Vegetable Gardening Encyclopedia PDF
Vegetable Gardening Encyclopedia PDF
Vegetable Gardening Encyclopedia PDF
and the more time you will have for enjoying the
pleasures of your garden not just keeping up with
the chores. Build your records the same way you
build your garden; profit from past mistakes, and
Incorporate new ideas.
Start out with a ledger that has sewn-in pages.
Don't write notes on slips of paper and expect to be
able to find the one you want when you want It.
Don't use a three-ring notebook, because if you can
take a page out you will, and then you'll probably
lose it. Your first entry m your record of your vegetable
garden should be the plot you designed when you
First and last frost dates for major cities in the United States
state and city
Alabama
Birmingham
Mobile
Montgomery
Alaska
Anchorage
Cordova
Fairbanks
Average date of
last frost
Average date of
first frost
Number of days in
growing season
March 19
February 17
February'27
November 14
December 12
December 3
241
298
279
May 18
May 10
May 24
September 13
October 2
August 29
118
145
97
June 8
January 27
April 28
October 2
December 11
October 21
116
317
176
March 23
March 16
November 9
November 15
231
244
February 14
February 3
January 24
November 28
December 3
December 11
287
303
321
May 2
April 28
October 14
October 12
165
167
April 22
April 15
October 19
October 25
180
193
April 10
October 28
200
February 6
January 31
February 26
January 10
December
December
December
December
16
17
3
26
313
319
280
349
March 20
March 12
February 21
November 19
November 19
December 9
244
252
291
April 29
May 8
October 16
September 30
171
155
March 23
April 19
April 8
April 22
November 11
October 28
October 30
October 20
233
192
205
151
April 2
April 24
April 17
November 4
October 20
October 27
216
179
193
Arizona
Flagstaff
Phoenix
Winslow
Arkansas
Fort Smith
Little Rock
California
Bakersfield
Fresno
Sacramento
Colorado
Denver
Pueblo
Connecticut
Hartford
New Haven
District of Columbia
Washington
Florida
Jacksonville
Orlando
Tallahassee
Tampa
Georgia
Atlanta
Macon
Savannah
Idaho
Boise
Pocatello
Illinois
Cairo
Chicago
Springfield
Urbana
Indiana
Evansville
Fort Wayne
Indianapolis
First and last frost dates for major cities in the United States (cont.)
state and city
Iowa
Des Moines
Dubuque
Kansas
Concordia
Topeka
Wichita
Kentucky
Lexington
Louisville
Louisiana
Lake Charles
New Orleans
Shreveport
Maine
Greenville
Presque Isle
Portland
Maryland
Baltimore
Cumberland
Massachusetts
Amherst
Boston
Nantucket
Michigan
Detroit
Grand Rapids
Lansing
Minnesota
Duluth
Minneapolis
Mississippi
Jackson
Biloxi
Vicksburg
Missouri
\
Columbia
Kansas City
St. Louis
Montana
Billings
Glasgow
Havre
Nebraska
Lincoln
Norfolk
Omaha
Average date of
last frost
Average date of
first frost
Number of days in
growing season
April 20
April 19
October 19
October 19
183
184
April 16
April 9
April 5
October 24
October 26
November 1
191
200
210
April 13
April 1
October 28
November 7
198
220
February 18
February 13
March 1
December 6
December 12
November 27
May 27
May 31
April 29
September 20
September 18
October 15
116
110
169
March 28
May 1
November 17
October 10
234
163
May 12
April 16
April 12
September 19
October 25
November 16
130
192
219
April 25
April 25
May 6
October 23
October 27
October 8
181
185
155
May 22
April 30
September 24
October 13
125
166
March 10
February 22
March 8
November 13
November 28
November 15
248
279
252
April 9
April 5
April 2
May 15
May 19
May 9
October 24
October 31
November 8
198
210
220
September 24
September 20
September 23
132
124
138
April 20
May 4
April 14
October 17
October 3
October 20
180
152
189
291
302
272
First and last frost dates for major cities in the United States (cont.)
State and city
Nevada
Las Vegas
Reno
New Hampshire
Concord
New Jersey
New Brunswick
Trenton
New Mexico
Albuquerque
Santa Fe
New York
Binghamton
Buffalo
New York
North Carolina
Charlotte
Raleigh
Wilmington
North Dakota
Bismarck
Fargo
Williston
Ohio
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Columbus
Dayton
Toledo
Oklahoma
O k l a h o m a City
Tulsa
Oregon
Medford
Portland
Salem
Pennsylvania
Harrisburg
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Rhode Island
Providence
South Carolina
Charleston
Columbia
Greenville
South Dakota
Huron
Rapid City
Sioux Falls
Average date of
last frost
Average date of
first frost
Number of days in
growing season
March 13
May 14
November 13
October 2
245
141
May 11
October 1
143
April 21
April 8
October 19
November 5
179
211
April 16
April 23
October 29
October 19
196
179
May 4
April 29
April 7
October 6
October 23
November 12
154
178
219
March 21
March 24 .
March 15
November 15
November 16
November 19
239
237
274
May 11
May 13
May 14
September 24
September 27
September 23
136
137
132
April
April
April
April
April
October 25
November 2
October 30
October 21
October 25
192
195
196
184
184
March 28
March 31
November 7
November 2
223
216
April 25
February 25
April 14
October 20
December 1
October 27
178
279
197
April 10
March 30
April 20
October 28
November 17
October 23
201
232
187
April B
October 27
197
February 19
March 14
March 23
December 10
November 21
November 17
294
252
239
May 4
May 7
May 5
September 30
October 4
October 3
149
150
152
15
21
17
20
24
First and last frost dates for major cities in the United States (cont.)
state and city
Tennessee
Chattanooga
Knoxville
Memphis
Nashville
Texas
Brownsville
Dallas
Houston
Plainview
Utah
Blanding
Salt Lake City
Vermont
Burlington
Saint Johnsbury
Virginia
Norfolk
Richmond
Washington
Seattle
Spokane
West Virginia
Charleston
Parkersburg
Wisconsin
Green Bay
La Crosse
Madison
Milwaukee
Wyoming
Casper
Cheyenne
Sheridan
Average date of
last frost
March
March
March
March
26
31
20
28
Average date of
first frost
Number of days In
growing season
November
November
November
November
10
6
12
7
229
220
237
224
February 15
March 18
February 5
April 10
December
November
December
November
10
22
11
6
298
249
309
211
May 18
April 12
October 14
November 1
148
202
May 8
May 22
October 3
September 25
148
126
March 18
April 2
November 27
November 8
254
220
February 23
April 20
December 1
October 12
281
175
April 18
April 16
October 28
October 21
193
189
May 6
May 1
April 26
April 20
October
October
October
October
161
161
177
188
May 18
May 20
May 21
September 25
September 27
September 21
13
8
19
25
'
130
130
123
Hardy vegetables:
Plant2 to 3 weeks before the
average date of last frost.
Tender vegetables:
Plant on the average date of
last frost.
Asparagus
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Chinese cabbage
Collards
Horseradish
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leek
Lettuce
Onion
Pea
Rhubarb
Rhutabaga
Shallot
Sorrel
Spinach
Herbs:
Chives
Garlic
Spearmint
Peppermint
Tarragon
Thyme
Beet
Cardoon
Carrot
Celeriac
Celery
Chard
Chicory
Dandelion
Endive
Jerusalem artichoke
Lentil
Parsnip
Potato, Irish
Radish
Salsify
Spinach, New Zealand
Turnip
Herbs:
Anise
Borage
Fennel
Marjoram
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Savory
Artichoke, globe
Bean, broad
Bean, dry
Bean, mung
Bean, snap
Corn
Cress
Mustard
Sorrel
Soybean
Tomato
Herbs:
Basil
Caraway
Chervil
Coriander
Dill
Sage
Sesame
Bean, lima
Chayote
Chick pea
Cucumber
Eggplant
Muskmelon
Okra
Pea, black-eyed
Peanut
Pepper, hot
Pepper, sweet
Pumpkin
Squash, summer
Squash, winter
Sweet potato
Watermelon
Physical controls
IDENTIFYING GARDEN PESTS
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
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.
rim flush w i t h the soil surface, and fill it with stale beer.
