Once the vegetables in the initial planting have completed their production and are fully harvested, their places become available. After the areas have been stripped clean, raked over, and smoothed out, the succession plantings can begin.
The succession planting consists of both warm-season and cool-season vegetables. It will take place over an extended period of time, starting in the spring and continuing into midsummer.
The warm-season vegetables, tomatoes and bush beans, will be put in when soil temperatures are in their safe zone. There should not be any difficulty getting them off to a good start.
However, the cool-season vegetables that are planted in the summer are often confronted with soil temperatures higher than is favorable for their germination and good growth. Therefore extra steps must be taken if the summer plantings are to be successful. The procedures for the succession planting to be followed are given starting below.
Broccoli transplants
Broccoli will be set in as transplants on its scheduled planting date. For the seedlings to be of transplanting size on that date they will have to be started in a flat on about June 15th. I use a half-gallon milk carton, cut lengthwise and filled with a 50-50 mix of compost and soil. (Be sure to punch holes in the bottom for drainage.) Since 8 are needed, plant 12 for insurance. Plant seeds ½ inch deep, 1 inch apart within rows: Rows 2 inches apart. Water with a hand spray, put in a shady location until they sprout, then move to a sunny spot. Water the seedlings daily at the roots.
Hot weather sowing of cool-season crops
Since the sowing of the succession planting cool season crops will be done in the middle of July, be aware that, for most, the ideal soil temperature for their germination is 65–75° F. Below or above that range will affect the time and rate of germination. When soil heats up to 80°F and above, some of these seeds are adversely affected. Lettuce is one of them, and at a soil temperature of 80°F, or above, it will not germinate.
The sowing procedure is basically the same as for the initial planting but needs to be modified as follows:
1) Put seed in the freezer 2 days before planting. Take out right before it is time to go in. Sow in the late afternoon when the sun is low and the temperature has dropped a little.
2) Make furrows slightly deeper than the spring depths. This will result in more coverage above the seed, giving it more protection from the sun’s hot rays.
3) Before sowing, thoroughly soak the furrow.
4) Sow the seed in the furrow. Curl your forefinger, and with the part between the first and second joints, press it into the soil.
5) After firming the seed in the furrows, cover lightly with loose compost (except endive, which needs light to germinate).
6) Wet down again with a spray.
7) Then, shade with cardboard “tents”— pieces of cardboard folded into an “A” shape (see illustration on facing page). Take the tents off daily to water furrows, then put them back. Shading holds the moisture in the soil and moderates its temperature.
Once seeds germinate and the seedlings are up, remove the tents, the plants will now need some sun. Some; is the key word here. The full hot summer rays will cause rapidly rising soil temperatures and adversely affect the young seedlings. Use lath panels to partial shade the plants during the hot weather. (See pages 97, 168, 170–173.)
The soil dries out very quickly in hot dry weather. An even soil moisture must be maintained. Water little but often.
As mentioned before, the succession planting is not only of warm-season crops, but also of cool-season crops that will mature in the fall. This planting is done in four stages. First, tomato transplants are set in. Then they are followed in three phases by late summer and fall crops.
First transplanting (about May 15th):
B group Tomatoes—setting in the transplants
First sowing (about June 15th):
A group Broccoli Transplants—sowing seeds in a flat
B group Carrots
B group Bush Beans
Second sowing and transplanting (about July 15th):
A group Endive
A group Leaf Lettuce
A group Bibb Lettuce
A group Arugula
A group Broccoli—setting in the transplants
A group Radishes (intercropped with broccoli)
Third sowing (about July 30th):
C group Bush Beans
Set out transplants and sow in the late afternoon, when the sun is not too hot. Water transplants at the roots only.
Freshly sown areas are usually watered with the impulse sprinkler. However, when a seeded area abuts an established crop this is not possible. In these cases water the maturing vegetables with the watering wand, adjusted to a flow, holding it at ground level. Then for the newly seeded area, adjusted to a spray, hold the head about 12 to 18 inches above the ground so that the water arcs up and falls like rainfall.
The tomato is a special vegetable and in the modular garden is grown in a special way. This being so, it necessitates a very detailed discussion, which begins on the next page.
Post-succession planting schedule (About October 15th.): C group—Garlic. Planted in current B group bed, which will become the C group bed the following season.
An early variety and a main crop variety are planted.
Earliana (recommended variety)
Starts producing early: Fruits are bright red, 5 to 6 ounces and set in clusters. Indeterminate vines.
62 days to maturity. Small seed.
Delicious (recommended variety)
Produces large smooth, red meaty fruits and are crack resistant:
Can grow to one pound or more. Indeterminate vines.
77 days to maturity. Small seed.
