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You can have own organic vegetable garden almost wherever. Whether you live in a small apartment or on a suburban lot, you can grow at least some of your own health daily diet.

Container Gardens

If you live in an apartment, you can grow many plants in containers on a balcony or small patio. As long as the area gets sufficient sunlight, your plants should thrive. Most plants do best with eight hours of sunlight, but they can survive and generate with as little as six hours of sunlight per day. Since the plants are in containers, they can be moved out of the shaded area as the sun moves.

The fine blog, Life on the Balcony, covers this process in depth on an ongoing basis.

Types of Containers

Plants can be planted in a variety of containers:

• Barrels
• Baskets
• Flats
• Pots
• Recycled items

Here are some tips for choosing containers for your container vegetable garden:

• Use glazed ceramic pots with good drainage holes for the best results.
• Containers that hold between 10 and 100 quarts are the most useful.
• Use deep pots for deep rooted vegetables.
• Set the pots on bricks to allow for drainage.
• Clay pots will need to be watered more frequently because the dry out faster.

Soil

You will need a nutrient rich soil for your container garden. It should be light and drain quickly to keep the roots from rotting. High quality compost is thoughtl to use as a potting soil. About once a week (or as directed) give your plants an organic fertilizer to keep the vitamins and minerals in the soil.

Adding a thick mulch to the top two inches or so of the pot will help the soil retain moisture as well.

Square Foot Gardening

If you have a little bit of yard, you can do a larger garden. Using the techniques in square foot gardening can allow you to grow an abundance of organic vegetables in a very small space.

Like container gardening, square foot gardening relies on nutrient dense compost and enriched soils to grow a variety of vegetables and other plants. Rather than using containers, you build stable, raised beds to create your small, organic vegetable garden. The beds are generally four feet by four feet to keep them easy to maintain.

Seed are planted closely and the raised beds are kept watered, fertilized and mulched. This is an intensive gardening method which many people love.

Plants for a Small organic Vegetable Garden

You will want to make the most of the limited space of your garden. Plant only your family’s favorite items and maybe one or two experipsychological categories of seeds. For instance, sweet corn takes up a lot of room in any garden, but you can grow sufficient green beans in the same area to feed your family for several months. You will probably have sufficient to freeze as well. Tomatoes are another good choice for the home gardener.

Sticking with easy to grow items that are specially made for small spaces is a great way to fill up your freezer and be successful at gardening.

As more people plant vegetables, there is a growing trend among botanists and seed companies to create small plants that generate like large ones. Some of the most popular small plants are:

• Big Boy Tomato
• Heavyweight 2 Green Beans
• Spacemaster Cucumber
• Buttercrunch Lettuce
• Gold Rush Squash

These are just some of the hundreds of plants and seeds on the market. Look for terms like bush, compact, space saver, and others that imply the plant will be a compact grower.

Choosing a Site

When you are creating a garden bed, no matter how small it is, you need to keep in mind the needs that the plants will have as far as soil, water, and sunlight. After you have chosen a site, observe it for a couple of days before planting. Notice how much sunlight the area gets and whether water drains easily or it puddles.

Having a small organic vegetable garden doesn’t mean that you can’t grow an abundance of vegetables. It simply means that you will need to plan carefully and make the most efficient use of your space.

Organic vegetables growing

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Timing is very important when it comes to the home vegetable garden harvest. Once vegetables are picked they immediately begin to lose flavor, tenderness, and nutritional value. Harvest your crops as close to the time you plan to serve them, within an hour or less of serving time is best.

How do you know when it is time to harvest your crops? Here are a few signs which indicator time for harvest vegetable crop:

• Color. Many vegetables turn colors as they ripen–tomatoes and peppers are instances. Check the seed packet or look at the description for each crop listed here so that you know when to pick.

• Sheen. Vegetables ready for picking ordinaryly have a shiny, healthy look. If the skin of the crop is dull, the peak time for harvest may have passed. (Watermelon is one bution.)

• Size. Most vegetables are ready for harvest when they reach a useable size. To check the tenderness and flavor of a vegetable bite into it. Don’t delay the harvest simply to grow bigger crops–flavor will likely be lost.

Most vegetables can be harvested when they are just half-grown; this is when most vegetables are at their height of tenderness and flavor. Crops that mature in late summer and fall have a relatively lengthy harvest period-sometimes as long as two weeks or more. These crops can typically be stored for timely winter use if you can’t get them to the table right away. timely season typically require serving very close to harvest time.

Experience and taste will teach you when a crop is ready for the kitchen-when it has rediscomfortd peak flavor and tenderness. The best time for harvest-the horticultural and culinary harvestcan be varyent from when a crop rediscomforts botanical maturity. Botanically mature cucumbers are yellow and seedy–past time for the cook’s harvest. The culinary and botanical harvest for tomatoes, however, is the same.

Here are harvest tips for your home garden vegetable crops:

Asparagus
Pick asparagus when stems reach 6 to 10 inches tall, less than 1 inch around, and bud tips are still very tight. To harvest bend the stems until they snap; the portion that is too tough to snap is too tough to eat. Pick all stems at this stage; stems that grow larger will compromise the plant’s ability to send up new shoots. Harvest time is over when stems no longer grow larger than ½ inch in diameter. Asparagus started from crowns or seedlings should be admited to become established and gain strength for two years before the first harvest.

Beans, Snap
Pick snap beans when they are still able to snap when bent. Pick snap beans before the seeds have begun to fill out the pods. These pods will be tender, moist, and succulent. Time from sowing until harvest will vary with variety. Bush snap beans are typically ready for harvest in 8 weeks, pole snap beans in 9 weeks.

