vegetable gardening encyclopedia with herbs

8/7/2019 Vegetable Gardening Encyclopedia with Herbs

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Any gardener wi ll tell you that garden ing is one

of the most absorbing and rewardingoccupations you can undertake. Any gardener willalso tell you probably loudly and at length thatgardening requires patience, resilience, hard work,

and a lot of planning. Paperwork is probably the lastthing you have in mind when you think aboutgrowing your own vegetables. More likely you seeyourself leaning contently on your spade as all sortsof lush, healthy plants shoot up in front of your eyes.The fact of the matter, though, is that gardeningbegins not wi th seeds and a spade but wi th paper and apenci l .

A successful vegetable garden begins with a wel l-

organized plan of your garden space. Drawing a planmay not sound as exciting as getting outdoors andplanting things. But if you don't spend the necessarytime planning what to grow in your garden andwh en and whe re to plant it, you may spend the rest ofthe growing season correcting the mistakes youmade because yo u didn 't have a pla n. It's a lot easier toerase a bed when it's a few lines on a piece of paperthan when it's an expanse of soil and plants.

Your plan should include not only the types andquanti ties of vegetables you 'r e going to grow and howthey'll be positioned in your garden, but alsoplanting dates and approximate dates of harvest.Making a plan may seem like a lot of work to getdone before you even start gardening, but carefulplanning will help you make the best use of yourtime and available space and will result in bigger,higher-quality crops.

This chapter discusses all the questions you need

to take into account when you're planning yourgarden the hows, whats, whys, whens, andwherefores. The specific cultural requirements ofeach vegetable are given in detail in Part 2.

THE FIRST DECISION: WHAT TO GROW(AND HOW MUCH)

The first step to planning a successful vegetable

garden is to decide which vegetables to grow. Thismay sound fairly straightforward, but there are a lotof factors involved, and you need to answer somebasic questions: What vegetables do you and yourfamily like? Do you want to eat all your crop fresh, orstore or preserve some of your harvest? Can yougrow the vegetables you like successfully in yourclimate? How much time and energy can you putinto your garden? The first factor to consider is

personal preference.What vegetables do you like to eat? The first

decision to make in choosing what to grow in yourvegetable garden is simple: What vegetables do

you and your family like to eat? Perhaps you'd love togrow peas because you remember how wonderfulthey tasted fresh out of the garden in your childhood.Or maybe your family's crazy about spinach salad orbroccoli casserole, or you're just plain tired of frozen

vegetables.What are you going to do with it? Ho w do you planto use your vegetables, and what are you going to dowith the part of your crop that you don't eat as soonas it's harvested? Do you want to freeze, can, dry,store, or make preserves with some of your crop?

How much do you need? How you plan to use yourvegetables directly affects how much of eachvegetable you want to grow, and will influence your

decision about the kind of vegetable you're going toplant all carrots aren' t alike, and ther e arehundreds of different tomato varieties.

Can you grow it? Not all vegetables gro wsatisfactorily in ail climates. Some vegetables like ithot; some refuse to grow in hot weather. Somevegetables flourish when it's cold; others just shiverand die. Certain plants go from seed to harvest in acouple of months and will grow almost anywhere inthe United States green beans and some kinds oflettuce are among these obliging vegetables. Othersare very picky and need a long stretch of warm orcool weather. You have to take the plant's needs intoconsideration before you can make a decision onwhether or not it's a practical choice for your homegarden.

Do you have room for it? There are plants that arerather like large pets they're very endearing, butyou just can't live with them because they're too

big. You want to grow vegetables that will give you areasonable amount of produce in the space thatyou have available. Some vegetables especiallysome vining crops like pumpkins need a greatdeal of room and give you only low yields, so they'renot a practical choi ce in a small hom e garden. An d ifyou're growing an indoor container garden, you'll dofine with cabbages in flowerpots, but there's simplyno place you're going to put a healthy watermelon

vine or a Jerusalem artichoke.Is it worth the bother? Some vegetables requi re

very little nurturing, and you can grow them with aminimum of toil. Others require special attentionand need to be babied. Celery and cauliflower, forexam ple, have to be blanche d blanc hing is aprocess that deprives the plant (or part of the plant) ofsunlight in order to whiten it and improve its flavor,color, or texture. Before choosing a crop that's going

to need special handling, be sure you really want togive it that much attention. Some crops, too, arebothered a lot by insects or plant diseases corn isone of them. If you' re not willi ng to deal wit h these


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problems as they occur, this type of crop is going tocause you more disappointment than satisfaction.

Are you trying to save money? Another factor toconsider when you're deciding what to plant is thepractical matter of economics is the vegetablewor th growing, or would it be cheaper to buy it? Some

vegetables are readily available and inexpensive tobuy, but would produce only low yields from a largespace if you grew them in your garden. Corn, forinstance, is inexpensive to buy when it's In season, butin your garden it needs a lot of growing space andoften only gives you one harvestable ear from a wholeplant. You may decide not to grow corn and settleinstead for a crop like endive, which is expensive inthe store but as easy as leaf lettuce to grow.

Potatoes, too, are readily available and fairlyinexpensive to buy, but they're space-hungry in thegarden. You might like to plant an asparagus bedinstead it requires a little initial work, but givesyou a gourmet crop for years afterwards.

The economy question, however, is not clear-cut. The fact remains that the vegetables you pickfresh from your own garden taste a whole lot betterthan the ones you buy in the store, so saving money

may not be your prime purpose in growing them.You may be perfectly willing to give up half yourgarden (or all your balcony) in order to have acouple of ears of wonderful, milky, homegrown corncome harvesttime. You may consider the deliciousflavor of fresh carrots a more Important issue than thefact that store-bought ones are inexpensive. Theonly way you can get corn from the garden to the tablein a matter of minutes is to grow your own, and the

freshest possible carrots are the ones you pull out ofthe backyard at dinner time. These are judgmentsyou make yourself, and they're just as importantifnot more so than whether or not a crop is easy togrow, economical in its use of space, or will save youmoney.

How much is enough or too much?

Your initial decision about the vegetables you'denjoy growing and eat ingand that you think youcan grow successfully In the conditions you have todeal wi th is the first step to planning a well-thought-out , productive vegetable garden. But this is thepoint where you discover that you still have very littleIdea of how much of each vegetable to grow. Youknow you want to eat some of your crop and freeze,pickle, or preserve some. But how many seeds shouldyou plant to enable you to achieve those ends?Again, advance planning can help you avoid gettingswamped with squash or overrun by radishes it'samazing how energetically your plants will prosper

under your care and how large a plant a little seedwill produce.

Planning for the yield you want

Some gardeners start off in an orderly manner by

planting all their vegetables in rows of the samelength, but space means something different to acarrot and a cauliflower. A 10-foot row of broccoli willgive you a manageable amount of produce; a 10-foot row of parsley wil l provide enough for you andthe entire neighborhood, but it isn't a big problembecause you can freeze or dry parsley and use it allyear around. A 10-foot row of radishes, however,can be a big mistake no family can eat all those

radishes, and they don' t store well , so you couldend up with a lot of wasted radishes. Cucumberssprawl all over the place and need a lot of room;carrots are fairly picky about soil conditions, but theydo stay where you put them. So you have toestimate how productive your plants are likely to be.The description of individual vegetables in Part 2will help you estimate how many plants to grow.

Plan how to use your crop

Garden space, storage space for preservedvegetables, storage space for preserving equipment,family food preferences, your own preferences,your local climate, the energy costs, time involved inpreserving, and the help available (if any), are allpoints you need to consider when you're decidinghow much of a certain vegetable you want to grow.

Before you plant large amounts of a vegetable, planwhat you're going to do with the vegetables youcan't eat at once. Check each vegetable's storagepotential detailed information on storing andpreserving Is given in Part 3 and take into accountwhether or not you want to go to the trouble ofstoring or preserving what you don't eat immediately.Some people find canning, freezing, or drying theirhome crop a most pleasurable activity. Others don't

have time or just don't like doing It. So countingyour chickens before they're hatched is a vital part ofyour planning, and something to keep in mind evenway back In the winter when you're spending a bleakDecember day studying your seed catalogs. Comesummer, it will be too late.

Do you want to freeze, can, dry, pickle, or store?

There's more than one way to preserve a crop. Youcan freeze, can, dry, or make preserves and pickles.You can construct a cold storage area or a root cellarin the basement. You can make a storage pit in the


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gard en. Some vegetables are very obl igi ng. ForInstance, extra green beans are no problem becauseyou can freeze, can, dry, or pickle them. And someroot vegetables are best stored in the ground for aslon g as possible just go out and dig the m upwh en you 're ready to use th em . If you have a big family

and a lot of garden space, you may need to useseveral different methods to make the most of yourcrop. If you have only a small garden and a smallfamily, perhaps freezing alone is all you need toconsider. Read through the introductory sections oneach method of preserving in Part 3, so you'reaware of the space and equipment involved and theadvantages and disadvantages of each method.Consider also the climate where you live and how

much time you're able and willing to spend onpreserving. At this point, as in your initial choice ofwhich vegetables to grow, personal preferencesare important. If your family hates turnips and onlylikes carrots raw, it's hardly going to be worthwhileto have a root cellar. If you're always on the run, it'spure fantasy to imagine yourself making preservescom e fal l. You may also wan t to investigate sharing thecrop and the work. If you live in a community of

gardeners you may find it possible to get together onpreserving projects, sharing crops, equipment, andlabor.

