United
States. Plant them from root
divisions any time during the
growing season.
How to plant
Mint varieties from seed will not
grow "true." So it's generally more
satisfactory to use root divisions.
An innocuous little plant of mint
will wander all over the garden if
it gets half a chance, so plant each
one in a container that will keep
the roots in one place — a two-
pound coffee can with both
ends removed is good.
Peppermint and spearmint grow
well in any soil; they prefer sun but
will tolerate partial shade. For
spearmint, work a complete, well-
balanced fertilizer into the soil
before planting at the rate of a
pound per 100 square feet.
Don't fertilize before planting
peppermint—you'll get all the
peppermint you can use without it.
Although you can plant mints
anytime during the growing
season, root divisions will be
established faster if planted on a
cool, moist day in spring or fall.
Space plants two or three inches
apart in rows 18 to 24 inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Don't fertilize mints in
midseason; they'll never miss it.
Detailed information on
fertilizing is given in "Spadework:
The Essential Soil" in Parti.
Both peppermint and
spearmint prefer moist soil, so
they'll require more watering
than the rest of the garden. Keep
them evenly moist until root
divisions are established.
Pests
Mints have no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
Mints are susceptible to
verticillium wilt and mint rust.
Prevent these diseases by
removing all the dead stems and
leaves from the bed before
winter. Detailed information on
disease prevention is given in
"Keeping Your Garden Healthy" in
Part 1.
When and how to harvest
The more mint you pick, the
better the plants will grow, and you
can pick sprigs throughout the
growing season. Harvest more
fully as the plants begin to
bloom, just as the lower leaves
start to yellow. Cut the entire
plant down two or three inches
above the soil. You'll get a
second smaller harvest the same
season.
Storing and preserving
Strip the mint leaves from the
stem and let them dry in a warm
shady area. The dried leaves can
be stored in a sealed jar. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
A sprig of fresh mint is a pretty
garnish for summer drinks — and
you can't have a mint julep
without it. Cook peas in a very little
water to which you've added a
couple of sprigs of mint. Toss
boiled new potatoes with butter
and chopped mint—a nice change
from parsley. Instead of mint
jelly with a lamb roast, try the
traditional English mint sauce.
Add a little sugar to a couple of
tablespoons of chopped fresh
mint leaves, add boiling water to
bring out the flavor, then top off
with vinegar to taste.
Common names: oregano, wild
marjoram
Botanical names: Origanum
vulgare. Origanum
heracleoticum
Origin: Mediterranean (O.vulgare), Cyprus (O.heracleoticum)
Varieties
In cold northern areas grow
any variety of O. vulgare. In
warmer areas grow any variety
of either O. vulgare or O.
heracleoticum.
Description
The name "oregano" is more
accurately applied to a flavor than
to a plant, and there are two
varieties that you can grow for
seasoning called oregano. O.
vulgare is usually grown; it's
hardier and easier to propagate
than the alternative, O.
heracleoticum—also known as
wild marjoram. The name
"oregano" itself has been
traced back to an ancient Greek
word translated as "delight of
the mountains," which suggests
that the plants once grew wild
on the hillsides of Greece.
Oregano (O. vulgare) is a very
hardy perennial that may grow2y2
feet tall.
The leaves are greyish-green,
slightly hairy, and oval in
shape, and the flowers are
pink, white, or purple. O.
heracleoticum is a tender
perennial that grows only a foot
high. The leaves are very hairy
and oval in shape, and the plant
bears small white flower clusters
on tall stems. Oregano's reputed
medicinal powers are varied. A
tea made from the leaves and
flowers was believed to relieve
indigestion, headaches, and
nervousness. Oil extracted
from the plant was used as a cure
for toothache.
Where and when to grow
O. vulgare can be grown
anywhere in the United States
from root divisions or seed
planted early in spring. O.
heracleoticum can also be
grown anywhere in the United
States from seed or root
divisions if planting is delayed
until all danger of frost is past;
it should be grown as an annual
or given winter protection in
colder northern areas. O.
heracleoticum can also be
grown in a container — it makes
an attractive houseplant.
