Vegetable Planting Times and Strategies

Vegetable Planting Times and Strategies for High Altitudes

High Altitude

Growing vegetables in the mountains, at higher elevations can present challenges but is quite possible.  Check out these informative sites for great planting time & strategies for high-altitude gardening.
CSU Extension fact sheet
High Altitude Gardening
Growing Tomatoes in short-season areas
Other gardening strategies

Start times by region

Every region has its own best time for planting.  Here is an excellent link to find out the best time to plant your garden in your area.

Planting Times

Vegetables that take a long time to mature need to be planted earlier or even started in the greenhouse.  Here is a table that lists those vegetables and the estimated time to plant them.  Pick your region at the top row and scroll down that column to see when to plant your veggies.

Growing recommendations by region for vegetables with long maturing times.

Ds = direct sow  Gh = greenhouse
Ts = transplant
N.E. Mid Atlantic S.E. and Gulf Coast Upper Midwest S.W. Central West Coast Pacific N.W. General
 Broccoli Gh start Apr 15 and ts May 20. Use floating row covers for insect pests. Ds Mar. 1. Mulch to protect from heat. Gh start Aug 1 or Jan 30 and ts Sept. 1 or Mar. 10.  Harvest  Oct 20 – Dec. 1 or June 1. Gh start Mar. 1 and ts Apr. 15. Ds Aug. 1 – May 15. Ds Mar. 1 – Apr 1, or Aug. 15 – Sept. 30. Will overwinter in garden. Ds Mar 20 – Apr 10.  Use floating row covers to protect against insect pests.  Will overwinter. Optimum germination temperature is 70 deg. F.  Full sun, average water.
Brussel Sprouts Ds May 1 or gh start April 1 and ts May 15.  Dig plants in late Oct. and store in buckets with dirt over roots.  Replant May 1 for final year crop or seed. Ds March 1.    Difficult to get to seed. Gh Aug 1 and ts Sept. 10.  Harvest Nov. 30 – Mar 1. Gh start Mar 1 and ts Apr. 1 – 15.  Dig in Nov. and store in moist sand, replant April 1. aren’t grown here Ds July 1. Use shade cloth for young plants. Will overwinter in garden. Gh start Jul. 15 and ts Aug. 15.  Use floating row covers to protect against insect pests. Will overwinter in garden. Optimum germination temperature is 70 deg. F.  Full sun, average water.
Cabbage (head forming) Ds May 1.    Use floating row covers to protect against insect pests. Ds Mar 1 or from Sept 1 – 15 or gh start Jan 15 or Aug 1 and ts Mar 1 or Aug. 1 – Sept 15.   Will overwinter in garden for seed production with mulch. Gh start Aug. 1 or Jan 20 and ts Sept 10 or Feb 15 – Mar. 1.  Harvest Nov. 10 – Dec. 15 or Jun. 15. Ds May 1 or gh start Mar. 1 and ts Apr. 1 – 15. Ds Aug 1 – Apr 15. Ds Aug 15 – Sept. 30. Will overwinter in garden for seed production. Gh start July 15 and ts Aug 15.  Use floating row covers to protect agains insect pests. Optimum germination temperature is 70 deg. F.  Full sun, average water.
Cauliflower Doesn’t do well here Ds Mar. 1. Mulch to protect from heat. Gh start Aug 1 or Jan 30 and ts Sept. 1 or Mar. 10.  Harvest  Oct 20 – Dec. 1 or June 1. Doesn’t do well here Ds Aug. 1 – May 15. Ds Mar. 1 – Apr 1, or Aug. 15 – Sept. 30.   Will overwinter in garden. Ds Mar 20 – Apr 10.   Use floating row covers to protect against insect pests.  Will overwinter. Optimum germination temperature is 70 deg. F.  Full sun, average water.
Cucumbers Use early maturing varieties and ds after May 25.  Use floating row covers to protect against insect pests. Ds april 15 or gh start Mar. 1 and ts April. 15. Ds April 1 – May 10. Ds may 1 – June 20. Ds Mar. 15 – June 15. Ds April 15 – June 15. Ds May 20 Optimum germination temperature is 75 – 95 deg. F.  Full sun, average water.
Eggplant Use only early varieties.  Gh start Mar 20 and ts June 1. Ds Apr. 15 – May 15 or gh start Mar. 1 – April 1 and ts April 15 – May 15. Gh start Mar. 10 and ts May 1 – 20. Full sun and are drought tolerant. Gh start April 1 and ts May 20. Ds Jan. 15 – May 15. Gh start Feb. 1 and ts Apr. 1. Use early varieties.  gh start Mar. 20 – Apr. 1 and ts May 20 – June 1. Optimum germination temperature is 75 – 95 deg. F.  Full sun, average water.
Melon Gh start April 20 – May 10 and ts June 1.  Use floating row covers until flowering to protect against insect pests. Ds April 15 – June 1, or gh start March 1 – April. 15 and ts April 15 – June 1. Mulch in hot, dry weather. Ds April 1 – May 1.  Use floating row covers for protection agains insect pests. Ds May 1 – June 20. Ds March 15 – June 15. Ds April 15 – June 15. Ds June 1 – 10 only if weather will be warm for several days after planting. Optimum germination temperature is 80 – 90 deg. F.  Full sun, average water.
Okra Doesn’t do well here Ds April 15 – June 15 Ds May 1 – 30. Ds May 15. Ds March 15 – June 10 Ds April 1 – June 1. Doesn’t do well here Optimum germination temperature is 70 – 95 deg. F.  Full sun average water.
Peppers Gh start Apr. 20 and transplanted Jun. 1  Use varieties that mature early in full sun Ds Apr 15 – Jun 1 or g.h. start Mar 1 – Apr. 15 and ts Apr 15 – Jun 1 in full sun Gh start Mar 1 and ts Apr. 15-30. Gh start Apr. 1 and ts May 20. Ds  Mar 15 – May 15. Gh start Feb 1 and ts Apr. 1, pot in 5 gal pots before frost and replant Apr. 1 Gh start Mar 20 – Jun 1 and ts May 20 – Jun 1. Optimum germination temperature is 75 – 95 deg. F. Normally started 6-8 weeks before the last average frost date
Pumpkins Ds May 20 – June 10.  Use floating row covers to protect against insect pests. Ds April 15 – June 1, or gh start Mar. 1 – april 15 and ts April 15 – June 1. Ds Apr. 15 – May 1, or gh start in July 1 and ts July 21- 30 Ds May 1 – Jun 15. Ds Mar. 15 – Jun 10. Ds April 15 – May 30. Ds May 20 Full sun, avgerage water.  Protect against insect pests.
Squash Ds May 20 – June 10.  Use floating row covers to protect against insect pests. Ds April 15 – June 1, or gh start Mar. 1 – april 15 and ts April 15 – June 1. Ds April 15 – May 1 or gh start July 1 and ts July 21 – 30.  Full sun and avg water. Ds May 1 – Jun 15. Ds Mar. 15 – Jun 10. Ds April 15 – May 30. Ds May 20 Full sun, avgerage water.  Protect against insect pests.
Tomatoes Gh start Apr. 20 and transplanted Jun. 1  Use row covers for protection if needed Ds  Apr. 15 – Jun. or g.h.  Start Mar1 – Apr. 15 and ts. April 15 – Jun 1.  Stake or cage soon.  Mulch. Gh start Mar. 1 and ts. Apr. 15 – May 15. Full sun avg. water, cage or stake soon.  Mulch. Gh start Apr. 1 – May 1 and ts May 15 – Jun. 15. Ds Mar 15 – May 10, or Aug. 1  – Sept. 15. Protect from mid day sun. Ds Apr. 15 or gh start Feb 1 – 15. Gh start Apr. 1 – 20 and ts May 20 – Jun. 1. Full sun, avgerage water.  Protect against insect pests.
Watermelon May be able to grow early maturing varieties.  Gh start Apr. 20 – May 10 and ts June 1. Use floating row covers to protect agains insect pests. Ds April 15 – May 15 or gh start Mar. 1 and ts April 15 – May 15.  Mulch for hot, dry weather. Ds April 15 – May 20. Ds May 15 – June 15. Ds Mar. 15 – July 1. Ds April 15 – June 15. Ds June 1 – 10 only if weather will be warm for several days after planting. Germination temp. 85 – 95 deg. F.  Full sun, average water.