CLIMATE: HOW WHERE YOU LIVE AFFECTS

WHAT YOU GROW

Plants, like people, have definite ideas about wherethey like to live. Like peopl e, they flou rish in congenial

conditions and become weak and dispirited if life istoo difficult for them to cope with. Unlike people,however, plants can't take practical steps toimprove their homesite they can't up and move,and they can't protect themselves against adverseconditions. You, the gardener, are largely responsiblefor how well your plants do in the climaticconditions you offer them, and you'll save yourself alot of frustration and disappointment if you havesome understanding of how climate affects yourgarden and if you choose your crops ac co ^i ng toyour climate.

What gardeners mean by a "growing season"

Throughout this book you'll encounter referencesto the "growing season." The growing season is,essentially, the length of time your area can giveplants the conditions they need to reach maturity andproduce a crop. The growing season is measured interms of the number of days between the last frost inspring and the first frost in fall. In general terms.

these two dates mark the beginning and end of thetime in which plants grow from seed to maturity.Some areas never have frost at all and use their dryseason as their "winter." In these areas, however,it's still possible to use hypothetical "frost" dates. Sothe length of your growing season is (technically)

totally dependent on your local climate. When youplant a vegetable depends on how well thatvegetable handles extremes of temperature.

The dates on which a certain area can expect tohave the last spring frost and the first fall frost arecalled the "average date of last frost" and the"average date of first frost," respectively. They aregenerally used as reference points for planning andplanting vegetables, but they're not infallible. They do

howe ver, give you a fairly accurate guide as towhich vegetables will do best in your area, and theyare the reference points most generally used in thisbook. As with every other aspect of gardening youneed to be a little bit flexible. The chart at the end ofthis chapter lists the average dates of first and lastfrosts in major cities throughout the United States.If you live within 10 miles of a city listed, you cantake these dates as accurate; three or four days either

way is just as acceptable, so do n' t feel you must doall your plan tin g exactly on the one listed day. All thesedates are average, and the weather can alwaysspr ing surprises. If you live a long way fr om a listed cityor are for any reason unsure when to plant, call yourlocal Cooperative Extension Service or WeatherBureau for advice. The Cooperative ExtensionService is a joint effort of the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture and the state land-grant

colleges and universities. The service's local office isan invaluable resource for the gardener, and a list ofoffices throughout the country appears in Part 4.

Climatic or "hardiness" zones

The average date of last frost is not the onlyreference point used to determine when to plant agarden. At one time or other gardeners have madethat date dependent on everything from "climaticzones" to the phases of the moon. Climatic zonesare the small maps you find on the back of seedpackages; they divide the United States into zonesor areas with fairly similar climates. They're probablyfar more accurate references for planting thanphases of the m oo n, but they'r e very general , and theydon't tell the whole story. There are manyincidental sometimes almost accidental conditions that can cause changes in climate within

a climatic zone.

The climatic zone map in the seed catalog or onthe back of a seed packet can give you a broad idea of


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how a vegetable (or vegetable variety, becausecarrots, tomatoes, and other popular vegetables don'tby any means conform to a stereotype) will do inyour area. Climatic zones, however, don't take intoaccount the variations that occur within an areawhich, if you go by the book, has the same climatic

conditions prevailing over many square miles. Forinstance, if the balcony of your downtown apartmentfaces south, you may be able to grow vegetables onit that would never survive in a north-facing garden ofyour apartment block. Lots of large buildings, anearby body of water like a lake, or even heavy trafficcan significantly alter the temperature (andpollution level) in a small garden. So, given all theseimponderables, it's safer to judge how well a

vegetable will grow by considering its own toleranceto certain conditions, rather than by a hard-and-fastmap reference.

How ' hardiness'' affects your garden plan

The way a vegetable type reacts to climaticconditions heat, cold, moisture, and soon determines its "hardiness." It's another way

of saying how tough it is, but the term hardiness isused specifically to indicate how well a planttolerates cold. Before you study how climate affectsyour garden, it's as well to consider whichhardiness categories certain vegetables fall in to. Thehardiness of each kind determines how thatparticular vegetable will fit into your growing season.

The vegetables that are grown in a homevegetable garden fall into one of four hardiness

categories: very hardy, hardy, tender, and verytender. The date on which you can safely plant eachvegetable in your garden depends on whichhardiness category it falls into.

Very hardy vegetables can tolerate cold and frostand can be planted in the garden four to six weeksbefore the average date of last frost. They includeasparagus, broccol i, Brussels sprouts, cabbage,cauliflower, collards, Chinese cabbage,horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi,leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, rhubarb, rutabagas,and shallots; and the herbs chives, garlic, mint,tarragon and thyme.

Hardy vegetables can handle a certain amount ofcold and frost and can be planted two to three weeksbefore the average date of last frost. They includebeets, cardoon, carrots, celeriac, celery, chard,chicory, dandelion, endive, parsnips, Irishpotatoes, radishes, salsify, turnips; and the herbsanise, borage, fennel, marjoram, oregano, parsley,rosemary, and savory.

Tender vegetables don't like cold weather and can

be planted on the average date of last frost; you willneed to protect them in some way if there's a latefrost. These vegetables include most beans, cress,mustard, sorrel, corn, tomatoes; the perennialartichokes; and the herbs basil, caraway, chervil,coriander, dill, sage, and sesame.

Very tender vegetables will not survive any frostand must be planted after the soil has warmed up inthe spring; they can be planted two to three weeksafter the average date of last frost. These vegetablesinclude lima beans, cucumbers, eggplant,muskmelons, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins,winter and summer squash, and watermelons.

Gamblers can take a chance and plant earlier thanthese dates, but usually this gambling wil l not pay off.

Even if you beat the odds and your plants are notfrozen out, they wil l probably be inhibited by the coldsoil , and they won't grow any faster than they wouldif you planted them at the proper time.

THE CONDITIONS THAT ADD UP TO CLIMATE

The degree to which the successful growing of eachvegetable type is dependent on hot and cold weather

conditions indicates that temperature is the mostimportant aspect of climate to consider when you'replanning your vegetable garden. At this point it'shelpful to take a good look at how temperature andother basic climatic conditions affect your garden.Rainfall and sunlight also play a most important part inhow your garden grows, so let's take a look at thesethree elements and how they work with your plants.

How temperature affects plant growth

Average day-to-day temperatures play an importantpart in how your vegetables grow. Temperatures,both high and low, affect growth, flowering,pollination, and the development of fruits. If thetemperature is too high or too low, leafy crops maybe forced to flower prematurely without producingthe desired edible foliage. This early flowering iscalled "going to seed," and affects crops like cabbagesand lettuce. If the night temperatures get too cool itmay cause fruiting crops to drop theirflowers reducing yields considerably; peppersmay react this way to cold weather. Generally, theideal temperatures for vegetable plant growth arebetween 40 and 85F. At warmer temperatures theplant's growth will increase, but this growth maynot be sound structural growth. At lowertemperatures the plant's growth wi ll slow down or

stop altogether.Vegetables have different temperature

preferences and tolerances and are usually classified


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as either cool-season crops or warm-season crops.Cool-season crops are those li ke cabbages, lettuce ,and peas, which must have time to mature beforethe weather gets too war m; otherwise they will w ilt ,die, or go to seed prematurely. These vegetablescan be started in warm weather only if there will be a

long enough stretch of cool weather in the fall toallo w the crop to mature befo re the first freeze. Wa rm-season crops are those vegetables that can'ttolerate frost, like peppers, cucumbers, and melons.If the weather gets too cool they may not grow at all;if they do grow, yields will be reduced. Warm-seasoncrops often have larger plants than cool-seasoncrops and have larger, deeper root systems thatenable them to go for relatively longer periods

without being watered. Even though it is convenientto thi nk of vegetables simply as eit her cool-seasonor warm-season crops, considerable differences canexist within each of these two groups.

The following lists offer a guide to cool- andwarm-season crops. For specific planting dates foreach type of vegetable, refer to the chart at the endof "Planting Your Garden."

Cool-season vegetables include: globe

artichokes, asparagus, beets, broad beans, broccoli,Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower,celeriac, celery, chard, chicory, Chinese cabbage,collards, cress, dandelion, endive, cardoon,horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi,leeks, lentils, lettuce, onions, parsnips, sweet peas,white potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, rutabagas, salsify,shallots, sorrel, spinach, and turnips. Cool-seasonherbs include: anise, borage, chive, dill, oregano,parsley, peppermint, rosemary, sage, savory,spearmint, tarragon, and thyme.