The slugs and snails will be attracted to the beer and
fall in and d r o w n . Then you can dispose of them in the
morning.
Sucking pests
POSSIBLE CAUSES
POSSIBLE CURES
Lack of water
Water
Disease
Disease
Leaves curl
Thin out
Reduce fertilizing
Wilt
Virus
Moisture imbalance
Mulch
Reduce watering
Poor drainage
Compacted soil
Remove rubbish
Acid soil
POSSIBLE CAUSES
POSSIBLE CURES
Insects or diseases
Wait
Too cold
Too dry
Water
Replant
Replant
Fungus (damping-off)
Rotting
Do not overwater
Fertilizer burn
Virus
Add lime
POSSIBLE CAUSES
POSSIBLE CURES
Compacted soil
Cultivate
peppers
Too-deep cultivation
Same as above
No pollination
Wait
rot
There is no fruit
(cont.)
Varieties
There are very few varieties of
artichokes; Green Globe is the
variety c o m m o n l y g r o w n .
Description
The artichoke is a thistlelike,
tender perennial that grows three
to four feet tall and three to four
feet w i d e . It is grown for its flower
buds, which are eaten before
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
Serving suggestions
Cook artichokes in salted water
w i t h a squeeze of lemon juice to
help retain their color. W i t h hot
artichokes serve a Hollandaise
sauce; a vinaigrette is delicious
w h e n they're c o l d . They're not as
messy to eat as you may
imagine anyway, it's quite
Varieties
Paradise, Mary Washington,
and Martha Washington are all
rust-resistant varieties.
Description
Asparagus is a long-lived hardy
perennial w i t h 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
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 rustresistant 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
How to plant
Pests
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
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. W h e n you're
preparing the soil, mix in a pound
of low-nitrogen (5-10-10)
fertilizer d o n ' t use a highnitrogen 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 d o n ' 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
w i t h soil microorganisms called
nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which
help them produce their o w n
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
w i t h a nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Pests
Beans may be attacked by
aphids, bean beetles, flea beetles,
leafhoppers, and mites. Aphids,
leafhoppers, and mites can be
controlled chemically by
spraying w i t h Malathion or
Diazinon. Bean beetles and flea
beetles can be controlled
chemically by spraying w i t h
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 t h e m , but yields may be
lower if only organic controls are
used. Detailed information on
pest control is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in P a r t i .
Diseases
Beans are susceptible to blight,
mosaic, and anthracnose. You can
cut d o w n on the incidence of
disease by planting diseaseresistant varieties w h e n they're
available, maintaining the general
health of your garden, and
avoiding handling the plants w h e n
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.
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
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. W i t h this type of bean
the mature seed is eaten, not the
entire p o d . 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 t w o 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 m i n i m u m
temperature of 65F) 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 80F.
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 highnitrogen 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
Special handling
Varieties
Few varieties are available.
Grow whichever variety is
available in your area, or plant
the seeds that are sold for
sprouting.
Description
The m u n g bean is a bushy
annual that grows about 21/2 to
three feet tall, and has many
branches w i t h typical, hairy,
beaniike leaves. The flowers are
yellowish-green w i t h purple
streaks and produce long, t h i n ,
hairy pods containing nine to 15
small, yellow seeds. The seeds
are used to produce bean sprouts.
Where and when to grow
M u n g 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
M u n g beans grow best in full
sun, in a rich well-drained soil.
Pests
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, w i t h o u t 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 w h i t e f r o m 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
w i t h o u t making roots if the plants
get t o o cold w h e n they're
y o u n g . 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 w o o d y .
How to plant
Diseases
Varieties
Early W o n d e r (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).
Diseases
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.
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
How to plant
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 w i t h
bacillus thuringiensis, an organic
product also k n o w n 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 d o w n 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
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 w i t h the Romans. The
classically American way to serve
broccoli is w i t h a cheese or
Hollandaise sauce, au gratin, or in
casseroles. It's also delicious
raw, broken into flowerets and
used in a salad or w i t h 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 w i t h a little
o n i o n and garlic. To make sure the
stems cook adequately w i t h o u t
overcooking the tender tops, cook,
broccoli like asparagus
upright in a tall pot so that the
stems boil and the tops steam.
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 t o o
big to domesticate.
Brussels sprouts have four
stages of g r o w t h : (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
f o r m e d ; 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
Pests
Serving suggestions
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.
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
Pests
The cabbage family's traditional
enemies are cutworms and
caterpillars. Cutworms,
cabbage loopers, and imported
cabbage worms can all be
controlled by spraying w i t h
bacillus thuringiensis, an
organic product also known as
Dipel or Thungicide. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in P a r t i .
Diseases
Yellows virus, clubroot fungus,
and black rot may attack cabbage.
Cut d o w n on the incidence of
Serving suggestions
Varieties
Large Smooth; Large Smooth
Spanish; Ivory W h i t e 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
Pests
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
Diseases
Cardoon has no serious disease
problems.
Description
Serving suggestions
Cut the stalks into sections and
parboil them until tender the
time will depend on the size of
the stalks. Serve cardoon stalks cut
into pieces and chilled w i t h an
oil and vinegar dressing, or hot
w i t h a cream sauce. Dip chunks
into batter and deep-fry t h e m . The
Italians are f o n d of cardoon.
Varieties
Short (two to four inches):
Goldinhart (60-65 days); Amstel
(60-65 days); Gold Nugget (60-65
days); Sweet and Short (60-65
days). Finger (three to four
inches): Little Finger (60-65 days);
How to plant
Diseases
Carrots have no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time f r o m planting to harvest is
f r o m 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. W h e n 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
g r o u n d . Pull carrots w h e n the soil
is moist if you try to pull them
f r o m hard ground you'll break the
roots.
Storing and preserving
Carrots are most obliging
vegetables w h e n 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
c o l d , 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 f r o m the garden
are w o n d e r f u l raw. Shredded raw
carrots are delicious w i t h a
touch of oil and l e m o n ; 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 w i t h
a cream cheese frosting. There are
any number of ways to cook
Varieties
Super Snowball (55 days);
Snowball Imperial (58 days);
Snowball M (59 days); SelfBlanche (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 f o r m a solid head
(sometimes called a curd), which
may be w h i t e , 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 f r o m the other.
heavy.
Plant the seedlings 18 to 24
inches apart in rows 24 to 36 inches
apart. Plan for only a few heads
at a t i m e , 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 w h e n they're big
enough to lift by the true leaves,
and transplant the t h i n n e d
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 S o i l " in P a r t i .
Abundant soil moisture and
cool moist air are needed for the
best g r o w t h ; do not let the
ground dry out. The plants must be
kept growing vigorously; if
growth is interrupted by heat,
c o l d , damage, or lack of water,
the head will not f o r m properly.
Special handling
Cultivate cauliflower regularly
to diminish weed competition and
prevent a crust from f o r m i n g on
the soil's surface. Take care not to
damage the roots.
The objective w i t h cauliflower
is to achieve a perfect head, w i t h 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
Pests
The cabbage family's traditional
enemies are cutworms and
caterpillars, and cauliflower is
particularly susceptible to t h e m .
However, cutworms, cabbage
loopers, and imported cabbage
worms can all be controlled by
spraying w i t h bacillus
thuringiensis, an organic
product also known as Dipel or
Thungicide. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in P a r t i .
