vegetables

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for ‘Danvers’ Carrots

‘Danvers’ carrots are lovely, deep orange carrots that are beginner-friendly. They’re one of my favorites to grow because of their rich flavor, sweetness, and easy-to-grow nature. They’ll thrive in just about any soil type. These carrots were developed for their attractive orange color, shape, and productivity. They’re some of the most beloved carrot varieties grown in the US. They’re especially well adapted to warm regions with hot summers. If you live in places such as Southern California, you’ll want to add ‘Danvers’ to your spring gardening list. What Is It? A bundle of freshly harvested orange taproots with pointed tips lies on the ground, still attached to leafy green tops with delicate, fern-like leaves. They grow like champs even when summer really sizzles. ‘Danvers’ carrots are lovely carrots with a deep orange color and moderate root size. They contain plenty of moisture and sweetness, with a distinctive carrot flavor. They’re some of the easiest root vegetables you can grow, especially in bright, sunny areas with hot summers. Characteristics Close-up of a gardener's hands in white gloves holding a bunch of freshly picked bright orange carrots with lush green foliage, and remnants of soil on the roots. They yield sweet roots below and tasty greens for pesto above. These varieties grow to be around 1 foot tall when mature. Their roots can reach up to 7 inches long. They have a beautiful orange color, with good thickness and a wider top and a narrow, tapered root tip. They thrive in areas with full sun and tolerate heat and frost. They can survive in a variety of climates and soil types. They’ll even grow well in compacted soils, unlike other carrot varieties. However, the roots can get pithy when grown in hot summers.They produce edible foliage that’s delicious in salads, soups, and pesto sauces. If left to bloom, they produce clustered white flowers. When they bloom, they’ll attract beneficial pollinators such as parasitic wasps, soldier beetles, and bees. These root vegetables are extremely high in vitamin A, fiber, and other nutrients. They contain roughly 6 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of sugar or more. Native Area Bright orange roots grow deep in the soil, crowned by delicate, fern-like foliage and upright, pale green stalks. They’re productive and loved from Europe to America’s plates. Carrots originally come from Asia, where they were hybridized from wild carrots and wild Mediterranean carrot subspecies. In the 16th century, Dutch horticulturists bred the first bright orange carrots we know and love today. In the 17th century, Europeans brought carrots to the Americas. Soon, people started growing them throughout the colonies of North America. In the 60s and 70s, carrots became part of the staple American diet. They were also one of the most important additions to the Victory Gardens during WWI and WWII. In the late 19th century, horticulturists in Danvers, Massachusetts, developed the first ‘Danvers’ varieties. They were developed to be a highly productive, sweet, and easy-to-grow variety. Today, you can find them sold in grocery stores and farmers’ markets throughout the US. You can find their seeds online and in many nurseries and garden supply stores. Planting Planting ‘Danvers’ carrots is incredibly easy. All you need are seeds, good soil, and a location with full sun. They’ll thrive in many climates throughout the US with very little maintenance. Transplanting Carrot seedlings with slender green cotyledons and feathery true leaves sprout upright in neat rows within a black seed tray. Transplanting makes things tough—let them take root naturally. Because of their long taproot, it’s best not to transplant any variety of carrot. Sow them directly in the ground outdoors or in containers like these for the best results. If you transplant your carrots, they will usually struggle. Growing From Seed Close-up of a man's hand in a dark blue glove sowing tiny brown seeds into loose gray-brown soil in a garden. Successive planting will keep harvests coming all season. Start with healthy ‘Danvers’ carrot seeds that are less than a year old. Sow them outside in well-drained soil around 2 to 4 weeks before your last frost date. Check the Old Farmer’s Almanac website to get your average last frost date. Wait until the soil temperature is at least 45°F (7°C) before sowing. Plant the seeds at a depth of ¼ inch. Space the seeds out by around 1 inch. Rows should be spaced 6 inches apart. Gently cover the seeds with loose soil and water well until the soil is moist. Continue watering only until the soil is moist. Once your seeds are around an inch high, you can thin them to 1 plant every 3 inches. To make the most out of your seeds and enjoy bountiful harvests throughout the year, try successive planting of your seeds. This is the process of staggering your planting every 3 or 4 weeks throughout the milder growing seasons. You’ll end up with bunches of carrots well into fall or winter in mild climates. How to Grow These crops are incredibly easy to grow and maintain. Once they get established in your soil, you’ll have very few problems getting them to thrive. Below are some tips on how to get your carrots to grow beautifully in your garden. Light Carrots grow in a sunny garden bed with bushy, fern-like green leaves and sturdy stems emerging from the soil. Sunlight is key to their best growth and flavor.While some carrot varieties can tolerate some shade, ‘Danvers’ prefer full sun. Plant them in an area that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. They can tolerate some afternoon shade, especially in hot regions. They will have trouble growing in complete shade or away from direct sunlight. Avoid planting them near sunflowers and other tall plants. Water Watering a garden bed with lush finely divided foliage using a metal watering can. Water evenly, avoiding overwatering to prevent root issues. Provide enough water so the soil stays moist throughout the growing season. Avoid overwatering your carrots or they’ll start to fork and lose their shape. Overwatered plants will also be more prone to diseases such as root rot. These carrot varieties respond well to drip irrigation and hose systems. They love to be evenly watered. Watering them infrequently or letting them dry can harm their structure and growth. Soil Close-up of bright orange carrot shoulders emerging from the soil beneath bushy green tops with fine, feathery leaves and slender green stems. Raised beds give their roots the space they crave. Plant your carrots in well-drained, loose soil. Amend your soil with organic material, such as organic compost. The more sand in your mixture, the better. Grow these carrots in tall raised beds. Their roots need plenty of space to grow. Beds such as these by Birdies Beds work incredibly well for these varieties. After planting, add a good amount of mulch around your plants once they start to grow. This will help retain moisture in the soil. It also protects the ecosystem of microbes and beneficial insects in your garden beds. Temperature and Humidity Thick, pointed roots push through the earth, supporting a rosette of lacy green leaves sprouting from sturdy stems. They grow strong through heat and light frosty conditions.These carrots can handle heat and cold extremes once they’re established. In mild climates, you can get them to grow even with mild freezes. Plant them once the soil temperature reaches 45°F (7°C) or higher. Unlike some other carrot varieties, ‘Danvers’ can withstand periods of high heat, over 80°F (27°C). This makes them ideal for warm growing environments such as Southern California and Florida. However, for all carrots, it’s best to grow them in milder seasons. Fertilizing A woman's hand in a dark blue glove with a handful of white granular fertilizers among the garden bed featuring lush green carrot tops with feathery leaves rising from thick stems. Fertilize only after plants grow past 4 inches tall. In the spring and fall, amend your soil with organic compost. You can also amend the soil with a high-nitrogen fertilizer such as this one once your carrots are over 4 inches tall. After you apply the fertilizer, give the soil plenty of water. This will help the plant food soak into the ground around the roots. Never add fertilizer directly to your plants, or you may see signs of fertilizer burn. Follow the instructions on your fertilizer packet. Avoid over-fertilizing your plants. Too much nutrition can damage your harvests. Maintenance A woman's hand is loosening the soil in a garden bed with young carrot seedlings using a rake. Weeds are your biggest challenge—mulch helps keep them down. Once planted, these varieties are easy to maintain. Even if you’re a beginning gardener with no experience at all, you’ll be able to get them to thrive. The biggest task in maintaining your carrots will be removing weeds from their beds. Weeds will compete with your plants for nutrients and water. To help keep weeds down, mulch around your mature plants to cut the supply of sunlight to the weeds. If your carrots outgrow their soil and start rising above the soil line, cover them with soil. Keep the roots under the soil to maintain the carrot’s color. Propagation Brownish seed cluster forms a closed, nest-like shape atop a tall, slender stem. Save seed heads to grow more plants next season. There are several ways to propagate your carrots. The easiest way is to let your plants go to seed. Once they flower and produce seed heads, let them dry on the plant. Clip them off and rub the seed heads gently over a plate or paper towel to release the seeds. Store them in an envelope in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to plant them. You can also save the carrot heads after harvesting. Place the cuttings in a dish of water or above a moist paper towel. Keep adding water to the tray or paper towel. Soon, your carrot will start developing thin roots and new growth. Plant the new plant in well-drained soil. You won’t get harvestable carrot roots from plants started this way. However, you can let them go to seed and grow healthy plants from their seeds. Harvesting and Storage Close-up of a white-gloved male hand holding a bunch of freshly picked carrots with black soil on bright orange roots, above a black box full of harvested orange tapered roots.After a heavy rain, harvest with minimal effort. Harvest your carrots whenever they’re mature. You can harvest them when they’re young or let them grow to over 6 inches. I love harvesting young carrots and saving their greens for salads, soups, and sauces. Before harvesting, moisten the soil or wait until a heavy rain. Try pulling your carrots gently by their foliage. You can also try to use a garden fork to remove them. If the soil is moist, they should come right out with a little tug. Once you’ve harvested them, they’ll last in your refrigerator for several weeks in plastic bags. You can also store them in the freezer or pickle them for longer storage and exciting flavors. Use a mixture of vinegar, hot water, salt, herbs, and spices. Place your cut carrots in a jar, fill it with your brine, and store it away in the refrigerator. Common Problems ‘Danvers’ carrots rarely have major growing issues. As long as you cultivate them in good soil and keep a healthy garden ecosystem, you shouldn’t have much to worry about. The most common problem when growing carrots is sunburn. This is when the carrot tops push above the soil line and expose themselves to the sun. This causes a strange flavor and greening top, which becomes hard and unappetizing.