Included among the warm-season vegetablesare: dry beans, lima beans, mung beans, snap orgreen beans, chayote, chick peas, corn,cucumbers, eggplant, muskmelons, mustard, okra,black-eyed peas, peanuts, peppers, sweetpotatoes, pumpkins, soybeans. New Zealand spinach,summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, andwatermelons. Warm-season herbs include: basil,

caraway, chervil, coriander, marjoram, andsesame.

Rainfall: How plants use water

The amount and timing of the rainfall in your areaalso affects how your vegetables grow. Too much rainat one time can wash away seeds or young seedlingsand damage or even kill mature plants. A constant rain

when certain plants are flowering can reduce thepollination of the flowers and reduce yields. This canhappen to tomatoes, peppers, beans, eggplant,

melons, pumpkins, and both summer and wintersquash. A constant rain can also tempt the honeybees to stay in their hives instead of pollinating theplants; again, yields will be affected.

Too little rain over a period of time can slow downplant growth and kill young seedlings or even mature

plants. Limited moisture in the air can also inhibitpol lin ati on and reduce the yields of some vegetables.Too little rain can be more easily remedied than toomu ch . If it rains to o litt le, you can water the garden. Ifit rains too much, all you can do is pray.

Rainfall is probably the easiest climatic conditionto improve. Farmers have worried and complainedabout the rainfall since the beginning ofagri cult ure. If you' ve got thousands of acres of land

and no control over the available water it can bevery frustrating if not a disaster. Since the homegarden is usually small and fairly manageable insize, you can do something to regulate how muchwater it gets. If you don't get enough rain when youneed it, you can simply water, and there are manydifferent methods you can use. These are describedin detail in "Caring for Your Garden." Too much raincan be more difficult to deal with, and here you

need to take preventive measures. The betterdrained your soil is, the better it will be able to dealwith too much water. When you select the site foryour gar den, av oid any area that is low-lyi ng or poorlydra ine d. If that's the onl y site that you have for thegarden and you're really serious aboutgarde ning you can i mpro ve it by installingdrainage tiles. This can be a costly and complicatedprocess, so consider it only as a last resort.

Light: Your plants can't live without it

The third major climatic factor is light, and it's animportant factor to consider when you plan yourgarde n. Sunlight or some type of li ght provides energy that turns water and carbondioxide into the sugar that plants use for food. Greenplants use sugar to form new cells, to thickenexisting cell walls, and to develop flowers and fruit.

The more intense the light, the more effective it is.Light intensity, undim inis hed by obstructio ns, isgreater in the summer than in the winter, andgreater in areas where the days are sunny and brightthan in areas where it's cloudy, hazy, or foggy. As arule, the greater the light intensity the greater theplants' pr odu cti on of sugar pro vid ed, of course,that it's not too hot or too cold and the plants get theright amount of water.

If a plant is going to produce flowers and fruit, itmust have a store of energy beyond what it needs justto grow stems and leaves. If the light is limited, even


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a plant that look s green and healthy may neverproduce flowers or fruit. This can be a problem withvegetables like tomatoes, where you want to eat thefruit. With lettuce, where you're only interested inthe leaves, it's not an issue. All th e same, all vegetablesneed a certain amount of light in order to grow

properl y, and wit hou t it all the wateri ng, weedin g, andwishing in the world will not make them flourish.

How day length affects your crops. Many plants,inc lud ing tomatoes and many weed s, are not affectedby day length how lo ng it stays light dur in g theday. But for many others the length of the day plays abig part in regulating when they mature and flower.Some plants are long-day plants, which means theyneed 12 or more hours of sunlight daily in order to

initiate fl ow eri ng. Radishes and spinach are long-dayplants, and this is the main reason they go to seed sofast in the middle of the summer when the day lengthis more than 12 hours. If you want to grow radishesor spinach in midsummer, you have to cover themwith a light-proof box at about 4 p.m. everyafternoon to fool them into thinking the day's over.Other plants are short-day plants and need lessthan 12 hours of light to initiate flowering; soybeans

and corn are examples. Many varieties of short-dayplants have been b red to resist the effects of long days,but-most will still flower more quickly when thedays are shorter.

How much sunlight is necessary? Vegetablesgrown for their fruits need a minimum of six to eighthours of direct light each day. Less light frequentlymeans less than a ful l cr op . I t's very frust rat ing to try togrow tomatoes, peppers, or eggplants in the shade;they'll often produce a good, green plant without

givin g you anyt hing at all in the way of a vegetable.Crops that are grown for their roots and leaves,however, will give you satisfactory results in lightshade.

Root crops, such as beets, carrots, radishes,and turnips, store up energy before they flower anddo rather well in partial shade, especially if youdon't compare them with the same crop grown in fullsun. Plants like lettuce and spinach that are grown

for their leaves are most tolerant of shade; in fact,where the sun is very hot and bright they may needsome shade for protect ion. Onl y mushrooms andsprouts can be produced without any light at all.

Making the most of your garden light. If you have achoice of where to grow your vegetable garden, don'tput it in the shade of buildings, trees, or shrubs. Theaccompanying illustration shows how to give plantseno ugh light . R emember that as well as shading an

area, trees and sh rubs also have roots that may exte ndunderground well beyond the overhead reach oftheir branches. These roots will compete with thevegetable plants for nutrients. Stay clear especially


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of walnut trees; they produce iodine, a growthretardant that will stunt or kill the vegetable plantsin your garden. Go out and stand in your garden to seejust how the light falls. Walk around and find wherethe light fails to penetrate. This knowledge will be veryuseful when you come to planting time.

Providing shade from too much sun. Mostvegetables need full sun for best growth, but young ornewly transplanted plants may need someprotection from bright, direct sunlight. It's easier foryou, as a gardener, to provide shade where there'stoo much sun than to brighten up a shady area. Youcan, for instance, plant large, sturdy plants like

sunflowers or Jerusalem artichokes to provide ascreen, and you can design your garden so thatlarge plants and small ones each get the light theyneed. You can also shade young plants with boxesor screens when necessary. However, too li ttle sun isfar more serious a problem in a garden than toomuch.

How to make the most of your climate

Whatever the climate is like where you live, you arenot entirely at the mercy of the elements. There arecertain improvements you can make to enable youto grow some vegetables that would not normally dowell in your area. Don't expect miracles you can

improve condi tions, but you can't change the climate.No amount of watering can change a desert into avegetable garden; however, if the average rainfall inyour area is reasonable, a few hours of watering canimprove it more than you'd think possible.Experiment with the microclimates in your


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neighborhood and your yard; it may be possible toincrease your growing season and grow vegetablesthat need a longer growing season than your climatetechnically provides. Microclimates may alsoenable you to grow tender perennials that would notnormally survive the winter in your area. The secret

is to make the most of the conditions that exist in yourgarden. Experiment plant a tender vegetableclose to the south wall of your house; it may not get allthe sun it needs, but protection from wind and coldmay help it grow where it wouldn't grow at all in theopen garden.

Another way to frustrate the natural temperaturelimitations of your local climate is by using transplantsInstead of seeds in spring. Transplants are young

plants started from seed indoors or in a warm placeand set out in the garden later; this gives you a headstart on your growing season, but you can't do it withall vegetables. Growing transplants is discussed indetail in the chapter, "Planting Your Garden," alongwith ways of protecting plants against extremes oftemperature.

Other weather conditions can also affect theyields of your vegetable crops. Dry, windy days and

cool night temperatures (a 10F drop from daytemperatures) can cause fruiting crops peppers, forinstance to drop their flowers before they'repol linated; th is means you lose a lot of your crop. Youcan avoid it to some extent by putting up some typeof windbreak to protect the crops from drying winds.It's comforting to remember that although youcan't make major changes in your climate, you cancertainly do a lot to help your plants make the mostof their environment.

Cold frames and hot frames:Extending your gardening season

If you have the space for it, a cold frame a glass-enclosed growing area outside can add an extradimension to your garden. It's an ideal place to starthardy annuals and perennials or to put plants in thespring to harden them for the rigors of outdoor life.

When you have started vegetables inside, especiallythe cold-tolerant ones, you can move them to a coldframe and give them the benefit of much more light ina protected place. And since a cold frame uses solarheat, it qualif ies as an energy-saving device. The hardyherbs, radishes, let tuces, and other greens can begrown in a cold frame dur ing a good part of the year,even in the Nor th.

A cold frame, often called a "poor man's

greenhouse," can be made from scrap lumber and oldstorm windows. It should not be too deep fromfront to back or you'll have trouble getting plants in

and out. Cold frames capture solar heat, and if theyslant to the south they can take advantage of thegreatest amount of sun.