How to plant
Don't fertilize the planting bed
for oregano—lack of nutrients
even enhances the flavor. Both
varieties need well-drained soil in
a sunny location, although O.
vulgare will tolerate partial shade.
Plant both varieties from root
divisions or seeds and space
plants about a foot apart. Plant
O. vulgare on your average
date of last frost, and O.
heracleoticum two to three weeks
later. Plant seeds a quarter inch
deep in rows 12 to 18 inches
apart, and thin to six to 12
inches apart. Plant divisions six to
12 inches apart in rows 12 to 18
inches apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Don't fertilize oregano at all.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep the oregano plants on
the dry side.
Pests
Oregano varieties have no
serious pest problems.
Diseases
These plants have no serious
disease problems.
When and how to harvest
Oregano is ready to harvest
when it begins to flower; cut the
stems down to a few inches
above the soil. Leaves can be
harvested for fresh use
throughout the growing season if
you cut off the flowers before
they open—this encourages fuller
foliage.
Storing and preserving
Hang oregano in bunches to
dry; when they're dry, remove
the leaves and store them in an
airtight container. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Oregano is essential to lots of
Italian dishes. Add it to spaghetti
sauce, and sprinkle it on pizza.
Try oregano and a touch of lemon
on lamb chops or steak. Sprinkle
oregano on cooked vegetables for
a lively flavor.
Common name: parsley
Botanical name: Petroselinum
crispum
Origin: Mediterranean
Varieties
Moss Curled (70 days);
Perfection (75 days); Hamburg or
Parsnip-Rooted parsley (90
days).
Description
Parsley is a hardy biennial that is
treated as an annual. It has finely
divided, fernlike leaves that are
either flat or curly. The leaves grow
in a rosette from a single taproot
that in some varieties is quite large
and can be eaten like parsnips.
Parsley has flat-topped clusters of
greenish-yellow flowers, similar
to those of dill, which belongs to
the same family. The Romans wore
parsley wreaths to keep from
becoming intoxicated. Parsley is
probably the best known of the
herbs used for flavoring and for
garnish.
Where and when to grow
Parsley will grow anywhere and
can survive cold. It tolerates heat,
but very hot weather will make
the plant go to seed. Plant parsley
two to three weeks before your How to plant
average date of last frost. Parsley
also does well as a houseplant; Parsley likes well-worked, well-
some gardeners bring parsley in drained soil with moderate organic
from the garden in fall and let it content. Don't fertilize before
winter in a bright window. planting. Plant it from seed;
they take a long time to germinate,
but you can speed up the
process by soaking them in
warm water overnight before
planting. Plant the seeds a quarter-
inch deep in rows 18 to 24 inches
apart. Thin the seedlings to 12 to 18
inches apart when they're
growing strongly. Or start seeds
indoors six weeks before the
average date of last frost.
Fertilizing and watering
You don't need to fertilize the
soil for parsley to grow well.
Detailed information on
fertilizing is given in "Spadework:
The Essential Soil" in Parti.
It's important to keep the soil
moderately moist; parsley needs a
regular supply of water to keep
producing new leaves.
Pests
The parsley caterpillar is the
only pest you're likely to have to
contend with. Hand-pick it off
the plants.
Diseases
Parsley has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
From planting to harvest is
about 70 to 90 days, and a 10-foot
row of parsley will keep you —
and all your neighbors — well
supplied. To encourage the
growth of new foliage, cut off
the flower stalk when it appears.
The flower stalk shoots' up taller
than the leaves, and the leaves on it
are much smaller. Harvest
parsley leaves any time during the
growing season; cut them off at
the base of the plant. The plant will
retain its rich color until early
winter. Many gardeners harvest
the entire parsley plant in fall
and dry it; you can also bring the
whole plant inside for the
winter.
Storing and preserving
Parsley lends itself well to
freezing and drying. Store the
dried leaves in an airtight
container. Detailed information
on storing and preserving is
given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Parsley's reputation as a garnish
often does it a disservice—it gets
left on the side of the plate. In
fact it's been known for thousands
of years for its excellent flavor
and versatility. Add chopped
parsley to buttered potatoes
and vegetables; toss a little on a
sliced tomato salad along with a
pinch of basil. Add it to scrambled
eggs or an omelette aux fine
herbs. Parsley is a natural breath-
freshener.