Diseases
Cauliflower may be susceptible
to root rots; the first indication of
this disease is yellowing of the
leaves. Cut d o w n on the incidence
of disease by planting diseaseresistant 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.
Serving suggestions
Boil the w h o l e 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
w i t h a light cheese sauce or simply
w i t h melted butter and parsley.
Tartar sauce is an original
accompaniment to cauliflower,
or sprinkle it w i t h browned
breadcrumbs for a crunchy
texture. The flowerets can be
separated, t o o , and french
fried. Raw cauliflower lends a
distinctive flavor to salads and is
good served w i t h other raw
vegetables with a mustard- or
curry-flavored dip. Cauliflower
pickles are g o o d , t o o .
How to plant
Celeriac tolerates light shade
and prefers rich soil that is high in
organic matter, well able to hold
moisture but w i t h 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. W h e n you're preparing
the soil for planting, w o r k 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.
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.
Diseases
Celeriac has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Time f r o m planting to harvest is
110 to 120 days f r o m 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 w i d e . In warmer climates,
harvest the roots w h e n 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
Varieties
Summer Pascal (115 days);
Golden Plume (118 days); Utah 5270 (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).
Special handling
Celery does not like
competition f r o m 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 w h i t e n i n g , celery
will be bitter if it isn't blanched.
Blanching is achieved by
covering the plants to protect them
f r o m the sun, which encourages
them to produce chlorophyll and
turn green. This should be
started 10 days to two weeks
before harvesting.
Pests
It's some consolation for all the
w o r k 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
w i t h adequate fertilizing you
shouldn't have a p r o b l e m . If you
d o , check the mineral content
of your soil. Detailed information
on disease prevention is given
in "Keeping Your Garden Healthy"
in P a r t i .
When and how to harvest
Time from planting to harvest is
100 to 130 days f r o m transplants,
about 20 days longer f r o m seed.
A10-footrowshouldyieldabout20
heads of celery. Start harvesting
Varieties
Lucullus (50 days); Fordhook
Giant (60 days); Rhubarb (60 days).
Description
Chard is basically a beet without
the b o t t o m . It's a biennial that's
g r o w n as an annual for its big
crinkly leaves. Chard is a
decorative plant; w i t h its juicy
red or white leaf stems and rosette
of large, dark green leaves, it
can hold its o w n 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, t o o ; it was a popular
foodstuff even before the days
of the Roman Empire.
Where and when to grow
Chard prefers cool
temperatures; high temperatures
Pests
Aphids and leaf miners are the
major pests you'll have to contend
w i t h . You can usually control
aphids by pinching out the
affected area; if there are a lot of
t h e m , try hosing them off the
plants. Leaf miners, w o r m l i k e
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 P a r t i .
Diseases
How to plant
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
l o n g ; 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
t i m e ; others prefer to cut the
entire plant d o w n 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
c o l d , 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
d r i e d ; 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 w i t h 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.
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 g r o w n in a
pot inside and then set out in the
Pests
Diseases
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.
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 p o u n d of 5-10-10
fertilizer d o n ' t use a highnitrogen fertilizer, because t o o
much nitrogen will promote
growth of foliage but not of the
pods. W o r k the fertilizer into
the soil at the rate of one p o u n d
per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet. The
seeds may crack and germinate
poorly w h e n the moisture content
of the soil is t o o high. Don't soak
the seeds before planting, and
d o n ' t overwater immediately
afterward. Plant seeds an inch
deep and t w o inches apart in rows
at least 18 to 24 inches apart.
W h e n the seedlings are growing
w e l l , thin the plants to four to six
inches apart. Cut the seedlings
w i t h scissors at ground level; be
careful not to disturb the others.
Special handling
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 t h e m , but
yields may be lower if only organic
controls are used. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in P a r t i .
Diseases
Chick peas are susceptible to
blight, mosaic, and anthracnose.
You can cut d o w n 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 P a r t i .
Varieties
For chicory root: Brunswick;
M a g d e b u r g ; Zealand. For Belgian
endive: Witloof.
Description
Chicory is a hardy perennial
w i t h 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, w h i c h 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 w i t h endive or
escarole, w h i c h 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 t w o stages of
development. The first produces
the harvestable root. In the
Special handling
Diseases
Chicory has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
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.
Varieties
Burpee Hybrid (75 days); Crispy
Choy (pakchoy type, 53 days);
Michihii (heading type, 72 days).
Description
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.
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.
How to plant
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 w i t h
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 P a r t i .
Diseases
Collards have no serious
disease problems.
When and how to harvest
Time f r o m planting to harvest is
75 to 85 days f r o m transplants, 85 to
95 days f r o m 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
f r o m the bottom up before they
get old and t o u g h .
Storing and preserving
Collards can be stored in the
refrigerator up to one week, or in a
c o l d , moist place for two to
three weeks. Collards can be
frozen, canned, or d r i e d ; use
the recipes for greens. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Serving suggestions
Collards can be steamed or
b o i l e d ; serve them alone or
combine them w i t h ham or salt
pork. Corn bread is a nice
accompaniment.
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
C o r n , 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, w h i t e , 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 t o p four crops
in the w o r l d . But despite the
popularity of sweet corn and
p o p c o r n , 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
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
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
How to plant
Storing and preserving
W h e n 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. W h e n you're
preparing the soil, dig in a
complete, well-balanced fertilizer
at the rate of one p o u n d per 100
square feet or 10 pounds per 1,000
square feet. Sow the seeds
t h i c k l y , a q u a r t e r o f an inch deep in
wide rows, 18 to 24 inches apart,
and for a continuous crop repeat
the planting every 10 to 14 days.
Diseases
Cress has no serious disease
problems.
How and when to harvest
Often the plants are eaten at
their very early seed-leaf stage.
Varieties
There are dozens of varieties of
cucumber, including " b u r p l e s s "
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 k i n d ,
which are large and stay green for a
long t i m e , 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
Special handling
Diseases
Cucumber plants are
susceptible to scab, mosaic, and
mildew. Planting diseaseresistant varieties and maintaining
the general cleanliness and
health of your garden will help cut
d o w n 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 p o l l u t i o n ; a high
ozone level may affect their
development. Detailed
information on disease
prevention is given in "Keeping
Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
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 w i t h plain yogurt and a
little d i l l . D o n ' t peel them
cucumbers are mostly water
anyway, and most of the vitamins
they do contain are in the skin.
Instead of eating t h e m , you can
make them into a refreshing
face cleanser cucumbers are an
ingredient in many cosmetic
products.
Varieties
Thick-leaved; Improved Thickleaved.
Description
Pests
Diseases
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.
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 w i t h large grayishgreen hairy leaves. The starshaped flowers are lavender with
yellow centers, and the long,
slender or r o u n d , egg-shaped fruit
is creamy-white, yellow, b r o w n ,
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 w i t h
day temperatures between 80
and 90F and night temperatures
between 70 and 80F. Don't
plant eggplant seedlings until two
to three weeks after your
average date of last frost, or when
daytime temperatures reach
70F.
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 w o n ' t be rushed,
and if you plant them t o o early
they w o n ' t develop. Eggplants
Varieties
Full Heart Batavian (90 days) has
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 w i t h heated slices of mild
sausage, diced bacon, and
croutons.
Pests
Cutworms, slugs, and snails can
be troublesome. You may also
have to deal w i t h aphids. Put a
collar around each plant to
discourage cutworms, and trap
slugs and snails w i t h 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
w i t h 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 P a r t i .
Diseases
Endive has no serious disease
problems.
Varieties
Few varieties are available.
C r o w the variety available in your
area.
