Unit 41 Favorite Garden Vegetables and Herbs

Vegetable plants need various methods of proper preventive care and overall maintenance Only a few introduced in this unit Be aware of each plant’s requirements Recognize plant problems before it is too late (continued)

Favorite Garden Vegetables and Herbs Discover more by continuous education Know fertilizer, harvest dates, use, and storage Look for diseases, insects, and nutrient problems Develop good gardening maintenance habits

Asparagus Earliest spring vegetable

Asparagus Remove no shoots the first 2 years Remove shoots each following year until July 1 Harvest when spears are 6 to 10 inches long In the fall, remove dead plant tops and work into the soil

Lima Beans Do not plant until ground is warm Grow in most soils, seed covered with sand Season of about 4 months at a relatively high temperature Need a richer soil than snap or green beans

Lima Beans Grow both on poles and in bush form, they need some support – Poles, plant 3 or 4 per hill, space hills 2 to 3 feet apart – Trellises, space the plants 6 to12 inches apart – Bush planted 3 to 4 inches apart, rows spaced 3 feet apart (continued)

Lima Beans Not treated with high nitrogen fertilizer Harvest when the seeds are close to full size

Snap Beans Do not plant until the ground is warm Successive planting every 2 to 3 weeks, until 8 weeks before the fall frost date Wide variety of soils – No heavy crust, prevents seeds from emerging (continued)

Snap Beans General garden fertilizer—add to sandy soils Pick – When seed in the pods are ⅓ mature size – When still young and tender

Beets Do not tolerate severe freezing Hardy vegetables, range of climatic conditions Require a loose, loamy soil for best results Planted in rows 16 inches apart, spaced 3 inches apart in the row (continued)

Tomatoes

Brocolli

Cabbage

Onion Group

Potatoes

Sweet Corn

Herbs—Benefits

Herbs—Planting

Herbs Purchase plants from a reputable nursery Herbs add spice and flavor to foods Annual, biennial, and perennial Annual and biennial replace every year by seed and softwood cuttings (continued)

Herbs

Herbs—Care and Maintenance

Clean up dead foliage Apply a light, airy mulch in winter After 3 to 4 years, replant bed in early spring Herbs are seldom bothered by insects or diseases

Favorite Garden Vegetables and Herbs Herbs—harvesting for fresh, dried, or frozen

Favorite Garden Vegetables and Herbs – Air dry in 2 weeks under low humidity Oven dry 77°F to 95°F Good for 1 year – Rub dry leaves off and store in airtight glass container – Frozen—chervil, dill, lemon balm, parsley, sage Good for 3 to 5 years

Wrap Up Select vegetables that grow best in the local environment Know what each plant requires – Fertilizing – Harvesting – Storage (continued)

Wrap Up Create marketable quality Herbs for the garden appeal: foliage, flowers and spices Recognize plant problems before it is too late – Insects – Fungus, diseases – Soil and water