Introduction to Vegetable Gardening

Introduction to Vegetable Gardening
What is a Vegetable? What is a Fruit?

What is a Vegetable? A vegetable is, typically, an herbaceous plant used for the main part of a meal A vegetable is defined by use of the plant part and not some common botanical characteristic

What is a fruit? A botanical definition for fruit is themature ovary of the plant, consisting of the seeds and their coating A more general definition for fruit is the reproductive part of a plant; the seed of plants or the part that contains the seed

A quick review of soils and nutrition
Plants get the majority of the elements (nutrients) from the soil Two stages to improving the soil in your garden Create or rebuild a fertile and friable soil Maintain fertility despite the drain of year-in, year out losses from leaching, erosion and vegetable harvest

Nutrients needed by plants

Nutrients needed by plants
The way to determine if the soil contains adequate levels of nutrients is through a soil test Make sure that your sample(s) for the soil test are representative of the garden You can send the sample to a commercial laboratory or you can purchase and use a home soil testing kit

Major plant nutrients Nitrogen (N)
The nutrient most likely to be deficient Most soil nitrogen is contained in the organic matter Is the essential building block of proteins and chlorophyll Generally is in the nitrate or ammonium form or in organic matter in the soil

Nitrogen Nitrate Nitrogen deficiency Form used by the plants
Leaching losses Denitrification- in waterlogged soils, N can be converted by microbes into atmospheric nitrogen Nitrogen deficiency Symptoms: Yellowing of the leaves, especially the older leaves Treatment: apply a material high in nitrogen Legumes, manures, animal byproducts, synthetic fertilizers

Nitrogen (N) Excess nitrogen Easy to over apply nitrogen Will cause:
Delayed maturity Uneven ripening Overly succulent growth – can lead to pest problems

Phosphorus (P) Generally considered to be in the form of phosphate (P2O5) Most soils contain large amounts of P but not in forms available to the plant Functions It is important for the distribution and storage of energy in forms of sugars and starches Is important for root growth Stimulates flower, fruit, and seed development

Phosphorus (P) Phosphorous deficiency
Symptoms: Slight stunting of the plant, older leaves will be purplish, and undeveloped root system Treatment: Apply bone meal Apply a synthetic fertilizer containing a high level of phosphorous Phosphorous does not move very much in the soil

Potassium or Potash (K)
Where did the name potash originate? Considered to be in the form of K2O Not leached readily Is essential for synthesis of proteins and carbohydrates Is needed in higher amounts by root crops Organic fertilizers are often low in potassium From extraction of wood ashes in kettles – hence pot ash

Potassium Potassium deficiency Symptoms:
Small inferior flowers and fruits and stunted plants. Yellowing along the edges of older leaves Leaves become bronzed Treatment is to apply a fertilizer high in K

Calcium Calcium Plays an important role in cell wall development
Calcium deficiency problems: Sometimes calcium is present, but plants cannot adequately distribute it (uneven irrigation practices…)

Calcium Symptoms Treatment Tipburn in lettuce and cabbage
Blossom-end rot in tomatoes Treatment There is no immediate “cure” for calcium deficiency problems Adding materials high in calcium will not solve the problem Maintain even watering Mulch the plants Maintains more even soil moisture

Secondary Nutrients Magnesium Sulfur Magnesium deficiency
Symptoms: yellowing starting between the veins of the older leaves Sulfur Generally not a problem Used for making soils more acidic and is found in compost and manures

Micronutrients Are needed in very small quantities
Generally all micronutrients are available in organic materials you apply to the garden Best treatment is to prevent the problem from occurring in the first place Availability is determined by soil pH

Soil pH: Acidity and Alkalinity
What is pH? pH is –log[H+] pH is a scale from 1 to 14 Why is pH important? Because nutrients are more or less available depending on the soil’s pH The ideal range is 6.2 to 6.8

Soil pH Influences disease problems Adjusting the pH
Acid soils promote club root disease of cabbage Adjusting the pH Lime is used to raise the pH Sulfur is used to lower the pH

Soil amendments/ Fertilizers
Animal manures Are intermediate between a soil amendment and a fertilizer Vary greatly in their nutrient composition Caused by: Animal Feed used Type of litter or bedding Degree of composting or decomposition Must be composted before use with minor exceptions