Compiled from ‘Seed To Seed’ by Suzanne Ashworth
Copyright 2002 by Seed Savers Exchange, Inc.

Cool Season Planting

Cool Season Planting

tips_seedstarting2

  1. When mid-summer brings a bounty of produce from your garden and you are enjoying the fruits of your labor, it is time to start planting again.  The prime planting time for late-season harvests is late summer.  Success with fall vegetables requires proper timing.  In the spring gardeners wait to plant outside until after the last spring frost, well, in the fall the race is against the season’s first frost.  Many of the cool season crops can withstand a few light touches of frost and even become sweeter.  Check with your local county extension service to find your area’s first expected frost date.
    Check the back of the seed packet to find the days to maturity.  Take your frost date and count backward to find the best time to start your next round of seeds.  Cooler fall growing temperatures may require an extra week or two for the plants to reach maturity.  Many of your fall crops can be harvested when young and immature, too.

Which crops to plant for the Cool Season Planting?French Breakfast Radish
Plants that do well in the early spring work for the cool fall temperatures.  These will do well right up to the frost date and even beyond.
Cabbage takes a long season to mature and many gardeners don’t even plant cabbage in the spring because it doesn’t have enough time to mature before the mid-summer’s heat stops growth.  Start these seeds mid-summer, a good 3 months before the first frost date.
Kale should be planted 85 – 90 days before the first frost.  The leaves can handle a few light touches of frost and become sweeter each time.
Carrots can be planted 80-85 days before frost.  They can be harvested when young and tender.  Even after the cold temperatures shrivel the tops, they can be dug, sweet and juicy, from the ground throughout the fall.
Broccoli has the same problem as cabbage with a long time to mature as cabbages, so planting for a fall harvest is often best.  Plant broccoli seed directly in the soil about 80-85 days before frost.
Beets can do double duty with green tops for salads and tasty roots as well.  Plant seeds about 65-70 days before frost, depending on the type you choose.
Leafy greens such as spinach and leaf lettuces, rocket, and Swiss chard all do best in the cooler temperatures of fall.  Plant seed about 50-60 days before frost depending on the type chosen.  These can be harvested when young and immature for delicious baby greens.
Radishes are always great to spice up salads.  These are fast-growing and can be planted 30-35 days before the first frost.  Pull them when young and tender.
If you have any questions at all about how to start your BBB Seed please do not hesitate to email us at info@bbbseed.com. We look forward to answering any questions you might have!
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Find your Hardiness Zone

