Paul James, host of HGTV's Gardening by the Yard, discusses the most popular vegetables among home gardeners. Corn (figure A) is a vegetable with many by-product uses. It's a warm-season crop that requires plenty of fertilizer. Don't plant too early in the spring: wait till the soil is warm.
Radishes (figure B), a cool-season crop, have almost no nutritional value but are great for adding zest to salads. Maintain even soil moisture so radishes won't become woody or pulpy. Plants go from seed to table in only three weeks.
Carrots (figure C), another cool-season crop, won't grow in heavy soils. To produce good carrots, the soil must be rich, deep, loose and free of stones and clods.
Summer squash (figure D) should be harvested frequently and not allowed to grow to an outrageous size. (These vegetables spoil quickly.) To prevent disease, avoid wetting the leaves. Winter squash stores well under the right conditions.
Lettuce (figure E) is another cool-season crop. Leaf lettuce is more nutritious than the more common iceberg, which has almost no food value.
Onions may be grown from seed, although most gardeners plant sets, or small plants.
Cucumbers (figure F), like radishes and lettuce, are great for salads but offer next to nothing in the way of nutrition. Cucumbers like warm weather and lots of water and will grow on the ground or up a vine.
Beans (figure G) are a warm-season crop, and many tasty varieties are available. Beans won't tolerate cooler temperatures, especially if the soil is damp. Provide support for climbing varieties.
Peppers (figure H) and tomatoes (figure I) are two nutrition-packed favorites that can be used in a vast variety of dishes, including salads. Peppers require a long, hot growing season and plenty of water. Tomatoes are America's favorite back-yard vegetable. Plant tomatoes deeply, up to the first set of leaves or deeper, in a rich soil, and provide plenty of consistent moisture.
RESOURCES :
The Big Book of Kitchen Gardens: A Guide to Growing Vegetables and Herbs
Time-Life Books Inc.
Website: www.timelife.com
Kitchen Gardens: Beyond the Vegetable Patch
Book By Carole Turner
Out of Print
(Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, 1998)
ASIN: 1889538051
Peaceful Valley Farm Supply
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Willhite Seed Inc.
Shepherd's Garden Seeds
Shepherd's Garden Seeds
Felton, CA 95018
Phone: 408-335-6910
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