Gardening | Plant vegetables | Healthy Garden

WATER: YOUR GARDEN MUST GET ENOUGH

2007-06-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

Some plants are composed of up to 95 percent
water. Water is vital for sprouting seeds; plants need
water for cell division, cell enlargement, and even
for holding themselves up. If the cells don't have
enough water in them, they collapse like a threeday-
old balloon, and the result is a wilted plant. Water
is essential, along with light and carbon dioxide, to
produce the sugars that provide the plant with energy
for growth. It also dissolves fertilizers and carries
nutrients to the different parts of the plant.
Where the water comes from
Ideally, water for plants comes from rain or other
precipitation and from underground sources. In
reality, you'll often have to do extra watering by
hand or through an irrigation system. (If you have too
much rain about all you can do is pray). How oftenyou should water depends on how often it rains, how
long your soil retains moisture, and how fast water
evaporates in your climate. Soil type is an important
factor. Clay soils hold water very well—sometimes
too well. Sandy soils are like a sieve, letting the water
run right through. Both kinds of soil can be
improved with the addition of organic matter. Organic
matter gives clay soils lightness and air and gives
sandy soils something to hold the water.
Other factors may also affect how often you need
to water your garden:
• More water evaporates when the temperature is
high than when it's low. Plants can rot if they get
too much water in cool weather.
• More water evaporates when the relative
humidity is low.
• Plants need more water when the days are bright.
• Wind and air movement will increase the loss of
water into the atmosphere.
• A smooth unmulched surface will not retain
water as well as one that's well cultivated.
• Water needs vary with the type and maturity of
the plant. Some vegetable seeds are tolerant of
low soil moisture and will sprout in relatively dry
soils. These include Brussels sprouts, cabbage,
cauliflower, collards, corn, kale, kohlrabi,
muskmelon, peppers, radishes, squash (winter
and summer), turnips, and watermelon. On the
other hand, beets, celery, and lettuce seeds need
very moist soil. Herbs generally do better with less
water. A large plant that has a lot of leaves and is
actively growing uses more water than a young
plant or one with small leaves.
• Sometimes water is not what a wilting plant
needs. When plants are growing fast, the leaves
sometimes get ahead of the roots' ability to provide
them with water. If the day is hot and the plants
wilt in the afternoon, don't worry about them; the
plants will regain their balance overnight. But if
the plants are drooping early in the morning, water
them right away.
• Mulches cool the roots and cut down on the
amount of water needed, increasing the time that
plants can go between watering. When the soil
dries out, plants slow their growth—or stop
growing altogether. Swift, steady growth is
important for the best-tasting fruits and
vegetables. Mulches keep the soil evenly moist.
There's a right and a wrong way to water
So much depends on climate and the ability of
different types of soil to hold moisture that it's difficult
to lay down specific directions for watering your
garden. Generally, however, vegetable plants need
about an inch of water a week. The best time to
water your garden is in the morning. If you water at
night when the day is cooling off, the water is likely
to stay on the foliage, increasing the danger of
disease. Some people believe that you can't water
in the morning because water spots on leaves will
cause leaf-burn when the sun gets hot; this isn't the
case.
However hard it is to judge your garden's exact
water needs, there are two hard-and-fast rules about
watering that you should follow. First, always soak
the soil thoroughly. A light sprinkling can often do
more harm than no water at all; it stimulates the
roots to come to the surface, and then they're killed by
exposure to the sun. Second, never water from
above. Overhead watering with a sprinkling can or a
hose is easy and seems to do a fine job. But in fact,
overhead watering wastes water, makes a mess, and
sometimes bounces the water away from the plant
so the roots do not get any at all. Furthermore, many
diseases are encouraged by wet leaves. So direct
water at the soil, but water gently so that the soil is not
washed away or the roots exposed.
Watering with a can. Carrying water in a can or a
bucket can be exhausting and extremely unsatisfying,
especially if the water slops over the top into your
shoes. Watering cans are easier to carry but harder to
fill than buckets. They are good to use for gently
moistening the soil after planting seeds and for
settling dust. If you unscrew the watering can's
sprinkler head and replace it with an old sock, it will be
easier to concentrate the water at the base of the
plant where it's needed. The sock will break the force
of the water so it won't disturb the soil around the
roots.
Watering with a hose. A well-placed faucet and
hose can save a lot of energy. If you have a large
garden, a Y-connector for the faucet makes it
possible to attach two hoses at one time. Hose strategy
includes having enough hose to reach all points in
the garden and arranging the hose in such a way that it
does not decapitate plants when you move it
around.
If you have a lot of watering to do, five-eighthsinch
hose will carry twice as much water as a half-inch
hose. Spreading the water about can be speeded up
by using basins to catch the water and by digging
furrows or trenches between the plants. A length of
gutter with capped ends, placed on the higher side of
the garden, can be punctured at intervals to
coincide with the trenches. Then when water is slowly
added to the gutter it flows down all the trenches at
the same time. If you want to change the placement of
the holes, the ones you don't need can either besoldered up or filled with a metal screw.
Watering with a sprinkler. Lawn sprinklers are
gentle, but they waste water by covering the whole
area indiscriminately and spraying water into the air
where it evaporates and blows about. They also wet
the leaves, which can spread disease, and often
turn the whole area into a mudhole. Canvas soilsoakers
are preferable. They carry water gently to
the soil around the roots. A wand and water-breaker,
which is a length of rigid pipe that attaches to the
end of the hose, can make it much easier to put the
water where you want it. This is especially useful
when you're watering hanging baskets and patio
containers. A water timer that measures the flow of
water and shuts off automatically when the right
amount has been delivered is an expensive luxury.But it's an excellent device for the forgetful and can
free you to do other things while the garden is being
watered.
Gardening is a most satisfying occupation,
because you are constantly rewarded for your efforts.
All the work you put into your vegetable garden—
cultivating, mulching, watering, watching, and
waiting—shows dividends in the shape of healthy
plants that flourish visibly under your care as the
season progresses. And all the labor pays off in
tangible form at harvest time.
But even when you've weathered the whole
gardening season and brought your harvest home,
you still have a few more tasks to complete in order
to put your garden to bed for the winter.

Preparing the soil for direct-seeding

2007-06-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

Preparing the soil for direct-seeding
Soil preparation is the key to successful planting.
The first step is to dig up and turn over the soil to a
depth of eight to 12 inches—hard work, but a good
way to spend a crisp, early spring day. It's important
that the soil is neither too wet nor too dry when you
dig. Soil that's too wet will compact or form into large
clumps that will be so hard when they dry out that
nothing short of a sledgehammer will break them. If
the soil is too dry, the topsoil will just blow away.
Before you get into a good day's digging, pick up a
handful of soil and squeeze it; if it forms into a ball
that will hold together, yet crumbles easily, the soil is
ready to work.
Adding organic matter. Organic matter enriches
the soil and improves its ability to control moisture, so
add organic matter in the spring to benefit the new
season's crop. If you planted a green manure or cover
crop in the fall to protect the topsoil, dig it all back
into the soil now as organic matter. Do the same if you
laid mulch over the soil instead of planting a cover
crop; dig the mulch in as you turn the soil. You can
also dig in compost that has been simmering nicely
all winter.
Fertilizing. You should fertilize your vegetable
garden twice a year. As part of your spring soil
preparation, dig in a complete, well-balanced
fertilizer (10-10-10 or a similar formulation) at the rate
of one pound per 100 square feet or 10 pounds per
1,000 square feet. Work the fertilizer^venly into the
soil. This application will keep your plants supplied
with nutrients until about halfway through the
growing season. Then you'll apply the same
fertilizer at the same rate, but instead of spreading it
over the whole area you'll side-dress by distributing
the fertilizer in trenches between the rows of plants.
Removing obstacles. When you're preparing the
soil, remove all stones, rocks, and lumps, and all the
assorted debris that has accumulated over the
winter. This is especially important if you're planting
root crops, because they'll fork and split if they
have to contend with large obstacles; but all seeds do
better in well-worked soil. Just before planting,
rake the seedbeds smooth and level off the surface by
drawing the back of your rake across the soil.

CONTAINER GARDENING

2007-06-24T21:37:00.000-07:00

CONTAINER GARDENING
In areas where there is little or no space, a wellorganized
container garden can produce substantial
vegetables. A point to remember about container
gardening: The small volume of soil in a raised bed will
warm up faster in spring than the soil in your open
garden. This gives you a longer growing season,
because you can start your cool-season crops
earlier. You can also bring plants inside if the
temperature takes an unexpected plunge — this
mobility is an advantage you obviously lack in an open
garden.
Plan a container garden the same way as a small
garden plot, making the best possible use of your
vertical space. Use a trellis for vining crops and
stakes and cages for tomatoes or other semi-vining
crops. If you're planting on a balcony, don't let any
possible support go to waste. Position climbing plants
where the railing provides a readymade trellis.
There are also space-saving techniques unique to
container gardens. You can use the vertical space of
a container itself by planting in holes or pockets in
the sides of the container. Growing some vining plants
in hanging baskets will save space too, but be sure
to place hanging baskets where they won't shade
other plants. When you are growing a container
garden, always select varieties that are suitable for
container growing, and remember that containers
dry out faster than a traditional garden, so you'll need
to water more often. Plants growing in containers
are also more affected by changes in temperature; you
do have the advantage, though, of being able to
move them to a more protected area or even inside on
cool nights.
Essentially, planning a container garden is little
different from planning an outdoor plot. The main
difference may be in the varieties you choose — if
you're planting in a confined space you're going to
take a special interest in smaller varieties and plants
with compact, contained growth habits. But basically,
any plant that will grow in your garden will also
grow on your balcony or patio.
Extending your garden indoors
If you don't have a garden or even a balcony, you
can still have a container vegetable garden. Don't
underestimate the number of vegetables that can
be grown successfully indoors. Near a bright window
that is not too warm, leafy vegetables, such as
lettuce, parsley, and chives, will do nicely. Fruiting
plants are worth a try, but they take a lot more light
at a higher intensity; unless the window is very bright,
the plants may grow but not produce. Cherry
tomatoes in hanging baskets will sometimes grow in
very bright windows, and sometimes plants can be
brought in from outdoors and grown on for several
months. Herbs are rewarding indoor-garden
plants, and they go a long way in adding your personal
touch to everyday eating.
Providing indoor lighting
If you have lights or if you have a place for putting
lights, you can grow vegetables indoors without any
sun at all. Lettuce does beautifully in the basement
or the attic when grown under fluorescent
light—usually these spots are not as warm as the
rest of the house. Lettuce can also be grown in an
apartment if you can find a spot where the heating is
not very efficient or if you don't mind wearing a
sweater.
Cucumbers will grow beautifully under artificial
light. But just as long days will prevent flowering, so
will long periods under artificial light. The best
thing to do is experiment and find what does well for
you. A timer can be useful in giving certain plants a
dark resting period. Given lots of water, watercress
works almost as well as lettuce under the lights.
Instead of seeds, you can start with cuttings (the
bottoms of some of those stems of fresh watercress
you bought to indulge yourself).
Various possibilities for using vegetables as
houseplants are discussed in the description of
individual vegetables in Part 2.
Gardening in a greenhouse:
A refuge for plants and gardener
With a greenhouse you can garden all year around
and experiment with ail kinds of plants that you have
little chance of growing out in the open garden. A
greenhouse is also a nice, cozy, private place for the
gardener whose gardening time Is often interrupted
by demands from other family members. If you're
going to buy and install a greenhouse, it's worth
getting a good one. Greenhouses vary vastly in size,
price, and construction and many companies
supply them; not all of them, however, are welldesigned
and well-put-together, so you need to do
some homework. The following are reputable sources
that can provide you with basic information to help
you make a choice. Some of them will design a
greenhouse to fit your available space and
specifications.

