The oyster mushroom gets its name from its cap which, some say, resembles an oyster. The stem of the oyster mushrooms is perhaps more distinct; it unfurls something like one of those old-time paper lady's fans. The oyster mushroom has...

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September 2008 Monthly Archive

Harvesting and Storing Pears

Bartlett pears come to harvest in summer; most other varieties come to harvest in early autumn. European pears such as Bartlett and Comice ripen to perfection only after they are removed from the tree having been picked still green and hard. Allow these pears to ripen on the counter at about 75°F/24°C. Asian pears ripen on the tree and do not have to be picked and cured like European pears.

Pears harvested green can be stored in a cool place--where the temperature does not exceed 75°F/24°C--for ripening and use in winter. Pears will store in a cool place for up to 12 months depending upon the variety. (Pears are not recommended for freezing.)

To store pears, place them in a box or on paper trays where they will not touch and air can circulate around the fruit. Pears in storage should not be exposed to freezing temperatures and should be safe from rain and pests. Check the fruit weekly to remove any soft or decaying fruit. Remember: "One bad pear can spoil the lot." When you are ready to use stored pears, allow them a day or two to ripen on the counter.

For tips on cooking pears click here.

For information on pear varieties, click here.

Harvest to Table's New Encyclopedia:
The Kitchen Garden Grower's Guide

A practical vegetable and herb garden encyclopedia

The Kitchen Garden Grower's Guide details the very essentials to gain small crop prowess and expertise. Detailed growing guides for 80 vegetables and herbs including:

Seed sowing, planting, and transplanting requirements.
Site and seasonal growing requirements.
Water, light, and nutrition requirements.
Detailed growing characteristics: height, root depth, bloom time, and days to harvest.
Best varieties for easy care and harvest.
Cropping and rotation suggestions.
Pest, disease, and environmental troubleshooting guide.
Container growing requirements and suggested varieties.
Propagation requirements.
Greenhouse and coldframe growing suggestions to extend the season.
Harvest and storage specifics.
Plant origin and history.
Identifying photograph of plant at harvest time.
Brief description of how edible part is used in the kitchen.
Common and botanical names for each plant listed alphabetically.
Plant names in Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese.
First and last frost dates and growing season days for every state and 250 cities.
Complete index and gardener's glossary of growing terms.

Planting Cabbage

Cabbage can be harvested nearly all year round as long as the weather stays cool. Plant cabbage in early to mid spring for harvest mid summer onwards. Plant autumn cabbage in late spring for harvest in fall. Plant winter cabbage in late spring for harvest in winter. Plant spring cabbage in summer for harvest next spring. The key is to choose the season in your region where cabbage will grow and come to harvest in cool weather. (Types of cabbage, click here.)

Planting Calendar. Cabbage is a cool-season crop that requires 70 to 120 days to reach harvest. Cabbage is best grown in temperatures between 25ºF and 80ºF (9º-27ºC), but is frost-hardy to temperatures as low as 20ºF. Cabbage grown in weather that is either too hot or too cold will bolt without forming a head. Weather that is too warm also can cause cabbage to split. Plant cabbage so that it is ready for harvest in cool weather.

● Spring planting. Sow cabbage seed 4 to 6 weeks before the average last frost date. Allow 60 to 90 growing days before temperatures rise consistently above 80ºF (27ºC). Cabbage planted in early spring will be ready for harvest in early summer. In cool regions, cabbage planted in mid spring will be ready for harvest from mid summer onwards.

● Autumn planting. Plant cabbage in mid to late summer for harvest in autumn or winter. Summer planted cabbage must come to harvest in the cool weather of autumn or winter. In mild-winter regions, plant cabbage in autumn or winter for harvest in winter or spring. Cabbage started in mid winter can be grown under a cloche for harvest in early spring. (Tips on planting autumn and winter vegetables.)

Succession cropping. To ensure a constant supply, sow seed and transplants every three or four weeks or sow seed and set transplants at the same time for a successive harvest. Early and midseason cabbage varieties planted at the same time will mature several weeks apart.