Description
Florence fennel or finocchio is
the same as the c o m m o n 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
Diseases
Fennel has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
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
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
w h i c h it's named can deliver a
powerful kick w h e n 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 c o o l , 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, welldrained 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.
W h e n 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.
Pests
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the varieties available in your area.
You may find Jerusalem
artichokes growing w i l d 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, w i t h
small yellow flowers two to
three inches across and rough,
hairy leaves four to eight inches
long. This plant, w h i c h 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
f r o m 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.
How to plant
Diseases
Tuber rot may occur if the soil is
not properly drained. Maintaining
the general health and
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
Pests
The cabbage family's traditional
enemies are cutworms and
caterpillars. Cutworms,
cabbage loopers, and imported
cabbage worms can all be
controlled by spraying w i t h
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 P a r t i .
Diseases
Kale has no serious disease
problems.
Varieties
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 w i t h
butter, lemon juice, and
chopped bacon. Instead of
Serving suggestions
Pests
The cabbage family's traditional
enemies are cutworms and
caterpillars. Cutworms,
cabbage loopers, and imported
cabbage worms can all be
controlled by spraying w i t h
bacillus thuringiensis, an
organic product also known as
Dipel or Thungicide. Detailed
information on pest control is
given in "Keeping Your Garden
Healthy" in P a r t i .
Diseases
How to plant
Varieties
Titan (120 days); American Flag (120
days); Broad London (130 days); Tivi
(115 days).
Description
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.
Pests
Cutworms, slugs, and snails can
be troublesome. You may also
have to deal w i t h aphids. Put a
collar around each plant to
discourage cutworms, and trap
slugs and snails w i t h a saucer of
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
w h o l e plant at once by cutting it off
at ground level. Try to harvest
when the weather is c o o l ; in the
heat of the day the leaves may be
limp. Chilling will crisp up the
leaves again.
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 f r o m the
poisonous k i n d , gathering w i l d
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 w i l d in the
United States; so if you do want
to go m u s h r o o m - h u n t i n g , do a
little homework first. You can also
grow mushrooms at home
f r o m prepared trays, kits, and
spawn that are available
commercially through seed
catalog companies and garden
suppliers. It's not t o o difficult,
and it can be both productive
and f u n .
Serving suggestions
Yes, salads, of course but
Varieties
Although there are many
varieties of edible mushrooms,
only a few are available for
home p r o d u c t i o n ; grow the
varieties that are available
commercially.
How to plant
Mushrooms grow best in a
dark, h u m i d , cool area. In most
homes the best places are the
basement and the cabinet under
the kitchen sink. A little light
w o n ' t hurt the mushrooms, but
they do need high humidity
80 to 85 percent and a cool
temperature 55 to 60F.
Diseases
Mushrooms grown at home
have no serious disease problems.
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
family. The netted melon or
Pests
Aphids and cucumber beetles
are the pests you're most likely to
encounter. To control aphids.
Diseases
Muskmelon vines are
susceptible to wilt, blight, mildew,
and root rot. Planting diseaseresistant 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.
Pests
accommodate it w i t h o u t any
problems.
How to plant
Mustard tolerates partial shade
and needs well-worked soil, high
in organic matter, w i t h good
drainage and moisture retention.
W h e n you're preparing the soil,
dig in a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one
p o u n d 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
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 w h e n the leaves are
young and tender; in summer the
leaf texture may become tough
and the flavor strong. Harvest the
w h o l e crop w h e n some of the
plants start to go to seed.
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 70f, 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
Pests
Special handling
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
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.
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 w h i c h enlarge
to f o r m a b u l b . The flower stalk
is also hollow, taller than the
leaves, and t o p p e d w i t h a
cluster of w h i t e or lavender
flowers. The bulbs vary in color
f r o m white t h r o u g h yellow to red.
All varieties can be eaten as
green onions, t h o u g h 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.
Special handling
Onions are not good fighters;
keep the weeds from crowding in
and taking all their f o o d and
water. Keep the weeds cut off from
the very beginning since they
are hard to remove w h e n they
snuggle up to the o n i o n . Thin
conscientiously; in a crowded bed
onions will mature w h e n very
small w i t h o u t growing a bulb.
Pests
t w o to three inches apart, in
rows 12 to 18 inches apart. The final
size of the onion will depend on
h o w much growing space it has.
The accompanying illustration
shows h o w to plant onion
transplants or sets. If you're
planting onions f r o m seed, plant
the seeds a quarter inch deep in
Varieties
H o l l o w Crown improved (95
days). All American (105 days),
Harris M o d e l (120 days).
Description
Parsnips are biennals grown as
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 w i t h
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
t h e m . The roots are not harmed
by the ground's freezing. In fact.
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 w i t h one to
three pairs of leaflets, and tendrils
that they use for climbing. The
flowers are w h i t e , streaked, or
colored. The fruit is a pod
containing four to 10 seeds, either
smooth or w r i n k l e d depending
on the variety. Custom has it that
you can make a wish if you find a
pea pod w i t h 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, w i t h yields so
low that it was hardly w o r t h
planting t h e m . 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 w i t h o u t t h e m . 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 65F, Plant them as soon as
the soil can be w o r k e d 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
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 w i t h
a scarecrow. Stern words may
do the trick w i t h 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 P a r t i .
Diseases
Peas are susceptible to rot, wilt,
blight, mosaic, and mildew. New,
highly disease-resistant
varieties are available; use them to
cut d o w n 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
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 w h i t e w i t h a
dark spot (black eye) where they're
attached to the p o d ; sometimes
the spots are b r o w n 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
t h e m . They grow very well in the
South, but they d o n ' t grow well
f r o m transplants, and some
Northern areas may not have a
long enough growing season to
accommodate them f r o m 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. W h e n you're
preparing the soil for planting,
w o r k in a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one
p o u n d 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
t w o to three feet apart; when the
seedlings are large enough to
handle, thin them to three or four
inches apart.
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 d o w n
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.
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 w i t h carbaryl. Spider mites
are difficult to control even w i t h
the proper chemicals; remove the
affected plants before the
spider mites spread, or spray the
undersides of the foliage with
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, w h i c h grows
upright, or the runner type, which
spreads out over the g r o u n d .
Small clusters of yellow, sweetpea-like flowers grow on stems
called pegs. The pegs grow d o w n
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
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.
Special handling
Serving suggestions
Use a heavy mulch to keep the
soil surface f r o m becoming
hard the peanut pegs will not
have to w o r k so hard to become
established in the soil.
M u l c h i n g 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..
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
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 d o w n 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 w o r k i n g with
the plants to avoid spreading
tobacco mosaic virus. Detailed
information on disease prevention
is given in "Keeping Your
Garden Healthy" in Part 1.
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.
W h e n 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.
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. G o o d white varieties for
general use are Irish Cobbler (75
days) and Norchip (90 days).
G o o d 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 w i t h hairy, dark green
c o m p o u n d leaves that look a little
like tomato leaves, and it
produces underground stem
tubers w h e n 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 w o r e a wreath of
potato flowers in her hair to a ball.
But the people didn't become
w o r k in a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one
p o u n d per 100 square feet or 10
pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Plant potatoes or potato pieces in
full sun, four inches deep, 12 to
Pests
Colorado potato bugs,
leafhoppers, flea beetles, and
aphids attack potatoes. Spray
Colorado potato bugs,
leafhoppers and flea beetles
w i t h 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
Serving suggestions
Potatoes are wonderfully
versatile in the kitchen you can
b o i l , bake, roast, fry, puree,
saute, and stuff t h e m . The
enterprising cook can serve a
Common name: p u m p k i n
Botanical names: Cucurbita
maxima, Cucurbita moschata,
Cucurbita pepo
Origin: tropical America
Varieties
Small pumpkins are grown
primarily for c o o k i n g ;
intermediate and large sizes for
cooking and for making jack-o'lanterns; and the very large
j u m b o 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; JackO'-Lantern; Spirit (semi-vining).