On the days when the sun is bright you may haveto provide some shade to keep the plants fromsunburning, or lift the cold frame windows to keep

plants from steaming. If the sun is bright enough thetemperature inside a co ld frame can reach 85 to95F when the temperature outside is only 15F. But oncold nights when the temperature drops belowfreezing, a cold frame wi ll need some extraprotection. An old quilt or blanket under a tarp is agood cover. If you have nothing else newspapers willdo , although they are a bit harder to handle.

If a cold frame sounds like something you'd like

to try, look around for some turn-of-the-centurygarden books. These provide excellent step-by-step instructions for building and using cold framesand offer suggestions on how to do all kinds ofserious cold-frame growing.

Hot frames are a bit more challenging than coldframes, and the opportunities for frustration aremultiplied. In hot frames, heat is provided either byrotting manure (the classic system) or by electricity

(the modern way). Decomposing cow, horse, andmule manure do not work the same way, and the heatof decomposition depends on the age, the kinds,and amount of litter present. When you're usingmanure there are no thermostats or controls,except the gardener's know-how. Electricity is mucheasier but a lot more expensive than manure, andthere is still work for the gardener to do.

If you have a basement window facing southwith some space outside, you can incorporate it intoyour hot or cold frame. It wi ll also provide a basic"course in the management of a greenhouse thenext step in gardening addiction.

HOW TO GET YOUR GARDEN STARTED:PUTTING THE THEORIES TO WORK

Up to this po int , most of your garden planning has

been theoretical. You've given thought to thevegetables you want to grow, what you're going todo with them, and how much you need to grow.You've got an idea of how the climate in your areawill influence your final choice of vegetables.You're beginning to understand your microclimate how growing conditions in your own yard maydiffer from the general climate of your area. Nowyou're ready to start getting your plans on paper,

but as soon as you open the seed catalog, confusionstrikes again. You want to grow your own corn,tomatoes, lettuce, and carrots but what kind?


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Finding the varieties suited to your area. Becausethere are so many varieties, it can be very difficult tochoose the right one. Part 2 of this book describesthe individual vegetables and their culturalrequirements and lists some of the best and mostwidely used varieties. But in many cases the varieties

listed represent only the tip of the iceberg. Where alarge number of varieties are available (as with corn ortomatoes) or where success depends as much ongr owi ng condit ion s as on variety (as wi th onion s), yourbest bet is to get in touch with your localCooperative Extension Service. The service's expertswill be able to tell you exactly which varieties will dobest in the gr owi ng condi tio ns that exist in your part ofthe country. A complete list of CooperativeExtension Services is given in Part 4, together withdetailed information on how to get your gardeningquestions expertly answered by their qualifiedhorticulturalists.

Guaranteed varieties: The All-America Selection.

Ano the r way to fi nd t he most reliable varieties for yourarea is thr oug h the All-Ameri ca Selections. This is anonprofit organization of seedsmen who developand promote new varieties of vegetables andflowers. The organization awards gold, silver, or

bronze medals to vegetable varieties that have beenproven to produce reliable results in most areas of theUnited States. If a vegetable is listed in your seedcatalog as an All- Ameri ca Selecti on, you can be surethat it has been tested by growers all over thecountry and that it's a good bet for your own garden.The organization does not bestow its seal ofapproval light ly only one or two vegetable varietieswin a gold medal in any year.

Experiment with different varieties. Remember,too, that you don't always have to play by the rules.You can plant more than one variety of a vegetableand decide for yourself which one is best suited toyou r palate and your garden . You can also extendyour harvest by planting varieties that mature atdifferent times. Experimenting is a good part of thefun of growing a vegetable garden.

Dates: When to plant and when to harvest

Selecting the varieties you're going to grow givesyou some hard information with which to work. Younow know when to plant your vegetables. Thehardiness chart in "Plan ting Your Ga rd en " wi ll tell youto wh ic h category very hardy, hardy, ten der,very tender a vegetable belongs and whe n to plantit. Now is the time to decide whether to use seeds or

transplants . Transplants are you ng plants started fr omseed indoors or in a warm place (like a hot frame)and planted in the garden when the weather's warm

enough. By planting transplants you can often get ahead start on your growing season and avoid some ofthe limitations placed on you by your area climate.Not all vegetables, however, take kindly to beingtransplanted. Full information about growingvegetables from transplants including what to plant

and when is given in "Planting Your Garden."It's important to plan your planting dates

accurately. It's also imp ort ant to know wh en your cropwill be ready for harvest. The number of days ittakes a plant to reach maturity varies according to typeand to varieties within a type.

Each vegetable variety has its "days to maturity"listed in the seed catalog. Take a calendar, and seehow the dates fall for the crops you're thinking of

growing. For instance, "jade Cross Hybrid" Brusselssprouts take 95 days to maturity. They're very hardy,so you can plant them six weeks before your lastspring frost. If your area expects its last frost at theend of Ap ri l, yo u can plant your Brussels sprouts in thegarden in mid-March, and they'll mature in mid-June. They're a cool-season vegetable, so as long asthe weather in your area won't be sizzling hot bymid-June, you should do well with them. In this way,work out all the dates on which you can expect to

harvest your vegetables, and make a list of them. Thiswill give you a chance to make changes if, despite allyour planning, you've got too large a crop maturing atthe same time. It will also give you some ideas about"paci ng" your crop.

Pacing your harvest for best yield

Deciding when to plant involves more than

avoiding kil lin g frosts. It also means pacing your planting so you get maximum yields from limitedspace. You can harvest some crops gradually,enjoyi ng them for a long period of tim e; othersmature all at once. This takes careful planning. Youhave to have a good idea of how long it will takeyour vegetables to mature and how long the harvestwill last. It will also take some self-control. Thetem pta tio n to plant rows of everyt hing at once is great.

Planting short rows. A simple way to pace yourharvest is to plant only short rows or partial rows.Planting short rows is probably easier; you may feelmore comfortable with a complete row, even if it isshort. A 10-foot row looks short, but 10 feet ofradishes ready to eat at once is more than mostpeople can handle. Ten feet of parsley or garlic maybe more than enough for the whole neighborhood.You can freeze parsley and dry the garlic, but what

can you do with all those radishes? Unwantedexcesses of crops can be avoided if you divide yourseeds into groups before going out to plant. Put them


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in "budge t" envelopes to be planted on definitedates later on in the season but before the early cropsare harvested. For instance, plant lettuce every twoweeks. This way you can have vegetables all season,rather than glut followed by famine.

Using several varieties. Another way to pace your

harvest is to plant several varieties of the samevegetable that mature at different rates. Forinstance, on the average date of last frost plant threedifferent tomato varieties: an early variety that willmature in about 60 to 70 days; a midseason variety thatwill mature in about 75 to 80 days; and a late varietythat will mature in about 80 to 90 days. By plantingthese three varieties on the same day you havespread your harvest over a 30- to 50-day period,

instead of a 10- to 20-day period.Succession planting. With careful planning you

may also be able to save garden space and get two ormore harvests from the same spot by successionplant ing. After early-maturing crops are harvested,you clear a portion of the garden and replant it witha new crop. Plant so that cool-season crops grow in thecooler part of the season, and warm-season cropscan take advantage of warmer weather.

One example of succession planting is to start offwith a fast-growing, cool-season crop that can beplanted earlyle ttuce, spinach, and cabbage(cole) family vegetables are good examples. Replacethese by warm-weather crops like New Zealandspinach, chard, corn, okra, and squash. Then in fallmake another planting of cole crops, or put in rootcrops like turnips or beets.

In a small area, one simple plan is to start off withspinach, which is very hardy but hates hot weather,and replace it with heat-tolerant New Zealandspinach. Despite their different temperaturerequirements, the two can double for each other intaste, and you get spinach all season long.

You can also make double use of trel lis space abig plus in a small garden. Plant early peas, replacethem with cucumbers, and after harvesting yourcucumbers, plant peas again for a fall crop.

Companion planting. This is another way to

double up on planting space. This you do by plantingshort-term crops between plants that will take alonger time to mature. The short-term crops areharvested by the time the longer-season crops needthe extra room. A good example of this is to plantradishes between rows of tomatoes; by the time thetomatoes need the space, the radishes will be gone.

GETTING YOUR GARDEN ON PAPER

By this time you've put a lot of thought into yourgarden plan, and you've got some vital information

and dates on paper the names of the varietiesyou're going to plant and your planting and harvestdates. Now comes the real paperwork. The size ofyour garden depends on your interest in gardeningand how much time you're going to be able to giveto the garden. Some gardeners use every available

inch of space; others use a small corner of theirproperty some, of course, don' t have much choice,and this may be your case if you have a small gardento begin with or if you're gardening on a patio orbalcony. The larger your garden, the more time andwork it's going to need, so unless you're alreadyhooked on gardening, it's probably better to startsmall and let your garden size increase as yourinterest in gardening and confidence in your ability

develops.Before you decide the exact dimensions, look atthe list of the vegetables you've chosen and theamount you're going to grow of each one , andfigure ou t if they're going to fit into the allotted space.You may see at once that you've overestimatedwhat you can grow in the available space, so you'l lhave to do a little compromising between fantasyand reality. If your projected crops look as though

they'll fi t, you can now start drawing an actual plan.