HOW TO GET YOUR GARDEN STARTED

2007-06-24T21:35:00.000-07:00

HOW TO GET YOUR GARDEN STARTED:
PUTTING THE THEORIES TO WORK
Up to this point, most of your garden planning has
been theoretical. You've given thought to the
vegetables you want to grow, what you're going to
do with them, and how much you need to grow.
You've got an idea of how the climate in your area
will influence your final choice of vegetables.
You're beginning to understand your microclimate —
how growing conditions in your own yard may
differ from the general climate of your area. Now
you're ready to start getting your plans on paper,
but as soon as you open the seed catalog, confusion
strikes again. You want to grow your own corn,
tomatoes, lettuce, and carrots — but what kind?
Finding the varieties suited to your area. Because
there are so many varieties, it can be very difficult to
choose the right one. Part 2 of this book describes
the individual vegetables and their cultural
requirements and lists some of the best and most
widely used varieties. But in many cases the varieties
listed represent only the tip of the iceberg. Where a
large number of varieties are available (as with corn or
tomatoes) or where success depends as much on
growing conditions as on variety (as with onions), your
best bet is to get in touch with your local
Cooperative Extension Service. The service's experts
will be able to tell you exactly which varieties will do
best in the growing conditions that exist in your part of
the country. A complete list of Cooperative
Extension Services is given in Part 4, together with
detailed information on how to get your gardening
questions expertly answered by their qualified
horticulturalists.
Guaranteed varieties: The All-America Selection.
Another way to find the most reliable varieties for your
area is through the All-America Selections. This is a
nonprofit organization of seedsmen who develop
and promote new varieties of vegetables and
flowers. The organization awards gold, silver, or
bronze medals to vegetable varieties that have been
proven to produce reliable results in most areas of the
United States. If a vegetable is listed in your seed
catalog as an All-America Selection, you can be sure
that it has been tested by growers all over the
country and that it's a good bet for your own garden.
The organization does not bestow its seal of
approval lightly — only one or two vegetable varieties
win a gold medal in any year.
Experiment with different varieties. Remember,
too, that you don't always have to play by the rules.
You can plant more than one variety of a vegetable
and decide for yourself which one is best suited to
your palate and your garden. You can also extend
your harvest by planting varieties that mature at
different times. Experimenting is a good part of the
fun of growing a vegetable garden.
Dates: When to plant and when to harvest
Selecting the varieties you're going to grow gives
you some hard information with which to work. You
now know when to plant your vegetables. The
hardiness chart in "Planting Your Garden" will tell you
to which category — very hardy, hardy, tender,
very tender — a vegetable belongs and when to plant
it. Now is the time to decide whether to use seeds or
transplants. Transplants are young plants started from
seed indoors or in a warm place (like a hot frame)
and planted in the garden when the weather's warm
enough. By planting transplants you can often get a
head start on your growing season and avoid some of
the limitations placed on you by your area climate.
Not all vegetables, however, take kindly to being
transplanted. Full information about growing
vegetables from transplants — including what to plant
and when — is given in "Planting Your Garden."
It's important to plan your planting dates
accurately. It's also important to know when your crop
will be ready for harvest. The number of days it
takes a plant to reach maturity varies according to type
and to varieties within a type.
Each vegetable variety has its "days to maturity"
listed in the seed catalog. Take a calendar, and see
how the dates fall for the crops you're thinking of
growing. For instance, "jade Cross Hybrid" Brussels
sprouts take 95 days to maturity. They're very hardy,
so you can plant them six weeks before your last
spring frost. If your area expects its last frost at the
end of April, you can plant your Brussels sprouts in the
garden in mid-March, and they'll mature in mid-
June. They're a cool-season vegetable, so as long as
the weather in your area won't be sizzling hot by
mid-June, you should do well with them. In this way,
work out all the dates on which you can expect to
harvest your vegetables, and make a list of them. This
will give you a chance to make changes if, despite all
your planning, you've got too large a crop maturing at
the same time. It will also give you some ideas about
"pacing" your crop.
Pacing your harvest for best yield
Deciding when to plant involves more than
avoiding killing frosts. It also means pacing your •
planting so you get maximum yields from limited
space. You can harvest some crops gradually,
enjoying them for a long period of time; others
mature all at once. This takes careful planning. You
have to have a good idea of how long it will take
your vegetables to mature and how long the harvest
will last. It will also take some self-control. The
temptation to plant rows of everything at once is great.
Planting short rows. A simple way to pace your
harvest is to plant only short rows or partial rows.
Planting short rows is probably easier; you may feel
more comfortable with a complete row, even if it is
short. A 10-foot row looks short, but 10 feet of
radishes ready to eat at once is more than most
people can handle. Ten feet of parsley or garlic may
be more than enough for the whole neighborhood.
You can freeze parsley and dry the garlic, but what
can you do with all those radishes? Unwanted
excesses of crops can be avoided if you divide your
seeds into groups before going out to plant. Put them
in "budget" envelopes to be planted on definite
dates later on in the season but before the early crops
are harvested. For instance, plant lettuce every two
weeks. This way you can have vegetables all season,
rather than glut followed by famine.
Using several varieties. Another way to pace your
harvest is to plant several varieties of the same
vegetable that mature at different rates. For
instance, on the average date of last frost plant three
different tomato varieties: an early variety that will
mature in about 60 to 70 days; a midseason variety that
will mature in about 75 to 80 days; and a late variety
that will mature in about 80 to 90 days. By planting
these three varieties on the same day you have
spread your harvest over a 30- to 50-day period,
instead of a 10- to 20-day period.
Succession planting. With careful planning you
may also be able to save garden space and get two or
more harvests from the same spot by succession
planting. After early-maturing crops are harvested,
you clear a portion of the garden and replant it with
a new crop. Plant so that cool-season crops grow in the
cooler part of the season, and warm-season crops
can take advantage of warmer weather.
One example of succession planting is to start off
with a fast-growing, cool-season crop that can be
planted early—lettuce, spinach, and cabbage
(cole) family vegetables are good examples. Replace
these by warm-weather crops like New Zealand
spinach, chard, corn, okra, and squash. Then in fall
make another planting of cole crops, or put in root
crops like turnips or beets.
In a small area, one simple plan is to start off with
spinach, which is very hardy but hates hot weather,
and replace it with heat-tolerant New Zealand
spinach. Despite their different temperature
requirements, the two can double for each other in
taste, and you get spinach all season long.
You can also make double use of trellis space — a
big plus in a small garden. Plant early peas, replace
them with cucumbers, and after harvesting your
cucumbers, plant peas again for a fall crop.
Companion planting. This is another way to
double up on planting space. This you do by planting
short-term crops between plants that will take a
longer time to mature. The short-term crops are
harvested by the time the longer-season crops need
the extra room. A good example of this is to plant
radishes between rows of tomatoes; by the time the
tomatoes need the space, the radishes will be gone.
GETTING YOUR GARDEN ON PAPER
By this time you've put a lot of thought into your
garden plan, and you've got some vital information
and dates on paper — the names of the varieties
you're going to plant and your planting and harvest
dates. Now comes the real paperwork. The size of
your garden depends on your interest in gardening
and how much time you're going to be able to give
to the garden. Some gardeners use every available
inch of space; others use a small corner of their
property — some, of course, don't have much choice,
and this may be your case if you have a small garden
to begin with or if you're gardening on a patio or
balcony. The larger your garden, the more time and
work it's going to need, so unless you're already
hooked on gardening, it's probably better to start
small and let your garden size increase as your
interest in gardening and confidence in your ability
develops.
Before you decide the exact dimensions, look at
the list of the vegetables you've chosen and the
amount you're going to grow of each one, and
figure out if they're going to fit into the allotted space.
You may see at once that you've overestimated
what you can grow in the available space, so you'll
have to do a little compromising between fantasy
and reality. If your projected crops look as though
they'll fit, you can now start drawing an actual plan.

More vegetable sprouting tips

2007-06-24T21:33:00.000-07:00

Towel sprouting
This method works best for larger grains and seeds.
1. Soak the seeds in a jar in 3 times as much
water as you have seeds for time given in
recipe, then rinse and arrange on a damp
towel.
2. Cover with another damp towel, and wrap in
plastic wrap or place inside a plastic bag.
3. Set the bag of towels aside, in a warm (70'* F),
dark place.
4. Dampen the towels daily by misting them
with water.
5. If the seeds haven't sprouted after 2 days,
change the towels to prevent spoilage.
6. On about the fourth day, remove the top
towel and move the sprouts into the sunlight so
that chlorophyll can develop and turn the
leaves green. Mist as needed.
7. Move the sprouts from the towel to a
strainer, and rinse well to remove the hulls, if
desired. Hulls can shorten the storage life of
sprouts, but they also add flavor.
8. Use sprouts immediately in salads,
sandwiches, or as the recipe suggests. To store,
put in plastic bags and refrigerate.
9. Wash and dry all equipment and put away for
next use.

Clay saucer sprouting
This method works best for gelatinous seeds that
are difficult to rinse in jars.
1. Use a clean, unglazed clay flowerpot saucer.
2. Put equal amounts of seeds and water into
the saucer.
3. Set the saucer in a larger pan and pour water
into the pan to within 1/2 inch of top of saucer.
4. Cover with a plate and set aside in warm
(70°F), dark place.
5. Check the seeds daily, misting them if they
become dry, or removing the plate cover for a
day if they're too wet.
6. On about the fourth day, move the sprouts
into the sunlight so the leaves turn green.
Mist as needed.
7. Move the sprouts from the saucer to a
strainer, and rinse well to remove the hulls, if
desired. Hulls can shorten storage life of
sprouts, but they also add flavor.
8. Use sprouts immediately in salads,
sandwiches, or as the recipe suggests. To store,
put in plastic bags and refrigerate.
9. Wash and dry all equipment and put away for
next use.

Soil sprouting
This method works best for sprouting tiny greens
for salads or for wheat, rye, or triticale grasses.
1. Spread a 1-inch layer of equal parts of moist
peat moss and top soiI over the bottom of a box.
2. Soak the seeds in 3 times as much water as
you have seeds and soak for the time given in
the recipe; rinse and jar sprout for 16 to 24
hours.
3. Spread the seeds over the soil in the box.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and then newspaper
or black plastic (to keep out light).
5. When the sprouts are \ inch tall, remove the
cover and move them into sunlight so that
chlorophyll can develop and turn the leaves
green. Water as needed.
6. When greens are the desired height — about
2 to 3 inches — pull or cut them, wash them
well, and use them in salads. To store, put in
plastic bag and refrigerate.
7. Wash and dry all equipment and put away for
next use.

BASIC SPROUTING TECHNIQUES

2007-06-24T21:32:00.000-07:00

BASIC SPROUTING TECHNIQUES
Sprouting can be done in a jar, in a tray, on a towel,
in a clay saucer, or in a thin layer of soil. Each method
works best for certain kinds of seeds, as you'll see
from the following descriptions.
Although the basic steps are quite similar from
one method to the next, the times and temperatures
for sprouting will vary due to temperature and
humidity variations in your home. That means you've
got to check sprouts frequently. After your first
couple of batches, you'll have a good idea how long it
takes to produce the flavor you prefer in sprouts.
Many sprouters also like to save the water drained
from sprouts for use in soups or sauces, or for
watering houseplants.
Jar sprouting
This method works best for small seeds, such as
alfalfa, clover or radish.
1. Rinse the seeds in lukewarm water.
2. Put the seeds in a jar, then add 3 times as
much water as you have sprouts. Cover with a
plastic mesh lid, cheesecloth, or nylon net,
then fasten with a rubber band or canning jarscrew
band. (You won't need to remove the
mesh covering until the sprouts are ready to
harvest.) Set aside and soak for the time
given in the recipe.
3. At the end of the soaking time, drain off the
water (through the mesh covering).
4. Rinse the seeds with lukewarm water and
drain.
5. Set the jar in a warm (60°F), dark place, at an
angle so that the sprouts can drain.
6. Rinse and drain the sprouts twice a day, or as
the recipe directs. (In hot, dry weather, rinse
them 3 to 4 times a day.) Turn the jar gently as
you rinse and drain so that the sprouts won't
break off. If the weather or your kitchen is
very humid, move the sprouts to a dry place,
such as near the stove or wrapped in a towel
(to keep out light) near a sunny window. Too
much humidity will prevent sprouting.
Temperatures above 80°F can also prevent
sprouting.
7. On about the fourth day, move the jar of
sprouts into the sunlight so that chlorophyll can
develop and turn the leaves green. Continue
to rinse and drain.
8. Move the sprouts from the jar to a strainer,
and rinse well to remove the hulls, if desired.
Hulls can shorten storage life of sprouts, but
they also add flavor.
9. Use sprouts immediately in salads,
sandwiches, or as the recipe suggests. To store,
put in plastic bags and refrigerate.
10. Wash and dry all equipment and put away for
next use.
Tray sprouting
This method works best for seeds such as mung
bean, chia, and lettuce.
1. Rinse the seeds in lukewarm water.
2. Put the seeds in a jar, then add 3 times as
much water as you have sprouts. Cover with a
plastic mesh lid, cheesecloth or nylon net,
then fasten with a rubber band or canning jar
screw band. Set aside and soak for the time
given in the recipe.
3. At the end of the soaking time, rinse the
seeds and spread in a tray. (The tray can be a
wooden box with a plastic, nylon, or wire
mesh bottom, or a perforated plastic tray.)
4. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and then
with newspaper or another light-blocking
cover. Keep one end of the tray bottom
propped up so the sprouts can drain. Set the
tray in warm (70°F), dark place.
5. Rinse and drain sprouts twice a day. (In hot,
dry weather, rinse them 3 or 4 times a day.)
Rinse gently (so the sprouts won't break)
under a faucet (not full-force), the sprinkler
attachment of your sink, or by lowering the
tray slightly into a sink of lukewarm water.
Cover the tray again after each rinsing.
6. On about the fourth day, move the tray of
sprouts into sunlight so chlorophyll can
develop and turn the leaves green. Continue
to rinse and drain.
7. Move the sprouts from the tray to a strainer,
and rinse well to remove the hulls, if desired.
Hulls can shorten storage life of sprouts, but
they also add flavor.
8. Use sprouts immediately in salads,
sandwiches, or as the recipe suggests. To store,
put in plastic bags and refrigerate.
9. Wash and dry all equipment and put away for
next use.