Animal Manures Problems with manures
May contain harmful or undesirable contaminants E coli and other harmful bacteria may be in fresh manure Manures are low in nutrients compared to synthetic fertilizers The most common commercially available types of manures Cow manure Chicken (Poultry) manure Bat guano Seabird guano

Animal Manures

Table: Typical Composition of Manures

Starting your vegetable garden
Seeds vs transplants

Starting Plants from Seeds
Introduction Definition:A seed is a dormant, undeveloped plant A seed contains all the genetic material necessary for the development of a mature plant Basic parts Seed coat Embryo Food supply in either endosperm or cotyledons

Factors Determining Seed Quality
Disease-free seed You do not want to use contaminated seed because it may be very difficult to eliminate the disease from your garden Generally seedborne diseases are a problem when gardeners collect their own seed Ways diseases can be carried On the seed coat Seed treatments can eliminate Within the seed Hot water treatments can eliminate

Disease-free seed Some commercial seed companies treat their seeds with fungicides Fungicide treated seed is not acceptable in organic gardening Seed packet should contain warning if seed is Treated If seed is pink or has powdery substance on it then it was treated with a fungicide Wear gloves when handling

Viability Definition:viability is the percentage of vegetable seed which will germinate Viability refers to is the seed living or respiring Vegetable seed viability is tested by seed companies and on seed packets the germination percentage and test date are listed Factors affecting viability Vegetables naturally differ in their viability Age of the seed will affect viability

The Viability and Longevity of Vegetable Seed

Seed Purity Definition:seed purity means that the seed is true-to-type and does not contain undesirable contaminants The seed are what the package says it is Contaminants that may occur in seed packets Seed of the wrong cultivar Seed of the wrong vegetable species Weed seed Soil particles or plant parts

Seed purity and noxious weeds Definition: noxious weeds are plants that federal, state, or local governments want to prevent from spreading to and establishing in a particular area These seed are prohibited from being contaminants in seed that are commercially sold Examples Field bindweed Canada thistle

Seed purity and collecting your own seeds It is important to maintain the cultivar genetically pure when collecting your own seed Maintaining genetically pure seeds only works for self- pollinated cultivars that are open pollinated You can not maintain pure seed when: The parents are hybrids Wind pollinated vegetables They can be pollinated by related plants from a distance away Insect pollinated vegetables readily cross pollinate, if required distances are not kept

Factors to consider when planting seed
Germination requirements Soil temperature Soil moisture Light / dark Planting depth

Germination requirements
Soil temperature Plant processes including seed germination and vegetative growth are temperature dependent Soil temperature and moisture are closely interrelated Wet soils are cooler than dry soils In cold soils seedlings emerge slowly and are prone to attack by soilborne pathogens

Germination requirements cont.
Each vegetable crop has: An optimum temperature for germination Temperatures below or above which germination will not occur The response of most biological processes such as germination to temperature is a sigmoidal (bell-shaped) curve

Germination Requirements
Soil Moisture Soil moisture ranges from the permanent wilting point (lowest moisture) to field capacity (highest moisture) Field capacity: the maximum amount of water that your particular soil will hold Permanent wilting point: point where a plant can no longer remove the small amount of water remaining in the soil and the plant wilts Plants varying in their ability to germinate at different soil moistures Low moisture: cabbage, pumpkin High moisture: beets, lettuce

Planting Depth Planting depth
Seed has a limited amount of food reserves and can exhaust those before it reaches the surface, if planted to deep Rule of thumb: vegetable seeds should generally be planted to a depth equal to twice the diameter of the seed

Planting Depth Factors influencing depth of planting
Weather conditions Wet weather plant seed shallower Type of soil Heavy soils plant seed shallower Soil crusts Some of our soils tend to form crusts Plant shallower or apply vermiculite or peat moss over the seed

Starting Plants from Transplants
Definition– transplanting is the shifting of plants from one soil or growing medium to another Goal is to produce vigorous plants ready to be planted in the garden

Why use transplants? Improves the earliness of the vegetables
Avoids problems of seed emerging through soil crusts or in cold soils You can more closely control depth of planting Make best use of expensive or unavailable seeds Seed germinates under ideal conditions

