Vegetable Guide A-L
Aspargus
(Aspargus officianalis)
• Easy to grow. Sow in the garden or plant as crowns. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil
temperatures between 16°C and 30°C.
• Space plants: 20 - 40 cm apart
• Harvest in 2-3 years. Plant 'crowns' to harvest earlier.
• Compatible with: Parsley, Basil, Nasturtiums, Lettuce
• Avoid growing with: Garlic, Onions
Seeds will take 2-3 years before maturing into crowns. Plant crowns (roots) 20-40cm apart and a few cm (1 inch) deep in well manured soil. The asparagus shoots grow in spring. Harvest the shoots which are bigger than 1-2cm/half-inch in diameter. Leave the rest to grow into the leafy ferns (1.5m/5-6ft tall) which will feed the crowns to give a crop next year. In autumn the ferns will be covered in bright red poisonous berries. Leave the ferns to die down in autumn, then trim off the dead stalks and pile on plenty of rotted manure/compost to give the roots plenty of food to produce new stems in spring.
Harvest by cutting off the stalk, close to the ground. From the second or third year you can get an additional crop by letting the first lot of ferns grow, then bending down the stalks to break them. A second crop of shoots will grow and can be harvested. Leave subsequent shoots to
grow on to ferns.
Aubergine
(Solanum sp.)
• Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil
temperatures between 24°C and 32°C
• Space plants: 60 - 75 cm apart
• Harvest in 12-15 weeks. Cut fruit with scissors or sharp knife.
• Compatible with: Beans, capsicum, lettuce, amaranth, thyme
• Avoid growing with: Potatoes
A large bushy plant with attractive purple flowers. Have spiky stems. Wear gloves to harvest fruit as the spikes on the calyx are sharp enough to break one's
skin.
Best grown in a heated greenhouse. Reduce artificial heat during summer months
Needs a long season. Start under cover and plant out when frosts have finished.
Some varieties with slim, long fruit such as Asian Bride produce their fruit earlier. Mulch well and keep well watered. May need
staking.
Beetroot,
(Beta vulgaris)
• Easy to grow. Sow the in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil
temperatures between 7°C and 25°C.
• Space plants: 40 - 60 cm apart
• Harvest in 7-10 weeks.
• Compatible with: Onions, (Swiss chard), Lettuce, Cabbage, Dwarf Beans, Dill, Peas. Strawberries
• Avoid growing with: Asparagus, Carrots, Sweet corn, Spinach
Soak seeds in water 24 hours before planting so that they can be separated. Thinning is nearly always required as seedlings emerge from a seedball of several seeds. If you don't thin them, you will get a number of rather pathetic plants which don't grow to an edible size. Harvest in 55 - 70 days but will keep in ground for longer. Tolerates light frost.
Keep well-watered as dry beetroot develop a woody and inedible core.
For tasty and tender beetroot, start harvesting at golf ball-size.
Broad beans,
(Vicia faba)
• Easy to grow. Sow the in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between
6°C and 24°C.
• Space plants: 15 - 25 cm apart
• Harvest in 12-22 weeks. Pick frequently to encourage more pods.
• Compatible with: Dill, Potatoes
It is a rigid, erect plant 0.5-1.7 m tall, with stout stems with a square cross-section. The leaves are 10-25 cm long, with 2-7 leaflets, and of a distinct grey-green colour. Harvest 90 - 160 days depending on how cold the weather is.
In windy areas it is best to provide some support with posts and string; otherwise the plants will fall across each other. Pick the tops out once beans start setting to prevent black fly.
Broccoli
(Brassica sp.)
• Easy to grow. Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at
soil temperatures between 7°C and 30°C.
• Space plants: 35 - 50 cm apart
• Harvest in 10-16 weeks. Cut the flower head off with a knife.
• Compatible with: Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile,oregano)
• Avoid growing with: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chilli, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard.
Keep well-watered as seedlings. If left without water they will bolt to seed and be inedible. The plants should grow to develop plenty of large healthy leaves, and then the green flower heads follow, which are cut for eating. Leave the plant growing after cutting the main flower head, and get additional crops from the side shoots which will develop.