How to plant
Although tomatoes can be direct seeded in the garden the results are very unpredictable. They are best set out as transplants. The transplants can be grown from seed indoors in flats about 6 to 8 weeks before the spring frost-free date, or, they can be purchased anytime prior to that date at your local gardening center.
Growing your own transplants from seed is by far the most cost effective and best method. Not only does it save money but will result in stronger, healthier, disease free plants.
Starting from seed
To grow your own transplants, prepare a planting medium in the previous fall. In a 2½- to 3-gallon pail mix together equal amounts of good garden soil and finished compost. Cover with a plastic bag to retain the moisture and set aside indoors to age. Several days before the scheduled sowing date, bring the medium into a well-heated room to warm it up. Never sow in a cold mix.
A flat can be as simple as a half-gallon milk carton cut lengthwise or any other shallow container. Punch holes in the bottom to allow for drainage, then put on some sort of a tray to collect the seepage. Use two flats, one for each variety.
Fill the flats with the planting medium and level. Next, sift some well aged compost through a ⅛-inch screen and spread a thin layer over the surface. Before sowing examine seeds. Pick out the roundest plumpest ones. These represent a better parcel of nutrients and will give the seedlings a head start.
Sow at least 50% more than you need. Just place them on the surface in 2 rows that are 2 inches apart: Space seed every ½ inch within rows. Press them into the soil with your fingertip, cover very lightly. Spray with a hand spray so that the mix is moist; not waterlogged. Always use tepid, not cold, water.
Place the flats into a clear plastic bag and keep it in bright light, but not in the sun. As soon as they germinate and start to show (they will be white, not green) remove from the plastic bag and put them in a south window where they will receive direct sunlight all day. As they grow snip off spindly plants at ground level so that those remaining are about 1 inch apart.
Keep soil moist, not soaked. Too wet and you risk them collapsing and dying from a condition called “damping off.”
The first two leaves on the plant are “seed leaves.” They are elongated oval shaped and not true leaves. When the seedlings have 2 or 3 well developed true leaves, select strongest best plants and transplant into individual containers. You can use plastic pots, Styrofoam cups, paper cups, or grocery tin cans.
Fill with the same 50-50 mix of soil and compost as was used in the flats. Again, punch holes in the bottoms and put on a tray. Go to the flat and using a plastic knife cut out a square which contains the roots around each seedling. Lift the square out with the tip of the knife, retaining as much soil as possible, plant deep right up to the seed leaves. To prevent them from wilting, keep out of the sun for a day. Then return to the south window.
To build up the plants, every day brush them lightly with your hand. Just gently bend them over to a slight angle then let them spring back. This slight stress will cause them to develop thicker and stockier stems.
Hardening off
Before transplants can be set out, they must be hardened off, a process to toughen them for the harsher environment of the outdoors. About a week before the transplanting date, on a calm day when air temperature is at least 60°F, find a warm outdoor spot; erect a lath tent (see page 101), put seedlings in a cardboard box that is about 6 inches high, and place into the tent. Leave them out for an hour or so, then bring them in. The next day leave them out for about two hours. Subsequently, every morning put them out gradually increasing outdoor time until they can stay out all day before taking them in. On days that are cold and windy do not put them out; it will only set them back. If the weather has remained steady, by the end of the week they should be ready to be set in. A few days before the transplant date, unless there is danger of frost; let them stay out all night too.
Buying transplants
If buying, look for bushy, compact plants with thick stems. The stems should have a purple color. Avoid those that show signs of yellowing or have blemishes or otherwise poor color.
Training systems
Before going into the details of setting out the transplants, in order to understand the reasoning behind my system of growing tomatoes, a little general background is necessary.
When I first planted tomatoes, they were staked and tied as they grew. It is a simple proven method, and to this day, indeed hard to beat. The thing that bothered me was the continuous tying up of the plants. That fact motivated me to try to find a less labor intensive method. In that search just about everything imaginable was tried, teepees, trellises, poles with arms, poles with ropes, “A” frames, “X” frames, cages and many other systems. All had some merit but only the cages impressed me as being any better than the simple stake. They eliminated the work of tying, but each plant having its own cage, took up a lot of space.
It seemed to me that this did not have to be. If a cage could be built in such a way to contain and give support to more than one plant, less space would be required.
I had been planting 12 tomato plants, 18 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart. This arrangement filled a full module—why not enclose all in one big cage? I made six 4-foot poles and drove nails in them sticking out at a slight angle, one low, one in the center, and one near the top.
These posts were then driven into the ground at each corner of the module and one at each side in the middle. Then 8-foot 1x2s were placed on the protruding lowest nails joining the three posts on each side. Next, 4-foot laths were placed across, resting on these strips, forming a latticework for the plants to grow up into. As the plants grew the vines were supported on the laths.