Sprouting

2007-06-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

Sprouting is one of the easiest ways to grow
fresh vegetables for e a t i n g s both in and out of
season. While mung bean sprouts have long been
familiar in Chinese cooking, alfalfa and other sprouts
have become equally well-known in recent years.
More and more ingenious and health-conscious
cooks are adding a variety of sprouts to salads,
sandwiches, soups, and other dishes — for both the
crunch and the nutrition. Sprouts are bursting with
nutrients, and certain vitamins even increase when
seeds are sprouted — up to 600 percent.
And sprouts are economical, too — from a single
pound of seeds, you can produce from six to eight
pounds of sprouts. All you have to do is add a little
moisture and a little warmth to the seeds, set them in a
dark place, then sit back and watch your garden
grow in just a few day's time.
It's fun to have several jars of sprouts going at
once, so you'll always have variety as well as a good
supply. For example, put a couple of tablespoons of
alfalfa seeds in one jar, a cup of wheat or rye berries in
another, and a half cup or so of lentils in a third jar.
Alfalfa takes about five days to reach just the right
stage for eating, but your wheat sprouts will be
ready by the end of the second day. It's a fast, easy,
and very rewarding way to enjoy vegetables — both
the ones you grow yourself and the ones you don't.
BASIC SPROUTING EQUIPMENT
All you need to sprout seeds is a jar, some
cheesecloth, plastic mesh, or plastic screen to cover
the jar, and a rubber band to hold it in place. But
you can also sprout seeds on a tray, on damp towels, in
a clay flowerpot saucer, or in a thin layer of soil. You
may also want to try the ready-made sprouters that are
available in large department stores and health
food stores. For example, you can buy mesh trays or
sprouting lids made of plastic mesh that fit on
standard one-quart canning jars. It's a good idea to try
various methods to find ones that are most
convenient and work best for you.
BASIC INGREDIENTS
You can sprout all kinds of seeds, legumes, and
grains. Try wheat, rye, alfalfa, mung beans, chick peas,
soybeans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, or any of
the other sprouting seeds, grains, and vegetables
suggested in "Directions for Sprouting," later in
this chapter. Only one thing is essential — when
buying seeds for sprouting, always check to be sure
you're getting live, untreated seed. Seeds that are
intended to grow crops are specially treated to
make them resistant to insects and plant
diseases — and you shouldn't eat sprouts started
from these chemically treated seeds.
You also can't sprout seeds that have been heattreated,
because even relatively low temperatures kill
the seeds, leaving them edible but no longer
capable of growth. For this reason, if you're growing
beans, peas, or other vegetables for sprouting, be
sure to use the drying method recommended for this
purpose. Seeds dried by blanching, chilling, and
heating will not sprout.
The only other ingredient you'll need for
sprouting is water. Some experts recommend that you
let city water (which may be high in chlorine) sit for
a day or two before you use it, in order to let the
chlorine dissipate into the air. When sprouting
seeds, use lukewarm or room-temperature water,
rather than cold or hot.

BASIC DRYING STEPS

2007-06-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

BASIC DRYING STEPS
The recipes that follow give you specific directions
for drying each vegetable. To prevent problems, keep
these basic steps in mind when home drying foods.
Remember that only the highest quality vegetables are
suitable for drying.
1. Select vegetables that are freshly picked,
tender, and just mature enough to eat.
2. Set out all ingredients and equipment. Wash
and dry all utensils, counter tops, working
surfaces, and your hands.
3. Preheat your conventional oven to 140°F, or
follow the manufacturer's directions for your
electric dryer or dehydrator, or a convection
or microwave oven.
4. Wash the vegetables thoroughly, scrubbing
with a brush if necessary, but handling them
gently to avoid bruising.
5. Cut, slice, or grate the food according to the
recipe directions.
6. Blanch the vegetables in small amounts at a
time, according to recipe directions. For steam
blanching, fill the blancher with just enough
water to cover the bottom, but not to touch the
basket or rack. For blanching by boiling, fill
the blancher about half full, then begin
heating. After blanching, chill the vegetable
pieces in ice water for the same amount of time
the recipe gives for blanching in boiling water.
7. Drain the chilled vegetables well, blot them
dry, then spread them in a single, even layer on
cookie sheets or on the racks of an electric
dryer. Don't crowd the vegetables on the sheet
and don't prepare more vegetables than you
can dry at one time.
8. For conventional oven drying, put an oven
thermometer toward the back of the tray. Put the
tray on the top shelf in a preheated oven, and
maintain an oven temperature of 140°F.
9. For box drying, turn on the light bulb for 10 to
15 minutes to preheat the box. Place the tray on
top of the box.
10. For convection oven drying, place the racks
full of food into a cold oven. Set the temperature
at 150°F. Open the oven door 1 to VA inches.
Set the oven timer to the "stay on" position, or
for as long as it will run, resetting as needed.
11. For drying in an electric dryer or dehydrator.
or a microwave or convection oven, follow the
manufacturer's directions.
12. For both oven and box drying, check the trays
often, and stir the vegetables on the trays,
moving the outside pieces to the center. For
oven drying, turn the tray from front to back
and — if drying more than 1 tray —
change the trays from shelf to shelf for even
drying. Check the trays more frequently during
the last few hours of drying to prevent '
scorching. For microwave oven drying, follow
the manufacturer's directions. Use the lower
end of drying times given in the recipes as a
guide for doneness when you're using a
conventional, microwave, or convection oven.
The upper range of drying times is a guide to
doneness when you're using an electric dryer or
dehydrator.
13. To test for doneness, remove sample pieces,
cool, and then follow the recipe directions for
testing for doneness. When the vegetables
are completely dry, as described in each recipe,
remove them from the oven or box and let
stand until cooled. Test the vegetables again
after cooling. If the food still shows some
moisture, return it to the oven or dryer until
completely dried.
14. Turn the dried vegetables into a deep
container, cover lightly with cheesecloth, and
condition, stirring once a day for a week to 10
days.
15. Pack into vapor/moistureproof, airtight
containers or double plastic bags and store in a
cool, dark, dry place for up to 12 months.
16. To rehydrate, put the vegetables in a pan or
bowl, and add just enough boiling water to
cover — usually 2 cups of water per cup of
dried vegetables, anywhere from 1/2 hour to
several hours, depending on the vegetable.
17. Cook vegetables in their soaking water until
tender, or drain and add to recipes just as you
would fresh vegetables.

HOW TO STORE DRIED VEGETABLES

2007-06-24T21:29:00.000-07:00

HOW TO STORE DRIED VEGETABLES
Keeping out air and moisture is the secret to good
dried foods. To maintain the quality and safety of your
dried vegetables, you'll need to take special care
when packaging and storing them.
Even when you're using an oven or an electric
dehydrator, you'll have to watch out for the effects of
humidity on drying foods. Choose a bright, sunny
day for your home drying—that way you'll keep the
dried vegetables from picking up moisture from the
surrounding air after they leave the oven or dryer.
Packaging
Dried foods are vulnerable to contamination by
insects as soon as they're removed from the oven or
electric dryer. To protect them, you must package
dried vegetables in airtight, moisture/vaporproof
containers just as soon as they're completely dry.
Canning jars that have been rinsed out with boiling
water and dried, of course, make good containers,
as do coffee cans and plastic freezer bags. When using
a coffee can, first wrap the vegetable pieces in a
plastic bag to keep the metal of the can from affecting
the flavor of the food.
Pint-size containers or small plastic bags are best
for packaging dried vegetables. Try to pack the food
tightly but without crushing it. If you're using
plastic bags, force out as much air as possible before
closing them. By using small bags, several may be
packed into a larger jar or coffee can — that way you
can use small portions as needed, without exposing
the whole container to possible contamination each
time it's opened.
Storing foods safely
Store your packaged, dried vegetables in a cool,
dark, dry place. The cooler the temperature of the
storage area, the longer foods will retain their high
quality. However, dried foods can't be stored
indefinitely, since they do lose vitamins, flavor,
color, and aroma during storage. Your pantry or
kitchen cupboards may provide good storage, if the
area remains cool. A dry basement can also be a good
spot. Dried vegetables can be stored in the freezer,
too — but why take up valuable freezer space with
foods that will keep at cool, room temperature?
Many dried vegetables will keep up to 12 months.
If properly stored. Carrots, onions, and cabbage will
spoil more quickly, so use them up within six
months.
To be on the safe side, check the packages of
dried vegetables from time to time. If you find mold,
the food is no longer safe and should be discarded
immediately. If you find a little moisture, but no
spoilage, heat the dried vegetables for 15 minutes
in a 175°F oven; then cool and repackage. If you find
much moisture, the vegetables must be put
through the entire drying process again. Remember,
you must always cool dried foods thoroughly
before packaging; if packaged while still warm, they'll
sweat and may mold.
HOW TO USE DRIED VEGETABLES
To use dried vegetables, you have to reverse the
drying or dehydration process to rehydrate them. This
is accomplished in water or other liquid. If you soak
dried vegetables before using them, they'll cook
much faster. To rehydrate, add two cups of water for
each cup of dried vegetables; boiling water will
shorten the soaking time. After soaking, the
vegetables should regain nearly the same size as when
fresh.
Rehydrated vegetables are best used in soups,
stews, salads, casseroles, and other combination
dishes