Common name: rosemary
Botanical name: Rosemarinus
officinalis
Origin: Mediterranean
Varieties
Albus; Collingwood Ingram;
Tuscan Blue; Prostratus;
Lockwood de Forest.
Description
Rosemary is a half-hardy,
evergreen, perennial shrub with
narrow, aromatic, grey-green
leaves. It can grow six feet tall, anc
the flowers are small, light blue
or white. It's a perennial, but in
areas with very cold winters it's
grown as an annual. Rosemary is
one of the traditional strewing
herbs; in the language of flowers
its message is "remember." In
Shakespeare's play, Ophelia
gives Hamlet a sprig of rosemary
"for remembrance." Keep up
the old tradition of a herb of
remembrance by tying a sprig of
rosemary to a gift.
Where and when to grow
Rosemary can handle
temperatures a bit below freezing
and tolerates cold better in a
sandy, well-drained location. Less
than-ldeal conditions improve
its fragrance, but it's not really
hardy north of Washington,
D.C. Grow it in a cold-winter area if
you're willing to mulch it for
winter protection.
How to plant
Like most herbs, rosemary is
most fragrant and full of flavor if it's
grown in well-drained, sandy
soil that's high in organic matter
but not over-rich. Very fertile
soil will produce beautiful plants
but decrease the production of
the aromatic oils on which the
plant's fragrance depends.
Don't fertilize the soil if you're
planting rosemary, except if
you're growing it as a perennial in a
mild winter climate; in this case,
work a low-nitrogen (5-10-10)
fertilizer into the soil before
planting at the rate of about a half
pound to 100 square feet. To
grow rosemary from seed, start the
seeds indoors or in a cold frame
four to six weeks before your
average date of last frost. Two
weeks after the average date of last
frost, transplant them to a
location in full sun with a foot or
more between the plants and 18
to 24 inches between rows. You
can also grow rosemary from
stem cuttings. Pot a rosemary plant
from the garden in fall and bring
it into the house for winter use. In
the spring take stem cuttings
to propagate your new crop.
Fertilizing and watering
Do not fertilize at midseason.
Detailed information on
fertilizing is given in "Spadework:
The Essential Soil" in Part 1.
If the weather is dry, water
regularly to keep the soil moist.
Don't let the roots dry out.
Pests
Rosemary has no serious pest
problems. Like most herbs, it does
well In the organic garden.
Diseases
Rosemary has no serious
disease problems.
When and how to harvest
You can take some of the leaves,
which look like short pine needles,
and use them fresh any time you
want them. Growth can be pruned
back several times during a
season.
Storing and preserving
Dry the leaves and store them in
airtight containers. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Treat rosemary with respect; it
can easily overpower more
delicate herbs. Rosemary is
traditionally used with lamb or
pork; it's also excellent
combined with a little lemon
juice and chopped parsley and
sprinkled on chicken before it's
baked.
Common name: sage
Botanical name: Salvia officinalis
Origin: Mediterranean
Varieties
Albiflora (white flowers); Aurea
(variegated leaves); Purpurea
(reddish-purple upper leaves).
Description
Sage is a hardy, perennial shrub
that grows to two feet tall and gets
quite woody. The leaves are
oval, sometimes five inches long.
Gray leaves are more common
but several varieties have
variegated leaf color. The
flowers are bluish-lavender and
grow on spikelike stems.
Traditionally, sage water is
supposed to improve the
memory and keep the hair from
falling out. The purple or golden
varieties make delightful
ornamental houseplants.
They're smaller plants than the
green or gray varieties^ but
they're prettier, and the flavor is
just as good. Most garden shops
and catalog lists offer only the gray
varieties. Go to a herb specialist
for the less common types.
Where and when to grow
Sage, like most herbs, is an
accommodating plant that will
grow anywhere. In northern
areas, mulch to help the plants
survive the winter.