When they grew taller another tier of supports were added using the center nails on the posts. Then a final tier using the top nails. Simply put, the plants were enclosed in the framework of a big rectangular box, with interior supports. The plants grew naturally and required no tying.
The system worked fairly well and I kept using it for about four or five years.
But one big cage was not really practical. Some rethinking, evaluations, adjustments, and further trials were called for.
Cluster planting
Since two varieties of tomatoes were regularly being planted, Earliana and Delicious. I reasoned that instead of one big cage, why not separate the two varieties and build two smaller cages? This approach would also utilize the area more efficiently.
To do this the plants would have to be spaced much closer, in clusters: So six were planted near one end of the module and another six near the other end. I then observed them as they grew to determine what kind of cages would be needed.
It soon became apparent that the most efficient shape would be a rectangle. In other words, my one big cage scaled down to a smaller size. As they grew the cages were built around them much the same as had been done with the larger version.
Although the plants were closer together in the clusters than they were when they occupied the full module, it didn’t seem to have any detrimental effect; in fact, they appeared to benefit from this closeness. The soil retained moisture better due to the increased shade, no blossom end rot was apparent, and neither was any sun scald on the fruits.
I was convinced that this was the way to go. Modifications and improvements were continually made each year until an acceptable result was had. The final cage is described and illustrated on the following pages.
Cluster cage
The cluster cage is a rectangular framework designed to support a cluster of tomato plants. Assembled it is 2 feet wide by 4 feet tall by 4 feet long. It has three tiers of supports. Materials used in its construction are 1x2 furring strips, 1¼-inch x #6 deck screws and ¼x2½-inch bolts with washers and wing nuts.
A cage requires two 2- x 4-foot post units. Each post unit consisting of two 4-foot posts joined together by three 2-foot support bars spaced 12 inches apart. When assembled, the two post units are connected by 4-foot stringers, two of which have legs, and are called stabilizer units. Three stringers make up a tier. Two 2-foot divider bars are placed at measured points on the stringers of each tier to form six open spaces.
To construct a post unit: Two are needed for each cage. Take two 4-foot lengths of furring strips to be the posts: Measuring from one end, which will be the bottom, make marks at 9 inches, 21 inches, and 33 inches, then measure down 2 inches from the top and drill a ¼-inch hole. Place the two posts on the floor 2 feet apart, outside edge to outside edge.
Then place 2-foot lengths on the posts lining up top edges with the marks, fasten to the posts using 1¼-inch x #6 deck screws. On their tops, in the center and at the point where they meet the posts, cut ¾ inch-wide by ½ inch-deep notches.
To make a stringer: Nine needed for each cage. Take a 4-foot length of furring strip, measure over 16¼ inches from each end and cut square notches ¾ inch wide by ½ inch deep. This is the top of the stringer. On the opposite side, the bottom, measure over 1 inch from each end and cut the same size square notches.
To make a stabilizer unit: Two are needed for each cage. Take one of the stringers and in the exact center, drill a ¼-inch hole. Cut two 30-inch-lengths of furring strip; then drill a ¼-inch hole ¾ inch from one end of each.
These will be fold down legs. Fasten them both to one side of the stringer by inserting a ¼x2½-inch bolt through the holes and secure with a washer and wing nut.
To make a divider bar: Six needed for each cage. Take a 2-foot length of furring strip, measure over 1½ inch from each end, cut square notches ¾ inch wide by ½ inch deep. In the exact center, cut another same size notch. This is the bottom of the bar.
The illustration on page 105 shows all construction details. To prevent rotting, it is recommended that all of the cluster cage components be treated with a non-toxic water sealant.
Assembling a cluster cage in a module
The cluster cages are not put up until the tomato plants are approximately two feet tall. By that time a mulch should already be in place. If not, put one down before proceeding any further. The cages are erected as follows:
1) Take a stabilizer unit. Loosen wing nut, lower and spread the legs across width of the module so that the tips of each touch the inside of the module frame. Tighten the wing nut snug.
2) Position a post unit at one side of the module, support bars facing out to the side. Unit should be 12 inches from end.
3) Holding the post unit upright, notch one of the stabilizing unit’s end notches into the support bar notch by the post. Press the legs into the ground to keep the post unit from falling.
4) Go to the other side. Position the other post unit directly across. Take the loose end of the stabilizer unit and notch the end notch into the support bar notch as was done on the first side.
5) Using the same procedure, erect the other stabilizer unit so that both post units are connected. Then final adjust the legs so that the structure is erect and stable.
6) Add the first tier by notching three stringers into the proper notches on the lower support bars: One on each side and one in the center. Then add the divider bars by matching up their notches with the ones on the stringer bars.