Watch for cabbage white butterflies and remove the eggs and caterpillars as soon as possible.
There are two main types of broccoli. The purple sprouting is hardier. The heading varieties cope well with warmer weather.
Once a plant opens its yellow flowers then it is generally past eating as the flavour gets a bit overpowering and the plant gets very woody. Harvest them sooner rather than later.
Brussels sprouts
(Brassica sp.)
• Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the
seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 7°C and 30°C.
• Space plants: 45 - 60 cm apart
• Harvest in 14-28 weeks. Pick sprouts when small.
• Compatible with: Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile)
• Avoid growing with: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chili, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard
Grown for its small (typically 2.5 cm diameter) leafy green buds, which resemble miniature cabbages.
Brussel Sprouts will not grow good "sprouts" in warm areas - they open and are floppy.
In warm areas they are likely to be infested with aphids Pick formed sprouts from the bottom of the stems leaving the plant growing.
Cabbage
(Brassica sp.)
• Easy to grow. Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at
soil temperatures between 5°C and 18
• Space plants: 50 - 75 cm apart
• Harvest in 8-15 weeks.
• Compatible with: Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile, thyme)
• Avoid growing with: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chilli, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard, parsnip
Winter cabbage
There are many varieties of cabbage. Those which stand winter weather usually have darker leaves and a stronger flavour, e.g. Savoy Red cabbage is grown in a similar way to green varieties.
If you choose a selection of types you can have cabbage growing all year round.
Carrot
(Daucus carota)
• Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 8°C
and 30°C.
• Space plants: 25 - 30 cm apart
• Harvest in 12-18 weeks.
• Compatible with: Onions, Leeks, Lettuce, Sage, Peas, Radishes, Tomatoes, Beans, Celery, Rosemary
• Avoid growing with: Parsnips, Beetroot, Dill, Brassica, Fennel
A hardy root vegetable which grows well in deep cool soil. Carrots take about 3 weeks to show themselves and the first leaves look like grass . If broadcast sowing, mix with radish seeds which will germinate quickly and indicate the sown area. In hotter or dry areas, water well before seeding then cover with boards to maintain the moisture and cool soil for more successful germination. Check every week.
Over fertilised ground will produce split roots. Protect against carrot fly, It is best to put carrots in a different area of the garden each year for four or five years, and, harvest in the early morning or evening.
Cauliflower
(Brassica oleracea)
• Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil
temperatures between 10°C and 30°
• Space plants: 60 - 100 cm apart
• Harvest in 15-22 weeks.
• Compatible with: Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile)
• Avoid growing with: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chilli, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard
Large leafed cabbage-like with a white 'curd' or flower forming in the centre. It can be hard to grow successfully. More frost sensitive than most Brassica, it's also not particularly heat tolerant. They tend to fail if stressed when transplanting.
Watch for cabbage white butterfly. Grows better in cooler temperatures. Not suitable for warm areas. Break a leaf over the head to prevent the curd becoming discoloured.
Celeriac
(Apium sp.)
• Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil
temperatures between 8°C and 21°C.
• Space plants: 45 - 80 cm apart
• Harvest in 14-28 weeks.
• Compatible with: Beans, Brassica, carrots, leeks, lettuce, peas, sage, tomatoes, onions
A form of celery which has a swollen root and lower stem. Raise seeds in individual pots and plant out after last frost to give them plenty of time to develop a good root. Grow in a very fertile, rich soil. Water generously. Can be started under glass in March.
Celery
(Apium sp.)
• Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil
temperatures between 12°C and 21°C.
• Space plants: 15 - 30 cm apart
• Harvest in 17-18 weeks.
• Compatible with: Not applicable as celery needs to be close together to encourage blanching.
• Avoid growing with: Sweetcorn
Most varieties improve with blanching but there are some self-blanching varieties available. To Blanch: plant in trenches 15- 20 cm (6-8in) deep and 20cm (8in) apart. Leave about 40 cm (17 in) between rows. Fill the trenches gradually and keep well watered as the plants grow. The plants can be lifted as needed after about 11 weeks. Alternatively wrap the plants in sleeves of paper or black plastic. Celery needs moist fertile soil.
