Harvest to Table - Vegetable Harvest Times

Vegetable Harvest Times

2010-06-15T16:00:00Z

Timing is everything when it comes to the home vegetable garden harvest. Once vegetables are picked they immediately begin to lose flavor, tenderness, and nutritional value. Harvest your crops as close to the time you plan to serve them, within an hour or less of serving time is best.

How do you know when it is time to harvest your crops? Here are a few indicators:

• Color. Many vegetables turn colors as they ripen--tomatoes and peppers are examples. Check the seed packet or look at the description for each crop listed here so that you know when to pick.

• Sheen. Vegetables ready for picking commonly have a shiny, healthy look. If the skin of the crop is dull, the peak time for harvest may have passed. (Watermelon is one exception.)

• Size. Most vegetables are ready for harvest when they reach a useable size. To check the tenderness and flavor of a vegetable bite into it. Don't delay the harvest simply to grow bigger crops--flavor will likely be lost.

Most vegetables can be harvested when they are just half-grown; this is when most vegetables are at their height of tenderness and flavor. Crops that mature in late summer and fall have a relatively lengthy harvest period--sometimes as long as two weeks or more. These crops can usually be stored for early winter use if you can't get them to the table right away. Early season usually require serving very close to harvest time.

]]> Experience and taste will teach you when a crop is ready for the kitchen--when it has reached peak flavor and tenderness. The best time for harvest--the horticultural and culinary harvest--can be different from when a crop reaches botanical maturity. Botanically mature cucumbers are yellow and seedy--past time for the cook's harvest. The culinary and botanical harvest for tomatoes, however, is the same.

Here are harvest tips for your home garden vegetable crops:

Asparagus. Pick asparagus when stems reach 6 to 10 inches tall, less than 1 inch around, and bud tips are still very tight. To harvest bend the stems until they snap; the portion that is too tough to snap is too tough to eat. Pick all stems at this stage; stems that grow larger will compromise the plant's ability to send up new shoots. Harvest time is over when stems no longer grow larger than ½ inch in diameter. Asparagus started from crowns or seedlings should be allowed to become established and gain strength for two years before the first harvest.

Beans, Snap. Pick snap beans when they are still able to snap when bent. Pick snap beans before the seeds have begun to fill out the pods. These pods will be tender, moist, and succulent. Time from sowing until harvest will vary with variety. Bush snap beans are usually ready for harvest in 8 weeks, pole snap beans in 9 weeks.

Beans, Green Shell. Pick shell beans when the beans inside the pods are fully formed (open one to see) but before the pods begin to deteriorate. Bush shell beans are usually ready for harvest 9 to 10 weeks after sowing.

Beans, Dry. Dry beans should be left on the vine to dry before harvest. Wait until the foliage has yellowed and withered and pods have become papery before picking.

Beans, Lima. Pick lima beans when pods are fully formed in the pods. Bush Lima beans are usually ready in 9 to 10 weeks after sowing, pole Lima beans about 13 weeks after sowing.

Beets. Pull beets for their roots when they are less than 2 inches and not more than 3 inches across, usually eight to nine weeks after seeds have been sown. These beets will be most tender. Beets that stay in the ground too long will be tough and woody. To check beet size for harvest, push soil away from the top of the beet.

Beet Greens. Beet seedlings or greens can be harvested when 4 to 5 inches tall. Greens taste better when they are young and tender but can be harvested at any time throughout the season.

Broccoli. Broccoli is ready for harvest just before flower buds begin to open, about 14 to 60 weeks after sowing depending upon variety, Harvest broccoli with a knife, cut the stem just beneath the top cluster of buds; this will stimulate the growth of more--though smaller--broccoli heads. Side branches will develop clusters of smaller buds over the next 8 to 10 weeks. Broccoli is past harvest time when yellow florets are visible.

Brussels sprouts. Pick the first sprouts when they become firm, about 16 weeks after sowing; continue the harvest over the next 6 weeks or so. Start the harvest when the first sprouts are 1- to 1½ inches across; start with the bottom sprouts and work up as the sprouts develop. If the harvest is not complete when night temperatures drop below 20°F, dig up the plant and place it in a protected place where it will continue to grow until all sprouts mature.

Cabbage. Cut cabbage heads at the base of the stalk when heads are formed and firm to the touch. Early varieties will be ready in about 105 to 115 days after sowing; midseason varieties will be ready in 125 to 135 days and late varieties will be ready in 145 to 165 days. Cut the heads from the roots with a sharp knife. If you leave the stalks and roots in place, you may get a second harvest from early varieties.

Carrots. Harvest carrots as soon as the roots are large enough to use. Pull up roots as needed until the ground has begun to freeze

Cauliflower. Harvest heads while they are compact and tight. Cut the stalk just below the head. White-budded varieties are ready for harvest 100 to 110 days after sowing; purple-budded varieties are ready 130 to 145 days after sowing. Varieties that require blanching may be ready a few days after blanching in warm weather; in cooler weather, heads may take two weeks to reach harvest after blanching. Harvest early rather than late; heads that stay too long on the plant can become "ricey"--the curds begin to break apart into individual flowers.

Celeriac. Harvest celeriac root crowns when they have reached 2 to 4 inches in diameter.

Celery. Celery is edible at all stages of growth. Celery reaches maturity about 110 days after plants are set in the garden, about 180 days after sowing. To harvest, cut individual stalks or pull up the plant and cut off the roots just below the base of the stalk. Individual stalks should be harvested from the outside working to the middle.

Celtuce. Pick celtuce leaves from the base of the plant when young--in the first four weeks. Stalks can be harvested when they are about 1 inch in diameter at the base but before the seed heads appear. Slice off the stalk at ground level and pull off the leaves.

Chard, Swiss. Cut chard leaves when they are 6 to 10 inches tall, about 40 to 60 days after sowing seeds. Cut outer leaves near the base of the plant with a sharp knife; the inner leaves will continue to grow and can be cut a few days later. Get rid of old or tough leaves to keep the plant producing new leaves.

Chicory. Leaf chicory heads can be cut from the roots as needed. Witloof chicory chicons can be harvested when about 6 inches long; twist and break off the head.

Chinese cabbage. All varieties of Chinese cabbage or Chinese leaves are ready for harvest when leaves are about 15 inches long, about 80 to 90 days after sowing seeds. Pull up the plant and cut off the roots and get rid of tough outer leaves. Non-heading Chinese cabbage can be harvested cut-and-come-again. Leave at least five leaves on the plant to promote a second harvest.

Collard. Harvest collard leaves when they are young, tender, and mild flavored. Collard leaves will reach maturity about 40 days after seeds are sown; leaves can be picked earlier. Cut away outer leaves and leave the central bud intact so that the plant will continue to send out more leaves as the stem grows taller. To harvest the entire plant, cut it off at the stalk; the leaves at the top will be most succulent.

Corn, Sweet. Pick corn when the silks at the end of the ears turn brown and damp and the ears are full and firm. Kernels should be full, plump, and juicy. The top of the husk will be round and blunt, not pointed. Early varieties mature in about 75 days; late varieties mature in 85 to 95 days. Midsummer planted corn will require about 14 days extra to mature. To harvest corn, give the cob a sharp twist downward from the stalk.

Cowpeas. Cowpeas can be picked when they are young and succulent for use as green beans. To use cowpeas as green shell beans, pick them when they are nearly mature in size.

Cress. Land cress is ready for harvest as soon as 10 days after growth has started. Garden cress is ready for harvest as soon as the third leaf appears. Watercress is ready for harvest about 14 days after seed is sown. Use cress from the tips which is sweeter flavored.

Cucumber. Cut slicing cucumbers from the vine when they are 6 to 8 inches long and dark green; pickling cucumbers can be cut from the vine when they are 1½ to 3 inches long. Do not leave cucumber on the vine to turn yellow or orange. Cucumbers are usually ready for harvest about 60 days after sowing. Pick cucumbers regularly or the plant will stop producing.

Eggplant. Eggplant is ready to pick when the fruit is 3 to 6 inches long and very shiny, not dull. Dull fruit is overripe. Eggplant is usually harvested about 145 days after seeds have been sown, about 70 days after setting seedlings into the garden. Immature fruits are tender and can be eaten. Cut fruit from the plant with shears, the stems are tough. Sliced eggplant with brown seeds is passed its peak.

Endive, Escarole. Pick endive and escarole leaves or plants at any size. Leafy heads can be cut off at the base of the leaves or leaves can be harvested cut-and-come-again. Endive and escarole reach maturity about 90 days after seeds are sown. To blanch the leaves before harvest, gather the long outer leaves together over the crown the plant and hold them together with a rubber band.

Florence Fennel. The bulbous stem of Florence fennel is ready for harvest when it measures 2½ to 3 inches in diameter. Larger stems may be tough and stringy. Dig up the whole plant and cut off the roots and upper branches. The leaves of Florence fennel can be used for garnishes and flavorings when the plant is 18 inches tall.

Garlic. Garlic is ready for harvest 90 to 110 days after planting when the tops begin to yellow and droop. When leaves begin to yellow, stop watering and bend over the leaf tops to begin curing the bulb. Allow bulbs to dry in a shady place for several days until the skin becomes papery. Allow bulbs to completely dry then cut off the leaf stalks and trim the roots. Young garlic leaves can be trimmed like chives to use as a flavoring.

Globe Artichoke. Globe artichokes are ready for harvest the second year after planting. Harvest artichoke buds when they are plump but before the bracts open. Harvest the large central globe first; afterwards, side side-shoot globes can be picked. Buds are past harvest when the turn purple and the flowers become visible. Flower heads can be cut 5 to 6 inches down the stem.

Hamburg Parsley. Hamburg parsley is usually ready for harvest when roots are 6 to 8 inches long. Larger roots are better tasting than smaller roots. In cold winter regions, dig roots before the ground freezes. Leaf tops can be harvested during the growing season and used like leaf parsley; do not remove too many stems or the root will not develop.

Horseradish. Lift horseradish root after cool weather arrives in fall. Several frosts will enhance the flavor of horseradish. Lift the roots by hand after loosening the soil with a spading fork. Horseradish requires an average of 120 days to reach maturity.

Jerusalem Artichoke. Lift tubers after the foliage has died back in autumn or early winter. Loosen the soil with a garden fork then pull the tuber from the ground. Jerusalem artichokes require about 120 days to mature.

Kohlrabi. Harvest kohlrabi when the stems are about the size of a small apple, about 2 to 2½ inches across, about 8 weeks after sowing. Do not let the stems grow older they will become tough and stringy. Cut the stems at soil level about an inch below the bulb.

Leeks. Leeks are ready for harvest when stems are 1 inch in diameter about 16 to 18 weeks after sowing. Leek stems will be about 2½ inches around at full maturity. Lift leeks by hand or with a garden fork.

Lettuce. Crisphead, cos, and butterhead lettuce is ready for harvest when heads are firm 10 to 11 weeks after sowing; cut off the whole head at the root crown. Harvest loose-leaf lettuce leaf by leaf, cutting outer leaves when they are large enough to use about 6 to 7 weeks after sowing. Romaine lettuce will be ready for harvest about 11 to 12 weeks after sowing. All lettuce leaves are edible at any stage of growth.

Luffa. Pick luffa when the fruit is 4 to 5 inches long; longer fruits will be stringy. Luffa leaves can be picked for salads when young and tender. Blossoms can be picked for kitchen use at full size. Luffa fruit is ready for harvest about 120 days after sowing.

Malabar Spinach. Pick the leaves of Malabar spinach while still tender and young, after the plant has begun to branch. Older leaves will be tough. Malabar spinach requires about 70 days to reach maturity from sowing.

Melon. Cantaloupe is ready for harvest at the "slip" stage--when slight pressure at the point where the stem joins the melon causes the melon to slop off the vine. Casaba and honeydew melons are ripe when the skin turns yellow. Crenshaw and Persian melons are ready for harvest when they have a fruity scent. Watermelons are ripe when a rap on the fruit creates a dull sound.

Mustard. For best flavor, mustard leaves should be picked cut-and-come-again when leaves are 4 to 5 inches long or the entire plant can be harvested. Older leaves can be cooked. Mustard takes 30 to 50 days to reach maturity from sowing depending on variety.

New Zealand Spinach. Cut New Zealand spinach leaves for harvest when they are 3- to 4-inches long. New Zealand spinach can be harvested cut-and-come-again..

Okra. Okra is ready for harvest about 60 days after seeds are sown. Pick pods when they are 2 to 3 inches long and soft; harvest comes just about five days after the flowers fade. For a continuous harvest pick pods every three days and do not allow pods to mature on the plant.

Onion. Bulb onions depending upon variety are ready for harvest about 3 to 5 months after the seeds are sown or about three and a half months after sets or young plants have been set out. When leaves start to turn yellow, bend the stems to a nearly horizontal position to stop the growth of the bulb and allow it to ripen. Remove soil from around the top half of the bulb. When the leaves turn brown, lift the bulbs. Bunching or green onions or scallions can be harvested young as needed beginning just a few weeks after sowing. Scallions have the best flavor when harvested less than 10 inches long.

Parsnip. Spring planted parsnips are ready for harvest in early fall, about four months after seeds are sown. The flavor of parsnip roots is enhanced by a few hard frosts. Parsnips will be very flavorful if left in the ground all winter. Harvest parsnips left in the ground over the winter before new growth begins in spring.

Pea. Green pea pods should be picked when the pods are firm but still succulent, before they start to yellow or begin to shrivel. Green peas are usually ready for harvest about three weeks after flowering or 60 to 70 days after sowing. Edible-pod peas such as snow peas should be picked when they are still flat and the peas inside are barely discernible. It is best to cut pea pods from the plant with a small scissors or pruners rather than pull or jerk them away from the vine. Garden peas can be left on the vine to wither and turn brown then harvested, shelled, and dried for use as dry peas.

Peanuts. Lift peanuts when the foliage yellows and the pods have filled out and the pods' veins begin to darken. This is usually before the first frost in fall but could come after the first light frosts. Even after the foliage has died back, pods will continue to mature for several weeks Peanuts usually mature 110 to 120 days after planting.

Pepper. Sweet peppers and hot peppers are edible at all stages of growth--whether immature or full size, whether green or red. Peppers reach maturity at 60 to 20 days from the time starts have been set out in the garden. Hot peppers should be picked fully ripe for drying or pickling. Cut fruit from the plant rather than pull. All pods should be picked before the first frost.

Potato. Young potatoes--called new potatoes--can be harvested as early as 45 to 55 days after planting, usually about the time blossoms appear or a week or two later. Lift new potatoes as soon as they reach useable size. Early varieties are best for new potatoes. Late varieties--often used for storage--should be lifted about the time of the first autumn frost. Continue the harvest for two to three weeks after the tops have died back. Remove large tubers first allowing smaller ones time to grow. Lift potatoes in dry weather being careful not to bruise the skin.

Pumpkin. Harvest pumpkins when the leaves die and the fruit becomes a rich orange, about four months after sowing; the sheen of the skin will have faded. For storing, cut pumpkins from the vine at full maturity just before the first fall frosts. Cut pumpkins from the vine with a pruning shears, leaving about 3 inches of stem on the fruit; pumpkins decay quickly if the stems are broken rather than cut. After harvesting, set pumpkins in the sun for one to two weeks to harden the outer skin, then store them in a cool dry place.

Radish. Harvest radishes when the diameters of the roots reach the size listed for each variety, usually while still less than 1 inch in diameter or as soon as they are large enough to use. Pull up early- and mid-season varieties 25 to 30 days after sowing. Take up late or winter varieties 60 days after sowing. Take up radishes before they become tough and woody.

