| | Plant | Number | Plants per Square Foot | Notes |
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Beans (Bush Snap)
Landreth's Stringless
| 18 | 9 | *Sow into ground after 4/25 - 1 1/2 inches deep
*Days to germination: 7 to 10 days
*On the other hand, bush beans should be spaced farther at around 4 inches between each plant. Most bush beans wont need support but you can grow them in large open tomato cages if you want to keep them upright and contained. Put the cages in place over your seeds right at planting time
*Harvest in 55 days- Pick pods while young and tender. Pods are about five inches long.
*20 inch plants that dont require support.
**Full sun to very light shade
*Marigold, Sweetcorn, Squash.
*Bush beans are among the easiest vegetables to grow; highly recommended for first-time gardeners. Also can be used as a warm-weather cover crop to boost soil nitrogen levels.
*Gather pods before they fill with seeds. When picked often, many varieties continue to produce for up to a month.
*Japanese beetles and Mexican bean beetles sometimes damage leaves and pods. Gather them in broad containers of soapy water in the cool of the morning.
*Warm-season annuals, cannot tolerate frost.
**If you have a dry spell, the beans will start to shrink at one end.
**Bean rust is another disease that may cause you some problems in the garden. The symptoms are rusty-colored spots forming on the leaves of your plants. If you catch it quickly enough, a fungicide may be able to clear it up. Being careful during watering can help keep fungus spores from spreading around your plants. Water only at the soil, not all over the leaves. This will help protect against the common powdery mildew as well.
**Bush beans will usually set all their beans at once for a single harvest when the plant is mature.Average bush bean plants will give you more than a pound of beans
**Do not just yank the beans off the plant. Either snip them off with shears, or hold the rest of the plant with one hand while you gently twist off with the other. |
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Beans (Bush Snap)
Landreth Stringless Bush
| 9 | 9 | |
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Beans (Bush Snap)
Golden Wax Improved
| 0 | 0 | *Sow into ground after 4/25 - 1-1 1/2" deep
*Full sun to very light shade
*Marigold, Sweetcorn, Squash.
*Bush beans are among the easiest vegetables to grow; highly recommended for first-time gardeners. Also can be used as a warm-weather cover crop to boost soil nitrogen levels.
*Gather pods before they fill with seeds. When picked often, many varieties continue to produce for up to a month.
*Japanese beetles and Mexican bean beetles sometimes damage leaves and pods. Gather them in broad containers of soapy water in the cool of the morning.
*Warm-season annuals, cannot tolerate frost.
*Harvest in 50 days - Pick pods while young and tender. Pods are about 5 inches long.
*Plant does not require support. |
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Broccoli
Di Ciccio
| 1 | 1 | *Started Indoors: 2/19/14
*For the spring planting, plant your seeds indoors about 10 weeks before your last frost date.
*Youll be growing these seedlings for around 5 more weeks, so start them off in 3 pots rather than small seed trays. Keep your pots in full sun and water them frequently. The seeds should only be a quarter of an inch under the soil when you plant
*Days to germination: 5 to 10 days
*Transplant outdoors around 3/26, when plants are three inches tall.
*Light requirements: Full sun
*Water requirements: Frequent watering in hot weather
*Container: Yes
*Harvest in about 75 days - Harvest before individual flowers mature and begin to open.
*In hot weather, or if deprived of wate, it will attempt to send up flowers and make seed.
**You can put your seedlings out in the garden about 5 weeks before your frost date (which makes them about 5 weeks old). To prepare the plants for the change of environment, harden them off by setting the pots outside during the day for 3 to 4 days before planting. Bring them back indoors for the night.
**Dont plant your broccoli in the same place every year, and that also means dont use the same patch for cauliflower, cabbage or Brussels sprouts. The same insect pests attack all the plants in this family, so move your plants around or you will find larger populations of the bugs each year.
**Prepare your soil by digging thoroughly and adding a bit of lime to balance the pH
**As the weather warms up, make sure your plants are frequently watered around twice a week.
Dont cultivate deeply between the plants while they are growing. Their roots are shallow and delicate, so try to weed by hand or keep the weeds out with a heavy layer of mulch.
**With its shallow roots, broccoli is well-adapted to container living provided the container is large enough. Choose at least a 5 gallon pot for each broccoli plant.
You can either follow the above instructions for starting seedlings indoors, and then transplant the broccoli seedings into |
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Brussels Sprouts
Long Island Improved
| 2 | 1 | *Started Indoors: 2/19/14
*Days to germination: 5 to 10 days
**Their roots are actually pretty shallow for the size of the plant, so you dont necessarily need to grow your seedlings in very deep containers
*Transplant outdoors around 4/15 - Ready when 4-5 inches tall.
*Full sun.
*improves with frost.
*Harvest in 110 days - When Sprouts are 1 - 1 1/2 inches in diameter, harvest from the bottom upwards.
* When you see sprouts developing remove leaf closest to sprouts, from the bottom upwards 6-8"
*Pinch back growing tip in late summer to encourage the upper sprouts to develop.
*Dill, Rosemary, Potato.
*Spacing Single Plants: 2' 0" each way (minimum)
* set plants out when they have 5 or more leaves. In other areas, start seeds indoors in summer and set out plants 8 weeks before your first fall frost date.
** If your weather frequently is more than 75 to 80 F, the sprouts may start to open up and change their taste. For plants that got a good early start, you might still get a decent number of sprouts before that happens. You could also try a later planting, though your plants wont likely reach full maturity before winter hits.About 4 months after planting, you can pinch out the top of the plant. This will help the upper sprouts to develop a bit faster so you can get as much out of your plant before the winter sets in
**You can grow Brussels sprouts in large containers (at least 5 gallons each), with one plant per pot. Container gardening has one benefit with Brussels sprouts, that you can move them out of the direct sun during the hottest part of the season which may extend your harvest time.