7) Add second and third tiers as needed. The second tier, already having the stringers of the stabilizer units, need only the center stringer and the divider bars added. The third tier requires all three stringers and divider bars.
8) If plants grow to the top, give support by threading a piece of clothesline through the holes to form a rectangular loop. Then tie the ends together.
Take care, especially with the first tier, not to injure the plants. When putting in the stringers, slide them in from the ends, lifting any branches that may be in the way.
Slide the divider bars in from the sides, again taking care to lift any branches as may be necessary. When the tier is fully installed the branches should be resting on those supports. The illustrations on pages 105, 107, and 108 show construction plus assembly details. (Besides cluster cages there are three other tomato training methods that I can recommend, see page 192.)
Note: Furring strips have been specified because they are cheap. Regular 1x2 lumber will cost more but give you a better job and is recommended.
Once the training method is known, the tomato transplants can be set into their designated planting units.
But first, since tomatoes follow peas as a succession planting, the pea vines standing in those units will have to be removed. They will have served their purpose as a cover crop, having added nitrogen to the soil. Sadly, the not yet fully mature pods on those vines will be lost. I know, it will tug at your heart, but just grit your teeth, pull them out, and add them to the compost pile.
A pea harvest will still be had as the rest of the crop, that in-between those planting units, will remain and be harvested.
Setting out the transplants
The organic gardener’s basic rule of thumb is: Feed the soil and allow the soil to feed the plant.
Organic matter in the soil improves the texture, increases workability, intensifies water holding capacity and slowly releases nutrients for use by the plants. It is vital for the health of your plants to always have plenty of it in the bed.
A few days before setting out the plants rake the bed smooth and spread a half-inch layer of compost over the entire area. This will provide extra nutrients to get them off to a good start.
For strong normal growth, if some plants have developed blossoms, remove them before setting in. This may seem contrary to logic, but if left on energy will be diverted to developing fruit instead of to the development of a sturdy root system. Once a plant begins to flower and set fruits it is entering its most vigorous vegetative growth. This stage should always be after the plant has been set into the garden and has strong roots.
In the early morning of the transplanting day water all of the plants to keep them fresh, but since bright sunlight can harm the tender young seedlings, do not set them out until late afternoon when the sun has started to decline and has lost most of its heat.
This also gives the young plants all night to start adapting to their new environment before getting hit with the hot sun the next day. Try to keep the roots in your shadow when out of their containers.
Plant in two clusters of six: Each cluster in its designated planting unit, two single rows to a cluster, rows 14 inches apart, plants spaced 14 inches apart in the rows. Measure and mark the positions where the plants are to go.
To remove transplants from their containers hold them so that the stem is in-between your forefinger and middle finger, turn them upside down and give a sharp tap on the bottom. Usually they will come out easily. If they don’t, run a knife all around the inside edge of the container and try again.
After removing from container, inspect the root ball. If roots are matted or circling around the root ball untangle them and spread them in an outward direction. If that is impossible then with a knife or razor blade make vertical cuts up the sides and horizontal cuts across the bottom of the ball. This will cause the roots to grow outward into the surrounding soil. Otherwise, sometimes they will just stay in that little ball greatly retarding the growth of the plant.
Before setting in pinch off two of the lowest leaves. Plant about a half inch or so deeper than they were in their containers making sure that the bottom leaves are well above the ground. (But if any of the plants are “leggy” those need to planted deeper, pinch off more leaves so that only the top leaf cluster and a few below it are protruding above the ground.)
Throw in a couple of handfuls of compost into the bottom of the holes. It is also a good idea to mix in some crushed eggshells which will supply calcium to the plants and help resist blossom-end rot. Refill the hole, adding soil so that the stem is in position. Buried stem will grow roots
Then pack the soil around the root ball with your fingers to remove any air pockets. Leave a slight depression at the surface. Pour about a quart of water around the base of the plant; after that fill in the depression with dry soil.
For cutworm protection; form a circle around the stem using a 3-inch-wide by 6-inch-long strip of smooth cardboard. Overlap the ends. Sink collar 1 inch into soil, 2 inches above. (Cereal box cardboard is perfect to use for collars.)
Care after the transplants have been set in
The next morning after the transplanting go out to check them for any signs of stress. If any are wilting, water those at the root.
After that wait until the afternoon, then water all of them at the root. Continue this routine of watering them every evening and in addition start giving very shallow cultivations to keep the soil loose. But never cultivate tomato plants more that one inch deep at the very most. Otherwise you could damage the roots. Keep the bed free of weeds by pulling any that sprout.
Watch plants as they grow. When the bottom leaves grow bigger and start to droop down, to protect from soilborne diseases, pinch them off. Leaves should always be high above the ground.