Not all vegetables transplant well
Plants difficult or not to transplant include: Root crops (carrots) Leafy biennial herbs (dill and fennel) Heading types of Chinese cabbage Cucurbits (cucumbers, pumpkins, squash) Do not like their root systems disturbed Vegetables growing quickly when seeded in the garden (lettuce, spinach) Transplanting is not worth the effort

Vegetables Traditionally Transplanted
Small seeded vegetables Tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, broccoli Some vegetables are traditionally started from transplants because they do not produce seed or the seed lacks uniformity Sweet potato, Irish potato

Commercially Available Transplants
To select quality transplants look for: Healthy plants Free of insects or diseases Vigorously growing Avoid transplants that already have flowers or small fruit – a sign of stress, or are spindly "True to type“ All the plants are actually the vegetable and “variety” / cultivar that the label indicates Properly handled

Commercially Available Transplants
To select quality transplants look for: Transplants that are not leggy or spindly A source that regularly deals with transplants Purchase transplants early in the season before they are picked over

Producing your own transplants
Key factor in determining success – Having an adequate amount of protected growing space to produce transplants May need: Specialized structure Supplemental lights

Growing Media Want to use a soil-less growing media that does contain soil from your garden or yard Why not use garden soil? Tends to be poorly drained and subject to water logging Contains insect pests, diseases, and weed seed or mostly big rocks Serpentine soil

Light Is the environmental factor that is most likely to be limiting for growing your own good quality transplants Interrelated with temperature and moisture Inadequate light often leads to cold temperatures and too much moisture Too little light causes weak spindly plants susceptible to diseases Vegetable transplants need more light than standard houseplants

Light Components of light Intensity Wavelength Plants require different wavelengths than our eyes perceive Day length Plants use day length to tell when summer or winter is coming Inadequate levels of any of these components will cause a plant to sense inadequate level of light

Temperature In windows there can often be large temperature fluctuations between day and night or sunny and cloudy days Cooler than optimum temperatures may: Encourage disease Cause rough fruit in tomatoes Cause bolting in biennials Warmer than optimum temperature may cause weak spindly seedlings

Moisture Too much moisture is often associated with cool temperatures and dark conditions Too much water is associated with diseases which require moisture for spread Examples: root rots, leaf spot Ways to avoid problems with diseases fostered by too much water Thoroughly water when seeding After seeding water in the morning so leaves will be dry before night and spot water only the dry places Too little water rapidly kills young seedlings

Container size Is a compromise between having enough room for the transplants you want and providing the transplants with room for growth Will influence Growing environment of the plant The amount of space a plant has and how close it is growing to other transplants Wider spacing or larger containers generally produce bigger and more vigorous transplants

Hardening off Transplants
Definition: Hardening-off is the process whereby transplants stop growth and develop greater tolerance to stress so they can survive being planted into the garden Is critical for both commercially grown transplants and transplants that you grow on your own

Hardening off Transplants
Hardening-off causes: A slowing of growth Greater cuticle and waxes on leaves Build-up of sugars and starch Ways to harden-off transplants Only water the transplants when they start wilting Stop fertilizing Expose transplants to cool temperatures and/or higher levels of sunlight Put the transplants outdoors for a portion of the day Make sure not exposed to freezing temperatures

Planning Your Garden Introduction Your garden is a personal place
If you are a beginning gardener, start with a small space “A small garden well tended is much more satisfying than a large neglected one.”

How To Get Started List the physical features of your garden
Draw a plan of your garden Consider the environmental conditions which will influence what you can grow

Environmental conditions
Macro vs. Microclimates Macroclimate refers to the overall climate of a particular region Microclimate refers to the specific environmental conditions of your garden site

Specific Challenges of Lake County
“Sacramento Valley with Alpine Influence” Daily high / low temperature differential Rapid seasonal transition Short summer growing season (days with night temps above 50 F) Unpredictability of winter temps (warm spells in January and February; often not REALLY cold until March), hard frost and light frost dates; low humidity in summer High light intensity, Intense UV radiation (sunburn!) Many areas with soil unsuitable for vegetables (Serpentine, high pH clay, rocks, …)

