Vegetables L-Z

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Bean, Pole Snap
Dust seed with innoculant. Fertilize when planting and again when 6 to 8 inches tall. Train on a trellis, tripod, fence or other support. Keep picked to encourage further production.

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Bean, Bush Snap
Dust seed with innoculant. Fertilize at planting time and again when 6 to 8 inches tall. Keep picked to encourage further production.

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Bean, Lima
Dust seed with innoculant. Requires a longer, milder growing season than snap beans. Fertilize at planting time and again when plants are 6 to 8 inches tall.

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Beet
Thin soon after germination. Fertilize at sowing time and again when leaves are 3 to 4 inches tall. Dig when roots are 2 to 3 inches in diameter for best flavor. Tops are also edible.

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Broccoli
Set plants slightly deeper in garden than in container. Side-dress with fertilizer as buds begin to form. Harvest while heads are still tight.

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Brussels Sprouts
Does best as fall crop in warm climates. Cold tolerant. Break off lower branches as sprouts begin to form to encourage buds. As older sprouts are harvested (from the bottom up) and new ones form, break off more branches. Frost improves flavor.

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Cabbage
Set plants slightly deeper in garden than in container. Fertilize at setting out, and side-dress 4 weeks later. Harvest when heads are still tight.

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Cabbage, Chinese
See Cabbage. Heads grow more upright and cylindrical than regular cabbage. Excellent eaten cooked or raw in salads.

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Carrot
For best carrots, soil should be loose textured and cultivated deeply ? otherwise grow round and short-rooted types. After germination, thin seedlings well. Fertilize when foliage is 6 to 8 inches high. Harvest when between finger thickness and 2 inches in diameter.

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Cauliflower
See Cabbage. Blanch by tying outer leaves over heads when they are 2 inches across.

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Celery
Requires cool growing season and rich, moist soil. Set plant in a trench 4 to 5 inches deep and fill in with soil as plant grows. If further blanching (whitening) is desired, hill plants by mounding additional soil around their bases. Apply soluble plant food every 2 to 3 weeks.

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Collards
Sow directly outdoors in early spring or in late summer for the fall garden. Can also be sown indoors in mid to late winter for transplanting outdoors in early spring. Especially good as fall crop since frost will improve flavor. Withstands both cold and hot weather. Fertilize at planting time. Harvest entire plant or pick leaves as needed.

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Corn, Sweet
To ensure pollination, plant several rows together in a block, rather than in 1 long row. Side-dress with fertilizer when 8 inches high. Keep well-watered, especially from tasseling time to picking. Hill corn plants by pushing a few inches of soil up around the base of the plants when they are fertilized. This provides stability, but take care not to disturb the roots. Do not remove suckers. Regular sweet corn, super-sweet, sugar-enhanced, and popcorn should be isolated from each

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Cucumber
Sow in rows or in hills, 3 to 4 feet apart with 3 plants per hill, or start as transplants in Jiffy Pots 2 weeks before setting outside for an early crop. Fertilize at planting time. Keep well-watered and cultivate carefully. Harvest when young and green; if they are allowed to mature (and turn yellow), the plant will stop producing.

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Eggplant
Easily damaged by cold temperatures. Fertilize at planting time and when fruits start to form. Harvest when relatively young and skins are very shiny.

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Kale
See Collards. Kale does not tolerate summer heat, but is extremely cold-tolerant.

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