By Holly C. Watson for Grow Team ONE Burlington, VT
Grow Team ONE Neighborhood Gardening Handbook Text and Illustrations by Holly C. Watson A copyright-free publication created in conjunction with The Environmental Program University of Vermont and Grow Team ONE 2010 With assistance from Rebecca McNamara and Colleagues at CEDO Lead Program Thanks to Stock.XCHNG (www.sxc.hu) for many free public domain photos and to Clara Mulligan and Susan Morse for offering their photography. This neighborhood gardening handbook is a resource for Grow Team ONE gardeners and the community. It includes important information for those gardening at Archibald and Riverside Gardens as well as helpful gardening and plant tips and resources.
Grow Team ONE www.growteamvt.com growteam@yahoo.com - (802) 598-3139 Printing support by VANTAGE PRESS
Table of Contents Grow Team ONE About Grow Team ONE……………………………...……1 Archibald Neighborhood Garden…………………...….…..2 Riverside Neighborhood Garden…………………...….…...3 What is Community Gardening?…………....………..…….4 Neighborhood Garden Guidelines………………….…....…5 Grow Team ONE Garden Stewards……………………..…6 Tools and Sharing Garden Resources……………….……..7 Gardening in the City: Lead Safety……………………….8 Garden Basics What is Organic? ………………………………………….9 Hot to Rot: Compost……………………………………...10 Cover Crops………………………...……………………...12 Stakes, Fences, and Teepees………………………….……13 Garden Planning……………………………………….…..14 Head Start: Starting Seeds Indoors……………...………...15 Planting and Harvesting Calendar…………………….…..19 Decoding the Seed Packet…………………………………22 Common Garden Pests and Good Bugs, Too…………..…24 Trouble in the Garden: Weeds and Diseases……………....31 Plant Profiles Vegetable Profiles: Tips on Growing Some Favorites...….36 Herbs……….…………...….…..…………………………...54 Edible Flowers…..…………….…..………………………..58 Resources Resources……..………………………………………….....60 New Words: Garden Glossary………………………..…….62 Bibliography…………..……………………………………65
Supporters The following people, organizations, and businesses have provided support to Grow Team ONE and the Archibald and Riverside Neighborhood Gardens. Thank you to everyone who helps our gardens grow! Volunteers and Neighbors American Flatbread Burlington’s Community and Economic Development Office Burlington Housing Authority Burlington Parks and Recreation Department Burlington Time Banks Chittenden Solid Waste District City Market Elmore Roots Nursery Friends of Burlington Gardens Healthy City Youth Farm International Foods Intervale Community Farm Intervale Compost Products Koenig Cedar Company New England Grassroots Environment Fund Old North End Time Bank Panadero Pitchfork Farm Red Wagon Plants RivenWoodCrafts Round River Design Shelburne Farms Skinny Pancake UVM Plant & Soil Sciences Department UVM Soil Testing Lab Vermont Community Garden Network Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden & Grand Isle Counties
About Grow Team ONE Grow Team ONE (Old North End) is a volunteer-run grassroots organization in Burlington, Vermont dedicated to increasing neighborhood gardening space, improving access to fresh food, and cultivating community leadership and learning through gardening. Grow Team ONE grew out of the Old North End Time Bank when a group of gardeners assembled neighbors who wanted to “increase food security in the ONE and spread the fresh veggie/garden joy." With guidance from Friends of Burlington Gardens, Grow Team ONE members scouted sites for a neighborhood garden. They settled on a vacant lot on Archibald Street owned by the Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties. The VNA agreed to lease the site to Grow Team ONE for $1 per year. Armed with a Vermont Community Garden Network mini-grant and a donation of raised bed mix from Intervale Compost Products, a team of community volunteers set to work. In June 2007, a mere three months after the first Grow Team ONE meeting at a Burlington coffee shop, the Archibald Neighborhood Garden was a reality. Since then, the garden has continued to thrive and a vibrant community of gardeners and volunteers returns each spring to the site. Grow Team ONE established a second garden in 2009 on Riverside Avenue in partnership with Burlington Housing Authority. Grow Team ONE offers gardening and wellness workshops for gardeners and other Old North End residents at both sites. A partnership with the Burlington Department of Parks and Recreation provides insurance for the two gardens and Grow Team ONE receives support from numerous local businesses and community members. We are especially grateful to Jim Flint of Friends of Burlington Gardens and Lisa Coven from Burlington Area Community Gardens for their ongoing support and guidance. A special thank you to all Grow Team members and organizers past and present who helped create a culture of gardening in the Old North End!
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Archibald Neighborhood Garden Location: 28 Archibald Street, Burlington, at the intersection of Archibald and Walnut streets, across from H.O. Wheeler School. Established in 2007 with two large communal beds, the garden now has 23 full-size plots and 6 half-plots. The site has a rainwater collection system, compost bin, and a shed with shared tools. Gardeners have individual plots and help maintain the site and the common herb spiral, raspberries, blueberries, and apple trees. Space for the garden is been provided by the Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties and Intervale Compost Products donated all the raised-bed mix.
The Archibald Neighborhood Garden in nestled right in the Old North End. Above is the communal herb spiral.
The Archibald Neighborhood Garden is sponsored by Burlington Parks & Recreation Department and receives guidance from Friends of Burlington Gardens.
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Riverside Neighborhood Garden Location: Behind the 699 Riverside Avenue apartments, Burlington. The Riverside Neighborhood Garden was established in partnership with Burlington Housing Authority and Burlington Parks & Recreation in 2009. During its first year, the six garden beds were used for outreach and education by the Dream Team mentoring program, Burlington Parks and Recreation Summer Lunch Program, and 669 Riverside Avenue’s Resident Managers. The garden opened to the community in 2010 and expanded to 12 full-size plots and 4 half-size plots. Plans for the 2010 season include building a shade structure and garden shed and expanding the rainwater collection system and compost bin. The Riverside Neighborhood Garden is sponsored by Burlington Parks & Recreation Department and receives guidance from Friends of Burlington Gardens.
Riverside Neighborhood Garden has a beautiful view of the Intervale. Here, raised beds are being built by volunteers in 2009.
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What is Community Gardening? Community gardening is more or less what it sounds: people growing food or flowers together or in a shared space, either on a single garden or in private plots next to each other. It is a good way to have a safe and fun garden, get to know your neighbors, and learn more about growing delicious fresh food. In Burlington, there are lots of ways to get involved with community gardens. Besides Grow Team ONE's two independent garden sites, Archibald Neighborhood Garden and Riverside Neighborhood Garden, other organizations around the city also offer ways to get out and garden with friends and neighbors: The Burlington Parks and Recreation Department runs 11 community garden sites in Burlington. Burlington Area Community Gardens include gardens at the Intervale, in the South End, Ethan Allen Homestead, and by Fletcher Allen Hospital. They offer special rates for gardeners with limited incomes and half and quarter plots at some locations. Visit their website for more information at www.enjoyburlington.com/Programs/CommunityGardens.cfm. Friends of Burlington Gardens also runs a Community Teaching Garden at the Ethan Allen Homestead. For more information, see http://burlingtongardens.org or call 802-861-4769. There are community-run gardens as well, scattered around the city. Volunteers get dirty preparing the Riverside Neighborhood Garden site—that's what community gardening is all about!
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Grow Team ONE Neighborhood Garden Guidelines •
Visit your garden often and get to know your fellow gardeners. Find ways to pitch in to help maintain gardens.
•
Keep your plot tidy and nearby paths free of rocks and weeds. Pick up piles of debris so as not to create a hazard to trip over or hit with the lawnmower.
•
Clean tools and put them back after you use them. Place only organic materials in compost piles. Pick up litter when you find it.
•
Please water in the morning or evening, and apply water at the base of plants where possible. Use mulch to reduce evaporation, where appropriate. Use water carefully.
•
Use organic practices in the gardens.
•
The gardens are open during daylight hours. Community gardening times are 3:30-6:30 pm Tuesdays and 10 am - 1 pm Saturdays, but are subject to change. Workshops and events will usually be scheduled during these times.
•
Participation in the gardens is open to any Old North End resident on an application basis. Access to the site outside of public workshops and events is limited to those who have signed gardening agreements and their guests. No pets, please.