Microclimates Late spring frosts
Frost pockets are low lying areas where frost occurs later in the season Cold air flows down hills and collects in valleys Vineyards are often on ridge tops or hillsides Encourage cold air to flow around or out of your garden Avoid structures or evergreen trees which may restrict air flow

Soil Microclimates Ways to improve soil drainage Add organic matter
Improves soil porosity Drainage systems Perforated PVC pipe buried in soil Raised beds

Microclimates Exposure
On hillsides, the direction your garden faces is important Determines how much sunlight the garden receives Winds Coastal or afternoon winds require that you consider wind protection in your garden design

Selecting Vegetables Decisions, decisions, decisions
What vegetables to grow? What cultivars to use? When and where to plant the vegetable?

Selecting Vegetables You can not grow everything, so you will have to make choices Grow what you can use, are unavailable, or in poor quality in stores Grow plants that fit into your garden’s succession planting and rotation Select vegetables that fit into the available space Select vegetables adapted to the particular season or environmental conditions in your garden

Succession Plantings Two types 1. Multiple plantings of the same crop
Varietal succession Planting a range of cultivars having different maturity dates at the same time. Temporal succession Planting the same cultivar periodically over the course of the season. 2. Planting different species of vegetables, one after the other

Succession plantings with different vegetable species
Planting more than one species of vegetables during the same growing season The maturity (days from planting to harvest) is important when planning a session The adaptation of the vegetable to environmental conditions at planting is also important Examples of different maturities Short Spinach Radish Middle Cabbage Sweet Corn Long Onions Tomatoes

Vegetables Grouped by Plant Families

Select vegetables that fit into the available space
Methods to allow vegetables to fit into small spaces Bush types instead of vining or pole types Draft types Trellising

Cool vs Warm Season Vegetables
Vegetables differ in their adaptation to growing season Relates to growth response to temperature Cool season vegetables Can withstand light frosts Best growth early in spring or late fall Are smaller in size and shallower root system than warm season Generally eat a vegetative part (root, stem, leaves) Most are biennial

Biennials Live two growing seasons
First growing season produce vegetative structures (leaves and tap roots) After exposure to cold temperatures Produce a flowerstalk

Cool vs Warm Season Vegetables
Do not tolerate frosts Grow best when temperatures are warm Most are annuals Generally eat a fruit or seed

Table: Vegetables grouped by seasonal adaptation
Cool Season Lettuces Turnip Radish Cabbage Pea Cauliflower Carrot Warm Season Cucumbers Sweet Corn Watermelon Muskmelons Tomatoes Peppers Lima Beans

Selecting Cultivars Cultivars are plants within varieties that breeders have developed and that are distinct from each other. New cultivars are generally bred for commercial growers Two major categories of vegetable cultivars are: Open pollinated Hybrids

Selecting Cultivars Open-pollinated vegetables
Plants are left to become pollinated on their own Are often older or heirloom cultivars It is important that the cultivar “breed true” Offspring resemble their parents in all important characteristics The breeding system of the vegetable will determine if an open-pollinated vegetable “breeds true” Self-pollinated vegetables Will produce 90% or more offspring that are true to type Cross-pollinated vegetables To ensure the plants breed true, you must carefully control the parents

Selecting Cultivars Hybrid vegetable cultivars
Definition: A cultivar resulting from a cross between two different true breeding (referred to as inbred) parents Most new vegetable cultivars are hybrids Advantages They are vigorous Hybrid vigor: a synergistic increase in vigor of the plant due to the combination of widely diverse genetic traits Higher yielding They are apparently uniform Often bred for disease resistance

Selecting Cultivars Hybrid cultivars Disadvantages
Mainly bred for commercial growers Mature at same time Can not collect seed, must purchase new seed each year

Selecting Cultivars There are some specialized cultivars within either open-pollinated or hybrid categories Heirloom cultivars Definition: A cultivar that has been passed down generation to generation at least 50 years “Anasazi” corn: found in a Utah cave and is thought to be more than 800 years old There are a number of nonprofit organizations working with people who want to preserve heirloom plants.