Rhubarb. Rhubarb is a perennial; it will be ready for harvest starting about two years after planting. Harvest leafstalks that 12 to 24 inches long and 1 inch or more in diameter. Harvest stalks before they become tough. Allow smaller stalks to continue to grow and build the plant's strength. To harvest leafstalks grasp each stalk near its base and give it a sideward twisting tug; the stalk will separate cleaning from the top of the roots. The harvest will continue for eight to ten weeks.

Rutabaga. Rutabagas are ready for harvest as soon as they are large enough to sue, about 90 days after seed sowing. Choose rutabagas about 3 to 5 inches long, but not longer than 5 to 7 inches. Rutabaga will be most flavorful after the first autumn frost but before the roots freeze. Grasp the top of the rutabaga and pull it up. Rutabaga is ready for harvest 85 to 90 days after sowing.

Salsify. Dig up salsify roots as soon as they are large enough to use, usually about 150 days after sowing. The flavor and texture of salsify roots is enhanced by freezes in autumn or winter. Lift salsify roots with a garden spade or fork.

Shallots. Harvest shallots to use as green onions at any stage of growth. For dry bulbs, harvest shallots when the tops have browned and withered, usually about 100 days after sowing.

Sorrel. Cut sorrel leaves at any time during the growing season; young and tender leaves are the most flavorful. Cut outer leaves as needed cut-and-come-again. Sorrel reaches maturity about 70 days after sowing.

Soybeans. Pick green shell soybeans to eat the shelled beans fresh when the seeds are just mature or nearly mature, from 70 to 100 days after sowing depending upon the variety. Pick green soybeans while the pods are plump and before they begin to wither. For storage as dry beans, pick the pods when they are dry but while the stems are still green.

Spinach. Harvest spinach leaves when they are 6 to 8 inches long, about six weeks after planting. For a long harvest, cut leaves cut-and-come-again starting with outer leaves and allowing inner leaves to keep developing. Continue the harvest until the seed stalk appears or until the weather turns very cold. Individual leaves or the entire plant is cut off at the soil surface.

Squash, Summer. Summer squash is ready for harvest when fruits are tender and easily punctured, usually about 50 days after sowing. Pick summer squash when the skin yields to thumb pressure. Zucchini is best when about 7 inches long and 1½ inches thick. Scalloped summer squash is ready for picking when the fruit is 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Pattypan is best when about 3 to 4 inches across. Crookneck and straightneck squash is best when about 4 inches long. For best flavor harvest summer squash at no more than 6 to 8 inches long.

Squash, Winter. Winter squash will be ready for harvest when the skin is extremely hard, about 80 to 115 days after planting depending upon variety. Delay the harvest of winter squash until just before the first hard frost. A light frost or two will change starch to sugar and enhance flavor. Cut winter squash from the vine leaving a 2- to 3-inch stem on the squash. Allow winter squash to cure in the sun for a week or more, then store in a cool, dry place over the winter.

Sweet Potato. Dig up sweet potatoes in late fall in frost-free regions about 90 to 100 days after planting. In cold regions, dig up tubers as soon as the tops of the plants are hit by the first fall frost. Don't allow sweet potatoes to stay in the ground much past the first frost; dying vines can spread rot to the tubers. Tubers can be harvested earlier in the season, but they gain most of their size in the last 30 days of growth. Lift sweet potatoes carefully with a garden fork or spade. Do not bruise the skin at harvest; damage can cause decay in storage. Dry sweet potatoes for two or three hours after lifting then spread them out on newspaper and allow them to dry in place where the temperature will remain about 80°F for 10 days to two weeks. Gradually reduce the temperature to 50° to 55° by ventilating the curing area.

Tomato. Tomatoes are ready for harvest when they have developed their full color; tomatoes ripen from the center of the fruit to the outside. Pick tomatoes by gently lifting each tomato until the stem snaps. Tomatoes do not develop their natural red color in temperatures greater than 86°F; in hot regions, pick tomatoes when they are still pink and allow them to ripen fully indoors.

Turnip. Turnips are ready for harvest when roots are 2 inches in diameter, usually about 40 days after sowing. Do not allow turnip roots to grow larger than 3 inches or they will become woody and lose flavor. Grasp the top of the turnip and pull it up at harvest.

See Harvest Category for more harvest information.

Grow 80 vegetables: THE KITCHEN GARDEN GROWERS' GUIDE

Succession Cropping

2010-05-15T16:00:00Z

Succession cropping will help you get the most out of your vegetable garden.

Here are two succession cropping strategies:

• Plant a portion of a specific crop a little bit at a time; for example, plant a row of beans today and a second row three weeks from now. This will allow for a staggered or succession of harvests.

• Plant a crop today and after harvesting the crop, plant a second crop in the same place for a second harvest. For example, plant beets in the cool spring and follow with a crop of peppers during the warm summer.

]]> When planning your succession cropping keep the following in mind:

• Days to maturity and date of expected harvest. Each plant requires so many days from sowing to reach harvest. The days to maturity for a crop and a succession crop must fit comfortably into your growing season--the total number of frost-free days or growing days for each crop. (Or you must plan to protect your crops from killing cold weather.) Be sure to plant warm-season crops so that they will come to harvest in warm weather.

• Nutrient requirements. Crops from the same family are best not planted in succession; they have the same nutrient requirements and will leave the soil lacking in specific nutrients if planted one after the other. Allow for crop rotation or be sure to work well-aged compost or manure into the soil before sowing the second crop. Crops from the same family also will be susceptible to the same pests and diseases.

Here are succession-cropping suggestions that might work in your region:

Crop coming out	Succession crops to follow
Artichoke, globe	Green bean, pea
Broad bean, fava bean	Brussels sprouts, late spring cabbage, corn, squash, kale, cardoon
Bush green or snap bean	Main lettuce, endive, summer and winter spinach, kohlrabi, parsley
Pole green or snap bean (longer cropping season than bush bean)	Cauliflower, autumn sown cabbage
Beet	Broad, bush or pole green or snap bean, kale, pepper, chicory
Broccoli	Celery, leek, maincrop potato, corn, kohlrabi, tomato, sunchoke
Brussels sprouts	Early and second early potatoes, beet, celery, leek, mint, shallot, sunchoke
Cabbage (spring harvest)	Radish, beet, kohlrabi, onion
Cabbage (autumn harvest)	Early potatoes, cucumber, radish, pepper, celeriac, chives, squash, sunflower
Carrot	Bush or pole beans, autumn harvest cabbage
Cauliflower	Pea, maincrop potato, summer spinach, rutabaga
Celeriac	Broad bean
Celery	Garlic, mint, onion, shallot, savory
Chicory	Broad bean, Brussels sprouts, carrot
Chives	Broad or green bean, spring harvest cabbage, endive, corn, lettuce
Corn (sweet)	Autumn harvest cabbage, pea, kohlrabi, lettuce, New Zealand spinach
Cucumber	Maincrop potato, onion, pea, autumn harvest cabbage, carrot
Garlic	Broad or green snap bean, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, autumn harvest cabbage
Kale	Broad bean, pepper, early potato, carrot, rhubarb, celeriac
Kohlrabi	Pea, summer and winter spinach, broad bean, autumn harvest cabbage
Leek	Tomato, green bush or pole bean, cucumber
Lentil	Corn, cauliflower, corn salad, endive, kohlrabi, onion, radish
Lettuce	Potato, celery , leek
New Zealand spinach	Maincrop potatoes, corn, autumn harvest cabbage, Brussels sprouts
Onion	Spring harvest cabbage
Parsnip	Kale, broad bean, pepper, rhubarb, sunflower
Pea	Brussels sprouts, celery, spring harvest cabbage, autumn harvest cabbage, carrot, turnip, tomato, autumn harvest cauliflower, cucumber, squash, autumn-sown onions, winter spinach, leek
Pepper	Lettuce onion, radish, winter spinach
Potato (early)	Spring harvest cabbage, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, tomato
Potato (second early)	Kale, cabbage, savoy, pea
Potato (maincrop)	Sprouting broccoli, spring harvest cabbage
Rutabaga	Broad bean
Spinach	Celery, second early potato, onion, tomato
Squash	Tomato, spinach, parsley, kohlrabi, chervil, cauliflower
Sunflower	Cabbage, winter squash
Tomato	Onion, green bean, radish, lettuce, pea, beet, autumn harvest cabbage,
Turnip	Pea, green bean

Related Articles:

Succession Planting

Planning Succession Crops

Grow 80 vegetables: THE KITCHEN GARDEN GROWERS' GUIDE

Hot Peppers for the Vegetable Garden

2010-05-07T16:00:00Z

Slice open a hot pepper and you will see tiny blisterlike sacs on the inner wall of the pepper. These sacs contain capsaicinoids or organic chemicals. Capsaicinoids make peppers hot.

The more sacs you see on the inside of a pepper the hotter the pepper will be. When a pepper is cut or handled roughly the sacs break and splash onto the pepper's seeds and inner walls. That's when you taste the hotness of a pepper.

The best known capsaicinoid is capsaicin. Capsaicin is so potent that the average person can detect its presence even when it is diluted in water to 10 parts per million.

The hotness or pungency of a pepper is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). American pharmacologist Wilbur Scoville invented this scale in 1912; it is basically a taste test. Scoville asked five people to taste diluted capsaicinoids from peppers; if the tasters could still taste the hotness of a pepper when 1 part of the pepper was diluted with say 10,000 parts water, then that pepper would be rated 10,000 on the SHU. A habañero pepper is rated up to 500,000 SHU.

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Here are hot peppers--also called chili peppers--you can grow in the garden:

Mildly Hot (from 100 to 2,500 SHU)

Anaheim. Mild to moderately hot. Long, tapered, pointed fruit; 7 to 8 inches long, 1 inch wide. Light green turning crimson red when ripe; medium to thick walled. Use for stuffing when red. Plant grows to 30 inches.

Ancho (called Poblano when picked green). Mildly pungent to hot (1,000-1,500 SHU). Large, conical fruit to 5 inches long, to nearly 4 inches wide; dark-green turning red when ripe. Use in chili rellenos. Plant grows to 36 inches tall.

Big Jim. Medium hot (500-1,000 SHU). Large to very large fruit to 9 inches long, 2 inches wide at should tapers to blunt end; medium-green turning red when ripe. Use fresh, dried or canned.

Hungarian Yellow Wax (also called Hungarian Long Wax). Very pungent. Slightly tapered fruit to 7 inches long, 1½ inches in diameter. Waxy yellow turning red at maturity; medium thick-walled. For canning and pickling. Upright plant to 24 inches. 62 days. Open pollinated.

Italian White Wax. Mild when young, very pungent at maturity. Tapered, point fruit to 3 inches long ½ inch in diameter; pale yellow turning red at maturity. Upright plant to 40 inches tall. Open pollinated.

Caloro. Pungent. Similar to Santa Fe Grande. Compact plant to 24 inches tall. Prolific fruit. Widely adapted and grows in difficult climates. Good for containers. Pickle or use as sandwich garnish or as an appetizer.

Mexi Belle. Mildly hot, pungent ribs (100-500 SHU). Bell pepper shape, medium sized 3 to 4 lobes; medium green turning red when ripe; thick walls. Compact plant 14 to 30 inches high. Will produce 10 to 20 pods. Widely adapted. All America Selection. Matures in 70 days. Stuff or add to stir-fries.

Mulatto. Pungent. Pods are 4 to 6 inches long, 3 inches wide tapering to a blunt end. Plant grows to 36 inches tall. Matures to dark chocolate brown. Set fruit best in cool temperatures.Stuff like ancho or used dry to make mole sauce.

New Mexico #6. Mildly hot and flavorful. Anaheim type. Tapered fruit to 6 inches long, 1½ inches in diameter; green turning red when ripe. Use for chili rellenos when green; popular for drying. Plant grows to 30 inches tall.

Medium Hot (from 2,500 to 5,000 SHU)

Ancho 101. Mildly pungent (1,000-1,500 SHU). Heart shaped, pointed, from 3 to 6 inches long, thin walled; dark green turning red at maturity. Grows best where weather is in the 70°sF. Tall plant may require staking. Use for chiles rellenos.

Cascabel. Moderately pungent, spicy flavor (1,500-2,500). Cherry-type, spherical, shiny fruit to 1 inch in diameter; dark green turning deep red at maturity; medium thin walls. Plant grows to 36 inches tall. Grows well in moderate climates. Pods rattle when dry. Grind dry pods into powder to flavor fish and shrimp.

Guajillo. Biting hot. Large, tapered fruit to 5½ inches long to 1 inch in diameter; turns translucent red when ripe; thin walled. Plant grows to 36 inches tall. Good for drying. 58 to 90 days to maturity. Has a fruity flavor; use in red enchilada sauce.

Hungarian Rainbow Wax. Semi-hot flavor. Blocky, thick-fleshed fruit with 3 to 4 lobes; light yellow to a rainbow of sunset colors to red when fully ripe. Use for relishes and salsas. 62 days to maturity.

Hungarian Wax. Medium hot. Pods are 6 to 8 inches long; bright red at maturity. Plant grows to 24 inches tall. 70 days to maturity.

NuMex Mirasol. (2,500-5,000 SHU). Pods are 3 to 4 inches long ½ to ¾ inches wide; grow to 24 inches tall with multiple stems and branches and clusters of fruit at the end of each branch. 90 days to maturity. Used in dry, red form as a chile powder.

Fiery Hot (from 5,000 to 500,000 SHU)

Aji. Very hot (5,000-15,000 SHU). Pods 3 to 5 inches long; orange-red at maturity. Use in sauces and stews.

Dr. Greenleaf Red Hot Tabasco. Very pungent (5,000-15,000 SHU). Heavy cropping, virus resistant. 120 days to maturity.

Fresno Grande. Very pungent. Improved Fresno type; small, conical fruit tapering to a point, to 3 inches long; medium green turning to bright red when ripe; medium thick walled. Plant grows to 24 inches tall.

Habañero. Hottest pepper (100,000-500,000 SHU). Square to heart-shaped fruit, often wrinkled, to 2½ inches long, 1 inch wide; light-green turning orange or red at maturity. Requires a long, hot, humid growing season. Use fresh in salsa or fermented to make hot sauce.

Jalapeño. Very pungent (5,000-15,000). Sausage-shaped fruit tapering to blunt end, about 3 inches long, 1½ inches in diameter; deep-green turning bright red when ripe; medium-thick walls. 75 days to maturity. Use as a spice and condiment, as an ingredient in salsa.

Large Red Thick (Charleston Cayenne). Spicy; hotter than Jalapeno. Pods are 5 to 10 inches long, ½ to 1 inch wide, crescent or irregular shape. Large Red Thick grown in West; Charleston Cayenne grow in the Southeast. Often ground into flakes for pizza.

Long Red Slim Cayenne. Very pungent. Long, slender fruit tapered to a point, to 7 inches long and ½ inch wide, often wrinkled; dark green ripening to bright red. Plant grows to 24 inches tall. High-yielding plant. 72 days to maturity.

Louisiana Hot. Very hot. Elongated, tapered fruit to 4 inches long; green turning red at maturity. Heirloom variety.

Peter Pepper. Very pungent. Fruit to 4 inches long, 1½ inches wide, named for its penis shape; turning red when ripe. Use for pickling when green; dries well. Plant grows to 24 inches tall; very prolific.

Pretty Purple Pepper. Extremely hot. Dark purple fruit turns red at maturity. Plant grows to 30 inches tall.

Scotch Bonnet. Very hot (100,000-500,000). Shaped like a tam-o'-shanter; pods mature to yellow, red, or orange. Plants grow to 40 or more inches tall. Requires warm to hot growing season. Late maturing.