•
These guidelines are intended for the health and safety of all. If you have questions, suggestions, or a problem, please talk with the garden mentors. Thanks for your help, and have a great season in the garden!
A garden party at Archibald Neighborhood Garden features live music.
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Grow Team ONE Garden Stewards Each Grow Team garden has a team of garden stewards who are responsible for general garden maintenance. These important roles help the gardens run smoothly. Compost Steward: Turns the compost regularly, monitors usage, and informs gardeners about procedures. Shed Steward: Keeps the shed tidy and keeps a list of tools and supplies. Water Steward: Makes sure the hose is put away and the rain barrels are functioning properly. The tools are put away Resources Steward: Oversees neatly in the shed. the care of extra plant starts (and composts them if they are not used) and coordinates the collection of extra vegetables to be brought to the Food Shelf, among other duties.
GTO Mentors: Grow Team ONE pairs beginning gardeners with mentors who guide them through the season. The rain barrel collection system at Archibald Neighborhood Garden.
Volunteers help build raised beds at Archibald Neighborhood Garden.
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Tools and Sharing Garden Resources Grow Team ONE's gardens offer more than just a place to grow vegetables. There are some tools available to share. Remember to take good care of these resources by using them carefully, cleaning them, and putting them back where they belong. A couple of tools that you may find helpful: Trowel: like a mini shovel, this hand tool lets you easily dig holes, and dig out weeds with deep roots such as dandelions. Hand Cultivator: like a small rake or claw, this is useful in quickly weeding by disturbing tiny weeds and lightly turning the soil in your garden. A good tool to help mix in compost and prepare the soil for planting.
All the tools at the Archibald Neighborhood Garden live in the shed—when it's not full of volunteers having fun!
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Gardening in the City: Lead Safety Lead is a metal that that, even at low levels, can make soil dangerous. Soil in cities like Burlington almost always has a higher level of lead in it from paint chips off old houses, gasoline, and other sources. Gardening in soils with lead can be unsafe because most plants can absorb the metal. When you eat the plants, you eat the lead. Children and pregnant women are most vulnerable to the effects of lead. Here are some tips about how to be smart about lead when growing vegetables: 1. Use raised beds filled with safe soil. All of Grow Team ONE's community gardens have raised beds and the soil in them is safe. When building your own bed, put a liner in the bottom so plant roots can't grow into the ground. 2. Don't plant vegetables in the space between the sidewalk and the road because cars create lots of dust and dirt. Never plant a garden within 3 feet of the house, because this area usually has a lot of lead from paint chips. 3. The only way to know if there is lead in your soil is to have it tested. 4. Always wash your vegetables before you eat them, and peel root crops like carrots and beets to get all the dirt off. 5. It's ok to plant non-edible, or ornamental, flowers and plants in soil contaminated with lead. Sunflowers absorb a lot of lead, so never eat homegrown sunflower seeds. Don't compost sunflowers or other plants grown in contaminated soil. Throw them away instead. (Information from CEDO Burlington Lead Program. See Resources section for more.)
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GARDEN BASICS What is Organic? ORGANIC means a garden is maintained without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers. Instead, it uses compost, hand-weeding, and natural techniques to add nutrients and control pests and diseases. So what can I use in the Grow Team ONE gardens and what isn't allowed? YES!
• • •
•
Please use Fertilize using compost and compost tea. Plant cover crops to protect and enrich soil. caution and read labels before Use mulch to add nutrients and save water. applying sprays. For a complete list of insect controls and other products that are OK to use in organic gardens, see the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) annually updated list: http://www.omri.org
NO, Thanks!
Please do NOT use: • Chemical fertilizers such as 5-10-5 and Miracle Grow • Weed-killers such as Round-Up • Insect sprays or chemical traps • Colored wood chips • Other unapproved products Organic gardens have healthier soils, which means the vegetables are better for you!
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Hot to Rot: Compost What's that? Compost is the rich natural fertilizer created by the decomposition, or rotting, of plant and animal materials. Organic matter is put in a compost pile to be broken down by microbes and animals like earthworms. The product at the end is a dark, crumbly soil that is full of nutrients, ready to feed your garden plants and improve the quality of your garden soil. Compost helps soil hold more water and keeps it light and workable. What's IN there, exactly? A happy compost pile needs a mixture of fresh ingredients and dry ingredients. Fresh, or "green" things are important to feed the tiny animals doing the work in the pile.
• • • • •
vegetable peels from the kitchen weeds you just pulled up new grass clippings carrot tops rotten tomatoes It is important to have tougher ingredients—dry, or "brown" things—so that the microbes in the pile have space to live and air to breathe.
• • •
•
straw leaves you raked up small sticks old dead pea vines
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These ingredients might attract animals, smell bad, or take too long to rot. DO NOT put these things in your compost pile:
• • • •
meat products or bones lots of dairy products "compostable" containers really big sticks With a couple of turns with a shovel, it takes about a year for a pile of compost to rot enough to be used on the garden safely and effectively. Workers at Archibald Neighborhood Garden fill raised beds with soil mix from Intervale Compost Products.
Using Compost: You can till compost into the soil of your garden, place a handful in a hole with a new plant, or just sprinkle a layer about ½ an inch deep on the surface of the soil to feed your plants. It's a good idea to put compost on your garden every year to keep the soil healthy. You can also soak compost in water for about 4 days and use the resulting liquid, known as "compost tea," to water your vegetables. Think of it as a veggie protein shake. Don't forget mulch! Mulch is a cover of material such as leaves, straw, grass clippings from non-treated lawns, or compost around your plants. It helps the soil keep water and keeps weeds down. Put about 1 to 3 inches of mulch on your garden after clearing out weeds. If vegetable plants are still tiny, put only a little mulch around them or let them grow a bit more.
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Cover Crops What are they? Most cover crops are plants that are not eaten, but are sown in the fall, and only grow a little bit before and after winter's cold. In the early spring, they are killed and dug into the soil.
Why are they important? Cover crops are good at preventing erosion, or the loss of soil by wind and water. They also add nutrition to a garden when they rot and help stop insects and disease from returning the next year.
Good cover crops: • rye • clover • buckwheat • winter wheat • oats • peas
Oats and some kinds of rye die when it gets cold. Others, such as winter wheat, live through the winter, and must be killed before they go to seed, or else your garden will be very weedy with them. Peas are good because they add nitrogen to the soil.
Choosing the right cover crop is important so that your timing is right. After digging the cover crop in, it's best to wait about three weeks for the plants to rot a bit before you start planting your vegetables. This can make you late in getting the garden planted, so plan carefully. If you want to get to your garden as early as possible, pick a cover crop that dies in the winter cold.
After planting winter rye the fall, workers at the Archibald Neighborhood Garden mulch with dry leaves.
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Stakes, Fences, and Teepees There are several good reasons to grow plants up instead of out: 1. It saves space in the garden—that means you can grow more in a small space! 2. Some plants need to climb up something (peas and pole beans are examples). 3. Some plants are healthier if they are off the ground, and the vegetables are easier to pick. Staking means driving a sturdy stick or post in the ground next to a plant and gently tying the plant to it as the plant grows. Tomatoes and cucumbers can be staked. Caging is putting a circle of wire fencing around a plant, usually a tomato plant. Teepees are a way to help beans and peas grow. You can make a teepee by tying a few sticks or posts together like this:
Trellises and fences are good for almost any vegetables. Here is one easy way to make a fence:
Tie a string between two stakes and tie strings along it, hanging to the ground. Plants can climb or be tied up these strings.
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Garden Planning When choosing what to plant, keep in mind how much space there is in your garden, and how big the plants will get. For example, if you have a small plot, think twice about planting 12 squash plants. Most squash, as well as corn, is not suited for small spaces, and that's a lot of squash! Where the sun is coming from? Put tall plants in the back so that small plants that need light won't be shaded. Here are a couple of garden plans to get you started. They are based on plots about 4 feet by 8 feet:
1. Tomato 2. Leaf lettuce 3. Radishes 4. Spinach
5. Swiss chard 6. Peas 7. Brussels sprouts 8. Cabbage
1. Dill 2. Marigolds 3. Bell peppers 4. Broccoli
5. Kale 6. Hot pepper 7. Head lettuce 8. Carrots
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9. New planting of radishes 10. Parsley 11. More lettuce 12. Garlic 13. Onions
9. Pole beans 10. Winter squash
Head Start: Starting Seeds Indoors Because of the short growing season in Vermont, sometimes it is necessary to give plants a jump-start by starting seeds indoors in the early spring so that they are larger when you transplant them into the garden. Here are some guidelines to starting seeds indoors. Broccoli seedlings growing strong.