How to plant
Sage can be reproduced by
layering, by division, or by using
stem cuttings. You can also start
it from seed. Sage thrives in poor
soil as long as the drainage Is
good, and it's not normally
necessary to fertilize—if the soil
is too rich the flavo rwill be poorer.
If you're planting sage as a
perennial, fertilize the first year
only with a low-nitrogen
fertilizer. When you're preparing
the soil for planting, work a
5-10-10 fertilizer into the soil at
the rate of half a pound per 100
square feet. Plant sage seeds or
divisions on your average date of
last frost. Plant seeds a quarter
inch deep in rows 18 to 24 inches
apart, and thin to 12 inches
apart. Plant divisions or cuttings 12
inches apart in rows 18 to 24
inches apart. They should be in full
sun; the plant will tolerate
partial shade, but the flavor will be
impaired.
Fertilizing and watering
Don't fertilize at midseason.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep sage plants on the dry
side.
Pests
Sage has no serious pest
problems. Like most herbs. It does
well in the organic garden.
Diseases
Sage has no serious disease
problems. If the area is too damp
or shady rot may occur. Avoid
this by planting sage in a dry, sunny
location. Detailed information
on disease prevention is given in
"Keeping Your Garden Healthy"
in Parti.
When and how to harvest
Sage takes 75 days from planting
to harvest, and a few plants will
supply you and a lot of other
people, too. At least twice during
the growing season, cut six to
eight inches from the top of the
plants. Pick the leaves as desired
as long as you don't cut back more
than half the plant—if you do it
will stop producing.
Storing and preserving
Store dried sage leaves in an
airtight container. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Sage and onion make a good
combination and are traditionally
used together in stuffings for
pork, turkey, or duck. Sage can
overwhelm other seasonings,
so handle it with care. Some
people steep dried sage leaves
to make a herb tea.
Common names: summer
savory, winter savory
Botanical names: Satureja
hortensis (summer savory);
Satureja montana (winter
savory)
Origin: Mediterranean,
Southern Europe
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
Both types of savory belong to the
mint family. Summer savory is a
bushy annual with needle-shaped
leaves and stems that are square
when the plant is young and
become woody later. The flowers
are light purple to pink, and the
plant grows to a height of about 18
inches. Winter savory is a bushy
hardy perennial that grows about a
foot tall. The small flowers are
white or purple and, like the
summer variety, winter savory
has needle-shaped leaves and
square stems that become
woody as they develop. The winter
variety has sharper-flavored
leaves than the summer kind.
Where and when to grow
Both varieties grow anywhere in
the United States from seeds
planted two to three weeks after
the average date of last frost.
How to plant
Summer savory can be grown in
almost any soil; winter savory
prefers soil that is sandy and
well-drained. Both need full sun.
Before planting, work a
complete, well-balanced fertilizer
into the ground at the rate of
one pound to 100 square feet. Plant
seeds of both summer and winter
varieties half an inch deep in rows
12 to 18 inches apart. When the
seedlings are four to six weeks old
thin summer savory plants to
stand three to four inches apart.
Winter savory needs more room;
thin the plants to 12 to 18 inches
apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Do not fertilize at midseason.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Both varieties do better if kept
on the dry side.
Special handling
Summer savory has a tendency
to get top-heavy; stake the plants if
necessary.
Pests
Savory has no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
Savory has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Pick fresh leaves and stems of
both summer and winter savory at
any time during the growing
season. In areas with a long
growing season you may get two
harvests. For drying, cut off the top
six to eight inches of the plant as
soon as it begins to flower.
Storing and preserving
Store the dried leaves in an
airtight container. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Savory has a peppery flavor that
is good with fish, poultry, and in
egg dishes. Try it in vinegars, or
add a little to a cheese souffle.
Common name: sesame
Botanical name: Sesamum
indicum
Origin: Africa
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
Sesame is a hardy annual that
has a unique drought-tolerant root
system composed of a long
taproot and a large number of
fibrous secondary roots. It's an
attractive plant, with cream or pale
orchid-colored flowers that grow
in the angles of the leaves. Sesame
used to be credited with magic
powers and was associated with
Hecate, queen of witches. Its
uses today are less dramatic; the
dried seeds are used to flavor
breads, candy, and baked goods,
and the oil extracted from the
seeds is used for cooking and in
salad dressings.