BASIC INGREDIENTS | Dry Vegetables

2007-06-24T21:27:00.000-07:00

Choose perfect vegetables that are tender, mature
(but not woody), and very, very fresh. Vegetables
must be prepared and dried immediately after
harvesting, or they'll lose flavor and quality. Every
minute from harvesting to the drying tray
counts — so hurry. Never use produce with bad spots,
and harvest only the amount of vegetables you can
dry at one session.
Since vegetables must be chilled quickly after
blanching, you'll need ice at hand to keep the cooling
water really cold. Keep a reserve of ice in the freezer
and you won't run short. One way is to start filling
heavy-duty plastic bags with Ice cubes a few days
before you'll be home drying; or rinse out empty milk •
cartons, then fill them with water and freeze.
The kitchen sink is a favorite spot for holding ice
water to chill vegetables, but if you want to keep it free
for other uses, a plastic dishpan or other large,
clean container also works very well.
BASIC DRYING TECHNIQUES
Although the techniques for drying vegetables
aren't as precise as those for freezing or canning,
there's definitely a right way to go about it. As with
all preserving methods, you must always begin with
the freshest and highest-quality vegetables to
insure good results. Cleanliness and sanitation when
handling and preparing the food are also crucial.
And, though drying vegetables isn't difficult to do, it
demands plenty of careful attention. The vegetables
must be stirred, the temperature checked,
and tray positions changed about every half hour.
That means you must be at home during the whole
time it takes to dry your vegetables.
Speed is of the essence when preparing foods to
dry. For best results, vegetables should be blanched,
cooled, and blotted dry within a very short time of
harvesting. And you must never interrupt the drying
process once it's begun. You can't cool partly dried
food and then start it up again later, because there's a
chance bacteria, molds, and yeasts will find a home
in it. Always schedule your home drying for a day
when you're certain your work won't be
interrupted.
Cleaning and cutting
Harvest only as much food as you can dry at one
time. Using a kitchen oven, that's about four to six
pounds; an electric dryer or dehydrator can handle
up to 14 pounds of fresh produce. Wash and drain the
vegetables, then cut and prepare as the recipe
directs. Depending on the size of the vegetables and
the dryer, that could mean slicing, grating, cutting,
or simply breaking the food into pieces so it will dry
evenly on all sides. Remember that thin pieces dry
faster than thick ones. If you have a choice between
French-cutting and crosscutting green beans,
remember that the French-cut beans will dry faster.
Blanching
Nearly all vegetables must be blanched before
drying. Blanching—a brief heat treatment—stops
the action of enzymes, those catalysts for chemical
change present in all foods. If certain enzymes aren't
deactivated before vegetables are dried, the flavor
and color of the food will be destroyed. The drying
process alone isn't enough to stop enzyme activity.
Although blanching can also help seal in
nutrients, some other water-soluble nutrients are
leached out into the cooking water. You may want
to steam blanch your vegetables; it takes a bit longer,
but won't lead to as great a loss of nutrients.
Always follow the blanching times given in the
recipes exactly. Overblanching will result in the loss of
vitamins and minerals; underblanching won't do
the job of stopping enzyme action. Either way, you'll
end up with an inferior product.
Boiling water blanching. Heat one gallon of water
to boiling in a blancher. Put no more than one pound
or four cups of prepared vegetables at a time into
the blancher's insert, colander, or strainer, and
carefully lower it into boiling water for the time
given in the recipe.
Steam blanching. Pour enough water into the
blancher to cover the bottom, but not touch the
insert. Heat to boiling. Arrange the prepared
vegetables in a single layer in the blancher's insert;
put them in the blancher over boiling water, cover
tightly, and steam for the time given in the recipe. You
can use any large pot or kettle for steam blanching
by putting a rack about three inches above the bottom
to hold the vegetables in the steam and up out of
the boiling water. You may also wish to put the
vegetables in a cheesecloth bag to keep the pieces
together during blanching.
Chilling
You must always chill blanched vegetables before
drying them, to be certain the cooking process has
stopped. After removing the vegetables from the
blancher, immerse the colander or steamer rack full of
vegetables in a sink full of ice water or a dishpan full
of ice water. The vegetables should be chilled for the
same amount of time the recipe gives for blanching
in boiling water. Drain well, then blot with paper
towels.
Preparing to dry
Spread the blanched and drained vegetable pieces
in a single, even layer on the drying tray. (You can dry
more than one vegetable at the same time, but
strong-smelling vegetables such as onions, cabbage,
and carrots should be dried separately.) Put the
trays in the oven or electric dryer, leaving at least
one to two inches between the trays for air
circulation.
Maintaining proper drying temperature
Vegetables must be dried at low, even
temperatures — just enough heat to dry the pieces
without cooking them. The proper temperature for
drying in a conventional oven is 140°F, 1S0°F for
convection ovens. Follow the manufacturer's
directions for microwave ovens and all other
appliances. Maintaining the right temperature
steadily, with some air circulation, is the trick to
successful drying. Electric dryers and dehydrators
automatically maintain the right temperature. For
oven drying or when using a homemade box dryer,
check your oven thermometer every half hour. (To
insure even drying, you must also stir the
vegetables every 30 minutes or so, shift the trays from
top to bottom, and rotate the trays from front to
back.)
Although rapid drying is important, too rapid
drying in an oven will result in the outer surface of the
food hardening before the moisture inside has
evaporated (case hardening). You can prevent case
hardening by keeping a constant watch on the oven
temperature and doing whatever is needed to
maintain the heat at 140°F.
Scorching. Each vegetable has its own critical
temperature beyond which a scorched taste will
develop. Although there's not much danger of
scorching at the start of the drying process, vegetables
can scorch easily during the last couple of hours.
Even slight scorching will ruin the flavor and affect the
nutritive value of dried foods, so be extravigilant
about maintaining the proper temperature toward the
end of the drying process.
Ventilation. When vegetables are drying, the
moisture they contain escapes by evaporating into the
surrounding air. If the air around the food is
trapped, it will quickly reach a saturation point.
Trapped, saturated air won't be able to hold any
additional moisture — and drying won't take place.
For this reason, ventilation in and around your oven
is as important as keeping the temperature constant.
Electric dryers or dehydrators automatically
provide proper ventilation. With oven drying or when
using a homemade box dryer, you'll need to leave
the oven door slightly ajar — and possibly use an
electric fan to insure good air circulation.
In addition, the cookie sheets or trays you use for
drying should be at least one to two inches smaller all
around than the inside of your oven so air can
circulate around the front, sides, and back of the trays.
There should also be at least three inches of air
space at the top of the oven.
Testing for doneness
In most forms of food preserving, processing times
are exact. You know just how long it takes before the
food is done. However, the times for drying vary
considerably — from four hours to more than
12 — depending on the kind of vegetable, how
thinly it's sliced, how much food is on each tray, and
how much is being dried in the oven or dryer at one
time. The recipes that follow give you the drying
time range for each vegetable, but the only way you
can be sure the food is sufficiently dry is to test
sample pieces.
When you think the vegetables are dry, remove a
few pieces from the tray, then return the tray to the
oven. Let the sample pieces cool before testing —
even food that's perfectly dry will feel soft and
moist while still warm. When the pieces are cool,
follow the test for doneness given for the vegetable
in each recipe. A rule of thumb is that properly dried
vegetables are hard and brittle to the touch.
Exceptions to the rule are mushrooms, sweet
peppers, and squash, which will feel pliable and
leathery when dry. Some food experts recommend
the hammer test: if sufficiently dry, the vegetable
pieces will shatter when struck with a hammer

How to dry vegetables

2007-06-24T21:25:00.000-07:00

Drying is probably the oldest method of food
preservation. Though canned and frozen foods
have taken over the major role once played by dried
foods, drying is still cheaper and easier by
comparison. Some other advantages of dried foods
are that they take up less storage space and will keep
well for a long time — up to 12 months — if
prepared and stored properly. Unlike frozen foods,
they are not dependent on a power source. Though
you may find canned and frozen vegetables are closer
in taste and appearance to fresh food, you'll like
having a stock of dried vegetables on hand to add
variety and special flavor to meals.
STOPPING THE SPOILERS
Drying preserves vegetables by removing
moisture, thus cutting off the water supply that would
nourish food spoilers like bacteria, yeasts, and
molds. The moisture content drops so low that
spoilage organisms can't grow.
Although there's a definite technique to drying
vegetables, it isn't quite as precise as the procedures
used for freezing or canning. Unless you'll be using
an electric food dryer, you'll have to use trial and error
to find the best way to maintain the proper oven
temperature throughout the drying process and to
provide good ventilation so moisture from the food
can escape. Drying times are given in the recipes for
the individual vegetables, but these times are only
approximate. Every oven is different, and drying times
also depend on how many vegetables you're drying
at once, how thinly they've been sliced, and how
steady you've kept the heat. So you'll have to
experiment at first with drying times. Experience is the
best teacher when it comes to judging when your
vegetables are dry enough to keep the spoilers from
contaminating them.
Vegetables for drying
There are a great many vegetables you can dry at
home for use in perking up your salads, soups, stews,
and casseroles. Good vegetables to dry include
green beans, corn, peas, peppers, okra, onions,
mushrooms, tomatoes, and summer squash.
Herbs also drywell. For more information on drying
herbs, see "How to Store and Use Herbs," later in
this book.
Although many vegetables drywell, some
vegetables should be preserved by other methods for
best results. For example, lettuce, cucumbers, and
radishes don't drywell because of their high moisture
content. Asparagus and broccoli are better frozen
to retain their flavor and texture. And if you've got the
storage space, you may find it more practical to
store fresh carrots, turnips, parsnips, potatoes,
pumpkins, rutabagas, and winter squash in cold
storage where they'll keep for several months without
any special preserving treatment.
FOOD DRYING METHODS
The sun, of course, Is the food dryer our ancestors
used. If you live where Old Sol shines long, you too
can dry fruits and vegetables outdoors. But those in
less sunny regions will want a little help from a kitchen
oven (gas, electric, convection, or microwave)
or one of the new electric dryers or
dehydrators. You can also make your own box
dryer.
Oven drying is faster than using an electric dryer
or dehydrator, but the electric dryers can handle
much larger food loads than any of the ovens. Oven
drying is best for small-scale preserving, since the
ordinary kitchen model will hold no more than four
to six pounds of food at one time. If you've got an
extra-big vegetable garden and expect to dry food
in quantity, you may want to investigate the new
electric dryers or dehydrators, available in some
stores and through seed catalogs. Several of the small
convection ovens now on the market also have
special racks available for drying vegetables. When
using an electric dryer, or a convection or
microwave oven for drying vegetables, always read
and follow the manufacturer's directions.
Oven drying
Oven drying may be the easiest way for you to dry
food, because it eliminates the need for special
equipment. If you've never tried dried vegetables
before, why not do up a small batch and sample the
taste and texture?
Gas and electric ovens. Preheat your gas or electric
oven to 140°F for drying vegetables; you'll need an
oven thermometer that registers as low as 100°F in
order to keep this temperature constant throughout
the many hours of the drying process. Since ovens
will vary, you'll probably have to experiment until you
learn what works best with yours. For example, the
pilot light on some gas stoves may provide just enough
heat, or the light bulb in the oven may keep it warm
enough for drying vegetables. Some electric ovens
have a "low" or "warm" setting that may provide
the right temperature for drying.
You must keep the oven door open slightly
during drying, so moist air can escape. Use a rolled
newspaper, wood block, hot pad, or other similar
item to prop open the oven door about one inch for an
electric oven and four to six inches for a gas oven.
Sometimes it also helps to place an electric fan set on
" l o w " in front of the oven door to keep air
circulating. Don't use a fan for a gas oven with a pilot
light, though; it can blow out the pilot.
You'll be able to read the oven thermometer
easily if you put it in the middle of the top tray of
vegetables, take a reading after the first 10 minutes,
and, if necessary, make adjustments in the door
opening or the temperature control. After^ that,
check the oven temperature every 30 minutes during
the drying process to be sure it remains constant at
140°F.
To keep air circulating around the food, your
drying trays should be one to two inches smaller all
around than the interior of your oven. If you want to
add more trays, place blocks of wood at the corners of
the oven racks and stack the trays at least one-anda-
half inches apart. You can dry up to four trays at once
in a conventional oven, but remember that a big
load takes longer to dry than a smaller one. Don't use
the top position of the oven rack in an electric oven
for drying, because food on the top tray will dry too
quickly.
Since the temperature varies inside the oven, it's
important to shift your vegetable drying trays every
half-hour. Rotate the trays from front to back, and
shift them from top to bottom. Numbering the trays
will help you keep track of the rotation order. You'll
also need to stir the vegetables every 30 minutes, to
be sure the pieces are drying evenly.
Convection ovens. To dry vegetables in a
convection oven, arrange them on the dehydrating
racks provided, and place the racks in a cold oven.
Set the temperature at 150°F for vegetables, 100°F for
herbs. The air should feel warm, not hot. Keep an
oven thermometer inside the oven, so you can keep
track of the temperature. Prop the oven door open
one to one-and-a-half inches to allow moisture to
evaporate. Set the oven timer to the "stay o n "
position. Or, if your oven doesn't have a "stay o n "
option, set it for maximum time possible, then reset
It during drying, if necessary. Drying times in a
convection oven are usually shorter, so check
foods for doneness at the lower range of times given in
the recipes. Rotate the racks and stir the vegetables
as you would using a conventional oven.
Microwave ovens. To dry foods in a microwave
oven, follow the directions that come with your
appliance. Usually, you arrange the prepared
vegetables in a single, even layer on paper towels,
cover them with more paper towels, and then dry
the food at a reduced power setting. If you have a
microwave roasting rack, arrange the vegetables on
It before drying. Stir the vegetables and replace the
paper towels with fresh ones periodically. Exact
drying times can vary widely, depending on the
wattage and efficiency of your oven, the food itself,
and the humidity, so you'll need to check frequently
and keep a record of best drying times for
reference.