Our Common Garden Vegetables
The Cole Crops: Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli

Cole Crops: Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower
Introduction Are varieties of Brassica oleracea Are members of the mustard family Can be pungent Contain glucosinolates Shown to have anti-carcinogen effects Environmental requirements Cool season Biennial Head we consume is produced the first year Second year after a cold treatment it will flower

Cole Crops Keys to producing cole crops Transplanted
Transplant stems smaller that pencil size in diameter Rapid growth/ no stress Cabbageworms must be controlled

Cabbage (Brasscia oleracea Capitata group)
Background Developed from wild, leafy, non-heading plants that occur throughout Europe History Cabbage was in general use by 2000 B.C. Was a leafy type Heading types first described in 1500’s Could be stored over the winter

Cabbage Cultivation Planting Transplants used
Can withstand temperatures below 0 F Can plant at 2 times Early spring Early summer crop Use transplants Late summer Fall crop Transplants used Adequate nitrogen fertilizer important

Cabbage Harvesting Harvest when head has become fairly firm but before it cracks or splits Heads from late maturing cultivars can be stored for several months at 40 F and high humidity in pits or root cellars

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea Italica group)
Background Developed from various leafy cabbage forms in southern Europe Plant characteristics Forms a loose flower head on a tall, green, branching stalk Adapted to all parts of the U.S. Can harvest over an extended period by harvesting side heads

Broccoli Are consuming unopen flower buds Harvesting
Harvest central head together with 6 inches of stem Harvest before the flower buds start opening and develop a yellow color

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea Botrytis group)
Background Originated from a leafy form of cabbage in southern Europe Is the most difficult to grow among the cole crops Must be blanched Does not tolerate heat

Cauliflower Characteristics Grown for white head called a curd
Head is formed from shortened flower parts at the top of the plant Temperature response Too much heat prevents the head from forming Plant is more sensitive to cold than cabbage

Cauliflower Cultivation
For best quality cauliflower must be grown rapidly through their entire life Grown from transplants Ensures rapid growth Curds should be a milky-white color

Cauliflower Blanching Leaves grow over top of the curd
Some cultivars are self-blanching Leaves grow over top of the curd If not self-blanching, leaves should be tied loosely around the head Why blanch? Keeps a whiter head Protects against sunscald Protects against frost injury Prevents off-flavor

Cauliflower Harvest Curds are harvested based on their size
Buying a quality curd depends on: Florets being tightly closed White color No purple color on stems or florets No black spots on curds Caused by bacterialsoft rot

Tomato

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)
Native to Andean region in northwestern South America Likely that Peruvian Incas traded to Aztecs, then passed to Conquistadors Wild “tomatoes” still grow in Peruvian Andes By 1600’s tomatoes eaten widely in southern Europe

Tomato Genus Lycopersicon means “wolf peach,” esculentum means “edible” Tomato is the most popular garden vegetable Why? Easy to grow A few plants produce enough fruit for a family Ripe fruit from garden has a far better flavor than store purchased fruit

Growth characteristics
Determinant Produces a flower cluster at the terminal growth point Stops growth at a certain height Fruit matures over shorter time Some cultivars can be grown in containers

Growth characteristics
Indeterminant Never set a terminal flower cluster Continue to grow taller Older cultivars Fruit may be late in maturing

Planting tomatoes Started as transplants
Can plant deeper than originally in the ground if transplants are tall Trenching: remove lower leaves, plant on its side

Growing tomatoes Hot cap Required growing conditions Wall o’ Water
Need at least 6 hours of sunlight per day Require warm temperatures for growth Will not tolerate frost Can improve earliness with cultural methods Wall o’ Water

Tomato Culture Cultural systems Sprawl on ground Tied to stake Caging
Used by most gardeners Caging May be made from wood or wire

Tomato Culture Pruning or “suckering”
Suckers are small lateral shoots in leaf axils or crotch of small branches Pinch off when less than an inch long so plant puts more energy into fruit Most often done to staked tomatoes

Tomato Variety Cultivars vary in a range of traits Use Maturity
Slicing vs. paste vs. salad Maturity Early cultivars (60 or fewer days to harvest) Medium-early (60-90 days) Main crop ( days) Late maturing ( days)

Tomato Variety Color Shape
Red, yellow, pink, green, orange, black, bi-color Shape