Drawing a plot plan

This is the pencil-and-paper stage of planning, andif you use graph paper, you'll find it easier to work toscale. Don' t be intimidated by all this talk aboutdrawing and sketching. Your garden plan doesn'thave to be a work of art just a working document.

Drawing to scale, however, is helpful. A commonlyused scale is one inch on paper to eight feet ofgarden space adapt the scale to whatever iseasiest for you .

Draw up a simple p lot plan giving your garden'smeasurements in all directions. Remember there's nolaw that says a garden has to be square orrectangular. Your vegetable garden can be round,triangular, curved, or any shape that fits yourlandscape and takes best advantage of the space

you've got. When you've drawn the outline, sketchin all the nongrowing areas where you won't be able to ''plant trees, shrubs, sidewalks, sheds, buildings,wal ls, and the garage. Indicate any areas that areparticularly shady or poorly drained and, therefore,aren't suitable for fussy crops.

Planning for three stages. It's helpful to draw threeplot plans: The first wil l show the garden at plantingtime in the spring; the second will show the garden

in the summer; and the third will show the garden inthe fall. These plans will reflect the changes thattake place in your garden when you harvest early


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crops and replace them with new plantings. Maketwo copies of plans; keep one set inside where theplans will stay dry, clean/and legible. Use the otherset in the garden where it probably won't stay dry,clean, or legible for long. Plans have also beenknown to blow away in a spring breeze a disaster if

that's your only copy.Putting the plants into the plan. Once you've

outlined your plot and indicated all the nongrowing

areas, get down to detai l. Use the accompanyingillustrations as a guide, and divide the plot among thevegetables you want to grow. The individualdescriptions of vegetables in Part 2 give detailedinformation on the amount of space each vegetableneeds for growth. For a quick check on spacing refer

to the chart at the end of "Planting Your Garden."Don' t try to economize on space better a smallernumber of healthy plants than a lot of starved ones.


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Using your space efficiently. Take care in placingthe vegetables. Place the taller plants on the north ornortheast side of the garden so that as they growthey won' t shade the rest of the garden. In a largegarden where you've got plenty of space, the mostconvenient way to lay out the vegetables is in rows

and hills. Straight rows and hills are easier to water,weed, cultivate, mulch, and fertilize. If you are goingto use a rototiller, make sure the rows are large

enough to accommodate the machine.In smaller gardens it's more space-efficient to

plant in wide rows or in solid blocks four to five feetwide. You must always be able to reach the centerof a wide row comfortably from either side and to getbetween the short rows in a block. You can also

save space in a small garden by using verticalspace growing vining crops up a trellis, forexample, rather than letting them spread all over the


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ground. Similarly, tomatoes can be staked or cagedto contain their growth.

Adding dates and details. Finally, indicate whetheryou're planting from transplants or seeds, and addyour planting dates for each vegetable; now yourplan is complete, and you can see exactly what you'l l

be doing come spring. You'll also have compiled agood mental library of incidental knowledge aboutplants and how they grow and how your climate

affects them; this knowledge is going to stand you ingood stead throughout your growing season.

Recording the growth of your garden

If you're serious about gardening, you should keep

records. Planning your records should be part ofplanning your garden. The better the planning, themore efficient use you'll be able to make of your time


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and the more time you will have for enjoying thepleasures of your garden not just keeping up withthe chores. Build your records the same way youbui ld your garden; profit from past mistakes, andIncorporate new ideas.

Start out wi th a ledger that has sewn-in pages.

Don't write notes on slips of paper and expect to beable to find the one you want when you want It.Don 't use a three-r ing notebook, because if you cantake a page out you wi ll , and then you'l l probablylose it. Your first entry m your record of your vegetablegarden should be the plot you designed when you

ordered the seeds. Mark this page with a paper clip soyou can easily find it.

After the garden plot , you can keep a daily recordof preparing the soil, planting, weeding, fertilizing,growing results (or lack of results); whether theharvest of each item was sufficient, too much, or not

enough; and problems with weeds, bugs, or lack ofrain. At the end of the growing season you'l l have acomplete record of what you did and a recordcan be good for the morale.

Your record wi ll list the plants that did well Inyour garden and those that didn't, and thisinformation will give you the basics for planningnext year's garden. Include in your ledger commentsabout the weather, varieties of plants that were

productive or flopped, and notes about why you thinksome plants made it and others did not.

The computerized garden plan

If all this planning thoroughly intimidates you,don't abandon the idea of gardening. It's the age oftechnology, and you can have your entire gardenplanned by a computer. The computer uses some

basic information that you supply about yourgarden and develops a complete, easy-to-use planthat includes all the information the novicegardener needs to grow a vegetable garden. The onlyproblem involved in having your garden planned bya computer is f ind ing out who offers the service. At themoment only a few states' Cooperative ExtensionServices and a few seed companies providecomputerized planning services, but they'rerapidly becoming popular and more available. Askyour local Cooperative Extension Service if theyoffer computerized planning or can put you in touchwi th some organization that does. You may alsofind such services advertised in gardening magazines.

CONTAINER GARDENING

In areas where there is little or no space, a well-organized container garden can produce substantial

vegetables. A po int to remember about containergardening: The small volume of soil in a raised bed willwarm up faster in spring than the soil in your opengarden. This gives you a longer growing season,because you can start your cool-season cropsearlier. You can also bring plants inside if thetemperature takes an unexpected plunge thismobili ty is an advantage you obviously lack in an opengarden.

Plan a container garden the same way as a smallgarden plot, making the best possible use of yourvertical space. Use a trellis for vining crops and


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stakes and cages for tomatoes or other semi-viningcrops. If you're planting on a balcony, don't let anypossible support go to waste. Position climbing plantswhere the railing provides a readymade trellis.There are also space-saving techniques unique tocontainer gardens. You can use the vertical space of

a container itself by planting in holes or pockets inthe sides of the container. Growing some vining plantsin hanging baskets wil l save space too, but be sureto place hanging baskets where they won't shadeother plants. When you are growing a containergarden, always select varieties that are suitable forcontainer growing, and remember that containersdry out faster than a traditional garden, so you'l l needto water more often. Plants growing in containers

are also more affected by changes in temperature; youdo have the advantage, though, of being able tomove them to a more protected area or even inside oncool nights.

Essentially, planning a container garden is lit tledifferent from planning an outdoor plot. The maindifference may be in the varieties you choose ifyou' re planting in a confined space you're going totake a special interest in smaller varieties and plants

with compact, contained growth habits. But basically,any plant that will grow in your garden will alsogrow on your balcony or patio.

Extending your garden indoors

If you don't have a garden or even a balcony, youcan still have a container vegetable garden. Don'tunderestimate the number of vegetables that can

be grown successfully indoors. Near a bright windowthat is not too warm, leafy vegetables, such aslettuce, parsley, and chives, will do nicely. Fruitingplants are worth a try, but they take a lot more lightat a higher intensity; unless the window is very bright,the plants may grow but not produce. Cherrytomatoes in hanging baskets will sometimes grow invery bright windows, and sometimes plants can bebrought in from outdoors and grown on for severalmonths. Herbs are rewarding indoor-gardenplants, and they go a long way in adding your personaltouch to everyday eating.

Providing indoor lighting

If you have lights or if you have a place for puttinglights, you can grow vegetables indoors without anysun at all. Lettuce does beautifully in the basementor the attic when grown under fluorescent

lightusually these spots are not as warm as therest of the house. Lettuce can also be grown in anapartment if you can find a spot where the heating is

not very efficient or if you don' t mind wearing asweater.

Cucumbers will grow beautifully under artificiallight. But just as long days will prevent flowering, sowill long periods under artificial light. The bestthing to do is experiment and find what does well for

you. A timer can be useful in giving certain plants adark resting period. Given lots of water, watercressworks almost as well as lettuce under the lights.Instead of seeds, you can start with cuttings (thebottoms of some of those stems of fresh watercressyou bought to indulge yourself).

Various possibi lities for using vegetables ashouseplants are discussed in the description ofindividual vegetables in Part 2.

Gardening in a greenhouse:A refuge for plants and gardener

With a greenhouse you can garden all year aroundand experiment with ail kinds of plants that you havelittle chance of growing out in the open garden. Agreenhouse is also a nice, cozy, private place for thegardener whose gardening time Is often interrupted

by demands from other family members. If you'regoing to buy and install a greenhouse, it's worthgetting a good one. Greenhouses vary vastly in size,price, and construction and many companiessupply them; not all of them, however, are well -designed and well-put-together, so you need to dosome homework. The following are reputable sourcesthat can provide you with basic information to helpyou make a choice. Some of them wi ll design agreenhouse to fi t your available space andspecifications.