Place. Cabbage grows best in full sun but will tolerate light shade for part of the day.

Soil. Grow cabbage in rich, well-drained soil. Cabbage will tolerate sandy and clay soils but it is best to add garden compost and well-aged manure to the planting bed. Cabbage prefers a soil pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Lime acidic soil to avoid the fungal disease called clubroot.

Space. Sow cabbage seed ½ (1cm) inches deep spacing seed 3 inches (8 cm) apart. Thin seedlings at about 4 to 6 weeks when plants are big enough to lift by their true leaves (about 4 inches/10 cm tall with 5-6 leaves). Set seedlings 18 to 24 inches (60 cm) apart in wide beds or blocks. Space rows 24 to 36 inches apart. Transplants that are leggy or have crooked stems can be planted up to their first leaves.

Container growing. Cabbage can be grown in containers. A single head of cabbage can be grown in an 8-inch pot. Plant cabbages in larger containers on 12-inch centers.

Water. Cabbage requires consistent soil moisture during the growing season to help prevent heads from splitting. Watering can be reduced as heads near maturity.

Suggested varieties. Green varieties: Stovehead (60 days); Jersey Wakefield (63 days); Golden Acre (65 days); Market Prize (73 days); Green Boy (75 days); Round Up (76 days); Blue Ribbon (76 days); Blue Boy (78 days); Rio Verde (79 days); Badger Ban Head (98 days); flat Dutch (105 days). Savoy varieties: Savoy Ace (80 days); Savoy King (85 days). Red varieties: Red Acre (76 days); Red Ball (70 days); Red Ribbon (78 days); Ruby Perfection (90 days).

Planting Broccoli

Broccoli can be served raw as an appetizer or in salads. Cook broccoli until it is just tender, still firm and crunchy. Broccoli needs cool weather to grow--warm weather will cause the buds to "rice" or open as flowers. Broccoli is suited for springs that are long and cool or autumns where there is no Indian summer. Where winters are mild, start broccoli in fall for harvest in spring. (Tips on cooking and serving broccoli, click here.)

Planting Calendar. Broccoli is a cool-season vegetable that requires from 40 to 90 days to reach harvest depending upon the variety. Broccoli grows best in temperatures that range from no more than 80ºF (27ºC) during the day to about 60°F at night. Broccoli is frost hardy and can tolerate temperatures as low as 20ºF. Temperatures that are too cold or too warm will cause broccoli to bolt without forming a head. Plant broccoli so that it comes to harvest during cool weather.

• Spring crop. Sow broccoli seed 4 to 6 weeks before your region's average last frost date for a late spring harvest.

• Autumn and winter crop. For a fall or winter harvest, transplant broccoli seedlings into the garden in midsummer in the North. In mild winter regions such as the South and Southwest, broccoli can be planted in the fall. In cold regions, broccoli should come to maturity before the freezing weather sets in; protect broccoli in a plastic tunnel for harvest into winter. (Tips on planting the autumn garden, click here.)

Place. Broccoli grows best in full sun, but will grow in light shade. Broccoli is not a suitable crop for very hot climates.

Soil. Broccoli prefers rich, well-drained soil with a neutral pH within the 6.5 to 7.5 range. Work plenty of compost into the soil at planting time.

Spacing. Sow broccoli seed ½ inch deep and 3 inches apart. When seedlings are big enough to lift by their true leaves, about 4 to 6 weeks old, thin seedlings to 18 to 24 inches apart in wide beds or blocks. Rows should be spaced 24 to 36 inches apart. Thinned seedlings can be transplanted to another part of the garden. Transplants that are leggy or have crooked stems can be planted up to their first leaves so that won't grow to be top heavy.

Container growing. Broccoli can be grown in a container 8 inches deep. Set plants at least 18 inches apart in large containers. Containers can warm quickly and broccoli is sensitive to heat so move containers into the shade on very warm days. Broccoli grown in containers is more easily protected from cold in the early spring; set out earlier in spring that transplants into the garden.