Large (15 to 25 pounds, 100 days):
Big T o m ; Connecticut Field;
Halloween; W h i t e Cushaw.
Jumbo (50 to 100 pounds, 120 days):
Big Max; King of the Mammoths.
Description
Pumpkins are tender annuals
w i t h 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 p u m p k i n is also given to a
number of other squashes and
gourds anything that's
orange and hard. The harvest
poem reference, " w h e n the
frost is on the p u m p k i n , " means
the first light frost, not a hard
freeze. The first p u m p k i n pies
were made by pouring milk into
a p u m p k i n 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
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 w o n ' t help. IT
you suspect borers are at w o r k ,
apply carbaryl to the crown of
the plant at weekly intervals. If the
vine wilts from a definite point
o n w a r d , look for a very thin wall or
hole near the point where the
wilting starts. The culprit may still
Diseases
Pumpkins are susceptible to
mildew, anthracnose, and
bacterial wilt. Planting diseaseresistant varieties w h e n possible,
maintaining the general
cleanliness and health of your
garden, and not handling the
vines w h e n wet will help cut d o w n
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 y o u 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
p u m p k i n w i t h one or two inches of
stem.
Varieties
Radishes can be grown for a
spring or winter crop. Spring
varieties are the commonly
k n o w n small red varieties. Winter
radishes are larger and more
oval and can grow eight or nine
Serving suggestions
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 w i t h
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 w h o l e plant when the
radishes are the right size. Testpull 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
t w o weeks in the refrigerator. You
can also sprout radish seeds.
Detailed information on storing
and preserving is given in Part 3.
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, wellbalanced fertilizer at the rate of
one pound per 100 square feet or
10 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Serving suggestions
Where and when to grow
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 w i t h apples and
brown sugar. Rutabaga is very
good w i t h lots of butter or sour
cream; low-calorie alternatives
are yogurt or low-fat cream
cheese.
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
Diseases
Salsify has no serious disease
problems.
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
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 t h e m .
The longer they're out of the
g r o u n d , the less they taste like
oysters. To harvest, dig up the
w h o l e 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
c o l d , 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 c o o k i n g ; they can
" b l e e d ' . " Scrub them clean,
steam, and slice t h e m , then dip the
slices in batter or breadcrumbs
and fry; serve w i t h tartar sauce.
People w h o have never had
oysters can't tell them apart. Try
salsify braised w i t h lemon and
butter the lemon helps preserve
the color. Or serve it with a
white sauce; add chopped parsley
for color.
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. W h e n
you're preparing the soil for
planting, w o r k in a complete, wellbalanced fertilizer at the rate of
one p o u n d 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.
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 oiland-vinegar dressing for salads.
Use the small bulbs in the classic
French beef stew, boeuf
bourguignonne.
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,
w i t h 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 p l a n t 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.
Pests
How to plant
Shallots have no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
Shallots have no serious disease
problems.
Pests
Diseases
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 V I I I , 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.
How to plant
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, freebranching 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
Special handling
Don't handle soybean plants
when they're wet or covered w i t h
heavy d e w ; handling or
brushing against them when
they're wet spreads fungus
spores. Cultivate thoroughly but
w i t h care, so that you d o n ' t
disturb the plants' shallow root
systems.
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
p l u m p and f u l l .
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. D r o p p i n g the pods
into boiling water for a minute or
two makes shelling easier.
Dried, shelled soybeans can be
stored in a c o o l , dry place for 10
to 12 months. Detailed
information on storing and
preserving is given in Part 3.
Pests
Serving suggestions
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
Varieties
Spinach: Bloomdale
Longstanding (43 days); America
(52 days). New Zealand Spinach:
O n l y 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 k i n d , 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
Special handling
Spinach does not like
competition f r o m 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
w h i c h 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 P a r t i .
Diseases
Spinach is susceptible to rust,
but most varieties are rust-
spinach is w o n d e r f u l 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. A d d cubes of
cheese to spinach, peppers, and
sliced fresh mushrooms for an
appealing lunch-time salad.
Children w h o hate cooked spinach
on principle often enjoy it raw.
Cooked spinach is delicious
creamed or in a souffle, in
crepes or topped w i t h poached
eggs. Try it w i t h a horseradish
sauce, or w i t h melted butter and a
little garlic. Spinach is an
attractive ingredient for a quiche;
add flaked salmon for a more .
substantial meal.
Description
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.
Diseases
Squashes are susceptible to
bacterial wilt, mosaic virus, and
mildew. Planting diseaseresistant varieties w h e n 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 d o n ' 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.
Description
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
Pests
Squash bugs, squash borers,
and cucumber beetles are the
major pests that squash plants
attract. They d o n ' 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 w i t h 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 t h e m . Then cover the
area w i t h 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 diseaseresistant 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
Varieties
Centennial (150 days); Goldrush
(140 days); Jasper (150 days).
Description
Pests
Serving suggestions
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 P a r t i .
Varieties
The varieties of tomatoes
available w o u l d 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 w i t h 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 welladapted 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
w h e n 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
thoroughly before w o r k i n g w i t h
tomato plants to avoid spreading
tobacco mosaic virus. If a plant
does become infected w i t h 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.
Pests
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 d o w n 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
Serving suggestions
Fresh tomatoes from your
garden are w o n d e r f u l with very
little embellishment slice
t h e m , and dress them with a touch
of olive oil and lemon juice and a
pinch of basil; or eat them as fruit.
Varieties
Shogin (30 days); Foliage Turnip
(30 days); Tokyo Cross (35 days);
Tokyo Market (35 days); Just
Right (40 days); Purple Top W h i t e
Globe (57 days).
Description
The t u r n i p , 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 c o m m o n l y 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 f r o m a cross between a
t u r n i p and a cabbage. Englishmen
have been k n o w n to refer to
each other as " t u r n i p h e a d " ; this is
not a compliment, as turnips are
often considered to be rather d u l l .
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 N o r t h . They
d o n ' t transplant w e l l , so grow
them from seed, and plant them
t w o 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 goodsized root, so w h e n you're
preparing the soil for planting,
w o r k in a low-nitrogen (5-10-10)
fertilizer at the rate of one
p o u n d 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 w e l l . W h e n
you're preparing the soil for
planting, w o r k in a complete,
well-balanced fertilizer at the rate
of one p o u n d per 100 square
feet or 10 pounds per 1,000 square
feet. C r o w watermelons in
inverted hills, made by removing
an inch of soil from a circle 12
inches across and using the soil to
f o r m a rim around the circle.
Space the hills six feet apart, and
plant four to five seeds in each
hill. W h e n the seedlings have
developed three or four true
leaves, thin them to leave the
strongest one or t w o seedlings
in each hill. Cut the thinned
seedlings w i t h scissors at soil
level to avoid damaging the
survivors' root systems. Where
cucumber beetles, other insects.
each hill.
Special handling
Diseases
As the watermelons develop,
provide a support for the fruit. If
they're growing on a fence or
Serving suggestions
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Description
How to plant
Pests
Anise has no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
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.
Varieties
Citriodorum (lemon-scented);
Dark Opal (purple-red leaves and
rose-colored flowers); M i n i m u m
(dwarf variety). Or grow the variety
available in your area.
Description
These tender annuals grow one
to 21/2 feet tall, w i t h 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 t o k e n . 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
Description
Pests
Varieties
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 t o p .
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 w o n d e r f u l
flavor to sliced tomatoes dressed
w i t h a little oil and lemon juice,
and it's good in other salads, t o o .