Established plants should always be watered at the root late in the afternoon about two hours before sunset. Try not to splash water on the plants as that can cause the spread of blights. A mulch helps to control this disease by preventing soil splash, but don’t put it down until the ground has warmed up. The bare soil needs a lot of days of hot sun before it is good and warm.
Fertilizing and mulching
One of the biggest mistakes made by many home gardeners is to over-fertilize. An overdose will cause rampart growth which encourages diseases and delays blossom formation plus fruit set. Lots of foliage and very little fruit is a typical result.
If the soil was properly prepared in the spring and a thin layer of compost applied a few days before setting in the plants they should quickly become rooted. Then just do the following:
1) Two weeks after transplanting, pull any weeds and lightly cultivate the plot. Then water the ground. You can use a watering wand adjusted to a soft steady flow or a watering can with the rose removed. Any other container will also do. Just wet the soil thoroughly without wetting the plants and don’t cause any splashing. After that pour some compost tea (see page 69) around the plants. Keep it away from the stems and leaves.
2) When plants have set several small green fruits, about the size of a grape, repeat the above procedure.
Then put down a 2- to 3-inch layer of shredded leaves completely covering the area under the plants. But leave a little space of bare ground around the stems. (Leaves can be shredded piling them up about 3 inches high near a wall or fence and running over them with a power lawn mower. The fence or wall will contain them making collection easy.)
With the mulch they will not need as much watering. Check under the mulch regularly by poking a forefinger into the soil, it should be moist, but not soggy, for the full length of your finger. If dry, water. If soggy, you’re watering too much. Cut back.
Once the mulch is in place put up the cluster cages. Be sure that the plants are in the proper positions. At this time, only the first tier of supports is necessary. Watch the plants carefully as they continue their growth to determine when they will need the second and third tiers of supports. If plants grow to the top, string a clothesline through the holes to contain.
Flowers are pollinated by wind or insects, but when the plants have flowers, giving them a daily gentle shaking will spread additional pollen, increasing flower set, resulting in more fruit.
Harvesting
Harvest tomatoes as soon as they are fully ripened on the vine. This is when they are the most flavorful. Do not allow them to remain on the vine to become too soft. Examine plants daily to make sure that all fully ripened fruits are removed.
But if there are critters taking bites out of ripe fruits on the plants pick a little earlier and let them ripen indoors. Flavor will be less but they will be eaten by you, not by the critters.
Ripe tomatoes will keep for several days up to a week in a cool place. Refrigeration is not recommended as that will diminish flavor. But, put any scarred, cracked, or otherwise damaged ones in the refrigerator right away to keep them from spoiling.
At the end of the season the harvest can be prolonged by pulling up entire plants and hanging them by the roots in a sheltered place. Fruits will continue ripening even after vines have wilted.
A less dramatic way of prolonging the harvest is to pick green tomatoes that are starting to change color and store indoors to ripen. But store only intact fruits free from cuts or cracks. Pick bright green ones only if you intend to pickle or fry them.
After harvesting, if plants show any signs of infection, do not put them in the compost bin; that will spread the infection to
Tomatoes are not difficult to grow. If you just planted one and didn’t do anything further, you would still get a few fruits.
However, be aware that, more than any other vegetable, they are susceptible to a wider variety of conditions and diseases that can beset them. In fact, when you look at the long list of ailments one wonders how they can be grown at all.
But, don’t let that long list frighten you. Yes, I’m sure that your plants will suffer from one or another of these ailments at some time. No one is lucky enough to go year after year problem free. However, most of the time your plants will make it right through the season one way or another.
Some scary looking conditions (these are not diseases)
There are many circumstances that can affect tomato plants. But very seldom do you ever encounter more that just a few of them. Some of the most common problems are listed starting below.
Blossom-end rot: Shows first on the bottom of the fruit as a large dry, brown or black sunken area. It is caused by a fluctuating moisture supply that results in a calcium deficiency. Prevention is keeping an even soil moisture. On an individual tomato, once started, it is irreversible.
Cracking: Caused by the tomato expanding too fast. Usually happens if a rainy period comes after dry spell. The fruit takes in too much water all at once getting bigger too fast. Keeping an even moisture supply is the key to controlling.
Catfacing: Another kind of scarring. It is caused by abnormal development of flowers at blossom time. Cool weather is suspected to cause the flower problem. No control possible.
Blossom drop: Caused by high day temperatures of 90°F and high night temperatures of 75°F. Also by cool night temperatures of 55°F or below. It can’t be controlled, just be aware of it.
Sunscald: Caused when green or ripening fruits get too much exposure to the sun. Yellowish-white patch appears on the side that faced the sun. Gets larger and as fruit ripens turns grayish-white. Control by not pruning vines.
