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20 - 1Chapter 20, The Idaho Master Gardener Program Handbook

I. Beans, Snap 2

II. Beets 3

III. Broccoli 4

IV. Brussels Sprouts 5

V. Cabbage 7

VI. Cantaloupes 8

VII. Carrots 9

VIII. Cauliflower 10

IX. Cucumber 12

X. Eggplant 13

XI. Kohlrabi 14

XII. Lettuce 15

XIII. Onions 16

XIV. Peas 18

XV. Peppers 19

XVI. Pumpkin 20

XVII. Radish 21

XVIII.Summer Squash 22

XIX. Sweet Corn 24

XX. Swiss Chard 25

XXI. Tomatoes 26

XXII. Turnips 27

XXIII.Watermelon 29

XXIV. Winter Squash 30

Further Reading 31

20ChapterVegetables


I. Beans, SnapA. Food Value

A pound of raw green bean pods brokeninto 1- or 2-inch lengths yields about 3 2/3cups of cooked beans. They are composedof 90.1 percent water, 145 calories, 8.6grams of protein, 0.9 gram of fat, and 32.2grams of carbohydrates.

B. DescriptionSnap beans grown from the immature podoriginated in Central America and werewidely distributed by the Indians, basicallyas bush and pole beans. Bush beans ripenearlier, but pole bean yields are higher.

C. Yield Per PersonIt is estimated that each person will con-sume 6 to 12 pounds of garden fresh beansand 12 to 14 pounds of canned or frozenbeans per year. Each foot of row spaceplanted to beans produces an average of0.35 to 0.5 pound of snap beans. A 20- to30-foot row of beans produces enoughbeans for one person.

D. SeedbedBeans do best on sandy loam soil thatwarms up early in the spring and has a soilpH from 7.0 to 7.5 but can tolerate a soil pHnear 8.0. Cultivate the soil for plantingwhen the moisture in the soil allows the for-mation of a soil ball that crumbles intopieces under finger pressure. Cultivate tomix crop residues and organic matter into

the top 7 to 8 inches of soil, destroy currentweed growth, and provide a granular soilbed for seeding. Overcultivation causes thesoil to become powdery or to crust.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed beans is after the lastkilling frost in the spring, when day tem-perature is 65°F and the night is expected toaverage above 55°F. Select early maturingvarieties that ripen in 55 to 70 days.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 6 to 8Row width 18 to 30 inchesGermination 6 to 14 daysSeed depth 1 1/2 to 2 inchesOunce per foot 0.13Plant spacing 2 to 4 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsBeans need a warm soil to grow and goodspacing for sunlight. Some gardeners aretempted to soak their seeds before planting.This practice injures many of the bean vari-eties, and could result in poor germinationand diseased, weak plants.

H. FertilizerBeans are a legume and can produce someof their own nitrogen (N) because of their Nfixation ability. The seed may be inoculatedwith rhizobium to stimulate additional fixa-tion. To supplement this, add a preplant fer-tilizer of 0.2 pound of N for each 100 squarefeet. After the first heavy bloom and set ofpods, sidedress with 1 1/2 ounces of ammo-nium sulfate.The amount of fertilizer applied should bebased on a soil test report from the Univer-sity of Idaho Analytical Laboratory or a pri-vate testing laboratory. Plants are easilyover- or under-fertilized.

Chapter 20

VegetablesG. F. Gardner

George F. Gardner, Former Extension Educator, Bannock County, Pocatello

Acknowledgment

The author compiled information for Chapters 19and 20 from the Virginia, Utah, Oregon, and Wash-ington Master Gardener handbooks and adapted it toIdaho conditions.


I. CultivationCultivate (shallow) when necessary to re-move other plant competition. Deep cultiva-tion close to the plants destroys much of theroot system and reduces yield and quality.

J. WateringBeans have a water stress point of 60 per-cent. When the percentage of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. To estimate water percentage,take a handful of soil at the 6-inch depth andsqueeze it into a ball in your hand. If itforms a ball and your hand feels like it has afilm of water on it, the soil moisture will be60 percent or higher. If the soil moisture isbelow 60 percent, you will not feel the filmof water on your hand, and it is time to wa-ter again. Plant growth can suffer from toomuch or too little water. The symptoms willbe the same. As the percentage of soil mois-ture drops the oxygen level in the soil in-creases.

K. InsectsLygus bugs, nitidulid beetles, aphids includ-ing the bean aphid, army worms and cut-worms, grasshoppers, pea leaf weevil, cornmaggot, slug, spider mites, cucumberbeetles, and wireworms create problems inbeans.

L. DiseasesCommon diseases include brown spot, curlytop, halo blight, mosaics, necrosis, root rot,rust, sclerotinia disease, white mold, seedrot, and seedling blight.

M.HarvestingBeans can be harvested when pods are 3inches long but before the seed is muchlarger than the diameter of a pencil lead.Harvest every 3 to 4 days to prevent overmaturity. Frequent picking stimulates theplants to produce new pods and helps to en-sure a heavy harvest. Disturbing wet vinesspreads rust and other diseases.

II. BeetsA. Food Value

A pound of raw, peeled, common red beetsconsists of 90.9 percent water, 5.0 grams of

protein, 0.5 gram of fat, 23.7 grams of carbo-hydrates, and 145 calories.

B. DescriptionBeets are native to the Mediterranean areaof north Africa, Europe, and west Asia.They are cool weather biennials that aregrown as annuals for their leaves and roots.The roots may be round, flat, or elongated.They are usually red in color, but there areseveral golden varieties.

C. Yield Per PersonOn the average, each person consumes 7 to12 pounds of fresh beets during a growingseason, and an additional 12.5 to 30 poundsof canned and frozen beets. Each foot ofrow space should produce approximately1.25 pounds of beets.

D. SeedbedBeets grow best in sandy loam and peatsoils. Heavy clay soils can be improved bythe addition of organic matter. Seedbedpreparation should start when the soil hassufficient moisture to form a ball thatcrumbles into medium-sized fragments.Cultivate to mix crop residues and organicmatter into the top 7 to 8 inches of soil, de-stroy current weeds, and provide a smallgranular-type bed for planting. Overculti-vated soil becomes powdery and has a ten-dency to crust. The ideal pH for beets isfrom 6.0 to 7.5, although a pH value near8.0 is acceptable.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed beets is 2 to 4 weeksbefore the last killing frost in the springwhen soil temperature is 50°F or above. Se-lect early maturing varieties that ripen in 55to 65 days.

F. Planting Specifications:Ounce per foot 0.01Seed per foot 15 to 20Row width 2 to 18 inchesGermination 10 to 15 daysSeed depth 1/2 to 1 inchPlant spacing 2 to 3 inchesRow spacing 12 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsBeets need a cool soil to grow and goodspacing for sunlight. Their frost tolerance is


moderate. They are not harmed by springand fall frosts, but their roots may becometough during hot weather. The seed of beetsis actually a dried fruit or seed ball contain-ing several tiny true seeds. Heat, drought, orcrusting of the soil surface interferes withseed germination and emergence. Make suc-cessive plantings 3 weeks apart to ensure acontinuous supply of young beets.

H. FertilizerPreplant fertilizer is a recommended 0.2pound of N for each 100 square feet. Nosidedressing is required. The amount of fer-tilizer applied should be based on a soil testreport from the University of Idaho Analyti-cal Laboratory or a private testing labora-tory. Plants may be over- or under-fertil-ized.

I. CultivationUse shallow cultivation when necessary toremove other plant competition. Deep culti-vation close to the plants destroys much ofthe root system and reduces yield and quality.

J. WateringBeets have a water stress point of 50 per-cent. When the percentage of water in soildrops below this level, the plants will startto dehydrate, and growth will be sloweddown or stopped. To estimate the water per-centage take a handful of soil at the 6-inchdepth and squeeze it into a ball in yourhand. If it forms a ball but feels dry, the soilmoisture will be 50 percent or higher. If thesoil moisture is below 50 percent, the ballwill be fragile and break apart with slightpressure, and it is time to water again. Plantgrowth can suffer from too much or too littlewater. The symptoms will be the same. Plantsneed water, oxygen, and nutrients to grow.

K. InsectsAlfalfa looper, army worm, cutworms, fleabeetles, two-spotted mite, variegated cut-worm, zebra caterpillar, and nematodes arecommon beet pests.

L. DiseasesDisease problems include boron deficiency,curly top, damping-off, downy mildew, andleaf spot.

M.HarvestingBeets can be harvested as soon as the rootsare large enough to use. Early thinning iscritical for beets to develop large, tenderroots. Leave 2 inches between plants. Thetops of beets removed during thinning canbe used for “greens.” Beets are ready to bepulled up for their roots 8 to 9 weeks afterseeds are sown. Roots are most tender whenless than 2 inches across. Harvest for stor-age before roots become woody. Pull thebeet and cut off the tops, but leave 1 to 1 1/2inches of top above the crown. To see ifroots are ready for use, push the soil awayfrom the top of the beet and check its size.

III. BroccoliA. Food Value

A pound of broccoli stalks (head or budclusters, stem, and leaves) consists of 89.1percent water, 16.3 grams of protein, 1.4grams of fat, 26.8 grams of carbohydrates,and 145 calories.

B. DescriptionBroccoli is a member of the cabbage familywith similar requirements and problems. Itwas developed in southern Europe andbrought to America by immigrants. Theplant has a loose flower head on a tall,green, branching stalk. The flower heads areformed both terminally and laterally. Theplant may grow to 3 to 5 feet tall.

C. Yield Per PersonIt is estimated that each person consumes 3to 5 pounds of fresh broccoli during a grow-ing season and an additional 5 to 6 poundsof frozen broccoli each year. Each foot ofrow space produces about 0.75 pound ofbroccoli.

D. SeedbedBroccoli will grow in most soils from sandto clay. Seedbed preparation should startwhen the soil has sufficient moisture toform a ball that crumbles into medium-sizedfragments. Cultivate mix crop residues andorganic matter into the top 7 to 8 inches ofsoil, destroy weed growth, and provide asmall granular-type bed for transplanting.Overcultivated soil becomes powdery and


has a tendency to crust. The ideal pH forbroccoli is from 6.0 to 7.0, but values near8.0 are acceptable.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed broccoli is 6 to 8weeks before transplanting when soil tem-perature is 50°F or above. The varietyshould have an early maturity date and besuitable for weather conditions in the areaplanted. The maturity date should be 60 to80 days after transplanting. Plant in contain-ers inside for early crops and transplant afterlast frost.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 3 to 4Row width 24 to 30 inchesGermination 3 to 10 daysSeed depth 1/2 inchPlant spacing 20 to 24 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsBroccoli needs a cool soil to grow and goodspacing for sunlight. If transplants are pur-chased, they should be stocky and from 4 to6 inches tall.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended. Threeweeks after transplanting, sidedress with1 1/2 ounces of ammonium sulfate (south-ern Idaho) or ammonium nitrate (northernIdaho) per 10 feet of row. The amount offertilizer applied should be based on a soiltest report from the University of IdahoAnalytical Laboratory or a private testinglaboratory. Plants may be over- or under-fertilized.

I. CultivationUse shallow cultivation when necessary toremove other plant competition. Deep culti-vation close to the plants destroys much of theroot system and reduces yield and quality.

J. WateringBroccoli has a water stress point of 60 per-cent. When the percentage of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percentage of water in thesoil can be estimated by taking a handful ofsoil at the 6-inch depth and squeezing it into

a ball in your hand. If it forms a ball andyour hand feels like it has a film of water onit, the soil moisture will be 60 percent orhigher. If the soil moisture is below 60 per-cent, you will not feel the film of water onyour hand, and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisturedrops, the oxygen level in the soil increases.Plants need water, oxygen, and nutrients togrow.