How To Grow Peas: Everything You Need To Know

Learning how to grow peas is one of the best things you can do. These versatile, delicious veggies are huge producers and extremely healthy. Have you ever wondered how to grow peas? Green peas are one of those tastes that embody spring: bright green, crisp and sweet. Knowing how to grow peas in the vegetable garden gives us a never ending supply, and everyone should devote some garden space to this cool-season crop. But peas have an interesting history, too! Before humans developed agriculture, sweet peas were an abundant crop and a staple food that hunter-gatherer peoples would forage regularly. Interestingly, the Romans believed that freshly picked peas were poisonous, so they dried all peas before consumption. This was the common practice until a French gardener under the reign of King Louis XIV developed a pea hybrid called petits pois. These smaller, delicious fresh peas exploded in popularity with the king and thus spread to worldwide appeal. Now people all over grow peas. While we think of peas as a vegetable nowadays, the pod is biologically considered a fruit, and the sweet-tasting peas are seeds. All peas are considered part of the legume family, along with beans and other podded produce. Let’s dive into the world of growing Pisum sativum, the pea plant. We’ll go over how to grow peas, what environments are optimal, and even how to store them for eating later! Planting Peas Peas are a cool-season crop. Most people plant peas in the early spring as soon as the soil is workable, as they can tolerate light frosts. Plant six weeks before the last frost date if the ground is warm year-round. Planting peas in fall is also an option. Plant 8-10 weeks before the first frost for best growth and the largest fall harvest. In California or the gulf states, many people grow peas from seed all winter and early spring. Cooler temperatures are preferred by the plants. Gardeners in the south typically sow peas as a mid or late fall crop. The seeds go dormant throughout the winter and sprout as soon as possible in the spring. This ensures an early spring harvest. Unlike many other plant types, plant your entire cool-season crop of peas at once, whether early-season or late-season plants. This gives your plants the maximum time to produce before it becomes too warm or too cold. Planting peas like this ensures you’ll have an abundant crop with a steady harvest over a few weeks rather than a large crop all at once. As peas are tolerant of partially-shaded conditions, plant your peas in beds that receive anywhere between 4-8 hours of sun or a mix of dappled shade and sun. This means that peas can go in areas that other vegetables can’t! When choosing how to grow peas, they can be planted nearly anywhere if you’re planting self-supporting or dwarf varieties. However, vining varieties need to be trellised or staked to offer support as they grow. Larger pea plants require more support. If you’re planting a variety that is anticipated to reach 5-6’ in height, have your trellis in place when you plant so that the peas can climb. Avoid planting in areas with high winds, as pea vines are sensitive and can be damaged if blown off their supports.