CONTAINER GARDENING

Growing a Garden in a Container

 

Planning ahead-container-plants
Take a moment to look at the locations where you want to place your containers.  Consider such things as sunlight (strength and time) and wind.  If you have pots with sun/heat-loving plants, arrange them to shade your pots with those plants that need less sun and heat.  Tall plants or plants that vine can be trellised to grow vertically and provide a natural barrier for tender plants.  Make sure to anchor trellises and containers with tall plants, to keep them from getting blown over.  If you plan to place your containers on a covered porch or balcony or any place that receives limited sunshine, you should select vegetables and flowers that don’t require as much.  Leafy greens, snap peas, Chinese mustards, and kale will do quite well in these conditions, but tomatoes, and peppers, probably not.
When growing your garden in containers rather than a garden plot, it is just as important to choose varieties that will be able to reach maturity in your growing season.  If you have a short growing season, check the maturity dates on the packages and plan to start some seedlings in the warmth of the indoors to get a jump on the growing season.

These varieties are not practical for container gardening due to their size or length of growing season (At the end is a list of vegetables/plants that will do well in containers.):

Watermelon and most cantaloupes (although there are some midget varieties that can do well)
Large Pumpkins and winter squash
Corn
Head cabbage (except as microgreens)
Mammoth sunflowers (except as sprouts or micro greens)
Beefsteak type tomatoes
Garlic bulbs/full sized Onions
Make sure to prepare your containers and pots properly, to give your veggies the best chance possible.  You will be surprised by how much those little seedlings will expand, and there is as much growth below the soil as there is above the soil, so don’t squeeze them into tiny containers.  Any type of vessel can be used, just keep in mind the size of the plants and the location.  Terra cotta pots are inexpensive but dry out more quickly than others, metal tends to get quite hot in the sun, and plastic is versatile and lightweight.

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Getting started-

tips_seedstarting3For Container Gardening, start your long-season varieties, indoors, in good quality starting soil or soilless mixture.  Seedlings should be kept consistently moist (not wet) and exposed to fairly strong light, sunlight, or florescent, for at least 10 – 12 hours each day as soon as sprouts appear.  This will keep them from getting leggy and looking for light.  Seedlings that are sown more closely together can show more vigor as their roots symbiotically help each other extract nutrients from the soil.  As the first true leaves appear, choose the strongest seedling starts that you will need for your containers and clip off the remaining which gives the strong ones some space to expand.  Transplant to pots and containers shortly after the first true leaves appear. When transplanting to your containers and pots, make sure to space the seedlings according to the package directions for each type of vegetable.

Here are some plants that do not like to be transplanted.  Instead, start them in individual moss starter cubes or use homemade newspaper pots or toilet paper tubes that can just be set into your containers at the appropriate spacing.
Beans                                      Squash                        Burnet
Chinese Cabbage                    Borage                        Chervil
Cucumbers                              Caraway                      Pumpkins
Melons                                    Coriander                     Dill
Root crops (except beets, turnips, and celeriac)
Make sure that your container has drainage holes in the bottom.   Place a couple of layers of newspaper in the bottom of the pot to keep soil from falling through the holes, then place a 1-inch layer of moss on top of the newspaper.  If you don’t have a source for sphagnum moss, coarse gravel will work.  Fill the container with good, rich pre-moistened, potting soil, leaving room at the top.  Pat it down firmly to fill in the spaces but do not pack hard.  Take your young transplants (holding by the leaves or root ball, not the tender stem)  or degradable seedling pots, one at a time, placing each on the top of the soil.  Spread out the roots, and sprinkle more pre-moistened soil over the roots, covering them completely.  Use enough soil to bring the level up to just under the first leaves for most seedlings.  Do not cover the crown on plants such as lettuce.  The plant’s first leaves should be at the level of the top of the container.  Pat the soil gently, firming it over the roots and young stems.
tips_seedstarting4 Water your containers when the soil feels dry in the top few inches.  Continuously wet soil suffocates the roots and encourages bacteria and fungi to grow.  Usually, we water when we have time or are home, but watering when needed instead of on a schedule is usually best.  Avoid wetting the leaves as much as possible.  Try to use tepid water and if you are using chlorinated tap water, allow it to sit overnight exposed to air to dissipate the chlorine which can damage plants and kill beneficial soil bacteria.
Fertilize with low doses of good quality organic fertilizer every 7-10 days.
Don’t be shy about removing plants that are past prime or are beginning to bolt.  Removing these will leave spaces where you can plant another round of short-season varieties and ones that prefer to mature in the cooler weather of fall.  Lettuces and other leafy greens are good for this, maybe another round of snap peas, beets or radishes, arugula, and bunching onions.  Mustards and kales and fennel love the cool days of fall
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Design – Container Gardening can be beautiful
Create groupings with your pots and experiment with variations in height, by placing some containers on concrete blocks or other empty containers turned upside down. This adds visual appeal and at the same time maximizes the space available.  Groupings also help to make the job of watering a bit easier.  Pick a particularly spectacular container plant to be the visual focus and arrange other not-so-pretty container plants around.
Make your containers a bit more decorative by planting different varieties together in one pot.  Use the spaces under taller plants to place smaller herbs and leafy greens. Some vegetables live in harmony with one another, some are actually beneficial to each other and some hate each other.  Mix colors and textures and think about including edible flowers tucked in around the edges. See the article, Flavorful Flowers.  category-color Check each variety on our website to see if your combinations will work together.  Here are some examples:
• Lettuce does well with beets, bush beans, pole beans, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, onions, radishes, and strawberries.  You can also plant your lettuce at the base of young sunflowers for a little shade.
•Celery, dill, onions, and potatoes are great companion plants for cabbage. Planting clover with your cabbage will keep insects away and chamomile will improve the flavor. Cabbage does not like strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, rue, grapes, or pole beans.
Cauliflower is compatible with basil, beans, dill, garlic, hyssop, lettuce, mint, onion, rosemary, sage, and thyme. It does not like grapes and rue.
•Plant your peas with bush beans, pole beans, carrots, celery, cucumber, eggplant, parsley,  radish, spinach, strawberry, sweet pepper, tomatoes and turnips. Keep your peas away from chives,  and onions.
Tomatoes grow well with asparagus, basil, beans, carrots, celery, chives, cucumber, garlic, head lettuce, marigold, mint, nasturtium, onion, parsley, peas, peppers and marigold. Basil will repel flies and mosquitoes from your tomato plants while also improving their growth and flavor. Beebalm, chives, and mint will improve the health and flavor of your tomatoes. Keep potatoes, fennel, dill, cabbage, and cauliflower away from your tomato plants.
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VEGETABLES/PLANTS THAT DO WELL FOR CONTAINER GARDENING:

Beans (Pole and Bush types)

Direct sow into containers when night temperatures reach 60 degrees F, 6“ minimum soil depth, full sun, and harvest in mid-late summer, Provide a trellis or climbing structure
Beets – Direct sow into containers in early spring and late summer, 6” minimum soil depth, full sun to partial shade, harvest early summer and again in fall
Carrots (Nantes, Round, or Finger-type are best for containers) –  Direct sow into containers when night temperatures reach 60 degrees F, 8” minimum soil depth, full sun, harvest in summer through fall.
Cucumbers (vine or bush-types) –  Direct sow into containers when the day temperatures reach 70 degrees F or start indoors and transplant, 10” minimum soil depth, full sun, harvest in summer, Provide a trellis or climbing structure for vine-types.
Eggplant –  Start inside 8 weeks before temperatures usually reach 80 degrees F for your area, then transplant to your container, 10” minimum soil depth, full sun, and harvest late summer.
 Leafy Greens (Swiss chards, Collards, Kales, Mustards, Asian Greens, Pak Choy) –  Direct sow into containers when the nighttime temperatures are above freezing, or, start indoors 3-4 weeks before and transplant, 8” minimum soil depth, full sun to partial shade, harvest late spring through winter.
Lettuces and Salad greens –  Direct sow into containers after Spring’s last frost date, or start indoors 4 weeks before and transplant after hardening off when about 2 “ tall,  sow seed again in early fall, 6” minimum soil depth, full sun to partial shade, harvest spring through early summer and again in fall.
Onions, Garlic, Leeks – Direct sow into containers after Spring’s last frost date, 6” minimum soil depth for bunching onions and young (green) garlic, 8” for Leeks, full sun, harvest summer to fall.  Mounding soil up around the base of bunching onions and leeks will encourage long white stalks.  Grow garlic in containers to use the green shoots and any small bulb growth.
Peas –  Direct sow into containers when the soil is no longer frozen, Soaking the seeds overnight will speed up germination, use an inoculant (a beneficial bacteria that enables the roots to use the nitrogen pulled from the atmosphere and stored in nodules on the roots), especially when planting into containers with new potting soil.  8” minimum soil depth, full sun, harvest in late spring to early summer with secondary fall crops possible, Provide trellising for vine-types or cages to support bush-types.
Peppers –  Plant seeds indoors, keeping at 80 degrees F for about 2 weeks, starting 10 weeks before nighttime temperatures remain above 55 degrees and daytime temps reach at least 70 degrees.  Transplant into containers after hardening off, 8” minimum soil depth, full sun, and harvest in late summer.
Potatoes –  Plant disease-free seed potatoes in a large container (30” deep, 20” across) filled 1/3 full of potting soil,  5-6 “ apart, and cover with 2 inches of soil, When plants are about 6” tall cover the bottom half with potting soil,  continue doing this as the plant grows until reaching the top of the pot. Full sun, harvest summer to fall.
Radishes –  Direct sow into containers when the soil is no longer frozen and every other week till late spring, 4” minimum soil depth, full sun to light shade, harvest all spring and second harvest in fall.
Spinach –  Direct sow into containers when the soil is no longer frozen, replant first of August for fall, 6” minimum soil depth, full sun to partial shade, harvest in spring, early summer, and fall.
Squash (zucchini, yellow summer, yellow crookneck, patty pan, mini pumpkins) – Plant seeds indoors 2-3 weeks before the spring last frost date, transplant into sunny, warm containers, and cover with a row cover for several days, 10” minimum soil depth, full sun, harvest summer to early fall, pick when young and small, provide trellis and support for vines.
Tomatoes –  Plant seeds indoors keeping them at 75 degrees F for about 2 weeks, starting 6-8 weeks before Spring’s last frost date, transplant at least once to another larger pot when they have 3 sets of true leaves burying them up to the first set of true leaves, keep in good light, 12” minimum soil depth, full sun, harvest late summer and fall.
Herbs –   Herbs are mostly perfect plants for container gardens, being small and not fussy.