Chinese cabbage,
(Brassica rapa)
• Easy to grow. Sow direct in the garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures
between 10°C and 20°C.
• Space plants: 30 cm apart
• Harvest in 8-10 weeks. Harvest whole head or you can take a few leaves at a time.
• Compatible with: Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile,
coriander), lettuce, potatoes
• Avoid growing with: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chilli, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard
Large oval shape with crinkly light green leaves and white stems. Wider at the base. Grows easily from seeds. Prefers cooler weather. Best grown
fast with plenty of fertiliser and water. Watch for slugs and snails.
Climbing bean, Runner bean.
(Phaseolus vulgaris)
• Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 16°C
and 30°C.
• Space plants: 10 - 20 cm apart
• Harvest in 9-11 weeks.
• Compatible with: Sweetcorn, spinach, lettuce, summer savoury, dill, carrots, Brassica, beets, radish, strawberry, cucumbers, courgette
• Avoid growing with: Alliums (Chives, leek, garlic, onions), Florence fennel
Grow beans up fences, trellis, sweetcorn, trees. Almost anywhere can be 'vertically productive'. Keep well watered and pick regularly to encourage new flowers. Watch out for snails, as they will eat through the stems near ground level, and will completely eat newly sprouted beans. If you have nice new beans plants one day, and none the next, then it is probably slugs or snails.
Cucumber
(cucumis satavis)
• Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 16°C and 35°C.
• Space plants: 40 - 60 cm apart
• Harvest in 8-10 weeks. Cut fruit off with scissors or sharp knife.
• Compatible with: Nasturtiums, Beans, Celery, Lettuce, Sweetcorn, Cabbages, Sunflowers, Coriander, Fennel, Dill, Sunflowers
• Avoid growing with: Potato, Tomatoes
Cucumbers are frost tender. Can be started in small peat pots then transplanted when the weather is suitable. A trailing plant which will grow tendrils as it gets bigger. Lebanese cucumbers are best picked about 10-12 cm (4 - 5 in) and eaten whole. Gherkins are usually picked 5 or 6 cm (2 - 3 in) long and pickled. They have a prickly skin. Apple cucumbers are round with a pale, almost white, smooth skin.
Grow in full sun. Grow up a trellis or framework to save space and keep the fruit clean. Needs ties to support it at first. Water regularly and fertilise to encourage growth.
Dwarf beans, also French beans
(Phaseolus vulgaris)
• Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 16°C
and 30°C.
• Space plants: 5 - 15 cm apart
• Harvest in 7-10 weeks. Pick often to encourage more flower production.
• Compatible with: Sweet corn, spinach, lettuce, summer savoury, dill, carrots, Brassica, beets, radish, strawberry and cucumbers
• Avoid growing with: Alliums (Chives, leek, garlic, onions) Sunflower
Frost tender, die off in winter. Traditionally sown in rows, dwarf beans also grow well 'broadcast' or scattered over an area. Just scatter the seed (don't worry about the odd ones which are close up). Cover with soil, potting mix, or compost and firm down with the back of a spade or rake. Grown this way the beans will mostly shade out competing weeds and 'self-mulch'.
Keep watered and watch for shield bugs and green caterpillars, pick the beans regularly to encourage new flowers. Flowering will slow right down if you let the beans get too large (hard and stringy) on the plants. For a continuous crop, plant more seed as soon as the previous planting starts to flower. Protect against snails and slugs - they will completely destroy newly sprouted beans, and will eat the leaves off grown plants.
Garlic
(Allium sativum)
• Easy to grow. Plant cloves. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 35°C
• Space plants: 10 - 12 cm apart
• Harvest in 17-25 weeks.
• Compatible with: Beets, Carrots, Cucumbers, Dill, Tomatoes, Parsnips
• Avoid growing with: Asparagus, Beans, Brassica, Peas, Potatoes
Garlic is traditionally planted in cold weather and harvested in summer ("plant on the shortest day, harvest on the longest"). Plant the cloves
(separated from the bulb), point upwards, deep enough to just cover with soil. A fairly tough and easy-growing plant. On better soil with regular watering you
will get a better crop.