Water. Broccoli should be well watered from the outset. Keep soil moist but not wet. Cut back on watering as the heads approach maturity and harvest.

Feed. Work plenty of compost into the planting bed at planting time and then side dress broccoli plants with compost at midseason. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers which can make stems hollow.

Suggested varieties. Green Comet (40 days); Packman (56 days); Premium Crop (60 days); Green Valiant (60 days); Top Star (60 days); Prominence (62 days); Royal Purple Head (90 days).

Planting Cauliflower

Cauliflower can be expensive at the produce counter, but it can be a staple of the kitchen garden with cool weather and regular water. Cauliflower requires two months of cool weather to reach harvest. Protected from frost it is a good choice in the spring and autumn gardens. (Tips on cooking cauliflower, click here.)

Planting Calendar. Cauliflower is a cool-season vegetable that that require from 90 to 120 days to mature and reach harvest. During the cauliflower growing season temperatures should range between 55ºF and 80ºF (13-27ºC). Cauliflower grown in hot or dry conditions can form loose, "ricey" heads. Conversely cauliflower also does not do well in very cold weather.

• Spring crop. Cauliflower needs two cool months in which to mature. For a spring crop plant set out transplants 4 to 6 weeks before the average date of the last frost in your area. Sow seed 6 weeks before your outdoor planting date.

• Autumn and winter crop. Sow cauliflower seed 90 to 120 days before the first frost in your region, or plant to protect plants that mature after the first frost in autumn. Plastic tunnels will protect cauliflower after the first frost. Plant cauliflower for a winter crop if your winters are mild. (Tips on planting the autumn garden, click here.)

Succession planting. Plant just a few heads at a time. For succession crops, plant seeds and transplants at the same time for succession crops, or plant early and midseason varieties at the same time.

Place. Cauliflower prefers full sun but will grow in light shade.

Soil. Plant cauliflower in well-drained soil high in organic matter. Add compost to the soil at planting time. A soil pH within the 6.5 to 7.5 range will discourage disease and allow plants to make the most of soil nutrients.

Spacing. Cauliflower is usually grown from transplants except where there is a long cool period in which case seed can be sown directly in the garden. Sow cauliflower seed ½ inch deep about 3 inches apart. When seedlings are 4 to 6 weeks old with 4 to 5 true leaves transplant seedlings from 18 to 26 inches apart in beds or blocks. Set rows 24 to 36 inches apart. Transplants that are leggy or have crooked stems can be set deeply up to their first leaves so that they do not grow top heavy.

Container growing. Cauliflower can be grown in a container. A single plant will do well in an eight-inch pot. In a large container, allow18 inches around for each plant.

Water. Cauliflower grows best in moist, not wet soil. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Mulch to keep soil cool and moist. If growth is interrupted by heat, cold, or lack of water the heads will not form properly.

Feed. Work plenty of compost into the soil at planting time. Side dress cauliflower with compost at midseason or more often.

Suggested varieties. Super Snowball (55 days); Snowball Imperial (58 days); Earli-Light (58 days); Snowball M (59 days); Snow King (60 days); White Contessa (62 days); Majestic (66 days); Self-Blanche (70 days); Greenball (95 days); Royal Purple (95 days).

Vegetables for Winter Storage

When harvest comes for each crop, be thorough. The best specimens will go right to the table. All crops need to be harvested. What you can't use fresh, store for later use. Crops that are damaged should still be picked and sent to the compost pile.

Harvest varies from crop to crop and also with your taste. You may prefer some vegetables young, small, and succulent; others you may prefer harvested mature.

Many root crops can be left in the ground in all but the coldest of regions. Lift these vegetables, as you need them. Root crops can also be stored in a cool but frost-free dark place. Clean root crops before storing them in sand or sterilized soil.