Serrano. Very pungent (5,000-15,000 SHU). Slender, cylindrical fruit to 2 to 5 inches long, ½ inch in diameter, taper to blunt point; medium dark-green ripening to bright red; thin walls. Plant grows to 36 inches tall; highly productive. 80 days to maturity. Adapted to hot, humid climates. Use for salsa relish.

Super Cayenne. Fiery flavor (30,000-50,000). Slightly curved fruit to 4 inches long; red when ripe. Use fresh dried. Compact plant to 24 inches tall. Good container plant. All America Selection. 70 days to maturity.

Supper Chili. Very hot. Small, elongated, cylindrical fruit to 2½ inches long, ½ inch wide; pale-green turning red when ripe. Harvest from green to red stages. Upright plant. All American selection. 70 days to maturity.

Tabasco. Extremely hot (5,000-15,000). Small, slender pods 1 to 2 inches long, ¼ inch wide; yellow-green turning scarlet when ripe. Easy to grow; grow in containers. Used to make the Louisiana hot sauce.

Thai Hot. Extremely pungent. Small, cone-shaped fruit 1 to 2½ inches long; very prolific. Compact plant. Reaches maturity in 40 days. Grows well in containers. Use pods in Asian dishes.

Tiny Samoa. Very hot. Very small fruit, ⅛ inch thick and ½ inch long; green turning to red when ripe. Prolific producer. Can be grown in the house.

Takanotsume Japanese. Sharply pungent. Pods to 2½ inches long, ¼ inch wide. Grow in most areas. 90 days to maturity. Dried used in Asian soups.

Related Articles:

Pepper Varieties: Best Bet Easy to Grow

How to Grow Hot Peppers

2010-05-03T16:00:00Z

Hot peppers are distinguished from sweet peppers simply by their pungency or hotness of flavor. There are thousands of hot pepper varieties in the world. (This is the case because peppers easily cross pollinate to produce new kinds.)

The hotness of a pepper is determined by number of blisterlike sacs of capsaicinoids on the interior wall of the pepper. Capsaicinoids are organic chemicals. The more sacs of capsaicinoids the hotter the pepper.

Hot peppers go by several names. Most commonly hot peppers are called chili peppers in the United States. 'Chile' is Spanish for pepper. In Mexico chile dulce is a sweet pepper, chile jalapeño is a jalapeño pepper. When the name chile first came to the United States it was used to mean different kinds of peppers in different parts of the country. In time, the spelling "chile" was eventually corrupted to "chili" and the term came to be commonly used to describe any pepper that was hot flavored.

Here's how to get growing hot peppers:

]]> Description. Hot peppers are tender perennials that are grown as annuals. Peppers grow on compact erect bushes usually 1½ to 2 feet tall, but they can grow taller. The fruit follows a single flower growing in the angle between the leaf and the stem. Hot peppers--also called chili peppers--vary in shape and color and include the bell-shaped pepper, the heart-shaped pimiento, the short and long podded yellow wax, the conical-shaped jalapeño, and the cayenne. Because peppers easily cross-pollinate there are thousands of different hot peppers. Hot peppers vary in hotness or pungency. The hotness of a pepper is determined by the number of blisterlike sacs of capsaicinoids (organic chemicals) on the interior wall of the pepper. The more sacs the greater the hotness of the pepper.

Yield. Plant 5 to 6 hot pepper plants per household member. Determine how you plan to use the hot peppers and plant varieties according to the hotness of the pepper desired. A single serrano pepper plant will produce 50 fruits.

Site. Grow peppers in full sun (at least 6 hours per day) in soil that is rich in organic matter, moisture retentive but well draining. Peppers prefer a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8. If the pH is below 6.0 add limestone to the soil; if the pH is above 8.0 add peat moss to lower the pH. A safe bet is to always work aged garden compost into beds prior to planting. The optimal soil temperature for peppers is 65°F or warmer. Choose a site protected from wind. Avoid planting in beds where other members of the Solanaceae family (peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, and potatoes) have recently grown. Some peppers such as Jalapeño, cayenne, and mirasol prefer arid regions; others such as habanero, Scotch bonnet and datil prefer humid regions.

Planting time. Hot peppers grow best in daytime air temperatures 65° to 80°F and night temperatures above 55°F (nighttime temperatures between 60° and 70° are best). Peppers are most easily grown from transplants. Start seed indoors 7 to 10 weeks before the date you intend to set peppers into the garden. Peppers can be seeded in the garden or transplanted out 2 to 3 weeks after the last frost in spring after the soil temperature has risen to at least 65°F. In temperatures greater than 85°F, peppers may drop their blossoms although set fruit will ripen. The ideal temperature for hot peppers is a daytime temperature around 75°F and a nighttime temperature around 62°F. Generally, you can set out peppers at the same time you set tomatoes or basil into the garden.

Planting and spacing. Sow hot pepper seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep, 18 to 24 inches apart depending upon the variety. Space rows 24 to 36 inches apart. Sow three seeds to each spot and thin to the two most successful seedlings. Peppers can be transplanted into the garden when they are 4 to 6 inches tall.

Water and feeding. Keep peppers evenly moist but not wet particularly when blossoms appear and fruit begin to form. Soil that goes too dry can result in flower drop. Keep the soil evenly moist just after transplanting peppers to the garden; avoid under or over watering peppers early on. Add aged compost to planting beds before planting and again at midseason.

Once hot pepper plants are established you can vary the watering. Hot peppers that are deprived of water and become slightly stressed will produce more pungent fruit.

Companion plants. Beets, garlic, onions, parsnips, radishes.

Care. Keep planting beds well weeded to avoid competition. Peppers are shallow-rooted, so cultivate around peppers with care. Mulch to keep soil temperature and moisture even.

Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers which will create large leafy plants with few or no fruits. High temperatures and wind can cause flowers to drop and plants not to set fruit.

Plastic mulch can improve pepper yields. Organic compost mulches will reduce weeding and watering, but not fruit yields.

Hot peppers can put out shoots that become leggy. Cut these shoots back to keep the plant compact.

Peppers are pollinated by bees. Peppers will begin to flower almost as soon as the plant forms branches.

Container growing. Peppers can be grown in a large container. An 8-inch pot will accommodate a single plant. In larger containers, set plants on 12 inch centers. Peppers can be grown indoors. Peppers started indoors before the last frost in spring will get a head start on the season. Extend the season in the fall by moving plants indoors if frost threatens or if temperatures warm to greater than 90°F. Bring outdoor started peppers inside for a few hours a day at first until they get used to the lower light available indoors.

Pests. Peppers can be attacked by aphids, cutworms, flea beetles, and hornworms. Discourage cutworms by placing a collar around each transplant at the time of planting; hand pick hornworms off of plants. Flea beetles and aphids can be partially controlled by hosing them off the plants and pinching out infested foliage.

Diseases. Peppers are susceptible to rot, blossom end rot, anthracnose, tobacco mosaic virus, bacterial spot, and mildew. Plant disease-resistant varieties. Keep the garden clean and free of weeds where pests and diseases can shelter. Remove infected plants before disease can spread. If you smoke, wash your hands before working with the plants to avoid spreading tobacco mosaic virus.

Harvest. Hot peppers are ready for harvest in 60 to 95 days after sowing depending upon the variety. Most hot peppers mature from green to red as the seeds inside mature. Green hot peppers are not ripe, although some people prefer the flavor of green hot peppers. Red peppers are ripe and have a fruitier flavor. The hottest chili peppers are usually orange colored. Cut the peppers off the vine. Pulling a pepper away from the plant may cause the plant to come out of the soil. To prolong the harvest, cut peppers from the plant regularly; a hot pepper harvest can last from one to three months.

Harvest safety. Hot peppers contain organic chemicals called capsaicinoids which can burn the skin and eyes. Wear rubber gloves when harvesting hot peppers and be careful not to rub your eyes. The best antidote for burning skin to to rub them with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol.

Varieties. See the article Hot Peppers for the Vegetable Garden.

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Hot Peppers for the Vegetable Garden

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Grow 80 vegetables: THE KITCHEN GARDEN GROWERS' GUIDE

Chinese Vegetables: Warm-Season Varieties

2010-04-16T16:00:00Z

Chinese vegetables, sometimes called Oriental vegetables, favored in Chinese and Asian cooking are easy to grow. They are tasty, vigorous, and highly adaptable. Most are fast growing and suitable for small gardens and containers.

Chinese vegetables can generally be broken into three groups: those easy to grow in temperate regions with cool and cold winters, those that require higher temperatures and long-growing seasons--sub-tropical plants, and, finally, a small group of water vegetables, tubers, and herbs.

Like other vegetable crops, Chinese vegetables can be divided into warm-season and cool-season growing crops. Here are common warm-season Chinese vegetables. For cool-season varieties see the article: Chinese Vegetables: Cool-Season Varieties

Warm-season Chinese vegetables:

Vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus for seed/ Amaranthus tricolor for leaf). Amaranthus tricolor also known as Chinese spinach, edible amaranth, hiyu, and callaloo. Cook greens like spinach. Sow in spring; can be grown in summer. Sensitive to frost; germinates best in warm soil. Sow ¼ inch, row 18 inches apart. Greens ready in 50 days; 100 days for seed. Try varieties: Red Stripe Leaf, Tender Leaf, All Red.

Arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia). Also called Chinese arrowhead, swamp potato, and kuwai. The tubers of arrowhead are eaten; bitter when raw but full-flavored like a nutty sweet potato when cooked. Roast, or boil like a potato. Best grown in boggy soil set about 3 to 6 inches below the surface of the water; leave room for root to grow. Harvest tubers all season long. Store for winter in water garden that will not freeze.

Adzuki bean (Vigna angularis). Also know as aduki bean or red beans and in Japan as azuki. A sweeter flavor than most beans. Young beans can be served like snow peas after brief cooking. Puree after simmering dry beans. Cook dried beans like navy beans--just simmer about 40 minutes until tender. Sow ½ inch deep; sow 2 to 3 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart; no need to thin. For green beans harvest when beans just begin to show in pod; for dried beans allow to mature, about 120 days.

Go to the next page for more Warm-Season Chinese vegetables:

]]> Mung bean (Vigna radiae). Also called Chinese green bean and known in India as green gram or golden gram. Not commonly grown in home gardens; mung beans are easy to sprout and often used for sprouting. Young pods can be eaten like snow peas; shelled beans can be boiled. Sow when danger of frost is past. Sow ½ inch deep and 6 to 8 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart. Grow on pole, fence, or trellis. Harvest immature pods to eat in pods after 90 days; for dried beans, let bean pods dry on plant and harvest at 120 days. Varieties: look for green or golden. For sprouting see article "Vegetable Seeds for Sprouting."

Yard-long bean (Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedalis). Also called asparagus bean and Chinese long bean, Green beans can be boiled briefly and served; also use in stir-fry. Beans can also be dried. Plant when soil has warmed in spring and no danger of frost. Sow seed ½ inch deep, allow 4 inches between plants. Grow on poles or on teepees. Best harvested when immature when bean has barely swollen in pod. For dry beans harvest about 90 days after sowing. Try varieties: 3-Feet Plus, Chinese Red Noodle Beans, Canton White Pod.

Water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis). Water chestnuts are not nuts but edible roots grown in rich very wet soil; the "chestnuts" form in the mud at the base of stems and are about the size of a walnut. Used for their nutty flavor and crispness. Eat raw or cooked, added at the end of cooking. Slice thin for salads, stir-fry, or add to soup. Grow in soil immersed about three inches below water level. Water chestnuts mature in about six months but can be gathered sooner. Store roots out of water in cool, moist place where they won't freeze.

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum). Fresh leaves tender and young will add zest to salads also can be minced and sprinkled. Use cilantro at the end of cooking cycle in stews or soups. The seed--called coriander--has a spicy citrus-orange flavor; use to flavor breads, puddings, and pastries. Sow seed from early spring through late summer. Barely cover seeds with soil; thin to 6 inches apart; sow successively for fresh cuttings. Leaves are ready for harvest in 50 days, seeds in 90 to 100 or more days. Try varieties: Asia Choice, Glory TW, Slow Bolt Winner.

Asian cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Also called Chinese cucumber or long cucumber; burpless cucumbers. Served sliced and marinated, stuffed, sautéed or cooked with other vegetables and meats. Sow when ground is warm in spring. Sow seed ½ inch deep, thin to 12 inches apart. Grow on trellis or fence. Harvest frequently, daily is best. Harvest 60 days after sowing. Try varieties: Hybrid Crisp Winner, Hybrid Malai, Hybrid White Star.

Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva). Flower buds are eaten fresh and dried, sometimes served as "golden needles." Buds are cut into lengths to serve with meat and vegetables; stir-fry or cook tempura-style. Daylilies grow from fleshy tuberous roots. To plant, set fleshy roots just below soil level, dig in compost and water well. Harvest buds when they are plump but before they open. Fleshy roots and young leaves can also be eaten. Varieties: look for Hemerocallis fulva and Lilium lancifolium.

Chinese eggplant (Solanum melongena). Also called aubergine. Asian eggplant is not bitter and does not need peeling. Serve fried, baked, or roasted or stuffed and roasted; also can be pickled. Eggplants require a long, warm season; usually started indoors a month before setting out; do not set out until the weather is warm and settled at least two weeks after the last frost. Sow ½ inch deep. Requires side-dress feeding and regular, deep watering during the season. Ready for harvest 60 to 75 days after transplanting into the garden; best picked immature when skin is glossy and smooth. Try varieties: Ping Tung, Hybrid Purple Excel, Ma-Zu Purple.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale). Grown as a spice: use ginger root with main dishes and desserts, salad or stews. Ginger adds zest to many meat dishes; it eliminates fishy odors or seafood. Best started from root indoors and planted outdoors in late spring when all danger of frost has passed. Start new planting from a clean root cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces with at least one "eye" per section. Plant 2 inches deep in a 6-inch pot. Plant will develop numerous reedy shoots. Harvest shoots anytime after plant is 3 inches high. Harvest immature, rosy-pink roots as "green ginger" in three to four months. Mature roots can be dug up after the plan has died back.

Fuzzy gourd (Benincasa hispida var. chieh-gua). Outside coat is fuzzy like a peach and must be removed. Also called hairy melon, hairy gourd, and hairy cucumber. Eaten like a vegetable rather than a fruit; use in the same ways as yellow summer squash and zucchini for soup, bread, casseroles, and stir-frying. Sow seed 1 inch deep, 2 inches apart next to a pole or trellis; must be staked so fruits hang. Harvest in 75 to 80 days. Try varieties: Severn Star Long, Chiang Shin Joker, Fuzzy Star RF1 Hybrid.

Chinese lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). Also called Chinese lotus or sacred lotus, different from Egyptian lotus (Nymphaea lotus) or water lily. All parts of Chinese lotus are edible raw or cooked. Add leaves to salad, add petals to cold soup or use as salad garnish; add sliced roots to other vegetables raw or dip in batter and fry as tempura. Grow from rhizome in full sun; set rhizome in horizontal position sprouts will point upward at a slight angle. A single plant requires a 25 gallon container and will grow to fill space. Set root in pot with from 6 to 10 inches of warm water above the soil line. Once planted keep in warm, not cold, water. Growing season from late spring to early autumn. Buds, flowers, and seedpods all come to harvest at the same time. Root can grow to 4 feet and can be harvested in segments; break apart roots to store in winter. Store in winter where roots will not freeze.

Luffa (Luffa acutangula, L. cylindrical). The leaves and flower buds are edible when young; the fruit is edible when immature. Prepare the fruit like zucchini: simmer, stir-fry, stuff. Sow after the soil warms in spring; luffa requires a long, warm season of 115 days from sowing to harvest. Sow 1 inch deep; sow two or three seeds every 3 feet and thin to the strongest plant. Side-dress with an all-purpose fertilizer every three weeks and keep well watered. Ready for picking when gourds are 4 to 6 inches long. Try varieties: L. acutangula: Summer Long, Hybrid Green Glory; for L. cylindrical: Hybrid Summer Cross, Hybrid Smooth Beauty, Southern Winner.