How to Share Your Plant Starts for Profit

Plant Starts

Image by Shameer Pk from Pixabay

by Sandy Swegel

Sharing plants is a simple joy in life. Sharing plants and making money, well that’s even better. Read on to learn how to share your plant starts for profit.

My happy group of gardening buddies first got to know each other because of our great avarice for more seeds. We had all joined a local gardening email list so we could talk more about plants and gardening, but the more we spoke with each other, the more seeds and plants we wanted. Every time someone mentioned a new variety of tomatoes or annual flowers or ground cover, we had to have one of those.

The first year, we decided to meet in person and share seed packets. Armed with dozens of recycled envelopes, we doled out tiny seeds to each other, taking home three Cherokee purple tomato seeds or six cosmos seeds. This quickly became confusing and chaotic and required so many tags in our seed trays. So the next year we decided to become more economical. We’d each buy a packet of seeds and grow out all the plants…and then swap our plant starts. We definitely got more plants than we would have grown on our own and we each had unusual varieties you can’t buy in stores.

But the third year of our avarice proved to be the year we figured out that we could get as many seeds as we wanted…and they practically paid for themselves.  All we had to do was start our seeds and sell 2-month-old plant starts to each other and to the other greedy gardeners who envied our ever more diverse gardens. We learned that anyone can sell healthy organic heirloom tomato starts, especially if you have pictures of last year’s garden.

You can try your own mini plant exchange and sale. We price our seedlings cheap ($1 or $2 at most). I can afford all the heirloom tomato plants I want if I just sell three seedlings for $1 from each seed packet. Throw in some herbs and flowers and soon the plants barely fit in the car. Our little group now has a giant plant sale every May where everyone brings their plants to sell to each other, but thanks to free advertising on Craigslist and neighborhood electric poles, we also sell our humble little plants to the public.

Avarice never ends, of course, and now we have to grow more plants so we can make money so we can afford backyard greenhouses. Last year our small group of about 12 home gardeners sold some $4000 worth of plants that they started in closets and on top of refrigerators just two months before. Not enough to get rich, but enough to buy more seeds, build hoop houses and season extenders, and have a load of precious organic sheep manure delivered to our gardens.

So enjoy your seed shopping and think about swapping some of the plants you start with others. We learned that while there is no end to avarice among gardeners, there is also no end to generosity. It is a great joy to have an abundance of little plants to share with friends and strangers.

Saving Seeds

Saving Seeds from Heirloom VegetablesSaving seeds from heirloom vegetables.

What are “heirloom” vegetables? An heirloom vegetable is a non-hybrid, open-pollinated variety that has been passed down from generation to generation and, in some cases, can be traced back hundreds of years.  These seed lines have been carefully selected to maintain uniformity and consistency for germination.

Heirloom seeds become ‘heirloom’ because they exhibit exceptional traits desired by the gardener.  Often this means the plants are more colorful, flavorful, and unique, or have great germination and vigor.  Often the traits are location-dependent.  Meaning, seeds planted in one garden will not produce in the same manner in another location.  We encourage you to try heirloom seeds, see which have the qualities for your area to become your favorites and make them into your own very special seed line.  Seed saving from heirloom vegetables is easy and fun.

Gardeners have found that as seeds are selected and saved over many years, production is increased and the quality is improved, creating plants that will produce best for that locale and will resist diseases and pests of that locale.  Contributing to genetic diversity strengthens the ecosystem. Historically farmers and local gardeners have created and sustained this rich genetic heritage by learning to save their own seeds from varieties that perform best in their own mini-ecosystems.  The current trend toward mono-crops where only one seed type is used to produce a crop worldwide is eliminating the ability to be able to find genetic variations that will withstand emerging pathogens and climate changes.

Planting your crop:

Start with good Heirloom Seed varieties.  Keep in mind that to allow the plants to produce seed and to allow the seed to fully mature, you will have to allow for a longer growing season.  This can be done by starting plants indoors and arranging for protection from frost in the late season. You will grow some for food or flower harvest and some for seed production.  Fully mature seeds will be viable (able to germinate) and produce vigorous plants.  You may want to do some research on the different flower types for proper pollination techniques and plant with row/species separation in mind, to prevent cross-pollination.

You also may look into caging procedures to isolate species that are in flower at the same time.  By caging different plants on alternate days, you can take advantage of the pollinators to do the work without cross-pollinating your crop.  Cage one plant or group on one day and early the next day, before the bees wake, transfer your cage to a different plant or group.  Some crops are biennial and do not produce seed until the next year, so you will need to determine whether you should leave the roots in the ground over the winter or dig and store them.

There are many publications with detailed information on seed-saving and growing techniques for each species.  “Seed to Seed” by Suzanne Ashworth, 2002 by Seed Savers Exchange, Inc. is a good way to get started. Also, check out these easy instructions for seed saving, written by the International Seed Saving Institute, a non-profit established to teach seed saving.