Beans, Green Shell
Pick shell beans when the beans inside the pods are fully formed (open one to see) but before the pods begin to deteriorate. Bush shell beans are typically ready for harvest 9 to 10 weeks after sowing.

Dry Beans
Dry beans should be left on the vine to dry before harvest. Wait until the foliage has yellowed and withered and pods have become papery before picking.

Lima
Pick lima beans when pods are fully formed in the pods. Bush Lima beans are typically ready in 9 to 10 weeks after sowing, pole Lima beans about 13 weeks after sowing.

Beets
Pull beets for their roots when they are less than 2 inches and not more than 3 inches across, typically eight to nine weeks after seeds have been sown. These beets will be most tender. Beets that stay in the ground too long will be tough and woody. To check beet size for harvest, push soil away from the top of the beet.

Beet Greens
Beet seedlings or greens can be harvested when 4 to 5 inches tall. Greens taste better when they are young and tender but can be harvested at any time throughout the season.

Broccoli
Broccoli is ready for harvest just before flower buds begin to open, about 14 to 60 weeks after sowing depending upon variety, Harvest broccoli with a knife, cut the stem just beneath the top cluster of buds; this will stimulate the growth of more–though smaller–broccoli heads. Side branches will develop clusters of smaller buds over the next 8 to 10 weeks. Broccoli is past harvest time when yellow florets are visible.

Brussels sprouts
Pick the first sprouts when they become firm, about 16 weeks after sowing; continue the harvest over the next 6 weeks or so. Start the harvest when the first sprouts are 1- to 1½ inches across; start with the bottom sprouts and work up as the sprouts develop. If the harvest is not complete when night temperatures drop below 20°F, dig up the plant and place it in a protected place where it will continue to grow until all sprouts mature.

Cabbage
Cut cabbage heads at the base of the stalk when heads are formed and firm to the touch. timely varieties will be ready in about 105 to 115 days after sowing; midseason varieties will be ready in 125 to 135 days and late varieties will be ready in 145 to 165 days. Cut the heads from the roots with a sharp knife. If you leave the stalks and roots in place, you may get a second harvest from timely varieties.

Carrots
Harvest carrots as soon as the roots are large sufficient to use. Pull up roots as needed until the ground has begun to freeze

Cauliflower
Harvest heads while they are compact and tight. Cut the stalk just below the head. White-budded varieties are ready for harvest 100 to 110 days after sowing; purple-budded varieties are ready 130 to 145 days after sowing. Varieties that require blanching may be ready a few days after blanching in warm weather; in cooler weather, heads may take two weeks to reach harvest after blanching. Harvest timely rather than late; heads that stay too long on the plant can become “ricey”–the curds begin to break apart into individual flowers.

Celeriac
Harvest celeriac root crowns when they have rediscomfortd 2 to 4 inches in diameter.

Celery
Celery is edible at all stages of growth. Celery rediscomforts maturity about 110 days after plants are set in the garden, about 180 days after sowing. To harvest, cut individual stalks or pull up the plant and cut off the roots just below the base of the stalk. Individual stalks should be harvested from the outside working to the middle.

Celtuce. Pick celtuce leaves from the base of the plant when young–in the first four weeks. Stalks can be harvested when they are about 1 inch in diameter at the base but before the seed heads appear. Slice off the stalk at ground level and pull off the leaves.

Chard, Swiss
Cut chard leaves when they are 6 to 10 inches tall, about 40 to 60 days after sowing seeds. Cut outer leaves near the base of the plant with a sharp knife; the inner leaves will continue to grow and can be cut a few days later. Get rid of old or tough leaves to keep the plant producing new leaves.

Chicory
Leaf chicory heads can be cut from the roots as needed. Witloof chicory chicons can be harvested when about 6 inches long; twist and break off the head.

Chinese cabbage
All varieties of Chinese cabbage or Chinese leaves are ready for harvest when leaves are about 15 inches long, about 80 to 90 days after sowing seeds. Pull up the plant and cut off the roots and get rid of tough outer leaves. Non-heading Chinese cabbage can be harvested cut-and-come-again. Leave at least five leaves on the plant to promote a second harvest.

Collard
Harvest collard leaves when they are young, tender, and mild flavored. Collard leaves will reach maturity about 40 days after seeds are sown; leaves can be picked earlier. Cut away outer leaves and leave the central bud intact so that the plant will continue to send out more leaves as the stem grows taller. To harvest the entire plant, cut it off at the stalk; the leaves at the top will be most succulent.

Sweet Corn
Pick corn when the silks at the end of the ears turn brown and damp and the ears are full and firm. Kernels should be full, plump, and juicy. The top of the husk will be round and blunt, not pointed. timely varieties mature in about 75 days; late varieties mature in 85 to 95 days. Midsummer planted corn will require about 14 days additional to mature. To harvest corn, give the cob a sharp twist downward from the stalk.

Cowpeas
Cowpeas can be picked when they are young and succulent for use as green beans. To use cowpeas as green shell beans, pick them when they are ntimely mature in size.

Cress
Land cress is ready for harvest as soon as 10 days after growth has started. Garden cress is ready for harvest as soon as the third leaf appears. Watercress is ready for harvest about 14 days after seed is sown. Use cress from the tips which is sweeter flavored.

Cucumber
Cut slicing cucumbers from the vine when they are 6 to 8 inches long and dark green; pickling cucumbers can be cut from the vine when they are 1½ to 3 inches long. Do not leave cucumber on the vine to turn yellow or orange. Cucumbers are typically ready for harvest about 60 days after sowing. Pick cucumbers regularly or the plant will stop producing.