Biller melon (Momordica charantia). Also called bitter gourd, balsam pear, and kerala. This is a fruit eaten as a vegetable. Young leaves can be steamed as greens. Stir-fry or stuff and cook. Sow when danger of frost is past and soil has warmed. Grows best on a fence or trellis. Sow seed 1 inch deep, 6 to 8 inches apart. Side-dress with fish emulsion every three weeks and keep well watered. Pick when fruits are no longer than 6 inches otherwise the flavor will be bitter. Try varieties: Taiwan Large, Hong Kong Green, Hybrid White Pearl.

Pickling melon (Cucumis melon Conomon Group). Use any standard pickle recipe to make sweet or sour pickle, will be ready in a week refrigerated or three months in salt, vinegar, and sugar with chilis. Sow when danger of frost is past. Sow ½ inch deep, 4 inches apart and thin to 8 inches apart. Spreading vine can be grown on trellis. Harvest in 65 days. Try varieties: Green Striped, Shimauri Stripe, Numame Early.

Sweet melon (Cucumis melo). Similar to but better tasting than honeydews and cantaloupes. Use in desserts and fruit salads; very sweet and fragrant. All melons require long, very warm growing season. Sow when soil has warmed in spring; sow in hills of rich soil; four seeds per hills, hills spaced 4 feet apart. Support fruits off ground if possible. Harvest 115 to 130 days from sowing. Try these varieties: Hybrid Gold Sweet, Hybrid Jade King, Hybrid Golden Liner.

Winter melon (Benincasa hispida). Also called white or wax gourd. Use in stir-fried or in seafood curries and often pickled and prepared like pickled watermelon rind. A large oblong or round melon requiring a long, very warm growing season of about 150 days. Sow seed 1 inch deep and 10 inches apart. Try varieties: Hybrid Wonder Wax, Round Tong Gwa, Hybrid Small Round.

Hot pepper (Capsicum frutescens). Hot peppers unlike sweet peppers are not eaten as a vegetable rather they are added to cookery as a seasoning or herb. Grow in the warm season; peppers will not tolerate frost. Sow seeds ½ inch deep in a shallow container to grow on for transplanting out to garden. Sturdy seedlings can go to the garden after weather and soil has warmed. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart. Peppers can be harvested at almost any stage; color indicated the age of a pepper--green or yellow is early, orange is maturing, red is mature. Allow 65 to 85 days from transplanting for harvest. Try varieties: Chi-Chien, Hybrid Golden Hot, Goat Horn.

Chinese pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima, C. moschata). Also called Oriental pumpkin, Oriental squash, Asian squash, kabotcha. Like winter squash use Chinese pumpkin in soups, pies, pureed, baked or fried. Start indoors 4 weeks before soil warms or sow in place in long, warm growing season regions. Grow in hills near trellis or support. Sow 1 inch deep, three to four feet apart. Require constant moisture. Harvest in 130 days. Try varieties: Asian Gold, Hybrid Papaya Golden, Hybrid Sunday Sweet.

Sesame (Sesamium indicum). Grow sesame for seed to be used as a snack, as a garnish, add to stir-fry dishes or press into crust of pies. Seeds can be toasted in oil to add flavor. Sow plants in spring after soil has warmed; requires a long growing season of 90 to 150 days. Sow seed ½ inch deep and 1 inch apart; thin plants to 3 feet apart. Seedpods burst when ripe, but no all pods burst as the same time. Harvest before leaves and stems start to turn color; begin harvest when bottom seeds begin to turn tan: cut the whole plants and hang upside down in a paper bag. Try varieties: Black Seed, White Seed.

Soybean (Glycine max). Eat as a green vegetable, the Japanese name is edamame, or as a dry bean. A source of soy milk and cheese. Soy sauce is made from fermented soybeans. Green soybeans can be cook in their pods until tender for edamame; shelled green soybeans have a mild, nutty flavor. Soybean sprouts can be used as a fresh vegetable in winter. Sow after the soil has warmed in spring. Sow 1½ inches deep, 5 inches apart, in rows 24 inches apart. Harvest 75 days after sowing for green beans, 115 days after sowing for dry beans. Try varieties: Taiwame, Green Legend, Late Giant Black Seeded.

Violet-stemmed taro (Colocasia esculenta 'Fontanesii'). Also called black taro and black elephant ear. Violet-stemmed taro is grown mostly for its foliage in Western countries; in Asia plant is grown for its root. Use taro in any potato recipe usually baked; also peel, slice and cook until tender and serve with dressing. Grow in pot of soil immersed in water to about 4 inches from soil to water level; space roots in pot evenly. Foliage will die back in fall, harvest roots then. Store roots in winter at 32°F in cool, moist place; do not let the roots dry out. Other varieties: green taro (Colocasia esculenta) also called dasheen.

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale). Use watercress in sandwiches, cream cheese, yogurt; use as a garnish for hot or cold soup; add sprigs to mixed green salad; use in stir-fry or in tempura. Start seed in early spring for best results. Requires wet feet--cool water. Grow from seeds or sprigs; root springs in fresh water. Just cover seeds with moist soil. Must stay moist through growing cycle; grow in shade. Harvest whenever you like but before flowering; grows to maturity from seed in about 60 days; harvest as early as 10 days.

Chinese Vegetables: Cool-Season Varieties

Grow 80 vegetables: THE KITCHEN GARDEN GROWERS' GUIDE

Chinese Vegetables: Cool-Season Varieties

2010-04-12T16:00:00Z

Like other vegetable crops, Chinese vegetables can be divided into warm-season and cool-season growing crops. Here are common cool-season Chinese vegetables. For warm-season varieties see the related article: Chinese Vegetables: Warm-Season Varieties

Cool-season Chinese vegetables:

Fava bean (Vicia faba). Also called broad bean. Young pods can be cooked as you would snow peas; young beans can be shelled and cooked; older beans can be shelled and cooked to make a puree or soup; dried beans can be cooked like navy beans. Sow in spring as soon as the soil can be worked; in warm-winter regions sow in fall for a spring crop. Sow 1 inch deep, 4 to 6 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart. For edible pods harvest as soon as pods begin to show outline of bean; for shelled beans allow beans to plump up; for dried beans harvest 65 to 90 days after sowing. Try varieties: Aquadulce, Broad Windsor, Precoce Violetto.

Chinese broccoli (Brassica oleracea Albogloabra Group). Also called white flowering broccoli. Traditional style cut the broccoli into 2-inch pieces and stir-fry for 1 minute. Also stir-fry or steam; leaves can be used in salad. Sow in early spring for late-spring crop. Sow ½ inch deep and 1 inch apart in rows 12 inches apart. Harvest 70 to 80 days after sowing. Try varieties: Thick Stem Winner, Blue Star, Hybrid Blue Wonder.

]]> Burdock (Arctium lappa). Also known as gobo, the Japanese name. Young leaves and stem can be eaten like spinach and asparagus, but the long, slender root is best known. Eat roots young and peeled like a radish; mature root is peeled and soaked in salted water and parboiled. Plant in early spring for fall crop or winter over for early spring crop. Soak seed and then plant ½ to 1 inch deep, 6 inches apart, in rows 20 inches apart. Harvest in as little as 45 days, but can stay in ground longer until roots are 2 to 3 feet long. Varieties: Grow only A. lappa; try Takinogawa Long, Watanabe.

Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa Pekinensis Group). Also called napa cabbage, hakusai, Tianjin cabbage, Michihili, and Chinese celery cabbage. Use in salads or stir-fry as you would ordinary cabbage. Plant mid-summer for fall crop; in spring plant bolt-resistant variety. Sow ½ inch deep, in inch between plants, thin to 18 inches apart in rows 18 to 30 inches apart. Harvest before heavy frost; ready for harvest 70 to 80 days after sowing. Try varieties: Hybrid Super, Hybrid Hwa King WR60, Michihili.

Garland chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium). Also called shungiku or edible chrysanthemum, also called crown daisy. Eat raw with salad greens, but commonly cooked very briefly like spinach or last minute in stir-fry. Sow in early spring and successively until early summer. Sow ¼ inch deep, 2 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart. Harvest in 25 to 60 days. Try varieties: Small Leaf, Round Leaf, Tiger Ear.

Garlic (Allium sativum). Sharper flavor than elephant garlic. For cooking, peel whole cloves before using; crush and remove from dish before serving; cook lightly in a bit of oil to distribute flavor to other ingredients. Garlic cloves are planted in late fall or in early spring; plant larger cloves for best results. Separate garlic bulbs into individual cloves and plant ½ inch deep, 6 inches apart in rows 8 inches apart. Grows best in cool temperatures where days are long. Cloves mature in 6 to 8 months; harvest when the tops turn brown and dry; allow bulbs to dry in the sun or a day or two after harvest.

Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum). Differs from common chives with garlic instead of onion flavor; flowers are white instead of lavender. Use as you would common chives: mince for salads, sprinkle as a garnish, or add to cooked dishes for zesty flavor. Bulbs can be eaten like garlic or shallots. Grow indoors as a potherb. Or grow outside as a permanent clump. Usually started from transplants set 12 inches apart in rows 20 inches apart. Dig and divide clumps to start new colony. Harvest leaves when they are about 6 inches long from 25 to 60 or more days after starting; cut shoots to within 2 inches of the ground. Don't let the flowers go to seed

Elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum). Elephant garlic is milder flavor than common garlic; it is a bigger version of ordinary garlic. For cooking, peel whole cloves before using; crush and remove from dish before serving; cook lightly in a bit of oil to distribute flavor to other ingredients. Garlic cloves are planted in late fall or in early spring; plant larger cloves for best results. Separate garlic bulbs into individual cloves and plant ½ inch deep, 6 inches apart in rows 8 inches apart. Grows best in cool temperatures where days are long. Cloves mature in 6 to 8 months; harvest when the tops turn brown and dry; allow bulbs to dry in the sun or a day or two after harvest.

Flowering kale (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group). Often sold as ornamental kale or ornamental cabbage. Use like other kale or cabbage; shred, boil, bake, or stuff. Sow ½ inch deep 8 inches apart in rows 16 inches apart. Grow like common cabbage. Harvest when heads are loosely formed as early as 55 days.

Mitsuba (Cryptotaenia canadensis ssp. japonica). Often called Japanese parsley. Use leaves as you would Italian parsley in mixed green salads, simmer in broth, stir-dry, or mince and add to cooked vegetables. Sow as early as the ground can be worked in spring; can be grown in a pot indoors in winter. Sow seed ½ inch deep, 2 inches apart and thin to 4 inches apart. Sow successively every three weeks for continuous harvest. Leaves are ready for harvest in 60 to 90 days.

Mizuna (Brassica napa nipposinica). Also called Chinese potherb mustard or Japanese salad green. Steam or stir-fry at the last minute or use in mixed green or tossed salad. Grow from early spring until hard frost; does not go to seed in hot weather. Sow 2 inches apart at ½ inch deep in rows 18 inches apart. Harvest from seed in 35 to 40 days.

Chinese mustard (Brassica juncea). Chinese mustard greens among most delicious greens; comes in many forms; use in salads or cook like spinach. Sow in early spring and again in last summer until first frost; flavor is peppery in summer. Sow seeds ¾ inches deep in rows 12 inches apart. Harvest from seed in 35 to 50 days. Try varieties: Bau-Sin, San-Ho Giant, Red Giant.

Bunching onions (Allium fistulosum). Also called Japanese leek, nebuka, scallion, spring onion, multiplier onion, green onion, and Welsh onion. Use bunching onions as you would scallions--as garnish, in stir-fry, and they are mild enough to eat raw. Braise after cutting in half vertically. Sow seed in early spring for summer use and in mid-summer for fall or early spring use. Sow ½ inch deep and 2 inches apart. Ready for harvest in about 65 days. Try varieties: Evergreen, Red Beard, Four Season.

Pak choy (Brassica rapa Chinensis Group). Cook Pak choy leaves like spinach; cook stems or ribs like asparagus. Use in stir-fry and soups. Sow in early spring or later summer; extend fall crop by harvesting outer leaves. Can be harvested whole very small. Sow seed ¼ inch deep about 2 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart; thin to about 6 inches apart. Grow quickly with even, regular watering. Ready for harvest in about 45 days, or clop outside leaves earlier. Try varieties: Long White Petiole, Short White Petiole, Canton Choice.

Asparagus pea (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus). The whole plant is edible: leaves, shoots, flowers, and roots. Stir-fry pods or add to soups ands stews. Add shoots, leaves and flowers to soups and curries. This plant is not frost tender; sow in garden a couple of weeks before the last frost--start early. Sow seed ½ inch deep, 6 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart. Sow fall crop in mid- to late-summer. Harvest in 50 days.

Snow pea (Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon). Also called edible-podded peas. Use in soups, meat dishes, stir-fry dishes and sukiyaki. Combines well with fish and other vegetables; just remove ends and cook quickly. Sow in spring as soon as the soil can be worked as much as six weeks before the last frost. Sow for fall crop in late summer. Sow in a 6-inch-deep trench; cover first few inches of stem as they grow to fill in trench. Sow ½ inch deep and thin to 2 inches apart. Grow on supports--vines can reach 5 feet tall or more. Try varieties: Mammoth Melting, Sugar, Oregon Sugar Pod II, Premium.

Chinese radish (Raphanus sativus). Can be eaten raw, grated and served with Asian sesame oil or soy sauce. Cook in stir-fry and also can be pickled. Greens can be served young or steamed. Sow seed in spring, summer, or fall; sow ½ inch deep and 2 inches apart; thin in stages and eat thinnings. Time of harvest depends on if you grow for leave or roots; roots ready for harvest in 60 to 80 days. Try varieties: Ta-Mei-Hwa, Tsin-tao Green, Nam Pan.

Chinese Vegetables: Warm-Season Varieties

Grow 80 Vegetables: THE KITCHEN GARDEN GROWERS' GUIDE

Seed Sprouts for Eating

2010-04-08T16:00:00Z

Sprouts are the young shoots from the germinated seeds of vegetables, beans, and grains. Many seeds can be sprouted for eating. Mung beans and alfalfa are the most common seeds for sprouts.

Other common seeds for sprouts include adzuki, cabbage, chives, red clover, fenugreek, garbanzo, lentil, mustard, peas, radish, and black sunflower.

Some sprouts are eaten fresh and raw, others including all grain and starchy bean sprouts should be cooked before eating. Sprouts are a source of vitamins B and C, iron, fiber, folic acid, and phytonutrients.

Sprouting seeds requires no special equipment. You can buy a seed sprouter but you can also sprout seeds in a bamboo basket or a colander covered with a plastic bag or a wide-mouthed quart jar covered with cheesecloth or linen and secured with a rubber band. For a quart-sized jar you will need about 1½ tablespoon seeds.

Seeds sold for eating in a grocery store or health food store can be used for sprouting. Seeds that you have collected from plants can be used for sprouting, but the best practice is to use sanitized, uncontaminated seeds to avoid potential bacterial contamination. Do not use seeds sold for planting; those seeds may have been treated with chemicals.

]]> Steps for Sprouting Seeds. Good drainage and aeration are important for seed sprouting. It is important to keep in mind that the temperature and humidity needed to sprout seeds can also lead to the growth of pathogens--so always work with sterile seed sprouters or jars.

The steps for sprouting seeds are simple:

• Fill a jar part way with warm water--enough to swish and clean the seeds (use about 1½ tablespoons seeds for a quart jar); clean the seed and then pour away the water.