How to store vegetables 2

2007-06-24T21:24:00.000-07:00

Brussels sprouts
Leave Brussels sprouts in the ground and mulch
them heavily to protect the sprouts. Brussels sprouts
plants can be stored in a frame, like celery, or in a
mound, like cabbage, but often the size of the plants
makes this impractical. Store Brussels sprouts
plants at 32°F to 34°F and 90 to 95 percent humidity
(moist), with just a little air circulation. Store in a
basement storage room or root cellar up to 1 month.
Cabbage
Choose late-maturing varieties. For storage in a
root cellar, remove the roots, then cover the heads in
moist dirt or sand in a bin. For outdoor mound
storage, don't remove the stem or root. Place the
cabbages head-down, pack straw between the
heads, then cover with a final layer of dirt. Store at 32°F
to 34°F and 90 to 95 percent humidity (moist), with
just a little air circulation. Cabbage will freeze at 30°F.
Store in a mound, buried barrel, or root cellar for 3
to 4 months. Do not store cabbages in a basement
storage room; their strong odor can escape up into
the house.
Cardoon
Harvest the plants with roots intact. Don't remove
the tops. Set the roots firmly in moist sand or dirt so
the plants stand upright, and construct a frame over
the plants, as detailed earlier in this chapter. Keep the
roots moist during storage, but don't water the
leaves of the plants. Store at 32°F to 34°F and 90 to 95
percent humidity (moist), with just a little air
circulation. Cardoon will freeze at just under 32°F.
Store in a basement storage room, outside frame,
or root cellar for 2 to 3 months.
Carrots
Choose late-maturing varieties, and leave them in
the ground until after the first couple of frosts. After
harvesting, leave them on the ground for 3 to 4
hours. Remove the tops, leaving about 1/2 inch of the
crown. Don't remove the roots. Pack in packing
material in wooden boxes, barrels, plastic bags with
air holes, or bury in a mound. Store at 32°F to 34°F
and 90 to 95 percent humidity (moist), with just a little
air circulation. Carrots will freeze at about 30°F.
Store in a basement storage room, mound, buried
barrel, or root cellar 4 to 5 months.
Cauliflower
Harvest in late fall. Remove the root, but leave on
the outer leaves as protection. Pack in boxes; separate
and cover the heads with moist sand. Store at 32°F to
34°F and 90 to 95 percent humidity (moist), with a little
air circulation. Cauliflower will freeze at about 30°F.
Store in a basement storage room or root cellar for 2 to
3 weeks.
Celeriac
Dig up the roots when the soil is dry, and leave them
on the ground for 3 o r4 hours. Cut off the tops, leaving
2 or 3 inches of the crown; don't remove the root
fibers. Pack in wooden boxes, barrels, or plastic bags
with air holes, or in a mound or buried barrel. Store
at 32°F to 34°F and 90 to 95 percent humidity (moist),
with just a little air circulation. Celeriac will freeze at
just under 32°F. Store in a basement storage room,
buried barrel,mound,or root cellar for 2 t o3 months.
Celery
Harvest the plants with roots intact. Don't remove
the tops. Set the roots firmly in moist sand or dirt so
the celery stands upright, and construct a frame
over the plants, as detailed earlier in this chapter.
Keep the roots moist during storage, but don't
water the leaves of the plants. Store at 32°F to 34°F and
90 to 95 percent humidity (moist), with just a little air
circulation. Celery will freeze at just under 32°F. Store
in a basement storage room, outside frame, or root
cellar for 2 to 3 months.
Chick peas^ dried
Dried chick peas won't freeze, and will store well
when properly dried and packaged. Dry them
according to the instructions in "How to Dry
Vegetables." Then store them at 32°F to 50°F and 65 to
70 percent humidity (dry), with some air circulation.
Store in a dry shed or attic for 10 to 12 months.
Chicory
Harvest the plants with the roots intact, and don't
t r im the leaves. Tie all the leaves together, then stand
the plants upright in moist sand or dirt and
construct a frame over the plants, as detailed earlier in
this chapter. Store at 32°F to 34°F and 85 to 90
percent humidity (moderately moist), with just a little
air circulation. Chicory will freeze at just under
32°F. Store in a basement storage room, outside
frame, or root cellar for 2 to 3 months.
To store the roots only, dig them up when the soil
is dry, and leave them on the ground for 3 to 4 hours.
Remove the tops, leaving about 1/2 inch of the
crowns. Pack in packing material in wooden boxes,
barrels, plastic bags with air holes, or in a mound or
buried barrel. Store at 32°F to 34°F and 90 to 95 percent
humidity (moist), with just a little air circulation.
Chicory roots freeze at about 30°F. Store in a basement
storage room, mound, buried barrel, or root cellar
for 10 to 12 months.
Chinese cabbage
Harvest the plant with roots intact. Don't remove
the tops. Set the roots firmly in moist dirt so the
cabbage stands upright and construct a frame over
the plants, as detailed earlier in this chapter. Keep
roots moist during storage but don't water the
leaves of the plants. Store at 32°F to 34°F and 90 to 95
percent humidity (moist), with just a little air
circulation. Chinese cabbage will freeze at just under
32°F. Store in a basement storage room, outside
frame, or root cellar for 2 to 3 months.
Fennel
Harvest the plants with roots intact. Don't remove
the tops. Set the roots firmly in moist sand or dirt so
the plants stand upright, and construct a frame over
the plants, as detailed earlier in this chapter. Keep the
roots moist during storage, but don't water the
leaves of the plants. Store at 32°F to 34°F and 90 to 95
percent humidity (moist), with just a little air
circulation. Fennel will freeze at just under 32°F.
Store in a basement storage room, outside frame,
or root cellar for 2 to 3 months.
Horseradish
Choose late-maturing plants and leave them In the
ground until after the first few frosts. Dig them up
when the soil is dry, and leave them on the ground
for 3 or4 hours. Remove tops, leaving about 1/2 inch of
the crown. Don't remove the roots. Pack in packing
material in wooden boxes, barrels, plastic bags with
air holes, or in a mound or buried barrel. Store at
32°F to 34°F and 90 to 95 percent humidity (moist),
with a little air circulation. Horseradish freezes at
about 30°F. Store in a basement storage room,
mound, buried barrel, or root cellar for 10 to 12
months.
Greens (collards kale and turnip)
Harvest the plant with roots intact. Don't remove
the tops. Set the roots firmly in moist dirt so it
stands upright. Keep the roots moist during
storage, but don't water the leaves of the plant. Store
at 32''F to 34°F and 90 to 95 percent humidity
(moist), with some air circulation. Greens freeze at
just below 32°F. Store in a frame for 2 to 3 weeks.
jerusalem artichokes
Dig the roots when the soil is dry, and leave them on
the ground for 3 or 4 hours. Remove the tops, leaving
about 1/2 inch of the crowns. Then pack into boxes
or other well-ventilated containers, but without
additional packing material. Store at 32°F to 34°F and
90 to 95 percent humidity (moist), with little air
circulation. Jerusalem artichokes will freeze at just
below 31°F. Store in a basement storage room or root
cellar for 2 to 5 months.
Kohlrabi
Choose late-maturing varieties and leave in the
ground until after the first few frosts. Dig when the soil
is dry, and leave on the ground for 3 or 4 hours.
Remove the tops, leaving about 1/2 inch of the crown.
Don't remove the roots. Pack in packing material in
wooden boxes, barrels, plastic bags with air holes, or
in a mound or buried barrel. Store at 32°F to 34°F at
90 to 95 percent humidity (moist), with just a little air
circulation. Kohlrabi freezes at 30°F. Store in a
basement storage room, mound, buried barrel, or
root cellar for 1 to 2 months.
Leeks
Harvest with roots intact. Don't remove the tops.
Set the roots firmly in moist dirt so the leeks stand
upright. Keep the roots moist during storage, but
don't water the leaves of the plant. Store at 32°F to 34''F
and 90 to 95 percent humidity (moist), with some air
circulation. Leeks freeze at just below 32''F. Store in a
basement storage room, outside frame, or root
cellar for 2 to 3 months.
Lentils, dried
Dried lentils won't freeze and will store well when
properly dried and packaged. Dry them according to
the instructions in "How to Dry Vegetables." Then
store them at 32°F to 50°F and 65 to 70 percent humidity
(dry), with some air circulation. Store In a dry shed
or attic for 10 to 12 months.
Muskmelon
Harvest melons slightly immature; they will
continue to ripen during storage. Store at 45°F to 50°F
and 85 to 90 percent humidity (moderately moist),
with some air circulation. Pile or stack melons loosely,
with no packing material, on shelves in a basement
storage room or root cellar for 2 to 3 weeks.
Onions
Dig up mature onion bulbs and leave them on the
ground to dry completely, usually about a week. Cut
off the tops, leaving 1/2 inch of stem. Pack the bulbs
loosely, without any packing material, in wellventilated
containers. If you like, braid the tops
together and hang the onions from hooks in a cold
storage area. Store at 32°F to 34°F and 60 to 75
percent humidity (dry), with some air circulation.
Onions freeze at just under 31°F. Store in a dry shed
or attic for 6 to 7 months.
Parsnips
Choose late-maturing varieties and leave them in
the ground until after the first few frosts. Dig them up
when the soil is dry, and leave them on the ground
for 3 or 4 hours. Remove the tops, leaving about 1/2
inch of the crown. Don't remove the roots. Pack in
packing material in wooden boxes, barrels, plastic
bags with air holes, or in a mound or buried barrel.
Store at 32°F to 34°F and 90 to 95 percent humidity
(moist), with a little air circulation. Parsnips freeze
at 30°F. Store in a basement storage room, mound,
buried barrel, or root cellar for 2 to 6 months.
Peanuts, dried
Dried peanuts won't freeze, and will store well for
10 to 12 months when properly dried and packaged.
Dry them according to the instructions in "How to
Dry Vegetables." Then store them at 32°F to 50°F and
65 to 70 percent humidity (dry), in a dry shed or
attic.
Peas, dried
(shelling, black-eyed)
Dried peas won't freeze, and will store well when
properly dried and packaged. Dry them according to
the instructions in "How to Dry Vegetables." Then
store them at 32°F to 50°F and 65 to 70 percent humidity
(dry), with some air circulation. Store in a dry shed
or attic for 10 to 12 months.
Peppers
Harvest before the first frost. Choose only the
firmest peppers for storing, since they're easily
damaged. Pack into plastic bags punched with air
holes; then place in boxes. Peppers must be
monitored very carefully during storage to be sure
they don't become too moist or too cold. Store at 45°F
to 50°F and 85 to 95 percent humidity (moderately
moist), with a little air circulation. Peppers will freeze
at just below 31°F. Store in a basement storage room
or root cellar for 2 to 3 weeks.
Potatoes
Choose late-maturing varieties. Early potatoes are
difficult to keep in cold storage. Dig the potatoes
when the soil is dry, and leave them on the ground
for 3 or 4 hours. Avoid sun and wind damage. Cure
by storing them at regular basement temperatures —
60°F to 65°F—in moist air for 10 days. Then pack
them into boxes or other well-ventilated containers,
but without additional packing material. Store at
38°F to40°F, and 85 to 90 percent humidity (moderately
moist), with a little air circulation. Potatoes will
freeze at just below 31°F. Store in a basement storage
room or root cellar for 4 to 6 months.