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First and last frost dates for major cities in the United States

state and city Average date of Average date of Number of days in

last frost first frost growing season

Alabama

Birm ingha m Marc h 19 Nove mber 14 241

Mo bi le February 17 Decem ber 12 298

Mon tgo mer y February'27 December 3 279

Alaska

Anch orag e May 18 September 13 118

Cord ova May 10 Oct obe r 2 145Fairbanks May 24 Augu st 29 97

Arizona

Flagstaff June 8 Oc to be r 2 116Phoen ix January 27 Dec emb er 11 317Win slo w Apr il 28 Octo ber 21 176

Arkansas

Fort Smith Marc h 23 Nove mber 9 231Little Rock Mar ch 16 No vem ber 15 244

California

Bakersfield February 14 No vem ber 28 287

Fresno February 3 Dec emb er 3 303

Sacra mento January 24 Dec emb er 11 321

ColoradoDenver May 2 Octo ber 14 165

Pueblo Apr il 28 Octo ber 12 167

Connecticut

Har tfo rd Apr il 22 Octo ber 19 180

New Haven Apri l 15 Oct obe r 25 193

District of Columbia

Was hin gto n Apri l 10 Oct obe r 28 200

Florida

Jacksonvil le February 6 Dec emb er 16 313

Or lan do January 31 Decem ber 17 319

Tallahassee February 26 Dec emb er 3 280Tampa January 10 Dec emb er 26 349

Georgia

Atlanta March 20 Nove mber 19 244

Mac on Mar ch 12 Nove mber 19 252

Savannah February 21 Dec emb er 9 291

Idaho

Boise Apr il 29 Oc to be r 16 171

Pocatell o May 8 Sept embe r 30 155

Illinois

Cairo March 23 Nove mber 11 233

Chicago Apri l 19 Oct obe r 28 192

Sprin gfield Apr il 8 Octo ber 30 205

Urbana Apr il 22 Octo ber 20 151

IndianaEvansville Apr il 2 Nov em ber 4 216

Fort Wayne Apri l 24 Oct obe r 20 179

Indiana polis Apri l 17 Oct obe r 27 193


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First and last frost dates for major cities in the United States (cont.)

state and city Average date of Average date of Number of days inlast frost first frost growing season

IowaDes Moines Apr il 20 October 19 183Dubuque April 19 October 19 184

KansasConcordia Apr il 16 October 24 191Topeka Apr il 9 October 26 200Wichi ta Apr il 5 November 1 210

KentuckyLexington Apri l 13 October 28 198Louisville Apr il 1 November 7 220

LouisianaLake Charles February 18 December 6 . 291New Orleans February 13 December 12 302Shreveport March 1 November 27 272

MaineGreenvil le May 27 September 20 116Presque Isle May 31 September 18 110Portland Apr il 29 October 15 169

MarylandBaltimore March 28 November 17 234Cumberland May 1 October 10 163

MassachusettsAmherst May 12 September 19 130Boston Apr il 16 October 25 192Nantucket Apri l 12 November 16 219

MichiganDetroit Apri l 25 October 23 181Grand Rapids April 25 October 27 185Lansing May 6 October 8 155

Minnesota

Duluth May 22 September 24 125Minneapolis Apri l 30 October 13 166

MississippiJackson March 10 November 13 248Biloxi February 22 November 28 279Vicksburg March 8 November 15 252

Missouri \Columbia Apri l 9 October 24 198Kansas City Apr il 5 October 31 210St. Louis April 2 November 8 220

Montana Billings May 15 September 24 132Glasgow May 19 September 20 124Havre May 9 September 23 138

NebraskaLincoln Apri l 20 October 17 180Norfolk May 4 October 3 152Omaha Apri l 14 October 20 189


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State and city Average date of Average date of Number of days in

last frost first frost growing season

NevadaLas Vegas Mar ch 13 Nov emb er 13 245

Reno May 14 Oct obe r 2 141

New HampshireConc ord May 11 Octobe r 1 143

New JerseyNew Brunsw ick Apr il 21 Oct obe r 19 179 .Tren ton Apr il 8 Nove mber 5 211

New MexicoAlbuquerque April 16 Oct ob er 29 196

Santa Fe Apr il 23 Oct ob er 19 179New York

Bing hamt on May 4 Oct obe r 6 154Buffalo Apr il 29 Oct obe r 23 178New York Apr il 7 Nove mber 12 219

North Carolina

Char lotte Mar ch 21 Nove mbe r 15 239Raleigh Ma rch 24 . No vem ber 16 237

Wilm ing ton March 15 November 19 274

North Dakota

Bismarck May 11 Sept ember 24 136Fargo May 13 Sept embe r 27 137

Will ist on May 14 September 23 132

OhioCinci nnat i Apr il 15 Octo ber 25 192

Clevelan d Apr il 21 Nove mber 2 195Col umb us Apr il 17 Oct obe r 30 196Dayton Apr il 20 Oct obe r 21 184

Toledo Apri l 24 Octobe r 25 184

OklahomaOkl aho ma City Marc h 28 Nove mber 7 223

Tulsa Marc h 31 Nove mbe r 2 216

OregonMed for d Apri l 25 Octobe r 20 178

Por tlan d February 25 Dec emb er 1 279Salem Ap ril 14 Oct ob er 27 197

Pennsylvania

Har risbu rg Apr il 10 Oct obe r 28 201

Philadelphia March 30 Nove mber 17 232

Pittsburgh April 20 Octo ber 23 187

Rhode IslandProviden ce Apr il B Octo ber 27 197

South Carolina

Charle ston February 19 Decem ber 10 294Colu mbia March 14 November 21 252

Green ville Mar ch 23 Nove mbe r 17 239

South DakotaHu ro n May 4 Septembe r 30 149

Rapid City May 7 Oc to be r 4 150

Sioux Falls May 5 Oc tob er 3 152


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state and city Average date of Average date of Number of days Inlast frost first frost growing season

TennesseeChattanooga March 26 November 10 229Knoxville March 31 November 6 220Memphis March 20 November 12 237Nashville March 28 November 7 224

TexasBrownsvil le February 15 December 10 298Dallas March 18 November 22 249Houston February 5 December 11 309Plainview Apr il 10 November 6 211

UtahBlanding May 18 October 14 148Salt Lake City April 12 November 1 202

VermontBurlington May 8 October 3 148Saint Johnsbury May 22 September 25 126

VirginiaNorfolk March 18 November 27 254Richmond April 2 November 8 220

WashingtonSeattle February 23 December 1 281

Spokane April 20 October 12 175West Virginia

Charleston Apri l 18 October 28 193Parkersburg Apri l 16 October 21 189

WisconsinGreen Bay May 6 October 13 161La Crosse May 1 October 8 161Madison Apr il 26 October 19 177Milwaukee Apri l 20 October 25 188

Wyoming

Casper May 18 September 25 ' 130Cheyenne May 20 September 27 130Sheridan May 21 September 21 123


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7here are a great many garden tools on theyou'll be able to tell at a glance if you've put


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7here are a great many garden tools on themarket. Some are necessary, some are helpful,and some are a complete waste of money. If you'rea beginning gardener, approach all this equipmentwith cautionbe sure that you're going to enjoybeing a gardener before you spend a small fortune on

tools . Remember, too, that one of your motives inbeing a gardener Is to save money by growing yourown vegetables; you'll have to grow a lot of lettuceto pay for a $300 rototiller.

When you decide which tools you need, buy thebest you can find and take good care of them. As in somany other activities, it's a long-term economymove to buy good equipment right awayask anyserious cook. Good tools work better and last

longer than the cheap kinds that fall to pieces the firsttime you need them to do any real work.The first test of a tool is how it feels in your hands.

Is it well-balanced? Can you lift it when it's ful l as wellas when it's empty? Gardeners and gardening toolscome in different sizes and weights; since you'll beworking together, you and your equipment shouldbe compatible.

In caring for your tools, there are three basicrules that are often stated and seldom fol lowed:

1. Clean your tools before putting them away. Itmay be a bore, but it's even more boring to have toclean them before you can use them again.

2. Have a regular storage place for each tool .Visitors will be impressed by your orderliness, and

you ll be able to tell at a glance if you ve puteverything away or if you've left some small item out inthe rain to rust.

3. Use each tool the way it was meant to be used.For instance, a rakeeven a good-quaii ty rake^won'tlast long if you consistently use it to dig holes or

turn soi l. You've got a perfectly good spade for thosetasks.Follow these three simple rules and your tools

wil l give you long, eff icient, and economical service.