K. InsectsAphids, cabbage maggots, cabbage worm,cabbage looper, diamond back moth, fleabeetles, spider mites, and wireworms arecommon broccoli pests.

L. DiseasesDiseases include bacterial soft rot, club root,and downy mildew.

M.HarvestingBroccoli should be harvested when the cen-ter head is 4 to 6 inches across, but beforethe buds separate or open. Lateral buds willdevelop into smaller heads after the terminalhead is removed. When a head is ready foruse, cut the stem 3 inches below the flowerbuds.

IV. Brussels SproutsA. Food Value

A pound of Brussels sprouts consists of 85.2percent water, 22.2 grams of protein, 1.8grams of fat, 37.6 grams of carbohydrates,and 204 calories.

B. DescriptionBrussels sprouts originated in Europe, theprincipal location being Brussels, Belgium.They resemble small cabbages but require alonger growing season. Each plant grows toabout 2 1/2 feet tall, bearing small cabbagelike buds along its stem. Each stem maybear as many as 100 1- to 2-inch ball-likesprouts.

C. Yield Per PersonOn the average, each person eats from 1.5 to3.75 pounds of fresh Brussels sprouts duringa growing season and uses an additional3.75 to 6 pounds of canned or frozen sprouts


during the year. Each foot of row space pro-duces about 0.5 pound of Brussels sprouts.From 3.5 to 8.5 feet of row space per personshould be planted for fresh use during thegrowing season and an additional 3.5 to 14feet for canning or freezing.

D. SeedbedBrussels sprouts are adaptable to differentsoils as long as the soils are fertile, havegood texture, and are moist. Brusselssprouts mature less rapidly than cabbage.Seedbed preparation should start when thesoil has sufficient moisture to form a mudball that you can crumble into medium-sized fragments. Cultivation should mixcrop residues and organic matter in the top 7to 8 inches of soil, destroy current weedgrowth, and provide a small granular-typebed for transplanting. Overcultivated soilbecomes powdery and has a tendency tocrust. The ideal pH for Brussels sprouts isfrom 6.0 to 7.5; they do well in Idaho’s soil,which ranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to plant Brussels sprouts seedin containers is 4 to 6 weeks before trans-planting in the garden, when soil tempera-ture is 40°F or above. Seed planted in thegarden for later maturing plants should beinserted into the soil as soon as the soil canbe cultivated, 6 to 8 weeks before the lastkilling frost. The variety of Brussels sproutsplanted should have an early maturity dateand be suited for weather conditions in thearea planted. The maturity date should be 80to 90 days after transplanting.

F. Planting specifications—Seed per foot 3 to 4Row width 24 to 30 inchesGermination 3 to 10 daysSeed depth 1/4 to 1/2 inchPlanting space 18 to 24 inches

G. FertilizerBrussels sprouts require good fertility andmoisture. A preplant fertilizer of 0.2 poundof N for each 100 square feet is recom-mended. When the plants are one-thirdgrown, sidedress with 1 1/2 ounces of am-monium sulfate in high pH soils or ammo-nium nitrate in low pH soils per 10 feet of

row. The amount of fertilizer applied shouldbe based on a soil test report from the Uni-versity of Idaho Analytical Laboratory or aprivate testing laboratory. Plants may beover- or under-fertilized.

H. CultivationWhen necessary, cultivation should be shal-low to remove other plant competition.Deep cultivation close to the plants will de-stroy much of the root system and reduceyield and quality. Hilling soil up around themain stem of the cabbage may stimulateearly heading.

I. WateringBrussels sprouts have a stress point of 55percent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent of water in the soilcan be estimated by taking a handful of soilat the 6-inch depth and squeezing it into aball in your hand. If it forms a ball and yourhand feels like it is moist but does not leavea film of water on it, the soil moisture willbe 55 percent or above. If the soil moistureis below 55 percent, the moisture will not befelt on your hand, and it is time to wateragain.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisturedrops the oxygen level in the soil increases.Plants need water, oxygen, and nutrients togrow.

J. InsectsAphids, flea beetles, cabbage looper, gardensymphylans, slugs, thrips, and cauliflowerhead maggot are common pests.

K. DiseasesBrussels sprouts diseases are minimal inIdaho but may include bacterial soft rot,blackleg, club rot, and sprout rot.

L. HarvestingRemove lower leaves as sprouts start to en-large. Harvest sprouts as they become solidat about 1 to 2 inches in diameter. The low-est sprouts will mature first. To speed upsprout maturity pinch off the tip of eachplant in late August or early September,


however, this may reduce the total yield ofthe plant by as much as one third. Break thesprouts from the stalk. The tastiest sproutswill be those that mature after the first fallfrost.

M.StorageWhen night temperatures drop to 20°F on aregular basis, dig up the plants with a littlesoil remaining around the roots. Put theminto a deep cold frame or in an unheateddark garage. They will continue to grow un-til all the sprouts mature.

V. CabbageA. Food Value

A pound of cabbage consists of 92.4 percentwater, 5.9 grams of protein, 0.9 gram of fat,24.5 grams of carbohydrates, and an aver-age of 109 calories.

B. DescriptionCabbage ranks as one of the most importanthomegrown crops. It may be globular, flat,or flowery and green, red, or purple. It wasdeveloped from wild leafy nonheadingplants native to Europe.

C. Yield Per PersonOn the average each person eats 4 to 5pounds of fresh cabbage during a growingseason, and an additional 6 to 12 pounds ofcanned or frozen cabbage during the year.Each foot of row space produces about 1.5pounds of cabbage. Plant 5 to 6 feet of rowspace per person for fresh use during thegrowing season and an additional 7.5 to 15feet for canning.

D. SeedbedCabbage is adaptable to different soils aslong as they are fertile, have good texture,and are moist. Start seedbed preparationwhen the soil has enough moisture to form amud ball that will crumble into medium-sized fragments. Mix crop residues and or-ganic matter into the top 7 to 8 inches ofsoil, destroy current weed growth, and pro-vide a small granular-type bed for trans-planting. Overcultivated soil is powdery andhas a tendency to crust. The ideal pH forcabbage growth is 6.0 to 7.5, and they do wellin Idaho soil, which ranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to plant cabbage seed is 5 to 7weeks before transplanting in containers.Large cabbage transplants may produceseed stalks if subjected to 3 to 4 weeks of40° to 50°F weather. To help prevent thisproblem, plant out transplants when thestem is about the size of a pencil lead whensoil temperature is 50°F or higher. Seedsplanted in the garden for later maturingplants should be inserted into the soil assoon as the soil can be cultivated, 6 to 8weeks before the last killing frost. Selectcabbage varieties suited to weather condi-tions in the area planted. Maturity datesshould be 65 to 95 days after transplanting.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 8 to 10Row width 24 to 30 inchesGermination 4 to 10 daysSeed depth 1/4 to 1/2 inchPlant spacing 4 to 6 inches

G. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended.When the plants are one-third grown,sidedress with 1 1/2 ounces of ammoniumsulfate in alkaline soils and ammonium ni-trate in acid soils per 10 feet of row. Theamount of fertilizer applied should be basedon a soil test report from the University ofIdaho Analytical Laboratory or a privatetesting laboratory. Plants may be over- orunder-fertilized.

H. CultivationCultivation should be shallow, when neces-sary, to remove other plant competition.Deep cultivation close to the plants will de-stroy much of the root system and reduceyield and quality. Hilling soil up around themain stem of the cabbage may stimulateearly heading.

I. WateringCabbages have a water stress point of 55percent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. To estimate water percentage,take a handful of soil at the 6-inch depth and


squeeze it into a ball in your hand. If itforms a ball and your hand feels like it isdamp but does not have a film of water onit, the soil moisture will be 55 percent orabove. If the soil moisture is below 55 per-cent, the dampness of water will not be felton your hand, and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisture dropsthe oxygen level in the soil increases. Plantsneed water, oxygen, and nutrients to grow.

J. InsectsAphids, flea beetles, cabbage looper, blisterbeetles, diamond back moth, wireworms,and the imported cabbage worm are com-mon cabbage pests.

K. DiseasesCabbage diseases, minimal in Idaho, mayinclude bacterial soft rot, blackleg, club rot,damping off and wire stem, downy mildew,drop or watery soft rot, leaf spot, and oedema.

L. HarvestingCabbage is ready to harvest 50 to 65 daysafter transplanting. The heads should besolid but must be picked before they crack.Soft heads have poor quality. Heads maysplit during hot weather if there is an oversupply of water. Reducing irrigation ortwisting the mature heads part of the wayaround to sever half the roots will allow ma-ture cabbage to stay in the garden longerwithout losing quality. Plants harvestedearly in the summer and left with as manyleaves as possible will often develop smallheads on the stem next to the base of theleaves. These heads are edible and shouldbe picked when firm.

M.StorageCabbage freeze at about 30°F. For storage,place mature cabbages in a pit, trench, oroutdoor cellar. The temperature should be asnear 32°F as possible but at least 40°F orbelow. Humidity should be high. Storedcabbages will last into early winter.

VI. CantaloupesA. Food Value

A pound of raw cantaloupe consists of 91.2percent water, 3.2 grams of protein, 0.5

gram of fat, 34.0 grams of carbohydrates,and an average of 136 calories.

B. DescriptionCantaloupes are native to India. The plantshave separate male and female flowers onthe same vine and are cross-pollinated. Theydo not cross-pollinate with cucumbers,gourds, watermelons, squash, or pumpkins.Cantaloupes may develop a bitter flavor be-cause of cloudy weather, excessively hightemperatures, or too much or too little waterduring the ripening period. They need a lotof heat and a long growing season to ma-ture.

C. Yield Per PersonEach person eats about 8 to 10 cantaloupesduring the growing season. Each foot of rowspace produces about 1 pound of canta-loupe, and 8 to 10 feet of row will supplyone person.

D. SeedbedCantaloupes are adapted to most soils butgrow best in a fertile mellow soil with largeamounts of compost. Seedbed preparationshould start when the soil has sufficientmoisture to form a mud ball that willcrumble into medium-sized fragments. Mixcrop residues and organic matter into the top7 to 8 inches of soil, destroy current weedgrowth, and provide a small granular-typebed for transplanting. Overcultivated soilbecomes powdery and has a tendency tocrust. The ideal pH for cantaloupe growth isfrom 6.0 to 7.5, but the fruit does well inIdaho soil, which ranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to transplant cantaloupes inIdaho is 3 weeks after the last killing frost.When transplanting, soil temperature shouldbe 65°F or above, and night temperatureshould average above 55°F. Select varietiesthat ripen in 75 to 85 days after transplanting.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 1Ounce per foot 0.05Row width 60 to 72 inchesGermination 3 to 5 daysSeed depth 1 inchPlant spacing 36 to 72 inches


G. Planting SuggestionsCantaloupes need warm soil to grow andgood spacing for sunlight to ensure highsugar content and flavor. If transplants areused, they should be stocky. Soils should bewell drained and contain large amounts ofcompost or well-rotted manure. Clear plas-tic mulch can be used around the plants towarm the soil.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended. Oneweek after blossoming begins, sidedresswith 1 1/2 ounces of ammonium sulfate per10 feet of row. The amount of fertilizer ap-plied should be based on a soil test reportfrom the University of Idaho AnalyticalLaboratory or a private testing laboratory.Plants may be over- or under-fertilized.

I. CultivationCultivate no more than 1 inch deep to con-trol weeds.

J. WateringCantaloupes have a water stress point of 60percent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent of water in the soilcan be estimated by taking a handful of soilat the 6-inch depth and squeezing it into aball in your hand. If it forms a ball and yourhand feels like it has a film of water on it,the soil moisture will be 60 percent orabove. If the soil moisture is below 60 per-cent, the film of water will not be felt onyour hand and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisturedrops the oxygen level in the soil increases.Plants need water, oxygen, and nutrients togrow.