• Fill the jar with 3 times the water needed to cover the seeds and then let the seeds soak water overnight--that is 8 to 12 hours.

• Drain away the water and remove any chaff from the seeds.

• Wash the sprouting jar, colander, or basket with boiling water--sterilize the sprouter.

• Spread the soaked seeds evenly in a single layer in the sprouting jar, colander, or basket--don't try to sprout too many seeds at once. Let the seeds sit for 3 to 4 hours.

• Place the jar in a cool spot indoors with plenty of air circulation and away from direct light. The ideal sprouting temperature is about 70 degrees F.

• Re-rinse the seeds with cool water and drain twice a day. Keep the seeds damp but not wet. Be sure to spread the seed out after each rinsing. Drainage is important to avoid mold and rot.

• The seeds are ready for "harvest" when the hulls or seed covers drop or float away during rinsing; harvest usually comes in about three days. Grain sprouts will be about the length of the grain itself. Mung bean sprouts will be about 2 inches long other bean sprouts will be up to 1 inch long.

• Rinse the seed a final time in fresh water to remove any remaining seeds hulls. (Some seed covers can be eaten with the sprouts, but others such as sunflowers will be too tough--so remove them before eating.)

• Take the sprouts from the sprouting container and place them in indirect sunlight to that they will begin to green with chlorophyll and carotene

• Sprouts are ready to eat or refrigerate. Store sprouts in a clean, perforated container that allows for air circulation or loosely pack in a plastic bag. Sprouts will keep for about 3 to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Seeds for Sprouting. Here are some seeds commonly sprouted for eating:

• Adzuki (Vigna angularis): sprouts 3-5 days; the bean and root are mild flavored.

• Alfalfa (Medicago sativa): sprouts 5-7 days; the leaves are mild flavored.

• Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum): sprouts 1-2 days; leaves are mild flavored.

• Cabbage (Brasscia oleracea, Capitata group): sprouts in 3-5 days; cabbage flavor.

• Chives (Allium schoenoprasum): sprouts 10-14 days; shoots and roots are onion flavor.

• Clover (Trifolim pratense, T. incarntum): sprouts in 4-6 days; tangy flavor.

• Cress (Lepidium sativum): sprouts 3-4 days; leaves have tangy flavor.

• Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum): sprouts 6-8 days; leaves are bitter flavored.

• Garbanzo (Cicer arietinum): sprouts 2-4 days; bean and root are hardy eating.

• Kale (Brassica oleracea, Acephala group): sprouts 2-5 days; leaves have strong flavor.

• Lentil (Lens culinaris): sprouts3-5 days; bean and root are hardy eating.

• Mung (Vigna radiata): sprouts 3-5 days; bean and root are mild flavored.

• Mustard (Brassica nigra): sprouts 3-5 days; leaves are peppery flavored.

• Peas (Pisum sativum): sprouts 5-7 days; bean and roots are mild flavored.

• Radish (Raphanus sativus): sprouts 3-5 days; leaves are peppery flavored.

• Rye (Secale cereale): sprouts 2-3 days; leaves are nutty flavored.

• Soybean (Glycine max): sprouts 3-5 days; bean and root are hardy eating.

• Black Sunflower (Helianthus annus): sprouts 6-10 days; leaves are mild flavored.

• Turnip (Brassica rapa, Rapifera group): sprouts 2-5 days; strong flavored.

• Wheat (Triticum spp.): sprouts 2-3 days; corn-grain flavored.

Grow 80 Vegetables: THE KITCHEN GARDEN GROWERS' GUIDE

Vegetable Crop Rotation

2010-04-06T16:00:00Z

Crop rotation will benefit vegetable crops in two ways: first, it will prevent the build-up of soil-borne pests and diseases; second, it will allow for the replenishment and efficient use of soil nutrients.

Crop rotation is the practice of growing different crops, rather than the same vegetable or members of the same family of vegetables, in the same place each year.

To minimize pest and disease problems and to help renew soil nutrients, members of the same plant family should not be planted in the same part of the garden more than once every three or four years.

Vegetable insect pests tend to feed on similar plants and members of the same plant family. For example, an insect pest that attacks and eats cabbage will lay its eggs before it dies. If cabbage or a member of the cabbage family is planted in the same spot the next year, the eggs of the insect will hatch and the pests will find exactly the food they need to continue the pest life cycle. Soilborne diseases--fungi, bacteria, and viruses--also can be hosted by specific plants as well. Removing host plants or alternating unrelated plants into the garden can break the cycle of pests and disease.

Crop rotation also helps prevent soil nutrients from being depleted. Vegetables draw upon a wide range of soil nutrients for growth: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the key or major soil nutrients. Members of the same vegetable family usually draw the same nutrients from the soil.

Crop rotation will prevent the soil from wearing out: heavy nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium feeding crops such as tomatoes are rotated with soil-building crops such as beans which add nitrogen to the soil and then with light-feeding crops such as onions.

]]> Here are the major vegetable plant families and some notes on crop rotation:

• Onion Family (Amaryllis Family, Amaryllidaceae): Garlic, onions, leeks, shallots. These are light feeders. Plant these after heavy feeders. Follow these crops with legumes.

• Cabbage Family (Brassica, Cruciferae): Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, collards, cress, kale, kohlrabi, radishes, turnips. These are heavy feeders. These crops should follow legumes. After these crops allow the garden to go fallow for a season or plant a cover crop or add plenty of compost and organic matter to the garden.

• Lettuce Family (Composite, Daisy Family, Asteraceae): Artichokes, chicory, endive, lettuce. These are heavy feeders. Follow these crops with legumes.

• Beet Family (Goosefoot Family, Chenopodiaceae): Beets, spinach, Swiss chard. These are heavy feeders. Follow these crops with legumes.

• Grass Family (Graminae): Grains--corn, oats, rye, wheat. Follow these crops with members of the tomato or Solanaceae family.

• Bean Family (Legume, Leguminosae): Beans and peas, clover, vetch. These crops enrich the soil, soil builders. Plant these crops before or after any other crop family.

• Tomato Family (Nightshade Family, Solanaceae): Eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes. These crops are heavy feeders. Plant these crops after members of the grass family. Follow these crops with legumes.

• Squash Family (Cucurbitaceae): Cucumbers, melons, summer and winter squash, pumpkins, watermelon. These crops are heavy feeders. Plant these crops after members of the grass family. Follow these crops with legumes.

• Carrot Family (Umbellifer Family, Umbelliferae): Carrots, celery, anise, coriander, dill, fennel, parsley. These are light to medium feeders. These crops can follow any other group. Follow these crops with legumes, onions, or let the garden sit fallow for a season.

You can use the notes above to accomplish crop rotation or you can simplify the rotation as follows:

Simple Four-Year Crop Rotation

To follow a simple four-year crop rotation, divide your garden into four areas or plots: Plot One, Plot Two, Plot Three, and Plot Four. In each of the next four years, grow a different crop or different members of the four crop families in a different plot following this rotation:

• Plot One: Tomato family (year 1); Onion family (year 2); Bean family (year 3); Cabbage family (year 4).

• Plot Two: Cabbage family (year 1); Tomato family (year 2); Onion family (year 3); Bean family (year 4).

• Plot Three: Bean family (year 1); Cabbage family (year 2); Tomato family (year 3); Onion family (year 4).

• Plot Four: Onion family (year 1); Bean family (year 2); Cabbage family (year 3); Tomato family (year 4).

This four-year crop rotation intersperses members of the other vegetable families among members of the Tomato, Onion, Bean, and Cabbage families. Here is how they are grouped:

1. Tomato Family and others (Solanaceae family)

Tomatoes

Peppers

Eggplant

Potatoes

Beets

Carrots

Celeriac and celery

Parsnips

Salsify

Scorzonera

2. Bean Family (Leguminosae family)

Peas

Broad (fava) beans

French (green) beans

Runner beans

3. Cabbage Family and others (Brassica family)

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbages

Calabrese (Italian sprouting broccoli)

Cauliflowers

Radishes

Rutabagas (Swedes)

Turnips

4. Onion Family and others (Allium family)

Garlic

Leeks

Lettuces

Onions

Shallots

Sweet corn

Squashes, zucchini, and pumpkins (marrow and courgettes)

Perennial Vegetables

Not included in crop rotation are perennial vegetable crops which grow in the same spot for several years in a row. Perennial crops include:

Asparagus

Globe artichokes

Jerusalem artichokes

Perennial herbs

Rhubarb

Seakale

Small garden crop rotation

No garden is too small for crop rotation. A simple garden map showing where each crop is planted will help you plan and plant a different crop in that spot next year. To plan crop rotation in a small garden, map out strips or blocks--rows or square feet--and avoid planting vegetables from the same crop family in that spot more than once every three years.

Related Articles:

Succession Planting

Planning Succession Crops

Companion Planting in the Vegetable Garden

Symptoms of Soil Nutrient Deficiencies

Common Vegetable Garden Problems: Cures and Controls

Growing Baby Vegetables

2010-03-29T16:00:00Z

Baby vegetables are commonly vegetables harvested before they reach full size and served whole while they are small, delicate, succulent, and tasty. Other baby vegetables have been especially bred to be flavorful while still small.

Because baby vegetables are harvested small they can be planted very close together. This makes baby vegetables well suited for small gardens or container growing.

For standard vegetables harvested at baby size, a succession of the same crop is possible: first young plants are harvested as baby vegetables then the remaining plants are left to grow on to harvest at maturity--as fully developed vegetables.

Some baby vegetables are formed after the main crop has been harvested. For example, after full size artichokes are harvested smaller artichokes will form lower down the plant. The same is true for Brussels sprouts and broccoli spears.

Baby vegetables bred for harvest small are dwarf varieties. Dwarf varieties include 'Little Finger' carrots which grow to just 3 inches long at maturity and 'Parmex' carrots that grow to 1½ inches long and 2 inches wide when mature. 'Red Currant' and 'Yellow Currant' are cherry-type tomatoes that are full-flavored at just ½ inch across.

]]> Growing baby vegetables makes sense if you are short on space or time; baby vegetables are quick-maturing and a good choice in short growing season regions.

Growing Baby Vegetables. Baby vegetables taste best when they are grown to harvest quickly and cooked and eaten the very day they are picked. To bring baby vegetables to harvest grow them in compost rich soil and keep them evenly moist throughout their growth, never over water or let the soil go dry.

Baby vegetables will not go as far at the table as full-size vegetables grown to maturity. To ensure a continuous harvest, make successive sowings throughout the growing season. Grow crops of the same height and size close together to avoid shading out shorter crops or having roots compete for space and nutrients. Bring baby vegetables to harvest when they are young, tender, and flavorful.

Baby Vegetables: Tips to Grow, Harvest, and Serve

Artichoke. Grow in full sun with regular water; perennial matures in mild weather. The baby artichokes will follow the main flower bud; the secondary buds will form lower down the plant. Pick when 1 inch in diameter before the "choke" forms. Steam or grill whole and sere with melted butter or mayonnaise.

Beet. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for cool weather. Standard beets can be harvested as baby beets when they are just 1 inch in diameter. Serve raw or steam briefly. Leaves can be steamed as well. Try these varieties: 'Chioggia' and 'Formanova.' For small harvest also try 'Scarlet Supreme,' 'Little Ball' and young 'Detroit Dark Red.'

Bok Choy. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for cool weather. Harvest whole when small and serve whole after steaming or blanching briefly. Try the variety 'Bonsai Hybrid Pak Choi' or 'Toy Choy Hybrid Pak Choi.' Also try 'Mei Qing Choi.'

Broccoli. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for cool weather. The baby broccoli harvest will come after the main harvest--lower down the plant small flower stems will form. Or plant broccoli on 8 inch rather than 20 inch centers to keep the plants small with small heads. Steam or sauté briefly then season or serve with balsamic vinegar.

Brussels sprouts. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for cool weather. Harvest the buds when they are just 1 inch in diameter while they are mild and sweet. Steam or sauté quickly; serve with butter or cheese sauce.

Cabbage. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for cool weather. Harvest when head is small just 4 or five inches across. Serve raw or steam or boil quickly. Try 'Baby Head' densely packed with small core.

Carrot. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for cool weather. Sow as close as ½ inch apart in compost rich soil. Harvest when small, tender, and sweet before the root is more than 3 or 4 inches long. Serve raw or steam briefly. Try the varieties 'Parmex,' 'Thumbilina,' Lady Finger,' 'Baby Fingers,' and 'Primo.'

Cauliflower. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for cool weather. Plant cauliflower on close centers of 6 inches to keep the plants small. Harvest baby cauliflower when it is still tight about 4 inches across. Steam whole or bake in cheese sauce. Try the variety 'Snow Crown.'

Celery. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for cool weather. Harvest celery when stalks are about 7 inches long and full flavored. Braise or stir-fry with other vegetables.

Corn. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for warm weather. Plant baby corn varieties such as 'Minor Hybrid.' Sow at twice the recommended rate. Harvest before pollination just when tassels begin to show. Blanch or stir fry. Try the variety 'Sweet Baby Corn.'

Cucumber. Grow in full sun with regular, even water; annual for warm weather. Harvest between 2½ and 7 inches long, firm and medium green colored. Serve raw in salads or as a snack. Try 'Midget Bush Pickling' or 'Fancy French Pickling.'

Eggplant. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for very warm weather. Choose a variety that is naturally small and then harvest when it attains full color. Cook before serving. Try the variety 'Baby Eggplant.' The standard eggplant 'Ichiban' is good picked young. Also try 'Little Fingers' and 'Bambino.'

Green beans or Haricots verts. These are also known as filet beans or French beans. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for warm weather. Harvest haricot verts when young and immature; baby green beans will be tender and not show the seed. Serve raw in a salad or steam quickly and dress with butter. Try 'Astrelle,' 'Marbel,' Coco Nain Blanc Precoge,' or the pole beans 'Emerite,' and 'Annelino.'

Leek. Grow in full sun with regular water; mild tasting baby leeks are ready for harvest in about 2 months; annual for cool weather. Blanch or steam baby leeks briefly and serve alone or as a garnish. Try the variety 'Baby Primor.' Grow the standard varieties 'Broad London' and 'King Richard' and harvest at finger size. 'Albinstar' is bred for harvest as a baby.

Lettuce. Grow in full sun to part shade with regular water; annual for cool weather. Pick leaves when young just 3 inches or so long. Sow thickly for baby leaves. Sow successive crops every 10 days for a continuous supply. Serve raw in salad with baby spinach and other baby vegetables. Try 'Tom Thumb' and 'Sweetie Baby Romaine.'

Onion. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for cool or warm weather. Harvest when shoots are still pencil size. Try 'Borettana Cipollini' or the pearl onion 'Crystal Wax.'

Peas. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for cool weather. Harvest the petits pois while small and tender before the plant gains a height of 18 inches. Cook quickly.

Pepper. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for very warm weather. Choose a miniature variety. Serve raw or cooked. Try 'Miniature Red Bell,' 'Miniature Yellow Bell,' or 'Miniature Chocolate Bell.'

Potato. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for warm or cool weather harvest. New or baby potatoes are simply young potatoes harvested when 1 to 3 inches in diameter. Fingerling potatoes are naturally small and harvested when 1 to 2 inches in diameter and 5 inches or less in length. New potatoes are ready for harvest when the plant begins to flower. Boil or roast shortly after harvest. Try the varieties 'German Finger,' 'Swedish Finger,' 'Rose Finn Apple' and 'Russian Banana.'

Radish. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for cool weather. Radishes are ready in 20 to 25 days, baby radishes in less than 20 days. Serve raw in salads. Try 'D'Avignon French Breakfast Radish.'