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Eggplant
Eggplant is ready to pick when the fruit is 3 to 6 inches long and very shiny, not dull. Dull fruit is overripe. Eggplant is typically harvested about 145 days after seeds have been sown, about 70 days after setting seedlings into the garden. Immature fruits are tender and can be eaten. Cut fruit from the plant with shears, the stems are tough. Sliced eggplant with brown seeds is passed its peak.

Endive, Escarole
Pick endive and escarole leaves or plants at any size. Leafy heads can be cut off at the base of the leaves or leaves can be harvested cut-and-come-again. Endive and escarole reach maturity about 90 days after seeds are sown. To blanch the leaves before harvest, gather the long outer leaves together over the crown the plant and hold them together with a rubber band.

Florence Fennel
The bulbous stem of Florence fennel is ready for harvest when it preparations 2½ to 3 inches in diameter. Larger stems may be tough and stringy. Dig up the whole plant and cut off the roots and upper branches. The leaves of Florence fennel can be used for garnishes and flavorings when the plant is 18 inches tall.

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Garlic
Garlic is ready for harvest 90 to 110 days after planting when the tops begin to yellow and droop. When leaves begin to yellow, stop watering and bend over the leaf tops to begin curing the bulb. Allow bulbs to dry in a shady place for several days until the skin becomes papery. Allow bulbs to completely dry then cut off the leaf stalks and trim the roots. Young garlic leaves can be trimmed like chives to use as a flavoring.

Globe Artichoke
Globe artichokes are ready for harvest the second year after planting. Harvest artichoke buds when they are plump but before the bracts open. Harvest the large central globe first; afterwards, side side-shoot globes can be picked. Buds are past harvest when the turn purple and the flowers become visible. Flower heads can be cut 5 to 6 inches down the stem.

Hamburg Parsley
Hamburg parsley is typically ready for harvest when roots are 6 to 8 inches long. Larger roots are better tasting than smaller roots. In cold winter regions, dig roots before the ground freezes. Leaf tops can be harvested during the growing season and used like leaf parsley; do not remove too many stems or the root will not develop.

Horseradish. Lift horseradish root after cool weather arrives in fall. Several frosts will enhance the flavor of horseradish. Lift the roots by hand after loosening the soil with a spading fork. Horseradish requires an average of 120 days to reach maturity.

Jerusalem Artichoke
Lift tubers after the foliage has died back in autumn or timely winter. Loosen the soil with a garden fork then pull the tuber from the ground.

Jerusalem artichokes require about 120 days to mature.

Kohlrabi
Harvest kohlrabi when the stems are about the size of a small apple, about 2 to 2½ inches across, about 8 weeks after sowing. Do not let the stems grow older they will become tough and stringy. Cut the stems at soil level about an inch below the bulb.

Leeks
Leeks are ready for harvest when stems are 1 inch in diameter about 16 to 18 weeks after sowing. Leek stems will be about 2½ inches around at full maturity. Lift leeks by hand or with a garden fork.

Lettuce
Crisphead, cos, and butterhead lettuce is ready for harvest when heads are firm 10 to 11 weeks after sowing; cut off the whole head at the root crown. Harvest loose-leaf lettuce leaf by leaf, cutting outer leaves when they are large sufficient to use about 6 to 7 weeks after sowing. Romaine lettuce will be ready for harvest about 11 to 12 weeks after sowing. All lettuce leaves are edible at any stage of growth.

Luffa
Pick luffa when the fruit is 4 to 5 inches long; longer fruits will be stringy. Luffa leaves can be picked for salads when young and tender. Blossoms can be picked for kitchen use at full size. Luffa fruit is ready for harvest about 120 days after sowing.

Malabar Spinach
Pick the leaves of Malabar spinach while still tender and young, after the plant has begun to branch. Older leaves will be tough. Malabar spinach requires about 70 days to reach maturity from sowing.

Melon. Cantaloupe is ready for harvest at the “slip” stage–when slight pressure at the point where the stem joins the melon causes the melon to slop off the vine. Casaba and honeydew melons are ripe when the skin turns yellow. Crenshaw and Persian melons are ready for harvest when they have a fruity scent. Watermelons are ripe when a rap on the fruit creates a dull sound.

Mustard
For best flavor, mustard leaves should be picked cut-and-come-again when leaves are 4 to 5 inches long or the entire plant can be harvested. Older leaves can be cooked. Mustard takes 30 to 50 days to reach maturity from sowing depending on variety.

New Zealand Spinach
Cut New Zealand spinach leaves for harvest when they are 3- to 4-inches long.

New Zealand spinach can be harvested cut-and-come-again..

Okra
Okra is ready for harvest about 60 days after seeds are sown. Pick pods when they are 2 to 3 inches long and soft; harvest comes just about five days after the flowers fade. For a continuous harvest pick pods every three days and do not allow pods to mature on the plant.

Onion
Bulb onions depending upon variety are ready for harvest about 3 to 5 months after the seeds are sown or about three and a half months after sets or young plants have been set out. When leaves start to turn yellow, bend the stems to a ntimely horizontal position to stop the growth of the bulb and allow it to ripen. Remove soil from around the top half of the bulb. When the leaves turn brown, lift the bulbs. Bunching or green onions or scallions can be harvested young as needed beginning just a few weeks after sowing. Scallions have the best flavor when harvested less than 10 inches long.

Parsnip
Spring planted parsnips are ready for harvest in timely fall, about four months after seeds are sown. The flavor of parsnip roots is enhanced by a few hard frosts. Parsnips will be very flavorful if left in the ground all winter. Harvest parsnips left in the ground over the winter before new growth begins in spring.