Like in the garden, only use non-nitrogen fertilizer to keep your sprouts developing properly
**They will be fine with a light freeze or two, and your sprouts will be noticeably sweeter for it.
**Sprouts that have been picked off the plant will last in the refrigerator for about a week. You can store them longer if you leave them on the plant, and cut the entire stalk off. Hang |
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Cabbage (Fall)
Farao F1 (OG)
| 1 | 1 | *Started Indoors: 2/19/14
* start your cabbage plants inside about 4 weeks before your frost date
*Days to germination: 5 to 10 days
*Water requirements: Regularly and consistently
*Container: Possibly
*Transplant outdoors 12-18" apart after 3/16
**they will outgrow seedling trays so plan on moving them to larger pots, or just start your seeds in individual 3 pots.
*Start seedlings as above in May and transplant to the garden in June-July.
*Full sun.
*Tolerates moderate frost, but damaged by hard freezes.
*Drench every two weeks with an organic liquid fertilizer.
*Early varieties may split or burst at maturity or from rapid new growth if rain or heavy irrigation follows a dry spell. Splitting may be partially avoided by slowing a plant's growth. To accomplish this, cultivate close to plants to sever some of the root system, or by slightly twisting the plant
*Harvest in 64 days.
*Try growing different varieties from seed to explore differences in leaf color (such as red cabbage) and type (smooth-leaf or savoy).
*Heavy summer rains following dry weather can cause heads to split. Watch for green imported cabbageworms, the larvae of the cabbage white butterfly. Exclude the adults with row covers.
**You can put seedlings out around your last frost date.
**Though cabbages need to be well-watered, you can risk splitting the head if you water too much. There is a fine line you need to walk with cabbage, because excessive growth will disrupt the plant and cause the head to split open. They will also split as they pass their maturity point, so try not to leave them in the garden too long.
**After harvest, you might get a second head to grow, depending on the plant and your climate. |
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Cabbage (Fall)
| 1 | 1 | |
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Carrot
Red Cored Chantenay
| 16 | 16 | |
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Carrot
Purple Cosmo
| 16 | 16 | |
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Carrot
Nectar (F1) (OG)
| 0 | 0 | *Sow from early spring to mid-summer, 3/4-1" apart (about 30 seeds/ft.), 1/4- 1/2" deep,
*Days to germination: 10 to 15 days
*Sprinkle the soil surface to keep moist. Don't allow soil to crust before the emergence of seedlings which takes 1-3 weeks, depending on temperature and moisture.
*Sun or partial afternoon shade.
*Water requirements: Water consistently
*Tops tolerate light frost; roots survive hard freezes.
*Leek, Onion, Tomato, Sage.
*Harvest in 72 days - Make a few sowings at 3 week intervals for a continuous supply of tender carrots at their prime.
*Make successive plantings every three weeks until July.
*To help germination, cover the bed with burlap bags, soak them, and keep the bed moist until the carrots sprout. Remove burlap, then water daily until seedlings are well established.
*Can be harvested over a long period, but the longer plants are left in the ground, the more likely they are to be injured by insects or animals.
*blight shows as brown-black lesions edged with yellow on leaf margins beginning on oldest leaves. Leaflets may shrivel and die.
*Carrots may be dug any time after they reach a good orange color (bright, not pale), at which stage flavor develops. Generally the best harvest period lasts about 3 weeks (longer in cool, fall weather), after which time the roots may crack or the taste and appearance may decline. Make a few sowings at 3 week intervals for a continuous supply of tender carrots at their prime.
**Plant your carrots about 2 to 3 weeks before your last frost date.
**Carrots are great for container gardening, particularly if you plant varieties that produce short carrots. Royal Chantenay carrots are about 5 inches long at maturity, but produce very fat carrots. Little Fingers or Mignon are even shorter (around 3 inches), with more typical slender roots. Any of these will work fine in containers. |
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Chamomile
German
| 4 | 4 | *Started Indoors: 2/19/14
*Days 7-14
* A sunny spot, for example at the end of a vegetable row or bed.
*Young seedling easily tolerate spring frosts, and may survive winters in mild climates. The easiest chamomile to grow is a cool season annual.
Feeding - Not usually required.
*Companions: Lettuce, Spinach, and other leafy greens grown in the spring, as well calendula, coriander, and other spring-blooming herbs and flowers.
*Harvest when flowers blossom. Dry the flowers .
*Cut branches when they are holding numerous open flowers, and hang in small bunches to dry. Chamomile tea is made from the blossoms only. When the stems are dry, pop off the blossoms and store them in an airtight container.
*Rabbits enjoy nibbling chamomile foliage.
**Start them in seed pots but dont bury the seeds under the soil. They need light to sprout, so just sprinkle a few seeds in each pot right on the surface of your potting soil.
Keep them moist, and thin down to one per pot after they start to grow. Your seedlings should be kept in a sunny spot until its time to plant them. For container growing, you can sprout your seeds directly into their final pot if kept indoors until after the frosts are past.
**Each plant should have a 12-inch pot to itself, and the soil should be well-drained with some added sand. Water the plants occasionally, maybe once a week.
**Most plants will start to put out flowers about a month after planting.
**Spread them out somewhere warm and well-ventilated to thoroughly dry. Direct sunlight can harm the chamomile oils, so dont just leave them out in the sun to dry. Indoors is usually best. Once dry, you can store chamomile flowers in a sealed container for a year.
***Wait until the white petals are drooping down. Dry indoors. I add honey and ginger to achieve the most medicinal value. |
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Chives
Chives
| 16 | 16 | *Started indoors on 2/24
*Days to germination: 14 to 20 days
*Water requirements: Regular watering
*Container: Excellent in containers
*As long as you dont dig up the bulbs, your chives will continue to come back each spring as a perennial.
*Full sun to partial afternoon shade.
*Very cold hardy. Becomes dormant in winter.
* start seeds indoors and set out while the soil is still cool. Established clumps can be dug and divided in spring or in fall.
*Established clumps produce beautiful pink flowers in late spring.
