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How to Grow Vegetable Plants
If you are new to vegetable gardening or have not had much success in years previous, then our guide sheets, tips and advice may be just what you need!
How to Grow:
Artichoke - eat the "heart" of the flower Arugula - Also called "Roquette", a robust and peppery flavored salad green Asparagus - delicious, tender spears in early spring. Beans - beans, beans they're good for............ Beets - you either love 'em or hate 'em Black Eyed Peas or Cowpeas - a southern garden favorite Bok Choy Asian Cabbage - loose leaf cabbage, for Asian stir fry, or in salads Broccoli - it's tasty, and good for your health. Brussels Sprouts -a very cold hardy plant Cabbage - for Cole Slaw lovers Cantaloupe - How do you like them melons!?! Carrots -Nutritious, and crunchy Cauliflower - a late fall treat Celery - for the health conscious, low in calories and carbs Collard - Strong, cabbage-like flavor, easier to grow than cabbage Corn - On the cob, it's one of Summer's special treats Cucumbers - A great treat for salads and the veggie tray Eggplant - Popular in gardens and kitchens around the world Endive - Use in Italian cuisine and as a salad green. Flax - It's as versatiel as a plant can be Garlic - flavors foods around the world..Keeps vampires away!? Gourds - a vegetable we decorate with, but does anyone eat them!? Horseradish - very easy to grow, very invasive... use border edging to contain them. Italian Chicory - a cool weather salad green Kale - a cool weather crop, strong flavored, open-leaved member of cabbage family Kohlrabi - nutty, celery-like flavor Leeks - mild onion flavor Lettuce - There's a lettuce for every bunny and every person Mustard - grow 'em for greens, or to harvest the seeds, to make mustard condiment Nasturtium - use the leaves in salads Okra - A real southern treat. Gumbo or Jambalaya anyone!?! Onions - a vegetable to cry about Pak Choi - - top quality Chinese Cabbage Parsley - It is truly an herb. But, some eat it like a vegetable. Parsnips - It's a big, big root Peas - Sweet and delicious, eat 'em raw in the garden Pepper - Do you like sweet peppers, or the hottest peppers on the planet? Popcorn - It's fun to grow, pop and eat. Potato - From french fries to baked potatoes, we just love our spuds Pumpkin - Big pumpkins, small pumpkins, we hope you like all pumpkins! Pumpkin on a Stick - a vegetable, a fall ornamental, it's really the Ornamental Eggplant Radicchio - a cool weather salad green, also called Italian Chicory Radishes - you'll relish this fast growing garden treat Rhubarb - An old fashioned perennial vegetable, one of Grandma's favorites. Roquette - Also called "Arugula", a robust and peppery flavored salad green Rutabaga - make it a regular in your vegetable gatrden Shallots - a culinary treat Soybeans - here's to your health! Spinach - nutritious fresh in salads, or cooked in a variety of recipes Squash - notorious cross breeders, there's plenty to choose from Sunflower - Delicious sunflower seeds are healthy for you. Swiss Chard - Hardy leaf crop, harvest well into fall Tomatillo - popular in Mexican and Tex-Mex cooking and dishes. Tomato Mania - The most popular fruit in the garden. Turnips - once used to ward off evil spirits. Watermelon - Juicy and delicious summertime treat. A "must have" for picnics Zucchini - a very, very prolific producer
WHAT HEALTHY CROPS NEED
The SOIL is the MOST IMPORTANT! This is the life-line for your crops. The essential nutrients that the plants need are in the soil. Why is vegetable gardening such a favorite hobby? For one, there's nothing like the taste of freshly picked vegetables that are home-grown. But we also like to know that what we are eating is providing us with the nutrients that our bodies need. If the plants are depleted of nutrients, so are we! This is why the soil is so important. PREPARING THE SOIL TIP: Do this a few weeks before planting.
PLANNING THE SPACE Crops should be rotated each year. By rotating the crops you can help to discourage pests and diseases.
As the vegetables take in the nutrients from the soil, the source begins to get depleted. So to help promote healthy plants you need to give them "a little boost". Fertilizer does the job. Not all fertilizers are alike. What's good for one crop may not be good for another. Know what you are getting. What we use and suggest is a general purpose fertilizer for vegetable gardening that will cover a large variety of crops. If you really want to add the perfect nutrients into your soil, it can be done rather easily. You'll need to send a sample of soil to be tested so that the perfect balance can be specially made for your particular needs. Liquid Fertilizer and Foliar Feeding
PEST CONTROL As I mentioned before, pests can be discouraged by rotating crops each year. There are also certain plants that when placed next to each other will also control pests. This is known as companion planting. There are many companion plants. Even though you rotate crops and companion plant you may still need to use other methods to control pests. In this situation, organic controls are the best choice to use for vegetable gardening. Many are specific to the type of pest or plant. CONTROL THE WEEDS The biggest task of vegetable gardening! Eliminate weeds as they appear using a small weeder or hoe. Do this every few days if you want to keep ahead and prevent the weeds from stealing those nutrients! Spreading mulch down will also help to prevent weeds and help to keep moisture in the soil. TIP: Grass clippings make a good mulch for this. SUPPLY WATER! Water is essential for plants to grow healthy. Always water at the base of the plants, thoroughly soaking the ground. Avoid spraying water directly on the leaves. The leaves are susceptible to disease with excessive moisture. SEEDS OR PLANTS Seeds: The second most important thing is to use QUALITY SEEDS. From year to year seeds will differ in quality. My best recommendation is to purchase reputable brand. Be sure to plant the seed according to the package recommendation. This includes the best time to plant, how many seeds to use, and how far to space them. Plants: If you buy from a local nursery carefully inspect the plants. Leaves should look healthy without discoloration and not be root bound in the container. We like to use plants that we start from seed indoors.
Vegetable gardening requires devoted attention, but if you are willing to
put in the time you'll be greatly rewarded when it comes to harvest time.
More Information: Garden Seeds - find seeds, learn about the different types. Garden Recipes - Find garden recipes galore! |
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