Why save seeds:

When you grow crops using your own saved seeds from your best plants for next year’s crops, the seeds begin to adapt to the growing conditions (temperature, moisture levels, pests, diseases, and so forth) that exist in your garden.  This adaptation makes your garden stronger over time.  Seeds that are used to grow crops year after year have the opportunity to adapt to incremental climate changes.  As global temperatures change, these plants will have a better chance at survival and productivity.  A single plant from a single seed can produce dozens or hundreds of seeds, increasing your seed stock exponentially.  Sharing and exchanging seeds with other gardeners, community gardens or seed libraries helps to increase the diversity of everyone’s collections.

Harvesting and collecting seeds:

When saving seeds from heirloom vegetables, look for favorable characteristics such as; freeze and cold tolerance, heat tolerance, adaptability, winter hardiness, early maturation, vigor (strong germination, and growth), flavor, color, size, texture, etc. Also, look for desirable traits such as; vine or plant type, seed type, and specific disease resistance.  Plan to be ready to harvest the seed as they mature.

– Collecting dry seed:

It’s easy to save seeds from plants that produce pods, husks, and other dry casings such as peas, beans, and flowers.  The technique is called “dry processing” and is faster than collecting seed from fleshy, pulpy fruits such as tomatoes and cucumbers.  Seeds that are dry-processed can be allowed to dry right on the plants unless there is wet weather in the forecast.  Seeds often fall where they may, naturally, little by little.  Often the pods will pop open when you are not around to collect the seed and it will be lost.  Allow the seed pods to remain on the plant in the ground for as long as possible.  Usually, the seed will not continue to mature after the pods are cut from the plant. To collect the seeds easily as the seeds begin to mature, secure paper bags over the seed heads and attach them to the stems of the plants.  As they mature they will drop into the bags.

Separating the seeds from the chaff (dried pods and stems) is called threshing.  Commercial threshing is done by multitasking machines that can harvest, thresh, and winnow the seeds all at once.  For the home gardener, a bag, pillowcase, or small sack is all that’s necessary.  Put the seeds into the bag, secure the ends, and roll it around, lightly crushing and breaking up the pods a bit.  Be gentle so you don’t damage the seeds, but just loosen the chaff.  For tinier seeds, you can just put them on a board and crush them with your fingers.

Then you will need to winnow the chaff from the seeds.  Place the seeds in a bowl and gently blow on them to remove the lighter-weight chaff.  Swirl the seeds around and continue blowing gently until most of the chaff is removed.  Another option is to use a screen or sifter where the holes are smaller than the chaff to simply sift them apart.

– Collecting seeds from pulpy fruits:

Pick the best, most ripe (even to the point of over-ripe) tomato, pepper, cucumber, etc.  Choosing an over-ripe veggie will ensure the seed has fully developed.  If you wait for a frost or freeze before you pick the fruit or veggie, most of the seed will not be developed enough to be viable next year.

Cut open the fruit and scoop out the seeds or for small fruits like cherry tomatoes, simply squeeze the seeds out into a glass jar.   Add a little water and label the jar with the seed variety.  The seeds usually are surrounded by a gel that inhibits germination.   Leave for two to five days to begin fermenting. This will break down the seed coat while killing off many of the harmful bacteria and fungi lurking on the seeds.  Swirl the contents in the jar every day.

When the pulp floats to the top, the seeds are ready for cleaning.  Most of the seeds will have sunk to the bottom.  Carefully skim off the pulp then tip the liquid and seeds into a strainer. Wash the seeds under running water, using the back of a wooden spoon to carefully remove any remaining material stuck to the seeds.  Spread the seeds onto a paper towel to remove most of the water, then transfer them to a non-stick surface such as a dinner plate. Dry the seeds in a warm place out of direct sunlight. It will take two to three weeks for the seeds to completely dry out.

Make sure you label the seeds with their name and the date they were collected immediately after you have finished harvesting each variety.  Excellent record-keeping is your best friend when it comes to seed-saving.  It’s amazing how easy it is to mix up seed varieties!

How long do seeds last?

If you keep your seeds in a cool dry place, your seeds can last for years.  These things are seed killers: excess moisture, excess heat, light, and rodents.  Some seeds last easily for years. Others only last one year before the germination rate goes down.

Here is a chart from the Chicago Botanic Gardens on longevity in vegetable seeds as well as one from Iowa State University extension.

Seeds that have passed their prime for producing viable plants can be used to scatter as a cover crop, for bird seed, for eating, or for cooking (as in herb seeds).

Plant Your Cool Season Vegetables Now

Know Which Crops to Plant and When

by Heather Stone

Photo of a hand holding two red radishes.

Photo courtesy of pexels – skitterphoto 9301 (1)

Mid- August to Mid- September is the prime time to start planning and planting your fall vegetable garden and your cool season vegetables. Even though it’s still hot outside, the nights are getting cooler and the days shorter. Now is the time to get those quick-growing, cool-season vegetables in the ground. For bountiful late-season harvests here are a few guidelines to follow.

-Know which crops to plant and when. Here’s a list of our favorite cool-season vegetables and their days to maturity.