*Use scissors to gather handfuls of leaves from early spring onward. Rinse, pat dry, and snip or cut into smaller pieces.
**start your seeds indoors about 5 weeks before the frost date and plant as seedlings about a week after your last frost.
** 6 inches apart in the garden in groups of 3 or 4. If you are sowing seed directly out, you can start them closer than that and thin out later. The thinnings can be used for a quick and early chive harvest
**If you are growing onions as well, you should plant your chives away from them. Some onion pests are attracted to chives so you should separate them
**you should still keep the leaves trimmed down once they reach 6 or 7 inches high. Taller leaves will start to lose their characteristic taste.
**Chives are just ideal for container growing, and they will do quite well indoors as well as out. Most chives wont get any taller than 12 inches, though garlic chives are closer to 18 inches in height. You can grow 4 or 5 plants in a 12-inch pot easily.If you dont let your plants flower, you can keep your chives growing all through the winter as long as you have a sunny window for them.
**when it comes time to harvest some, you just snip off a few inches from the ends with a pair of sharp scissors. You can cut them down to about 2 inches above the ground and they will continue to grow. Its a lot like mowing the grass. Just take the tops and the bottoms keep going.Though they are easy to harvest, you should let them grow t |
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Cilantro
Slo-Bolt
| 1 | 1 | *Started Indoors on: 2/21/14
*Days to germination: 10 to 16 days
*Container: Needs a tall pot, but is well-suited otherwise
*Its advisable that you just sow your seed where you want your plants, directly outdoors.
*Can be Potted. Transfer outside after 4/15.
*Harvest leaves when plants are 4'-6' tall.
*Full sun to partial afternoon shade.
*Seedlings tolerate light frost with protection.
*Drench with liquid organic fertilizer when plants are 4" tall.
*Older seedlings are difficult to transplant successfully.
*Cilantro seeds are the spice known as coriander.
*As soon as plants are 6" tall, pick individual leaves as you need them in the kitchen.
*Plants grown in spring often rush to produce flowers; fall grown plants are often better producers.
**so only water when the soil is dry. Excessive drought can lead to early bolting (going to seed). This is where coriander is finicky.
**For cilantro, you can even grow your plants indoors if you have a sunny spot
**For harvesting cilantro, you can start to pick leaves from each plant once it reaches around 4 inches in height. Only take a few leaves at a time until the plant is large enough to handle it. Cut the larger outside leaves first as they have the most flavor.
**Store your fresh cilantro in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks. It stores better if you keep it moist with a damp paper towel in a plastic bag. You can dry the leaves but they will lose nearly all of their flavor if stored that way. Freezing is the better choice for long term storage. |
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Cornflower
Blue Boy Bachelor's Buttons
| 12 | 4 | |
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Cosmos
Summer Dreams
| 8 | 4 | *Started Indoors on: 2/21/14
**sow seeds indoors four to five weeks before the last spring-frost date
*Can be Potted. Spacing 8-10"
*Set out when seedlings have at least five leaves.
*Full sun to partial afternoon shade.
*Seedlings tolerate light frosts, but palnts are killed by freezing temperatures.
*Tall varieties can form a colorful hedge that attracts bees and other pollinators, and mix well with tall herbs like dill and fennel.
*Place outdoors after 4/15.
*Blooms in 60-65 days
*Cosmos make good cut flowers. Pull up the plants and compost them when blooms become few or freezing weather is expected.
*In some climates, cosmos planted in spring may not come into full bloom until days become short in early autumn.
**Pinch off spent flowers to encourage continuous bloom. Pinching stem tips can reduce height and encourage branching but isnt necessary. Deadheading is recommended since it lengthens the bloom season. Cosmos plants that arent deadheaded will self-sow in warm regions. Typical plant height for cosmos is 1 to 5 feet. |
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Cosmos
Sensation Mix
| 4 | 4 | |
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Cosmos
Picotee
| 4 | 4 | |
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Cucumber
Japanese Long
| 4 | 2 | *Sow directly into ground after 4/15 and night temps stay above 50F.
*Sow 2-3 seeds 1 1/2' apart and one inch deep. Thin to one seedling per group.
*Or make slightly mounded hills with 5 or 6 seeds in each hill
*Protect seedlings - Visit Renee's website for more.
*Days to germination: 4 to 10 days
*Container: Dwarf or bush varieties are ideal
*Harvest in 60 days - 10 - 12" fruit
*Full Sun
*Drench in liquid organic fertilizer when plants begin to bloom.
*Use a trellis to save space
*Pick cucumbers at least every other day by snipping them from the vine with pruning shears. Many varietes are extremely productive.
*Fruits with hard seeds inside are overripe.
*Cucumber beetles transmit an incurable disease called bacterial wilt. Exclude them with floating rowcovers.
**The cucumbers will grow from the base of the flowers that bloom on the vines, but dont be shocked if the first batch of blossoms dont produce any fruits. There is nothing wrong with your plants. The first flowers are always all male, and its the later female flowers that will make your cucumbers.
**Dont spray water all over your plants when watering, try to keep your water directed at the soil rather than the leaves to help prevent powdery mildew (see the diseases section). Keep your cucumbers watered at least twice a week, but dont soak them. Your soil need to be well-drained so the roots arent constantly wet.
**As the season is coming to an end, start pinching off the blossoms around 1 month before you expect winter frost to arrive. That will save the plants resources for the remaining cucumbers so you can get them mature enough to pick before winter.
**But vining cucumbers will produce new blossoms and fruit all through the season for ongoing picking. Use a knife or clippers to cut the fruit off the vines. Pulling on them can easily damage the rest of the plant.
**You can store fresh cucumbers in the fridge where they will last about a week. The only practical way to store cucumbers for the long-term is |
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Dill
Bouquet (OG)
| 4 | 4 | *Started indoors on 2/23
*Days to germination: 7 days
*Water requirements: During dry spells
*Container: Dwarf types work best for containers
*Annual
*Transplant outside after 4/15
*Harvest in 65-70 days - Harvest while the flower heads are still green. Pull plant, roots and all. Use fresh or hang upside down in a dark and dry location until completly dry.