Spinach. Grow in full sun or partial shade with regular water in well-drained soil; annual for cool weather. Protect spinach from cold or grow quickly in a plastic tunnel or cold frame. Harvest baby spinach when the leaves are 1 to 2 inches long. Serve raw for its sweet flavor.

Summer squash. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for warm weather. Grow zucchini, patty pan, and crookneck to harvest young and serve whole. Steam briefly or fry quickly in tempura batter or grill covered in olive oil. Try the varieties 'Sweet Dumplings,' 'Sunburst' and the zucchinis 'Condor,' and 'Butterstick.'

Tomato. Grow in full sun with regular water; annual for very warm weather. Grow a miniature or cherry-type variety. The small size at maturity will concentrate the flavor. Snack whole or slice and serve raw in salads. Try the varieties: 'Jolly Elf,' 'Mini Charm,' 'Tumbler,' 'Tumblin' Tom Red.' 'Tumblin' Tom Yellow.'

Turnip. Grow in full sun in well-worked soil and with regular water; annual for cool weather. Harvest when about 1 inch or so in diameter. Eat raw or in salads or steam and dress with butter. Turnip greens can be eaten raw in salads.

Related Articles:

Quick-Maturing Vegetable Varieties

Grow More Veggies: THE KITCHEN GARDEN GROWERS' GUIDE

Late Season Tomato Checklist

2010-03-26T16:00:00Z

Late season tomatoes varieties reach ripeness or maturity 80 days or more after the seedling has been transplanted to the garden.

Late season tomatoes generally bear the largest fruits and are commonly the tastiest tomatoes because they have been on the vine the longest and have ripened in the heat of summer.

For the longest tomato harvest set out late-season tomatoes at the same time you set out early-season tomatoes and mid-season tomatoes, that way you will have a succession of tomato harvests.

Here is a checklist of popular late season tomato varieties: included in each entry is the type of tomato, the color, size, and flavor; also listed are the average days to maturity, whether the tomato is determinate or indeterminate and whether it is disease resistant.

For more articles on tomatoes visit the Tomato Category.

And see these related articles:

How to Grow Tomatoes

How to Choose a Tomato for Your Garden

Tomato Types

Early Season Tomato Checklist

Mid Season Tomato Checklist

Click to the next page for the Early-Season Tomato Checklist:

]]> Late Season Tomato Checklist:

□ Abraham Lincoln (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright red, round fruit, meaty averages 6 to 10 ounces; sweet. 87 days. Indeterminate.

□ Akinson (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Large tomato does well in humid regions. 80 days. Determinate. FV.

□ Amish Paste (open-pollinated). Paste tomato. Red-skinned, large, heart-shaped; meaty, excellent flavor. 85 days. Heirloom from Wisconsin.

□ Beefmaster (hybrid). Slicing tomato. 80 days. Indeterminate. VFN.

□ Beefsteak, Scarlet Beefsteak, Red Ponderosa, Crimson Cushion (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Crimson red, large, flattened to 16 ounces; old-fashioned tomato flavor. 85 days. Indeterminate.

□ Big Crop Climbing (open-pollinated). Red-skinned. Very late crop. 90 days. Indeterminate.

□ Big Johnny (hybrid). Red-skinned. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Big Red (hybrid). Crimson-red fruit. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Boatman Miracle Climbing Tomato (open-pollinated). Red-skinned. Very high yield. 90 days. Indeterminate.

□ Bradley (open-pollinated). Globe-shaped pink fruit averages 6 to 7 ounces; mild flavor, juicy. 80 days. Semi-determinate. FA. Use short stake.

□ Bragger (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, meaty to 13 ounces. 87 days. Indeterminate.

□ Brimmer (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Purplish-pink, meaty, large to 16 ounces or more. 85 days. Indeterminate.

□ Burgess Jumbo Hybrid (open-pollinated). Red-skinned, mild flavor. 81 days. Indeterminate.

□ Burpee's Globe (open-pollinated). Pink-skinned, medium size bears in clusters of six to ten. 80 days. Indeterminate. All-America winner.

□ Burpee's Supersteak (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned. 80 days. Indeterminate. VFN.

□ Cal Ace (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, smooth, oblate fruit averages 8 to 12 ounces; good flavor. 80 days. Determinate. FV. Uniform ripening. Best in California.

□ Calypso (open-pollinated). Red-skinned, for southern humid regions. 83 days. Determinate. VFF.

□ Caro Red (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Orange-red fruit, globe-shaped to 3 inches across, smooth; rich, distinct flavor. 78 days. Indeterminate. Prolific.

□ Chadwick's Cherry (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Red fruit, small, round to 1 ounce; juicy, sweet. 90 days. Indeterminate.

□ Colossal (hybrid). Red-skinned, giant fruit to 2½ pounds. 85 days. Indeterminate.

□ Costoluto Genovese (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Deep red, large deep red fruit that is deeply ribbed; fully flavored. Indeterminate. 78 days. Italian heirloom.

□ Crack Proof (open-pollinated). Canning tomato. Large, scarlet fruit averages 9 ounces; good for canning. 80 days. Bears until frost.

□ Crimson Giant (open-pollinated). Red skin, very large fruit to 1½ pounds. 90 days. Indeterminate.

□ Dad's Mug (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Scarlet-skinned, large, blocky, meat; good flavor. 85 days. Indeterminate.

□ Dejena Lee's Golden Girl (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Golden-orange fruit averages 7 to 8 ounces; sweet, tangy flavor. 80 days. Indeterminate. Introduced in the 1920s.

□ Dinner Plate (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, large, heart-shaped to 2 pounds or more; meaty, rich flavored. 90 days. Indeterminate. Heirloom.

□ Dixie Golden Giant (open-pollinated). Yellow beefsteak; large fruit to 2½ pounds for southern gardens; sweet flavor. 84 days. Indeterminate.

□ Doublerich (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Scarlet fruit, medium size to 8 ounces, globe-shaped; juicy. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Dutchman (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Purplish-pink, large, globe-shaped fruit up to 2 pounds; excellent, mild, sweet flavor, low in acid. Heirloom beefsteak. 80 days. Indeterminate. Low production.

□ Early Pak 7 (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium- to medium-large fruit to 8 ounces; grow in cage. 82 days. Determinate.

□ Early Pak 707 (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, uniform, smooth. 82 days. Determinate. VF.

□ Egg (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, small, uniform, egg-shaped fruit averages 3 ounces excellent for juice; very good flavor. 80 days. Determinate. Resists cracking.

□ German Head (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Dark-pink fruit, large to 10 ounces; meaty, mild flavor. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Giant Belgium (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Dark pink fruit, large, oblate to 4 inches in diameter, to 2 pounds; very good flavor. 90 days. Indeterminate.

□ Giant King (hybrid). Red-skinned, large fruit. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Giant Oxheart (open-pollinated). Red-skinned, very large fruit to 2 pounds; nonacid fruit. 87 days. Indeterminate.

□ Giant Tree (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Pink-skinned, large, round to 2 pounds; low acid, mild flavor. 90 days. Indeterminate.

□ Golden Boy (hybrid). Deep golden-orange fruit, meaty to 8 ounces; mild flavored. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Golden Oxheart (open-pollinated). Golden-orange fruit. 87 days. Indeterminate.

□ Golden Ponderosa, Yellow Ponderosa (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Yellow fruit, flattened, globe-shaped to 16 ounces; meaty, mild flavored. 85 days. Indeterminate.

□ Goliath (open-pollinated). Canning tomato. Light red-skinned, very large with few seeds; very good flavor. 85 days. Indeterminate. Heirloom from 1800's.

□ Greater Baltimore (open-pollinated). Canning tomato. Red, large fruit. 82 days. Indeterminate.

□ Green Grape (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Small round yellowish-green fruit to about 1½ inches in diameter; flavorful, sweet, juicy. 80 days. Resists cracking.

□ Gulf States Market (open-pollinated). Purplish-pink tomato, recommended for southern gardens. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Heavyweight (hybrid). Red-skinned with large fruit up to one pound. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ He Man (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium firm fruit to 6 ounces. 82 days. Indeterminate. VF.

□ Henry Field Tomato (hybrid). Red-skinned produces clusters of medium size fruit. 100 days. Indeterminate. Disease resistant.

□ Holmes Mexican (open-pollinated). Pink-skinned, large to 3 pounds; subacid flavor. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Homestead 24 (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, meaty to 8 ounces. 82 days. Determinate. F. Good in high temperatures. Resists catfacing.

□ Hybrid Ace (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned; needs support--stake, trellis, cage; suited to hot, dry summers. 80 days. Determinate. VFN.

□ Indian River (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Scarlet red, medium fruit to 6 ounces. 85 days. Indeterminate. F.

□ Ingegnoli (open-pollinated). Red skin, with large, meaty fruits to three pounds. 90 days. Indeterminate. From Italy.

□ Jubilee (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Yellow-skinned, old-time variety. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Jumbo (hybrid). Greenhouse tomato. Red-skinned, clusters of 5 to 7 ounce fruit; grown commercially in northern states and Canada. 80 days. Determinate.

□ Jumbo Hybrid Burgess (open-pollinated). Slicing. Red-skinned with fruit to two pounds each; very mild flavor. 80 days. Semi-determinate.

□ Jumbo Jim (open-pollinated). Slicing. Red-skinned, meaty, large to 2 pounds; mild flavor. 84 days. Indeterminate. VF.

□ Jung's Giant Climber (open-pollinated). Red-skinned, large fruit, on long vine. 87 days. Indeterminate.

□ Kurihara 90 (open-pollinated). Pink, Japanese variety with large fruit. 90 days. Indeterminate.

□ Lakeland Climbing Tomato (open-pollinated). Red-skinned with large fruit to 3 pounds. 87 days. Indeterminate.

□ Liberty Bell, Liberty (open-pollinated). Stuffing tomato. Red-skinned; hollow, bell-shaped fruit average 4 to 8 ounces; deeply ribbed; mild flavor. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Loomis Potato Leaf Cherry (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Bright red fruit, medium small to 1 inch diameter; good flavor. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Manahill (open-pollinated). Red skin, developed for Florida growing. 80 days. Indeterminate. Resists early blight, fusarium wilt, gray-leaf spot.

□ Manalu (open-pollinated). Red skin, for southern gardens. 80 days. Indeterminate. Resists gray-leaf spot.

□ Manalucie (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, firm, meaty to 7 ounces. 87 days. Indeterminate. F. Resists cracking, sunscald, blossom-end rot. Popular in South.

□ Manapal (open-pollinated). Red skin, large fruit, good grower in southern gardens. 85 days. Indeterminate. Crack-free, resistant to fusarium wilt, gray-leaf spot, leaf mold, blossom-end rot.

□ Marzano Lampadina Extra (open-pollinated). Paste. Red-skinned, yields fruits 2- to 3-ounces, easy to peel. 80 days. Determinate. From Italy.

□ Napoli (open-pollinated). Paste tomato. Bright red, small, plum-shaped, fruit averages 2 ounces, meaty. 80 days. Determinate. Compact plant.

□ New Zealand Pear (open-pollinated). Paste tomato. Red-skinned, green shouldered, pear shaped. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Oxheart (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, heart-shaped to 2 pounds. 86 days. Indeterminate. Protect from sunscald.

□ Pearson (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned globe shaped fruit to 3 inches in diameter for slicing and canning; old-fashioned tomato flavor. 80 days. Determinate.

□ Pearson A-1 Improved (open-pollinated). Red-skinned, smoother, slightly smaller fruit than Pearson to 7 ounces. 90 days. Semi-determinate.

□ Perfect Peel (hybrid). Canning. Red-skin, fruit to 6 ounces, easy to peel. 80 days. Determinate.

□ Pink Ponderosa (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned. 90 days. Indeterminate.

□ Pink Plum (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, plum shaped to 2 inches in diameter; excellent flavor. 80 days. Indeterminate. Resists cracking.

□ Pondeheart (open-pollinated). Pink fruit, Japanese cross of Oxheart and Ponderosa, yields large fruit; nonacid fruit. 85 days. Indeterminate.

□ Ponderosa, Pink Ponderosa, Pink Beefsteak (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Pink-skinned large, flattened, globe-shaped to 16 ounces or more; mild flavor. 90 days. Indeterminate.

□ Ramapo (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Deep crimson skin, thick walls to 9 ounces. 80 days. Indeterminate. VF. Resists cracking, blossom-end rot.

□ Red Chief VFN (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Bright red skin, globe-shaped; excellent flavor. 80 days. Indeterminate. VFN.

□ Rocky (open-pollinated). Paste tomato. Red-skinned, large, plum-shaped to 4 inches in diameter, meaty; sweet and tangy flavor. 90 days. Indeterminate.

□ Royal Ace (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned; larger fruit than Ace. 80 days. Determinate. VF.

□ Russian Red (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Scarlet red fruit, round, averages 4 to 8 ounces; good flavor. 80 days. Determinate. Tolerant of lower temperatures.

□ Rutgers Hybrid F (hybrid). Slicing tomato. 80 days. Semi-determinate. F.

□ Rutgers Hybrid VF (hybrid). Slicing tomato. 80 days. Semi determinate. VF.

□ San Marzano (open-pollinated). Red-skinned, meaty fleshed fruit averages 5 to 6 ounces for salads and sauce; delicious, balanced flavor. 80 days. Indeterminate. Heavy yields on tall vines.

□ San Pablo (open-pollinated). Paste tomato. Red-skinned. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Square Tomato (open-pollinated). Red, skinned, blocky with rounded shoulders. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Stakeless (open-pollinated). Red skin, fruit to 8 ounces with few seeds, good for patio growing. 80 days. Determinate. Resistant to fusarium wilt, early blight; resists sunscald.

□ Stone (open-pollinated). Canning. Red-skin, fruit to 6- to 7 ounces. 84 days. Determinate.

□ Sunray (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Similar to Jubilee. 80 days. Indeterminate. F.

□ Super Italian Paste (open-pollinated). Paste tomato. Red-skinned, large, meaty, plum-shaped fruit averages 10 to 12 ounces; little juice and few seeds; sweet flavored. 80 days. Indeterminate.

□ Supermarket (open-pollinated). Red skin, large fruit; delicious flavor. 80 days. Indeterminate. Resists fusarium wilt, gray-leaf spot.

□ Super Red (open-pollinated). Red skin, large fruit to 10 ounces; for northeastern gardens. 85 days. Indeterminate. VF.

□ Tamiami (open-pollinated). Red skin, 7- to 8-ounce fruit; good foliage cover for humid regions. 82 days. Determinate. VFF.

□ Tropic (open-pollinated). Red skin, medium-size fruit for southern gardens. 80 days. Indeterminate. VF; resists gray-leaf spot, mosaic virus.

□ Tropic-Gro (open-pollinated). Red skin, for southern gardens. 82 days. Indeterminate. Resists gray-leaf spot, graywall.

□ Tropic-Red (open-pollinated). Red skin for southern gardens. 80 days. Indeterminate. Resistant to gray-leaf spot, graywall.

□ Trip-L-Crop (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright red fruit, to 5 inches in diameter and 16 ounces; meaty, mild flavored. 85 days. Indeterminate.

□ Tropic (open-pollinated. Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, green-shouldered, flattened, globe-shaped to 10 ounces. 80 days. Indeterminate. Tolerates heat and high humidity. VFN.

□ White Beauty (open-pollinated). White skin; very sweet with low acid. 84 days. Indeterminate.

□ Winsail (open-pollinated). Pink skin, very large fruit, tall grower. 84 days. Indeterminate.

□ Wisconsin Chief (open-pollinated). Red skin with fruit to one pound. 80 days. Semi-determinate.

□ Wonder Boy (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium to large fruit. 80 days. Indeterminate. VFN.