Here are plants that should be started indoors in March because they need a long season to mature: • • • •
• •
Tomatoes Peppers Eggplants Tomatillos Onions Leeks
Here are plants that can be sown directly in the garden as soon as the soil can be worked, usually in mid-April, even if it might still frost some nights: • • • • •
Peas Radishes Kale Lettuce Spinach
Here are plants that should not be sown or transplanted outside until all danger of frost has passed: Tomatoes Peppers Eggplants Tomatillos Basil Cucumbers Squash Nasturtiums
• • • • • • • •
Here are plants that should not be transplanted: • • • • •
Peas Beets Carrots Radishes Beans
(Adapted from High Mowing Seeds' "Successful Seed Starting Tips")
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I know what I want to do! Now what? Once you know about how many plants you might want, plan to have a couple extra plants in case some don't make it. After determining what you want to grow this season, decide which plants need to be started indoors.
When to start? Generally baby plants should be about 6 to 8 weeks old when they go into the garden in May, depending on the weather. That means starting them indoors in mid-March or early April. You can start almost any seeds indoors to give them a head start, any time from midMarch to mid-May.
What containers do I use? You can use nearly anything to start your seeds in—a seed starting tray, plastic cups, or yogurt containers—just make sure that your plants have enough room for their roots as they grow. If you start broccoli in a plastic egg carton, for example, you will need to carefully move each plant to a larger pot after a couple weeks so that the roots can spread out. Don't forget holes in the bottoms of the containers so the water can drain out!
What soil do I use? Sterile potting mix helps keep diseases from being passed onto your young plants. A common disease of young indoor plants is damping-off. This is a fungal disease that makes seedlings wilt right at ground level and eventually die. However, it can be expensive to buy bags of soil, so use what you have. You have to be prepared, however, that some plants may die.
How do I plant them? Add some water to make the dirt moist and fill your pots. Lightly cover larger seeds with soil and press gently to make sure there is contact between the soil and the seed. Tiny seeds, such as lettuce seeds, should be only dusted with soil. Then make sure the soil stays moist so that the seeds can grow! Don't forget to label your pots—a popsicle stick with a label is a good way to remember which pots have which seeds in them.
Where to put them? Plants need lots of direct sun to grow strong. The cheapest option is to place your starts in your sunniest window and keep them warm (about 70˚F). If they grow tall and thin and reach toward the light, they need more sun. Turn them often so they grow straight. Using grow lights will make sure that your baby plants have all the light they need to grow. You can buy or rig up a shelf with hanging lights. 16 Garden Basics
Check out Friends of Burlington Gardens' "Vermont Indoor Garden" plant trays with light systems, pictured on right, for reasonable prices. (www.burlingtongardens.org/IndoorGardens.html)
The Great Outdoors: When spring is finally here, you can transplant your young plants into the soil. But not so fast! Your babies are used to the cozy house and will be surprised at the cool winds and bright sun of outside. You need to harden them off, or get them slowly used to the outdoors, before they move to the garden. About a week before you transplant them into the garden, put them outside in the morning sun for a few hours; after a couple of days, leave them outside in the afternoon, too. Finally, they can stay out all night. When it is consistently 60ËšF in the day and there should be no more frosts, it should be safe to plant them in the garden.
A gardener transplants young pepper plants in the late spring.
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Frost Warning! If you are afraid of a cold night doing damage to new transplants, cover them at night. Anything can be used to protect them from a light frost: turn a bucket or milk jug with the top cut off over plants, or drape a sheet over small stakes to make a tent.
Water Plants will do best when they have enough water. For almost all vegetables, this means making sure they have about 1 inch of water every week, either from rain or a hose. Check the moisture of the soil by sticking a finger in an inch or two—the soil should be lightly moist, but never soggy. When there is too much water, plant roots will rot. Young plants usually need more than 1 inch of water per week, and all plants need more when it is hot and dry. If they look wilted, this is a sign that they need a drink! Water gently at the base of plants with a watering can or hose fitted with a showerhead nozzle.
Thinning Thinning your plants means that once seeds have sprouted, you pull, pinch, or snip off some to leave only the strongest seedlings. Plants compete for water, light, space, and nutrients, and thinning helps give them the best chance to thrive. Crops planted densely in rows, such as carrots, radishes, and beets usually have to be thinned at least once. You should use scissors to snip off some plants when they are ½ to 1 inch tall, and again, if needed, when the thinnings are just big enough to eat. Baby lettuce greens, pencil-size carrots, and marble-size beets are yummy examples. Use your judgment—if vegetables seem crowded and are becoming stunted, weed out some to give the rest a little breathing space.
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Planting and Harvesting Calendar Use the following tables as a guideline of when to plant and harvest your vegetables, not as a strict rule. The weather will be a better indicator of when to plant, and garden conditions such as sun, water, nutrients, and temperature will decide when vegetables are ready to be picked. See the Vegetable Profiles section for more on each vegetable. Key:
• = sow seeds in garden TP = transplant seedlings into garden after buying or starting indoors = span of harvest dates
If there is more than one • in a season, it usually means the crop can be planted several times over the summer for several harvests—this is also known as succession planting. See the chart on the following two pages!
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April Basil Bean Beet Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Calendula Carrot Cilantro Cucumber Dill Eggplant Garlic Kale Leeks Lettuce Marigold Nasturtium Okra Onions Parsley Peas Peppers Potatoes Radishes Spinach Swiss Chard Tomato Tomatillo Winter Squash Zucchini
May
June
July
• • • •
or TP TP/•
• or TP • • • • • TP • TP •
• • •
• • •
TP • • TP •
• •
•
• •
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TP TP • •
•
August Basil Bean Beet Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Calendula Carrot Cilantro Cucumber Dill Eggplant Garlic Kale Leeks Lettuce Marigold Nasturtium Okra Onions Parsley Peas Peppers Potatoes Radishes Spinach Swiss Chard Tomato Tomatillo Winter Squash Zucchini
Sept.
October
Nov.
•
•
•
•
• •
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Decoding the Seed Packet All seed packets are slightly different, but most give information about planting, growing and harvesting. This is an example of a typical packet and how to read it.
Carrot: Type of vegetable; below, its scientific name. 'Red Cored Chantenay' is the cultivar; description may include best ways to use.
Packed-for date: seeds should be used this year and may not grow as well if used the following year.
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When are the frost dates? First frost is usually in late September or early October in Vermont; last frost is about mid- to late May.
Depth: How far to put the seed under the soil. Spacing: How far apart to put each seed. Usually is too close for mature plants, allowing for some seeds to not grow. You might have to thin the rows later. Germination: How long it will take for the young plant to appear above the soil. Spacing after thinning: How far apart each plant should be so that they have room to grow. In this example, enough sprouts should be removed from the row so that there is 1-2 inches between remaining plants. Height: How tall a plant will get when it is mature, or full-grown. Maturity: How long it will take for the vegetable to ripen. For seeds sown directly into the garden, measured from date of sowing. When seedlings are transplanted, this can mean from date of transplant into garden.
Planting Tips: tells you how to grow vegetable and any special needs.
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Common Garden Pests and Good Bugs, Too The world is full of bugs. Some like to eat the same plants we grow. But there are good bugs, too, that help us by eating the pests. These we call beneficial, so you should check before squishing that insect crawling in your garden—it might be a friend! Key:
= bad bug
= good bug
Vermont's Most Wanted: Common Garden Pests Tip: Cleaning up dead plants at the end of the summer and putting them in the compost pile can help prevent many pests, because adult insects often spend the winter in the debris. APHID Color and description: Can be green, black, red, yellow, or brown. Soft, pearshaped bodies and can appear wooly or have wings. They cluster on leaves and do not move quickly when disturbed. Size: About the size of a pinhead or slightly larger. Likes to eat: A variety of plants, including parsley, beets, lettuce, and potatoes. They suck juices out of plants, weakening them and sometimes infecting them with diseases. Small populations usually don't do much damage, but a big party of aphids can be a problem. Control: Try spraying them with 4 teaspoons mild soap in 1quart water. Or dab the bugs with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab. Be nice to ladybugs—they love to eat aphids.