Growing Cucumbers: The Ultimate Guide To Cucumis Sativus

Once the warmth of summer comes on, cucumbers are a favorite addition to summer salads and sandwiches. Growing cucumbers at home is surprisingly easy, and you’ll find that the ones you grow are far superior to anything you can buy at the store. Whether used to make pickles, eaten fresh from the vegetable garden, or used for their juice, cucumber is a great source of vitamins and micronutrients. They’re packed with water and fiber, two things essential to our health. And they’re low-calorie, making them a favorite food of the diet-conscious. Let’s not forget that the plants themselves are a bright green and will enliven your vegetable garden space with a mat of dense, fat leaves. Hiding within those vines or bushes can be an abundance of delicious food if you just follow this guide! Cucumbers By Use Generally, there are two, sometimes three, categories that cucumbers fall under in terms of how they’re used. Slicing cucumbers or fresh-eating cucumbers are those which are used in salads. These tend to be crisp, juicy, and tasty in most fresh-use situations. Many slicing cucumbers also have thinner skins. Pickling cucumbers have thicker skins and slightly denser, drier flesh which takes well to absorbing pickle brine. These are a common storage cucumber. While pickling cucumbers can still be eaten fresh, they’re most popular for pickling use. Sometimes there’s a third category, the snacking cucumbers. These are used both for fresh eating and for pickling, but tend to be much smaller in size than either pickling or slicing cucumbers. Sometimes these are referred to as cocktail cucumbers. However, snacking cucumbers can easily be categorized in one or both of the other categories. Cucumbers By Growth All cucumbers are a form of vine, but not all cucumbers are bush types. Bush cucumbers tend to be more compact and good for small-space growing. These are considered great greenhouse plants, hydroponic plants, or container plants. The best containers for cucumbers are right in our store. Try the 5-gallon Air Pot the next time you grow bush cucumbers. Some form of support or trellis may be needed, but bush cucumbers usually only take up 2-3 square feet of space. In addition, some greenhouse or hydroponic types are self-fruitful, meaning that they don’t need outside pollination. Vining cucumbers are those which splay out long vines from a central plant base. These are often grown on a trellis if space is limited, but may also be grown flat on the ground. These can take up a lot more real estate than a bush cucumber might, but they make up the vast majority of cucumber varieties. How To Plant Cucumbers Cucumbers are extremely frost-sensitive, so you don’t want to plant cucumbers too early. At the very earliest, plant your cucumber seeds at least two weeks after the last possible frost date. You should only plant in warm soil, at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit is needed for seeds to germinate. Those of us who like planting cucumbers indoors ahead of time can use a seedling heat mat set to 70 degrees. Sow seeds 3-4 weeks before you want to transplant your young seedling plants. This should get them off to a great start. Cucumbers are a full-sun plant, so no matter where they’re placed, you’ll want at least eight hours of sunlight a day to keep them happy. Bush cucumbers are quite happy as container plants. When space is limited, these are perfect options for planting cucumbers. By comparison, vining cucumbers can take up quite a lot of space, so plan ahead for these. You can also train and grow cucumbers up a trellis to reduce space. Or grow cucumbers upside-down using a modified five-gallon bucket or an upside-down tomato plant container. Just be careful to regularly pick your produce so that you don’t put stress on the plant’s roots! These plants can be susceptible to various fungal plant diseases if they’re too tightly packed together. This is especially true if their leaves are regularly wet and don’t dry out quickly. Container-grown cucumbers are growing in popularity, and we’ve got a fantastic video with tips for keeping them producing throughout the season! Transplanted cucumber plants grown up a trellis can be spaced about a foot apart, where bush plants prefer about 36″ apart. Vining types that aren’t grown upward should have at least 60″ spacing to enable them to spread. Directly-sown cucumbers should be handled in a similar spacing pattern as transplanted cucumber seedlings. Place 3-4 cucumber seeds in each 1″ deep hole, and once they’ve germinated, thin down to the strongest plant or two. Find more cucumber spacing info in our piece on the topic. Often, people will plant their vining cucumbers in hills. Make a mound of soil, 3-4″ tall, and plant your seeds in the center of the hill. The vines will then grow downward and around the mound. And, to set you and your plants up for success, plant some cucumber companion plants nearby.

Vegetable Gardening

Over the last two years, during this gawd-awful pandemic, garden centers have seen a huge increase in sales of vegetable growing supplies. A lot of people either got into veggie gardening for the first time or simply upped their game due to the extra time they had on their hands, with nowhere to go. For me personally, it has been fun to see so many enthusiastic gardeners getting into growing their own veggies. But after two years, I can’t help but wonder how many of those gardeners were successful and are still at it and how many have tossed in the towel and moved on. Any kind of recreation has to be fun and rewarding for us to continue to pursue it. If you found yourself struggling or just looking for some advice, here are some tips that will help you be more successful. Good soil is essential. If you are fortunate enough to have good loamy soil, then planting directly into the dirt (with added fertilizer) is the way to go. But if you are like most of us who have rocks and clay, then containers/raised beds will make your gardening life a whole lot easier - the bigger the container the better. Don’t cheap-out on the potting soil. Whether bagged or bulk, spend a little extra and get the good stuff - especially considering that it will last you for years, as long as you enrich it every season with fertilizer. Feed, feed, feed. I am convinced that the single most common reason for poor results when growing vegetables is a lack of food. Manufactured soils (especially bulk blends) are notorious for not having enough food in them to sustain prolonged growth. I always put down extra food and mix it into the soil before I plant. For me that means using a good organic food for veggies along with some lime, earth worm castings, and some trace elements, like oyster shells and Azomite. As you harvest your crops, you will need to re-fertilize the soil if you are planning on replanting for a late season crop. If you are a Miracle-Grow junkie, you will need to feed weekly for maximum results. Either way, if your veggies are just sitting there then chances are that they are starving and need to be fed. Sunshine is critical. There are very few vegetables that will thrive in the shade. Most leafy crops, like spinach, lettuce, and arugula, and broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts, will do okay. A few root crops, like radishes, carrots, onions, and potatoes, will also tolerate some shade but these will all perform better if they have full sun, especially here in the northwest. If you are growing heat lovers, like tomatoes and peppers, full sun is absolutely essential. Don’t rush the season. This time of year is what we call the cool season, best for growing crops that either produce edible roots (like carrots and beets) or shoots (like lettuce and broccoli). Peas will also grow well now during the cool season. Later towards the end of spring (usually in May) is when it is best to plant the heat lovers, like tomatoes and peppers, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, beans, and corn. Proper watering. Suffice it to say that vegetables, like all plants, will do best if there is consistent water available. The more frequently you check (by sticking your fingers roughly 2 inches into the soil), the more successful you will be. Harvest at the right time. How many of us are guilty of doing our best to get everything right, but then letting the crop get over-ripe? Check your garden daily when plants are getting close to being ready for harvest. Veggies harvested at their peak are usually so sweet that they often never make it into the kitchen - part of the fun of growing your own food! This spring, step outside your comfort zone and grow something for the first time or try growing something new. Whether you grow vegetables for yourself, your family or your whole neighborhood, it can be such a fun and rewarding endeavor - plus nothing really tastes as good as homegrown! Stay safe and keep on gardening.