K. InsectsAphids, cucumber beetle, and squash bugare common pests.

L. DiseasesDiseases include Fusarium wilt, leaf blight,and powdery mildew.

M.HarvestingCantaloupes must ripen on the vine formaximum quality. Ripe fruit forms an ab-scission layer, and the stem loosens fromthe fruit. When the stem is nearly loose, thecantaloupe is said to be at the full slip stage.Softening of the blossom end, a change incolor of the base of the pedicel from greento waxy, and a strong cantaloupe smell areindications of ripeness. Cantaloupe har-vested before the full slip stage do not in-crease in sugar after picking.

VII. CarrotsA. Food Value

Carrots are a good source of vitamins A, B,B

2, and C, sugar, and iron. A pound of car-

rots consists of 88.2 percent water, 5.0grams of protein, 0.9 gram of fat, 44.0grams of carbohydrates, and an average of191 calories.

B. DescriptionCarrots are related to the wild flower QueenAnne’s Lace. They have bright green feath-ering foliage 10 to 12 inches tall and de-velop an orange yellow root.

C. Yield Per PersonEach person eats about 5 to 10 pounds offresh carrots and an additional 10 to 15pounds of canned or frozen carrots per year.Each foot of row space should produceabout 1 pound of carrots.

D. SeedbedCarrots grow best in sandy loam and peatsoils. Heavy clay soils can be improved bythe addition of organic matter. If you applymanure, do so sparingly and use only well-rotted manure to avoid rough, branchingcarrots. Seedbed preparation should startwhen the soil has sufficient moisture toform a mud ball that will crumble into me-dium-sized fragments. Cultivation shouldmix crop residues and organic matter in thetop 7 to 8 inches of soil. It should destroycurrent weed growth and provide a smallgranular-type bed for transplanting. Over-cultivated soil becomes powdery and has atendency to crust. The ideal pH for carrotgrowth is from 6.0 to 7.0, but it does well inIdaho soil, which ranges from 7.0 to 8.0.


E. Seed TimePlant carrots after the last killing frost in thespring when soil temperature is 40°F orabove. Their frost tolerance is moderate.Low temperature carrots grow long andhave pointed tips. High temperature carrotshave blunt tips. For an extended harvest,you can continue planting throughout thesummer until about 70 days before the lastexpected frost. Most varieties mature in 60to 70 days.

F. Planting Specifications:Ounce per foot 0.02Seed per foot 15 to 20Row width 14 to 24 inchesGermination 10 to 17 daysSeed depth 1/2 inchPlant spacing 1 to 2 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsCarrots prefer warm soil and need goodspacing for proper root development. A saltor pepper shaker can be used to scatterseeds in the row. For small gardens, trygrowing carrots in raised beds at least 12inches deep. A mixture of one-fifth gardensoil, two-fifths sand, and two-fifths compostor peat moss works well. Carrot seedlingsare tiny. Some gardeners mix a few radishseeds with the carrot seeds so they can seethe row.To prevent the soil from forming a crust thatwould inhibit the seedling’s growth, coverthe seeds with a light layer of compost,(sifted) grass clippings, and sawdust of ver-miculite. A film of clear plastic over theseedbed will speed up germination bywarming the soil, prevent crusting, and keepthe soil moist. Remove the plastic as soon asthe seedlings emerge. Thin seedlings to 2inches apart.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended. Nosidedressing is required. The amount of fer-tilizer applied should be based on a soil testreport from the University of Idaho Analyti-cal Laboratory or a private testing labora-tory. Excessive N causes carrots to split intoforks in the top half.

I. CultivationCultivation should be shallow, when neces-sary, to remove other plant competition.Deep cultivation close to the plants will de-stroy much of the root system and reduceyield and quality.

J. WateringCarrots have a water stress point of 55 per-cent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plants will startto dehydrate, and growth will be sloweddown or stopped. The percent of water inthe soil can be estimated by taking a handfulof soil at the 6-inch depth and squeezing itinto a ball in your hand. If it forms a ball,and your hand feels damp, but does not havea film of water on it, the soil moisture willbe 55 percent or above. If the soil moistureis below 55 percent, the dampness will notbe felt on your hand, and it is time to water.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisturedrops, the oxygen level in the soil increases.Plants need water, oxygen, and nutrients togrow.

K. InsectsThe following insects may cause problems:aphids, carrot rust fly, garden symphylan,wireworm, six-spotted leafhopper, and slug.

L. DiseasesDiseases include aster yellows, cottony softrot, damping-off, leaf spot, deaf blight, mot-ley dwarf virus, phytophthora root rot, andnematode soft rot.

M.HarvestingCarrots can be harvested as soon as theroots are the size of your little finger. Har-vest carrots before they become woody.

N. StorageCarrots can be stored throughout the fall andwinter in a pit, storage cellar, or coveredrow. Storage temperature should be as near32°F as possible. Humidity should be high.

VIII. CauliflowerA. Food Value

A pound of cauliflower with head and 4 to 6inches of stem consists of 91 percent water,


23.2 grams of protein, 1.7 grams of fat, 44.7grams of carbohydrates, and an average of232 calories.

B. DescriptionThe most delicate member of the cabbagefamily, cauliflower has similar requirementsand problems. It was developed in southernEurope and is grown for its flower buds,which are clustered together in a head orcurd. It may be difficult to grow because itrequires cool temperatures, constant mois-ture, and frequent fertilizing. Cauliflowerdoes not head up well in hot weather and isless tolerant of cold temperatures than cab-bage. It grows about 2 feet high and hasblue green leaves.

C. Yield Per PersonIt is estimated that each person eats from 3to 5 pounds of fresh cauliflower and 8 to 12pounds of canned or frozen cauliflower eachyear. Each foot of row space produces about1 pound of cauliflower.

D. SeedbedCauliflower grows in most soils from sandto clay. Seedbed preparation should startwhen the soil has sufficient moisture toform a mud ball that will crumble into me-dium-sized fragments. Cultivation shouldmix crop residues and organic matter in thetop 7 to 8 inches of soil. It should destroycurrent weed growth and provide a small,granular bed for transplanting. Overcultivatedsoil becomes powdery and has a tendency tocrust. The ideal pH for cauliflower is from6.0 to 7.5. It is a plant that does well inIdaho’s soil, which ranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed cauliflower is 6 to 8weeks before transplanting when soil tem-perature is 50°F or above. The variety ofcauliflower planted should have an earlymaturity date and should be developed forweather conditions in the area planted. Ma-turity date should be 60 to 80 days aftertransplanting. For transplants, start seedsindoors 5 to 7 weeks before the last ex-pected frost. Seed directly into the garden asearly as 4 weeks before the last expectedfrost. Allow 50 to 85 days for maturity, de-pending upon variety.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 3 to 4 per hillRow width 30 to 36 inchesGermination 4 to 10 daysSeed depth 1/2 inchPlant spacing 18 to 20 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsCauliflower needs cool soil and good spac-ing. If transplants are used they should bestocky and from 4 to 6 inches tall. Trans-plant about the same time as the last killingfrost.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended.When the plants are grown, sidedress with1 1/2 ounces of ammonium sulfate in highpH areas or ammonium nitrate in low pHareas per 10 feet of row. The amount of fer-tilizer applied should be based on a soil testreport from the University of Idaho Analyti-cal Laboratory or a private testing labora-tory. Plants may be over- or under-fertil-ized.

I. CultivationCultivation should be shallow, when neces-sary, to remove other plant competition.Deep cultivation close to the plants will de-stroy much of the root system and reduceyield and quality. Hill the soil up aroundeach plant.

J. WateringCauliflower has a water stress point of 60percent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent inches of water inthe soil can be estimated by taking a handfulof soil at the 6-inch depth and squeezing itinto a ball in your hand. If it forms a ball,and your hand feels like it has a film of wa-ter on it, the soil moisture will be 60 percentor above. If the soil moisture is below 60percent, a film of water will not be felt onyour hand, and it will be time to wateragain.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisturedrops, the oxygen level in the soil increases.


K. InsectsAphids, cabbage maggot, cauliflower headmaggot, diamond back moth, flea beetles,spider mites, and wireworms are commonpests.

L. DiseasesDiseases include bacterial soft rot, club root,downy mildew, blackleg, black rot, damp-ing-off, wirestem drop or watery soft rot,leaf spot, and oedema.

M.HarvestingTo prevent discolored heads, tie the plantleaves above the head to shade it when thehead reaches golf ball size. Cut the head 4to 6 days later. Make your decision based onthe temperature, but be sure to cut it beforethe curd starts to separate. Leave 4 to 6inches of stem with the head.

N. StorageCauliflower freezes at 30°F. Store in a cellarwith a temperature as near 32°F as possible.Humidity should be moderately high. Storedunder ideal conditions, cauliflower may lastup to 6 to 8 weeks.

IX. CucumberA. Food Value

A pound of raw, whole cucumbers withskins consist of 95.7 percent water, 2.7grams of protein, 0.5 gram of fat, 14.5grams of carbohydrates, and provide anaverage of 64 calories.

B. DescriptionNative to Asia and Africa, cucumbers donot cross-pollinate with muskmelons or wa-ter melons, and the flavor of cucumbers isnot affected by the pollen from these plants.

C. Yield Per PersonIt is estimated that each person eats from 2.5to 4 pounds of cucumbers per year, requir-ing a row of cucumbers 2 to 3 feet long.Each foot of row space should produce about0.8 pound of cucumbers.

D. SeedbedCucumbers grow in most soils, but theygrow best in a fertile soil with 5 percent ormore organic matter content. Seedbedpreparation should start when the soil hassufficient moisture to form a mud ball that

will crumble into medium-sized fragments.Cultivation should mix crop residues andorganic matter in the top 7 to 8 inches ofsoil. It should destroy current weed growthand provide a small granular-type bed fortransplanting. Overcultivated soil becomespowdery and has a tendency to crust. Theideal pH for cucumber growth is from 5.5 to7.0, but it does well in Idaho soil, whichranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed cucumbers in Idaho is3 weeks before transplanting when soil tem-perature is 65°F or above and night tem-perature is expected to average above 55°F.The variety of cucumbers planted shouldhave an early maturity date and should bedeveloped for weather conditions in the areaplanted. Maturity date should be 55 to 65days after transplanting. Cucumbers may beseeded directly into the soil. They are killedby very light frosts. Cucumbers love warmsoil, and the use of plastic mulches is com-mon.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 6 to 8Ounce per foot 0.05Row width 75 to 72 inchesGermination 6 to 10 daysSeed depth 1 inchPlanting spacing 12 to 24 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsCucumbers need a warm soil to grow andgood spacing for sunlight. If transplants arepurchased, they should be stocky.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended. Oneweek after blossoming begins, sidedresswith 1 1/2 ounces of ammonium sulfate inhigh pH soils or ammonium nitrate in lowpH soils. The amount of fertilizer appliedshould be based on a soil test report fromthe University of Idaho Analytical Labora-tory or a private testing laboratory. Plantsmay be over- or under-fertilized.

I. CultivationWhen necessary, cultivation should be shal-low to remove other plant competition.Deep cultivation close to the plants will de-


stroy much of the root system and reduceyield and quality. If it becomes necessary tocultivate, penetrate the soil no deeper than 1inch.