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CABBAGEWORM Color and description: Green, slightly velvety caterpillar. Size: 1 centimeter to about 1 inch long. Likes to eat: Plants in the cabbage family, especially broccoli. They chew holes in leaves, especially the tender young inner leaves. Control: Some herbs, such as thyme, mint, and sage can help repel cabbage butterflies, the common white butterflies that are the parents of these green caterpillars. The easiest way to control them is to check undersides of leaves and heads of broccoli for worms and pick them off. Crush any clusters of bright yellow eggs on the undersides of leaves. COLORADO POTATO BEETLE Color and description: Adult beetles have rounded shells with yellow and black stripes and orange heads. Larva (baby) beetles are yellow to reddish black grubs with black spots along sides. Size: Both larva and adults are about ½ inch long. Likes to eat: Larva chew on leaves of potatoes, but also tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. Control: Pick off larva and adult beetles and drop them into soapy water. Check on the underside of leaves for clusters of orange eggs and crush them.
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CUTWORM Color and description: Greenish, brown, or gray caterpillars, sometimes with stripes along their sides. They usually curl up, as shown, when disturbed. Size: 1 to 2 inches long. Likes to eat: They can damage plants by eating the leaves or roots, though some are known for hiding in the soil next to plants and then completely chopping down seedlings overnight, right at ground level. Control: Put a barrier around young plants to stop cutworms from circling a young plant. A 2-inch tall container with both ends cut out is good—even a circle of cardboard will work. Place the ring around a transplant, stuck in at least one inch below the soil surface. Never wrap anything around the stem of a young plant, and remove the collar two to three weeks after transplanting. It's important not to block sunlight from reaching the transplant. FLEA BEETLE Color and description: Glossy blackish, often with iridescent green. Hind legs are large, and beetles jump like fleas. Size: Tiny, about the size of a pinhead. Likes to eat: Plants in the cabbage family (cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale), radishes and eggplant. They chew little holes in leaves. Control: Difficult to control, but covering plants early with Reemay, a fine mesh row cover can help. Planting radishes or mustard may lure them to eat these plants instead of your crops.
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JAPANESE BEETLE Color and description: Bronze shell with black head, often with a greenish shine. They stick up their back legs when they feel threatened and fall off leaves when disturbed. Size: about ½ inch long. Likes to eat: Raspberries, peas, and beans by chewing holes in the leaves. Control: You can shake them off into soapy water to kill them. SLUG
Color and description: Yellow to black and every color in between. Shell-less, slimy, their eyes are on the end of stalks. Size: tiny, Âź inch to over 1 inch. Likes to eat: Slugs nibble on leaves and fruit, leaving a shiny slime trial behind. Control: Pick them off every day, and make sure they do not have places to hide, such as big shady leaves on the ground or large stones. Traps can be made by placing a piece of wood in garden and then picking off any slugs that hide there. Dishes of beer can attract and drown slugs.
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STRIPED CUCUMBER BEETLE Color and description: Narrow black and yellow striped beetles with black heads. Size: About Âź inch long. Likes to eat: Plants in the squash family (squash, cucumbers); they chew holes in the leaves and can transmit diseases to plants. Control: Pick them off and squish them or drop them into a cup of soapy water. TOMATO HORNWORM Color and description: Large, plump green worm with black or orangish horn on its tail and spots along its sides. Size: 3 to 4 inches long. Likes to eat: Tomato, potato, eggplant, and pepper plants.
This caterpillar has three wasp cocoons on its back; when these hatch they will kill the caterpillar.
Control: Pick off and drop into soapy water. If the caterpillar has white seed-like eventually kill cocoons on its back, however, leave it alone; these are eggs of a parasitoid wasp, which will kill the caterpillar and control any other caterpillars in the garden.
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Good Guys: Bugs that Eat the Pests Tip: Growing flowering plants, such as dill, fennel, and wildflowers can encourage good bugs. Here are just a few insects that can help you out in the garden. Get to know them and be nice to them! LACEWING Color and description: Light green with large, delicate, whitish wings. Size: ½ inch to 1 inch long. Likes to eat: The larva lacewings are the ones who are good predators, and eat caterpillars and aphids. LADYBEETLE or LADYBUG Color and description: Adult beetles are easy to recognize: they are usually yellow to red beetles with black spots. The larva are have long tapered bodies, are black and orange and look prickly. An adult beetle has spots.
Size: Beetles are about Âź inch long, and larva can be slightly larger. Likes to eat: Aphids, aphids, aphids!
The larva is a baby and looks different than the adult.
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MANTIS Color and description: Green or brown, has long legs, bulgy eyes, and its front legs are like claws. It looks scary, but it is a friend! Size: Up to 5 or 6 inches long. Likes to eat: Aphids and anything else it can catch.
SPIDERS YES, spiders can be good! Color and description: Brown, black, gray, even yellow striped—spiders can be all shapes and sizes, but all of them have 8 legs. Likes to eat: Spiders eat every kind of insect, and are some of the best predators in the garden.
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Trouble in the Garden: Weeds and Diseases It's important to keep weeds from growing too large in your garden, because your vegetables will have to compete for water, light, and air. In small gardens, weeding by hand is quite easy, and you probably won't need any tool besides your hands and maybe a trowel. If you pull out weeds when they are young, you won't feel as overwhelmed by a wild garden. Following are some descriptions of a few common weeds. Plants marked with a "
" can be eaten.
CHICKWEED Chickweed is a delicate, spreading weed. It has tiny white daisy-like flowers and smooth leaves that look a little like oregano. It is low to the ground and easy to remove, but breaks easily, so pull it carefully to be sure you get all of it. DANDELION A very familiar weed, this has spearlike leaves with notches, a deep root, and bright yellow flowers that turn into puffs of seeds. The seeds look like tiny umbrellas and are spread by the wind. You must dig out the root to effectively remove the weed. The young leaves can be eaten in the spring. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton and Brown.
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LAMBSQUARTERS Lambsquarters' triangular leaves with grainy white powder on them can be eaten and are quite a lot like spinach. Be careful not to eat plants that grew outside raised beds or in soil that may be contaminated with lead. See the Lead Safety section in this handbook. When the plant goes to seed, the pointed seed heads have clusters of tiny silvery balls.
POISON IVY This plant has three leaves, with young leaves usually glossy and sometimes slightly bronze-colored. The sap, or juice, of poison ivy can cause a very itchy rash on the skin, so be very careful not to touch the plant when removing it! Use a tool to dig it up and wash the tool afterwards with soap. PURSLANE This is a low, spreading plant with fleshy reddish stem and thick, rounded shiny green leaves. Its flowers are small and yellow. When removing purslane, be careful that all pieces are exposed to the killing sun or taken away, because even pieces of this plant can begin growing again. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton and Brown.
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QUACKGRASS and CRABGRASS These are two kinds of grass that are commonly found in the garden. Quackgrass has thick white roots that spread far under the soil, only to grow new plants away from the parent plant. When removing this grass, be sure to take out these roots as well, or there will still be grass. Quackgrass. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton and Brown.
Crabgrass grows fairly flat along the ground, spreading from the tight center of the plant. The center stems may be slightly purplish.
SORREL Sorrel has three delicate heartshaped leaves gathered on a stem, and looks very much like a clover. It has tiny bright yellow flowers and a very sour, lemon taste. It can be a nice addition to salad, but be careful to eat only sorrrel that grew in your garden, not in unsafe soil.
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Diseases When plants get sick, it can sometimes be hard to diagnose. Most are due to weather, garden conditions, and plant health. Preventing disease is much easier than curing it! Here are some general tips for healthy plants: •
Look for seeds that are resistant or tolerant to certain diseases.
•
Take care of your plants. Use compost! Water your plants in the morning so leaves can dry out. Fungi, a major cause of plant disease, needs damp conditions to grow.
•
Keep pests under control and weed your garden— plants will be stronger and better able to fight disease.
•
Clean up! Remove old plants from gardens at the end of the season and compost them. If the plants were sick, do not compost them—throw them out or burn them instead.
•
Keep your plants off the ground. Stake up tomatoes and cucumbers, too.
•
Don't crowd plants. Make sure they have good air circulation through their leaves.