  • Kale should be planted 85 – 90 days before the first frost. The leaves can handle a few light touches of frost and become sweeter each time.
  • Carrots can be planted 80-85 days before frost.  They can be harvested when young and tender.  Even after the cold temperatures shrivel the tops, they can be dug, sweet and juicy, from the ground throughout the fall.
  • Beets can do double duty with green tops for salads and tasty roots as well.  Plant seeds about 65-70 days before frost, depending on the type you choose.
  • Leafy greens such as spinach and leaf lettuces, arugula, mustard greens and Swiss chard all do best in the cooler temperatures of fall. Plant seeds about 50-60 days before frost depending on the type of green chosen. These can be harvested when young and immature for delicious baby greens.

    Photo of leafy green seedlings.

    Photo courtesy of pexels by kaboompics 5809

  • Radishes are always great to spice up salads. These are fast-growing and can be planted 30-35 days before the first frost. Pull them when young and tender.

 

 

 

 

 

-Keep moist. The garden will dry out more quickly in the warm days of late summer than it did in the spring. Keep a close eye on new plantings to make sure those seeds or seedlings stay well-watered. A light covering of grass clippings or straw can serve as mulch, helping to retain moisture. Using a light row cover over newly planted areas can also help retain moisture, provide shade and protect against light frosts further down the road.

Fertilize once a week with an organic fertilizer with nitrogen and enjoy delicious salads and veggies all fall long.

Four Tips for Growing Your Best Watermelons

Gardening Tips

by Heather Stone

Picture of a just-cut red watermelon

Photo courtesy of pixabay

If you have space, make room for a hill or two of watermelons in your garden. They are easy to grow and like any fruit and vegetable, they just taste better when they are plucked straight from the garden. Besides, nothing says summer quite like a juicy slice of watermelon.

 

Here are a few tips for successfully growing watermelon.

 

    1. Choose the right variety for your climate

Most watermelons need 80-95 days to ripen, but some varieties require even longer. Choose one that works for your area. You can get a head start by starting seeds indoors about three weeks before your last frost date or by purchasing established plants. Plant outside when all chances of frost have passed and the soil temperatures are in the 70’s.

 

  1. Give them room to roam

Watermelons need lots of room to ramble. It is not uncommon for vines to reach up to 20 feet in length. The vines don’t like to be regularly moved so pick a spot where you can let them roam freely.

 

  1. Know when to water

Keep plants moist when starting off and until fruits begin to form. Watermelons are fairly deep-rooted plants, so in some climates, you might not need a lot of extra moisture except during extended dry periods. When watering, water at the roots and try to avoid getting the leaves wet. This helps to keep down on the spread of fungal diseases. Once the fruit has begun to set, experts say to hold off on the water to concentrate the sugars in the fruit, giving you a sweeter melon.

 

  1. Know when to harvest

    Tips for growing watermelon.

    Photo courtesy of pixabay

It’s not always easy to know when your watermelon is ripe. To start, check the “days to harvest” of your variety and begin to check for maturity when plants have reached that age. The color of the bottom spot where the melon sits on the ground will turn from white to yellow as the melon matures. Also, watch for the rind to turn from a bright, slick appearance to a more dulled look. The skin or rind should be tough enough that a thumbnail won’t pierce the skin. After picking, chill for best flavor.

 

Cucumber Growing Guide

Tips for Successfully Growing Cucumbers

by Heather Stone

Boston cucumber on the vine. Planting cucumbers.

photo courtesy of pixabay

Once the warm weather hits it’s time to start thinking about planting cucumbers. Nothing beats a fresh cucumber straight from the vine! Cucumbers are fairly easy to grow and are an excellent choice for the new gardener.

 

Cucumber growing guide:

Cucumbers are very frost tender so don’t plant seed or transplant starts until two weeks after your last frost date or when soil temperatures reach at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Your soil should be well-drained and fertile. Work 1-2” of compost into the top 4-6” of your soil before planting.

Pick an area of your garden that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight. If days regularly reach temperatures of 90 degrees or more provide some afternoon shade.

Plant seeds in groups of 4-6, 1/2” below the soil surface in rows or hills 3’ apart. Most cucumber seeds germinate in 4-7 days. Providing a trellis for the plants to climb frees up garden space and improves airflow around the plants reducing fungal and bacterial diseases. Trellising also keeps the fruits off the ground away from moisture and critters and makes them easier to harvest.

Cucumbers are themselves 95% water so moisture is of key importance when growing cucumbers.  Cucumbers need at least 1” of water a week.  If plants inadequate moisture the fruit will often develop a bitter taste. To help retain moisture and keep the weeds down place mulch around your plants.

 

Harvesting

Cutting a cucumber off the vine. Cucumber growing guide.

photo courtesy of pixabay.

Pick cucumbers when they have reached their mature length, depending on the variety, and before they begin to turn yellow. Cut or gently twist the fruit from the vine using two hands so as not to damage the plant. When the weather gets warm, check plants daily for ripe cucumbers. Pick often so plants continue to produce. Pick fruits in the early morning for the best flavor and texture. Cucumbers will keep for 7-14 days in the refrigerator.

 

Varieties

If you are thinking of planting cucumbers, we carry four varieties of cucumber seeds here at BBB Seed. Each is excellent and deserves a place in the vegetable garden.