How To Grow Lettuce For Great Harvests All Year Long

Learning the secrets of how to grow lettuce all year will let you harvest delicious, nutritious greens. Our guide explains how to do it! We all eat it, but have you wondered how to grow lettuce? There’s a reason that lettuce is one of the most popular plants to grow. Lettuce is so easy, packed with nutrients, and absolutely delicious, so it’s no surprise we all love to grow this versatile green. You can grow lettuce in almost any location in the garden – straight in the soil, on the windowsill, or even between your flowers. With a good focus on gardening basics like proper water, shade, and planting in succession, growing your own lettuce can provide a constant harvest from your garden for the entire year. Let’s explore the diversity of lettuce types and find the perfect variety for you! Planting Lettuce Getting your lettuce off to a good start is the best way to ensure you’ll have an abundant crop. Here’s exactly how to do it! As lettuce is a cool-weather crop, it’s important to time when you begin planting lettuce to fit within those cooler temperatures. Lettuce seeds will not germinate at soil temperatures above 80 degrees. In some areas, you may be able to grow lettuce year-round, but in most locations, you will want to plant your lettuce seeds as soon as the ground is able to be worked. You can start growing lettuce plants in advance, 4-6 weeks prior to the final frost, and transplant them out once the ground is able to be worked. Plant lettuce seeds in succession every 2 weeks to ensure you grow lettuce and have a consistent crop throughout the growing season. As the weather warms up, switch to more heat-resistant varieties of lettuce. When the summer heat is starting to subside, you can get another crop of lettuce in. Be sure that the soil temperature has dropped below 80 degrees, and plant lettuce seeds. If you’re in an area that doesn’t get heavy freezing conditions, your growing season can continue throughout a lot of the winter, too! Lettuce does extremely well in raised bed gardens, but while it tolerate spring and fall sun, it needs protection from summer’s harsh rays. If you plan on trying to grow lettuce seeds into the hot weather months of the year, pick a shady portion of your yard in which to grow lettuce. This will protect it from the elements. You can grow lettuce seeds directly in ground-level garden beds, but if you do that, be sure to keep a watchful eye out, as slugs and snails are very happy to eat all your young crops and lettuce seedlings! To plant lettuce seeds, you first need to ensure your soil is prepared. It should be loose and well-draining, and you will want to make sure it’s well broken up. Large clods of soil can slow down germination and make it hard to grow lettuce. Amend your soil with compost or other soil nutrients about a week prior to planting lettuce for best success. Direct sow your lettuce seeds 1/4″ to 1/2″ under the surface. You can broadcast lettuce seeds for a larger area, or you can plant lettuce in rows, depending on your preference. If you broadcast lettuce seed, you will need to use a rake to bury the seed 1/4″ to 1/2″ under the soil’s surface. As the lettuce seeds germinate and lettuce plants begin to come up, thin them according to their type. Looseleaf lettuces should be spaced about 3-4″ apart. Cos or other loose-headed lettuce varieties should be spaced 8″ apart, and firm types should be 16″ apart. Once your lettuce seeds are planted, water them in lightly and regularly water them every few days until germination. Sow every 2-3 weeks for a continuous way to grow lettuce and harvest lettuce throughout the season.

Are You Growing These Powerhouse Vegetables?

Did you know that some of the most nutrient-dense vegetables—the so-called powerhouse vegetables—are also the most cold-tolerant? They’re all cruciferous vegetables or leafy greens, and in most hardiness zones, you can grow them all winter long without a greenhouse. You’ll be surprised at which vegetable earned the highest ranking! What do these 15 vegetables and herbs all have in common? Watercress Chinese cabbage Chard Beet greens Spinach Chicory Leaf lettuce Parsley Romaine lettuce Collard greens Turnip greens Mustard greens Endive Chives Kale They’re the 15 highest-ranking plants on a list of 41 powerhouse fruits and vegetables (also known as PFVs), based on a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the word “powerhouse” might make you think it’s nothing more than just another trendy health term (kind of like “superfood”), it actually does have scientific merit. Powerhouse foods are a legitimate classification for the super nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables that greatly reduce the risk of chronic diseases (such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease). The PFVs that made this list have a high level of essential nutrients relative to the amount of calories they provide. Growing powerhouse vegetables The top 15 plants on the PFV list are extremely cold-hardy, and you can push their limits in winter (in USDA hardiness zones 5 and above) by growing them under a simple low tunnel covered with midweight frost cloth. Gardeners in colder zones can grow them in spring or fall (for better flavor and production). Most of these vegetables also grow well indoors in front of a sunny window. Watercress, which tops the list with a nutrient density score of 100, is actually a perennial in zones 6 and above (possibly zone 5 with winter protection). It makes an excellent addition to your perennial vegetable garden (and no, watercress does not need to be grown in or near water—it just needs consistently moist soil).

What Do You Do With Tomato Suckers?