Fruit size Wide range, from currant to extra large Extra-large
Are relatively late maturing Fruit may be extremely large (can be more than 1 lb) Cat-facing can be a problem

Harvesting Tomatoes Fruit should be firm and fully colored
Allow to fully ripen on the plant for best flavor High temperatures Accelerated softening process Fruit color development is delayed Harvest when fruit color has started to develop At frost Cover plants with blankets at night Harvest all green mature fruit

Problems with Tomatoes
Tomato hornworms Feed on foliage of tomatoes and related plants Control Hand-picking Bt Parasitic braconid wasps

Blossom end rot A dry, leathery brown rot of the blossom end of the fruit Caused by poor calcium distribution in the fruit Solutions Select cultivars that are less susceptible Use mulching Maintain even watering

Cracking Can be caused by sudden abundant moisture, especially if it follows drought

Sun scald Whitish area on the fruit develops with overexposure to sunlight Prone to secondary infection by mold

Curcurbits

Cucurbits Family Cucurbitaceae
Includes pumpkins, squash, gourds, cucumbers, and melons

Pumpkins and Squash History
Pumpkins and squash are native to warmer parts of the Americas The word “squash” comes from a Algonquian word meaning “Little green things eaten raw” Adopted as food by early settlers In 1623, Pilgrims served pumpkin pie at the second Thanksgiving Also soups and beer

Cultivation Characteristics Planting Fertility Warm season
Generally are direct-seeded into the garden Finicky about transplanting Plant when soil temperatures are 60 F or above Fertility Voracious feeders, requiring high levels of nitrogen

Cultivation Plant Characteristics Vining types Bush types Pumpkin vine
Zucchini bush

Cultivation Plant Characteristics Monoecious Pepo: the fruit we eat
Separate male flowers with stamens and female flowers with ovaries on the same plant 5 fused petals Edible Pepo: the fruit we eat Large modified berry with thick flesh, hard rind, and seeds on ovary walls

Winter vs. Summer What is the difference between winter and summer squash? Summer squash is harvested when the rind is soft and the fruit is immature Winter squash is harvested when the rind is hard and the fruit is mature

Summer Squash Members of C. pepo Growth characteristics
Generally a bush-type plant Fruit are harvested immature before the rind hardens The smaller the harvested fruit, the better

Summer Squash Examples Crookneck Scallop Have a curved neck
Have strong, distinctive flavor Predominate in Southeast Scallop Flattened, disk-like, with wavy edges Date from at least 1600’s

Summer Squash Zucchini Most popular summer squash
Originated around 1900 Name from “zucca” Italian for squash or pumpkin

Winter squash Harvesting Preparation
Fruit when are uniform in color and rind is hard Harvest after the vines die back Often this is after the first light frost but before a heavy frost Preparation Dry dense flesh that is ideally suited to culinary uses

Winter Squash Storage Excellent keeping qualities
Cure at 85-90°F and 80% humidity for four days Remove and keep at 55°F Can last for months, depending on variety

Winter Squash Examples Turk’s Turban Blue Hubbard
Names comes from the appearance similar to turban Can be consumed but better for decoration Blue Hubbard Named for Mrs. Elizabeth Hubbard from Marblehead, MA ~1842 Good for processing Stores well

Winter Squash Examples (cont.) Spaghetti squash Butternut squash
Flesh is very stringy Gives prepared squash an appearance of spaghetti Butternut squash Common in stores Related to pumpkin used as pie filling

Pumpkins What is a pumpkin?
Pumpkins are defined as the edible fruit of any Cucurbita species that is harvested mature and is not used as a baked vegetable The name comes from poumpon, the French word for vegetable

Pumpkins Culture Harvest
Most start off green and then turn orange toward the end of the growing season Some cultivars have a gene that ensures early coloring Harvest Harvest when rind is hard and the fruits have developed a deep solid color

Pumpkins Store like winter squash Examples Howden
Old standard large Jack o’lantern Thick flesh makes it a good keeper

Legumes

Edible Legumes Introduction Legume Refers to plants that produce edible seeds in pods Members of Family Fabaceae Are in more than 600 genus and 13,000 species Many also have a symbiotic relationship with rhizobium bacteria Form nodules on their roots that can convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can use

