Vegetable and herb plant hints

Vegetable and herb plant hints

Bean – Soak seeds for 1 to 2 hours before planting. Do not overhead water plants.

Beet – Cover the seed with ½ inch of soil and then tamp the soil in tight around it.  Beet seeds are actually a cluster of seeds, so they will need thinning.  Can be planted April 1 through July 15, but you can get 2 crops if you plant April 1 – May 1 and again July 15.

Broccoli – Can withstand temperatures down to about 25°.

Cabbage – cut off the head, cut and X in the stalk and 4 more small heads will grow.

Carrot – Excess nitrogen causes hairy roots.

Cauliflower – Keep heads shaded.  Break off a bottom leaf and use it to cover the head.  An even better idea is to buy self blanching ones (the leaves cover the head themselves) . Don’t expect anything bigger than a softball.

Cucumber – Germinates best in soil that is warmed to at least 70°.  Cover seeds on cool nights.  Add a handful of compost or well rotted manure to each hill when planting seeds.

Corn – Likes lots of nitrogen.  Plant in blocks for best pollination instead of long rows.

Garlic – Break or cut of the flower when it has developed a little.  If you cut it too soon it will grow back.  Cutting the flower puts the energy back into the garlic growth.

Lettuce – Leaf lettuce works best.  Plant second crop August 15.

Mint – Does not grow true to seed usually.  Best to start from an existing plant.  Grow in pots and keep flowers cut off to stop it from spreading too much.

Onion – Phosphorus-deficient soil will cause thick necks and delayed maturity.  Potassium-deficient soil will cause onions to keep poorly.  Do not give extra nitrogen.  Break or cut of the flower when it has developed a little.  If you cut it too soon it will grow back.  Cutting the flower puts the energy back into the onion growth.

Pea – Plant in rows of three and they will pretty much be self-supporting (no need for something to grow up).

Pepper – Likes shade in the afternoon.  Plant where something tall will shade them late in the day like a fence or plant them between your tomatoes.  They like sulfur also, so put 2 or 3 tips of wooden matches in the ground with them.  They do not need much nitrogen.  Pinch of the first blossoms and allow the plant to get bigger for bigger and more peppers.

Potato – Plant in trenches and keep adding soil as the plant grows.  Do not eat the green potatoes.  They are poisonous.  Plant in soil amended with well rotted manure only.  Extra nitrogen will cause brown hard spots on the skins. Best to amend soil with well rotted manure only before planting.

Pumpkin – Does not transplant easily.  Try not to disturb the roots when transplanting.  Use peat pots and tear off the top of the pot before planting.  Do not let any of the pot show above ground.  If planting seeds outdoors add a handful of compost or well rotted manure to each hill.

Radish – Harvest by the maturity date.  They become fibrous and bitter when left in the ground.

Summer Squashes – Add a handful of compost or well rotted manure to each hill when planting seeds.

Rosemary – Seedlings are very temperamental; doesn’t like dry or wet soil.  Misting young seedlings is good to do.

Shallot – Break or cut of the flower when it has developed a little.  If you cut it too soon it will grow back.  Cutting the flower puts the energy back into the shallot growth.