If you’re an avid tomato grower like me, you most likely have had to deal with tomato suckers at some point or another. They’re tricky little things, and I really struggled to figure out whether or not I should leave them be or cut them off. Lucky for you, I’m going to give you some tips and tricks that will help to prevent you from going through this same confusing experience. But, before we begin with the good stuff, let’s discuss what exactly these things are. What is a Tomato Sucker? To put it simply, a tomato sucker is essentially a small shoot that begins growing in the spot where a branch meets the stem of the tomato plant. If tomato suckers are left untouched, they will then grow into much larger branches, which in turn become sprawling, bushy tomato plants. This is one of the main reasons why it is so common to remove tomato suckers, as many owners do not like this growth. Eventually, they will even start growing their own fruit. However, there are pros and cons to removing them and keeping them, and it is important to think about the decision carefully in order to do what is best for your garden. Fortunately, at the end of the day, you do not have to worry about tomato suckers causing so much damage that they will kill your tomato plant. But, now that you know what exactly a tomato sucker is, you can begin making the personal decision of whether or not to continue letting them grow in your garden. What are the benefits of pruning tomato suckers? When you talk to people about whether or not to prune your tomato suckers, the most common argument in support of this action is that doing so will allow you to have larger, higher quality fruit. Although tomato suckers may start to grow their own fruit, they will be fighting the rest of the plant for nutrients by doing so. This means that as the number of fruit being produced by the plant increases, the size and quality of the fruit decreases. A lot of gardeners would rather have a small number of high quality fruit rather than a large number of low quality fruit, but to each his own. Is it a good idea to prune your tomato suckers? It is not mandatory that you prune your tomato suckers. A lot of gardeners don’t, and their plants wind up being just fine. The main thing that you must take into consideration when you’re making this decision is the type of tomato plant that you are dealing with. I’m now going to go over some situations where it’s probably best that you trim your plant. When you should prune tomato suckers There are two types of tomato plants: indeterminate and determinate. Indeterminate plants tend to get super big and bloom all season, meaning that they definitely require periodic pruning. If the suckers are left to their own devices, they’ll go rogue and start to grow out of control. But, if the suckers are removed altogether, your overall tomato yield can wind up decreasing. My years of gardening experience have taught me that it’s all about finding the perfect balance. A good rule of thumb is to leave 2-3 suckers on the plant at all times. If more start to grow, simply trim them. Every gardener has their own way to prune plants, and it’s up to you to figure out what works best. Start by trimming only a little, and work up from there until you find the best technique for your garden. If you do choose to prune your tomato suckers, here are some super awesome benefits you’ll get to experience: Earlier production. When you cut off tomato suckers, the plant then focuses less energy on growing and more energy on producing fruit. This means that your tomato crop will grow sooner, which I personally am a huge fan of. Larger, healthier fruit. With fewer branches on your tomato plant, there is less competition between the fruits for nutrients. This means that the tomatoes that do grow will be large, healthy, delicious, and essentially every gardener’s dream. Disease prevention. The more tomatoes there are on a plant, the more weighed down the plant then is. This oftentimes means that the tomatoes are closer to the ground, and thus have a bigger chance of soaking in water and growing mold, bacteria, and fungus. Not exactly appetizing, is it? When you shouldn’t prune tomato suckers Despite all of these cool benefits, though, you don’t always have to prune your tomato suckers, especially if you have determinate tomato plants. Determinate tomatoes are generally compact, meaning that they don’t require pruning. As soon as they reach a certain size, they’re done growing. They also grow all of their fruit at once, and they do not grow after pruning, thus making pruning a waste of time. These types of tomatoes are not nearly as common, but it’s still important to have this information on hand. How and when to prune tomato suckers If you do have indeterminate tomato plants, here’s how you should go about pruning them. Start by pruning the tomato suckers when they are young and weak, rather than full grown and strong. Use your fingers instead of clippers, and grab the sucker towards the base. Bend it back and forth until it cleanly breaks off. This tactic is great as your hands cause less damage than clippers, meaning that the plant will heal quicker. The sooner the plant heals, the less of a chance there is that it will become infected or sick. If you do wait to prune the suckers until they are old, you may have to use clippers. Be as gentle as possible and always make sure to disinfect them after.

A Beginner’s Guide to Winter Vegetable Gardening

Now that winter is finally upon us, many novice gardeners may be under the impression that it is time to hang up their gardening gear until next spring… However, the more seasoned gardener knows that this is simply not the case. Although spring and summer are generally regarded as the more fruitful seasons, there are still a number of crops that can thrive throughout the colder months. There are also many ways to continue to grow other crops indoors or with the use of protective equipment such as cold frames or greenhouses. You can even build your own polytunnel. Here are some tips for beginner’s on how to continue planting and harvesting throughout winter and why it can be beneficial to you. The Benefits of Winter Gardening There several are practical reasons to continue gardening throughout the winter. Although working outdoors might feel tougher going, Mother Nature can actually help you out too; winter brings with it increased rainfall, a reduced number of pests and colder temperatures that allow crops to stay naturally preserved within the soil for longer. From an environmental point of view it is also beneficial to be self sufficient. We all tend to increase our carbon footprint at this time of year whether it’s by turning on the central heating or relying on pharmaceutical companies (proven to have a negative impact on the environment) in order to clear up our winter ailments. Because so much produce is shipped in from warmer climates at this time of year, there is also a huge environmental strain from imported goods. Vegetable gardening throughout the winter can also be financially beneficial as many stores tend to hike up their prices in the run up to Christmas and Thanksgiving. At this expensive time of year you will really notice those savings. There are also many health benefits to winter gardening. As the temperatures dwindle and the nights draw in, we tend to become less active. Studies indicate that this, alongside the gluttony of the festive season, leads to the average American putting on 5lb during the Christmas period alone (WebMD, Avoid Winter Weight Gain). Gardening can be a great way to continue exercising and beat that winter bulge. It also means that you are producing healthy, nutritious foods that are essential to boosting immune system health during the colder months when we tend to be more susceptible to nasty bugs. And with 10 million Americans allegedly suffering from SAD, being at one with nature can be a great way to relax and keep those feel good endorphins pumping. What to Plant Winter temperatures obviously vary from state to state so it is important to research what crops are likely to do well in the climate you’re in and the conditions you have created. Having said that, there are a handful of ‘foolproof’ crops that are ideal for beginners. Lettuce, peas and hardy root vegetables such as leeks, parsnips and squashes generally have a high tolerance for cool temperatures. Onions are slow growing crops and if they are planted in late Autumn you will find that they’ll take care of themselves through the colder months and be ready in time for a Spring harvest. Research also suggests that carrots and radishes are good crops to plant alongside one another as they can help each other grow. If you’re still nervous about the prospect of winter gardening and frosty fingers, then why not use a window box or start a small herb garden indoors. This gives you the opportunity to get to grips with the concept of growing and maintaining a crop without so much manual work. Seedlings for herbs such as oregano, rosemary, basil and chives are relatively cheap and the equipment you’ll need is minimal. Be sure to use specialized potting soil rather than the soil from your yard though – this is rich in minerals and better for indoor use. Essential Equipment During winter crops need protection from the elements. Many people use greenhouses but if you don’t have the space then a cold frame can do a similar job. They can be insulated to protect crops against the cold and will keep root vegetable dry as excess rainfall can lead to them splitting and becoming unusable. Specialized digging equipment such as forks, trowels and hoes are also important for tackling cold, hard, compacted soil. Thermal gardening gloves are also useful to keep your hands supple in low temperatures.