*Full sun.
*Seedlings may need protection from light frosts. Cannot tolerate hard freezes.
*Spacing Single Plants: 0' 8" each way (minimum)
*When growing dill in containers, use a pot that is at least 8" in diameter and 8" deep.
*Gradually thin seedlings to proper spacing, and eat your thinnings. Older seedlings are difficult to transplant successfully.
*Young dill leaves are the herb known as dill weed. Dill flowers and seeds are used in making breads and pickles.
*Gather and dry leaves when plants are 10 inches tall.
*Large plants may be blown over by gusty storms. Stake if necessary.
**Dont plant your dill near closely related plants like fennel or coriander. They will easily cross-pollinate
**Regular varieties of dill will grow to a height of 2 to 3 feet, and may shade other plants. But its a very fine-leafed plant so it doesnt cast a lot of shade
**Spacing isnt a big issue with dill because it is a very feathery plant and can be grown quite close together.
**Even though it can get tall, you should try to plant dill near the rest of your main vegetable or herb garden. The plants attract lacewings, and lacewing larvae will help control your aphid pests.
**To keep your plant from getting too tall or leggy, continually pinch out the top buds. This will make for a bushier plant, giving you more leaves to harvest.
**a tall stake or trellis can help your flimsy dill stand tall.
**Growing single plants in pots will mean you will likely need a bit of support for your dill though the dwarf type usually grows to less than 2 feet tall.
**You can start to snip off dill leaves after the first few weeks of growth
**Fresh |
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Edamame
| 0 | 0 | *Sow directly into ground after 4/15 - night temps above 50 F - Plant seeds 1 inch deep, six inches apart.
*Plant seeds 2 inches deep and 6 inches apart in late spring, after the last frost has passed and the soil is warm. Make additional sowings until midsummer.
*Full sun.
*Edamame are very easy to grow, especially in warm climates. Extra seeds make a good short-term summer cover crop.
*Warm-season annuals, cannot tolerate frost.
*Marigold, Sweetcorn, Squash.
*Make several sowings a few weeks apart untill the end of June to provide staggered harvests.
*Protect seedlings from birds and other animals.
*Harvest in 85 days - 3 -3 1/2" pods with 3-4 beans inside. Pick promptly when pods are plump and beans are almost touching.
*Gather pods when they feel well filled with seeds, but are still bright green. Most varieties produce all at once.
*Japanese beetles sometimes feed on leaves. Gather them in broad containers of soapy water in the cool of the morning. |
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Garlic
| 8 | 4 | **Days to harvest: Overwintering is required
**Water requirements: Regular watering
*Full sun
*Container: Yes
**Softneck is easier to grow and has more cloves than hardneck. You will get larger cloves though with hardneck.
**cloves need to go into the ground around the time of your first frost in the fall, for harvest the next summer.
**Dont peel the papery skin off the clove, and bury each one into the soil with the pointed end upward. The tip should be about 2 inches underground. Keep your cloves 3 to 6 inches apart when you plant.
**Keep your garlic watered through the summer and dont let them dry out too often. But you also dont want your plants sitting in soggy water either or the bulbs can start to rot.
**When the weather gets warmer in the summer, your plants will put up flower stalks. Unlike many other plants that stop producing after this point, you can just cut the flowers off and the garlic bulbs will keep on growing.
**Garlic can grow fine in containers, but it still needs to overwinter outdoors in order to produce a decent sized bulb. Plant two or three starter cloves in a large pot in the fall, and leave it outside until spring.
Ensure that the container has good drainage and dont over-water the plants.
**The strong smell and taste of garlic is a natural repellent when it comes to insect or animal damage. So much so that you might want to plant a few cloves in around your other vegetables to help protect them from being eaten.
**But disease is still a possibility, and white rot is the worst one for garlic. You may have it when the leaves start to turn yellow and wilt (not to be confused with the natural drying of the leaves at maturity). Dig up a bulb, and there will be no roots and just white fungus over the bottom of the plant. You cant treat it. Try to harvest what you can from any unaffected plants, because even partially grown garlic will yield a few cloves.
**Each cloves that you plant will produce a new bulb containing between 10 to 20 cloves. |
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Kale
Red Russian (OG)
| 1 | 1 | |
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Leek
American Flag (Broad London)
| 9 | 9 | |
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Lettuce (Crisphead)
| 4 | 4 | |
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Lettuce (Crisphead)
Jericho (OG)
| 0 | 0 | *Started Indoors: 2/19/14
Days to germination: 2 to 12 days
*Container: Definitely
*Transplant outdoors after 3/16 - Harden off plant
*Harvest full head at 57 days - cut entire head above the roots.
*Use a cloth shade cover if needed to keep plants cool during periods of hot weather.
*Sun to partial afternoon shade.
*Does not tolerate frost
*Companions: Carrot, Radish, Strawberry.
*Spacing: Single Plants: 0' 10" each way (minimum)
*Harvest head lettuce before the plants begin to elongate, because they lose their delicate flavor as they prepare to produce flowers and seeds. |
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Lettuce (Crisphead)
Buttercrunch (OG)
| 12 | 4 | |
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Lettuce (Crisphead)
Little Gem
| 0 | 0 | * Sow directly into ground after 3/16 - Cover seeds with half inch of fine soil then lightly firm.
*Leave 10-12" per plant.
*Harvest in 65 days - Small 5" heads that are heat tolerant.
*Lettuce thrives in cool weather.
*Use a cloth shade cover if needed to keep plants cool during periods of hot weather.
*Sun to partial afternoon shade.
*Does not tolerate frost
*Companions: Carrot, Radish, Strawberry.