Root nodules Pea root nodules Soybean nodules

Legumes Only 22 species are widely grown for human consumption
Includes Lentils (Lens) Beans (Phaseolus) Broad beans (Vicia) Soybeans (Glycine) Peanuts (Arachis)

Legumes Important part of human diet Characteristics
Excellent source of protein when meat is not available, preferred, or allowed Characteristics Annual plants Seeds are contained in pods Fix nitrogen Some species are cool season, others are warm season plants

Peas (Pisum sativum var. sativum)
Native to eastern Mediterranean from Turkey eastwards to Syria, Iraq, Iran Probably first cultivated in Turkey Were grown as early as BC One of the most ancient crops Fresh peas first consumed in China

Pea Plant characteristics
Cool season Cold hardy Plant when temperatures are above 45 F Annual Soil Well-drained Moderately fertile because excess nitrogen causes large vines and few pods Also poor nodulation

Peas Have hypogeal emergence
when the shoot breaks through the soil and the cotyledons stay below ground

Types of peas Dried peas English pea (garden pea or sweet pea)
Not commonly grown in gardens English pea (garden pea or sweet pea) Grown for fresh (non-dry) seed Pods harvested when seeds fully form but before they harden and fade in color

Types of peas Edible-pod pea (snow peas, sugar peas, Chinese peas)
Grown for pod instead of seed. Pods are: Brittle, succulent, tender, fiber-free Picked when pods are long and peas just developing

Types of Peas Snap pea Both the seed and pod are eaten
Pick when seed and pods fully developed but seed not hard or pod not faded

Haricot Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)
History Plant native to Central and South America Were cultivated over 7,000 years ago Spread throughout the Americas by time Columbus arrived Spanish and Portuguese explorers spread throughout the world Both pod and seed can be consumed

Haricot Beans Have epigeal emergence
Emerges in the form of a hook with cotyledons pulled above the soil surface

Haricot Beans Characteristics Can be classified according to use
Most versatile of all legumes in respect to shape of plant, color and shape of pod, and color and shape of bean Can be classified according to use

Haricot Beans Fresh (snap) beans
Pods of most varieties can be eaten fresh before they reach maturity Also called green beans or waxed beans When buying fresh pods, look for: Firm, crisp pods Healthy green or yellow color Free of blemishes Moisture from around the break when pod is snapped in two

Haricot Beans Fresh (snap) beans Two types Temperature Weeding Bush
Love warmth Weeding Need to keep weeds down because snap beans have shallow root systems Two types Bush Pole or climbing Must be trellised

Haricot Beans Fresh (Snap) beans Harvesting Soil and fertility
Respond to well-drained, friable loam soils Loam is a very balanced soil texture class Respond to fertile soils Are not efficient at N fixation Harvesting Pick when pods and their seeds are immature

Haricot Beans Mature (Dry bean)
Are harvested after the pods are mature and dried They are shelled and the dry seed are cooked and consumed

Haricot Beans Mature (dry beans) Are a wide range of different types
Examples: white beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, Navy beans Harvesting Harvest seed when fully mature and hard Bite test to determine proper hardness Should barely be able to dent the seed

Fava Beans Broad bean or fava bean (Vicia faba)
Only bean in diet of old world until 16th century Characteristics Named because of its broad, plump shape Pods ~7 inches long Contain 5 or 6 large beans

Fava Beans Culture Harvesting Conditions favoring growth
Cool weather Pinch back growing tips when first pods form for higher yield Harvesting Harvested as green shell or dry beans

Lima Beans (Phaseolus limensis)
Native to Americas Name came from the seed of the large type found by a sea captain in Lima Peru Hard to digest Types Large seeded called Fordhook types Originated in Peru Small seeded called baby limas Cultivated by Native Americans in North America

Lima Beans Environmental conditions Include both bush and pole types
Warm-season crop Requires 3 to 4 months of warm days and nights Baby limas mature more rapidly and are better grown in Illinois Soils Avoid soils too rich in nitrogen Can cause lima beans to shed their blooms without setting pods Include both bush and pole types

This Presentation was adapted from
Dr. John Masiunas, University of Illinois from his Hort 105 curriculum

Introduction to Vegetable Gardening

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