Pea
Green pea pods should be picked when the pods are firm but still succulent, before they start to yellow or begin to shrivel. Green peas are typically ready for harvest about three weeks after flowering or 60 to 70 days after sowing. Edible-pod peas such as snow peas should be picked when they are still flat and the peas inside are scarcely discernible. It is best to cut pea pods from the plant with a small scissors or pruners rather than pull or jerk them away from the vine. Garden peas can be left on the vine to wither and turn brown then harvested, shelled, and dried for use as dry peas.

Peanuts
Lift peanuts when the foliage yellows and the pods have filled out and the pods’ veins begin to darken. This is typically before the first frost in fall but could come after the first light frosts. Even after the foliage has died back, pods will continue to mature for several weeks Peanuts typically mature 110 to 120 days after planting.

Pepper. Sweet peppers and hot peppers are edible at all stages of growth–whether immature or full size, whether green or red. Peppers reach maturity at 60 to 20 days from the time starts have been set out in the garden. Hot peppers should be picked fully ripe for drying or pickling. Cut fruit from the plant rather than pull. All pods should be picked before the first frost.

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Potato
Young potatoes-called new potatoes -can be harvested as timely as 45 to 55 days after planting, typically about the time blossoms appear or a week or two later. Lift new potatoes as soon as they reach useable size. timely varieties are best for new potatoes. Late varieties–frequently used for storage–should be lifted about the time of the first autumn frost. Continue the harvest for two to three weeks after the tops have died back. Remove large tubers first allowing smaller ones time to grow. Lift potatoes in dry weather being careful not to bruise the skin.

Pumpkin
Harvest pumpkins when the leaves die and the fruit becomes a rich orange, about four months after sowing; the sheen of the skin will have faded. For storing, cut pumpkins from the vine at full maturity just before the first fall frosts. Cut pumpkins from the vine with a pruning shears, leaving about 3 inches of stem on the fruit; pumpkins decay quickly if the stems are broken rather than cut. After harvesting, set pumpkins in the sun for one to two weeks to harden the outer skin, then store them in a cool dry place.

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Radish
Harvest radishes when the diameters of the roots reach the size listed for each variety, typically while still less than 1 inch in diameter or as soon as they are large sufficient to use. Pull up timely- and mid-season varieties 25 to 30 days after sowing. Take up late or winter varieties 60 days after sowing. Take up radishes before they become tough and woody.

Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a perennial; it will be ready for harvest starting about two years after planting. Harvest leafstalks that 12 to 24 inches long and 1 inch or more in diameter. Harvest stalks before they become tough. Allow smaller stalks to continue to grow and build the plant’s strength. To harvest leafstalks grasp each stalk near its base and give it a sideward twisting tug; the stalk will separate cleaning from the top of the roots. The harvest will continue for eight to ten weeks.

Rutabaga
Rutabagas are ready for harvest as soon as they are large sufficient to sue, about 90 days after seed sowing. Choose rutabagas about 3 to 5 inches long, but not longer than 5 to 7 inches. Rutabaga will be most flavorful after the first autumn frost but before the roots freeze. Grasp the top of the rutabaga and pull it up. Rutabaga is ready for harvest 85 to 90 days after sowing.

Salsify
Dig up salsify roots as soon as they are large sufficient to use, typically about 150 days after sowing. The flavor and texture of salsify roots is enhanced by freezes in autumn or winter. Lift salsify roots with a garden spade or fork.

Shallots
Harvest shallots to use as green onions at any stage of growth. For dry bulbs, harvest shallots when the tops have browned and withered, typically about 100 days after sowing.

Sorrel
Cut sorrel leaves at any time during the growing season; young and tender leaves are the most flavorful. Cut outer leaves as needed cut-and-come-again. Sorrel rediscomforts maturity about 70 days after sowing.

Soybeans
Pick green shell soybeans to eat the shelled beans fresh when the seeds are just mature or ntimely mature, from 70 to 100 days after sowing depending upon the variety. Pick green soybeans while the pods are plump and before they begin to wither. For storage as dry beans, pick the pods when they are dry but while the stems are still green.

Spinach
Harvest spinach leaves when they are 6 to 8 inches long, about six weeks after planting. For a long harvest, cut leaves cut-and-come-again starting with outer leaves and allowing inner leaves to keep developing. Continue the harvest until the seed stalk appears or until the weather turns very cold. Individual leaves or the entire plant is cut off at the soil surface.

Squash, Summer. Summer squash is ready for harvest when fruits are tender and easily punctured, typically about 50 days after sowing. Pick summer squash when the skin yields to thumb pressure. Zucchini is best when about 7 inches long and 1½ inches thick. Scalloped summer squash is ready for picking when the fruit is 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Pattypan is best when about 3 to 4 inches across. Crookneck and straightneck squash is best when about 4 inches long. For best flavor harvest summer squash at no more than 6 to 8 inches long.

Winter Squash
Winter squash will be ready for harvest when the skin is extremely hard, about 80 to 115 days after planting depending upon variety. Delay the harvest of winter squash until just before the first hard frost. A light frost or two will change starch to sugar and enhance flavor. Cut winter squash from the vine leaving a 2- to 3-inch stem on the squash. Allow winter squash to cure in the sun for a week or more, then store in a cool, dry place over the winter.

Sweet Potato
Dig up sweet potatoes in late fall in frost-free regions about 90 to 100 days after planting. In cold regions, dig up tubers as soon as the tops of the plants are hit by the first fall frost. Don’t allow sweet potatoes to stay in the ground much past the first frost; dying vines can stretch rot to the tubers. Tubers can be harvested earlier in the season, but they gain most of their size in the last 30 days of growth. Lift sweet potatoes carefully with a garden fork or spade. Do not bruise the skin at harvest; damage can cause decay in storage. Dry sweet potatoes for two or three hours after lifting then stretch them out on newspaper and allow them to dry in place where the temperature will remain about 80°F for 10 days to two weeks. Gradually reduce the temperature to 50° to 55° by ventilating the curing area.