Where and when to grow
Sesame is easy to grow if you can
give it a growing season of about
120 days; it grows well in the
warm, dry areas of the South and
Southwest. Plant it when danger
of frost is over.
How to plant
Give sesame a place in the sun in
well-drained, fertile soil. When
you're preparing the soil, dig in
a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one pound
per 100 square feet. Four to six
weeks after the average date of
last frost, plant the seeds a half
inch deep in rows 12 to 18 inches
apart. Thin the plants to 12 to 18
inches apart when they are four
to five weeks old.
Fertilizing and watering
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Allow the plants to dry out
between waterings.
Pests
Sesame has no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
Sesame has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Harvest about 90 to 120 days
after planting when the mature
seed pods are about the size of a
peanut. Crack the pods open
carefully, and remove the
seeds.
Storing and preserving
Store the dried sesame seeds in
an airtight container. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Toast sesame seeds and toss
them over vegetable dishes or
soups. They give an extra
crunch to pan-fried fish. Or, just
eat the roasted seeds as a snack.
Sesame is used a lot in Oriental
dishes and the seeds, untoasted,
are added to cookies, cakes, and
breads before baking.
Common name: tarragon
Botanical name: Artemisia
dracunulus
Origin: Caspian Sea, Siberia
Varieties
Few varieties are available.
Grow the variety available in your
area, but try to make sure that
it's the French, not the Russian,
kind.
Description
Tarragon is a half-hardy
perennial that grows two to four
feet tall; it has slender stems
and thin narrow leaves that taste a
bit like licorice, and it rarely
produces flowers—they're small
and whitish in color. True
French tarragon is a sterile clove
and cannot be grown from
seed; use rooted divisions or
stem cuttings. There is also a
Russian variety of tarragon, which
has a stronger flavor that most
people don't like. Many herbs are
decorative, but tarragon is not
glamorous. However, its finely
textured dark-green foliage
makes an attractive background
for small, bright flowers. The
word tarragon comes from the
Arabic word for dragon. The
French translation, estragon (little
dragon), might reflect either
the way tarragon was used
medicinally to fight pestilence
during the Middle Ages, or the
snakelike appearance of its
roots.
Where and when to grow
Tarragon can be grown
anywhere in the United States
and will survive cold winters if
it's given adequate protection. It's
hardy in well-drained, sandy
soils, but is less tolerant of cold in
compacted or wet soil.
How to plant
Seeds of the Russian variety are
available commercially, but are
likely to produce plants of
inferior flavor. Instead, use
divisions or stem cuttings of
French tarragon. Tarragon
tolerates poor, rather dry soil.
Fertilize the soil the first year only
with a low-nitrogen (5-10-10)
fertilizer; before planting, work
the fertilizer well into the soil at
the rate of a half pound to 100
square feet. Plant cuttings or
divisions on your area's average
date of last frost, and set them
18 to 24 inches apart in rows 24 to
36 inches apart. Give them a
place in full sun; the plant will
tolerate partial shade, but the
flavor will be impaired.
Fertilizing and watering
Don't fertilize at midseason.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Keep tarragon on the dry
side to encourage the flavor to
develop.
Special handling
If you live in an area where the
ground freezes and thaws often in
the winter, mulch after the first
freeze so that a thaw will not push
the plant up and out of the
ground. Mulching also helps the
tarragon survive the cold.
Subdivide the plants every three
or four years.
Pests
Tarragon has no serious pest
problems. It does well in the
organic garden.
Diseases
Tarragon has no serious
disease problems.
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
about 60 days, and you don't
need a lot of tarragon. One
plant supplies the average family,
so if you're growing a lot you
will be able to supply the whole
neighborhood. Pick the tender
top leaves of tarragon as you need
them. Cut back the leafy top
growth several times during the
season to encourage the plant
to bush out.
storing and preserving
Tarragon is best fresh, but can
be dried or frozen. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Put a fresh stem or two of
tarragon into bottles of good
cider vinegar or wine vinegar
and, vo/7a, tarragon vinegar; allow
a couple of weeks for the flavor
to develop before you use it.
