6 Plants for Your Veggie Garden Rebecca's Garden : Episode REB-727 -- More Projects »
Try these six easygoing favorites in your vegetable garden.
Lettuce and other leafy greens are an early-spring treat. Lettuce grows best in cool, damp weather and can withstand a light frost, so plant it a week or two prior to the last frost date. To plant, scatter seeds on top of the soil and keep the soil moist until germination. Once lettuce is about three to four inches tall, cut off the leaves to about one inch from the soil surface. This will prompt the lettuce to grow to produce another harvest. Repeat for a third harvest. Once temperatures get hot, lettuce gets bitter and bolts, meaning flowers and seeds are produced prematurely. When this occurs, remove plants and add compost to the soil, then replant the crop again in late summer for fall harvest.
Peas are another early-season crop. Plant seeds one inch deep and about two inches apart in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked—usually a few weeks before the last frost. For those limited on space, grow climbing varieties and give them a trellis to climb. Once peas are ready for harvest, start picking them and keep picking. Once temperatures stay consistently above 75 degrees, the peas are done.
You can also grow potatoes. Many might disagree with this suggestion due to the planting factor. However, homegrown and organically-grown potatoes have better flavor and texture than commercially-grown varieties. Start with certified, disease-free seed (which are actually whole potatoes). Cut these into pieces so that each section has two to three "eyes," or buds. Let them sit out overnight to cure. Meanwhile, in the garden, dig a trench about six to eight inches deep. Plant each cut piece of potato about a foot apart and cover with several inches of soil. As the plants grow, mound the soil up and around the stems. Do this until plants are about 18 inches tall. Once the plant produces flowers, baby potatoes can be dug; however, higher yields are achieved after the vine dies back.
Beans, like peas, are easy to grow, but they're a warm-season crop and should be planted after the threat of frost passes. Sow seeds about one inch deep. Bush beans should be spaced about three inches apart, while pole and runner beans should be spaced eight to 10 inches apart. To keep the crop coming, keep beans picked. Beans add nitrogen to the soil, so plant them where you plan to grow tomatoes, peppers and potatoes next year.
Homegrown tomatoes are juicy, sweet and often have more flavor than store-bought varieties. Plant tomatoes after the last frost date when temperatures are consistently warm. Select plants with four to six young leaves that haven't developed fruit or flowers yet. To minimize frustration with wilt and disease, choose wilt-resistant varieties. Typically you can identify these by looking for the letters "VFN" on the plant label. Plant deeply with the first set of leaves just above the soil surface. Once planted, tomatoes need watering, an occasional feeding and staking.
Fresh herbs, including parsley, rosemary and thyme, are perfect for cooking with and, once they start growing, can be harvested at any time. Plant them in window boxes or containers or place directly in the ground. They're especially nice planted right outside your kitchen door where you can easily access them while cooking.Dirt Matters
No matter what form your veggie patch takes, make sure you amend the soil every season with compost, manure and peat moss. Get your soil tested at your local extension service and make amendments based on soil test recommendations. Scratch in a fertilizer every three to four weeks. Mulch around plants once temperatures begin to climb. Don't forget to water. Watering deeply and infrequently is good for most soil types. What Not to Plant
Corn, radishes, onions, zucchini and sweet peppers are all vegetables that host Rebecca Kolls recommends buying at the farmer's market, rather than growing them yourself. Why? These plants require lots of space and more work to achieve a consistent crop.
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