 

Spacemaster 80

Spacemaster 80 is an excellent compact cucumber variety. At only 18-24 inches this short but hardy cucumber is a great choice for the small garden or for growing in a container. The dark green fruits reach 7-9 inches in length, have great flavor and are never bitter. A heavy yielder this cucumber is also resistant to mildew, scab and cucumber mosaic virus.

 

Boston Pickling

Boston Pickling cucumbers bear small, blocky fruits with firm flesh and tender skin that are ideal for making all types of pickles. This long-standing variety, first available in the 1800s is also great used as a slicing cucumber when allowed to reach full size.

 

Marketmore 76

Marketmore 76 is one of the finest slicing varieties on the market. A standard for the home garden. These vigorous plants produce 8” dark green, delicious fruits.

 

Suyo Long

An heirloom variety from northern China, Suyo Long grows to an amazing 10-18” long. They are almost seedless, burp-less and incredibly heat resistant. They are great for slicing and fresh eating.

 

 

 

Okra Is Not As Yucky As Some Might Think

History of Okra and Okra Recipes

By Engrid WinslowA pile of green Okra pods.

If you grew up in the South, as I did, you loved okra as an essential ingredient in gumbo. If you didn’t then you might think it is “slimy” but okay if coated in batter and deep-fried. Well, you have been treating this amazing vegetable all wrong. First of all, the plants are really pretty and the flowers are fabulous, looking a lot like a hibiscus bloom, and can be grown as a 3-4 foot tall annual flower.  Try our Clemson Spineless Okra Recipes!

Okra probably originated somewhere around Ethiopia and was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians around the 12th century B.C. Its cultivation spread throughout North Africa, Arabia and the Middle East. The seed pods were eaten cooked, and the seeds were toasted and ground and used as a coffee substitute.

The plant spread around the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and eastward and was introduced to the Americas by ships plying the Atlantic slave trade in the mid-1600s when its presence was recorded in Brazil. It was further documented in Suriname in 1686. Okra may have been introduced to southeastern North America from Africa in the early 18th century. By 1748, it was being grown as far north as Philadelphia. Thomas Jefferson noted it was well established in Virginia by 1781.

It’s best to grow okra yourself if you can (or purchase them directly from a farmer) to ensure that the pods are fresh, tender and not overly large. Okra pods are best when harvested at 1-2 inches. Any larger than that and they are fibrous and not so tasty. The plants are easy to grow in most climates as long as they are planted after the danger of frost is past. They are prolific, grow quickly, and several plants can produce a handful or two of the pods nearly every day.

Store them in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator for up to 4 days until you have enough to prepare one of these great okra recipes. Okra is especially adept at soaking up surrounding flavors, making great for Indian and Asian dishes. Give okra a second chance and you might just be surprised.

One of the best ways to cook okra is to toss the pods with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees for 12- 15 minutes, shaking pan half-way through until the pods are lightly browned on the edges.

Pan-Fried Clemson Spineless Okra with Indian Spices

(Serves 4 as a side dish)

25-30 medium-sized okra pods, sliced                     5 TBL butter

¼ tsp ground ginger                                                        ¼ tsp cumin

¼ tsp ground coriander                                                 salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a skillet, Add okra and spices and sauté until okra is soft, 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper before serving.Organic Clemson Spineless Okra

 

Picadilly Clemson Spineless Okra

 (Serves 4-6 as a side dish)

2 Qt. fresh okra, chopped                                            1 medium onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped                                         1 1 lb. can of crushed or chopped tomatoes

¼ tsp sugar                                                                         ¼ tsp olive oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

Sauté the onion and bell pepper in the olive oil for 4-5 minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently until softened. Add the tomatoes, okra, sugar, salt and pepper and cook, covered, over low heat for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Check and correct seasoning before serving. May be frozen.

What is your favorite tomato?

Heirloom Vegetable Seeds

by Heather StoneTomato, Cherokee Purple

What’s your favorite tomato? All true tomato lovers and growers have a few tomato varieties that they just couldn’t imagine not growing and always recommend to their friends and fellow gardeners. One popular heirloom tomato variety that continues to be a favorite among many and consistently wins taste tests across the country is the Cherokee Purple tomato.

Cherokee Purple tomato is a beefsteak style tomato whose skin is a dusky rose-red color. When sliced its interior is an even darker red. The flavor is described as a “balance of sweet, acid and savory with a hint of smoke.” Cherokee Purple is best eaten fresh on sandwiches or in salads.

With a name like “Cherokee Purple,” there has to be a story there somewhere. Craig LeHoullier, a grower of heirloom tomatoes, connoisseur and author of the book Epic Tomatoes is who we can thank for bringing this delicious tomato to the masses. In 1990, Craig received a package from John D. Green of Sevierville, Tennessee containing seeds of an unnamed purple tomato.

John explained that his neighbor had shared the seeds with him and that her family had been passing along the seeds since the late 1800s when they were originally received from Cherokee Native Americans. Craig grew the seeds in his 1991 garden and gave this beauty the name Cherokee Purple. Next, Craig passed the seeds on to the folks at Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. They loved the taste of this tomato and first listed the seed in their catalog in 1993 and its popularity has continued to grow since.

Want to try this delicious variety in your garden this year? Grab some Cherokee Purple seeds today, they might just become your new favorite tomato!