Vegetables for Beginners

Carrots

Prefer light, sandy soil, best grown in full sun.
Water crops in when planting with a solution of beneficial Nematodes (available at Greenland) to prevent Carrot Fly investations.
Sow early.
Can be sown 2-3x per season: late April, 3rd week May and 2nd week of June.
If you prefer “baby carrots” sow thickly and don’t thin out as much as pack indicates.
Harvest carrots as you need them; complete harvest before ground freezes.
Wash immediately after pulling and store in a cool, dark area.

Cucumbers

Tender and warm season vegetable that requires full sun.
Plant only after risk of frost has passed and soil is warm.
Two types of cucumbers: canning and eating.
2-3 plants of larger eating cucumbers are enough for an average family – an average plant produces 10 cucumbers.
Pickling cukes can be planted in multiples.
Newer mini varieties such as Muncher are great for container gardens.
Require a lot of garden space and consistent water (not wet).
Harvest before they get too big or they may have a bitter flavour.
Always pick in late morning or early afternoon.
Don’t wash before storage, wrap tightly in saran wrap and refrigerate
Use within two weeks.
Subject to Powdery Mildew; do not water foliage – water root zone.

Green Beans

Easy to grow and very prolific.
Plant after danger of frost has passed.
Bush types do not require staking.
Pole beans require support or a trellis.
Harvest when beans are firm and can be snapped – thick as a pencil.

Peas

One of the earliest producers.
Sow seeds as soon as soil is workable. For consistent germination use a soil inoculant (a powder you mix with seeds prior to planting).
Great for small gardens; a 10’ row will yield approx.10lbs of peas. Peas should be trellised, this makes harvesting a lot easier.
Plants must be consistently watered from the time they blossom to harvest, this ensures sweeter peas.
Powdery mildew is common; ensure consistent watering at soil level; never water foliage. Ensure rows are spaced apart well.
Store peas in plastic bags in fridge, freeze raw shelled peas.

Onions

Onions are often planted as small bulbs called sets, but can be direct seeded.
Require well drained soil with consistent moisture.
Water crops in when planting, with a solution of beneficial Nematodes to prevent Onion Root Maggot.
When planting out onion sets or seeding, cover with floating row cover to prevent adult moths from laying eggs at base of plants.
To harvest, allow onion tops to fall over on their own.
Pull out onions and lay on soil, leave outside to dry in the sun for up to a week.

Peppers

Must be started indoors. They love heat so plant in full sun.
Require adequate supply of water especially during flowering. Inadequate watering may cause blossom end rot.
3-4 plants yields 6-12 bell peppers, 12-18 banana peppers, or 30-40 hot peppers per plant.
Peppers are best grown in containers (soil can take a while to warm in spring).
Store peppers inside plastic bags in fridge.
To dry hot peppers, string them with a needle and thread, and hang the hot pepper necklace in a cool, well vented area.

Lettuce and Salad Greens

Cool crop, best planted early spring or late fall.
Reseed every 2 weeks.• Require a steady supply of water (in well drained soil).
Will “bolt” in hot temperatures; an east exposure is perfect.
Harvest early in morning when leaves are crisp and full of moisture.

Radishes

Best planted early spring or early fall.
Quick to sprout (4-8 days to germinate).
Requires rich well drained soil.
Water crops in when planting with a solution of beneficial Nematodes (available at Greenland) to prevent Radish Maggot investations.
Keep moisture consistent to prevent cracking and improve flavour.
Harvest as soon as they are large enough to eat, dry spells cause radishes to become too spicy and woody.
Harvest entire crop all at once and reseed for a second crop.
Wash radishes and store in plastic bags. They will stay fresh and crisp in the fridge for several weeks.

Tomatoes

Must be started indoors.
Require full sun as they are heat lovers.
Best planted out end of May or 1st week of June.
Consistent water is very important during fruit production.
Must be fertilized often as they are heavy feeders.
An average family of 4 may need only 1-2 plants, however if you are cooking, canning, freezing and eating tomatoes, 6 plants will last from late June to September.
Staking indeterminate plants saves space within the garden, makes harvesting easy.
Never store tomatoes in the fridge – this ruins texture and flavour.

Zucchini

Sow seeds into the garden last week of May.
Prefer rich, well-drained soil, in full sun.
Zucchini is a heavy yielder, one plant can produce up to 16 fruit.
Always water early in day to prevent disease and fungi, do not water foliage.
Ensure consistent moisture and calcium fertilizer to prevent blossom end rot.
Harvest zucchini twice a week.
Young zucchini has the best flavour and is the most tender. Larger zucchini best used for baking.
Does not store for long periods; use within a week or two.
Grate and freeze extra zucchini.

Watering

How much to water? Try to do one thorough watering of the garden/week (sprinkler running for 20-25 min.). Container vegetables will need to be checked daily for water.
Hot dry days combined with lack of water can cause bitterness in many vegetables. Inconsistent watering also allows vegetables to be more susceptible to blossom end rot, pests and diseases.
Conserve moisture; provide rows with a mulch such as bark mulch or mulched grass clippings.

Fertilizing

Nitrogen promotes leafy growth; important for lettuce and other leaf crops.
Phosphorous promotes root development and fruit set; important for all vegetables.
Potassium improves fruit quality and disease resistance; important for all vegetables.
Fertilize garden beds once per week, or dig in slow release granular fertilizer. Containers will require feeding every 3-4 days.

Earth Box

For smaller gardens try this award-winning growing system. The Earth Box controls soil conditions, eliminates guesswork and more than doubles the yield of a conventional garden – with less fertilizer, less water and virtually no effort.