J. WateringCucumbers have a water stress point of 60percent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent of water in the soilcan be estimated by taking a handful of soilat the 6-inch depth and squeezing it into aball in your hand. If it forms a ball and yourhand feels like it has a film of water on it,the soil moisture will be 60 percent orabove. If the soil moisture is below 60 per-cent, the film of water will not be felt onyour hand, and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisturedrops, the oxygen level in the soil increases.Plants need water, oxygen, and nutrients togrow.

K. InsectsThe following insects may cause problems:aphids, cucumber beetle, cabbage looper,thrips, slugs, spider mites, gardensymphylans, and wireworms.

L. DiseasesDiseases include Alternaria leaf spot, angu-lar leaf spot, bacterial wilt, curly top mo-saic, powdery mildew, root knot, nematoderoot rot, scab, and white mold.

M.HarvestingCucumbers may be harvested any time afterthey have reached the desired size, but besure to do so before the cucumbers turn yel-low and the seeds become hard. For slicing,the fruits should be 6 to 10 inches long.Harvest when 2 1/2 to 6 inches in length forpickles. Cucumbers are of the highest qual-ity when they are dark green in color, firm,and crisp.

X. EggplantA. Food Value

A pound of cooked (boiled) drained egg-plant contains 94.3 percent water, 4.5 grams

of protein, 0.9 gram of fat, 18.6 grams ofcarbohydrates, and an average of 86 calo-ries.

B. DescriptionNative to India, eggplants grow from 2 to 3feet tall. The fruit is generally large andpurple or white in color, with smooth, shinyskin. The seeds are embedded in the flesh.

C. Yield Per PersonEach person eats about 3 to 5 pounds duringa growing season and will use 2 to 3 poundsfor canning, storage, or freezing. This willrequire a row of eggplants 6 to 10 feet long.Each foot of row space should produceabout 1 pound of fruit.

D. SeedbedEggplants grow in fertile, sandy loam soil.Seedbed preparation should start when thesoil has sufficient moisture to form a mudball that will crumble into medium-sizedfragments. Cultivation should mix crop resi-dues and organic matter in the top 7 to 8inches of soil. It should destroy currentweed growth and provide a small granular-type bed for transplanting. Overcultivatedsoil becomes powdery and has a tendency tocrust. The ideal pH for eggplant growth isfrom 5.5 to 6.4, but it does well in Idahosoil, which ranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimePlant seeds in containers 10 weeks beforetransplanting in soil with a 65°F tempera-ture or above. The variety should have anearly maturity date and should be developedfor weather conditions in the area planted.The maturity date should be 75 to 95 daysafter transplanting.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 6 to 8Row width 24 to 36 inchesGermination 8 to 12 daysSeed depth 1/4 to 1/2 inchPlant spacing 18 to 24 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsEggplants need a warm soil to grow andgood spacing for sunlight. If transplants arepurchased, they should be stocky and from4 to 6 inches tall. A plastic mulch can beused to increase soil temperatures.


H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended.When the first fruits set, sidedress with1 1/2 ounces of ammonium sulfate in highpH areas or ammonium nitrate in low pHareas. The amount of fertilizer appliedshould be based on a soil test report fromthe University of Idaho Analytical Labora-tory or a private testing laboratory. Plantsmay be over-fertilized.


J. WateringEggplants have a water stress point of 65percent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent inches of water inthe soil can be estimated by taking a handfulof soil at the 6-inch depth and squeezing itinto a ball in your hand. If it forms a balland your hand feels like it has a film of wa-ter on it, the soil moisture will be 65 per-cent, the film of water will not be felt onyour hand, and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. Symptoms will be the same.As the percentage of soil moisture drops,the oxygen level in the soil increases. Plantsneed water, oxygen, and nutrients to grow.

K. Insects—The following insects may causeproblems: aphids, Colorado potato beetle,spider mites, western potato flea beetle, andwireworms.

L. Diseases—Common diseases include an-thracnose, cercospora leaf spot, root rot fun-gus, and verticillium wilt.

M.HarvestingEggplant can be harvested any time after thefruits reach egg size, but be sure to do sobefore the fruit reaches full maturity and theseeds harden. The quality of young fruit isbetter than older fruit. Leave a short stem onthe fruit when harvesting. The stems arewoody, so harvest with pruning shears.

XI. KohlrabiA. Food Value

A pound of kohlrabi contains of 92.2 per-cent water, 7.7 grams of protein, 0.5 gramof fat, 24.0 grams of carbohydrates, and willprovide an average of 109 calories.

B. DescriptionDeveloped in northern Europe, kohlrabi is amember of the cabbage family with similarrequirements and problems. The edible por-tion is an above-ground enlargement resem-bling a mild turnip in shape and flavor. Anexcellent raw addition to relish dishes, italso may be boiled, stuffed, or baked.

C. Yield Per PersonEach person will eat from 2 to 4 pounds offresh kohlrabi a season, and 4 to 8 poundsfor canning or freezing. A foot of row spaceproduces about 0.75 pound of kohlrabi.

D. SeedbedKohlrabi grows in most soils from sand toclay. Seedbed preparation should start whenthe soil has sufficient moisture to form amud ball that will crumble into medium-sized fragments. Cultivation should mixcrop residues and organic matter in the top 7to 8 inches of soil. It should destroy currentweed growth and provide a small, granular-type bed for transplanting. Overcultivatedsoil becomes powdery and has a tendency tocrust. The ideal pH for kohlrabi is from 6.0to 7.5, and the plants do well in Idaho soil,which ranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeSeed kohlrabi in container 6 weeks beforetransplanting in soil with 65°F or above. Thevariety should have an early maturity dateand should be developed for weather condi-tions in the area planted. The maturity dateshould be 60 to 70 days after transplanting.


G. Planting SuggestionsKohlrabi needs a cool soil to grow and goodspacing for sunlight. If transplants are pur-


chased, they should be stocky, from 4 to 6inches tall.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended.When the plants are one-third grown,sidedress with 1 1/2 ounces of ammoniumsulfate in high pH areas or ammonium ni-trate in low pH areas per 10 feet of row. Theamount of fertilizer applied should be basedon a soil test report from the University ofIdaho Analytical Laboratory or a privatetesting laboratory. Plants may be over- orunder-fertilized.


J. WateringKohlrabi has a water stress point of 50 per-cent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent of water in the soilcan be estimated by taking a handful of soilat the 6-inch depth and squeezing it into aball in your hand. If it forms a ball and feelsdamp, but fails to leave a film of water onyour hand, the soil moisture will be 50 per-cent or above. If the soil moisture is below50 percent, the film of water will not feeldamp, and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. Symptoms will be the same.As the percentage of soil moisture drops theoxygen level in the soil increases. Plantsneed water, oxygen, and nutrients to grow.

K. InsectsThe following insects may cause problems:aphids, flea beetles, cabbage looper, andwireworms.

L. HarvestingKohlrabi is ready to harvest 50 to 60 daysafter transplanting. It has the best flavorwhen it is 2 to 4 inches in size, and the fleshis still tender. The leaves of the young plantmay be used like spinach.

XII. LettuceA. Food Value

A pound of lettuce contains 95.1 percentwater, 5.4 grams of protein, 0.9 gram of fat,11.3 grams of carbohydrates, and will pro-vide an average of 64 calories.

B. DescriptionLettuce is the most extensively grown andimportant of all salad crops. Common let-tuce comes in three types: head, leaf, andbutterhead. It is native to Mediterranean andNear East. It grows best at low temperaturesand is sensitive to high temperatures.

C. Yield Per PersonEach person will eat about 4 to 5 pounds offresh lettuce during a growing season. Eachfoot of row space should produce about 0.5pound of lettuce. About 10 feet of row spaceper person should be planted for fresh useduring the growing season.

D. SeedbedLettuce is adaptable to different soils aslong as they are fertile, of good texture, andmoist. The plants grow quickly. Seedbedpreparation should start when the soil hassufficient moisture to form a mud ball thatwill crumble into medium-sized fragments.Cultivation should mix crop residues andorganic matter in the top 7 to 8 inches ofsoil. It should destroy current weed growthand provide a small, granular-type bed fortransplanting. Overcultivated soil becomespowdery and has a tendency to crust. Theideal pH for lettuce growth is from 6.0 to7.0, but lettuce does well in Idaho soil,which ranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed lettuce is 4 to 6 weeksbefore transplanting when soil temperatureis 50°F or above. Transplant lettuce into thegarden when it is 2 to 3 inches tall and nighttemperature is 25°F or above. For garden-planted lettuce, plant as soon as the groundcan be worked and 6 to 8 weeks before thelast killing frost. To spread out the lettuceseason, make subsequent plantings every 2weeks. Early plantings should be placedwhere they get full sunlight, and laterplantings in partial shade for hot summer


growth. The variety should have an earlymaturity date and should be developed forweather conditions in the area planted. Thematurity date should be 55 to 80 days aftertransplanting.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 4 to 8Row width 18 to 24 inchesGermination 4 to 8 daysSeed depth 1/4 to 1/2 inchPlant space, leaf 6 to 12 inchesPlant space, head 8 to 15 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsLettuce needs light to germinate and maynot germinate at temperatures of 80°F orabove. During hot weather, lettuce bolts,produces seed stakes, and develops internaltip scorching and a bitter taste.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended.When the plants are 4 weeks old, sidedresswith 1 1/2 ounces of ammonium sulfate per10 feet of row. The amount of fertilizer ap-plied should be based on a soil test reportfrom the University of Idaho AnalyticalLaboratory or a private testing laboratory.Plants may be over- or under-fertilized.

I. CultivationLettuce must be thinned to produce goodplants. For head lettuce, thin to 12 to 15inches between plants. For leaf lettuce, thinto 4 to 6 inches between plants in the firstthinning and 6 to 12 inches in the final thin-ning. Cultivation should be shallow to re-move other plant competition. Deep cultiva-tion close to the plants will destroy much ofthe root system and reduce yield and quality.Lettuce has a shallow, meager root system.

J. WateringLettuce has a shallow root system, and theplant requires frequent watering to supportrapid leaf development. Too much water onheavy soils may lead to leaf scorch and dis-ease. Don’t wet the foliage any more thannecessary when watering.

K. InsectsThe following insects may create problems:aphids, flea beetles, looper, cucumber

beetles, wireworms, cutworms, armyworms, and slugs.

L. DiseasesLettuce diseases include anthracnose, asteryellows, big vein virus, bottom rot fungus,downy mildew, drop or watery soft rot, mo-saic, and red rib.

M.HarvestingLettuce thinnings can be used for early sal-ads. The lettuce heads should be solid butnot overly mature when harvested. Butter-head lettuce can be harvested as soon as theheads form. Leaf lettuce can be harvestedany time before it sends up seed stalks.

XIII. OnionsA. Food Value

A pound of onions contains 89.4 percentwater, 7.8 grams of protein, 0.9 gram of fat,37.2 grams of carbohydrates, and an aver-age of 16.3 calories.

B. DescriptionOnions are native to North America. Theyare cold hardy and adaptable to Idaho.There are more than 300 species of onionsin the world. In Idaho, onions are grown asgreen onions for table use and bulbs forstorage. The bulbs for harvest come in yel-low, white, and red. They may be round,flat, or long.

C. Yield Per PersonEach person will eat about 3 to 5 pounds ofonions during a growing season and another30 to 50 pounds per person may be desiredfor storage. Each foot of row space shouldproduce about 0.74 pound of onions. Plantfrom 3 to 5 feet of row per person for useduring the growing season and an additional30 to 50 feet for storage.