BASIC GARDENING TOOLS

The following are the basic tools of the gardener.You may not need them all. Consider the type and

amount of gardening you do, and choose theimplements that best suit your needs.Shovel and spade. A shovel has a curved scoop and

a handle with a handgrip. It's used for lifting, turning,and moving soil. A spade is a sturdy tool w ith a thickhandle (and a handgrip) and a heavy blade that youpress into the ground w ith your foot. The blade isusually flatter and sharper than the shovel's, and oftensquared off at the bottom. A spade is for harddigging work; it should be strong but light enough tohandle comfortably. A nursery shovel or nurseryspade is an excellent all-around tool in the vegetablegarden.

Spading fork. A spading fork is also used for heavydigging, and its two to four prongs make it the best


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Choose the planter best suited to your needs.Planting row guide. A row guide is simply two

stakes with a line marked at six-inch intervalsstretched between them. It helps you mark straightrows and plant seeds or plants evenly and quickly. Arow guid e you make yourself works every bit as wellas an expensive stor e-bou ght one. To make your ow n,just tie a good string line (as long as your garden atits longest point) between two stakes, and mark theline every six inches with colored markers. Comep lan t ing t ime,se tupyourgu ideandp ian ta long i t .Thestraight rows of plants you get when you use a guideare easier to weed, water, and harvest than randomplantings.

Plant cages. Alt hough these are commo nly

referred to as tomato cages, you can also use them tosupport vining crops like cucumbers and squashes.They're usually made of wire or covered wire andcome in a variety of sizes. They contain the plant in amanageable space and keep it off the ground. Roundcages are the most common, but you can now buysquare ones that are a lot more convenient becausethey fold flat for storage. When you're buyingcages, make sure that they're big enough and sturdy

enough for the plant variety and that you can getyour hand inside to harvest your crop.

TOOLS FOR CONTAINER GARDENING

If you're a container gardener, special toolsinmany respects scaled-down versions of regulargarden toolsare available for your use.

Hand cultivator. A hand cultivator helps youcon tro l weeds. O ne type has three prongs. The pickaxkind has one single-pointed end and a double pointon the other en d. Choose whatever type you like best.

Hand hoe. This has a shorter hand le and a smallerblade than a regular garden hoe.

Trowel. No container gardener should be withouta tro welit 's even mor e useful here than in a full-sizegarden for fill ing containers, transplanting,dividing clumps of plants, and leveling soil.

Watering equipment. A watering wand makes iteasier to reach the less accessible corners of yourcontainer garden. The wand is a hollow metal tubethat attaches to the end of your hose, and it lets youwater the back rows of your container gardenwithout reaching over and possibly crushing the frontrows. If you're an indoor gardener, you will alsomake good use of a small watering can, and a spray-mister to freshen foliage. Any household spray

bottle makes a good mister, provided it is thoroughlywashed out first.


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centers; the laboratory report will tell you how muchto use and how to apply it.

It's a good idea to have your soil tested everythree to four years to make sure that the pH is in anacceptable range. If you've had a problem with thepH, it may be a good idea to test your soil even more

often. This may seem like a lot of work, but goodsoil is essential to a good harvest, and your care andlabor will pay off in higher yields and better-qualityvegetables.

FERTILIZING: HOW TO DO IT (AND WHY)

Many inexperienced gardeners have the idea thatsince their vegetables have been doing fine so far

without fertilizer, they'll do fine without it nextyear, too . But it's not quit e that easy. Cer tainly, yourplants may provide you with vegetables even if you

don 't fertiliz e at all, but you wo n' t be getting their besteffort. Vegetable plants that are properly fertilizedwill be healthier and better able to resist disease andattacks from pests, thus giving you more andhigher-quality produce.

Organic vs. synthetic fertilizers

There are two types of fertilizer: organic andinorganic. They're both means to the same end, buttheir composition and action differ in a number ofways. Some people make a sharp disti nctio n betweenthe two, and organic gardeners as the namesuggests are strongly in favor of organic fertilizersand strongly opposed to the use of synthetics. This

is more a matter of personal philosophy than ofhorticulture, because plants can't read the label onthe package and can only absorb nutrients in an


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information on how to protect the plants fromunforeseen threats like extreme temperatures,pests, and the like. Whether vegetables are grownfrom seed or transplants, they require the samecare once they're in the garden. Follow the protectiveprocedures indicated to keep your plants healthyuntil harvesttime.

PLANTING FROM SEEDS IN THE GARDEN

Direct-seeding straight into the garden is theeasiest and least expensive way to grow vegetables.But you may not have the sort of climate that will letyou direct-seed some vegetables; the seedlings maytake longer to grow, making them a lot more


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to 18 feet in good soil. The leaves are large andslightly hairy, with three or occasionally five lobes.Male flowers are long spikes at the tips of thebranches. As wi th its smaller cou sin , pull up the entireplant when it is young before the seeds mature

also damage the root systems of neighboringvegetables. Persistent weeds like dandelions mayhave to be cut down several times, but eventually theweed will die.

Herbicides or chemical weed killers can be


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plant when it is young before the seeds mature.

Smartweed (Polygonum species). Smartweed is atough-rooted plant, with smooth stems, swollenjoints, and long narrow leaves. Pull up thesmartweeds and toss them on the compost pile.

Sour grass (Oxalis stricta). Sour grass is yellowwo od sor rel, a delicate plant wit h shamrocklike three-part leaves and delicate yellow flowers. Its seedcapsules are capable of shooting seeds yards awaywhen they ripen. It also has an underground rootsystem that can r epro duce wi th ou t any seeds at all.

Violet (Viola species). It's hard to look on the

inn ocen t viole t as a we ed , but that's what it is. Thissmall flowering plant has deep green heart-shapedleaves and a small, succulent root system that can beeasily removed.

Keeping the weeds out of your garden

Once you've identified the weeds in your vegetablegarden, the best way to control them is to chop them

off at soil level with a sharp hoe or knife. If a weed isclose to your vegetables, d on' t try to dig out the who leroot system of the weed; in the process you may

Herbicides, or chemical weed-killers, can beused in some instances. Mulches, which are organicor inorganic materials laid over the soil around yourplants, can also control weeds to some extent. Thereare advantages and disadvantages to both me thods .

Herbicides need careful handling

Herbicides can be useful in helping to controlweeds under certain conditions, but theseconditions are not usually encountered in thesmall home garden. And herbicides require such

careful handling that the home gardener may bewell advised not to use them more than absolutelynecessary.

Herbicides can be either nonselective orselective. The nonselective types kill any plant withwhich they come in contact. Selective herbicidesmay kill only broad-leaved plants or only grassplants. Both types come in forms to killpreemergent germinating seeds without harming

plants that are already growing above the ground,or vice versa. Those that act below the soil surface tokill preemergent seeds usually come in granule

form. The granules are shaken on to the groundfrom the container. Contact herbicides that killgrowing plants are usually bought in liquid form anddiluted for use in a hand-sprayer or a sprayer thatattaches to your hose Whichever type you use it's

Mulches can perform a number of useful functions.They protect against soil erosion by breaking the forceof heavy rains; they help prevent soil compaction;they discourage the growth of weeds; they reducecertain disease problems Organic mulches


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attaches to your hose. Whichever type you use, it simportant to follow the manufacturer's instructionsto the letter. It's also important to remember that

herbicides may have residual effects that vary fromproduct to product. The effect of some may last forweeks; the effect of others may last for years."

You can, i f you wi sh, use a nonselectiveherbicide in the spring to clear an area for planting.If you do, carefully check that the residual effectswill be gone well before your planting datetheinformation on the label will tell you this. If youmisjudge the timing, and the effects of the herbicide

persist beyond your planting date, you'll lose yourwhole crop for the season.

Here are some facts about herbicides you shouldbe aware of:

Herbicide s do not kill all weeds. Herbicide s can kill vegetables. Her bicides tha t are safe to use in a certain area

can drift quite a distance and damage sensitive

plants, such as tomatoes and peppers. No plant is ent ire ly resistant to herbic ides , so if

you're using one it's important to follow theinstructions exactly as they appear on the label.

If you decide to use a herbicide in your garden,follow these rules:

If yo u have a pr ob le m that cannot be solved by

cultivating and you want to use a herbicide,contact your local Cooperative Extension Servicefor a reliable recommendation.

Read all of the label, every bit of fi ne prin t, andfollow the instructions to the letter.

Do not use a herbicid e unless it is labeled for aspecific crop (read the whole label).

Be sure that the herbic ide wi ll no t leave a toxicresidue on the parts of the plant that you want toeat.

Clean spray eq uipmen t carefully after each use. Mark you r herbi cide equ ipm ent and keep it

separate fr om that used for fertil izers,insecticides, or fungicides. Use herbicideequipment only for herbicides.

MULCHES HAVE MANY USES IN YOUR GARDEN

Mulches are either organic or inorganic materialplaced on the soil around the vegetable plants.

certain disease problems. Organic mulchesimprove the soil texture. Mulches are also insulators,making it possible to keep the soil warmer during

cool weather and cooler during warm weather.