Curling of leaves: “Leaf roll” generally indicates stress of some kind. Too much pruning, excessive moisture or low moisture in combination with high heat are a few causes.
Although some of the problems listed make the fruits look unsightly, it’s alright to consume them fresh. Just cut away the affected area and eat the rest.
Diseases
Tomatoes can be affected by a large number of diseases. Luckily most of them only damage plants in large scale operations. The diseases that are common to home gardens follow:
Early Blight: A fungus causes spotting of leaves and partially defoliates plants.
Fusarium Wilt: An overall wilting, beginning with the yellowing and dying of leaves from the bottom up.
Late Blight: Caused by a fungus. Greenish-black patches will develop on older leaves and then the plant will suffer extensive defoliation.
Septoria Leaf Roll: Starts with water-soaked spots on older leaves at bottom of plant. Slowly destroys much of the foliage.
Soil Rot: First appears as brown, sunken spots on the fruit. It enlarges and sometimes breaks open the skin.
Verticillium Wilt: Wilting of the tips of the shoots and the yellowing of the older leaves are the first signs.
Tobacco or Tomato Mosaic Virus: Discoloring and a curling of the leaflets are the symptoms. Lowers the vigor of the plant.
Root Knot: Caused by tiny worms called nematodes in the soil. Attacks roots. Infected plants wilt very easily on hot days.
So if your plants contact any of these diseases what can you do about it? Basically Not Much! I know that isn’t the answer that the home gardener wants to hear. But sadly, once your plants become infected it is too late; just accept a reduced yield.
Prevention
You can greatly reduce the chance of insect problems and protect against diseases if you take certain precautions.
Monoculture is one of the prime causes of pest build-up, as with diseases, some pests are specific to plants of the same botanical family and can proliferate rapidly when a plant group is cultivated year after year in the same place.
Mixed plantings create a more balanced bionetwork. For that reason, inter-planting a different crop between the tomato rows is a good control against unwanted garden pests. This practice will send out mixed signals to the insect population. Carrots, onions, garlic, and parsley are good companion plants for tomatoes and as low growers will not interfere in any way with the vines.
A healthy plant is a powerful deterrent to pests and diseases. Bugs will quickly attack sickly plants whereas they will bypass healthy ones. Inspect plants daily, checking under leaves.
Stress is a major cause of tomato problems. Preventing plants from being subjected to stress is the best protection against disease. Keeping an even soil moisture is very important in this respect. Most diseases are soil-borne usually caused by fungi which start at the bottom of the plant and go up. Putting down a mulch can protect somewhat from soil viruses by stopping them from being splashed up onto the foliage during rains.
Practice good garden hygiene. Pinch off any diseased or spotted leaves as soon as they appear to keep the spores from spreading. Also remove any that are touching the soil. Don’t let decaying fruits or other rotting matter remain on the ground under the plants. Pull up and discard diseased plants in the trash.
Sunshine is a powerful disinfectant; it will kill bacteria and fungi. Plants that receive the most sun will have the most immunity. Fungi spreads very fast on moist plants. Stay out of the garden when everything is damp or wet; you don’t want to proliferate diseases by touching.
Most tomato diseases are soilborne. For that reason prune off the lowest leaves as the plant grows and keep pruning until there are no leaves lower than 8 inches above the ground on an adult plant. Never, never, allow the leaves to come in contact with the soil.
Try to always have clean hands when handling plants, plus don’t touch them when wet. And don’t ever allow smokers near the plants. Inspect plants every day, check under the leaves for any eggs or larva and on top of leaves for the tomato hornworm.
French Marigolds control harmful nematodes in the soil by producing a chemical that kills them. Plus their scent is offensive to many insects and pests. Planting marigolds in a tomato bed will not only serve as a preventative measure but will also provide a striking splash of color in your garden.
Royal Chantenay (recommended variety)
Cylindrical shape with very little taper: Good color, roots redorange right to the center. Grow to about 5 inches long.
60 days to maturity. Small seed.
How to plant
Plant in 3 single conventional rows: Rows 4 inches apart.
Make ¼-inch furrows, sow 1 seed every 1 inch.
Curl your forefinger and firm. Do not cover, water.
General care and harvesting:
Same as for the initial planting on page 90, except that, if desired, you can: 1) Prolong the harvest by leaving the carrots in the ground and pulling only as needed. 2) Leave some, or all, of them to overwinter: (Must be mulched.)
Bush Blue Lake (recommended variety)
Dark green, round pods average 6 inches long: Unique flavor, slow fiber and seed development. Dwarf bushy plants.
55 days to maturity. Large seed.