D. SeedbedOnions grow well in a wide range of soilsand climates, but they develop best in aloose, crumbly soil with high fertility. Seed-bed preparation should start when the soilhas sufficient moisture to form a mud ballthat will crumble into medium-sized frag-ments. Cultivation should mix crop residuesand organic matter in the top 7 to 8 inchesof soil. It should destroy current weed


growth and provide a small, granular-typebed for transplanting. Overcultivated soilbecomes powdery and has a tendency tocrust. The ideal pH for onion growth is from5.5 to 7.0, but onions do well in Idaho soil,which ranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed onions is 6 to 8 weeksbefore the last killing frost in the springwhen soil temperature is 50°F or above. Thevariety of onion planted should have anearly maturity date and should be developedfor weather conditions in the area planted.The maturity dates should be 95 to 120 daysfor sets, and 95 to 120 days for plants (trans-plant to maturity and seed, 100 to 165 days).

F. Planting Specifications:Ounce per foot 0.02Seed per foot 10 to 15Row width 12 to 14 inchesGermination 7 to 12 daysSeed depth 1/2 inchSets depth 2 to 3 inchesPlant space 3 to 4 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsOnion sets should be separated into twosizes: sets smaller than 3/4-inch and 3/4- inchand above. The large sets are used for greenonions, as they frequently form seed stalksinstead of a bulb. The smaller sets are usedfor mature dry bulbs. Seeds for mature drybulbs should be sown indoors and trans-planted into your garden.

H. FertilizerPreplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet worked into the top 2inches of soil is recommended. Fertilizersshould be applied to the soil before seeding.Sidedress with 1 1/2 ounces of ammoniumsulfate in high pH areas and ammonium ni-trate in low pH areas per 10 feet of row. Doso when onions are 12 inches tall or thebulbs begin to form. The amount of fertil-izer applied should be based on a soil testreport from the University of Idaho Analyti-cal Laboratory or a private testing labora-tory. Plants may be over- or under-fertilized.

I. CultivationCultivation should be shallow, when neces-sary, to remove other plant competition.

Deep cultivation close to the plants will de-stroy much of the root system and reduceyield and quality. Onions have a shallowroot system and cannot compete withweeds.

J. WateringOnions have a water stress point of 70 per-cent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent of water in the soilcan be estimated by taking a handful of soilat the 6-inch depth and squeezing it into aball in your hand. If it forms a hard ball andyour hand feels like it has a film of water onit, and the soil is sticky, the soil moisturewill be 70 percent or above. If the soil mois-ture is below 70 percent, the film of waterwill not be felt on your hand, and it is timeto water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisturedrops, the oxygen level in the soil increases.Plants need water, oxygen, and nutrients togrow.

K. InsectsThe following insects may create problems:brown wheat mite, onion thrips, onion mag-got, pea leaf miner, and wireworms.

L. DiseasesDisease problems include basal rot, downymildew, neck rot, pink rot, purple blotch,smut, and white rot.

M.HarvestingGreen bunch onions can be harvested assoon as desired. Thinnings from bulb onionscan be used as green onions. Bulb onionmaturity is determined by softening of theneck tissues, falling over of the tops, anddying of the roots. At maturity bulbs enlargerapidly and are ready for harvest when two-thirds of the top has fallen over or after alight frost in Idaho’s short growing season.If the onions are slow to mature, it may benecessary to bend the tops over to speed upthe maturity process before heavy frosts.Onions should then be pulled and, if theweather permits, left in the garden until topsand outer scales are completely dry. The


tops can be spread over the bulbs to preventsunburn. After the bulbs are cured theyshould be topped.

N. StorageWith a freezing point of 30°F, you shouldstore onions as near 32°F as possible in anycool dry (humidity, 70 percent) place. Theykeep well through the fall and winter in acool dry cellar or attic.

XIV. PeasA. Food Value

A pound of English peas contains 78.0 per-cent water, 381 calories, 28.6 grams of pro-tein, 1.8 grams of fat, and 65.3 grams of car-bohydrates. A pound of edible podded peascontains 84.8 percent water, 259 calories,15.4 grams of protein, 1.4 grams of fat, and47.2 grams of carbohydrates.

B. DescriptionGarden peas originated in eastern Europeand western Asia. They are one of the earli-est vegetables picked in the spring. Peas areclassified smooth or wrinkled according tohow the seed looks when dry. The wrinkledseed is normally the sweetest.

C. Yield Per PersonIt is recommended that 15 to 20 feet of rowspace be planted per person for fresh useduring the garden season and an additional40 to 60 feet for storage and canning. About0.28 pound of English peas is produced perfoot of row space. Each person consumesabout 4 pounds of fresh and about 10pounds of frozen and canned peas.

D. SeedbedSoil types for pea production range from alight sandy loam for early pea harvest to aheavy clay soil for later or main harvestcrop. The ideal pH for pea production is 6.0to 7.5. The soil should be well drained andmoderately fertile. Cultivate the soil whenthe soil moisture will allow formation of amud ball that will crumble into pieces underfinger pressure. It should mix crop residueand organic matter in the top 7 to 8 inchesof soil, destroy current weed growth, andprovide a granular-type bed for seeding.Overcultivated soil becomes powdery andhas a tendency to crust.

E. Seed TimePlant peas as soon as the ground can beworked in the spring, about 6 to 8 weeksbefore the last killing frost. Soil temperaturefor planting should be 50°F or above. Peasare a cool climate crop, and their quality isgreatly influenced by cool soil and air tem-perature. It is suggested that planting suc-cessions should be arranged at 10-day inter-vals to spread harvest over a longer periodof time.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 6 or 7Row width 18 to 30 inchesGermination 6 to 15 daysOunce per foot 0.16Seed depth 2 inchesPlant spacing 3 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsSome gardeners make a double planting ofpeas in each row with approximately a6-inch space between the plantings.

H. FertilizerThis plant is a legume and is able to draw Nfrom the air. Excessive N can cause the plantsto produce large vines, but fewer peas are pro-duced. It is suggested that 0.2 pound of N bebroadcasted over a 100 square foot area. Theamount of fertilizer applied should be basedon a soil test report from the University ofIdaho Analytical Laboratory or a private soiltesting laboratory.

I. CultivationCultivation should be conducted only whennecessary to remove other plant competi-tion. Pea roots are easily damaged by hoe-ing and shallow cultivation.

J. WateringPeas have a water stress point of 50 percent.When the percent of water in soil drops be-low this level, the plant will start to dehy-drate, and growth will be slowed down orstopped. The percent of water in the soil canbe estimated by taking a handful of soil atthe 6-inch depth and squeezing it into a ballin your hand. If it forms a ball and yourhand feels moist without a film of water onit, the soil moisture will be 50 percent orabove. If the soil moisture is below 50 per-cent, the moist condition will not be felt on


your hand, and it will be time to wateragain. Plant growth can suffer from toomuch or too little water. The symptoms willbe the same.

K. InsectsThe following insects may cause problems:looper, cutworms, army worms, grasshop-pers, pea aphids, pea leaf weevil, pea moth,pea weevil, and wireworms.

L. DiseasesDiseases that may be a problem include bac-terial blight, basal stem rot, downy mildew,enation mosaic virus, leaf and pod blight,root rots, seed rot, damping off, seed bornemosaic virus, viruses, and wilt.

M.HarvestingEnglish peas can be harvested when podsare nearly full but before pods begin towrinkle. Edible podded peas should be har-vested while the pods are still flat and thepeas are hardly discernible. These peas needto be picked every other day to prevent overmaturity. If they do become over mature thepea seed inside can be eaten. Pick peas fromthe vine during the cool part of the day.

N. StorageEdible podded peas can be stored 10 days inplastic bags in the refrigerator without a lossof quality.

XV. PeppersA. Food Value

A pound of immature, sweet, green, rawpeppers contain 93.4 percent water, 5.4grams of protein, 0.9 gram of fat, 21.8grams of carbohydrates, and provides anaverage of 100 calories.

B. DescriptionPeppers are native to the warmer parts ofAmerica and were cultivated more than2,000 years ago. They are classified assweet, mild, or hot, and are excellent for sal-ads, seasoning in other foods and for baking.

D. SeedbedPeppers grow best in a sandy loam soil.Seedbed preparation should start when thesoil has sufficient moisture to form a mudball that will crumble into medium-sizedfragments. Cultivation should mix crop resi-

dues and organic matter in the top 7 to 8inches of soil. It should destroy currentweed growth and provide a small, granular-type bed for transplanting. Overcultivatedsoil becomes powdery and has a tendency tocrust. The ideal pH for pepper growth isfrom 5.5 to 7.0, but the pepper does well inIdaho soil, which ranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed peppers is 6 to 8weeks before transplanting when soil tem-perature is 65°F or above. The variety ofpeppers planted should have an early matu-rity date and should be developed forweather conditions in the area planted. Thematurity date should be 60 to 80 days aftertransplanting.


G. Planting SuggestionsPeppers need a warm soil to grow and goodspacing for sunlight. If transplants are pur-chased, they should be stocky, from 4 to 6inches tall.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended.When the first fruits set, sidedress with1 1/2 ounces of ammonium sulfate for highpH soils and ammonium nitrate for low pHsoils. The amount of fertilizer appliedshould be based on a soil test report fromthe University of Idaho Analytical Labora-tory or a private testing laboratory. Plantsmay be over- or under-fertilized.


J. WateringPeppers have a water stress point of 60 per-cent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start to


dehydrate and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent of water in the soilcan be estimated by taking a handful of soilat the 6-inch depth and squeezing it into aball in your hand. If it forms a ball and yourhand feels like it has a film of water on it,the moisture will be 60 percent or above. Ifthe soil moisture is below 60 percent, thefilm of water will not be felt on your hand,and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisturedrops the oxygen level in the soil increases.Plants need water, oxygen, and nutrients togrow.

K. InsectsThe following insects may cause problems:green peach aphid, garden symphylan, fleabeetles, spider mites, and wireworms.

L. DiseasesPepper diseases include alfalfa mosaic virus,tomato ring spot virus, anthracnose,cercospora leaf spot, common mosaic, rootrot, and verticillium wilt.

M.HarvestingPeppers can be harvested at any time afterthey are large enough to use. Bell types usu-ally are harvested when they are 3 to 4inches long. When picking peppers, cutthem from the plant rather than pulling themoff. The branches are extremely brittle andwill break easily if pulled.

N. StorageThe freezing point of peppers is 30°F. Storein unheated basement or room at 45° to50°F. Humidity should be moderately high.Storage may be 2 to 3 weeks.

XVI. PumpkinA. Food Value

A pound of pumpkin contains 90.2 percentwater, 4.5 grams of protein, 1.4 grams offat, 35.8 grams of protein, 35.8 grams ofcarbohydrates, and an average of 150 calories.

B. DescriptionPumpkins are native to America. They aresensitive to frost but tolerant of cool moistenvironments. They need a warm but not a

hot, growing season. They do not cross withcucumbers, or watermelon, but will crosswith plants of the same species. Their fleshis coarse but can be baked, pureed, or usedto thicken soups.

C. Yield Per PersonEach person will eat about 3 to 6 pounds ofpumpkin during a growing season and use 3to 6 pounds for canning, freezing, or stor-age. This will require a row of pumpkins 2to 3 feet long for garden use and 2 to 3 feetfor storage, canning, or freezing. Each footof row space should produce about 1 poundof pumpkin.

D. SeedbedPumpkins are adapted to most soils, butthey grow best in a fertile soil rich in hu-mus. Seedbed preparation should start whenthe soil has sufficient moisture to form amud ball that will crumble into medium-sized fragments. Cultivation should mixcrop residues and organic matter in the top 7to 8 inches of soil. It should destroy currentweed growth and provide a small, granular-type bed for transplanting. Overcultivatedsoil becomes powdery and has a tendency tocrust. The ideal pH for pumpkin growth isfrom 5.5 to 7.0, but the pumpkin does wellin Idaho soil. Pumpkins grow best in fullsunlight, but they will do equally well inlight shade. For huge exhibition pumpkins,allow one fruit to develop per vine and wa-ter heavily.