Other crops can be stored on shelves or in boxes. Just make sure these crops do not touch. Onions and garlic can be kept in open sacks or tied by string. Cabbage will keep in nets for two or three months. Brussels sprouts and turnips are best left in the garden until you need them.

Vegetables for freezing should be blanched or cooked before freezing.

Here is a quick guide to storing your harvest:

· Asparagus. Eat fresh. Cook or blanch before freezing.

· Beets (beetroot). Shelf storage or pickle. Lift and twist off top and store in moist peat or vermiculite.

· Broad beans (fava beans). Freeze or dry.

· Broccoli. Best eaten fresh. Cut central shoot first to encourage side-shoots. Continue harvest until after first frost without protection.

· Brussels sprouts. Freeze or leave on plant until needed. Harvest from the bottom of the plant upwards.

· Bush beans. Freeze.

· Cabbages. Freeze or shelf storage. Leave in garden in mild conditions. In cold regions, hang upside down in a frost-free place for use in winter months.

· Carrots. Leave in ground in mild conditions, but they may split in time. Shelf storage in moist peat or vermiculite.

· Cauliflowers. Blanch before freezing. Store hung upside down in the dark and keeps misted to keep fresh for a few weeks.

· Celeriac. Store in boxes in moist peat in a frost-free place.

· Celery. Cook before freezing. Limited shelf storage.

· Chard (Swiss chard). Harvest a few leaves from the outside as needed. Will withstand some freezing; harvest until early winter in cold regions, longer in mild regions.

· Cucumbers. Use fresh or pickle.

· Eggplant (aubergine). Cook before freezing.

· Garlic. Store in sacks or strung in a frost-free place. Dry before storing.

· Kale. Harvest through winter.

· Kohlrabi. Leave in ground if mild or protected. Short to medium shelf storage in boxes of moist peat in a frost-free place.

· Leeks. Freeze. Leave in ground in mild conditions until needed. Shelf storage in a box of moist peat.

· Melons. Best eaten fresh.

· Onions. In sacks or nets in a frost-free place. Tie leaves together with string ad hang.

· Parsnips. Leave in ground until needed or late winter. Lift and store loosely packed in moist peat or vermiculite in a frost-free place.

· Peas. Freeze or dry on plant.

· Peppers. Blanch before freezing. Pickle or dry.

· Potatoes. Store in paper or burlap sacks in a frost-free place once cleaned and dried. Use blemished potatoes immediately.

· Pumpkins. Cook before freezing. Good shelf storage if fully ripe. Leave them in the sun after cutting to allow the skin to harden. Store in a frost-free place and eat in autumn to mid winter.

· Radishes. Eat fresh.

· Rhubarb. Cook before freezing.

· Runner beans. Freeze.

· Rutabaga (Swedes). Leave in ground until needed (may be woody by late winter). Lift and twist off top and store in moist peat or vermiculite.

· Salsify. Lift and store in moist peat in a frost-free place. Some can stay in the ground for harvest until spring.

· Shallots. In sacks or nets or strung in a frost-free place.

· Spinach. Cook then freeze.

· Summer squash. Cook before freezing.

· Sunchokes. Cut down stems in mid autumn; leave tubers in ground to use as needed.

· Sweet potatoes. Store in paper or burlap sacks in a frost-free place once cleaned and dried. Use blemished potatoes immediately.

· Winter squash. Shelf storage.

· Sweet corn. Freeze or pickle.

· Tomatoes. Cook before freezing. Pickle.

· Turnips. Leave in ground until needed. Lift and twist off top and store in moist peat or vermiculite.

· Zucchini. Cook before freezing. Will store in a frost-free place for a short time at the end of the season.

Planting Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts can be served as a side dish alone or with a sauce. Add Brussels sprouts to soups, stews, and stir-fries. (Tips on cooking and serving Brussels sprouts click here.)