How to plant
Plant in 2 single rows: One row, at each end of the module. Make ¼-inch furrows, sow seeds 3 inches apart. With a forefinger push seeds about 1 inch deeper into the soil. Cover with compost or soil, firm and water. Do not overwater.
General care
Once established water at roots, keep the soil from crusting.
Harvesting
Same as for main sowing: (See page 123.)
Green Curled (recommended variety)
Dark, finely cut leaves: Slightly bitter taste. Excellent for use in mixed greens salads.
90 days to maturity. Small seed.
How to plant
Plant in 1 triplex row: side by side with leaf lettuce.
Make ¼-inch furrows, wet them down, sow 1 seed every 1 inch.
Do not cover seed; it is light sensitive, firm, water with spray and then shade.
General care and harvesting
Basically the same as for the initial planting: (See page 86).
Simpson Elite (recommended variety)
Light lime green, crinkled leaves: Similar to the old favorite
Black-Seeded Simpson: Grows well in the fall.
41 days to maturity. Small seed.
How to plant
Plant in 1 triplex row: side by side, with endive.
Make ¼-inch furrows, wet them down, sow 1 seed every 1 inch, firm, cover lightly with loose compost, water with spray, shade.
General care and harvesting
Basically the same as for the initial planting: (See page 85.)
Buttercrunch (recommended variety)
Medium green forms a loose head. Thick crisp leaves: Long standing, Very reliable.
60 days to maturity. Small seed.
How to plant
Plant in 1 triplex row, side by side with arugula.
Make ¼-inch furrows, wet them down, sow 1 seed every 1 inch, firm; cover lightly with loose compost, water with spray. Shade to protect from drying out.
General care and harvesting
Basically the same as for the initial planting: (See page 88.)
Astro II (recommended variety)
Dark green wide tongue shaped leaves: A good green for mesclun. Has a strong spicy taste, gives a peppery flavor. 40 days to maturity. Small seed.
How to plant
Plant in 1 triplex row, side by side with bibb lettuce.
Make ¼-in. furrows, wet them down, sow 1 seed every 1 inch, firm, cover lightly with loose compost, water with spray, shade.
General care and harvesting
Basically the same as for the initial planting (See page 87) except that fall is great arugula-growing weather, you don’t have to worry about it bolting quickly as it will do in the spring. You have much more leeway as to when you can cut it; large seedling, semi-mature, or even in the almost mature stage.
Comet (recommended variety—but try others)
Round in shape. Advertised to develop normally when planted in midsummer. But I have found that this is not always true.
25 days to maturity. Small seed.
How to plant
Plant in 2 single rows: 1 row on each side of where center row of broccoli will go. Each row spaced 6 inches from that center point. Make ¾-inch furrows. Wet down, sow 1 seed every 2 inches.
Curl your forefinger and firm. Cover with compost, water, shade.
General care and harvesting
Same as described for champion radishes: (See page 79.)
Broccoli is best handled as transplants. In the middle of June sow seeds in a flat filled with a 50-50 mix of compost and garden soil. (For drainage make sure that the flat has holes in the bottom.) Plant in two rows: Rows 2 inches apart, sow seeds ½-inch deep every 1 inch within rows.
Eight plants are needed, but to make sure that you have enough good ones, plant at least 4 extras.
Water with a hand spray; then place in a shaded location to germinate. As soon as they sprout move them to a sunny spot. (Putting them in a lath tent will provide a cooler more favorable growing atmosphere.)
Keep the soil moist. As they grow thin out weak plants. By the time they are scheduled to go into the garden they should have developed three or more true leaves.
De Cicco (recommended variety)
Light green plants produce 3- to 4-inch central heads followed by a long harvest of side shoots. Small seed.
Setting out the transplants
Make three furrows as guide lines. One at center planting unit saw mark and 2 others, spaced 12 inches on each side. Measure and mark positions where transplants are to go: They will be spaced 16 inches apart in staggered rows. Two in the center row, three in the other two rows. (See illustration on previous page.)
Transplant in the late afternoon when the sun is low. Several hours prior to that, thoroughly water flats to keep soil intact when lifting out. Dig holes about 4 inches wide by 6 inches deep. Throw some compost in the bottom. Set seedling in the hole at least 1 inch deeper than it was in the flat: Pack soil around the roots, water at the stem’s base: Shade for the first full day in the sun to lessen the stress of transplanting.
General care
Once well established put down a 2- to 3-inch shredded-leaf mulch over the entire area under the plants.