E. Seed TimeSeed pumpkins in Idaho 3 weeks beforetransplanting when soil temperature is 65°For above. They also may be seeded directlyinto the garden soil when the soil tempera-ture is 65°F or above. The pumpkin varietyplanted should have an early maturity dateand be developed for weather conditions inthe area planted. The maturity date shouldbe 70 to 110 days after transplanting. Pump-kins are killed by very light frosts. Pump-kins love warm soil. The use of plasticmulches is common.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 2Ounce per foot 0.5Row width 72 to 120 inches


Germination 6 to 10 daysSeed depth 1 to 1 1/2 inchesPlant spacing 40 to 60 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsPumpkins need a warm soil to grow but notextremely hot days. They are sensitive tofrost.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended. Oneweek after blossoming begins, sidedresswith 1 1/2 ounces of ammonium sulfate ifthe soil pH is high or ammonium nitrate if itis low. The amount of fertilizer appliedshould be based on a soil test report fromthe University of Idaho Analytical Labora-tory or a private testing laboratory. Plantsmay be over- or under-fertilized.

I. CultivationCultivation should be shallow, when neces-sary, to remove other plant competition.Deep cultivation close to the plants will de-stroy much of the root system and reduceyield and quality. If it becomes necessary tocultivate, penetrate the soil no deeper than 1inch.

J. WateringPumpkin roots are shallow. Their waterstress point is 60 percent. When the percentof water in soil drops below this level, theplant will start to dehydrate, and growth willbe slowed down or stopped. The percent ofwater in the soil can be estimated by takinga handful of soil at the 6-inch depth andsqueezing it into a ball in your hand. If itforms a ball and your hand feels like it has afilm of water on it the soil moisture will be60 percent or above. If soil moisture is below60 percent, the film of water will not be felton your hand, and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisturedrops the oxygen level in the soil increases.Plants need water, oxygen, and nutrients togrow.

K. InsectsThe following insects may create problems:aphids, cucumber beetle, slugs, spider mites,and squash bugs.

L. DiseasesDisease problems include aster yellows,root rot, and storage rot.

M.HarvestingPumpkins can be harvested any time aftertheir rinds are hard and their skins turn goldin color. Harvest before they are injured byhard frost. Some types have the best qualityif they are harvested after their vines arekilled by frost. When pumpkins are cut fromthe vine, leave 3 or 4 inches of stem at-tached to the fruit. Pumpkins without stemsdo not store well.

N. StorageCure pumpkins after a light frost kills thevines or by cutting the stems and allowingthem to lie in the garden for a week to 10days. Pumpkins can cure inside a house forthe same period at 75°F. They may then bestored in a home cellar or basement at anaverage temperature of 55°F with a moder-ately high humidity. High quality curedpumpkins will store in good conditionthrough the fall and early winter months.

XVII. RadishA. Food Value

A pound of radishes contains 94.5 percentwater, 4.5 grams of protein, 0.5 gram of fat,15.3 grams of carbohydrates, and 77 calories.

B. DescriptionRadishes are native to Europe and Asia.They are cold hardy but will not withstandhigh heat. During hot weather the roots be-come pungent, and the plants produce seedstalks.

C. Yield Per PersonIt is estimated that each person will eat from2 to 3 pounds of radishes during a growingseason. Each foot of row space should pro-duce approximately 0.67 pound of radishes.Plant about 3 to 5 feet of row per person.

D. SeedbedRadishes grow best in sandy loam and peatsoils. Heavy clay soils can be improved bythe addition of organic matter. Seedbedpreparation should start when the soil hassufficient moisture to form a mud ball thatwill crumble into medium-sized fragments.


Cultivation should mix crop residues andorganic matter in the top 7 to 8 inches soil.It should destroy current weed growth andprovide a small granular-type bed for trans-planting. Overcultivated soil becomes pow-dery and has a tendency to crust. The idealpH for radish growth is from 6.0 to 7.0, butradishes do well in Idaho soil, which rangesfrom 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed radishes is 6 to 8weeks before the last killing frost in thespring when soil temperature is 50°F orabove. The variety planted should have anearly maturity date and be developed forweather conditions in the area planted.Maturity date should be 20 to 50 days.

F. Planting Specifications:Ounce per foot 0.02

Seed per foot 14 to 16

Row width 6 to 12 inches

Germination 3 to 10 days

Seed depth 1/2 inch

G. Planting SuggestionsRadishes need a cool soil to grow in andgood spacing for sunlight. Their frost toler-ance is good. Make successive plantings ev-ery 10 to 14 days, beginning in the spring assoon as the soil can be worked and a monthbefore frost in the fall. Radishes can bemixed with carrot, beet, and parsnips tomark the row of these vegetables that growslower.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended. Fer-tilizers should be applied to the soil beforeseeding to ensure its availability to plantsduring the short growing season. Over-fer-tilization can result in excessive top growthwith no root enlargement. The amount offertilizer applied should be based on a soiltest report from the University of IdahoAnalytical Laboratory or a private testinglaboratory. Plants may be over- or under-fertilized.

I. CultivationCultivation should be shallow, when neces-sary, to remove other plant competition.

Deep cultivation close to the plants will de-stroy much of the root system and reduceyield and quality.

J. WateringRadishes have a water stress point of 60percent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent of water in the soilcan be estimated by taking a handful of soilat the 6-inch depth and squeezing it into aball in your hand. If it forms a ball and yourhand feels like it has a film of water on it,the soil moisture will be 60 percent orabove. If the soil moisture is below 60 per-cent, the film of water will not be felt onyour hand, and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. Symptoms will be the same.As the percentage of soil moisture drops,the oxygen level in the soil increases. Plantsneed water, oxygen, and nutrients to grow.

K. InsectsThe following insects may cause problems:cabbage aphid, turnip aphid, cabbage mag-got, cutworms, army worms, black cut-worms, diamond back moth, flea beetles,and wireworms.

L. DiseasesRadish disease problems include black rot.

M.HarvestingRadishes can be harvested as soon as theroots reach edible size (1 to 2 inch) and be-fore becoming tough and pithy. They nor-mally mature in 20 to 30 days.

N. StorageStorage life of radishes is limited to 5 to 6days in the refrigerator if stored in plasticbags with holes punched for air circulationspace. Remove tops at 1/2 inch from radishand clean root before storage.

XVIII. Summer SquashA. Food Value

A pound of immature raw summer squashcontains 94.0 percent water, 5 grams of pro-tein, 0.05 gram of fat, 19.1 grams of carbo-hydrates, and 81 calories.


B. DescriptionSummer squash are native to CentralAmerican and were used extensively by In-dians for food. Summer squash have whitishor yellow flesh and are picked in the sum-mer while immature. They may be vining,semivining, or bush types. Squash willcross-pollinate with other squash, pumpkin,or gourds within the same species, but don’tcross-pollinate with cucumbers or water-melon. They grow well in Idaho.

C. Yield Per PersonIt is estimated that each person will eat from6 to 9 pounds of squash during a growingseason and need an additional 6 to 9 poundsfor storage, canning, or freezing. This willrequire a row of squash 4 to 6 feet long.Each foot of row space should produceabout 1.5 pounds of summer squash.

D. SeedbedSummer squash grow best on fertile, well-drained soil, well supplied with organicmatter. Seedbed preparation should startwhen the soil has sufficient moisture toform a mud ball that will crumble into me-dium-sized fragments. Cultivation shouldmix crop residues and organic matter in thetop 7 to 8 inches of soil. It should destroycurrent weed growth and provide a smallgranular-type bed for transplanting. Over-cultivated soil becomes powdery and has atendency to crust. The ideal pH for summersquash growth is 6.0 to 7.5, but it does wellin Idaho soil, which ranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed summer squash in acontainer is 3 to 4 weeks before transplant-ing. Seed direct into soil or transplant whentemperature is 65°F or above. The variety ofsquash planted should have an early matu-rity date and be developed for weather con-ditions in the area planted. Maturity dateshould be 50 to 60 days after transplanting.Sow squash outdoors when night tempera-ture no longer falls below 55°F.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 4 to 6Row width 26 to 60 inchesGermination 3 to 12 days

Seed depth 1 inchPlant spacing 6 to 24 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsSummer squash needs a warm soil to growand good spacing for sunlight. If transplantsare purchased, they should be stocky. Beesare needed for pollination.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended.When the plant begins to spread out,sidedress with 1 1/2 ounces of ammoniumsulfate for high pH soils and ammonium ni-trate for low pH soils. The amount of fertil-izer applied should be based on a soil testreport from the University of Idaho Analyti-cal Laboratory or a private testing labora-tory.


J. WateringSummer squashes have a water stress pointof 65 percent. When the percent of water insoil drops below this level, the plant willstart to dehydrate, and growth will beslowed down or stopped. The percent of wa-ter in the soil can be estimated by taking ahandful of soil at the 6-inch depth andsqueezing it into a ball in your hand. If itforms a ball and your hand feels like it has aheavy film of water on it, the soil moisturewill be 65 percent or above. If the soil mois-ture is below 65 percent, the film of waterwill not be felt on your hand, and it will betime to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisturedrops, the oxygen level in the soil increases.Plants need water, oxygen, and nutrients togrow.

K. InsectsThe following insects may create problems:bean aphid, melon aphid, potato aphid,nitidulid beetles, squash bug, and wireworms.


L. DiseasesDiseases include aster yellows, black rot,curly top, and root rot.

M.HarvestingSummer squash can be harvested any timethe fruits reach a desired size but before thesquash forms hard seed or rinds. Break fruitfrom the vine, leaving a piece of stem withthe fruit.

XIX. Sweet CornA. Food Value

A pound of raw, white, or yellow sweetcorn consists of about 45 percent cob and 55percent edible. The kernels contain about72.7 percent water and provide an averageof 240 calories, 8.7 grams of protein, 2.5grams of fat, and 55.1 grams of carbohy-drates.

B. DescriptionCorn is an annual grass, native to theAmericas and differing from other types ofcorn by the retention of large amounts ofsugar in the kernels during the milk stage ofmaturity. Its skin is slightly thinner thanother types. Kernel color ranges from whiteto yellow. There are about 2,000 sweet cornvarieties in existence.

C. Yield Per PersonIt is estimated that each person will requirefrom 10 to 15 feet of plants in a row forfresh use and an additional 30 to 50 feet forstorage, canning, or freezing. Each foot ofrow space should produce about 0.3 poundof corn.

D. SeedbedSoil texture can vary for sweet corn produc-tion. A sandy loam is best, but corn can begrown in clay or loam soils also. The soilcultivation should be conducted when themoisture in the soil will allow formation ofa mud ball that will crumble into pieces un-der finger pressure. Cultivation should mixcrop residues and organic matter in the top 7to 8 inches of soil, destroy current weedgrowth, and provide a granular-type bed forseeding. Overcultivated soil becomes pow-dery and has a tendency to crust. The idealpH for corn growth is from 6.0 to 7.0, but it

does well in Idaho soils, which have a pH of7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed corn is in May whensoil temperature is 50°F or above and airtemperature averages 65°F or above. Corn isa tender crop and should be planted after thelast frost. The warmer the temperature, thefaster the corn grows and matures. The vari-ety planted should have an early maturitydate and be developed for weather condi-tions in the area planted.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 4 to 6 inchesRow width 30 to 36 inchesGermination 6 to 10 daysOunce per foot 0.16Seed depth 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inchesPlant space 10 to 12 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsSweet corn needs a warm soil and goodspacing for sunlight. It is wind-pollinated soplants should be in 3 or more short rows,rather than one long row. Varieties shouldbe separated because cross-pollination be-tween low-sugar plants and high-sugarplants reduces the sweetness of the high-sugar corn.