Tomato
Tomatoes are ready for harvest when they have developed their full color; tomatoes ripen from the center of the fruit to the outside. Pick tomatoes by gently lifting each tomato until the stem snaps. Tomatoes do not develop their organic red color in temperatures greater than 86°F; in hot regions, pick tomatoes when they are still pink and allow them to ripen fully indoors.

Turnip
Turnips are ready for harvest when roots are 2 inches in diameter, typically about 40 days after sowing. Do not allow turnip roots to grow larger than 3 inches or they will become woody and lose flavor. Grasp the top of the turnip and pull it up at harvest.

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The third week of June is still a busy time for planting, as it is not too late to plant dahlia tubers, lily and glad bulbs and to start growing tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and zucchini. You can grow short-season crops like carrots, lettuce and beans from seed planted this week but look for healthy transplants of cucumbers, tomatoes and squash at the nursery to give these heat-lovers a head start. Corn can also be planted by seed this week.

Get snippy with your lavender and rose plants once they finish a first flush of blooms and you’ll be rewarded with more flowers in a second flush of blooms.

Is it true that tomatoes should be planted extra deep?

Budding gardeners always bloom with the fertilizer of knowledge. When you add tall tomato plants to a garden bed or pot it helps the plant to build more roots (which makes a stronger plant) if you dig a deep hole or even a long trench and bury the stem of the tomato plant so that at least half the length of the stem is covered with soil. But first remove the leaves from the bottom half of the long stem. When foliage is removed the bump that is left is called the node, and this is where the new roots will sprout. When you dig a trench you can lie the tomato plant sideways into this shallow ditch and curve the top half of the plant upward so it remains above ground. Now here’s a warning: burying plants extra deep will kill most seedlings, perennials, trees and shrubs. Rhodies and azaleas especially hate to have a lot of soil or mulch on top of their fine roots. Tomatoes and potatoes are exceptions to this rule and like to be planted deep.

How often should one turn a compost pile?

Dig in whenever you get the energy or need the exercise. For the fastest conversion of garden garbage into garden gold turn once a week, but laid back gardeners can take a slower route to riches and just let it rot naturally; compost will be ready in three weeks the fast way but it can take up to nine months if you just let it sit. Adding coffee grounds, old compost, grass clippings, sawdust and leaf mold to the pile will help it decompose faster and although egg shells and other slow-to-rot ingredients may take months to break down, the general rule of green thumb is that the smaller the pieces that go into the pile, the quicker they decompose. Turning the pile adds air which speeds up the process. Get rid of your free weights, give up the gym membership and learn how to build biceps the natural way – with a pitchfork in your hands. You and the garden will both grow stronger.

What killed clematis?

Wilt disease look  like great problem for clematis. This fungal infection strikes quickly and there is no cure. But there is hope. Clematis that die from wilt disease have been known to come back from an underground root as long as three years after the funeral. To prevent clematis wilt do not bump or cultivate around the fragile stems of clematis plants. If you damage a stem near ground level the fungi that live in the soil may find an entry into the clematis vine. If you have kids or pets that share the garden protect those skinny clematis necks with a low barrier of twigs or wire fencing that can surround the base of the vines.
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Chinese vegetables, sometimes called Oriental vegetables, favored in Chinese and Asian cooking are easy to grow. They are tasty, vigorous, and highly adaptable. Most are fast growing and suitable for small gardens and containers.
Chinese vegetables can generally be broken into three groups: those easy to grow in temperate regions with cool and cold winters, those that require higher temperatures and long-growing seasons–sub-tropical plants, and, finally, a small group of water vegetables, tubers, and herbs.

Like other vegetable crops, Chinese vegetables can be divided into warm-season and cool-season growing crops. Here are ordinary warm-season Chinese vegetables. For cool-season varieties see the article: Chinese Vegetables: Cool-Season Varieties

Warm-season Chinese vegetables

Vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus for seed/ Amaranthus tricolor for leaf). Amaranthus tricolor as well known as Chinese spinach, edible amaranth, hiyu, and callaloo. Cook greens like spinach. Sow in spring; can be grown in summer. Sensitive to frost; germinates best in warm soil. Sow ¼ inch, row 18 inches apart. Greens ready in 50 days; 100 days for seed. Try varieties: Red Stripe Leaf, Tender Leaf, All Red.

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Arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia). as well called Chinese arrowhead, swamp potato, and kuwai. The tubers of arrowhead are eaten; bitter when raw but full-flavored like a nutty sweet potato when cooked. Roast, or boil like a potato. Best grown in boggy soil set about 3 to 6 inches below the surface of the water; leave room for root to grow. Harvest tubers all season long. Store for winter in water garden that will not freeze.

Adzuki bean (Vigna angularis). as well know as aduki bean or red beans and in Japan as azuki. A sweeter flavor than most beans. Young beans can be served like snow peas after brief cooking. Puree after simmering dry beans. Cook dried beans like navy beans–just simmer about 40 minutes until tender. Sow ½ inch deep; sow 2 to 3 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart; no need to thin. For green beans harvest when beans just begin to show in pod; for dried beans allow to mature, about 120 days.