BASIC COLD-STORING TECHNIQUES

2007-06-24T21:23:00.000-07:00

BASIC COLD-STORING TECHNIQUES
Your vegetables must be harvested at just the right
moment so they'll take well to storing and won't decay
before you're ready to use them. Damaged or
imperfect vegetables will spoil quickly, so you must be
very careful when handling them prior to storing.
Never store bruised or damaged vegetables; they can
cause spoilage of your whole crop. It's usually
better to clean off but not wash vegetables before
storing, because washing can lead to the
development of soft rot.
With methods of food preservation, you can
process the food and then forget about it until you're
ready to use it. Not so with storage. Since the
temperature outdoors is the major factor affecting the.
storage of your vegetables, you have to be
constantly alert to the changes in weather. If it turns
suddenly colder, warmer, or wetter, you must
make whatever adjustments are needed to maintain
the proper conditions in your storage area. You
must also make regular spoilage checks of the boxes,
bags, or bins of vegetables stored indoors.
Handling
Harvest vegetables as late as possible. For many
vegetables, this means plant later than usual in order
to get a late harvest. You should wait until the first
frost warnings to harvest. Carrots, parsnips, potatoes,
and turnips, for example, can stay in the ground
even after the first frost or two, if the ground is well
mulched.
Pick only perfect vegetables for cold storage and
handle them carefully to avoid bruising. One bad item
can spread decay to others and ruin the whole box,
barrel, or mound.
Harvest on a dry day, if possible, and let the
vegetables dry on the ground, in the sun, for several
hours before packing them away. Onions often
need several days of drying; potatoes, however,
shouldn't be exposed to hot sun or strong wind.
Produce should be cool when packed.
Wash vegetables, if you must, but most experts
agree that all you really need to do is brush off excess
dirt. The vegetables should be dry before you pack
them.
Curing
Potatoes, pumpkins, and most types of winter
squash have to be cured before storing. Curing is
holding the vegetables at a warm temperature —
70°F to 85°F — in a dark, humid place for about 10
days. Curing hardens the skins and rinds and helps
heal surface cuts, reducing mold and rot damage.
Packing
Some vegetables — potatoes, onions, and
squash — can go from the garden right into boxes,
barrels, plastic bags, or other containers. Root
vegetables — such as beets, carrots, turnips, and
parsnips — are better packed in some material such
as newspaper that will insulate them, slow down their
breathing, and keep them from touching one
another, so decay can't spread from root to root.
You can wrap the vegetables separately in
newspaper, then pack them loosely in boxes, barrels,
or plastic bags. If you use plastic bags, poke a few
holes in the bags to allow some ventilation. Other
packing materials include damp or dry sand,
sawdust, peat, sphagnum moss, leaves, straw, or
wood shavings. Line the container with a layer of
packing wood material, then arrange a layer of
vegetables, leave space around each vegetable for
packing material. Fill in around each vegetable and
then again on top with a layer of packing material.
Repeat these steps until the container is full. Be
careful to leave enough room for examining the
produce at the bottom of the container when
you're making routine spoilage checks.
Moist sand is sometimes suggested for packing
certain vegetables. You'll know the sand is just the
right consistency if it feels cold and falls apart in
your hand when squeezed, leaving just a few particles
sticking to your skin.
DIRECTIONS FOR COLD-STORING VEGETABLES
If you plan to store a variety of vegetables, you'll
probably have to arrange several different kinds of
storage. The following directions for storing
vegetables tell you which methods are best suited to
each vegetable. Choose the one that works best for
your climate and your available space.
Artichokes
Cut the fleshy, tight buds before they open.
Artichokes are best stored in the refrigerator, but they
can be kept in cold storage. Store on shelves or
loosely packed in open boxes at 32°F to 34°F and 90 to
95 percent humidity (moist), with some air
circulation. Store in a basement storage room or root
cellar up to 1 month.
Beans, dried (broad, dry, or lima)
Dried beans won't freeze, and will store well when
properly dried and packaged. Dry them according to
the instructions in "How to Dry Vegetables." Then
store them at 32°F to 50°F and 65 to 70 percent humidity
(dry), with some air circulation. Store in a dry shed
or attic for 10 to 12 months.
Beets
Choose late-maturing varieties and leave them in
the ground until after the first few frosts. Dig them up
when the soil is dry, and leave them on the ground
for 3 or 4 hours. Remove the tops, leaving about 1/2
inch of the crowns. Don't remove the roots. Pack in
packing material in wooden boxes, barrels, plastic
bags with air holes, or in a mound or buried barrel.
Store at 32°F to 34°F and 90 to 95 percent humidity
(moist), with just a little air circulation. Beets will
freeze at 30°F. Store in a basement storage room, root
cellar, mound, or buried barrel for 5 to 6 months.
Broccoli
Harvest in late fall. Remove the root, but leave the
leaves on as protection. Pack in boxes; separate and
cover the stalks with moist sand. Store at 32°F to 34°F
and 90 to 95 percent humidity (moist), with some air
circulation. Broccoli will freeze at about 30°F. Store
in a basement storage room or root cellar up to 3
weeks.

Dry shed or attic storage of vegetables

2007-06-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

Dry shed or attic storage
Dry shed or attic storage provides cold, dry
storage — just right for onions, shallots, pumpkins,
and winter squash. By "dry shed," we mean any
location that offers constant low temperatures and
low humidity. This could be a garage, an unheated
breezeway, a shed or storage building, even an
unused doghouse, (if your garage or storage shed is
fragrant with oil and gasoline, it's no good for storing
vegetables. Some vegetables will absorb the oil and
gasoline fumes and odors.) In milder winter zones,
shelves in a storage shed or boxes on the floor may
work well. If you live in a very cold region, you may
have to insulate the corner of the shed to keep the
vegetables from freezing.
Attic storage is convenient only if temperatures
can be held somewhat constant. Since many attics will
warm up quickly on a sunny day, you'll have to
construct a special little storage area In it. Choose a
spot that's well-insulated and near ventilation in the
coldest part of the attic. Partition and roof it off from
the rest of the attic, and use it for storing winter
squash and onions.
Basement storage room
You can go all out and build a cold storage room in
your basement. What you'll be doing is creating a
separate little room, insulated from heat. You can
get plans for constructing indoor cold storage rooms
from agricultural extension offices, lumberyards,
or gardening magazines.
Basically, you'll have to partition off an area that
has no heating pipes or ducts. For ventilation, there
should be a window — two or more windows if the
room is partitioned. For air circulation, plan to have
removable slatted flooring and shelves. Slatted
flooring makes it easier to use dampened sawdust or
other wet material to raise the humidity.
BASIC EQUIPMENT FOR STORING VEGETABLES
In addition to the proper indoor or outdoor storage
areas, you'll need the following equipment to store
your vegetables:
• Containers, such as wooden boxes, crates,
barrels, or plastic garbage bags — cardboard
boxes are only suitable for storing vegetables that
need dry conditions.
• Newspapers or other paper for wrapping
vegetables.
• Packing and insulating materials, such as sand,
sawdust, peat, sphagnum moss, leaves, straw, or
wood shavings.
• An indoor/outdoor thermometer for monitoring
temperatures in an indoor storage area.
• A humidity gauge for monitoring the humidity in
an indoor storage area.
• Metal screening for use as protection against
contamination by rodents in outdoor storage
areas.
• Wood slats for constructing lean-to and frames.
• A shovel for digging out mound, frame, or barrel
storage areas.

COLD STORAGE: KEEPING VEGETABLES FRESH ALL WINTER

2007-06-24T21:20:00.000-07:00

COLD STORAGE: KEEPING VEGETABLES FRESH
ALL WINTER
Cold storage is an old-fashioned but time-tested
method for keeping raw, whole vegetables through
the winter. If you've planted a big vegetable garden
and if you've got (or can construct) the storage space,
storing can be the most practical way to go.
You'll find many vegetables from your garden
well-suited to cold storage, including beets, carrots,
onions, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkins, sweet
potatoes, turnips, winter squash, and many others.
For a complete list, see "Directions for storing
vegetables," later in this chapter. Other vegetables
should be used fresh or preserved. Vegetables that
are not suitable for cold storage include asparagus,
fresh shelling beans, green beans, chayote, corn,
cucumbers, eggplant, fresh greens — beet greens,
chard, cress, dandelion, endive, lettuce, mustard,
and sorrel — fresh lentils, mushrooms, okra, green
onions, fresh peas and chick peas, fresh peanuts,
new potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, fresh soybeans,
spinach and New Zealand spinach, summer
squash, and ripe tomatoes. Shelled dried beans,
lentils, peas and chick peas, soybeans, and dried
peanuts can be kept up to one year in cold storage.
Late-ripening and maturing vegetables are the
best choices for cold storage. Certain varieties take
better to this method than others — late cabbage,
for example. Check seed catalogs and packets before
you buy and plant, and talk to the specialists at your
County or State Extension Service Office. They can
help you decide what vegetables to plant when
you're planning your garden, and what storage
methods work best in your area.
How cold storage works
Like any other method of food preservation, cold
storage keeps food from decomposing by stopping or
slowing down the activity of enzymes, bacteria,
yeasts, and microbes that can eventually spoil food. In
cold storage, this is done by keeping fresh, raw,
whole vegetables at temperatures between 32°F and
40°F. In this range, the food won't freeze, but it stays
cold enough to stop the spoilers. The length of storage
time varies with each vegetable, from a few weeks
for broccoli or cauliflower to four to six months for
potatoes. Dried beans and peas will keep the
longest —10 to 12 months.
One of the advantages of storing your vegetables
is that you don't risk eating unwholesome, spoiled
food. If the food goes bad, you can tell almost
immediately by the way it looks, smells, or feels. But
there's still a lot to learn about storage. For
example, squash have to be kept warmer than do
carrots, so these two vegetables can't be stored In
the same spot. Or, if you plan to keep cabbages or
turnips, don't store them indoors in the basement;
you'll soon find their strong, distinctive odor
penetrating up into the house. And, if you live in a
climate where heavy snow is common in winter,
outdoor storage of vegetables in mounds or barrels
isn't going to be practical for you, because deep snow
will make them inaccessible In winter.
Although storing vegetables may sound easy, it's
a lot more complex than at first meets the eye.
Although you don't have to do any chopping,
blanching, or processing of vegetables to be stored,
each vegetable does have to be handled in a special
manner. Perhaps the trickiest part of all is that you've
got to keep a weather eye on your stored food.
Since the temperature of cold storage depends on the
temperature outdoors, you may sometimes have to
move or change the location of stored vegetables,
open windows or vents, or adjust the humidity
level. When storing food indoors, keep a
thermometer as well as a humidity gauge in the
storage area so you can accurately monitor
temperature and moisture conditions.
Because it's harder to control the temperature of
stored food, spoilage can happen more easily than
with any other form of food preservation. Routine
checks for spoilage will help you prevent food losses
when storing vegetables indoors — but, once you
open up an outdoor mound or barrel, you'll have to
empty it of all the stored vegetables at once.
Storage methods for vegetables
Before the days of refrigerators, freezers, and
supermarkets, most families depended on cold
storage to keep a supply of vegetables all year long.
In colonial times, a certain portion of every harvest
was kept in cool caves or in straw-lined pits that
could withstand freezing temperatures. In later times,
most houses were built to include root cellars or
cold, damp basements intended as storage areas.
These chilly spots were perfect for keeping root
vegetables, celery, pumpkin, squash, potatoes, arid
other vegetables through the cold months.
Compared to houses of a century ago, our
modern dwellings are snug, warm, and dry. Today,
very few homes offer the cool, damp basement
corners, outdoor sheds, or attics that formerly served
as food storage areas. That means you'll have to
plan, and perhaps construct, one or more special
spots for cold storage of your garden's bounty —
particularly if you plan to store a variety of
vegetables.
In milder climates, where fros^t is infrequent and
doesn't penetrate too deeply, vegetables can be kept
in specially prepared outdoor locations. In colder
areas, you'll have to store the vegetables indoors as an
extra precaution against freezing. In the directions
for storing vegetables that follow, you'll find the
proper storage method for each vegetable.