*Spacing: Single Plants: 0' 10" each way (minimum)
*Harvest head lettuce before the plants begin to elongate, because they lose their delicate flavor as they prepare to produce flowers and seeds. |
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Lettuce (Leaf)
Allstar Gourmet
| 9 | 9 | *Sow directly into ground around 3/16
*sprinkle seeds about 60 seeds per foot, lightly cover ( 1/8"), and firm gently. Dry soil must be sprinkled to ensure even germination.
*Harvest in 28 days - Begin harvesting in about 3 weeks by clipping with scissors; most plants in the mix will regrow.
*Sun to partial afternoon shade.
*Tolerates light frost, but needs protection from hard freezes.
*Spinach, scallions, radish.
* Scatter seeds atop prepared soil, about one-half inch apart, and barely cover them before patting them into place. Sow more seeds in summer for a fall crop.
*Shallow lettuce roots need constant moisture. Do not allow the soil to dry out. |
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Lettuce (Leaf)
| 9 | 9 | |
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Marigold
Snowdrift
| 4 | 4 | |
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Marigold
| 16 | 4 | *Started Indoors on: 2/21/14
*Can be Potted
*Full sun to partial afternoon shade.
*Does not tolerate frost.
* In climates with long, hot summers, make a second planting in summer for great autumn color.
*Marigolds make good short-stemmed cut flowers for small bouquets. Don't rush to pull up plants that stop blooming but look healthy, because they will probably come back into bloom.
**Marigolds make excellent cut flowers for both live and dried arrangements. For live bouquets, cut newly opened blooms early in the morning and immediately set the stems in a jar of warm water. Later, strip the stems of lower leaves that might foul the water and arrange the flowers in a vase with fresh water. Marigolds will last up to a week- even longer if you add some floral preservative to the vast water.
**Marigolds are great for dried arrangements and floral crafts. Cut perfect blossoms at their peak; remove foliage from the stems; and hang upside down in a warm, dry place such as an attic until dry. The flowers will shrink a bit, but their color will remain strong. Insert wire into the marigold stems if needed for support in an arrangement. |
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Nasturtium
Fordhook Favorites Mix
| 4 | 4 | *Started Indoors on: 2/21/14
*Can be Potted - Set outdoors after 3/26
*Full sun to partial afternoon shade.
**Climbing types will need some training and support on their upward journey. Nasturtiums cut for vases often root in water.Harvesting
Nasturtiums are pretty annuals to use as edgings or at the front of a flower bed with other low-growing annuals and perennials. Allow plants to trail over walls or raised beds, and use them to add summertime color to rock gardens. They also look beautiful in containers and window boxes. Train climbing types onto strings, trellises, shrubs, or other supports. Use nasturtiums to garnish salads or other dishes, or cut them for a vase.
*Nasturtiums may survive very light frosts, but they are easily damaged by freezing temperatures.
*Nasturtiums sprawl out over the ground, so they suppress weeds and shade the soil when grown near tall plants like sweet corn, tomatoes or sunflowers.
*Nasturtium blossoms, leaves and immature green seed pods are edible.
*Space 12 " apart
*Gather nasturtium blossoms in the morning, when they are plumped up with moisture. Snip away the base of each blossom, which may taste bitter.
*Nasturtium will often reseed itself in hospitable sites.
*Blooms in 60-70 days
**They also look beautiful in containers and window boxes. Train climbing types onto strings, trellises, shrubs, or other supports. Use nasturtiums to garnish salads or other dishes, or cut them for a vase. |
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Nasturtium
| 4 | 4 | |
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Onions (Green)
Evergreen Long White Bunching
| 16 | 16 | *Started Indoors: 2/19/14
*Transplant outdoors around 3/26
*Many varieties are cold hardy to -10F (- 33C) when well rooted in the garden.
*Potatoes, lettuce, mound-forming herbs.
*Any immature onion can be eaten as a green onion, or scallion.
*Pull individual plants as you need them in the kitchen.
*Harvest 120 days.
*Full sun to partial afternoon shade.
*Slugs often chew holes in onion leaves in wet weather. |
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Onions (Green)
Deep Purple (OG)
| 16 | 16 | |
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Oregano
| 1 | 1 | *Perennial
*Started indoors on 2/24
*Days to germination: 10 to 14 days
*Occasional but not frequent watering
*Container: Definitely
*Full sun to partial afternoon shade.
*Hardy in cold climates provided plant is well-rooted and mulched. If desired, small plants can be potted up in fall and grown through winter indoors.
*Spacing Single Plants: 0' 8" each way (minimum)
*Frequent pinching back helps to keep plants bushy and full, and it delays flowering. Some strains are grown for their pretty pink flowers. Oregano often spreads in hospitable spots. Moderately invasive.
*Gather sprigs as needed in the kitchen. Gather stems for drying in early summer, just before the plants bloom.
*Harvest in summer or early fall before the plants are in full bloom by cutting the stems, flower heads and all, and drying in a ciool place with good air movement.
*They will not tolerate extremely cold winters, so you will only be able to grow oregano outdoors between zones 5 and 10.
** Getting a head-start with seedlings doesnt make that much difference with herbs since they are perennials anyway.
**Oregano is a perennial, so choose your location to last for a few years. The plants dont last forever though, and you will only get a harvest for 3 to 5 years from each plant before they get very woody
**To keep your oregano leaves as flavorful as possible, only water your plants when they are dry and dont use any additional fertilizer.
**You still should trim your oregano plants even if you do not need any more leaves at the moment. If you allow the plant to grow freely, it will start to get very woody and the leaves will quickly lose their pungent flavor.
**. Each plant should have a 10-inch pot to itself, with light sandy soil.Keep the center stem of the plant trimmed down to prevent your potted oregano from getting too tall.
**The aromatic oils in oregano are a natural pest deterrent, making it relatively pest-free
**wait until the plant is around 5 inches tall before starting to clip off |
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Parsley
Plain Organic
| 4 | 4 | *Started indoors on 2/24
*Germanation 21-28 days
Thinning height 2"
*Spacing after thinning 10"
*start their seeds indoors about 8 weeks before the last frost date
*Container: Very suitable, even indoors
*Harvest in 75 days - Height 12"
*Full sun
*Hardy only to about 10 degrees F, though winter mulches or cloches can enhance cold tolerance.