Since the flavor of tarragon is
so distinctive, use it with a light
touch. Use the leaves to
decorate cold dishes glazed with
aspic. It's tarragon that gives a
kick to a good sauce tartare, and,
of course, you can't have
chicken tarragon without it.
Common name: thyme
Botanical name: Thymus vulgaris
Origin: Mediterranean
Varieties
Argentens; Aureus; Rosens;
Broadleaf English; Narrowleaf
French.
Description
Thyme is a fragrant, small,
perennial evergreen shrub with
six- to eight-inch stems that
often spread out over the ground.
It's a member of the mint family
and has square stems with small
opposite leaves and pale
lavender mintlike flowers. Thyme
is a charming, cheerful little a border or rock garden. There a
plant and will last for years once it's more than 200 species and man^
established. It's a good plant for hybrids, but the common form i
the one grown for flavoring. The
Greeks and Romans believed that
thyme gave courage and
strength; their highest
compliment was to tell a man
that he smelled of thyme. In the
Middle Ages ladies embroidered
sprigs of thyme on the scarves they
gave their knights. Linnaeus,
the father of modern botany,
recommended thyme as a
hangover cure.
Where and when to grow
Thyme prefers a mild climate
but can survive temperatures
below freezing. It tolerates cold
better in well-drained soil. Plant
thyme from seed anywhere in
the United States two to three
weeks before your average date
of last frost.
How to plant
Thyme likes well-drained soil,
preferably low in fertility; rich soils
produce plants that are large but
less fragrant. The first year, work a
low-nitrogen (5-10-10) fertilizer
into the soil before planting at the
rate of about a half pound per
100 square feet. This is generous of
you, because in adverse soil
conditions thyme, like many
herbs, will have better flavor.
Whatever the soil's like, it's
important to give thyme a place
in the sun. Plant seeds in early
spring, two to three weeks
before your average date of last
frost. Plant the seeds a quarter
inch deep in rows 16 to 24 inches
apart, and when the seedlings
are two to three inches tall thin
them about a foot apart. You can
also plant thyme cuttings or root
divisions. Plant them at the
same time, and space them a foot
apart.
Fertilizing and watering
Don't fertilize at midseason.
Detailed information on fertilizing
is given in "Spadework: The
Essential Soil" in Parti.
Thyme seldom needs
watering; it does best on the dry
side.
Special handling
Some herbs, like mints, grow
like weeds whatever the
competition. Thyme can't
handle competition, especially
from grassy weeds, and needs
an orderly environment; cultivate
conscientiously.
Start new plants every three to
four years, because thyme gets
woody; reduce the clump
greatly. If you've no room in the
garden for extra plants, plant
them in a hanging basket.
Pests
Thyme has no serious pest
problems. Like most herbs, it's
ideal for the organic gardener.
Diseases
Thyme has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Pick thyme as needed. For
drying, harvest when the plants
begin to bloom. Cut off the tops
of the branches with four to five
inches of flowering stems.
Storing and preserving
After drying, crumble the thyme
and put into tightly capped jars.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Thyme is usually blended with
other herbs and used in meat
dishes, poultry, stuffings
(parsley and thyme is a happy
combination), and soups. It
adds a nice flavor to clam chowder
and is often used along with a
bay leaf to give a delicate lift to a
white sauce or a cheese souffle.
Once you've harvested your crops, you may find
yourself with a big surplus. What do you do
with all those vegetables? Well, you can — and
will — enjoy them fresh; and you can also give a lot of
them away. You can keep them in the refrigerator
for a few days. You can freeze, can, or dry them for the
months ahead, as detailed in the following
chapters. But in some cases, cold storage — not
freezing — can be your best bet. It's a low-effort,
electricity-free choice that can keep you supplied with
fresh vegetables all winter long. Both refrigerator
storage and cold storage are discussed below, and the
accompanying chart shows you which methods of
storing or preserving work best for each vegetable.