SHORT-TERM REFRIGERATOR STORAGE

2007-06-24T21:19:00.000-07:00

SHORT-TERM REFRIGERATOR STORAGE
Most vegetables keep best for a short time when
stored in the refrigerator, at a high humidity and a
constant temperature, just above freezing. A
temperature of about 40°F and a humidity of 95
percent are ideal for storing fresh vegetables, and
these conditions are most likely to be found in the
crisper or hydrator sections of the refrigerator. For
the best results, the crisper should be at least twothirds
full; if it's empty or almost empty, vegetables
placed in it will dry out.
To keep vegetables moist and fresh, follow these
simple rules of refrigerator storage:
• Store vegetables in the crisper or hydrator, and
keep the crisper full.
• When storing only a few vegetables, put them
into airtight plastic bags or plastic containers,
then into the crisper.
• When storing vegetables in other parts of the
refrigerator, put them into airtight plastic bags or
plastic containers to prevent moisture loss.
Almost all vegetables store well in the
refrigerator, but there are a few that don't. Mature
onions, peanuts (dried), potatoes, sweet potatoes,
pumpkins, winter squash, and such root vegetables as
rutabagas, salsify, and turnips keep better in cold
storage outside the refrigerator, in a basement storage
room or root cellar. This type of storage is discussed
in the next section. Most other vegetables, regardless
of whether they can be kept in cold storage, keep
very well for a short time in the refrigerator.
Preparing vegetables for refrigerator storage
Refrigerator storage is the simplest type of storage
to prepare for — all you have to do is sort the
vegetables, remove damaged or soft ones for
immediate use or discard, and remove as much
garden soil as you can. Some vegetables should be
washed before they're stored; others keep better
when they're not washe^d until you're ready to use
them. The directions below tell you how to prepare
each type of vegetable for refrigerator storage. For
the best results, discard damaged vegetables or use
them immediately; perfect vegetables keep best.
Artichokes
Do not wash until ready to use. Store in plastic bag
up to 2 weeks.
Asparagus
Do not wash until ready to use. Slice off bottoms of
stalks and stand upright in 1 to 2 inches of water. Store
up to 1 week.
Beans, green or snap
Do not wash until ready to use. Store in plastic bag
up to 1 week.
Beans, broad, dry, lima, or mung
Do not shell or wash until ready to use. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week.
Beets
Cut off tops, leaving about 1 inch of stem. Do not
wash roots until ready to use. Store in plastic bag for 1
to 3 weeks. Wash greens thoroughly in cold water;
drain well and store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Broccoli
Do not wash until ready to use. Remove any
damaged leaves. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Brussels sprouts
Do not wash until ready to use. Remove any
damaged leaves. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Cabbage
Do not wash until ready to use. Remove any
damaged leaves. Store in plastic bag for 1 to 2 weeks.
Cardoon
Trim roots and cut off leaves. Wash thoroughly in
cold water; drain well. Store stalks attached to root in
plastic bag for 1 to 2 weeks.
Carrots
Cut off tops. Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain
well. Store in plastic bag for 1 to 3 weeks.
Cauliflower
Do not wash until ready to use. Remove any
damaged leaves. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Celeriac
Cut off leaves and root fibers. Do not wash until
ready to use. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Celery
Trim roots and wash thoroughly in cold water;
drain well. Cut off leaves and store in plastic bag for 3
to 5 days. Store stalks attached at root in plastic bag
f o r i to 2 weeks.
Chard
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Trim any
bad spots on leaves and cut off tough stalks. Store in
plastic bag for 1 to 2 weeks.
Chayote
Do not wash until ready to use. Store in plastic bag
up to 1 week.
Chick peas
Do not shell or wash until ready to use. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week.
Chicory
Do not wash until ready to use. Store in plastic bag
up to 1 week.
Chinese cabbage
Trim roots and wash thoroughly in cold watersdrain
well. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Collards
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Remove
any damaged leaves. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Corn
Do not husk or wash; store in plastic bag for 4 to 8
days. For best flavor, do not store; use immediately.
Cress, garden
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week.
Cucumbers
Wash thoroughly in cold water and pat dry. Do not
cut until ready to use. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Dandelion
Cut off roots and remove any damaged leaves.
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week.
Eggplant
Store eggplant at about 50°F, up to 1 week. Do not
refrigerate.
Endive
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Remove
any damaged leaves. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Fennel
Do not separate stalks or wash until ready to use.
Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Horseradish
Cut off leaves and t r im root; wash thoroughly in
cold water and pat dry. Mix with vinegar and water
according to recipe in "How to Freeze Vegetables."
Store in airtight glass jar in refrigerator f o r i to2weeks.
For stronger flavor, grate as soon as possible after
picking; store in airtight glass jar.
Jerusalem artichokes
Wash tubers thoroughly in cold water and pat dry.
Store in plastic bag for 7 to 10 days.
Kale
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Remove
any damaged leaves. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Kohlrabi
Cut off leaves and trim root; wash thoroughly in
cold water and pat dry. Store in plastic bag up to 1
week.
Leeks
Cut off roots and all but 2 inches of leaves. Do not
wash until ready to use. Store in plastic bag up to 1
week. Wash very thoroughly in cold water before
using.
Lentils
Do not shell or wash until ready to use. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week.
Lettuce
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Store in
plastic bag up to 2 weeks.
Mushrooms
Do not wash until ready to use. Store in open plastic
bag or spread on a tray and cover with damp paper
towels. Store up to 1 week. Wash quickly in cold
water before using; pat dry.
Muskmelon
Do not wash. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week;
cover cut surfaces with plastic wrap.
Mustard
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Remove
any damaged leaves. Store in plastic bag up to 1 week.
Okra
Do not wash until ready to use. Store in plastic bag
for 7 to 10 days.
Onions^ green
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week. Do not refrigerate mature
onions.
Parsnips
Cut off tops, leaving about 1 inch of stem. Do not
wash until ready to use. Store in plastic bag for 1 to 3
weeks.
Peas, black-eyed
Do not shell or wash until ready to use. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week.
Peas, shelling
Do not shell or wash until ready to use. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week. For best flavor, do not store;
use immediately.
Peppers
Do not wash until ready to use. Store in plastic bag
up to 1 week.
Radishes
Cut off tops. Do not wash until ready to use. Store in
plastic bag 1 to 2 weeks.
Rhubarb
Cut off leaves. Wash stalks thoroughly in cold
water; drain well. Store in plastic bag up to 2 weeks.
Salsify
Cut off tops, leaving about 1 inch of stem. Do not
wash roots until ready to use. Store in plastic bag for 1
to 3 weeks.
Shallots
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week.
Sorrel
Wash thoroughly in cold water; drain well. Remove
any damaged leaves. Store leaves or stalks in plastic
bag f o r i to 2 weeks.
Soybeans
Do not shell or wash until ready to use. Store in
plastic bag up to 1 week.
Spinach, New Zealand spinach
Trim roots and tough stalks. Wash very thoroughly
in cold water; drain well. Store in plastic bag up to 1
week.
Sprouts (sprouted vegetable seed, any type)
Store in plastic bag up to 1 week. Use sprouts as
soon as possible.
Squash, summer
Do not wash until ready to use. Store in plastic bag
up to 1 week.
Tomatoes
Wash thoroughly in cold water; pat dry. Store
uncovered up to 1 week, depending on ripeness. Let
green tomatoes ripen at room temperature, out of
direct sun or in cold storage; then store as above.
Turnips
Cut off tops, leaving about 1 inch of stem on roots.
Do not wash roots until ready to use. Store in plastic *
bag for 1 to 3 weeks. Wash greens thoroughly in
cold water; drain well. Store in plastic bag for up to 1
week. Do not refrigerate turnip roots; keep in cold
storage.
Watermelon
Wash thoroughly in cold water; pat dry. Store
uncovered up to 1 week; cover cut surfaces with
plastic wrap.

How to store vegetables

2007-06-24T21:18:00.001-07:00

Once you've harvested your crops, you may find
yourself with a big surplus. What do you do
with all those vegetables? Well, you can — and
will — enjoy them fresh; and you can also give a lot of
them away. You can keep them in the refrigerator
for a few days. You can freeze, can, or dry them for the
months ahead, as detailed in the following
chapters. But in some cases, cold storage — not
freezing — can be your best bet. It's a low-effort,
electricity-free choice that can keep you supplied with
fresh vegetables all winter long. Both refrigerator
storage and cold storage are discussed below, and the
accompanying chart shows you which methods of
storing or preserving work best for each vegetable

PLANT DISEASES: PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE

2007-06-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

PLANT DISEASES: PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE
A number of plant diseases are the result of
unfavorable growing conditions, but many are caused
by parasitic bacteria and fungi that cannot produce
their own food and rely on the plant for nourishment.
Some diseases are airborne, and others can live for
years in the soil, so it's difficult for the gardener to
predict or control them.
As a matter of policy, prevention is better than
cure — or attempting a cure — where plant diseases
are concerned. You can try to avoid the conditions
that promote disease by choosing your planting sites
wisely. Primarily you want to avoid the combination
of too much moisture, too much shade, and soil that's
too cool — the three conditions that provide an
ideal environment for the propagation of diseases.
You can also plant disease-resistant varieties, rotate
crops, and take steps to keep your garden clean and
healthy.
If your preventive measures don't work, you'll
have to cut your losses. There's little you can do to
save a plant that has been attacked by a parasitic
fungus or bacterial disease, and your best bet is to
remove the affected plant as soon as possible
before the disease has a chance to spread to healthy
plants. This may seem drastic, and you may be
tempted to save the plant, especially if it's near
harvesttime. Don't give in to temptation —you're
risking the rest of your crop. Remove the diseased
plant and burn it, put it in the garbage, or dispose of
it elsewhere well away from your vegetable garden.
Don't leave it lying around the garden, and don't
put it on the compost pile.
Protecting your garden from disease
Maintaining a healthy garden requires you to be a
conscientious gardener. Here are methods you can
use to keep your garden free from disease:
Prepare the soil properly. Make it easy for your
plants to grow well. Plant vegetables in full sun if you
can; strong sunlight is a great disinfectant, and the
energy plants draw from the sun gives them extra
strength. Make sure the soil is well-worked, has
good drainage, and is high in organic matter so the soil
moisture will remain even. Do not plant the
vegetables when the soil and air are too cold. Place
plants far enough apart so to avoid crowding; this
will allow good air circulation, and the plants will be
able to dry out after a rain.
Select disease-resistant varieties. Where possible,
buy seeds that are certified as disease-free. Use seeds
that have been treated with fungicide, or start your
seeds in a sterile soil mix. Your local Cooperative
Extension Service can supply you with a list of
disease-resistant vegetable varieties for your area.
Rotate your crops. Do not grow the same plant
family in the same spot year after year. Repetition of
the same crop gives diseases a chance to build up
strength. There are three major vegetable families:
cole crops (cabbage family) — broccoli, Brussels
sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, rutabaga,
and turnip; cucurbits (cucumber family) —
cucumber, gourds, muskmelons, pumpkins,
summer and winter squash, and watermelons; and
solanaceous plants (tomato and pepper family) —
eggplant, Irish potato, pepper, and tomato. After
growing a crop from one of these families one year,
choose a variety from one of the other families to
plant in the same spot the following season.
Don't work with wet plants. Do not work the soil
when it is wet. When you're watering the garden, try
not to splash water on the plants, especially in hot,
humid weather. Handling plants when they're wet
spreads diseases.
Control garden pests. Keep insects and other small
pests under control. Some insects spread disease;
sometimes insects just weaken the plant so that it
becomes more susceptible to disease.
,Don't infect your own plants. If you smoke, wash
your hands well with soap and hot running water
before working with tomatoes, peppers, and
eggplant. Smokers can infect these plants with
tobacco mosaic virus, causing them to mottle,
streak, drop their leaves, and die.
Keep your garden clean. Always keep the garden
clear of weeds, trash, and plants that have finished
producing. Remove infected plants. If you have a
sick plant in the garden, identify the problem. If it's a
virus or fungus disease, remove the affected plant
as quickly as possible. Destroy the plant; do not put it
in the compost pile. This removal of infected plants
Is called "culling." Don't think of it as killing a plant;

NONCHEMICAL CONTROLS - ORGANIC ALTERNATIVES to kill insects

2007-06-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

NONCHEMICAL CONTROLS;
ORGANIC ALTERNATIVES
It's not always necessary to use a chemical
insecticide in your vegetable garden even if you have
no particular personal objection to its use. In some
cases organic controls can give acceptable results if
you don't mind putting in a little more labor for a
little less reward at harvesting time. And if you're an
organic gardener, there are a few things you should
know about helping your vegetables survive attacks
by pests.
Planting problem-free vegetables
First of all, you can take the simple precaution of
planting only varieties that are not susceptible to
major pest problems. There are a lot of vegetables
that pests usually don't attack, or don't attack in large
enough numbers to cause you any real grief or
require the use of nonorganic methods of control.
All these are fairly problem-free vegetables:
artichokes, asparagus, beets, carrots, celeriac,
celery, chard, chicory, cucumbers, dandelion,
horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, okra,
onions, parsnips, peas, radishes, rhubarb, salsify,
soybeans, spinach, turnips, and almost all the herbs.
Some vegetables are almost always attacked by
caterpillars that can be controlled by Bacillus
thuringiensis, an organic product that is harmless
to humans and animals. These include all the cabbage
family plants — broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, and kohlrabi. The
other insects that commonly attack the cabbage
family plants can also usually be controlled by natural
and physical methods.
Some vegetables are almost always attacked by
large numbers of insects that cannot be controlled by
natural or physical methods. This is not to say that
you can't grow these crops without using pesticides;
you can, but usually your yield will be low. These
vegetables include most of the beans, Chinese
cabbage, sweet corn, eggplant, lettuce, mustard.
peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, rutabagas, sweet
potatoes, tomatoes, and watermelons.
Squash are not included in any of these
categories, because although the squash vine borer —
their main enerpy—cannot be effectively
controlled without using a pesticide, most squash are
prolific enough to give you an acceptable crop even
If you do lose some to bugs.
Physical controls
Sidestepping pest problems by planting vegetables
that are least likely to be seriously threatened by pests
is one practical way to protect your crop. Another is
the physical, do-it-yourself method of removing the
offenders by hand. If you're going to do this, it's
essential to identify pests in the early stages of their
attack. It's not a big deal to pick a couple of dozen
aphids off your broccoli; but when the attack is well
under way and your plant is covered with aphids,
you might as well forget about hand-picking, because
it's not going to work.
If you slip up and let a pest problem get past the
early stages, you can try a good blast of water from the
garden hose to knock the insects off the plant. Try
to do this on a dry day so that the leaves won't stay wet
for too long; wet leaves make the plant more
susceptible to disease and may give you a new
problem to replace the one you've just solved.
Other physical control methods can be effective
with specific pests. These methods are discussed in
detail later in this chapter.
Natural controls
These have to be the original "organic" ways of
controlling pest problems in the garden — you're
simply relying on harmless insects to destroy the
harmful ones. The effectiveness of these natural
methods of control is questionable; in some cases
you're probably just perpetuating old wives' tales. It's
true that insects like ladybugs, lacewing flies,
praying mantises, and aphis lions feed on bugs that are
destructive to your crop and should, therefore, be
protected when you find them in your garden. But it's
also true that they can't offer a complete answer to a
pest problem. If these helpful creatures visit your
garden, welcome and protect them. But don't
expect them to control all the pests that bother your
plants. That's asking too much of them.
It's possible to buy ladybugs, praying mantises,
and the like through the mail from garden supply
companies. However, you're likely to be wasting
your time and money by doing so. All these insects are
winged, and they're all very shy of people. The odds
are they'll wing it away as fast as you put them out,
deserting your vegetable garden for a more
secluded spot. Also, the beneficial Insects that you
import may not consider the specific variety of pest
that you have in your garden to be a particular
delicacy. In this case they'll fly off in search of more
appetizing fare. Either way, they're likely to let you
down as far as solving your pest problem is
concerned.