Fresh basil is the essential
ingredient in pesto, a luxuriously
aromatic pasta dish. You can also
use the leaves fresh or dried
w i t h fish, game and meat
dishes, on eggs, and in stews and
sauces. Try herbed butter with
basil, or make basil vinegar.
Diseases
Borage has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Harvest y o u n g leaves as needed
throughout the growing season,
and harvest the entire plant in
the fall before frost.
How to plant
Serving suggestions
How to plant
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
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
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.
Varieties
Pests
Chervil is a member of the
parsley family, so you may
encounter an occasional parsley
caterpillar. Hand-pick it off the
plant.
Diseases
Fertilize before planting and
again at midseason, at the same
rate as the rest of the garden.
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
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.
They are often mixed with cottage
cheese, sour cream, or cream
cheese. The blossoms can be eaten
too and are best when just
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 w i t h 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
d o n ' t like; it's one of the oldest
known herbs. It was grown in
ancient Egyptian gardens, and its
seeds have been f o u n d in
Egyptian tombs. Coriander is also
mentioned as a f o o d source in
the O l d Testament. The Spanish
for coriander is cilantro, and the
herb is sometimes known by this
name.
Pests
Coriander has no serious pest
problems.
Diseases
Coriander has no serious
disease problems.
How to harvest
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. W h e n
you're preparing the soil, dig in
a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer at the rate of one
p o u n d 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
Serving suggestions
Add a little coriander to
guacamole or to Chinese soups.
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Bouquet is a dwarf variety.
Description
D i l l , 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.
How to plant
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.
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
Special handling
The plants grow four to five feet
tall; you may need to stake t h e m .
Varieties
Few varieties are available; grow
the variety available in your area.
Diseases
Description
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 drythat'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
himhe'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.
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 " j o y of the
m o u n t a i n . " 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 f r o m seeds or
transplants on your average
date of last frost.
How to plant
Marjoram tolerates light shade
and thrives in poor soil w i t h good
drainage. D o n ' t fertilize the soil
before planting; over-fertile soil
will produce lots of leaves, but
they'll have little flavor. O n e of the
Pests
Varieties
There are many varieties of
mint, of w h i c h the best known are
spearmint and peppermint.
Other varieties have different
flavors, like golden apple mint
or orange mint. G r o w the variety
available in your area or the
scent and flavor you like best.
you can do this several times
w i t h o u t harming the plant. Fresh
leaves can be harvested at any
time.
Storing and preserving
Dry leaves and flower tops
quickly. Store the c r u m b l e d , 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 w i t h veal and liver, in meat
and egg dishes, and in poultry
stuffings. Try them in soups or
on roast beef sandwiches. Make
herb butter w i t h t h e m . Add
chopped marjoram leaves in
melted butter to spinach just
before serving.
Diseases
Marjoram has no serious
disease problems.
When and how to harvest
W h e n the first blooms appear,
cut the plants back several inches;
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 prolificonce you
set them in a corner of the
garden they'll quietly take over.
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is
a tall, shallow-rooted, fastspreading perennial w i t h 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
t w o to 2y2 feet tall, w i t h 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 b l o o m i n g
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
w i t h gold. Orange mint,
sometimes known as bergamot
mint, gets its name f r o m its
delicate scent of oranges. Orange
mint has reddish-green leaves
edged w i t h p u r p l e ; the flowers are
lavender.
Pests
Diseases
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 twopound 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, wellbalanced fertilizer into the soil
before planting at the rate of a
pound per 100 square feet.
Don't fertilize before planting
peppermintyou'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.
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 " o r e g a n o " 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.
Pests
Oregano varieties have no
serious pest problems.
Varieties
Moss Curled (70 days);
Perfection (75 days); Hamburg or
Parsnip-Rooted parsley (90
days).
Diseases
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 f r o m 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.
Description
These plants have no serious
disease problems.
How to plant
How to plant
Parsley likes well-worked, welldrained soil with moderate organic
content. Don't fertilize before
planting. Plant it from seed;
they take a long time to germinate,
but you can speed up the
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.
Varieties
Albus; Collingwood Ingram;
Tuscan Blue; Prostratus;
Lockwood de Forest.
Description
Rosemary is a half-hardy,
evergreen, perennial shrub w i t h
Pests
Rosemary has no serious pest
problems. Like most herbs, it does
well In the organic garden.
Diseases
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
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
Pests
Diseases
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
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 w i t h needle-shaped
leaves and stems that are square
when the plant is young and
become w o o d y later. The flowers
are light purple to pink, and the
plant grows to a height of about 18
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, w o r k a
complete, well-balanced fertilizer
into the ground at the rate of
one p o u n d to 100 square feet. Plant
seeds of both summer and winter
varieties half an inch deep in rows
12 to 18 inches apart. W h e n the
seedlings are four to six weeks old
thin summer savory plants to
stand three to four inches apart.
Winter savory needs more r o o m ;
Description
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.
How to plant
Serving suggestions
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 w h e n the mature
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
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.
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
Diseases
Thyme has no serious disease
problems.
When and how to harvest
Special handling
Serving suggestions
Broccoli
Artichokes
Do not wash until ready to use. Store in plastic bag
up to 2 weeks.
Asparagus
Chick peas
Horseradish
Chicory
Do not wash until ready to use. Store in plastic bag
up to 1 week.
Jerusalem artichokes
Chinese cabbage
Trim roots and wash thoroughly in cold watersdrain w e l l . Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Collards
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain w e l l . Remove
any damaged leaves. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Corn
Kohlrabi
Cress, garden
Leeks
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week.
Cucumbers
Wash thoroughly in cold water and pat dry. Do not
cut until ready to use. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Dandelion
Cut off roots and remove any damaged leaves.
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week.
Eggplant
Mushrooms
Fennel
Muskmelon
Endive
Mustard
Shallots
Okra
Sorrel
Onions^ green
Soybeans
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week. Do not refrigerate mature
onions.
Parsnips
Peas, black-eyed
Peas, shelling
Squash, summer
Peppers
Do not wash until ready to use. Store in plastic bag
up to 1 week.
Tomatoes
Wash thoroughly in cold water; pat dry. Store
uncovered up to 1 week, depending on ripeness. Let
green tomatoes ripen at room temperature, out of
direct sun or in cold storage; then store as above.
Radishes
Cut off tops. Do not wash until ready to use. Store in
plastic bag 1 to 2 weeks.
Turnips
Salsify
Watermelon
Rhubarb
Mound storage
Barrel storage
leave the trench open until the celery tops are dry.
Build a lean-to over the celery with the boards set
a wide board on edge along one side of the trenched
celery, and prop another wide board against this
support to make a slanted roof over the bunches of
celery. Finally, cover the lean-to with straw and
then with dirt.
INDOOR STORAGE THE ROOT CELLAR
Beets
Choose late-maturing varieties and leave them in
the ground until after the first few frosts. Dig them up
when the soil is dry, and leave them on the ground
for 3 or 4 hours. Remove the tops, leaving about 1/2
inch of the crowns. Don't remove the roots. Pack in
packing material in wooden boxes, barrels, plastic
bags with air holes, or in a mound or buried barrel.
Store at 32F to 34F and 90 to 95 percent humidity
(moist), with just a little air circulation. Beets will
freeze at 30F. Store in a basement storage room, root
cellar, mound, or buried barrel for 5 to 6 months.
Broccoli
Celeriac
Dig up the roots w h e n the soil is dry, and leave them
on the g r o u n d for 3 o r 4 hours. Cut off the tops, leaving
2 or 3 inches of the c r o w n ; d o n ' t remove the root
fibers. Pack in w o o d e n boxes, barrels, or plastic bags
w i t h air holes, or in a m o u n d or buried barrel. Store
at 32F to 34F and 90 to 95 percent humidity (moist),
w i t h just a little air circulation. Celeriac will freeze at
just under 32F. Store in a basement storage r o o m ,
buried b a r r e l , m o u n d , o r root cellar for 2 t o 3 months.