Harvesting
Harvest before flower buds begin to open. If allowed to open the plant will stop producing. Cut just below the bud cluster while the buds are still light, before they start producing tiny yellow flowers. After the main head is cut, small side shoots will grow from where the leaves meet the stems. The plant will keep producing these side shoots until freezing weather, as long as the shoots are never cut back to the main stem. Leave the base of the shoot and a couple of leaves on each stem. New shoots will grow from these leaf junctions. Light frosts improve the flavor.
Bush Blue Lake (recommended variety)
Dark green, round pods average 6 inches long: Unique flavor, slow fiber and seed development. Dwarf bushy plants.
55 days to maturity. Large seed.
How to plant
Plant in staggered rows: Rows 4 inches apart.
Make ¼-inch furrows, sow seeds 4 inches apart: Using a forefinger push seeds further into the soil about 1 inch.
Cover the entire furrow with compost, water. Do not overwater.
Optional early sowings
If individual planting units become vacant before July 30th, they can be sown with bush beans as soon as they are available. Units still occupied will be sown after their final harvest, which in most cases is usually right before July 30th.
General care
No thinning necessary. Sprouts should stand, as seeds were sown, 4 inches apart. If after 7-10 days some did not germinate push another seed into those spots. Closely spaced plants will shade the ground suppressing weed growth. Pull any that come up. Once plants are established, water at the roots late in the afternoon. Do not let them dry out. Inspect daily for Mexican bean beetles. Handpick adults, destroy any eggs and larvae under leaves.
Harvesting
Harvest while pods are immature and before they have finished growing. Seeds should be small and the bean should snap when you break it. Beans have to be watched; should be picked when they are large enough to eat but before the flesh gets tough and the beans make lumps in the pods. If pods are allowed to ripen fully the plants will stop producing and die. If care is taken, many pickings can be had from one planting.
With the sowing of bush beans the succession plantings have been completed. But there is still a post-succession planting to do—garlic. It will not be put in until the earliest frost date or later. Garlic is not, per se, a succession planting as it will be harvested in the next season.
As we approach the autumn season it is time to start thinking about collecting the falling leaves that will be used for mulching the beds and also as “browns” in the compost pile.
Leaves used for mulching should be shredded so that rainwater or melting snow can trickle through to the ground. This can be done by piling them near a fence or wall (to contain them) and running over them with a power mower.
Large plastic bags are really the only practical way to store leaves until ready for use. Those to be used for composting should also be shredded, otherwise they will mat down. For convenience stockpile those bags near the compost bin. Their decomposition process can be speeded up by throwing in a little soil and spraying them lightly with water.
Once the little odds and ends have been taken care of, the focus can turn to finalizing the fall wrap-up. This is a gradual process. As subsequent crops are harvested and their residues put into the compost bin, appropriate action is taken to readying the beds for the oncoming cold weather.
Although garlic can be planted in the spring, it is best planted in the fall for harvest the following year. Cloves need to be exposed to low temperatures to have their dormancy broken, otherwise they may not produce bulbs. Spring planting produces small bulbs.
This setting-in of the garlic cloves is, in effect, both the last planting of the present season and the first of the next, as they will sprout before any of the new initially planted crops.
Since the proper time for the setting-in of the cloves is the earliest fall frost date or later, this factor will determine when the final winterizing of the bed can be accomplished.
(fall planted in B group bed—which will become the C group bed the next season).
Variety: Elephant (or use that sold in supermarkets)
Very large, mild cloves: They are very white on the outside, light brown skin on the cloves.
90 to 120 days to maturity from date of sprouting in the spring. No seed available, plant cloves.
How to plant (earliest fall frost date or later)
Plant in 3 staggered single rows: Rows 4 inches apart.
Make ¼-inch deep furrows as guide lines and plant at 6-inch intervals in staggered rows. Break bulbs into cloves. Do not use any small thin ones. If soil is soft enough just push them in, points up and 2 inches below the surface. Fill indentions, water.
If earth is hard, with a trowel, dig 3- to 4-inch-deep holes. Place cloves in the holes points up and 2 inches below the surface. Firmly pack soil around clove, water; complete filling hole.
General care (for fall and following season)
Once they have been put in, cover the area with a shredded-leaf mulch. By the spring the garlic tops will have come up, some poking through the mulch. Remove most of the shredded leaves slowly over a period of several weeks. Leave a thin layer to hold in soil moisture. Pinch off any seed heads that may develop in the spring or summer to increase bulb size. Water when the onions are being watered. Needs very little care and is free from pests and diseases. In fact repels pests.
Harvest (early summer)
When a little over half of the tops die back, are dry and yellow, harvest. Push a trowel down into the soil next to the bulb and lever up and down, loosening the earth. Then lift out, rub off any dirt that clings. Lay the whole plants in an airy, dry spot for several weeks to cure. Store at room temperature or cooler (55-60°F). Braid, or just tie their stems together and hang up.