H. FertilizerCorn has a high N requirement. The princi-pal application of N and other fertilizersshould be broadcast before planting with, ifnecessary, a sidedressing 3 inches from theplant at the corn four-leaf stage. The amountof fertilizer applied should be based on asoil test report from the University of IdahoAnalytical Laboratory or a private soil test-ing laboratory. Plants stunted by a lack ofnutrients seldom recover or produce up totheir potential.

I. CultivationCultivation should be shallow, when neces-sary, to remove other plant competition.Deep cultivation will destroy much of theroot system and reduce yield and quality.The number of suckers a sweet corn plantproduces depends on the variety of the corn.Suckers should not be removed. Their re-moval does not increase yields but may re-duce them.


J. WateringCorn has a water stress point of 60 percent.When the percent of water in soil drops be-low this level, the plant will start to dehy-drate and growth will be slowed down orstopped. The percent of water in the soil canbe estimated by taking a handful of soil atthe 6-inch depth and squeezing it into a ballin your hand. If it forms a ball and yourhand feels like it has a film of water on it,the soil moisture will be 60 percent orabove. If the soil moisture is below 60 per-cent, the film of water will not be felt onyour hand, and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much or toolittle water. Symptoms will be the same.

K. InsectsThe following insects may be a problem insweet corn: corn ear worm, cutworm, armyworm, wireworm, root worm, slug, aphids,spider mites, earwigs, and cucumber beetles.

L. DiseasesRoot stock, ear rot, maize dwarf mosaic,seed rot, seedling blight, and smut are com-mon diseases of corn.

M.HarvestingDepending on temperatures, sweet corngenerally ripens in 22 to 24 days aftersilking. For eating, the silks are brown, andthe ear fills the husk. The liquid squeezedfrom a ripe kernel is milky; from an imma-ture kernel it is watery; and from anovermature kernel, solid or creamy. Primeeating quality lasts about 4 to 5 days beforethe sugar starts to turn to starch. Pick cornwhen the sugar is at its maximum. Canningcorn can be picked when it is in the creamstage. Sweet corn loses quality quickly afterpicking, especially at high temperatures.Process as soon as possible after harvesting.Pull cobs from the stocks with a downwardmotion and a twist to the side.

N. StorageRefrigerate at 35° to 40°F for 2 to 3 days.

XX. Swiss ChardA. Food Value

A pound of chard contains about 3.7 percentwater, 8.2 grams of protein, 0.9 gram of fat,15.0 grams of carbohydrates, and 82 calories.

B. DescriptionChard is native of the Mediterranean area. Itis a relative of the beet and is grown for itstender vitamin rich leaves. The leaves andpetioles are cooked to provide a pot herbsimilar to spinach.

C. Yield Per PersonIt is estimated that each person will eat from1.5 to 3 pounds of fresh chard during agrowing season and will use an additional 3to 4.5 pounds for canning or freezing. Eachfoot of row space should produce about 0.85pound of chard. From 2 to 4 feet of rowspace per person should be planted for freshuse during the growing season and an addi-tional 4 to 6 feet for canning or freezing.

D. SeedbedChard is widely adapted to different soils aslong as they are rich, of good texture, andwell drained. Seedbed preparation shouldstart when the soil has sufficient moisture toform a mud ball that will crumble into me-dium-sized fragments. Cultivation shouldmix crop residues and organic matter in thetop 7 to 8 inches of soil, destroy currentweed growth, and provide a small granular-type bed for transplanting. Overcultivatedsoil becomes powdery and has a tendency tocrust. The ideal pH for chard growth is from6.0 to 7.5, and it does well in Idaho soil,which is 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed chard is as soon as thesoil can be cultivated in the spring, 2 to 4weeks before the last killing frost. Minimumsoil temperature for planting is 50°F orabove. The variety of chard planted shouldhave an early maturity date and be devel-oped for weather conditions in the areaplanted. Maturity date should be 55 to 65days after planting.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 6 to 10Row width 18 to 24 inchesGermination 7 to 10 daysSeed depth 1 inchPlant spacing 4 to 8 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsChard can be planted in the garden or in agreenhouse for later transplanting.


H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended.When the plants are one-third grown,sidedress with 1 1/2 ounces of ammoniumsulfate per 10 feet of row. Amount of fertil-izer applied should be based on a soil testreport from the University of Idaho Analyti-cal Laboratory or a private testing labora-tory. Plants may be over- or under-fertilized.


J. WateringChard has a water stress point of 55 percent.When the percent of water in soil drops be-low this level, the plant will start to dehy-drate, and growth will be slowed down orstopped. The percent of water in the soil canbe estimated by taking a handful of soil atthe 6-inch depth and squeezing it into a ballin your hand. If it forms a ball, and yourhand feels like it has a film of water on it,the soil moisture will be 55 percent orabove. If the soil moisture is below 55 per-cent, the soil will not feel moist on yourhand, and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. Symptoms will be the same.As the percentage of soil moisture drops,the oxygen level in the soil increases. Plantsneed water, oxygen, and nutrients to grow.

K. InsectsThe following insects may cause problems:aphids, blister beetles, looper, lygus bugs,cutworms, serpentine leaf miner, westernspotted cucumber beetles, and wireworms.

L. DiseasesTop virus is the main chard disease.

M.HarvestingChard can be harvested throughout an entire3-month growing season. Plants removed atthinning time can be used in salads. Cutouter leaves first about 1 inch from the soilsurface with a sharp knife. Care should betaken to ensure the new inner stems andgrowing point are not damaged.

N. StorageBefore the first hard freeze, plants can betransplanted into containers. Store the con-tainerized plants in a cool place, and waterlightly to prevent wilting. Leaves can beharvested into the winter months.

XXI. TomatoesA. Food Value

A pound of tomatoes contains about 93.5percent water, 4.5 grams of protein, 0.8gram of fat, and 19.4 grams of carbohy-drates. The fruits are high in vitamin A, B

1,

B2, and C, and provide an average of 91

calories per pound.B. Description

Tomatoes are native to the Andes Moun-tains in South America. They are a warmseason crop and rank second in popularityamong the vegetable crops grown in theUnited States. They are classified accordingto their growth patterns into three groups:Determinant, semideterminant, andindeterminant. Determinant plant vinesgrow 12 to 18 inches long, and stop fruitingwhen the vines stop growing. Semideter-minant plants are similar but grow 18 to 24inches. The vines of indeterminant plantscontinue to grow and fruit is set indefinitely.

C. Yield Per PersonTomatoes grow best in a fertile, sandy, well-drained, loam soil. Seedbed preparationshould start when the soil has sufficientmoisture to form a mud ball that willcrumble into medium-sized fragments. Cul-tivation should mix crop residues and or-ganic matter in the top 7 to 8 inches of soil.It should destroy current weed growth andprovide a small granular-type bed for trans-planting. Overcultivated soil becomes pow-dery and has a tendency to crust. The pH fortomato growth is from 5.5 to 7.5, but it doeswell in Idaho soil, which ranges from 7.0 to8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed tomatoes is 6 to 8weeks before transplanting when soil tem-perature is 65°F or above. The variety oftomatoes planted should have an early ma-turity date and be developed for weather


conditions in the area planted. Maturity dateshould be 60 to 80 days after transplanting.Two or three different varieties can beplanted to obtain ripening at different times.One series of plants could be early bearersand another series that mature later could beused for the main crop.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot Use transplantsRow width 36 to 60 inchesGermination 6 to 14 daysSeed depth 1/4 to 1/2 inchPlant spacing 18 to 36 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsTomatoes need a warm soil to grow andgood spacing for sunlight. If transplants arepurchased, they should be stocky and from4 to 6 inches tall. If you plan to grow yourown transplants, seed in your greenhouse orhouse 5 to 7 weeks before transplanting. Putplants in the garden 10 days after the lastexpected killing frost. Hot caps or other pro-tection devices may allow earlier transplant-ing. Tomatoes normally do not set fruit be-low 58°F or above 85°F and must have 6 ormore hours each day of direct sunlight.Transplants should not have fruit on themwhen planted out as the fruit will stunt theplants’ growth and development.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended.When the first fruits set, sidedress with1 1/2 ounces of ammonium sulfate for highpH soils and ammonium nitrate for low pHsoils. The amount of fertilizer appliedshould be based on a soil test report fromthe University of Idaho Analytical Labora-tory or a private testing laboratory. Plantsmay be over- or under-fertilized.


J. WateringTomatoes have a water stress point of 65percent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start to

dehydrate and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent of water in the soilcan be estimated by taking a handful of soilat the 6-inch depth and squeezing it into aball in your hand. If it forms a ball and yourhand feels like it has a film of water on it,the soil moisture will be 65 percent orabove. If the soil moisture is below 65 per-cent, the film of water will not be felt onyour hand, and it will be time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. Symptoms will be the same.As the percentage of soil moisture drops,the oxygen level in the soil increases. Plantsneed water, oxygen, and nutrients to grow.

K. InsectsThe following insects may cause problems:green peach aphid, garden symphylan, fleabeetles, spider mites, wireworms, and to-mato horn worm.

L. DiseasesTomato diseases include anthracnose, yel-low aster, bacterial canker, blossom end rot,curly top, early blight, fruit rot, late blight,leaf mold mosaic, root-rot nematode, spot-ted wilt virus (tip blight), streak, and wilt.

M.HarvestingFor best flavor tomato fruits should be har-vested when they are fully ripe and firm.The best ripening temperature is 65°F. To-matoes will ripen to high quality indoors ifpicked as the red color first shows. Removestems from harvested tomatoes.

N. StorageThe freezing point of tomatoes is 30°F.Store in unheated basement or room tem-perature of from 55° to 70°F. Humidityshould be moderately low. Tomatoes maybe stored for 4 to 6 weeks. For fall storage,pick all green fruit that is nearly full sizeand wrap individually in newspaper andstore at 50° to 60°F. They will ripen slowlyproviding a longer eating season. Greenfruit will ripen more quickly when enclosedin a bag or box with an apple or banana.

XXII. TurnipsA. Food Value

A pound of turnips contains about 93.6 per-cent water, 3.6 grams of protein, 0.9 gram


of fat, 22.2 grams of carbohydrates, and 104calories.

B. DescriptionTurnips are native to western Asia. They arecold hardy but will not withstand heat, andduring hot weather roots become bitter andpithy. Turnips are grown for their tender,crisp roots, but the leaves or greens of tur-nips are also good cooked.

C. Yield Per PersonIt is estimated that each person will eat from3 to 6 pounds of turnips during a growingseason. Each foot of row space should pro-duce approximately 0.5 to 1 pound of turnips.Plant from 5 to 10 feet of row per person.

D. SeedbedTurnips grow best in sandy loam and peatsoils. Heavy clay soils can be improved bythe addition of organic matter. Seedbedpreparation should start when the soil hassufficient moisture to form a mud ball thatwill crumble into medium-sized fragments.Cultivation should mix crop residues andorganic matter in the top 7 to 8 inches ofsoil. It should destroy current weed growthand provide a small granular-type bed fortransplanting. Overcultivated soil becomespowdery and has a tendency to crust. Theideal pH for turnip growth is 5.5 to 7.0, butit does well in Idaho soil, which ranges from7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed turnips is 6 to 8 weeksbefore the last killing frost in the springwhen soil temperature is 50°F or above. Thevariety planted should have an early matu-rity date and be developed for weather con-ditions in the area planted. Maturity dateshould be 45 to 60 days.