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Other diseases plants can get are: • fusarium wilt (characterized by sudden withering of the entire plant) • late blight and early blight (rots tomato and potato plants) • powdery mildew (white moldy spots primarily on leaves of squash) • damping-off (young plants wilt at ground level or seeds rot before germinating) • rust (orange to black spots on leaves or fruit) Try spraying this homemade treatment on plants with powdery mildew: 1 gallon of water 1 tablespoon of baking soda 1 drop of liquid soap For other information about plant diseases and homemade remedies, look at the Resources section on page 60.
A healthy organic garden has many different plants, rich soils, happy beneficial insects—and is cared for with lots of love!
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Plant Profiles: Tips on Growing Some Favorites Keep in mind that the following instructions are tips and guidelines, not rules. Read seed packets for specific information, pay attention to the weather, and watch your plants—they can tell you when they are thirsty or crowded! Help plants that need more support by packing a little extra soil around their base, but not so much that they are buried. BEANS Beans are usually divided into two types: pole beans and bush beans. Pole beans are climbing types, and vines will grow up a trellis or stake to save room in your garden. Bush beans are smaller plants and do not climb. Bush beans usually are grown for the familiar string beans. When to plant in garden: Late May, again in summer for second crop. Spacing: For bush beans, sow seeds about 3 inches apart in rows spaced 12 inches apart. For pole beans, sow a few seeds around a stake or trellis, about 3 inches apart. Thinning: For happiest plants, thin to 5-6 inches apart. Harvest: Pick when bean pods are plump, but before you can see the seeds bulging. The bigger the bean, the tougher and less tasty it will be. Small beans are tender and sweet. Plants will continue to grow and produce if beans are picked every day or two.
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BEETS When to plant in garden: Mid- to late May, after danger of frost. Spacing: Sow seeds about 1 inch apart in rows spaced 5 to 6 inches apart. Beet seeds are actually tiny pods with several seeds inside, so one seed may turn into a few plants! Thinning: Thin to about 3 inches apart so they have room. Harvest: You can harvest beets when they are young or wait until they get larger. As soon as you can see the rounded top of the beet, young ones are ready. Small beets are tender and sweet, and as they get larger they can get woody and tougher. Young beet leaves don't have to be thrown away; they can be eaten raw in salads or cooked lightly. BROCCOLI When to plant in garden: Early May, mid-May for transplants. Spacing: Sow 2 seeds every 12 inches. Thinning: Thin to 12 inches apart. Harvest: Homegrown broccoli might not get as large as broccoli you buy in the supermarket, so don't wait too long for it to get bigger. Cut center head before its tiny flowers begin to bloom, when it is still tight and green. Some varieties keep producing small heads after you cut the center head. If starting indoors for earlier crop: Start about March 15.
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BRUSSELS SPROUTS This plant produces buds on its tall stem that are like mini cabbages. They are delicious roasted with olive oil, herbs, salt, and black pepper. When to plant in garden: Late May to early June, mid-May for transplants. Spacing: Sow several seeds every 18 inches, in rows 30 inches apart. Thinning: If needed, thin to 18 inches apart. Harvest: A light frost makes brussels sprouts taste sweeter. Cut or break off firm, tight sprouts that are at least 1 inch across, starting at the bottom of the stem, because they ripen from the bottom up. Store in refrigerator up to 3 or 4 weeks. If starting indoors for head start: Start about March 15. CABBAGE When to plant in garden: April to May for a summer crop, June to July for a fall crop. If starting indoors, transplant in mid-May. Spacing: Sow 2 seeds every 16 inches. Thinning: If needed, thin to 16 inches apart.
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Image: Susan Morse, 2008.
Harvest: Harvest when heads are firm and tight when squeezed. Don't wait too long, or the head will keep growing and split open. Cabbage will last in the refrigerator for weeks. If starting indoors for a head start: Start about March 15. CARROTS Carrots should be sown directly in the garden, not transplanted. When to plant in garden: Early to midMay for some types, June for others—plant a few times for carrots all season. Spacing: Sow seeds about ½ inch apart, with at least 6 inches between rows. Thinning: Yes, to 1 inch apart. Harvest: You can eat baby carrots when still small, or wait until late summer or fall for larger roots. They should be ready to pull when you can see the rounded orange tops, like in this photo. Carrots can be stored in the refrigerator for about a month or in a dark place at 32˚F. CUCUMBERS Cucumbers are a productive summer vegetable and can be grown on a trellis or stakes to save room in the garden. You need to tie the cucumber vines loosely to the trellis, because they will not climb by themselves. When to plant in garden: Late May or early June for both seeds and transplants.
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Spacing: Sow 2-3 seeds every 8 inches if staking or trellising; 18 inches apart if grown along ground. Thinning: Yes, so there is one strong plant every 8 or 18 inches. Harvest: Pick cucumbers when they are smooth, and before they get too big and turn yellow. Small cucumbers are tenderer, sweeter, and have smaller seeds than large cucumbers. Check every day, because they grow quickly. If starting indoors for earlier crop: Start mid-April. EGGPLANT It's recommended to start eggplants indoors because they need a long, hot season to ripen. Slightly immature fruits tasty best, because overripe ones will be spongier. When to plant in garden: Mid- to late May for transplants. Spacing: 12 inches apart. Thinning: If necessary, to 12 inches. Harvest: Ripe eggplants will have a shiny skin and be firm when lightly squeezed. Cut the fruits off instead of breaking them off. If starting indoors for a head start: Start late March to early April.
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GARLIC When to plant in garden: Mid-October for next year's harvest. Spacing and planting: Plant cloves with pointed ends up, about 2 inches deep and 6 inches apart; cover with mulch if you have it. In spring, watch for shoots and uncover a bit so they can grow—they look like those in the picture at left. Thinning: No. Harvest and storage: You can harvest and eat the bulbs in the summer, but for good storing bulbs, wait until the tops have drooped and begun to dry before carefully digging them. Don't pull them out of the ground. Dust off dirt and dry them well; about two weeks until outside skins are crispy. You can braid stems or cut them off. Store garlic in a cool, dry, dark place. Volunteers, members and mentors plant garlic in the fall.
GROUND CHERRIES. See: TOMATILLOS
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KALE The perfect Vermont vegetable: a light frost makes kale taste sweeter, and it can be harvested even into the cold winter if plants are covered by snow. When to plant in garden: Sow seeds or transplant in early May for early crop; sow in July for good fall crop. Spacing: Sow 2-3 seeds every 12 inches. Thinning: Yes, to 12 inches apart for best growth. Harvest: Pick young, tender leaves during the summer if you want, and keep picking into the winter. On older plants, choose leaves that are crisp, green, and fresh-looking, not wilted or yellow. If starting indoors for earlier crop: Start in mid-March. LEEKS It is recommended to start leeks indoors, because they take a long season to mature. When to plant in garden: Transplant in mid-May. Plant pencil-size seedlings in holes 6 inches deep, lightly filling in holes with soil. Spacing and planting: Sow seeds thinly (about 1 seed per inch) in rows spaced 6 inches apart. Thinning: Yes, to 5 inches.
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Harvest and storage: Pull leeks when they are about 1 inch in diameter. Leeks can stay in the ground all winter and be pulled when needed. If starting indoors for a head start: Start about March 15. LETTUCES There are two basic categories of lettuce: leaf varieties, or the kind that is used for baby greens, and head varieties, or the kinds that grow in a tight bunch. When lettuce starts to bolt, or grow tall and thin, it is trying to go to seed, and leaves will start turning bitter.
A crisp head lettuce.
When to plant in garden: Mid-May; plant throughout summer depending on variety for successional harvests. Spacing: Leaf varieties: plant thickly in rows 6 inches apart. Head varieties: plant more lightly in rows 6 inches apart. Thinning: Leaf varieties: yes, to 1 inch apart. Head varieties: yes, to 9-10 inches apart. Harvest: Leaf lettuce can be harvested very young, when it is 3 or 4 inches tall, by cutting with a knife or scissors about ½ inch to 1 inch above ground. This lets Leaf lettuce is almost ready to harvest. the plant grow more leaves, and you can cut it the same way again later. Another option is to wait until the plant is 4 inches tall and harvest only the outer leaves, letting the small inner ones continue to grow. If the weather isn't too hot, you can keep picking lettuce like this through the summer.