Leave a garlic to go to seed, and you will probably get plenty of self-sown plants the following year.
To keep for later use, dig up and leave to dry out for a day or so after the green shoots die down. To use immediately, pull up a head when you
need it, or cut and use the green shoots.
Globe artichokes
(Cynara scolymus)
• Easy to grow. Sow in the ground. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures
between 15°C and 18°C.
• Space plants: 160 - 200 cm apart
• Harvest in 42-57 weeks.
• Compatible with: Needs a lot of space. Best in separate bed
Growing to 1.2-1.3m high with a spread of 1.2 x 1.2m . Very pretty, can be part of an herbaceous border. Harvest from second year. Artichokes grow particularly well in sandy soil. Can be propagated by, suckers or offsets. A well fertilised plant will live for about five years and throw up suckers each year. Aphids and earwigs can be a nuisance.
Jerusalem Artichokes
(Helianthus tuberosus)
• Easy to grow, plant tubers about 5cm (1.5") deep. Best planted at soil temperatures between, 8°C and 15°C.
• Space plants: 30 - 45 cm apart
• Harvest in 15-20 weeks.
• Compatible with: Tomatoes, cucumbers
These are the edible root of a sunflower. Plant the tubers deep enough to cover with soil. They are quite drought-tolerant, but keep well-watered to grow larger tubers. They grow through the summer to 1.5m-tall sunflowers with a smallish flower. Dig up the tubers when the flowers die down in autumn.
Get a couple of tubers from the supermarket or fruit shop. Two years after planting you will probably have enough to give away. Perennial if you don't manage to harvest all the tubers - they will re grow year after year.
Kale
(Brassica oleracea sp.)
• Easy to grow. Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at
soil temperatures between 8°C and 30°C.
• Space plants: 40 - 50 cm apart
• Harvest in 7-9 weeks.
• Compatible with: Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, camomile)
• Avoid growing with: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chilli, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard
Green leaf plant. Kale is a good addition or substitute for cabbage varieties.
Winter hardy, their flavour is improved by frost. Ornamental varieties are colourful, and edible. Rotate with other crops to avoid club root infection.
Leeks
(allium porrum)
• Easy to grow. Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at
soil temperatures between 8°C and 30°C.
• Space plants: 10 - 15 cm apart
• Harvest in 15-18 weeks.
• Compatible with: Carrots
A member of the onion family. Looks rather like a large scallion or spring onion. Grow in seed trays or punnets until about 20cm (8in) tall. They look rather like large blades of grass at that stage. Then plant out into trenches or individual deep holes. The aim is to blanch the stems while the plants are growing. Trenches should be about 20-25cm (8-10in) deep. Set the seedlings 10-15 cm (4 - 6in) apart then add enough soil to just cover the roots. As the plants grow fill the trench. Otherwise - make holes with a dibble or suitable stick 15 cm (6 in) deep and 3-4 cm (1.5 - 2 in) wide. Drop a seedling in each and water enough to cover the roots with soil. As they grow, watering will gradually fill the hole.
Leeks prefer moist clay soils. Keep soil moist and loose, mulch will help.
Lettuce
(lactuca sativa)
• Easy to grow. Sow in the ground, or start in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seeds at a depth approximately three times the diameter of
the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 8°C and 27°C.
• Space plants: 20 - 30 cm apart
• Harvest in 8-12 weeks.
• Compatible with: Carrots, Onions, Strawberries, Beets, Brassica, Radish, Marigold, Borage, Chervil, Florence Fennel, Leeks.
• Avoid growing with: Parsley, Celery
Lettuce offer a range of shapes, sizes and colours but they are all easy to grow. Choose a variety marked on the seed packet as suitable for the time of year as some do badly in the very hot months. Try to provide some shade to prevent them 'bolting' to flower and seed in the hottest months.
Sow in rows and use thinning’s as small salad greens
Lettuce are shallow rooted so water daily in hot or dry weather to prevent bitter flavor and bolting.
Gardenate, 2011 Vegitable Guide A-L. Available on line at: www.gardenate.com.
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