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Mung bean (Vigna radiae). as well called Chinese green bean and known in India as green gram or golden gram. Not ordinaryly grown in home gardens; mung beans are easy to sprout and frequently used for sprouting. Young pods can be eaten like snow peas; shelled beans can be boiled. Sow when dangerous of frost is past. Sow ½ inch deep and 6 to 8 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart. Grow on pole, fence, or trellis. Harvest immature pods to eat in pods after 90 days; for dried beans, let bean pods dry on plant and harvest at 120 days. Varieties: look for green or golden. For sprouting see article “Vegetable Seeds for Sprouting.”

Yard-long bean (Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedalis). as well called asparagus bean and Chinese long bean, Green beans can be boiled briefly and served; as well use in stir-fry. Beans can as well be dried. Plant when soil has warmed in spring and no dangerous of frost. Sow seed ½ inch deep, allow 4 inches between plants. Grow on poles or on teepees. Best harvested when immature when bean has scarcely swollen in pod. For dry beans harvest about 90 days after sowing. Try varieties: 3-Feet Plus, Chinese Red Noodle Beans, Canton White Pod.

Water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis). Water chestnuts are not nuts but edible roots grown in rich very wet soil; the “chestnuts” form in the mud at the base of stems and are about the size of a walnut. Used for their nutty flavor and crispness. Eat raw or cooked, added at the end of cooking. Slice thin for salads, stir-fry, or add to soup. Grow in soil immersed about three inches below water level. Water chestnuts mature in about six months but can be gathered sooner. Store roots out of water in cool, moist place where they won’t freeze.

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum). Fresh leaves tender and young will add zest to salads as well can be minced and sprinkled. Use cilantro at the end of cooking cycle in stews or soups. The seed–called coriander–has a spicy citrus-orange flavor; use to flavor breads, puddings, and pastries. Sow seed from timely spring through late summer. scarcely cover seeds with soil; thin to 6 inches apart; sow successively for fresh cuttings. Leaves are ready for harvest in 50 days, seeds in 90 to 100 or more days. Try varieties: Asia Choice, Glory TW, Slow Bolt Winner.

Asian cucumber (Cucumis sativus). as well called Chinese cucumber or long cucumber; burpless cucumbers. Served sliced and marinated, stuffed, sautéed or cooked with other vegetables and meats. Sow when ground is warm in spring. Sow seed ½ inch deep, thin to 12 inches apart. Grow on trellis or fence. Harvest frequently, daily is best. Harvest 60 days after sowing. Try varieties: Hybrid Crisp Winner, Hybrid Malai, Hybrid White Star.

Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva). Flower buds are eaten fresh and dried, sometimes served as “golden needles.” Buds are cut into lengths to serve with meat and vegetables; stir-fry or cook tempura-style. Daylilies grow from fleshy tuberous roots. To plant, set fleshy roots just below soil level, dig in compost and water well. Harvest buds when they are plump but before they open. Fleshy roots and young leaves can as well be eaten. Varieties: look for Hemerocallis fulva and Lilium lancifolium.

Chinese eggplant (Solanum melongena). as well called aubergine. Asian eggplant is not bitter and does not need peeling. Serve fried, baked, or roasted or stuffed and roasted; as well can be pickled. Eggplants require a long, warm season; typically started indoors a month before setting out; do not set out until the weather is warm and settled at least two weeks after the last frost. Sow ½ inch deep. Requires side-dress feeding and regular, deep watering during the season. Ready for harvest 60 to 75 days after transplanting into the garden; best picked immature when skin is glossy and smooth. Try varieties: Ping Tung, Hybrid Purple Excel, Ma-Zu Purple.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale). Grown as a spice: use ginger root with main dishes and desserts, salad or stews. Ginger adds zest to many meat dishes; it get rid ofs fishy odors or seadiet. Best started from root indoors and planted outdoors in late spring when all dangerous of frost has passed. Start new planting from a clean root cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces with at least one “eye” per section. Plant 2 inches deep in a 6-inch pot. Plant will develop numerous reedy shoots. Harvest shoots whenever after plant is 3 inches high. Harvest immature, rosy-pink roots as “green ginger” in three to four months. Mature roots can be dug up after the plan has died back.

Fuzzy gourd (Benincasa hispida var. chieh-gua). Outside coat is fuzzy like a peach and must be removed. as well called hairy melon, hairy gourd, and hairy cucumber. Eaten like a vegetable rather than a fruit; use in the same ways as yellow summer squash and zucchini for soup, bread, casseroles, and stir-frying. Sow seed 1 inch deep, 2 inches apart next to a pole or trellis; must be staked so fruits hang. Harvest in 75 to 80 days. Try varieties: Severn Star Long, Chiang Shin Joker, Fuzzy Star RF1 Hybrid.

Chinese lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). as well called Chinese lotus or sacred lotus, varyent from Egyptian lotus (Nymphaea lotus) or water lily. All parts of Chinese lotus are edible raw or cooked. Add leaves to salad, add petals to cold soup or use as salad garnish; add sliced roots to other vegetables raw or dip in batter and fry as tempura. Grow from rhizome in full sun; set rhizome in horizontal position sprouts will point upward at a slight angle. A single plant requires a 25 gallon container and will grow to fill space. Set root in pot with from 6 to 10 inches of warm water on top of the soil line. Once planted keep in warm, not cold, water. Growing season from late spring to timely autumn. Buds, flowers, and seedpods all come to harvest at the same time. Root can grow to 4 feet and can be harvested in segments; break apart roots to store in winter. Store in winter where roots will not freeze.