□ VFN Bush (open-pollinated). Red-skinned, firm, medium fruit to 6 ounces. 80 days, Determinate. VFN.

□ Vineripe (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium firm fruit to 9 ounces. 80 days. Indeterminate. VFN.

□ Yellow Jumbo (open-pollinated). Yellow fruit with large fruit. 80 days. Indeterminate. Heirloom.

□ Yellow Ruffled (open-pollinated). Stuffing tomato. Yellow-skinned with ridges to 3½ inches in diameter; excellent flavor. 80 days. Indeterminate. Productive.

Grow more veggies: THE KITCHEN GARDEN GROWERS' GUIDE

Early Season Tomato Checklist

2010-03-23T16:00:00Z

Early-season tomato varieties reach ripeness or maturity 70 days or less after the tomato seedling is transplanted into the garden.

Early-season tomatoes are often smaller and firmer than mid- and late-season varieties which stay on the vine longer and are exposed to more hot weather.

Early-season tomatoes are the best choice for regions where the growing season is short or where the gardener wants to have more than one tomato harvest in a season. In cold regions, the early-season tomato may be the main crop for the season, but in warm regions an early-season tomato can be planted early in spring or late in summer--as successions to the main-season tomato crop.

Here is a checklist of popular early-season tomato varieties: included in this list is the type of tomato, the color, size, and flavor; also listed are the average days to maturity, whether the tomato is determinate or indeterminate and whether it is disease resistant. For more articles on tomatoes visit the Tomato Archive.

And see these related articles:

How to Grow Tomatoes

How to Choose a Tomato for Your Garden

Tomato Types

Mid Season Tomato Checklist

Late Season Tomato Checklist

Click to the next page for the Early-Season Tomato Checklist

]]> Early-Season Tomato Checklist:

□ Angora (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red fruit, medium sized to 2½ inches in diameter; mild-flavored. 68 days. Determinate. Resists cracking.

□ Aztec (hybrid). Salad tomato. Bright red, plum type to 3 ounces. 68 days. Determinate. VFN.

□ Beefmaster (hybrid). Red-skinned, deep oblate shape; flavorful. 60 days. Indeterminate. VFN.

□ Bobcat (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, uniform shape to 10 ounces. 68 days. Determinate.

□ Break o'Day (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Orange-red fruit, medium-large to 6 ounces; meaty flesh. 65 days. Indeterminate.

□ Burpee's Big Early (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Large, thick-walled fruit. 62 days. Indeterminate.

□ Burgess Early Salad (hybrid). Salad Tomato. Red-skinned, produces as many as 300 fruits on a vine to 8 inches tall. 45 days. Determinate.

□ Bush Beefsteak (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium-large to 8 ounces; meaty, 62 days. Determinate, compact. Good in northern regions.

□ Bush Celebrity (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned with green shoulders to 9 ounces; excellent flavor. 67 days. Determinate.

□ Bush Early Girl (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, large fruit to 7 ounces; good flavor. 54 days. Determinate, compact. VFFNT.

□ CB-City Best (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, medium-size fruit. 60 days. Determinate. VF. Good container grower.

□ Cherrio (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Salad tomato. Bright red, small, round, full flavor. 55 days. Determinate, compact.

□ Cherry Gold (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Yellow-orange skinned, flavored. 45 days. Determinate to 6 inches tall.

□ Cherry Grande (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, uniform, round; good flavor. 65 days. Determinate. Disease resistant.

□ Cherry Pink (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Pink-skinned, medium size; very sweet. 68 days. Determinate.

□ Clear Pink Early (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, round, clear pink fruit; sweet and tangy. 58 days. Determinate. Russian heirloom.

□ Cupid (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red, small, oval fruit in clusters of 16 fruits; sweet taste. 62 days. Indeterminate. F.

□ Daybreak (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, globe-shaped to 10 ounces; sweet. 65 days. Determinate. Tolerate stress.

□ Duchess (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, smooth to 6 ounces. 60 days. Determinate.

□ Debut (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, large to 8½ ounces; very firm. 63 days. Determinate. VFF.

□ Earliana (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright scarlet skin; green shoulders, medium sizes to 5 ounces; solid flesh, good flavor. 58 days. Indeterminate.

□ Earlirouge (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium-sized to 7 ounces; sweet, flavorful. 65 days. Determinate, compact. Set fruit in extreme temperatures.

□ Early Boy (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Scarlet-skinned, firm fleshed to 9 ounces. 65 days. Determinate.

□ Early Cascade (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium sized, globe to 8 ounces; excellent flavor. 55 days. Indeterminate. VFN.

□ Early Cherry (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Bright red fruit, round to oval to 1 ounce; mild flavor. 56 days. Determinate, compact.

□ Early Girl (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 6 ounces; flavorful. 52 days. Indeterminate. Disease resistant. Performs in nearly all climates.

□ Early Hi-Crimson (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, large fruit to 3½ in diameter. 65 days. Semi-determinate.

□ Early Pick (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Scarlet-skinned, medium size to 8 ounces or more; full flavored. 55 days. Determinate.

□ Early Wonder (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Dark-pink skinned to 6 ounces; full flavored. 55 days. Determinate.

□ Fireball (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red fruit to 5 ounces. 65 days. Determinate, compact. Resists cracking; protect from sunscald.

□ Fireworks (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright red, round with a pointed tip to 8 ounces; excellent flavor. 60 days. Determinate.

□ First Lady (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 5 ounces. 66 days. Indeterminate. Disease and crack resistant.

□ Florida Basket (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Red fruit, small, slightly elongated to 2 inches in diameter; excellent flavor. 55 days. Determinate.

□ Florida Petite (open-pollinated). Deep red, round, good flavor. 50 days. Determinate to 9 inches tall.

□ Gardener (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium size to 6 ounces. 63 days. Indeterminate. VF. Crack resistant.

□ Gardener's Delight (open-pollinated). Bright red, small, round to 1½ inches in diameter; sweet flavor. 68 days. Indeterminate. Produces until frost.

□ Glacier (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red, small, round to 2½ inches in diameter to 3 ounces; sweet. 54 days. Determinate, very productive. Heirloom from Sweden.

□ Gold Nugget (open-pollinated). Cherry tomato. Gold-skinned, round to oval fruit; balanced flavor. 56 days. Determinate.

□ Golden Cherry (hybrid). Salad tomato. Golden, thin-skinned; very sweet. 65 days. Indeterminate. Resists cracking.

□ Golden Delight (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Yellow-orange skinned; globe-shaped to 4 ounces; rich flavor. 60 days. Determinate, compact. Developed at South Dakota State University.

□ Golden Honey Bunch (hybrid). Salad tomato. Golden yellow, grape type in clusters of 11 fruits; sweet flavor. 60 days. Determinate. VFFT.

□ Golden Roma (hybrid). Paste tomato. Golden-yellow, oval, firm, meaty flesh. Holds well on plant. Determinate, compact. Heavy yield.

□ Golden Sweet (hybrid). Salad tomato. Deep yellow, bite size; mild, sweet flavor. 60 days. Indeterminate. Resists cracking.

□ Grande Rose (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Pink beefsteak with green shoulders, firm to 12 ounces. 68 days. Determinate. VFT.

□ Gregori's Altai (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Pink-red beefsteak to 12 ounces; sweet-acid flavor. 67 days. Indeterminate. Long season. From Siberia.

□ Harbinger (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium-small, good flavor. Prone to cracking. 60 days. Indeterminate. Traditional English tomato from 1910.

□ Hasty Boy (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, meaty, prolific. 60 days. Indeterminate. VF.

□ Heartland (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 4 inches in diameter, 8 ounces. 68 days. Indeterminate dwarf, compact. V, F, N.

□ Ida Gold (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright orange fruit to 2½ inches in diameter; flavorful. 55 days. Determinate. Developed for cold northern regions.

□ Ildi (hybrid). Salad tomato. Yellow-skinned, small fruit on clusters of up to 50 fruits to ½ ounce. 65 days. Indeterminate.

□ Imur Prior Beta (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, small to 4 ounces, firm, flavorful. 60 days. Indeterminate. Developed by Washington State University for short seasons.

□ Jetfire (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned; large, firm fruit. 60 days. Determinate. VF.

□ Jetsetter (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 8 ounces; rich flavor. 64 days. Indeterminate. VFFNTA. Performs well in the South.

□ Juliet (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, meaty to 2 ounces, in clusters of 10 to 12; flavorful. 60 days. Determinate. Resists cracking.

□ Jung's Improved Wayahead (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red skin, smooth, slightly flattened, full flavor. 63 days. Determinate. Long season production.

□ La Roma (hybrid). Paste tomato. Red, uniform, medium-size to 4 ounces. Very prolific. 62 days. Determinate, compact. VFF.

□ Legend (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, round fruit to 8 ounces; good flavor blending sugars and acids. 68 days. Indeterminate. Disease resistant.

□ Lunch Box (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, egg-shaped, thin skinned; sweet. 62 days. Determinate.

□ MacPink (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Pink-skinned, round to 5 ounces; excellent flavor. 60 days. Determinate. Very productive.

□ Manitoba (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 7 ounces. 60 days. Determinate.

□ Marmande, Marmand VF (hybrid). Slicing size. Red skin, medium to large to 8 ounces; meaty, full flavor. 65 days. Semi-determinate. Sets fruit in cool conditions. Developed in France, popular in Europe.

□ Matina (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 4 ounces; very good flavor. 58 days. Indeterminate. German heirloom.

□ Matt's Wild Cherry (open-pollinated). Deep red, round, small fruit; high sugar. 60 days. Indeterminate.

□ Miracle Sweet (hybrid).Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, uniform fruit to 5 ounces; sweet flavor. 67 days. Indeterminate. VFFNT.

□ Moira (open-pollinated). Bush beefsteak tomato. Red, uniform, round to 7 ounces. 66 days. Determinate, compact. Crack and blossom-end rot resistant.

□ Moskvich (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Deep red skin, globe-shaped to 6 ounces. 60 days. Indeterminate. From Eastern Siberia.

□ Mountain Spring (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Dark red, globe shaped to 9 ounces. 68 days. Determinate, compact. VFF.

□ Napoli (open-pollinated). Paste tomato. Red, pear- to plum-shaped fruit; concentrated flavor. 63 days. Semi-determinate. VF.

□ New Girl (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red skinned, medium size to 6 ounces; rich, full flavor. 62 days. Indeterminate.

□ New Yorker (open-pollinated). Slicing size. Scarlet fruit, medium size to 6 ounces, meaty, fine flavor. 63 days. Determinate, compact. V. Good in cool, northern, short season regions.

□ Niagra Belle. Salad tomato. Dark red fruit to 1¾ inches in diameter. 68 days. Determinate, compact.

□ Nova (open-pollinated). Paste tomato. Red-skinned, early Roma-type. 65 days. Determinate. VF.

□ Orange Blossom (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Orange, globe-shaped to 7 ounces; mild flavor. 60 days. Determinate.

□ Orange Queen (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright orange fruit to 6 ounces; meaty flews, low acid, mild flavor. 65 days. Determinate. Good in northern regions.

□ Oregon Spring (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Medium size to 8 ounces, excellent flavor. 58 days. Determinate. VF. Adapted to cool summer night. Developed at Oregon State University.

□ Patio Hybrid. Slicing tomato. Red, large fruit to 4 ounces for patio growing. 50 days. Determinate.

□ Perfect Peel (hybrid). Processing tomato. Red, medium-size, juicy. For canning, freezing or slicing. 65 days. Determinate. V1, F1.

□ Peron, Peron Sprayless (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright scarlet fruit, medium large to 8 ounces; solid flesh, flavorful. 68 days. Indeterminate. Disease resistant. From South America.

□ Pink Droplet (hybrid). Salad tomato. Pink-skinned, small, oval, very sweet. 60 days. Indeterminate vine. Stake. FVNT.

□ Pixie, Burpee's Pixie. Salad tomato. Scarlet fruit, globe-shaped; meaty, juicy, very flavorful. 55 days. Determinate, compact. Good for northern regions. Grows well in container.

□ Presto Hybrid (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, small fruits on small vine to 2 feet tall. 60 days. Determinate. Grows well in containers.

□ Prairie Fire (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 5 ounces; tangy full flavor. 55 days. Determinate. Sub Arctic-beefsteak cross.

□ Quebec #13 (open-pollinated). Canning tomato. Red-skinned, firm to 6 ounces. 62 days. Determinate.

□ Red Alert (hybrid). Red-skinned; flavorful. 55 days. Determinate.

□ Red Grape (hybrid). Grape tomato. Red, oval, small fruit; firm, sweet. 60 days. Indeterminate. Crack free.

□ Rocket, Red Rocket (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Medium red fruit to 3 ounces; slightly acid flavor. 50 days. Determinate, compact. Requires staking. Early producer in Canada.

□ Salad Top (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, small fruit to 1 inch in diameter. 60 days. Determinate. Grows well in container.

□ Santiam (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Medium size to 5 ounces; slightly acid, sweet, juicy. 58 days. Determinate FV.

□ Scotia (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Deep-red fruit, slightly green shoulders; medium size to 4 ounces; good flavor. 60 days. Determinate. Sets well in cool weather.

□ Siberia (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Small to medium size to 4 ounces. 50 days. Determinate, compact. For cold, short season regions, winter crop in the South.

□ Siletz (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Deep red to 10 ounces; full flavored. 52 days. Determinate.

□ Silver Fir Tree (open-pollinated). Red skinned with sliver sheen to 6 ounces; flavorful. 58 days. Determinate. Russian heirloom.

□ Small Fry (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red, small, round, 1-inch in diameter, very flavorful. 65 days. Determinate, compact. VF. All-America Selection. Grow in container.

□ Spitfire (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Dark red, globe shaped; excellent taste. 68 days. Determinate. VFF.

□ Spring Giant (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned; thick walled, small core, high yield. 65 days. Determinate. VFN. All-America Selection.

□ Springset (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium size to 6 ounces. 65 days. Determinate.

□ Starfire (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, globe shaped to 3 inches in diameter; meaty, few seeds. 55 days. Determinate, compact. Adapted to cool, short seasons.

□ Stupice (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, small to medium-sized to 4 ounces; sweet, juicy. 50 days. Dwarf determinate, compact. For short-season regions. From Czechoslovakia.

□ Sub Arctic Cherry (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Red, small, round fruit to ½ inch in diameter; very productive. 43 days. Determinate, compact. Very cold tolerant.

□ Sub Arctic Maxi (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Deep red fruit, round to 3 ounces. 52 days. Determinate, compact. Developed in Canada.

□ Sub Arctic Plenty (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Small, round to 2 ounces; good flavor. 50 days. Determinate, compact. Sets fruit in cold weather.

□ Sugar Lump, Jung's Sugar Lump (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Deep red, round to 2 inches in diameter; very sweet. Indeterminate. Produces until frost.

□ Sugary (hybrid). Grape tomato. Bright red grape-shape to ½ ounce in clusters to 20 fruits; very flavorful. 65 days. Indeterminate. Resists cracking.

□ Summerpink (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Pink, globe-shaped to 8 ounces; acid-sugar balance. 63 days.

□ Sun Gold (hybrid). Cherry tomato. Bright orange-skinned; sweet flavor. 57 days. Indeterminate. TMVF.

□ Sunchief (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Bright red, firm; improved Sunrise type. 67 days. Determinate. VFF.

□ Sunshine (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, improved Sunstart; flavorful. 64 days. Determinate. VFF.

□ Sunrise (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Bright red, flat globe shaped to 7 ounces. 67 days. Determinate, compact.

□ Sunstart (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 7 ounces; firm and tasty. 65 days. Determinate.