*Gather sprigs as needed in the kitchen. Gather stems for drying in early summer.
*Colorful parsleyworms sometimes eat parsley leaves. Root rot is common in elderly, winter-weary plants.
** let it grow to flowering, it will self-seed and provide you with new parsley plants without much effort on your part.
**It can withstand cold winters up to zone 3, and heat to zone 9.
**Start several seeds in a tall 4-inch pot rather than in individual little seedling trays. Parsley has a long taproot so it will outgrow the little pots in no time
**Sow more than you need, and thin out to 1 plant per pot once they finally begin to sprout. Keep your pots in the sun where it is warm, and dont let the potting soil dry out.If you are going to grow your parsley in containers, you should just plant your seeds directly into their final pots to save them the stress of transplanting
**Each plant should be in a pot approximately 6 to 10 inches across, and 18 inches deep to accommodate the deep roots of the plant.Pots should have an extra layer of gravel or stones in the bottom to maximize drainage.
**You can start to harvest parsley leaves as soon as the plant produces leaves large enough for use. Usually a month after youve put your plants outside. Use scissors to snip away leaves and stems at the outside of the plant first.
**Parsley can handle a few frosts without damage to the leaves, so there is no immediate rush to pick the remaining leaves in the late fall.
**If you want to dry parsley, do it at a low temperature or it will lose its flavor. Either air dry, or use a low-heat dehydrator. |
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Peas
Three Peas In A Pod
| 8 | 8 | |
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Peas
| 8 | 8 | |
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Pepper
Kevin's Early Orange
| 1 | 1 | *Started indoors on 2/19
*Transplant outdoors after 4/15
*Harden off plant prior to setting in the garden.
*Harvest in 70-80 days Green>>>Orange
3 - 3 1/2" fruit |
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Pepper
Jupiter
| 1 | 1 | *Started Indoors on: 2/21/14
*Transplant outdoors after 4/15
*Harden off plants for no more than an hour of sunlight per day. Gradually increase the outdoor exposure over a period of several days
*Harvest in 75 days - 4.5" fruits.
*Plant grows 3-5' sturdy. |
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Pepper
California Wonder
| 1 | 1 | *Started Indoors: 2/19/14
*Days to germination: 10 to 15 days
*If you start your seedlings in trays, move them to 3 inch pots after a few weeks to give their roots ample room to grow.
*Transplant outdoors after 4/15 - When nights temp averages 55F.
*Light requirements: Full sun
*Container: Ideal for containers
*Harvest in 75 days -produce 4 or 5 fruits 4" by 4 1/2" mild and sweet.
**Youll be putting your little pepper plants outside about 3 weeks after the last frost date.
**Once you have growing peppers on your plants, you might want to stake them. Large peppers can be pretty heavy for the small plant and may bend the plant down. Tomato cages can be a great help for this, but you need to put the cages in place when the plants are small. Dont try to cage a full-grown plant or you will likely damage the roots as well as the branches.
**Though peppers do love the heat, they will drop their blossoms without any fruit development if the temperatures get over 90F during the day or over 75F at nights. It wont do any lasting harm to the plant, and they will start setting fruit again once the weather goes back to their preferred temperature range.
**Peppers produce fairly small plants, and work very well in containers. A pot that is 12 inches across can handle 2 pepper plants. Mix your potting soil with some compost for nutrients, and water the pots regularly. Set your containers along a sunny wall, and the wall can reflect its heat onto the plants for added warmth.
Some varieties like Blushing Beauty are smaller for containers, but really any variety of bell pepper can be grown in a pot.
**On an average healthy bell pepper plant, you can likely harvest between 5 and 10 good-sized peppers. Be gentle when picking the peppers so you dont harm the rest of the bush. Either snip them off with garden clippers, or twist them off while you hold the plant with your other hand.
**When your peppers are large, and have turned their final color, dont leave them on the plant for too |
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Radish
Cherry Belle
| 0 | 0 | *Sow directly into ground around 3/15
*Days to germination: 5 to 10 days
*Container: Yes
*Harvest 22 days.
*Full sun to partial afternoon shade.
*Frost Tolerant No.
*Companions Pea, Nasturtium, Lettuce.
*Spacing Single Plants: 4" each way (minimum)
*Flea beetles often make small holes in leaves, but do not merit control.
*Sow seeds directly in the bed or row, one-half inch deep and 1 inch apart. Thin to proper spacing when the seedlings are 1 week old.
**Unlike most other cool-weather crops, radishes do just fine during the summer months as well. After your initial seeding, you can keep growing fresh radishes if you plant more seeds every other week.
**Its not bad if you like hot radishes but you run the risk of ruining your crop if you dont give them regular watering. At least twice a week they should be thoroughly watered.
**Given their small size and short growing time, they are one of the most perfect vegetables for container gardens. Depending on the size of your radish variety, just about any container will do. Short round radishes work best but even the longer ones will grow fine as long as the container is taller.Though they like the sun, you can even grow radishes successfully indoors. They will do best in a south-facing window.
**Many people dont realize that radish leaves are edible, much like how you can eat beet greens as well as the roots. Radish leaves have the same peppery taste as the roots and can be added to salads or cooked (like spinach).
*You can store them in your fridge for 2 or 3 weeks before they start to get soft. |
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Radish
| 16 | 16 | |
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Rosemary
Rosemary
| 1 | 1 | *Started Indoors on 2/21
*Transplant after 4/25 Harden off before transplant.
*Sun or partial shade.
*Container: Definitely
**does not tolerate the cold at all. it thrives well indoors so a windowsill pot of rosemary is still an option for everyone else farther north.
*Hardy to about 10 F, though winter protection can help. Where winters are mild, rosemary can grow into huge, shrub-like plants. In cold winter areas, small plants can be potted up in fall and grown through winter indoors.