Luffa (Luffa acutangula, L. cylindrical). The leaves and flower buds are edible when young; the fruit is edible when immature. Prepare the fruit like zucchini: simmer, stir-fry, stuff. Sow after the soil warms in spring; luffa requires a long, warm season of 115 days from sowing to harvest. Sow 1 inch deep; sow two or three seeds every 3 feet and thin to the strongest plant. Side-dress with an all-purpose fertilizer every three weeks and keep well watered. Ready for picking when gourds are 4 to 6 inches long. Try varieties: L. acutangula: Summer Long, Hybrid Green Glory; for L. cylindrical: Hybrid Summer Cross, Hybrid Smooth Beauty, Southern Winner.

Biller melon (Momordica charantia). as well called bitter gourd, balsam pear, and kerala. This is a fruit eaten as a vegetable. Young leaves can be steamed as greens. Stir-fry or stuff and cook. Sow when dangerous of frost is past and soil has warmed. Grows best on a fence or trellis. Sow seed 1 inch deep, 6 to 8 inches apart. Side-dress with fish emulsion every three weeks and keep well watered. Pick when fruits are no longer than 6 inches otherwise the flavor will be bitter. Try varieties: Taiwan Large, Hong Kong Green, Hybrid White Pearl.

Pickling melon (Cucumis melon Conomon Group). Use any standard pickle recipe to make sweet or sour pickle, will be ready in a week refrigerated or three months in salt, vinegar, and sugar with chilis. Sow when dangerous of frost is past. Sow ½ inch deep, 4 inches apart and thin to 8 inches apart. stretching vine can be grown on trellis. Harvest in 65 days. Try varieties: Green Striped, Shimauri Stripe, Numame timely.

Sweet melon (Cucumis melo). Similar to but better tasting than honeydews and cantaloupes. Use in desserts and fruit salads; very sweet and fragrant. All melons require long, very warm growing season. Sow when soil has warmed in spring; sow in hills of rich soil; four seeds per hills, hills spaced 4 feet apart. Support fruits off ground if probable. Harvest 115 to 130 days from sowing. Try these varieties: Hybrid Gold Sweet, Hybrid Jade King, Hybrid Golden Liner.

Winter melon (Benincasa hispida). as well called white or wax gourd. Use in stir-fried or in seadiet curries and frequently pickled and prepared like pickled watermelon rind. A large oblong or round melon requiring a long, very warm growing season of about 150 days. Sow seed 1 inch deep and 10 inches apart. Try varieties: Hybrid Wonder Wax, Round Tong Gwa, Hybrid Small Round.

Hot pepper (Capsicum frutescens). Hot peppers unlike sweet peppers are not eaten as a vegetable rather they are added to cookery as a seasoning or herb. Grow in the warm season; peppers will not tolerate frost. Sow seeds ½ inch deep in a shallow container to grow on for transplanting out to garden. Sturdy seedlings can go to the garden after weather and soil has warmed. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart. Peppers can be harvested at almost any stage; color indicated the age of a pepper–green or yellow is timely, orange is maturing, red is mature. Allow 65 to 85 days from transplanting for harvest. Try varieties: Chi-Chien, Hybrid Golden Hot, Goat Horn.

Chinese pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima, C. moschata). as well called Oriental pumpkin, Oriental squash, Asian squash, kabotcha. Like winter squash use Chinese pumpkin in soups, pies, pureed, baked or fried. Start indoors 4 weeks before soil warms or sow in place in long, warm growing season regions. Grow in hills near trellis or support. Sow 1 inch deep, three to four feet apart. Require constant moisture. Harvest in 130 days. Try varieties: Asian Gold, Hybrid Papaya Golden, Hybrid Sunday Sweet.
Sesame (Sesamium indicum). Grow sesame for seed to be used as a snack, as a garnish, add to stir-fry dishes or press into crust of pies. Seeds can be toasted in oil to add flavor. Sow plants in spring after soil has warmed; requires a long growing season of 90 to 150 days. Sow seed ½ inch deep and 1 inch apart; thin plants to 3 feet apart. Seedpods burst when ripe, but no all pods burst as the same time. Harvest before leaves and stems start to turn color; begin harvest when bottom seeds begin to turn tan: cut the whole plants and hang upside down in a paper bag. Try varieties: Black Seed, White Seed.

Soybean (Glycine max). Eat as a green vegetable, the Japanese name is edamame, or as a dry bean. A source of soy milk and cheese. Soy sauce is made from fermented soybeans. Green soybeans can be cook in their pods until tender for edamame; shelled green soybeans have a mild, nutty flavor. Soybean sprouts can be used as a fresh vegetable in winter. Sow after the soil has warmed in spring. Sow 1½ inches deep, 5 inches apart, in rows 24 inches apart. Harvest 75 days after sowing for green beans, 115 days after sowing for dry beans. Try varieties: Taiwame, Green Legend, Late Giant Black Seeded.

Violet-stemmed taro (Colocasia esculenta ‘Fontanesii’). as well called black taro and black elephant ear. Violet-stemmed taro is grown mostly for its foliage in Western countries; in Asia plant is grown for its root. Use taro in any potato recipe typically baked; as well peel, slice and cook until tender and serve with dressing. Grow in pot of soil immersed in water to about 4 inches from soil to water level; space roots in pot evenly. Foliage will die back in fall, harvest roots then. Store roots in winter at 32°F in cool, moist place; do not let the roots dry out. Other varieties: green taro (Colocasia esculenta) as well called dasheen.

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale). Use watercress in sandwiches, cream cheese, yogurt; use as a garnish for hot or cold soup; add sprigs to mixed green salad; use in stir-fry or in tempura. Start seed in timely spring for best results. Requires wet feet–cool water. Grow from seeds or sprigs; root springs in fresh water. Just cover seeds with moist soil. Must stay moist through growing cycle; grow in shade. Harvest whenever you like but before flowering; grows to maturity from seed in about 60 days; harvest as timely as 10 days.
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Craftsman Cultivator Attachment

This sturdy cultivator attachment is perfect for small gardens. Tines are adjustable for different path widths.