Planting Calendar. Brussels sprouts are best grown in cool weather, usually in early spring or autumn. Sprouts require from 80 to 110 days with daylight temperatures below 80ºF (27ºC) and nighttime temperatures even lower. Brussels sprouts are frost hardy and will tolerate temperatures as low as 20ºF. A frost will sweeten the flavor of Brussels sprouts. Temperatures that are either too cold or too warm for too long will cause Brussels sprouts to taste bitter. Sprouts that develop in hot weather may not form compact cabbage-like heads. Where winters are mild, Brussels sprouts are best grown in late fall or winter.

• Spring crop. Sow seeds 4 to 6 weeks before the average last frost date in spring or sow directly in the garden 2 weeks before the last frost.

• Autumn and winter crop. Where summer and fall is not too warm, sow Brussels sprouts seeds about 90 days before the first frost date. In mild-winter areas, Brussels sprouts can be planted in autumn for winter harvest. (More tips on growing cool-season vegetables click here.)

Place. Brussels sprouts prefer full sun but will grow in light shade.

Soil. Brussels sprouts prefer well-worked, well-draining soil rich in organic matter. A sandy loam soil is ideal. Work plenty of compost into the garden before sowing seed or setting out transplants. Where the soil is sandy, work compost in before planting and side dress seedlings and plants with compost a couple of time during the growing season. Brussels sprouts grow best in neutral soil with a pH within the 6.5 to 7.5 range.

Spacing. Sow Brussels sprouts seeds ½ inch deep and about 2 inches apart. Later thin 3-inch-tall seedlings to about 20 to 30 inches apart in a wide bed or block. Rows should be 24 to 36 inches apart. Seedlings started indoors can be planted out when they reach about 5 inches tall, usually at about 4 to 6 weeks old. Transplants with leggy or crooked stems should be planted up to their first leaves so they won't grow spindly and top heavy.

Container growing. One Brussels sprout--which can produce two to three pounds of sprouts--will grow in an eight-inch flower pot. Allow 20 to 30 inches between plants in larger containers.

Water. Keep Brussels sprouts well watered particularly in dry or hot weather. Adding plenty of compost to your soil will help retain water.

Feed. Keep the ground around Brussels sprouts well composted. Brussels sprouts need calcium; you can add crushed egg shells to the soil around Brussels sprouts. Side dress Brussels sprouts with rich compost at midseason or more often.

Suggested varieties. Captain Marvel (78 days); Prince Marvel (83 days); Jade Cross (90 days).

Planting Beets

Beets roots can be eaten raw or cooked and added to salads and soups. Beet greens and thinnings can be eaten raw in salads or cooked much like spinach. (Tips on cooking and serving beets click here.)

Planting Calendar. Beets grow best in cool weather, in early spring or autumn. Beets grown in cool weather will be sweet and crisp. The temperature during the 55 to 90 days it takes to grow beets should remain below 65ºF (18ºC).

• Spring crop. Sow beet seeds as soon as the soil can be worked in spring, 2 to 3 weeks before the last frost. Beets will germinate in soil as cool as 45ºF (7ºC) but will grow best in soil about 50ºF (10ºC). For successive crops, plant beets every 10 days. Young beet plants can tolerate frost but they will go to seed without making roots if the weather is too cold.

• Autumn and winter crop. Beets can be planted in late summer for an autumn or winter crop. Depending upon variety allow 50 to 90 days for beets to mature before the first freeze. (Look on the seed packet for days to maturity and then count backwards from the estimated first frost date in your area.) Where there is no freeze, plant beets in winter. Once autumn beets have matured, they can be left in the ground for winter harvest as long as the ground does not freeze. Beets can be grown in a cold frame or protected by a plastic tunnel. (More tips on growing cool-season vegetables click here.)

Place. Beets will grow in full sun or light shade.

Soil. Beets prefer well-worked, loose soil that is rich in organic matter. Remove from the planting bed stones and dirt clods or roots that might cause beet roots to become malformed. Work compost into the soil at planting time. Beets prefer alkaline soil over acidic soil, a pH of 6.5 to 7.5.

