About Our Veggies
You Can Never Have Enough Vegetables
and Melon...yes Melon now available! Also, just in...Blueberries & Raspberries! And a summer fruit bowl wouldn't be complete without Strawberries!
Here are some useful basics to keep in mind.
Most of your summer veggies want as much sun as possible (with greens being the exception)
To start: mix in a quality compost into your existing soil every season. Our Paydirt and Bumper Crop are ideal. You will also want to use some compost to add a 2 to 4 inch mulch layer on your soil surface once your planting is done to conserve moisture and inhibit weed competition. A good starter fertilizer like our EB Stone Organic Sure Start is beneficial for all new plantings as it's high phosphorous content aids in root growth. A quality organic vegetable fertilizer should also be used as the season continues for maximum production.
Tomatoes
Determinate varieties- Can grow anywhere from 1 to 3 feet. Fruit sets all at once, which is ideal for canning. Also good for limited space and container growing. ie Roma, Patio, Dwarf or bush varieties
Indeterminate varieties- These varieties often keep producing up until frost. Most fall under this category. A little pruning is useful to keep the plant's resources focused on fruit production. Be sure to use a tomato cage upon planting.
Heirloom- Heirloom tomatoes are tomatoes that have been passed down through generations. There are many unique varieties with many different shapes, textures and flavors.
Some of of our favorites include Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, Pineapple and Green and Red Zebra but it's so fun and rewarding to try new varieties every season since there are so many to choose from!
Hybrid- Hybrid tomatoes are tomatoes bred from two different parent strains to produce beneficial traits, most notably disease resistance. ie Ace, Champion, Better Boy, Early Girl
Paste- Paste tomatoes are larger than cherries, though generally smaller than most other tomato varieties, oval-shaped and fleshy, which makes them ideal for sauces. ie Roma, San Marzano
Cherry & Grape- Cherry and grape tomatoes are a small, sweet variety of tomato, used most often in salads or eaten straight off the plant itself. The main difference is generally the shape, cherries being more perfectly round and grapes slightly elongated and oval-shaped. They can also vary in color and flavor. If you have also planted or eaten regular red cherry and grape tomatoes, you may want to add a Sungold or Black cherry tomato or Green Grape.
Unlike other plants, tomatoes should be planted deep to ensure maximum root growth, especially if your tomato plants are tall when planting. Peel off lower leaves and plant about half way up the stem.
Peppers
There are countless varieties of delicious peppers, from crispy sweet to dangerously hot. Basic growing requirements of course are the same for all. Unlike tomatoes, peppers should be planted no deeper than the pot they were purchased in. Do not bury the stems.
Pepper plants are usually smaller than tomato, which makes them great for container planting, but they will still require support due to the weight of their fruit.
Remember that sweet peppers get sweeter as they mature & hot peppers get hotter.
Just to name a few,..for mildly hot, try Anaheim or Mulato Isleno Poblanos
Very hot, try Ghost, or Serrano
Let's Talk About Squash
Summer Squash- Popular varieties range from white to dark green and yellow, striped, solid, round, long, and disc shaped. There are different uses for different kinds of summer squash and it's best to plant several types if you love cooking and want variety in your dishes. Squash grows fast and it's best to harvest early and often for best taste and texture.
Variety types include Patty Pans, Zucchini, Yellow Crooknecks and Straightnecks.
Winter Squash -
This category includes Pumpkins, Butternut, Spaghetti
and Acorn Squash.
Winter squash stays on the vine for longer than summer squash and takes up a good amount of space. Plant in an area where they can sprawl.
A good way to tell if your winter squash is ripe is to give it a little thump to hear if it sounds hollow. If so, it is time to harvest.
Some Words on Pumpkins
You can't have a fall harvest without pumpkins and having your own pumpkin patch brings a smile to everyone's face, not just your kiddos! Think beyond the backyard. Planting a pumpkin patch in your front yard along with corn and sunflowers makes a beautiful eye catching display for everyone strolling by to enjoy all summer and at Halloween time!
- Plant early in the season but after frost when the soil is warm. May is ideal.
- Pumpkins have a long growing season and need lots of full sun.
- If possible grow on mounds for downward growth.
- Pumpkins are heavy feeders, so fertilizer is a must.
- Make sure soil drains enough to avoid rot from over-watering.
- For really large pumpkins, you will want to only allow one or two pumpkins grow per vine.
Cucumber Tips
- Plant when the season is warm and make sure they get plenty of full sun.
- Slow deep watering is recommended when soil begins to dry out.
- Fertilize soil for maximum nutrient content.
- Like pumpkins, cucumbers also do well when grown on mounds or up a trellis.
- Harvest often to maximize productivity.
Eggplants Aplenty
- Eggplants will require some support, especially for traditional large types. Japanese Eggplant do not need much if any support and lack the bitterness of traditional eggplant. You can use these fresh from the garden without a salt soak. Great for stir fries.
- Well-drained soil is extremely important.
- Can easily be grown in containers.
- Regular water, but remember they like well-drained soil.
- In addition to initial fertilization it is also useful to give them an extra boost as the season goes on.
Beans
Pole Beans- Require the support of a trellis or tomato cage. Continue producing as they are harvested.
Bush Beans- Easier than pole beans, bush beans require no support. Short season with a single harvest.
Greens
From Spinach to Lettuce to Kale, there are a wide variety of different kinds of greens with their own tastes.
- Plenty of light but don't let them get sunburned, especially as we head into the hotter months of summer, afternoon shade will be essential.
- Regular water.
- Make sure they have enough space to aerate to avoid mold.
- Greens are shallow rooted making window boxes ideal. Place near your back door for frequent baby green harvesting for your dinner salads!