Mulches do not eliminate weeds. They can,however, help control them if the area has beencleared of weeds to begin wit h. If the mulc h is thickenough, the weeds that are already growing won't beable to push through, and the darkness willfrustrate the germination of others. Persistent weedscan push their way through most mulch, but ifthey 're cut off at the soil level a few times they'll d ie.

Sometimes mulches can improve the appearanceof the vegetable garden by giving it a neater, morefinished look. Some mulches give the area aprofessional look that only a true vegetable gardenercan appreciate.

Whether you use an organic or an inorganicmulch, take care not to put it down before the soil haswarmed up in the springthe mulch will preventthe soil from warming and slow down root

deve lop ment . In the average garden in a cool-season climate mulch should be applied about fiveweeks after the average date of last frost.

Organic mulches improve soil quality

Organic mulches are organic materials that, whenlaid on the soil, decompose to feed themicroorganisms and improve the quality of the soil.

If you see that the mulch you've put down isdecomposing quickly, add nitrogen to make up fornitrogen used by the bacteria. Some mulches cancarry wee d seeds; others can harbor undesirableorganisms or pests, but both diseases and pests canusually be controlled by keeping the mulch stirredup. W hen you' re cultivating, lift the mulch a little tokeep the air circulating.

To use an organic mulch, spread a layer of the

material you're using on the surface of the groundaround the plants after the soil has warmed up inspring; the plants should be about four inches tall sothe mulch doesn't overwhelm th em. If you're usinga fluffy material with large particles, like bark chips,make the layer about four inches thick. If you'reusing a denser material like straw or lawn clippings, atwo-inch layer will be enough. Be careful not tosuffocate the vegetables while you're trying tofrustrate the weeds.

The following are organic materials commonlyused as mulches:

Buckwheat hulls. These hulls last a long time andhave a neutral color, but they're lightweight and canblow away; and sometimes they smell when theweather is hot and wet.

Chunk bark. Redwood and fir barks are available

but it needs added nitrogen to preventmicroorganisms from depl eting the soil's nitrogen.

Straw. Straw is very messy and hard to apply in asmall area, and it's highly flammablematches orcigarettes can result in short-order cooking. It


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Chunk bark. Redwood and fir barks are availablein several sizes. Bark makes good-looking paths andgives the area a neat, finished appearance, but it'sto o chunk y to be the ideal m ulc h for vegetables. It alsotends to float away when watered or rained on.

Compost. Partly decompo sed com post makes agreat mulch and soil conditioner. It looks a littleroug h, but other gardeners wil l k now you're givingyour garden the very best.

Crushed corncobs. Crushed cobs make anexcellent and usually inexpensive mulch. The cobsneed additional nitrogen, unless they are partially

decomposed. Sometimes corn kernels are mixed inwith the crushed corncobs; this will create extraweeding later on.

Lawn clippings. Do not use clippings from a lawnthat has been treated with a herbicide or weedkillerthese substances can kill the vegetablesyou're trying to grow. Let untreated clippings drybefore putti ng them around your garden; freshgrass mats down and smells bad while it's

decomposing.Leaves. Leaves are cheap and usually easy to find,

but they blow around and are hard to keep in place.They will stay where you want them better if they'reground up or partially decomposed. Nitrogen shouldbe added to a leaf mulch. Do not use walnut leaves;they contain iodine, which is a growth retardant.

Manure. Vintage, partially decomposed manuremakes an excellent mul ch. Man ure has a strong

bouquet that you may not appreciate, but don't usea manure that has been treated with odor-reducingchemicals; treated manures contain substances,such as boron, which are unhealthy for plants. Neveruse fresh, unrotted manure, it can kill your plants.

Mushroom compost (leftover, used). Where it'savailable, used mushroom compost is generallyinexpensive. Its rich color blends in well with thecolors of your garden.

Peat moss. Peat moss is expensive when largeareas have to be covered. It must be kept moist or itwill act like a blotter and pull moisture out of the soiland away from the plants. Once it dries, peat tends toshed water rather than letting it soak in, and the finegrades of peat have a tendency to blow away.

Poultry manure. This is potent stuffpoultrymanure is about twic e as strong as cow manure;proceed with caution. A good, weathered, four-year-old poultry litter can give you mulch, compost,and high-nitrogen fertilizer, all at the same time.

Sawdust. Sawdust is often available for the asking.

cigarettes can result in short order cooking. Itdoes, however, look very professional.

Wood chips or shavings. More chips and shavingsare available now that they are no longer being burnedas a waste prod uct . They decompose slowly andadd needed nitrogen. Beware of maple chips, whichmay carry verticillium wilt into your garden.

Recycle rugs, papers as inorganic mulch

Unlikely though it may seem to the inexperiencedgardener, the following materials can be used

effectively as inorganic mulches.Aluminum foil. Foil is expensive if you're dealing

with more than a small area, but it does make aneffective mulch. It reflects sunlight, keeps theplants clean, and scares birds away from your garden.

Backless indoor-outdoor carpet. Indoor-outdoorcarpeting is ideal for the small garden and makes iteasy for the fastidious gardener to keep the placeneat. Water goes through it easily, and the weeds are

kept down.Newspapers. Spread a thick layer of newspapers

around the plants. Keep them in place with rocks orsoil. They will decompose slowly and can be turnedunder as a soil modifier.

Rag rugs. An old rag rug holds water and keeps thesoil moist. It won't look as neat as backless carpeting,but it wi ll be just as effective.

Plastic mulches: pros and cons

Both clear and black polyethylene are used bycommercial growers as inorganic mulches. Clearplastic is not recommended for small gardensbecause it encourages weeds; weeds just love thecozy greenhouse effect it creates. Black plastic issometimes used in small gardens for plants that aregrown in a group or hill, such as cucumbers,squash,orpumpkins. Black plastic should not be usedfor crops that need a cool growing seasoncabbage or cauliflower, for instanceunless it'scovered with a thick layer of light-reflecting material,such as sawdust.

There are some advantages to growing with ablack plastic mulch. Black plastic reduces the loss ofsoil moisture, raises the soil temperature, andspeeds up crop maturity. Weeds are discouraged,because the black plastic cuts out their light supply,so you wo n' t have to cultivate as muc h; that meansless danger of root damage. The plastic also helps

keep plants cleaner. And when you're making a newgarden in an area where there was a lot of grassifyou've dug up a lawn, for instanceblack plastic cankeep the grass from coming back .

There are some disadvantages to keep in mind as

When you're ready to plant, cut holes aboutthree inches across for the plants or seeds. Afterplanting, anchor the edges of the holes with stonesor soil. Water the plants through the holes in themulch. After a rain, check to see if there are any


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well, and one of them is that you may need to watermore frequently. Because of their greater growth

under plastic, the plants lose more water throughtranspiration, especially in well-drained, sandysoils. However, you will need to water less if you useblack plastic on soil that holds water or drainspoor ly. If you're using a black plastic mulch, keep inmind that plants can wilt and rot if the soil moistureis kept at too high a level and there isn't enough air inthe soil.

You can buy black plastic from many garden

centers or order it by mail from seed and gardenequipment catalogs. It should be at least 11/2 milthick and about three to four feet wide. If you have apiece of wider or thicker black plastic, use it. Thewider plastic is harder to handle, and the thicker typeis more expensive, but it works well.

Put down black plastic mulch before the plantsare set out. Try to pick a calm day; a strong wind wil lwhip the plastic about and make laying it down hard

work. Take a hoe and make a three-inch deep trenchthe length of the row. Lay one edge of the plastic inthe trench and cover the edge with soi l. Smooth theplastic over the bed and repeat the process on theother side. Be sure the plastic is anchored securely, orthe wind will get under it and pull it up.

spots where water is standing. If there are, punchholes through the plastic so the water can run

through. After the plants are harvested, the plasticcan be swept off, rolled up, and stored for use the nextyear.

WATER: YOUR GARDEN MUST GET ENOUGH

Some plants are composed of up to 95 percentwater. Water is vital for sprouting seeds; plants needwater for cell division, cell enlargement, and even

for holding themselves up. If the cells don't haveenough water in them, they collapse like a three-day-old balloon, and the result is a wilted plant. Wateris essential, along with light and carbon dioxide, toproduce the sugars that provide the plant with energyfor growth. It also dissolves fertilizers and carriesnutrients to the different parts of the plant.

Where the water comes from

Ideally, water for plants comes from rain or otherprecipitation and from underground sources. Inreality, you' ll often have to do extra watering byhand or through an irrigation system. (If you have toomuch rain about all you can do is pray). How often

you should water depends on how often it rains, howlong your soil retains moisture, and how fast waterevaporates in your climate. Soil type is an importantfactor. Clay soils hold water very wellsometimestoo wel l. Sandy soils are like a sieve, letting the water

i ht th h B th ki d f il b

garden. Generally, however, vegetable plants needabout an inch of water a week. The best time towater your garden is in the morning. If you water atni

vegetable gardening encyclopedia with herbs

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