Celery
Harvest the plants w i t h roots intact. Don't remove
the tops. Set the roots firmly in moist sand or dirt so
the celery stands upright, and construct a frame
over the plants, as detailed earlier in this chapter.
Keep the roots moist during storage, but don't
water the leaves of the plants. Store at 32F to 34F and
90 to 95 percent humidity (moist), w i t h just a little air
circulation. Celery will freeze at just under 32F. Store
in a basement storage r o o m , outside frame, or root
cellar for 2 to 3 months.
Chick peas^ dried
Dried chick peas w o n ' t freeze, and will store well
w h e n properly dried and packaged. Dry them
according to the instructions in " H o w to Dry
Vegetables." Then store them at 32F to 50F and 65 to
70 percent humidity (dry), w i t h some air circulation.
Store in a dry shed or attic for 10 to 12 months.
Chicory
Harvest the plants w i t h the roots intact, and don't
trim the leaves. Tie all the leaves together, then stand
the plants upright in moist sand or dirt and
construct a frame over the plants, as detailed earlier in
this chapter. Store at 32F to 34F and 85 to 90
percent humidity (moderately moist), with just a little
air circulation. Chicory will freeze at just under
32F. Store in a basement storage r o o m , outside
frame, or root cellar for 2 to 3 months.
To store the roots only, dig them up when the soil
is dry, and leave them on the ground for 3 to 4 hours.
Remove the tops, leaving about 1/2 inch of the
crowns. Pack in packing material in w o o d e n boxes,
barrels, plastic bags with air holes, or in a m o u n d or
buried barrel. Store at 32F to 34F and 90 to 95 percent
humidity (moist), w i t h just a little air circulation.
Chicory roots freeze at about 30F. Store in a basement
storage r o o m , m o u n d , buried barrel, or root cellar
for 10 to 12 months.
Chinese cabbage
jerusalem artichokes
Onions
Dig the roots when the soil is dry, and leave them on
the ground for 3 or 4 hours. Remove the tops, leaving
off the tops, leaving 1/2 inch of stem. Pack the bulbs
loosely, without any packing material, in wellventilated containers. If you like, braid the tops
together and hang the onions from hooks in a cold
storage area. Store at 32F to 34F and 60 to 75
percent humidity (dry), with some air circulation.
Onions freeze at just under 31F. Store in a dry shed
or attic for 6 to 7 months.
Parsnips
Potatoes
Peppers
Salsify
Seed^ live
Most gardeners buy seeds to plant, but you may
want to harvest seeds to sprout when your vegetables
mature. Cabbage and lettuce seeds, for instance,
can both be sprouted, as detailed in "How to Sprout
Vegetables." Leave the seeds on the plant until
they're dry and fully mature; then harvest them. Store
dried seeds in airtight plastic bags in a metal
container, or in airtight glass jars; keep glass jars in a
bag or wrap in newspaper to keep light from
reaching the seeds. Store at 32F to 40F and 65 to 70
percent humidity (dry). Store in a dry shed or attic
for 10 to 12 months.
Shallots
Dig up mature bulbs and leave them on the ground
to dry completely, usually about a week. Cut off the
tops, leaving about 1/2 inch of stem. Pack the bulbs
loosely, without any packing materials, in wellventilated containers. Store at 32F to 34F and 60 to
75 percent humidity (dry), with some air Circulation.
Shallots freeze at just under 31F. Store in a dry shed
or attic for 2 to 8 months.
Soybeans^ dried
Dried soybeans won't freeze, and will store well
when properly dried and packaged. Dry them
according to the instructions in "How to Dry
Vegetables." Then store them at 32F to 50F and 65 to
70 percent humidity (dry), with some air circulation.
Store in a dry shed or attic for 10 to 12 months.
Squashy winter
Harvest just before the first frost, leaving on an inch
or so of stem. Cure at 80F to 85F for 10 days, or for 2 to
3 weeks at slightly lower temperatures. After
curing, store at 50F to 60F and 70 to 75 percent
humidity (moderately dry), with some air
circulation. Squash freezes at just above 30F. Store in
a basement storage room, root cellar, dry shed, or
attic for 5 to 6 months.
Tomatoes, green
Plant late so the vines will still be vigorous when you
pick the tomatoes for storage. Harvest green tomatoes
just before the first killing frost. When you harvest,
remove the stems from the tomatoes, then wash and
dry them before storing. Be careful not to break skins.
Separate the green tomatoes from those that are
showing red. Pack green tomatoes 1 or 2 layers deep in
boxes or trays; you can also ripen a few tomatoes
for immediate use by keeping them in closed paper
bags in the house and out of the direct sun. Store
green tomatoes at 55F to 60F and 85 to 90 percent
humidity (moderately moist), with good air
circulation. At room temperature mature green
tomatoes ripen in 2 weeks; at 55F, ripening will be
slowed down to nearly 1 month. Immature green
tomatoes will take longer to ripen at either
temperature; tomatoes showing some red will ripen
faster, and can't be held in storage as long as totally
green ones. Check your tomatoes once a week to
monitor the ripening; remove the ripe ones and
any that have begun to decay. Tomatoes will freeze at
about 31F. Store in a basement storage room or dry
shed up to1 month.
Turnips
Choose late-maturing varieties and leave them in
the ground until after the first few frosts. Dig them up
when the soil is dry, and leave them on the ground
for 3 or 4 hours. Remove the tops, leaving about 1/2
inch of the crown. Don't remove the roots. Pack in
packing material in wooden boxes, barrels, plastic
bags with air holes, or in a mound or buried barrel.
Since the strong odor of turnips can escape from the
basement up into the house, it's wisest to store
them separately and outdoors. Store at 32F to 34F and
90 to 95 percent humidity (moist), with a little air
circulation. Turnips will freeze at about 30F. Store in a
mound or buried barrel for 4 to 5 months.
Sweet potatoes
Watermelon
Choose late-maturing varieties. Put sweet potatoes
directly into storage containers when you harvest
them. Cure them under moist conditions at 80F to
85F for 10 days. At lower temperature, curing takes
longer2 to 3 weeks. Stack storage crates and
cover them to hold in the humidity while curing. After
curing, store at 55F to 60F and 85 to 90 percent
Cooling
After vegetables have been precooked the exact
amount of time, remove them immediately from the
boiling water and cool them. This is crucial for
BASIC INGREDIENTS
Choose perfect vegetables that are tender, mature
(but not woody), and very, very fresh. Vegetables
must be prepared and dried immediately after
harvesting, or they'll lose flavor and quality. Every
minute from harvesting to the drying tray
counts so hurry. Never use produce with bad spots,
and harvest only the amount of vegetables you can
dry at one session.
Since vegetables must be chilled quickly after
blanching, you'll need ice at hand to keep the cooling
water really cold. Keep a reserve of ice in the freezer
and you won't run short. One way is to start filling
heavy-duty plastic bags with Ice cubes a few days
before you'll be home drying; or rinse out empty milk
cartons, then fill them with water and freeze.
The kitchen sink is a favorite spot for holding ice
water to chill vegetables, but if you want to keep it free
for other uses, a plastic dishpan or other large,
clean container also works very well.
BASIC DRYING TECHNIQUES
Although the techniques for drying vegetables
aren't as precise as those for freezing or canning,
Chilling
Preparing to dry
Spread the blanched and drained vegetable pieces
in a single, even layer on the drying tray. (You can dry
more than one vegetable at the same time, but
strong-smelling vegetables such as onions, cabbage,
and carrots should be dried separately.) Put the
trays in the oven or electric dryer, leaving at least
one to two inches between the trays for air
circulation.