*Drench plants a month after settig outside with plant food.
*Frequent pinching back helps to keep plants bushy and full, and it delays flowering.
*Gather sprigs as needed in the kitchen. Gather stems for drying from spring to late summer.
*Root stem cuttings each spring to always have a vigorous young plants.
*Treat small outbreaks of powdery mildew with a spray made from 2 tbl milk in 1 cup water.
*Spacing 12" apart.
*you will probably have a year or more to wait before the plant gets large enough to get a decent harvest. The more common way to start rosemary is with small but established plants (usually larger than seedlings). |
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Sage
| 1 | 1 | *Started indoors on 2/23
*Days to germination: 10 to 20 days
*Transplant after 4/15
*Container: Yes
*Full sun
*Hardy only to about 15 degrees F, though winter protection can help. In cold winter areas, small plants can be potted up in fall and grown through winter indoors.
*Drench plants with a water soluble plant food one month after setting them out.
*One year old plants nursed through winter produce beatiful blue flowers. Sage grown in containers can be kept in a cold garage through winter.
*Gather sprigs as needed in the kitchen. Gather stems for drying from spring to fall.
*Plants are often short lived so root a few stem sutting each spring to always have vigorous young plants.
*Perennial -spacing 2'
**cut stems will root very easily. Just prop up a fresh sprig in a glass of water until it sprouts roots. Then plant as you would any other seedling
**You should be able to cut your plant down by almost a half after its bloomed. It will improve leaf production for the next season, increasing your herb harvest.
**Sage grows well in a pot, but it may be too large for a window-sill garden indoors. Theyll need to be kept in full sun, whether inside or outside. You can keep a sage plant small by vigorous harvesting and regular pruning.
**Choose a container thats 8 inches across and around the same size in depth. Youll only be able to grown one plant per pot.
**To let your plant grow and get established, dont harvest any leaves for the first year. Or at least harvest very lightly.
**After about 4 years, your sage plants will start to get woody and will need to be replaced with new plants. Constant pruning and harvesting of the leafs can help prolong the life of your plants
**Drying is the most common way to store sage, though the taste will be reduced. Hang a bundle of fresh sprigs in a cool but ventilated area until they are completely dry. Then store in an airtight jar for up to a year. Fresh sage leaves will keep will in the fridge for 3 to 5 days |
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Spinach
Tyee (F1)
| 0 | 0 | *Sow outdoors around 3/16
*Days to germination: 7 to 12 days
*Container: Yes, any variety
*Sun to partial shade.
*Yes survives winter with mulch in many climates.
*Keep well watered. Spinach grows tall and goes to seed when days become long and hot. Grow a second crop in the fall.
*Pick individual leaves, or allow plants to grow into dense, leafy rossettes.
*Harvest in 21-28 for salads
*For baby leaf: Sow in a 2-4" wide band, 3/4" apart, about 40 seeds/ft. Clip small leaves in 3-5 weeks, depending on time of year and speed of growth. Triple-rinse leaves, sort out cut and broken leaves, and package. For a continuous supply, sow every 7 days.
*Known for its bolt resistance and vigorous growth. Dark green leaves with upright growth habit. Suitable for spring, summer, and fall crops. Ideal for overwintering.
*Slow growth and yellowing indicate nutrional stress. drench with a water soluble plant food.
**Spinach has no tolerance at all for heat and will go to seed (bolt) as soon as it gets hot.
**put your seeds out about 5 weeks before you are due to get the last night-time frost in your area.
**Like other cool weather garden vegetables, you can get a second harvest if you plant more seed later after the hot part of summer. A definite option for spinach. Plant another crop of seed about 45 days before you expect the first frost in the winter. If your summers are short, it might still be too warm for the plants to do well at that time though.
**Spinach is a very heavy-feeding plant, so use a nitrogen-rich fertilizer about a month after planting to help keep your plants healthy and producing.
**Your biggest problem with growing spinach is actually the temperature, more than any other pest. Shade your plants when youre expecting hot weather, and keep your plants well-watered.
**By the time you realize the bolting has started, the leaves will be bitter. Some varieties of spinach are more heat-hardy, so choose ones that will suit your climate. Tyee is a good one for warme |
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Spinach
| 9 | 9 | |
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Squash (Summer)
Yellow Crookneck (OG)
| 1 | 1 | *Sow directly into ground after 4/15
*Full Sun
*Cannot tolerate frost.
*Liquid fertilizer when they begin to blossom and set fruits.
*Squash bugs and squash vine borers can be a serious pests. Exclude them from young plantings with row covers.
*Build a tepee over it to support vines and fruit
*Harvest in 55 days - Best eaten when fruits are no longer than 6" |
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Swiss Chard
Ruby Red or Rhubarb Chard (OG)
| 0 | 0 | *Started Indoors: 2/19/14
*Days to germination: 5 to 15 days
*Container: Yes
*
*Transplant outdoors after 4/15 - spacing 4-8" apart
harvest in 32-59 days
*Sow direct into the ground in mid spring, and again in late summer for a fall crop.
*Can be started indoors if the roots are not disturbed as seedlings are transplanted.
*Harvesting -Twist leaves from the outside of the plant regularly from mid summer onwards. Plants regrow when cut back to 3 inches.
*Cutworms can girdle seedlings, so be watchful when growing chard in spots recently vacated by grass.
**Swiss chard has crinkly leaves and looks a lot like savoy spinach, but its easier to grow and doesnt bolt in hot weather either
**Get your seeds planted out about 2 weeks before your final frost date, sowing the seeds around half an inch deep.
**For small leaves and a frequent harvest, you can just sprinkle the seeds over your intended Swiss chard patch and let the plants grow as they may. To get larger heads with good sized stalks for cooking, plant 2 or 3 seeds about 10 inches apart. Once they sprout, thin to 1 strong seedling in each location.