Potato Spacing: How Far Apart To Plant Potatoes

Do you ever wonder how far apart to plant potatoes? In this complete guide, we explain everything you need to know about potato spacing, from raised beds to rows. Maximize your harvest this season! How do you plant potatoes in a way that maximizes their production? Potatoes are a garden favorite that are easy to grow but require a little planning in advance. As long as your conditions are right, a successful yield is not hard to achieve! We’ve discussed growing potatoes in a bucket, and how to grow potatoes in general. We’ve even focused on harvesting potatoes at the perfect time. But before you get your potatoes in the ground, you need to know how far apart to plant them for optimal growth. When you grow potatoes, spacing is key. Let’s talk about potato plant spacing for a bountiful harvest! How Far Apart To Plant Potatoes by Location Spacing is crucial. After all, you’ll need room for your plants to develop. The question is how much space you have available. Whether your space is measured in inches or feet, potatoes can be grown. It’s just a matter of planning! Square Foot Gardens Raised bed made from wood with square foot spacing for planting potatoes. In square-foot gardens, plant one plant per section. Is your growing area compact or do you have room for sprawling rows? If space is limited and you’re maximizing it using a square-foot garden set-up, try planting a fingerling variety that can adapt to 12 x 12 inch spacing. People who want to grow full-sized potatoes in a square-foot garden should begin by enriching the soil. It should be at least 12 inches deep. Then, remove all but an inch or two of the soil, reserving it for later. Evenly space and plant potatoes at a rate of one per square foot. A square-foot grid will help with spacing. Once you have your potatoes in place, cover with another inch of soil. As the plants grow, hill more soil up around the stem. Make sure that the potatoes themselves are never exposed to direct sunlight, as this can cause the potato to develop a green splotch that will be inedible. A 4 x 4 foot garden bed can house a total of 16 potato plants using this method. The potatoes may be baby potatoes (a little smaller than if they were grown in a larger garden bed), but they’ll still be good to eat! Farm-Style Young potato plants in trenched farm growing in clay soil. Start by digging a trench to space your potatoes correctly in rows. For a more traditional potato planting approach, start by digging a trench in the garden. Aim for one that’s at least 6 inches wide and about 8 inches deep, as this allows you to amend. Apply a couple inches of compost to the base of the trench. Space your trenches 2-3 feet apart. Make sure each seed potato has at least two eyes. These eyes are where the plant develops. Large seed potatoes with lots of eyes can be cut into pieces. If you do slice them into smaller segments, wait a few days to let the cut sides dry to prevent rotting or disease susceptibility. Once your seed potatoes are ready to plant, set one into the trench every 12 inches. Add enough compost to ensure that your seed potatoes are about 2-3 inches deep. Once planted, water and maintain the growing potatoes. As they develop, add more compost and soil to keep them covered. Bags And Buckets Gardener mulching potted sweet potato plants with garden straw. Use a large container to leave room for the plant to mature. Are you really limited on space? Don’t panic. I’ve planted potatoes in grow bags or 5-gallon buckets in the past, and still harvested plenty of potatoes. When growing potatoes in containers, drainage is key. Add about 3 inches of compost and soil to the bottom of the container. Plant no more than one to two seed potatoes per container, depending on size. Treat them as you would with other methods, adding more soil as necessary to keep the potatoes covered.

How To Overwinter Pepper Plants

Overwintering pepper plants extends their life and allows you to grow peppers as perennials, keeping them alive season after season. Growing Peppers as Perennials Close up of a small green pepper sprouting form its vine, with a tiny white flowers blooming next to it. Enough warmth, rest and light is needed to grow your peppers as perennials. As an attempted perennial, pepper plants need a few things from you. For starters, they need a certain amount of warmth (although not enough to keep the plant producing). They also need a period of dormancy to rest and rejuvenate for the upcoming year of flowering and fruiting. And they need just enough light to keep them alive. Sometimes, despite our efforts, a pepper won’t come back. Remember, these plants are most commonly grown as annuals, and they can be tricky to keep alive in the colder months. If you have a lot of plants, expect that some of them may not make it. But on the bright side, those that do make it can get right back to work. They’ll be far ahead of any new seedlings you would normally plant. While they’ll need to grow new leaves and branches, they’ll flower and fruit earlier. Once they start to produce new growth in the spring, you can feed them and spur their development again. How To Overwinter Pepper Plants Indoors Small red pepper plant in a pot, sitting indoors, in front of a window. Bring your pepper plant indoors during the cooler months. First, remove any remaining fruit and examine the leaves and stems for pests. If you notice unwanted pests, treat them with neem oil a few days before moving. Pot the peppers and bring the plants indoors. Make sure there’s only one plant in each pot. Find a location in your house, basement, or garage that stays around 55°F (13°C) and has some light exposure (either from a window or a grow light). Bright indirect light with some gentle direct sun is usually enough. Reduce watering to once every couple of weeks. If the soil is still moist from the last watering, wait until it dries before watering again. With less water and a cooler environment, the peppers will stop growing and begin to go dormant. The leaves will die, indicating that it’s time to prune the plants. Simply cut the peppers back to a few main Y-shaped branches. New branches will emerge and begin growing again when it’s time to bring the peppers out of dormancy in the spring. About a month before your area’s last frost date, move the peppers into a warmer area with more natural window light. Water the plants normally and cross your fingers that new growth shows up in about a week. If it does, congratulate yourself for keeping your peppers alive for another year. How To Overwinter Pepper Plants Outdoors A small black, green house, filled with all kids of vegetables plants. Once temperatures dip below 50°F (10°C), it is safe to move them into a greenhouse. It is possible to overwinter pepper plants outdoors in the garden if you live in USDA Zones 9 or 10. Once nighttime temperatures start to dip below 50°F (10°C), you’ll start to see signs of cold stress. If your peppers are potted and you have a greenhouse, move them into the greenhouse. Plants grown in the soil will either need to be potted and moved, or protected in place. A cold frame is one option. In essence, this is a portable greenhouse that allows light in but shields your plant from chilly temperatures. You can add small heaters or even a string of lights to raise the ambient temperature in the frame, depending on your needs. Allow your pepper plants to go dormant and sleep the winter away. Remember to prune them once they’ve entered dormancy. Watering should also be reduced. If there’s rain, you may not need to water at all. Ensure your soil drains away excess water easily. The peppers won’t need much during the winter, and wet conditions can cause root rot. If you’re in an area where the temperature is consistently at or below freezing, cold frames may not work. At that point, it’s safest to remove your plants from the garden and bring them indoors. Keeping your peppers alive until spring is the goal, after all.

Here’s What to Plant in Fall for Beautiful Spring Color

Think all your garden planting has to be done in spring? Not so! Fall is actually an ideal time to plant spring-flowering bulbs, trees, shrubs, and other ornamental and edible perennials, since cooler weather, fewer pests, and warmer soil mean less stress and faster growth for new plants. Spring tends to get all the attention when it comes to new plantings. But after a sweltering summer, I so look forward to planting in fall when the air is cooler (making it easier on my garden and me) but the soil is still warm to encourage roots to grow before the ground freezes. If you’ve been struggling all summer with pests and diseases, the good news is they are much less of an issue in fall. And in my area, we start getting some nice soaking rains as the seasons turn, helping to water in the new garden. One of my favorite “tricks” for filling in a landscape on the cheap is planting perennials in the fall. (Yes, even in my hardiness zone 5 microclimate that gets snow—I live in the high desert of Central Oregon.) All of my local stores start putting their remaining inventory on clearance in late summer, so I can snap up quite a few deals on flower bulbs, trees, shrubs, and other perennials. (Of course, that also means I can’t be as picky with the selection, but what I can’t find locally, I source online—where many of my favorite sites also offer end-of-season sales.) If you get these plants in the ground before your area gets hit with a hard frost, you’ll be treated to beautiful blooms and color in the spring!

