Vegetable gardening requires more than planting a few seeds.
Soil conditions, the amount of sunlight, the availability of water, and the amount of space are all essential components.
The amount of growing space is often overlooked. Not all vegetables are equal. Some require a single row, while others develop vines and will travel throughout the garden.
Grocery store produce departments are filled with varieties that we have grown to accept as everyday fare. Thoughts of, “Wouldn’t it be nice to grow my own pumpkins or sweet corn” ramble through a gardener’s aspirations during the planning stage.
Roadside stands and farmer’s markets encourage many produce eaters to look a little closer to home for their vegetables supplies – their own yards. “How hard can it be?” easily surfaces in early spring, but somehow those thoughts vanish as the growing season progresses.
Vegetable gardening is becoming more popular, but it still takes careful planning and hard work to make it successful. Past successes of experienced gardeners may prove beneficial to the novice. There are certain vegetables that can be more of a challenge than others.
Cauliflower requires a lengthy growing season with moderate (18 to 25C) temperatures. It will not properly grow in too cold or hot weather. Transplants have to be set out early enough to mature, before the hot days of summer. To ward off the effects of the sun, large outer leaves must be tied together until the head has fully matured. That prevents off colouring and ricing (change in texture). Snowy white heads can quickly turn to an unpleasant darker shade. It is also susceptible to worms and disease.
Celery is 95% moisture. Traditionally it is grown in bog-like soil which holds enough moisture to keep the green stalks crunchy. Gardeners must be prepared to constantly water. The plant has a long growing season of about 120 to 180 days.
Sweet Corn requires serious thought before any decisions are made to make it part of the garden. Roadside stands and farmer’s markets sell bushels of corn each season. Farmers have the required space to produce successful crops. They are also fully aware of the requirements to grow super-sweet and sugar-enhanced varieties. Those can cross pollinate and produce ears with field corn kernels and a taste to match.
Due to wind pollination, the corn crop needs to be planted in a square shape. Seed should be planted 20 to 30cm apart in four rows minimum. The row should be 60 to 90cm wide to allow proper wind pollination. Raccoons love sweet corn and will devastate a crop by sampling each ear.
Eggplant is very sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Plants should be started 6 to 8 weeks before transplanting and set out when the danger of frost has past. The plant will not recover if the soil has been cold for long periods of time. They require much patience and persistence as they can be slow to get started. During mid-summer, when temperatures are consistently warm, the plant will grow its best but unfortunately the flea beetle attacks the leaves of the plant.
Head lettuce is not so difficult to grow, as long as one does not mind what it looks like. Supermarket head lettuce is grown in bog-like soil. Like celery, it will require a constant supply of water. Leaf lettuce is easier to grow and resembles those nice specimens found at the grocery store. Head lettuce is very susceptible to temperature fluctuations and will “bolt” very quickly and easily.
Muskmelon (cantaloupe) requires warm temperatures. They have a long growing season and require a large amount of space (1 to 2 metres), as the fruit grows on vines similar to pumpkins. All melons thrive in warm days and nights, which is difficult to obtain in our climate.
Pumpkins require 100 to 120 days to mature. They are heavy feeders and require a steady source of moisture to grow to full size. Grown for their seasonal decorative value or timely desserts, they are a family favourite. Unfortunately, pumpkins require a lot of space to fully develop. The plant sends out numerous runners with flower buds that must be pollinated. Like other members of the squash family, the vines will travel throughout the garden blocking out valuable sunlight required by other plants. Smaller varieties will also produce vines of significant length; therefore growing pumpkins is not well suited to a small garden.
However, if sufficient space warrants, then pumpkin growing can provide children with a great introduction to gardening.
Ron Stevenson is a member of the Fergus Horticultural Society