**Like in the garden, how you space your plants will depend on how you intend to harvest. For easy leaf-picking, just spread some seed in your pot and watch your plants grow. Larger heads need more room, so plant 2 in each 12 pot. Your containers should be at least 12 deep as well
**Downy mildew can target your Swiss chard if you have been watering too much or your plants are clustered very close together. Direct the water right at the soil to help prevent mildew |
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Swiss Chard
| 4 | 4 | |
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Thyme
| 1 | 1 | *Started indoors on 2/23
*Days to germination: 7 to 10 days
*Container: Suitable, and preferred for colder areas
*Transplant after 4/5
*Perennial - Loves full sun - Height 18"
*Very winter hardy. Becomes dormant from fall to spring.
*Drench plants with water soluble food one month after setting them out.
*Companions: Roses
*Bees are attracted to pink thyme flowers.
*Gather sprigs as needed in the kitchen. Gather stems for drying in summer, before the plants bloom.
*Plants are often short-lived, so root a few stem cuttings each spring to always have vigorous young plants.
*Used in tea as a cough aid
**most thyme plants will keep giving you a harvest of leaves for 5 years before getting too woody.
**Zones 5 through 10 are the ideal locations for growing this herb but you may be able to keep your plants indoors instead.
**The flowers of the thyme plant are great for attracting bees, so you may want to plant it near to your vegetable garden if you have other plants needing help with pollenization. The aromatic leaves are known to repel several kinds of cabbage flies as well.
**Plants will prefer to be slightly dry rather than over-watered so you only need to give them a drink in very hot weather.
**As the plant gets older, it will get very woody. Youll want to prune back some of the larger branches to encourage fresh growth with new leaves.
**Each plant will need a pot approximately 10 inches across, filled with loose potting mix. Just like in the garden, thyme does not like too much water. Let the soil dry out between waterings.
**Let your plant grow for most of the first year without any harvesting to let it mature and develop some strong roots. You can start picking leaves towards the end of the first summer if you want.
**The most common way of storing thyme beyond that is by drying.
Just snip off some branches, and hang in a ventilated place but out of the sun. When they are dry right through, take the leaves off the branches and store in an air-tight container. T |
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Tomato (Large)
Dad's Sunset
| 1 | 1 | *Started Indoors: 2/19/14
*Days to germination: 7 days
*Start your seeds about 6 weeks before the date of last frost in your area in order to have sturdy seedlings for transplanting.
*Transplant outdoors after 4/15 - Harden off plant
*Full sun.
*Fruits measure 2-3/4" high by 3-1/4" wide.
*Harvest in 75 days
*Full sun.
*Weekly liquid feed or seaweed drench from mid summer onwards.
*Basil.
*Pick regularly as soon as the fruits turn color but are still firm. Store at room temperature.
*Harvest in 75 days
*Watch for leaf-eating tomato hornworms, and pick them off. Black patches on the bottom of fruits are a nutritional disorder best prevented by growing tomatoes in well-prepared soil with constant light moistu
**If you are going to cage your bush tomatoes, you can put the cages in place right after the seedlings are planted. The legs of the cage should be pushed as far as possible into the ground. A large plant will topple over a cage if they are not secure enough.
**Since tomatoes are closely related to eggplants and peppers, dont plant those vegetables in the same place as your tomatoes if youve had trouble with any of these molds or disease. They will be just as effected as your tomatoes. |
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Tomato (Large)
Red Brandywine (Victory)
| 1 | 1 | |
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Tomato (Large)
Brandywine
| 0 | 0 | |
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Tomato (Small)
Amy's Apricot
| 1 | 1 | *Started Indoors: 2/19/14
*Transplant outdoors after 4/15 - harden off plants
*Full sun.
*Weekly liquid feed or seaweed drench from mid summer onwards.
*Basil.
*Pick regularly as soon as the fruits turn color but are still firm. Store at room temperature.
*Harvest in 75 days
*Watch for leaf-eating tomato hornworms, and pick them off. Black patches on the bottom of fruits are a nutritional disorder best prevented by growing tomatoes in well-prepared soil with constant light moisture. |
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Tomato (Small)
Brandywine
| 1 | 1 | |
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Tomato (Small)
Red Cherry
| 1 | 1 | *Started Indoors: 2/19/14
*about 6 weeks before you expect the last frost date to pass.
*Days to germination: 7 days
*Water requirements: Regular watering
*Container: Ideal
*These little bushy plants are ideal for balconies, patios or even windowsills
*Not only do cherry tomatoes take up less space, they also mature quicker than full-sized tomatoes.
*Transplant after 4/15 - Harden off plant prior to setting in garden
*Full sun.
*Weekly liquid feed or seaweed drench from mid summer onwards.
*Basil.
*Pick regularly as soon as the fruits turn color but are still firm. Store at room temperature.
*Watch for leaf-eating tomato hornworms, and pick them off. Black patches on the bottom of fruits are a nutritional disorder best prevented by growing tomatoes in well-prepared soil with constant light moisture.
*Harvest in 72 days
**You should keep each plant in at least a pot with 18 to 20 inches in diameter. A pot thats 2 or 3 gallons is better.
Keep your potted tomatoes well-watered and well-fed. Giving them a bit of fertilizer with every watering isnt a bad idea, especially if you can get one of those formulations designed for tomatoes
**You can harvest any of your cherry tomatoes when they are slightly soft to the touch and have turned color from their original green. Most will be deep red, but some types of cherry tomatoes are yellow or orange. Give the fruit a twist and dont pull on the vine or you can hurt the rest of the plant. |
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Zucchini
Cocozelle
| 1 | 1 | *Sow directly after 4/25 - Sow one inch deep.
*Days to germination: 4 to 8 days
*Full sun
*Cannot tolerate frost
*Drench plants with a liquid fertilizer when they begin to blossom and set fruits.
*
*Harvest in 55 days - when 6-7 inches long
*Squash bugs and squash vine borers can be serious pests. Exclude them from young planting with row covers. |
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