□ Sweet Chelsea (hybrid). Salad tomato. Small to 1.5 inches in diameter; thick, firm, resists cracking. 65 days. Determinate. Drought tolerant and disease resistant.

□ Sweet Cluster (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned in clusters of 6 to 8, to 4 ounces; tart flavor. 60 days. Semi-determinate.

□ Sweet Gold (hybrid). Salad tomato. Orange-skinned, firm, round; sweet. 60 days. Determinate. TMVF.

□ Sweet Million (hybrid). Salad tomato. Deep red, small round; sweet flavor. 60 days. Indeterminate

□ Sweet-N-Early (hybrid). Cherry tomato. Red skinned to 4 ounces. 55 days. Indeterminate. VF.

□ Sweet Orange (hybrid).Salad tomato. Orange-skinned, firm round, cherry fruit; very sweet. 60 days. Determinate. TMVF.

□ Sweet 100 (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red, small, round, extremely sweet. 65 days. Indeterminate; best staked.

□ Sweetie (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Bright red, round to 1½ inches in diameter; very sweet, flavorful. 65 days. Indeterminate. Best staked.

□ Tami-G (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red, grape-shaped in clusters. 62 days. Indeterminate.

□ Taxi (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright yellow, medium round; firm, meaty, sweet flavor. 64 days. Determinate, compact.

□ The Juice (hybrid). Juicing tomato. Red, sweet juicer medium to large, round to 7 ounces. 65 days. Determinate, compact.

□ Thessaloniki (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Uniform, globe-shaped fruit to 2 inches in diameter; juicy, mild flavor. 68 days. Indeterminate. Disease resistant.

□ Tigerella, Mr. Stripey (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Reddish-orange, striped with golden yellow to 2 inches in diameter; very good flavor. 56 days. Indeterminate. Good disease resistance.

□ Tiny Tim (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Scarlet red, small, round to 1 inch in diameter. 55 days. Determinate, compact. Grows well in containers.

□ Tomboy (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Pink fruit, meaty to 4 inches in diameter. 66 days. Indeterminate. F.

□ Toy Boy (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, small fruit; grow 3 or 4 plants to a container. 68 days. Determinate. VF.

□ Tumbler (hybrid). Patio tomato. Bright red, masses to 1¼ inch fruits; sweet flavor. 48 days. Determinate.

□ Tumbling Tom. Cherry tomato. Bright red, trailing produces in clusters; good flavor. 65 days. Determinate.

□ Ultra Girl (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 8 ounces. 56 days. Semi-determinate. VFN. Resists cracking.

□ Ultra Pink (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Pink-skinned, similar to Ultra Sweet; firm, large fruit. 64 days. Determinate. VFT.

□ Ultra Sweet (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Bright red skin, deep globe, firm to 10 ounces; balanced sugar and acids. 62 days. Determinate. VFT. Crack resistant.

□ Ultrasonic (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, globe shaped to 12 ounces. 65 days. Semi-determinate.

□ Valiant (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Dark red, large, globe-shaped to 15 ounces' good flavor. 67 days. Indeterminate. Set well in hot, dry climates.

□ Whippersnapper (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Very early, dark-pink, oval to inch in diameter; sweet and flavorful. 52 days. Determinate, compact.

□ Yellow Bell (open-pollinated). Yellow paste tomato, plum shape; rich and sweet. 60 days. Indeterminate. Heirloom.

Grow More Veggies: THE KIITCHEN GARDEN GROWERS' GUIDE

How to Grow Taro

2010-03-13T17:00:00Z

Taro--also called Dasheen--is a perennial tropical or subtropical plant commonly grown for its starchy but sweet flavored tuber. Taro is always served cooked, not raw. The taro tuber is cooked like a potato, has a doughy texture, and can be used to make flour. Young taro leaves and stems can be eaten after boiling twice to remove the acrid flavor. Cook taro leaves like spinach. A paste called poi is made from the taro root.

Taro grows to 3 feet tall (1m) or taller and has light green, elongated, heart-shaped leaves on long stalks. Taro tubers are rounded, about the size of a tennis ball; each plant grows one large tuber often surrounded by several smaller tubers.

How to Grow. Taro is a tropical or subtropical plant that requires very warm temperatures--77° to 95°F (25-35°C)--and consistent moisture to thrive. Taro grows best in USDA zones 9-11. Taro can be grown for its tubers only where summers are long--at least 200 frost-free, warm days. Taro can be grown for its leaves in a greenhouse.

]]> Description. Taro is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows from 3 to 6 feet tall. Its leaves are light green, elongated, and heart shaped similar to an elephant's ear. Tubers are spherical and about the size of a tennis ball often covered with brownish skin and hairs; the flesh is pinkish purple, beige or white. Taro requires seven months of hot weather to mature.

Yield. Grow 10 to 15 taro plants for each person in the household depending upon usage.

Site. Taro corms can be planted in dry or wet settings. Taro requires rich, moist, well-drained soil to moisture-retentive soil. In Asia taro is often planted in wet paddys. In dry setting, taro corms are planted in furrows or trenches about 6 inches (15cm) deep and covered by 2 to 3 inches (5-8cm) of soil. Taro grown for its leaves can be grown in temperatures as low as 59°F, outdoors or in a greenhouse. Taro grow best in a soil pH between 5.5 and 6.5.

Planting time. Plant taro when the weather and soil has warmed in spring. Taro requires at least 200 frost-free days to reach maturity.

Planting and spacing. Taro is grown from small sections of tuber, small tubers, or suckers. Plant taro in furrows 6 inches (15cm) deep and cover corms with 2 to 3 inches of soil; space plants 15 to 24 inches apart in rows about 40 inches apart (or space plants equidistant 2 to 3 feet apart). Plants grow to about 36 inches tall and about 20 inches across.

Water and feeding. Keep taro plants well watered; the soil should be consistently moist. Water taro often in dry weather. Feed taro with rich organic fertilizer, compost, or compost tea. Taro prefers a high-potassium fertilizer.

Companion planting. A second crop of taro can be planted between taro rows about 12 weeks before the main crop is harvested.

Care. Keep taro planting beds weed free. Keep the planting bed moist. In early spring, plant presprouted tubers with protection using a plastic tunnel or cloche. Plants grown in a greenhouse should be misted often.

Container growing. Taro can be grown in a container in a greenhouse or warm cellar to force shoots or stems for winter use. Force tubers in a warm bed of sand. Cut and use shoots when they reach about 6 inches tall; shoots can be blanched by placing a heavy burlap tent over the shoots.

Pests. Aphids and Red spider mites may attack taro grown indoors.

Diseases. Taro leaf blight will cause circular water-soaked spots on leaves. Downy mildew may attack taro.

Harvest. Taro tubers are harvested about 200 days after planting when leaves turn yellow and start to die. Lift taro roots like sweet potatoes before the first frost in autumn. Taro leaves can be picked as soon as the first leaf has opened; harvest taro leaves cut-and-come-again, never stripping the plant of all its leaves. Taro tubers can be boiled or fried like potatoes; taro leaves can be boiled like spinach.

Varieties. There are various cultivars and forms of taro; some with purple leaves or purple veins in the leaves, some for growing in wet conditions and some for growing in dry conditions. Taro cultivars are often grouped by the color of their flesh--ranging from pink to yellow to white. Trinidad dasheen grows well in the United States.

Storing and preserving. Taro tubers can be left in the ground after maturing as long as the ground does not freeze. Lifted taro tubers should be stored in a cool, dry place. Clean and store taro tubers like sweet potatoes. Use the largest corms first as they do not keep as well as smaller tubers.

Common name. Taro; cocoyam; dasheen; edo; elephant ear plant; yu, yu tou (Chinese); woo, wu choi (Cantonese); sato-imo, kimo (Japanese).

Botanical name. Colocasia esculenta

Origin. India and Southeast Asia

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Tomato Growing: Six Requirements for Success

2010-03-10T17:00:00Z

There are six musts for growing tomatoes.

1. Sunlight. Tomatoes require a minimum of 8 hours of continuous sunlight each day.

2. Temperature. Tomatoes need 3 to 4 months of warm, clear, fairly dry weather to produce best. Tomatoes need consistent night temperatures between 55°F and 75°F to set fruit. (A few varieties will set fruit at lower or higher temperatures.) Fruit will not color properly when night temperatures stay above 85°F, and plants will quit growing when temperatures go above 95°F.

3. Continuous and even watering. Keep the soil evenly moist--not too wet and not too dry. Too much water will drown the plant; too little water will stop fruit production. Test soil moisture by sticking your finger into the soil--if it comes out dry, it's time to water; if it comes out wet, hold off. During periods of drought deep water tomatoes once a week. A constant, even supply of water can prevent blossom end rot, but too much water will cause it.

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4. Continuous feeding. Prepare the tomato-growing bed with well-rotted garden compost and a trowelful of aged manure added to the soil where each plant will grow. Add a trowelful of bone meal into the bottom of each hole--the extra phosphorus will speed ripening. Too much nitrogen will give you abundant foliage but delay ripening. Add nitrogen when the top leaves turn yellow and the stem become deep purple.

5. Loose, well-drained soil. But almost any garden soil will grow tomatoes. Sandy loam is best for early tomatoes. Heavy clay loam is ideal for late tomatoes. Amend the soil with aged compost before planting. Tomatoes prefer a soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0, just below neutral in acidity.

6. Protect leaves and roots. Protect the tomato plant from extremes of temperature--cold and hot, strong winds, weeds, pests and diseases. Set 8 to 10 week old tomato seedlings in the garden two weeks after the last frost in spring. If transplanted sooner, tomatoes must be protected from cold temperatures with hot caps or plastic tunnels. Place tomatoes in the garden where they will be protected from drying winds. Protect plants from cutworms with a paper collar set in the soil at transplanting. Examine plants often to be rid of tomato hornworms and other pest early. Avoid fungal and bacterial diseases by watering at the base of plants and rotating tomatoes to new beds each year. Where summer temperatures exceed 95°F, shade cloth protection will protect leaves and fruit.

Related Tomato Growing Articles:

How to Choose a Tomato for Your Garden

How To Grow Tomatoes

Tomato Types

Crack-Resistant Tomato Varieties

And more at the Tomato Growing Archives

How-To Grow Tomatoes: Get The Kitchen Garden Growers' Guide

Vegetables to Seed Start Indoors

2010-03-06T17:00:00Z

Snow on the ground. Heavy winter rain in the garden. Last average frost date weeks away. No problem. You can start the spring vegetable garden indoors.

If you know the average date of the last spring frost in your garden or region, you can make a schedule for starting vegetable crops indoors and get growing weeks before the outdoors temperatures warm. (Check at your local library or the county cooperative extension if you are unsure of the average last frost date.)

Here is a list of vegetables that are commonly started indoors and later transplanted to the garden:

Crop	Weeks before last frost date to start indoors
Onions, leeks: bulb-forming leeks and sweet Spanish and Bermuda onions require a long growing season to reach maturity, so give them a good head start. Bunching onions are ready in 55 days, dry onions in 100 days; leeks in 130 days.	10 to 12 weeks: seed germinates best at 65°F, but will germinate at any temperature between 45° and 85°F. Start seed in the fall in warm-winter regions or where spring turns to summer quickly.
Early tomatoes: push the season with cold and cool weather tolerant varieties; early tomatoes reach maturity in as little as 55 days from transplanting into the garden.	10 to 12 weeks: tomatoes need plenty of time to develop strong root systems. Grow on seedlings indoors at 75°F day and 65°F night to as low as 50°F night to prepare for early transplanting. Protect seedlings when they go into the garden: hot caps, baskets, plastic or glass jugs. Warm garden soil with black plastic before transplanting.
Celery: start indoors for spring crop; seeds for fall or winter crop are usually sown outside in spring. Allow 5 to 6 months for plants to reach harvest from seed.	8 to 10 weeks: Frost resistant and can be set out while the weather is still cool. Do not expose seedlings to temperatures below 50°F for extended period or they may bolt.
Mid-season and late-season tomatoes: these tomatoes require from 70 to 110 days from transplanting to reach maturity.	6 to 8 weeks. Seed germinates in 8 to 10 days at 70°F. For a long season, plant several varieties with differing days to maturity.
Early peppers: reach maturity in 70 to 90 days after transplanting.	6 to 8 weeks: Grow on seedling at 65°F day and 55°F night. Set out transplants two weeks after the last frost when the soil has warmed; set in garden two to three weeks earlier if plants are protected by cloche or plastic tunnel.
Eggplant: reaches maturity in 90 to 125 days.	6 to 8 weeks: Seed germinates in 10 to 12 days at 70°F. Grow on seedling at 65°F day and 55°F night. Do not set transplants in the garden without protection until daily temperature stays above 65°F; set out earlier under hot caps or cloches, Use deep mulch to protect seedlings in garden from wind.
All other peppers	4 to 6 weeks: Grow on seedling at 65°F day and 55°F night. Transplant to garden two weeks after the last frost.
Cabbage: transplant to the garden a week or two before the average last frost date allowing this cool-weather crop to reach maturity before warm weather arrives. Reaches maturity in 65 to 125 days.	4 to 6 weeks: germinates quickly at 70° to 75°F started indoors. Grow on seedlings at 65°F day and 55°F night. Frost resistant and can be set out while the weather is still cool but after the last severe freeze.
Cauliflower: transplant to the garden a week or two before the average last frost date allowing this cool-weather crop to reach maturity before warm weather arrives. Reaches maturity in 90 to 150 days.	4 to 6 weeks: germinates in 7 to 9 days at 70° to 75°F started indoors. Grow on seedlings at 65°F day and 55°F night. Frost resistant and can be set out while the weather is still cool. Spring crop must mature before hot weather; fall crop must mature before first fall frost.
Broccoli: transplant to the garden a week or two before the average last frost date allowing this cool-weather crop to reach maturity before warm weather arrives. Reaches maturity in 65 to 100 days.	4 to 6 weeks: germinates quickly at 70° to 75°F started indoors. Grow on seedling at 65°F day and 55°F night. Frost resistant and can be set out while the weather is still cool. For fall crop, sow seed in garden midsummer.
Head lettuce: unlike loose-leaf lettuce, head lettuce needs more time--80 to 90 days―in cool weather to form a firm head.	3 to 4 weeks: germinates in 6 to 8 days at 65°F. Great Lakes is a popular home garden head variety. If weather turns hot, heads will not form; start in fall in warm-winter regions.
Melons and cucumbers: these crops are transplanted to the garden small while there is less risk of disturbing their sensitive roots.	3 to 4 weeks: Time melon sowing so that plant is set outside when the soil temperature has risen to 50°F nights and near 80°F days. Cucumber seed germinates indoors in less than 3 days with bottom heat of 80°F; grow on seedlings at temperatures not less than 65°F. Set transplants in garden when melon and cucumber starts have no more than 4 leaves to avoid disturbing developing roots.

For more articles on seed starting: click to the next page.

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For Complete Seed Starting Information on 80 vegetables and herbs check out THE KITCHEN GARDEN GROWERS' GUIDE

Vegetable Garden in March

2010-03-03T17:00:00Z

March is the month when vegetable gardeners can divide their time between what they would like to do and what the weather will allow them to do. Depending upon where you live and the weather in your region, here are a couple of posts for you to consider:

The Kitchen Garden Almanac for March: Cool and Cold Regions

The Kitchen Garden Almanac for March: Warm Regions

If you are looking for a vegetable garden calendar of tasks and planting suggestions for the year, here it is:

Vegetable Garden Calendar

And if you are struggling with very cold weather, do not forget the cold frame to get the spring garden started:

Cold Frame Calendar

As well, now is the time to visit the Seed Starting Category for articles on getting your crops growing.