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Homegrown vegetables offer many options that store bought varieties do not. Most stores carry one or two varieties of commercially produced tomatoes, melons, potatoes, etc.

Growing your vegetables at home offers numerous choices. A home vegetable gardener can choose to grow heirloom vegetables that have been around for hundreds of years. A real advantage of growing heirloom varieties is the seeds are open pollinated meaning it is possible to save seeds of favorite varieties from year to year.

Another plus to growing vegetables is that it is a great way to save money, something everyone is looking to do these days.

Preserve What You Grow

Another advantage of growing vegetables at home is there are more storage options available. Some varieties of vegetables were bred so people could keep their produce throughout the winter. An example of this is the heirloom winter storage yellow watermelon.

This particular watermelon had yellow flesh and will keep at least until February under proper storage conditions. There are tomatoes that have been bred to produce under cool conditions so that a longer harvest can be achieved.

Varieties such as the Burpee Long Keeper Tomato will store up to twelve weeks after harvest.

Unusual Colorful Vegetables

Growing vegetables can be fun. Choosing unusual colors such as blue, black or green corn can add variety to your palate and delight younger family members. Carrots come in a wide variety of colors too. There are purple, yellow, white and of course, the familiar orange carrot to choose from.

While most colored vegetables will change to a normal color as they are cooked, that is not the case with all vegetables. A great example of this is the Peruvian Purple Potato. This potato is a perfect choice for spicing up a dull meal. Mashed potatoes will be purple in color and many cooks add chunks of this potato to their potato salad to give it some real flare.

With a bit of research every gardener in every location is sure to find some unusual varieties of vegetables that is sure to please their palate and fit into their gardening season schedule. Don’t forget to include the youngsters in the decision making. Children love to grow things and sometimes allowing them to grow their own vegetables is a great way to encourage them to clean up their plates.

Who knows, you could just be starting a lifetime of healthy habits as well as learning to enjoy the time you have together as a family more, not to mention the fact that growing your own vegetables is a great way to save on the grocery bill.

visit to see wide range of  ORGANIC VEGETBLE SEEDS and

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The potato is one of the most versatile vegetables you can put on your plate. You can mash them, dice them, and slice them. Did you know you can even grow them? But I live in the city, you tell me. No excuse! Growing potatoes is one of the easiest vegetables to grow and they look great on the patio right up till harvest.

Potatoes, a long standing staple for many cooks, will grow in almost any part of the world. They can fill an acre of farmland or decorate your patio. All you need is a container, some good soil, and a few potatoes that have been setting around long enough to begin growing “eyes.” The “eyes” are actually the sprouts or buds that will start the growth of a new plant. If you leave a potato sit for a few weeks you will see the sprouts begin.

Your patio container can be of any size or style. Anything from a plastic tub (like the ones you use to store Christmas decorations) to an old whiskey barrel will work, but I prefer to use decorative clay pots. Make sure what ever container you choose will have drainage holes so the potatoes do not sit in water. The process is simple.

First, fill your container with at least two inches of soil. Cut your potato in pieces so each piece contains at least one “eye” and lay the “eye” facing up on the soil in your container. Next cover the potato “eye” with another two inches of soil. Keep the soil moist and water when it starts to dry. As your new potato plant begins to spout and grow, you will continue to add soil to cover the new growth. Allow at least two inches of stem to emerge before adding soil. Continue adding soil to cover the stem until your container is full. The deeper your container, the more potatoes you will harvest. The potatoes will grow on the stem with the larger potatoes at the bottom.

If you live in a cold area, wait till the last frost has appeared before your begin your planting. If you live in a warm climate, you may plant year long. As the potato plant grows, it produces a nice green leafy top which looks very nice on any patio. As the potato plant matures, the tops will begin to brown and wither. This is your clue to begin your harvest. You can leave the potato crop in the soil for 4-6 weeks; but, once you dig through your container and gather your new potatoes, wash and store them in a cool place.

There could be a farmer in you that is just jumping at the chance to impress the neighbors. And what could be more impressive than hosting a dinner party with home grown potatoes. Not the usual past time or hobby of most. Think of the interesting conversation that will be be generated as you pass the potatoes.

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You should use indoors to monitor the ambient general temperatures surrounding your seed environment. You also can use a heating mat to give your seeds a head start.

Make sure that the soil isn’t getting too hot.
For general seed germination, the soil temperature should be in the 60-75 degree range.

If your soil temperature is staying too warm, then the heat needs to be turned down or preferable off in the room where the seed flats are at. Seedlings like a night time soil temperature of 50-60 degrees so the plant can harden off gradually.

I had my heat mats plugged into my timer so at night when the lights and fan turned off, so did the heat mats. Once the seeds have germinated, turn off the heat mats permanently. They don’t need them and you want your seedlings to grow up stout and ready to go outside in the real world.

Consider the following information about soil temperature when you are going to plant vegetables.

• 60 F – tomatoes, cucumbers, snap beans
• 65 F – sweet corn, lima beans, mustard greens
• 70 F – peppers, watermelons, squash, southern peas
• 75 F – okra, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes

Tips for vegetables growing

• Organic pest control begins with healthy soil. It produces healthy plants, which are better able to withstand disease and insect damage.

• Specimen plants which need a warmer climate zone than you have do well in sheltered, south-facing walls. The wall acts as a solar collector, absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night, creating a small zone that is warmer than the rest of the garden.