How to use an insecticide

2007-06-24T21:10:00.000-07:00

How to use an insecticide
Because research is constantly being done to
determine the safety of insecticides and improve their
effectiveness, it's difficult to give long-term
recommendations about their use. Basic rules,
however, always apply: Read the directions and
precautions on the label and follow them
meticulously, and never make the solution
stronger than the label says because you think it'll
work better that way. If the product would be more
effective in a stronger solution the label would say so.
You need to use common sense when working
with an insecticide. If there are just a few, visible
insects on your plants, it may be a lot easier to
remove them by hand than to go through the full
routine of applying a chemical remedy. Also,
weather conditions limit when you can use a product
that has to be sprayed or dusted on the plants —
you can't do it on a windy day because you can't
control the direction of the application. The wind
can take your insecticide over into your neighbor's
garden; so you'll both fail to correct your own pest
problem, and you'll make your neighbor mad. As the
one who's using the pesticide, you are responsible
for it.
You'll also defeat your own purpose by using an
insecticide if rain is expected within 12 to 24 hours.
The insecticide must dry on the plant in order to be
effective. Whether you use a spray or a dust, make
sure that you reach all parts of the plants—you're
aiming for a light covering on both the tops and the
undersides of all the leaves. Don't give the pests a
place to hide; proper coverage is essential if the
insecticide is to do its job.
The products we suggest are commonly used in
the home vegetable garden as we write this. But
before you go out to buy one, check with your local
Cooperative Extension Service to make sure that these
recommendations are still current.
If you do decide to use a pesticide to control
insects in your vegetable garden, here are some
important points to remember:
• Read the whole label; observe all the precautions
and follow all the directions exactly.
• Check the time period that must elapse between
application of the insecticide and harvesting the
plant, and observe it strictly. Note all restrictions
carefully — often products must be applied at a
certain stage in the plant's development.
• Wear rubber gloves while handling insecticide
concentrates; don't smoke while you're handling
them, and take care not to breathe the spray or
dust.
• Sprays usually have to be mixed before each use.
Follow the directions, and use only the exact
proportions indicated on the label. If it's not used
exactly as indicated, an insecticide may be harmful
to people, animals, or plants.
• Use equipment that you keep specifically for use
with insecticides. Don't use equipment that has
been used for herbicides.
• Do not apply an insecticide near fish ponds, dug
wells, or cisterns; do not leave puddles of pesticides
on solid surfaces.
• Use a spray or dust-type insecticide only when the
air is still. Wind will carry the product away from
your garden and, possibly, be a nuisance to
someone else. Don't spray or dust within 12 to 24
hours of an expected rain — the insecticide must
dry on the plants to be effective; rain will wash it off.
• After using an insecticide, wash your clothes and
all exposed parts of the body thoroughly with soap
and water.
• Store unused material (undiluted) in its original
container out of the reach of children, irresponsible
adults, or animals — preferably in a locked
cabinet or storage area.
• Dispose of the empty container carefully. Do not
leave it where children or animals can get to it or
where it might be recycled for another use.
• Wash all treated vegetables carefully before
eating them.

CHEMICAL CONTROLS: INSECTICIDES

2007-06-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

CHEMICAL CONTROLS: INSECTICIDES
The surest way to control most of the insects and
similar creatures that threaten your vegetable crop is
by using a chemical insecticide. A word here about
terminology: In horticultural language the terms
"pesticide" and "insecticide" are not
interchangeable. A pesticide is any form of chemical
control used in the garden; an insecticide is a
specific type of pesticide used to control a specific
situation — to kill insects. A herbicide is a different
kind of pesticide with a different application — it's
used to help control garden weeds. These
distinctions are important, because using the wrong
one will cause havoc in your garden. For instance, if
you use a herbicide instead of an insecticide you'll
lose your entire crop for the season. It's also
important to keep separate equipment for use with
each kind of pesticide.
Insecticides are chemical products that are
sprayed or dusted on the affected crops. The type you
spray on is bought in concentrated form, then
diluted for use with a hand sprayer or a spray
attachment fitted to the end of your garden hose.
Dust-on insecticides are powders that you pump on to
the plants. Spraying is preferable because it gives
more thorough coverage, and it's easier to treat the
undersides as well as the tops of leaves and plants
with a spray. You can also apply insecticides directly to
the soil to kill insects under the soil surface — this
technique is known as applying a "soil drench."
Used correctly and responsibly, insecticides are
not harmful to humans or other animals. They are
toxic, but the toxicity levels are low, and their
residual or carryover effect is short — the longest any
of the insecticides commonly used in the home
garden will remain on the plant is about 14 days.
Malathion, for instance, has the same toxicity level
as Scotch whiskey and breaks down faster. As to any
long-lasting hazards that may be involved —
nobody knows if hazards exist or what they might be;
we don't know what the long-lasting hazards of any
product might be. The choice of an organic or a
synthetic pesticide is a matter of personal opinion.
If you know all the options you'll be able to make your
own choice.
Commonly used insecticides
The insecticides listed below for use in your home
vegetable garden will provide effective control of
garden insects with minimum hazard. Remember,
though, that most insecticides are poisons and must
be handled as such.
Diazinon. This is an organic phosphate, and it's an
effective insecticide for general use. Diazinon is a
contact poison. Its toxicity is low, and it's a good
control for underground insects that attack the roots
of cabbage family plants, onions, and radishes. You
can get it as a wettable powder or in liquid form.
Malathion. This is also a phosphate insecticide; it
kills sucking insects like aphids. Its effects are not as
long-lasting as those of some other insecticides,
but it's effective and safe in use. It's available as a dust,
a wettable powder, or a liquid.
Sevin. This is also known as carbaryl and is
another safe material for use in home gardens. It's an
effective control for many leaf-eating caterpillars
and leafhoppers, and is available as a wettable
powder or a dust.
Bacillus thuringiensis. This is an organic
insecticide. It's a bacterium that is considered
harmless to all but insects, and you can buy it under
the brand names of Dipel, Thuricide, or Bactur. It
controls cabbage worms and other caterpillars and
is available in wettable powder or liquid forms. This is
the choice of many gardeners who prefer not to use
chemical insecticides.
Cause and cure: Be sure you've got them right
Because an insecticide can't distinguish between
friend and foe, it's your responsibility to make sure
you're eliminating the pest, not the friendly insect
that's out there working for you. Let's say, for
instance, that aphids are attacking your cabbage
plants, and you use carbaryl (Sevin) to try to get rid of
them because you know carbaryl is a relatively safe
insecticide with a short residual effect. You've
overlooked the fact that carbaryl has to enter the
insect's stomach in order to kill it, and since the
aphid's mouth is inside the cabbage plant, none of
the insecticide is going to enter the insect through the
mouth and reach its stomach. Ladybugs, however,
love aphids and are most helpful in keeping down
their numbers. So when the ladybug eats the aphid,
the carbaryl on the aphid's body enters the ladybug's
stomach and kills it. Despite the best intentions in
the world, you've killed off the useful insect and left
the pest unharmed. In fact you've done the pest a
favor by killing off its enemy — a ladybug can put
away hundreds of aphids in a day.
Carbaryl can also be toxic to bees, and bees are
important to your garden because they pollinate most
fruiting vegetable crops. To avoid killing the bees,
spray in the late evening when the flowers are closed.
This way you kill the destructive pests but protect
the bees.
If you use an insecticide you must always be
aware also of how long its residual effect is going to
last. A residue of insecticide left on the plant when
it's harvested is poisonous. The residual effect of an
insecticide that you use in your vegetable garden is
likely to be fairly short, but the effect may vary from
one type of crop to another. And because the effect
is not long-lasting, you can't spray as a preventive
measure; you have no way of knowing which pests .
are going to attack your plants before they're actually
on the scene.

CONTROLLING INSECT PESTS

2007-06-24T21:07:00.000-07:00

To many people anything In the garden that crawls
or flies and is smaller than a chipmunk or a sparrow
can be classified as an insect. In fact, a lot of the
creatures that may bug your vegetable plants are not
insects at all — mites, slugs, snails, nematodes,
sowbugs, and symphylans among them. Another
popular misconception is that insects and similar
creatures are harmful or unnecessary and have no
place in the garden. Again, it isn't true. While some
insects are destructive, many are perfectly harmless. A
lot of them are actually important to the healthy
development of your garden crop, some because they
perform a specific service by keeping down other
pests that do harm your crop, and some because
they pollinate the plants. When you set out to control
harmful pests, it's important to realize that
indiscriminate controls may destroy the good as
well as the bad; the useful creatures as well as the
harmful ones.
Controlling the insect pests that attack your
vegetable garden can be a challenge; the method you
choose for controlling them can also be
controversial. Many gardeners rely on chemical
insecticides to do away with the enemy that's
competing for the crop. Some people, however,
object to the use of chemicals because they believe
that the chemicals may remain on the plant and harm
the person who eats it or that they may harm the
environment. These gardeners prefer to rely on
organic, or nonchemical, means of control. There
may also be times when it's better not to use a
chemical control even if you have no personal
objection to it — if you catch a caterpillar attack in the
early stages, for example, it can be easier to pick off
the offenders by hand than to mix up a whole batch of
insecticide. This chapter discusses the most
effective means of control — both chemical and
organic — for the pest problems you're most likely
to encounter.

Keeping your Garden Healthy

2007-06-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

One of the most challenging—and sometimes
frustrating — aspects of being a gardener is all
the natural forces you have to combat. Even in the
unlikely event that you have perfect soil and a
marvelous climate, you're still not home and dry;
all sorts of pests are In competition with you for your
crop. The pest problems you're likely to encounter
in your vegetable garden fall Into two categories:
insects and the like, of which there are a remarkable
variety; and animals, usually the four-legged kind but
occasionally two-legged intruders as well.
Most gardeners have to contend with insect
problems at some time during the growing season,
but the problems are not always obvious. It can
come as quite a surprise, just when it looks as though
all your hard work is paying off and your plants are
progressing healthily towards a fine harvest, to find
that the pests are at work. You may notice one
morning that a couple of healthy young plants have
keeled over and died — a pretty sure indication that
you've got cutworms working away beneath the soil
level. Or you may see tiny holes in the leaves of your
eggplant, signaling the activity of the flea beetle.
Your plants are subject to diseases, too, and you
know you're in trouble when the leaves turn'yellow, or
the plants seem stunted and weak, or mildew starts
to show up on leaves and stems. Plant diseases spread
rapidly and must be curbed as soon as they appear,
but this isn't always easy. There are certain measures
you can take to forestall disease problems — like
planting varieties that have been bred to be diseaseresistant,
and rotating some crops when it's
possible to do so. Beyond that, once a disease attacks
a plant, about all you can do is remove the infected
plant — among horticulturalists this process is called
"culling" — to stop the disease from spreading to
neighboring healthy plants. On the whole, pest
problems are easier to control than problems
caused by plant diseases.