Maintaining proper drying temperature
Vegetables must be dried at low, even
temperatures just enough heat to dry the pieces
without cooking them. The proper temperature for
drying in a conventional oven is 140F, 1S0F for
convection ovens. Follow the manufacturer's
directions for microwave ovens and all other
appliances. Maintaining the right temperature
steadily, with some air circulation, is the trick to
successful drying. Electric dryers and dehydrators
automatically maintain the right temperature. For
Alfalfa
Use about 21/2 tablespoons seeds in a quart jar, or
sprout on trays. This will yield about 1 quart of sprouts.
The yield will be 11/2 cups for each 1/4 cup sprouted,
and the sprouts will be very short only about 1/8 inch
long. Soak for 8 hours. Rinse 2 to 3 times daily for 4
to 6 days. Move into sunlight to green, then harvest
when the sprouts are 11/2 to 2 inches long. Use in
salads, sandwiches, omelets, or as garnish. To use in
baked goods, harvest sprouts after just 2 days.
Barley
Use 1 to 11/2cups seeds in a 1-quart jar, which will
yield about 1 quart of sprouts. Soak for 12 hours. Rinse
2 to 3 times daily for 2 to 3 days. The sprouts will be
the length of the seed. Use in salads, casseroles, and
breads.
Beans, dry
Use 3/4 cup mature beans in a 1-quart jar, which will
yield about 1 quart of sprouts. Soak for 14 hours. Rinse
3 or 4 times daily for 3 or 4 days. Harvest when
sprouts are 1 to 11/2 inches long. Use in casseroles,
soups, or dips, or steam t h e m .
Beans, mung
Use 1/3 cup in a 1-quart jar, or tray sprout, which will
yield a b o u t i cup of sprouts. Soak for16 hours. Rinse 3
to 4 times daily for 3 to 5 days. Harvest when the
sprouts are 1 to 3 inches long. Use in oriental dishes,
salads, sandwiches, omelets, or stir-fry.
Cabbage
Use 3 tablespoons seeds in a 1-quart jar, which will
yield about 1 quart of sprouts. Soak for 10 hours. Rinse
2 to 3 times daily for 3 to 5 days. Move into sunlight
to green, then harvest when the sprouts are 1 to 11/2
inches long. Use in salads and sandwiches.
Chia
Use 1/4, cup seeds in a clay saucer or tray, which will
yield about 2 cups of sprouts. There's no need to soak
or rinse and drain; just mist the seeds regularly to
keep them moist. After 3 to 5 days, move into sunlight
to green. Harvest when the sprouts are 1 to 11/2
inches long. Use in salads, sandwiches, casseroles,
and as a garnish.
Chick peas
Use 1 cup in a jar, or tray sprout, which will yield
about3 cups of sprouts. Soak for 14 hours. Rinse 3 to 4
times daily for 3 to 4 days. Harvest when sprouts are
1/2 inch long. Use in casseroles, soups, salads,
steamed, or as a base for dips.
Chinese cabbage
Use 1 tablespoon seeds in a 1-quart jar, or tray
sprout, which will yield about 2 cups of sprouts. Soak
for 8 hours. Rinse 2 to 3 times daily for 4 to 5 days.
Move into sunlight to green, then harvest when the
sprouts are 1 to 11/2 inches long. Use in salads,
sandwiches, and juices.
Corn
Use 1 cup kernels in a 1-quart jar, or tray sprout,
which will yield about 3 cups of sprouts. Soak for 20
hours. Rinse 3 times daily for 2 to 4 days. Harvest
when the sprouts are 1/2 inch long. Use in casseroles,
soups, and tortillas, or bake, steam, or stir-fry.
Clover
Use 1 tablespoon seeds in a 1-quart jar, or tray
sprout, which will yield about 2 cups of sprouts. Soak
for 8 hours. Rinse 2 to 3 times daily for 4 to 6 days.
Move the jar into sunlight to green, then harvest the
sprouts w h e n they're 11/2 to 2 inches long. Use in
salads, sandwiches, and juices. To use in baked
goods, harvest the sprouts after just 2 days.
Cress
Use 1 tablespoon of seeds in a clay saucer or tray,
which will yield about 11/2 cups of sprouts. There's no
need to soak or rinse and drain; just mist with water
3 times daily for 3 to 5 days. Move into sunlight to
green, then harvest when the sprouts are 1 to 11/2
inches long. Use as a spice (very peppery flavor), in
salads, sandwiches, or baked goods.
Dili
Use 1/4 cup in a 1-quart jar, or tray sprout, which will
yield about2cupsofsprouts. Soak for 8 hours. Rinse 3
times daily for 3 to 5 days. Move Into sunlight to
green, then harvest when the sprouts are 1 to 11/2
inches long. Use in salads, sandwiches,
and juices.
Fenugreek
Use 1/4 cup In a 1-quart jar, or tray sprout, which will
yield about 1 quart of sprouts. Soak for 10 hours. Rinse
2 to 3 times dally for 3 to 5 days. Mist with water if
tray sprouting, to keep damp. Harvest when 1/2 to 2
Inches long. Use in salads and sandwiches.
Flax
Sesame
Wheat
Use 1 cup in a 1-quart jar, or tray sprout; which will
yield about 4 cups of sprouts. Soak for 12 hours. Rinse
twice daily for 2 to 3 days. The sprouts will be the
length of the seed. Use in granola, salads, soups,
baked goods.
Herbs
are the secret ingredient in many a fine
recipe from the most delicate gourmet dish to
the heartiest of folk fare. Yet herbs are also among
the easiest vegetables to grow, to use fresh, or to store
for the winter. If you live in a mild climate, you can
grow herbs year-round in your garden, in w i n d o w
pots, along walkways, or near doorways or patios.
A n d if you live where winters get too cold for outdoor
gardening, you can grow little pots of basil or chives
indoors, and freeze, dry, or salt the rest of your herb
crop. Dried herbs will keep for up to a year;
frozen herbs will keep fresh for several months if
properly wrapped and stored.
Herbs are popular in cooking not only for the way
they enhance the flavor of many foods, but for the fact
that they add no calories. If you're on a special diet,
herbs can add zest to those low-cal or no-salt recipes.
For example, when cooking potatoes or rice, add a
pinch of rosemary instead of salt to the cooking water
to add a special flavor.
GROWING HERBS: ROBUST AND FINE
Some herbs are used only in food preparation
(robust herbs); and others can be eaten raw as well
(fine herbs). A m o n g the most popular herbs are
basil, chives, d i l l , garlic, marjoram, oregano, parsley,
rosemary, sage, sweet marjoram, and thyme.
Grow them where you can enjoy their beauty and
fragrance, as well as harvest the leaves at just the
peak moment for use in your favorite foods. Detailed
information on growing these and other herbs is
given in Parts 1 and 2.
USING FRESH HERBS
You can use fresh herbs throughout the growing
season. First, gently remove a few leaves at a time, or
pinch or cut off sprigs to be chopped and added to
your soups, salads, and sauces. For immediate use,
rinse the herbs, pat them dry, and then chop finely.
If you can't use fresh herbs at once, wrap them in a
damp paper t o w e l , then in plastic wrap or a plastic
bag, and refrigerate. Fresh herbs can be kept
refrigerated for a few hours or up to a day or two
but no longer than that.
Fresh herbs are wonderful in any recipe that calls
for herbs. However, if your recipe specifies a dried
herb, you can substitute fresh by using three to four
times more finely chopped fresh leaves one
teaspoon of fresh herbs is equal to 1/4 teaspoon of
dried. Fresh herbs also make beautiful garnishes. Save
a perfect sprig to give the finishing touch to
vegetables, salads, drinks, fish, meats, casseroles, and
sandwiches.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Herb butters
Herb vinegars