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Head lettuces are mature when the head is full and firm. If weather is hot, they will bolt earlier without getting large, so pick them earlier. Harvest by cutting them off right at the ground with a knife. OKRA Okra is a popular vegetable in the South, and needs warm temperatures to grow. It is recommended to start plants indoors. It also can get 4 to 7 feet tall, so plan carefully when planting okra in your garden. When to plant in garden: Late May, when weather is consistently warm. Spacing: Sow seeds about 1 inch deep in mounds about 18 inches apart. Thinning: Yes, so that there is one strong plant in each spot. Harvest and storage: Pods are usually ready for harvest in about 50 days, but check often because they ripen quickly. Cut off young pods when about 3 inches long, while they are tender, and pick at least every other day so that they don't go past and so the plant continues to produce. Okra stores for a few days in the refrigerator.
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ONIONS Most onions need a long season to mature. Some like to grow them from seed indoors, but others find it more successful to buy young onions, or "sets," and transplant these into the garden, 4 inches apart. Onions like compost, so be sure to toss some on the garden for them. They also like to be well-weeded. Water them as they grow, but let soil dry out once the leaves start to die.
A crop of onions has just been pulled.
When to plant in garden: Transplant in mid-May. Spacing: Sow seeds 1 inch apart in rows spaced 7 to 8 inches apart. Thinning: Thin if planting from seed, so that plants are 4 inches apart. Harvest and storage: Onions can be harvested during the summer, but are mature when the tops wither and fall over. Now they can be pulled and "cured" for storage by drying them out of the sun for about 2 weeks, or until the outer skins are dry and papery. Keep at 32ËšF or in cool, dry place, such as an upstairs bedroom. If starting indoors for a head start: Start in mid- to late March. PEAS There are several kinds of peas: shell peas are the kind you take out of the pod, and snow peas and snap peas can be eaten pod and all. Pea vines like to climb, so should have poles or fences to support them. A helping of compost makes them grow especially well. Most peas do poorly in the hot summer.
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When to plant in garden: Late April to early May, even if there are still warnings for frost. Spacing: Sow seeds 2 inches apart. Thinning: Yes, to 4 or 5 inches apart if crowded. Harvest: Shell peas are ready to pick when they have filled out the pod but before they get too big. Snap peas should be plump but not too fat, and snow peas should still be thin, just beginning to grow larger. Taste peas to see if they are ripe and sweet. PEPPERS Both sweet bell peppers and hot peppers such as chilis are grown nearly the same way. Peppers need summer weather and a long time to mature, so you should start them indoors or buy young plants. They like moist soil, but don't overwater and make ground soggy. When to plant in garden: Transplant young plants in early June when the soil is warm. Spacing: 12 to 18 inches apart. Thinning: No. Hot peppers.
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Harvest: Green bell peppers are simply young colored bell peppers; if you wait long enough, they may ripen to red, yellow, orange, or another color, depending on variety. Hot peppers can be picked as soon as they are big enough to eat, and continuous picking will promote more fruit. A large harvest of sweet bell peppers.
If starting indoors for a head start: Start in late March. POTATOES Potatoes are grown from potatoes. Most from the supermarket won't grow, so you should buy certified seed potatoes or save potatoes from last year. If they are large, cut them into chunks no smaller than 1 inch by 1 inch. Make sure to leave several "eyes" for sprouts—these look like dimples or may already have buds forming. It is a good to "hill" potato plants, or mound soil around their stems, so that any growing potatoes do not see the sun; this will make them turn green. When to plant in garden: May for early potatoes, or June for a fall harvest. Spacing: Plant potatoes about 3 inches deep and about 12 inches apart. When you see sprouts above the ground, mulch them if you can.
Potato plants are green above the soil, and potatoes grow underground.
Thinning: No.
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Harvest and storage: Potatoes can be harvested during the summer when plants bloom, but the tubers will be mature when the plant appears to be dying. When leaves are dry and brown you can carefully dig out the potatoes, brush off the dirt, and store them in a cool place at about 40ËšF. RADISHES Most varieties should be ready after only 3 to 4 weeks, making them quick and easy. Radishes are tasty additions to green salads. When it gets hot, radishes will not taste as good. There are spring, summer and fall varieties; planting the right kind is important in succession planting. When to plant in garden: Early to mid-May; again every 30 days or so for continuous harvest. Spacing: Sow seeds 1 inch apart in rows spaced about 6 inches apart. Thinning: Yes. After about 2 weeks, thin to 2-3" and eat the pulled thinnings. Harvest: Pull radishes when you can see the rounded tops of the bulbs. Smaller radishes are more tender and tasty than large ones, so don't wait too long. SPINACH When it gets hot, spinach will quickly bolt and will not taste as good. When to plant in garden: Late April to early May; again in August or September for a second crop.
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Spacing: Sow seeds about 1 inch apart in rows spaced about 6 inches apart. Thinning: Yes, if crowded. You can eat thinnings. Harvest: Spinach can be harvested like leaf lettuce for a short time by picking outer leaves, but it is best to cut the whole plant at ground level before a flower stalk emerges. SWISS CHARD Chard will not go to seed, so it provides greens all summer as long as its leaves are continuously harvested. "Bright Lights" is a favorite variety with a rainbow of colorful stems. When to plant in garden: Mid- to late May. Spacing: Sow seeds 4 inches apart in rows spaced 8 to 10 inches apart. Thinning: Yes, thin plants to 8 inches apart for best productivity. Harvest: Beginning when the plants are at least 4 inches tall, pick the outer leaves to keep smaller inner leaves growing all summer. Make sure there are at least 3 leaves remaining so that the plant can keep growing. Young leaves are best in salad; larger, older leaves will become tougher, so are better when sautĂŠed, especially with garlic.
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TOMATILLOS These Mexican fruits are also similar to Ground Cherries. Ground Cherries are smaller and orangish and are more fruitlike. Tomatillos are usually green and are often used in salsa. Tomatillos and ground cherries are also related to and grown much like tomatoes. It is recommended to start them indoors since they take much of the season to ripen. For best growing, tomatillos should be staked. Gently and loosely tie them to the stake to support them as they grow. When to plant in garden: Transplant 2 weeks after danger of frost has passed, late May to early June. Spacing: 18 inches apart. Thinning: No. Harvest and storage: Tomatillos are ready to be picked when the papery husks around the fruits are dry and break open. Remove the husk and rinse the tomatillos. They can be stored for a short time in a cool, dry place. If starting indoors for a head start: Start mid-March to April. TOMATOES Tomatoes need a long, hot, and sunny season, and should be started indoors or purchased as young plants so they get a head start. For best growing, tomatoes should be staked. When you transplant them into the garden, firmly drive in a stake beside them. Cherry tomatoes are bite-sized and sweet.
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The stake should be about 4 to 6 feet tall. There are other ways to trellis or cage them, too. Depending upon the variety, tomatoes can get very bushy, so you can thin out the leaves to let more air and light get into the center of the plant. This helps control pests and diseases, and plants will put more energy into the fruit if they don't have to concentrate on leaves. You can remove the small, unnecessary branches that grow from the "armpit" of the main stem and large branch (J. Tanner) as seen in the drawing above. When to plant in garden: Transplant a week after danger of frost has passed, late May to early June. Spacing: 20 inches apart, depending on variety; some many need more room, some less. Thinning: No. Harvest and storage: Pick tomatoes when they are shiny and fully-colored. For red varieties, make sure they are bright red, not orange or pink. You can pick green tomatoes for some recipes. If frosts come early, pick all remaining tomatoes; they may ripen somewhat in the house. Tomatoes store best at room temperature, not in the refrigerator. If starting indoors for a head start: Start in late March or early April. Keep them in your sunniest window and keep them warm— about 70˚F is good. They should have plenty of room for their roots, so if they are started in trays or small containers, move them to containers at least 4 inches across after a couple of weeks. A young tomato seedling.
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WINTER SQUASH Examples of winter squash are pie pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, and hubbard squash. They all like plenty of compost. Squash plants sprawl and take up a lot of room so plan your garden carefully— many varieties are not suited to small raised bed gardens. Smaller types, such as delicata, can be trellised to save room.
A big harvest of butternut and acorn squash curing in a dry place.