Onions Can Store Up to a Year If You Cure Them

What’s the secret to storing homegrown onions so they won’t sprout or mold? Curing. This easy process is key to making them last many months in the pantry, but it all starts with the harvest. Learn how to tell when your onion crop is ready, what to do with the flower stalks, and how to maximize their shelf life so they stay as fresh as the day you picked them. Here we are, a whole season after the first onion seeds were sown, and those tiny black specks have slowly grown into a bed of bulging brown (or red, or white) globes pushing their way out of the soil. While onions can be harvested and eaten at any stage, the most satisfying part of growing onions (in particular, storage onions) is being able to pick a fresh onion from the pantry months after you’ve picked it from the ground. Curing makes that possible. The key to longer storage Curing is a month-long process of drying down your onions to prep them for storage. Once properly cured, onions store for a very long time—through the fall and winter, and sometimes even spring under the right conditions. But not all onions are created equally. As a general rule of thumb, long-day varieties store longer than short-day varieties (the “long” in long day refers to the onion needing 14 to 16 hours of sun to develop properly), and pungent onions store longer than mild onions. Mild onions are generally large and juicy with thick rings and papery skins that peel easily. They’re sweet enough to eat raw but they really shine as onion rings and deep-fried “bloomin’ onions.” Unfortunately, most mild onions don’t last more than two to three months, even when cured and stored under optimal conditions. If your crop includes mild onions, you’ll want to eat those first. Pungent onions, on the other hand, can keep as long as six months or even up to a year. They’re usually smaller in size with thinner rings and tighter skins, and are best known for making you cry when you cut them. The sulfurous compounds that sting your eyes are the same ones that inhibit rot, so the more pungent the onion is, the longer it will store. Onion varieties with the longest shelf life When it comes to onions, we just have to accept that long-storing onions cannot be grown in the south. Northern climates, however, have their pick of long-day storage onions that are bred for winter storage. They include white, yellow, and red globe onions with mild to moderate pungency. Short-day and intermediate types are mostly sweet onions that store for one to three months on average. The exceptions are Red Creole, a short-day red globe that keeps exceptionally well, and Texas Legend, a short-day yellow globe that can sometimes last up to four months.

What To Do If Your Tomatoes Keep Splitting or Cracking

Split or cracked tomatoes are a common problem in mid to late summer, and while they’re unsightly, most of the time they’re still edible. Find out why it happens and what you can do to keep your fruits from splitting or cracking. In mid to late summer, I usually see a common problem with tomatoes: once-perfect fruits on the vine suddenly splitting or cracking. While you can usually still eat the damaged tomatoes (especially if you pick them soon after they split), it’s a frustrating problem to have because it’s caused by rapid changes in moisture levels, which are often out of your control. The damaged skin is a physiological condition that can usually be blamed on rain. After a dry summer, a sudden downpour allows the plant to take up way more water than usual. As a tomato takes up water, the fruit expands faster than its skin can stretch, causing the skin to split. What you get are growth cracks or “bursting” of the fruit. But it’s not always rain that causes this—in hot weather, you might find yourself watering more often or more heavily as well, leading the fruits to swell and split. The damage may appear as radial cracks (which extend from the stem down the sides of the fruit) or concentric cracks (which show up as a circular pattern at the top of the tomato, ringing the stem end). If fruits are left on the vine, rot may set in at the cracks or the cracks may heal over with brown “scar” tissue.The good news is, there is a way to keep your tomatoes from splitting as often—or altogether. First, make sure your garden beds are nicely mulched to help retain moisture. Water your plants deeply (but less frequently) to train the roots to reach down in the soil for moisture; this will help the plants survive heat waves (and free you from needing to water so much). Second, if you go outside and harvest your almost-ripe tomatoes before any forecasted rain, you can save them! As I wrote about previously, tomatoes can be ripened indoors with no difference in flavor or texture. The notion that a vine-ripened tomato is superior in taste is actually a myth—and likely brought on by our own psychological biases. The best time to pick a tomato, if you want to ensure quality fruit, is right when the skin starts to “blush” (show some color). At that point, you can bring it inside to finish ripening on your counter (and you’ll have beat all the birds and squirrels that want to get to it first!). If, however, you miss the window and a heavy rain comes, be sure to harvest any split or cracked tomatoes immediately and ripen them the same way indoors. The defects might look ugly, but they don’t really alter the flavor and you can simply cut them out and compost those portions.Cracks on tomatoes also look similar to (but aren’t necessarily the same as) another condition called catfacing. You can see what catfacing looks like here and learn how to keep it from happening to your crop.