F. Planting Specifications:Ounce per foot 0.01Seed per foot 10 to 15Row width 15 to 18 inchesGermination 3 to 10 daysSeed depth 1/2 inchPlant space 4 to 6 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsTurnips need a cool soil to grow in. Theyhave excellent frost tolerance. It is sug-

gested that successive plantings be madeevery 10 to 14 days beginning in spring assoon as the soil can be worked and before thedaytime temperature is expected to average80°F or above. Turnips can be mixed withseed for carrots, beets, and parsnips to markthe row of these vegetables that grow slower.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended.Sidedress the plants with 1.5 ounces of am-monium sulfate for high pH soils or ammo-nium nitrate for low pH soils per 10 feet ofrow when plants are about one-third grown.Over fertilization can result in excessive topgrowth with no root enlargement. Theamount of fertilizer applied should be basedon a soil test report from the University ofIdaho Analytical Laboratory or a privatetesting laboratory. Plants may be over- orunder-fertilized.

I. CultivationCultivation should be shallow, when neces-sary, to remove other plant competition.Deep cultivation close to the plants will de-stroy much of the root system and reduceyield and quality. Thin by leaving 1 to 2inches between plants. Plants removed dur-ing thinning can be eaten.

J. WateringTurnips have a water stress point of 60 per-cent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent of water in the soilcan be estimated by taking a handful of soilat the 6-inch depth and squeezing it into aball in your hand. If it forms a ball, and yourhand feels like it has a film of water on it,the soil moisture will be 60 percent orabove. If the soil moisture is below 60 per-cent, the film of water will not be felt onyour hand, and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisturedrops, the oxygen level in the soil increases.

K. InsectsThe following insects may cause problems:cabbage aphid, turnip aphid, cabbage root


maggot, cutworms, army worms, black cut-worms, diamond back moth, flea beetles,and wireworms.

L. DiseasesTurnip disease problems include black rootrot, club root, and powdery mildew.

M.HarvestingTurnips can be harvested as soon as theroots reach edible size (2 to 3 inches) andbefore becoming bitter and pithy. They nor-mally mature in 45 to 60 days. Pull or cutoff tops above the crown.

N. StorageStorage life of turnips can be extended intothe fall and winter by leaving them in theground and covering them with a mulch toprevent them from freezing in the ground.For pit storage the temperature should be asnear 32°F as possible under moist air condi-tions.

XXIII. WatermelonA. Food Value

A pound of raw watermelon contains 92.6percent water, 2.3 grams of protein, 0.9gram of fat, 29.0 grams of carbohydrates,and 118 calories.

B. DescriptionWatermelons are a native of Africa. Theplants have separate male and female flow-ers on the same vine and are cross-polli-nated. They do not cross-pollinate with cu-cumbers, squash, or pumpkins. Watermelonare difficult to grow in many parts of Idaho.They need high temperatures and a longgrowing season.

C. Yield Per PersonIt is estimated that each person will eat from3 to 6 pounds of watermelon during a grow-ing season. This will require a row of mel-ons 6 to 12 feet long. Each foot of rowspace should produce about 0.5 pound ofwatermelons.

D. SeedbedWatermelons are adapted to most soils butgrow best in a fertile, light, sandy soil withlarge amounts of compost. Seedbed prepara-tion should start when the soil has sufficientmoisture to form a mud ball that will

crumble into medium-sized fragments. Cul-tivation should mix crop residues and or-ganic matter in the top 7 to 8 inches of soil.It should destroy current weed growth andprovide a small, granular-type bed for trans-planting. Overcultivated soil becomes pow-dery and has a tendency to crust. The idealpH for watermelon growth is from 6.0 to7.5, but it does well in Idaho soil, whichranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe best time to seed watermelons in Idahois 3 weeks after the last killing frost. Whentransplanting, the soil temperature should be65°F or above. The variety of watermelonsplanted should have an early maturity dateand be developed for weather conditions inthe area planted. The maturity date shouldbe 80 to 100 days after transplanting.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 2 to 3Ounce per foot 0.05Row width 72 to 84 inchesGermination 3 to 12 daysSeed depth 1 inchPlant spacing 12 to 24 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsWatermelons need a warm soil to grow andgood spacing for sunlight for high sugarcontent and flavor. If transplants are pur-chased, they should be stocky.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended. Oneweek after blossoming begins, sidedresswith 1 1/2 ounces of ammonium sulfate forpH soils or ammonium nitrate for low pHsoils per 10 feet of row. The amount of fer-tilizer applied should be based on a soil testreport from the University of Idaho Analyti-cal Laboratory or a private testing labora-tory. Plants may be over- or under-fertilized.

I. CultivationCultivation should be shallow, when neces-sary, to remove other plant competition.Deep cultivation close to the plants will de-stroy much of the root system and reduceyield and quality. If it becomes necessary tocultivate, penetrate the soil no deeper than 1inch.


J. WateringWatermelons have a water stress point of 65percent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent of water in the soilcan be estimated by taking a handful of soilat the 6-inch depth and squeezing it into aball in your hand. If it forms a ball, and yourhand feels like it has a film of water on it,the soil moisture will be 65 percent orabove. If the soil moisture is below 65 per-cent, the film of water will not be felt onyour hand, and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much ortoo little water. The symptoms will be thesame. As the percentage of soil moisturedrops, the oxygen level in the soil increases.Plants need water, oxygen, and nutrients togrow.

K. InsectsThe following insects may cause problems:aphids, cucumber beetle, cabbage looper,spider mites, and wireworms.

L. DiseasesDiseases include curly top, leaf spot, and wilt.

M.HarvestingWatermelon is ripe when the vine tendrilnext to the fruit yellows and dries, when theunderside of the melon next to the groundtakes on a yellow tinge, and when thumpingwith a finger causes a dull rather than asharp sound. Cut the melon off the vine,leaving a short stem on the fruit. Pulling thestem from the fruit may damage the fruit.Most melon cultivates form an abscissionlayer at maturity, and the stem loosens fromthe fruit. When the stem is nearly loose themelon is said to be at the full slip stage.

XXIV. Winter SquashA. Food Value

A pound of cooked winter squash containsabout 81.4 percent water, 8.2 grams of pro-tein, 1.8 grams of fat, 69.9 grams of carbo-hydrates, and 286 calories.

B. DescriptionWinter squash is native to America and wasgrown by the Indians. There are three main

types: vining, semivining, and bush. Squashwill cross-pollinate with other squash,pumpkins, and gourds within the same spe-cies. They have separate male and femaleflowers on the same plant. The fruits, whichvary widely in shape and color, may bebaked, boiled, or used for pie filling.

C. Yield Per PersonEach person will eat about 6 to 9 pounds ofsquash during a growing season and need 6to 9 pounds for canning or freezing. Thiswill require a row of squash 12 to 18 feetlong. Each foot of row space produces about1 pound of squash.

D. SeedbedSquash is adapted to most soils but growsbest in a fertile soil rich in humus. Seedbedpreparation should start when the soil hassufficient moisture to form a mud ball thatwill crumble into medium-sized fragments.Cultivation should mix crop residues andorganic matter in the top 7 to 8 inches ofsoil. It should destroy current weed growthand provide a small, granular type bed fortransplanting. Overcultivated soil becomespowdery and has a tendency to crust. Theideal pH for squash growth is 6.0 to 7.5.Squash does well in Idaho soil, whichranges from 7.0 to 8.0.

E. Seed TimeThe time to seed squash in Idaho is 3 weeksbefore transplanting when soil temperatureis 65°F. The variety of squash planted shouldhave an early maturity date and be developedfor weather conditions in the area planted.Maturity date should be 85 to 120 days aftertransplanting. Squash may also be seededdirectly into the soil 2 to 3 weeks after thelast killing frost. Squash thrives in warm soil,and the use of plastic mulches is common.

F. Planting Specifications:Seed per foot 1 to 2Ounce per foot 0.05Row width 72 to 120 inchesGermination 6 to 10 daysSeed depth 1 inchPlant spacing 12 to 24 inches

G. Planting SuggestionsSquash needs a warm soil to grow in, butnot an extremely hot growing season.


Squash tolerates partial shade and is some-times interplanted with corn.

H. FertilizerA preplant fertilizer of 0.2 pound of N foreach 100 square feet is recommended. Oneweek after blossoming begins, sidedresswith 1 1/2 ounces of ammonium sulfate forhigh pH soils or ammonium nitrate for lowpH soils. The amount of fertilizer appliedshould be based on a soil test report fromthe University of Idaho Analytical Labora-tory or a private testing laboratory. Plantsmay be over- or under-fertilized.

I. CultivationCultivation should be shallow, when neces-sary, to remove other plant competition.Deep cultivation close to the plants will de-stroy much of the root system and reduceyield and quality. If it becomes necessary tocultivate, penetrate the soil no deeper than1 inch. Squash plants provide good groundcover and will shade out most weeds as theymature.

J. WateringWinter squash has a water stress point of 60percent. When the percent of water in soildrops below this level, the plant will start todehydrate, and growth will be slowed downor stopped. The percent of water in the soilcan be estimated by taking a handful of soilat the 6-inch depth and squeezing it into aball in your hand. If it forms a ball and yourhand feels like it has a film of water on it,the soil moisture will be 60 percent orabove. If the soil moisture is below 60 per-cent, the film of water will not be felt onyour hand, and it is time to water again.Plant growth can suffer from too much tolittle water. The symptoms will be the same.As the percentage of soil moisture drops,the oxygen level in the soil increases. Plantsneed water, oxygen, and nutrients to grow.

K. InsectsThe following insects may cause problems:aphids, cucumber beetle, slugs, spider mites,wireworms, and squash bugs.

L. DiseasesSquash diseases include aster yellows, blackrot, curly top virus, root rot, and storagerots.

M.HarvestingHarvest winter squash when fully mature.Indications of maturity are a hard rind and asolid exterior coloring. The acorn types areharvested when a yellow, orange color hasdeveloped on the fruit where it is in contactwith the soil. In Idaho, the growing seasonis short at best, and most winter squash areharvested when the vine has been killed byfrost but before a hard frost. To harvest, cutthe stem with a knife 2 inches from the fruit.Let the squash cure in the sun for 1 or moreweeks or cure inside house at a temperatureof 75°F for 1 week or more before storage.

N. StorageWhen cured, store in a home cellar or base-ment at 55°F. The humidity should be mod-erately low. Properly cured and storedsquash should remain in good conditionthroughout the winter.

Further Reading

Booklets and PamphletsCIS 292 Blossom-End Rot of Tomatoes (25¢)

CIS 1041 Conduct Your Own Garden Research ($2.00)

CIS 660 Gardening: Growing Beets, Carrots, Radishesand Other Root Crops (50¢)

CIS 661 Gardening: Growing Cole Crops (25¢)

CIS 756 Gardening: Growing Cucumbers (35¢)

CIS 686 Gardening: Growing Garlic (25¢)

CIS 691 Gardening: Growing Lettuce, Spinach, andSwiss Chard (35¢)

CIS 659 Gardening: Growing Peppers (25¢)

CIS 723 Gardening: Growing Squash and Pumpkin(35¢)

CIS 800 Growing Vegetable Seedlings forTransplanting (50¢)

PNW 495 Grow Your Own: Beans and Peas ($1.00)

BUL 775 Planning an Idaho Vegetable Garden ($4.00)

CIS 1000 Potato Production in the Home Garden (50¢)

PNW 497 Short-Season Vegetable Gardening ($2.00)

CIS 910 Sweet Corn Production for the Small-MarketGrower and Home Gardener (50¢)

CIS 667 Tomatoes for the Home Garden (35¢)

CIS 755 Vegetable Gardening: Planning andPreparing the Site (35¢)

CIS 803 Vegetable Gardening: Growing Asparagus(35¢)

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