When to plant in garden: June. Spacing: Sow 6 seeds in a mound of soil, each mound about 18 inches across and 30 inches apart. Thinning: Yes; snip off extra seedlings, leaving 2 strong plants in each mound. A butternut squash vine.
Harvest and storage: Cut off fruits when they turn the color they are supposed to be. This means orange for pumpkins, creamy yellow for butternut squash, and dark green for acorn squash, etc. Harvest them before it frosts. If you plan to store them, cure the squash for a couple weeks to dry and harden the shell. They like to be stored in dry areas at about 50ËšF. Try under a bed in an upstairs room.
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ZUCCHINI and SUMMER SQUASH These are some of the most productive vegetables you can have, because they produce all summer, especially if they have compost and you pick the fruits continuously. When to plant in garden: When weather is warm, early June. Spacing: Sow 6 seeds per mound, each mound about 18 inches across and 24 inches from the next. Thinning: Yes; snip off extra seedlings, leaving 2 strong plants in each mound.
A happy zucchini plant.
Harvest: Pick the fruits as they grow, and check them daily, because they ripen fast! Any fruits 6 inches to 12 inches long can be picked, though smaller squash are more tender and tasty. The more small fruits you pick, the more total fruits the plant will be likely to produce. If you wait until the squash are all large, the plant will not produce as many. This zucchini has gotten much too big to eat—but it won a prize at the fair!
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Herbs Herbs are fairly easy to grow, some are perennial, and all of them add a fun dash of flavor to meals all year long. BASIL Basil is delicious when combined with tomatoes, especially in fresh salads. Snip off flowers to keep the plant growing and for the best flavor. When to plant in garden: Late May, well after risk of frost. Spacing: Sow seeds about ½ inch apart in rows spaced 8 inches apart. Thinning: Yes, thin so plants are about 4 inches apart. Harvest: Pinch off the tips of branches or individual leaves, or cut entire branches when plant is large. Basil is best frozen, but can also be dried. CILANTRO Cilantro is a popular herb for salsas. It is an annual, and will bolt in hot weather. When to sow in garden: Mid-May. Spacing: Sow 2 seeds every 4 inches. Thinning: Yes, thin to 4 inches. Harvest: Once it is large enough, cilantro does well with continuous harvest, which keeps it productive. Pick bright green sprigs but don't over-pick young plants. Cilantro can be frozen for storage.
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CHIVES Chives are a perennial herb, which means the plant will return year after year if cared for. If growing chives from seed, they may not be big enough for harvest for a year or more. After the plant flowers, cut it back to about 1/3 of its height—about 6 inches tall if it's a large plant—to encourage new growth. Chives can also help deter pests in the garden—bugs don't like their oniony smell. Harvest: Use scissors to snip off long grassy leaves, which are lightly onion-flavored. Flowers can be eaten when young, before they get dry. To store chives, chop and freeze. DILL
Chive flowers are light purple. Image: Tom Curtis / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Dill is a summer favorite, and goes especially well with cucumber dishes. Dill flowers are pretty, but the plant will grow more leaves if you snip off flower heads. If you let the plant go to seed, you may have more dill next year as it easily self-sows. It will bolt in hot, dry conditions. When to plant in garden: Mid- to late May or early June. Spacing: Sow in a row, about 2 seeds every inch. Thinning: For best productivity, thin so that there are 8 inches between plants. Harvest: If you thin your dill plants, you can eat the tender baby thinnings. When the plant is larger, snip off leaves with scissors. Harvesting all season and keeping plant trimmed back will keep it growing longer. To store, dill is best frozen.
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OREGANO Some recommend buying a young oregano plant rather than planting seeds. Either way, oregano can grow back every year if well-mulched. Harvest all summer so that plant keeps growing leaves, and snip off flowers for best taste. Oregano can be dried with good results. When harvesting, snip off leaves like these to keep plant growing, but never harvest too much at one time.
PARSLEY Parsley is usually considered an annual, but with some snow cover, sometimes it can survive the winter and return in spring. Its flavor may become unpleasant and strong, however. Parsley is best started indoors, so it can grow strong before transplanting in the garden. Seeds take a couple weeks to germinate, so don't worry if they take a long time to come up. When to sow in garden: Mid-May. Can tolerate light frost. Spacing: Sow 2 seeds every 8 inches. Thinning: Yes, thin to 8 inches. Harvest: Parsley does well with continuous harvest, which keeps it productive. Pick sprigs when large enough (don't over-pick young plants) and bright green. Don't use yellow or brown leaves. Parsley can be frozen for storage. If starting indoors for a head start: Start mid- to late March.
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SAGE Grow sage from seed or buy a plant. It grows every year if mulched in the cold winter. Eventually it becomes a small bush with a woody stem. You can trim it in early spring so that it grows more new leaves. Harvest: You can pick leaves all summer and use them fresh or dry them. Sage is a strong herb that goes well with roasted root vegetables with cheese dishes. It is also delicious with chicken or turkey. THYME It takes a while for thyme to get established, so either grow it indoors early in the spring or buy a plant. With proper mulching, it will come back every year. It likes drier soil—too much water will make the plant rot. When to plant in garden: Transplant mid- to late May. Harvest: Trim off small branch tips with scissors in mid-summer. Strip off tiny leaves, because stems are tough. The taste is best before the plant blooms. Drying thyme sprigs works well.
Drying Herbs: Drying herbs is simple. Spread them in a basket or hang them in a dry place out of the sun until they are crisp, usually a few weeks. Or, preheat your oven to the lowest setting (200Ëš or so), turn it off, and place herbs on a tray inside. Check often until they crackle when rubbed between your fingers. Store in airtight containers.
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Edible Flowers Try growing some of these flowers for a pretty garden and colorful additions to salads and garnishes. CALENDULA Calendula flowers generally come in tones of yellow and orange and are cheerful additions to the garden. The small petals of the flowers are edible and pretty in summer salads. When to plant in garden: Late May, early June. Spacing: Sow seeds about 1 or 2 inches apart. Thinning: Yes, if plants seem crowded, but may not be necessary. Harvest: Snip off bright, fresh flowers and pull off petals for salads. MARIGOLD Marigolds are bright orange, yellow, and red flowers, and can add a splash of color to salads. They also can help deter pests that eat your vegetables, so are good to grow in your garden. When to plant in garden: Midto late May or early June. Spacing: Sow seeds about 1 or 2 inches apart. Thinning: Yes, if plants seem crowded. Harvest: Pick the blossoms when they are fresh and crisp, not wilted.
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NASTURTIUM Nasturtium plants sprawl, but the bright red, yellow, and orange flowers are pretty and peppery in salads. Make sure to carefully wash flowers before eating; insects like to hide inside the "tail" of the flower. Some people believe the plants repel pests, so some nasturtiums in your garden could be a good idea. When to plant in garden: Late May or early June. Spacing: Sow seeds about 1 or 2 inches apart. Thinning: Yes, if plants seem crowded. Harvest: Pick the blossoms when they are fresh and crisp, not wilted. Leaves and seedpods also have a spicy taste and can be eaten. Nasturtiums bloom throughout the later summer until frost. PANSY Brightly colored, cheery, and tasting a bit like lettuce, these garden favorites can self-seed, meaning that they can return every spring without replanting. When to plant in garden: May or June. Spacing: Sow seeds thinly (a few seeds every inch) or scatter. Thinning: Yes, if plants seem crowded. Harvest: Pick bright, clean flowers and rinse lightly if necessary. Most pansies continue blooming throughout the summer, especially if flowers are picked regularly.
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Resources Books Coleman, E. The New Organic Grower's Four-Season Harvest. Post Mills, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing Co., 1992. Includes growing tips for many vegetables. Hennessey, C. G. and Martin, H. The Harmony Garden: A Handbook for Community Gardening and Greening in Burlington, Vermont. The UVM Environmental Program, Burlington Area Community Gardens, and Burlington Parks and Recreation Department, 1999. Lots of ideas, tips, and resources. Krupp, R. Woodchuck's Guide to Gardening. South Burlington, VT: Ron Krupp, 2001. Offers good advice for growing vegetables in Vermont.