How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Peanuts

Peanuts are popular legumes grown worldwide as a staple food and well worth the effort. Rachel Garcia provides an in-depth guide to growing and harvesting these delicious legumes. Where would the world be without peanuts? They’re such a popular food that we doubt the culinary universe would be the same. Knowing how to grow peanuts should be an absolute necessity, as we eat them in practically everything – sandwiches, salads, sauces, and desserts. Raw peanuts are roasted, boiled, pureed, and turned into oil. They’re ubiquitous! For such a popular food, the peanut plant is a bit underrepresented in the home garden. This is a shame because it’s actually really easy to grow. By planting peanuts in your garden, not only are you able to make some yummy homemade peanut butter, but you’ll also be taking part in the lengthy history of growing peanuts. To help you get started, we’ll share everything we know about peanuts: how to grow them, harvest them, and even feast on them.What are Peanuts? As you can guess by its name, peanuts are part of the pea family. They are not, however, nuts. Arachis hypogaea is actually a legume, making this species more closely related to soybeans than pecans. The domesticated peanut plant is about five to six thousand years old, dating back to at least 3000 BC. It slowly made its way from Central and South America around the globe, used for food, folk medicine, and manufactured goods like fabric. Its popularity rose not just because of its delicious taste, but also its agricultural uses. The peanut plant adds nitrogen to the soil, which makes it excellent for efficient and sustainable cultivation. In the US, peanut crops were thought to be preferable to cotton. This idea was promoted by George Washington Carver, an African-American agriculturist, in the 1920s and 30s. He even made a list of over 300 products that can be made from peanuts, many of which he invented. This list ranges from foods to cosmetics to gasoline. Today, Carver is often regarded as the father of the modern peanut industry. Since then, peanuts have become a significant part of US history. They became a popular crop across the southern US. This notably increased when Jimmy Carter, a former peanut farmer, became President. Today, most of the world’s peanuts are produced in China, but you can still grow them in your backyard.Peanuts love the warm weather and have a long growing season. Because of this, they have to be grown as annuals in the majority of the US, which is the common cultivation practice. We’re sure you know what peanuts look like, but what does the plant add to your garden’s aesthetic? It’s actually a pretty generic-looking plant, at least above the soil. It grows bushy, light-green leaves close to the ground. Each plant typically reaches only one to just under two feet tall. How a peanut grows is pretty interesting. From July to September, the plant grows yellow and orange flowers. Once a flower is pollinated, a stem, called a peg, grows from it, drooping downwards and burying itself in the soil. Through it, the fertilized ovules travel from flower to ground and develop into pods that contain one to three seeds (the peanuts) each. This growing method, called geocarpy, sounds unique, but there are actually a few hundred legume species that develop this way. Since the peanut seeds grow underground, they’ve been nicknamed groundnuts or earthnuts. You may also hear them referred to as grassnuts or goobers. In Britain, they’re even called monkeynuts, a term stemming from zoo visitors feeding peanuts to the monkeys. Planting Small peanut seeds germinating in moist soil with small green leaves emerging from the ground. You can plant the peanut with or without the shell. Since they demand such a long growing season, you’ll need to take precautions if you live up north. Choose an early variety of peanuts for planting and start it indoors about six to eight weeks before the last frost. You’ll want to get your peanut seeds from a supplier or save your own. While you can plant peanuts from the grocery ones meant for eating, this isn’t a very reliable method. Whether it’s a transplant or direct sow, plant outdoors three weeks after the last frost. The soil must be at least 60°F (16°C) at this time. Bury the seeds one to two inches deep and twenty-four to thirty-six inches apart. If you’re planting rows, space them at least seventy-two inches apart. Plant the peanut with or without the shell as long as each seed still has its papery covering, which may be necessary for germination. Optionally, you may soak the seeds overnight to jump start germination. They only take a week or two to germinate but peanuts grow slowly after that. Add a mulch to the soil once the seedlings are half a foot tall. This will help lock in moisture and keep the weeds under control. When you add it, try to gently loosen the soil around the plants, making it easier for the pegs to penetrate it. Once planted, it will be 100-150 days until harvest, depending on the variety. You can expect to see flowers in six to eight weeks, after which you can observe the extraordinary growing process!

How to Grow Cucumbers Vertically to Maximize Your Harvest

Growing cucumbers vertically is a fantastic space-saving option.Growing cucumbers is a rite of passage in a summer vegetable garden. With their refreshing crunch and abundant nutrients, what’s not to love? Well, as it turns out, growing cucumbers can be a hassle without proper planning. This is particularly due to the unruly vines that dominate precious garden space. Luckily, you can direct the growth in a better direction: up. Is it Better to Grow Cucumbers Vertically? Growing cucumbers vertically comes with many benefits. Vertical gardening is popular right now but has actually been around since 3000 BCE. Besides saving space, there are many benefits that have kept it around for so long: Better air circulation, which keeps the plant dry and free of rot and fungal diseases. Cucumber leaves can spread out and enjoy more sun exposure. No more killing your back! Vertical gardening means you won’t have to bend over to harvest the cukes. Cucumbers will grow straight when they’re hanging from the vine instead of sitting on the ground. Vertical gardening requires less ground space, which means less weeding! That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to grow cucumbers on the ground. But growing vertically does greatly increase your chances of a better harvest.

Broccoli Leaves Are Edible

Think it’s weird to eat broccoli leaves? It’s not—the broad outer leaves of the broccoli plant are edible and delicious, and grow so well in the garden that they beg to be used more in the kitchen! (And less in the compost pile.)And I’m talking the broad outer leaves that surround a head of broccoli, not the few tiny and uninspiring leaves stuck to the head of store-bought broccoli. Most people don’t realize that you can eat broccoli leaves, or that they’re just as edible and delicious as the broccoli head itself. And I can’t blame them, considering broccoli always comes in a neat little package at the grocery store or farmers’ market. It’s a surprise to many people that the broccoli we buy and eat is actually a very small portion of the plant itself. So where does the rest of it go?The growth habit of broccoli plants. Unless you grow them yourself, you never see the massive greens that broccoli heads spring from.On my Romanesco broccoli plant (Brassica oleracea ‘Romanesco’), which grows larger than your everyday broccoli, the mature leaves span up to 2 feet long with hefty ribs and stems. Even though the plant is typically grown for its flower bud (what you commonly know as a head of broccoli, or a floret or crown), the flower is a relatively small part of the crop, and it seems like you wait alllll spring (or fall) for the prize. (A prize that sometimes never arrives, as anyone who has waited fruitlessly for a bud can attest to! But that’s a different post on the ails of growing broccoli at home.) A broccoli plant only produces one significant head per life cycle, with occasional secondary sprouts that form in the axils of the leaves. These side shoots always turn out smaller than the center head (think bite-sized), which is where baby broccoli comes from. This specialty vegetable that you sometimes see at farmers’ markets or gourmet grocers is simply a bonus harvest — not broccoli picked early. Knowing all that, it seems wasteful to use such a modest portion of the plant when the rest of it is so good.Health benefits of broccoli and broccoli leaves Broccoli is considered one of the most nutritious vegetables on the market, providing 100 percent of the daily value of vitamin C in a single cup of chopped broccoli. It contains a full nutritional lineup of B vitamins, potassium, iron, calcium, minerals, and fiber. When compared to the stems, the florets have a higher concentration of protective phytochemicals like beta carotene and sulforaphane (the latter of which has been shown to protect against certain cancers). But broccoli leaves are their own superfood, with even higher amounts of beta carotene than the florets, along with vitamin A (which is important for vision and skin health) and phytonutrients that aren’t found in the florets or stems. That means if you’re a gardener who’s used to composting broccoli leaves or ignoring them while you wait for the heads to form, you are missing out on the many free health benefits of this amazing crop.How to harvest broccoli leaves If you grow your own broccoli, you can start to harvest a few of the outer (older) leaves every week once they reach 4 to 6 inches long. After the plant forms a crown, you can harvest the broccoli head but continue to pick the leaves until you can no longer keep up… seriously! Broccoli is an incredible cut-and-come-again crop, and new leaves remain tender even when the rest of the plant is getting tall and unwieldy. When I lived in Southern California, I could keep my broccoli growing year-round in the mild coastal climate (zone 10b). These second-year plants were still thriving despite having all the crowns harvested moons ago, and on some of the plants, I’d stripped them clean of leaves to cook with!