Local Resources Burlington Area Community Gardens – http://www.enjoyburlington.com/Programs/ CommunityGardens.cfm Offers other opportunities for gardening. Burlington Permaculture – http://burlingtonpermaculture.googlepages.com Resources, workshops, Burlington Green Map and Asset Map Community and Economic Development Office: Burlington Lead Program – www.cedoburlington.org/housing/ programs_and_services/lead_paint/lead_program_main.htm Resources for lead safety and testing; for testing, contact the Vermont Department of Health at 1-800-439-8550 for a list of certified labs. Friends of Burlington Gardens – www.burlingtongardens.org/ Phone: 802-861-GROW (4769) Resources, events, and programs are available.
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Gardener's Supply Company – 128 Intervale Road, Burlington Phone: 802-660-3505 Gardener's Supply is a good garden store in the Intervale not far from the Old North End. They carry all sorts of vegetable and cover crop seeds, plants, garden tools and accessories. Grow Team ONE (Old North End) – www.growteamvt.com/ Check website for upcoming events, news, and links.
General Gardening Resources "Can I Grow That Here?" Montana State University Extension, by A. P. K. Grandpre – http://msuextension.org/publications/Yardand Garden/MT199308AG.pdf. An excellent chart of 34 vegetables with dates and specific information for growing and transplanting each. Cornell Gardening Resources –http://www.gardening. cornell.edu/vegetables/index.html A great website full of tips on vegetable growing, diseases, and much more. The Gardener's Network – http://www.gardenersnet.com/learn.htm A to Z of gardening, with growing tips and information on diseases, seeds, and much more. Golden Harvest Organics: Plant Diseases www.ghorganics.com/page15.html Try some of these homemade remedies for plant diseases. Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) – http://www.omri.org/ An annually updated list of approved organic products. Vermont Master Gardener Helpline: Phone: (802) 656-5421 Call to talk to on-call staff. Summer hours (subject to change): Mon., Wed., Fri. 9-12 pm, Tues., Thurs. 1-4 pm. E-mail questions to: master.gardener@uvm.edu Website: www.uvm.edu/mastergardener This website has good gardening tips and resources.
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New Words: Garden Glossary ANNUAL: a plant the lives its entire lifespan, from seed to flower, in one season. Annuals die when it gets cold again, but its seeds go on to grow the next year. Examples of annuals are lettuces, tomatoes, peppers, and marigolds. See PERENNIAL. BOLT: when a plant grows tall and puts out flowers; when it goes to seed. Often this makes the vegetable, especially lettuce, taste bitter or strong. COMPOST: the rich fertilizer created by the decomposition, or rotting, of plant and animal products. Compost also adds structure to soil, helping it to hold water and air. COVER CROP: plants that are usually planted in the fall and dug into the garden in the spring to protect the soil and add nutrients. Rye, wheat, oats, and clover are common. CULTIVAR: another word for variety. Different cultivars of tomatoes, for example, are different shapes, colors, and have distinct flavors. Some are more resistant to pests and disease than others. CULTIVATE: 1) To loosen or dig up the soil, removing weeds. 2) To grow vegetable and fruits, as in "she cultivates eggplants." CURE: to let certain vegetables dry in order to prepare them for storage. EROSION: the loss of soil to wind (blowing away) or water (washing away). Plant roots help to hold the soil and keep it from eroding. Cover crops are important during the winter months for protecting soil. FERTILIZE: to feed plants by adding nutrients to the soil. Compost is a great organic fertilizer. GERMINATE: when a seed sprouts and grows its first leaves and root. HARDEN OFF: to get seedlings grown indoors slowly used to the outdoors before they move to the garden.
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HARDY: generally means vegetables or herbs will survive cold temperatures, sometimes even the winter. HEIRLOOM: a variety of seed that people have planted for a long time. Since it is "open pollinated," which means natural factors such as wind and insects pollinate the flowers, seeds from heirloom cultivars can generally be saved and used the next year. See HYBRID. HYBRID: a hybrid seed is the result of carefully crossing one plant with desirable features to another to create offspring with the best characteristics of both parent plants. Usually these include increased productivity, disease resistance, and flavor. This process has to be repeated every generation, so seeds saved from hybrids are not like their parents. See HEIRLOOM. LARVA: the immature or "baby" form of an insect. Usually a larva will look very different from the adult. For example, a grub is a beetle larva, and a caterpillar is a butterfly larva. MULCH: a covering of leaves, straw, grass clippings, or other material on a garden. Mulch helps conserve water and suppress weeds. Some kinds of mulch, like black plastic sheeting, can help warm the soil. ORGANIC: generally means a garden that is maintained without the use of chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers. Instead, it uses compost, hand-weeding, and natural techniques to control pests and diseases. PERENNIAL: a plant that sometimes goes dormant, or appears to die, at the end of the season but returns the next year. Examples of perennials are asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, and sage. RAISED BED: a box-like frame that is lined with special fabric material and filled with soil for planting your garden. If built and filled correctly, raised beds guarantee a garden safe from lead and other contaminants, and make it easier for senior citizens and other gardeners to work. SEEDLINGS: young plants. Sometimes called TRANSPLANTS, especially when moved to the garden after being grown indoors. Also see START.
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SET: mostly refers to onions. These are purchased young plants that were overwintered and are ready to plant in the spring. They are another way to give onions a head start. SOW: to plant seeds. Plant usually refers to, well, planting plants. START: a young plant grown indoors to give it a head start so that is larger and stronger when placed in the garden. Also refers to the act of growing seedlings indoors, as in "starting tomatoes inside." THIN: to remove some seedlings so that the remaining ones have room to grow. You can pull up seedlings to thin them, but snipping them off with scissors is less disruptive to the other plants. Suggestions such as "thin to __ inches," means to leave a certain amount of space between plants. TRANSPLANT: 1) To move growing seedlings from one container to a larger one, allowing for space for their growing roots. Also to move young plants from containers to the garden. 2) Young plants, or SEEDLINGS, can be called "transplants." TRELLIS: a frame to support climbing plants. Fences, poles, stakes, and strings can also be used. TROWEL: a tool that is like a small, hand-held shovel. Used for digging holes and planting, and for digging out weeds with deep roots, such as dandelions.
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Bibliography City of Burlington, VT. Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO). Burlington Lead Program. 2009. 23 Feb. 2010. <http://www.cedoburlington.org/housing/ programs_and_services/lead_paint/lead_program_main.htm >. Coleman, E. The New Organic Grower's Four-Season Harvest. Post Mills, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing Co., 1992. Cornell University. Cornell Gardening Resources: Vegetables. 22 Feb. 2010. Department of Horticulture. 27 Feb. 2010. <http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/vegetables/index.html>. Cutler, K. D. (Ed.) Salad Gardens. NY: Brooklyn Botanic Garden Publications, 1995. Cutler, K. D. (Ed.) Tantalizing Tomatoes. NY: Brooklyn Botanic Garden Publications, 1997. The Gardener's Network. 28 Feb. 2010. Premier Star Company. 28 Feb. 2010. <http://www.gardenersnet.com/>. Hanson, B. (Ed.) Gourmet Herbs. NY: Brooklyn Botanic Garden Publications, 2001. Hennessey, C. G. and Martin, H. The Harmony Garden: A Handbook for Community Gardening and Greening in Burlington, Vermont. The UVM Environmental Program, Burlington Area Community Gardens, and Burlington Parks and Recreation Department, Burlington, VT: 1999. HerbGardening.com. Thyme. Superior Growers Supply, Inc. 2009. 27 Feb. 2010. <http://herbgardening.com/growingthyme.htm>. High Mowing Seeds. "Successful Seed-Starting Tips." Handout. Homeyer, H. The Vermont Gardener's Companion: an Insider's Guide to Gardening in the Green Mountain State. Guilford, CT: The Globe Pequot Press, 2008.
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Kuepper, G. Flea Beetle: Organic Control Options. National Sustainable Ag. Information Service. 2003. ATTRA. 28 Feb. 2010 <http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/fleabeetle.html>. Krupp, R. Woodchuck's Guide to Gardening. South Burlington, VT: Ron Krupp, 2001. Schultz, W. (Ed.) Natural Insect Control. NY: Brooklyn Botanic Garden Publications, 1994. Smith, R.C. Vegetable Maturity Dates, Yields and Storage. North Dakota State University Ag. Extension. 2000. 27 Feb. 2010. <http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/hortcrop/ h912w.htm>. University of Illinois Extension. Watch Your Garden Grow. 2010. 23 Feb. 2010. <http://urbanext.illinois.edu>.
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