Spacing. Sow beet seeds ½ to 1 inch deep in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. In wide beds or intensive plantings, thin beet seedlings to 3 to 4 inches apart. Beet seeds come in clusters. Each cluster is smaller than a pea seed and can produce several seedlings. Seeds generally germinate in 4 to 10 days. The seedlings may not emerge at the same time. Thin seedlings when the plants are a few inches tall and have developed their first true leaves. Seedlings do not transplant well. Thinned seedlings can be added to salads.

Container growing. Beet roots grow close to the soil surface so they can be grown in containers. Allow 3 to 4 inches between plants. Sow beets in a container at 8 inches deep. In a round container, sow the seeds in concentric circles.

Water. Keep the soil around beets moist; do not allow the soil to dry out. Mulch will help keep the soil moist. In hot weather, beet roots can become woody. A lack of moisture will leave beets stringy and tough.

Feed. Work compost into the soil before planting beets and side dress beets with compost at mid season.

Suggested varieties. Detroit Dark Red (52 days); Early Wonder (53 days); Burpee's Golden (55 days); ruby Queen (56 days); Little Ball (56 days); Cylindra as called Formanova or Tendersweet (60 days); Long Season also called Winter Keeper (80 days).

(For information on baby beets click here.)

Prickly Pear

The prickly pear is a cactus fruit that is actually a berry. The pulp of the prickly pear is sweet and moist with an aroma and flavor similar to a combination of the tastiest tropical and subtropical fruits, strawberry, watermelon, honeydew melon, fig, and banana.

The salmon or pink to magenta colored flesh of the prickly pear can be sliced or cubed and eaten raw once the fruit's hard black seeds are removed. The flesh can be puréed and added to yogurts, sorbets, or ice cream or used as a flavoring for drinks. In Mexico, the prickly pear is known a "cactus candy."

The prickly pear fruit is usually 2 to 4 inches long and egg or barrel shaped, about the size of a kiwi fruit or small guava. The skin is thick and coarse and can vary in color from green to yellow to orange or pink or red, or a bit of all these. The color of the fruit and flesh is preceded by blossoms of the same color.

The prickly pear's skin is essentially the fruit's rind and is covered with stiff spines that must be carefully removed. Nopales are the leaves of the cactus pear which also can be eaten. They too are covered with prickly spines or hairs.

The prickly pear is also called tuna pear or tuna fig, cactus pear, Indian fig or Indian pear. In Britain the prickly pear is called the Barbary fig or pear. In Israel, the prickly pear is called Sharon's fruit. In Spain prickly pears are known as tunas and in Italy the prickly pear is called fichi d'india.

Prickly pears are native to the tropical regions of the Americas and have been eaten by native peoples since ancient times. The prickly pear is a member of the Optunia cactus family with more than 300 species. Most originated in northwest Mexico or the southwestern United States. The best known varieties are 'Cardona' which has a large purplish red flower and fruit and 'Amarilla' which is mostly yellow.

Season. The peak season for prickly pears is late summer through early winter, September to December in the northern hemisphere.

Select. Choose small, smooth, unblemished, deep-colored prickly pears that are firm but not hard. The fruit will yield to gentle pressure when ripe. The skin should be shiny. Avoid fruit that is moldy or broken. Prickly pears are ripe for about a week.

Store. Prickly pears can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for 2 to 3 days. Firm prickly pears will ripen and soften at room temperature in a few days.

Prepare. Use care in preparing the prickly pear for cooking, a pair thick leather gloves is recommended. Remove the sharp spines with pliers, cut off ends of the pear, make a shallow slit in the skin down the length of the fruit and peel back both the inner and outer layers skin back from top to bottom with a sharp knife. The prickly pear can have small stinging nearly invisible hairs. You can remove these hairs by passing the fruit through an open flame. To remove the seeds, press the fruit through a sieve or food mill. Be sure to remove the seeds before cooking, otherwise they will harden during cooking.

Cook. Simmer prickly pear slices with water and sugar for 15 minutes or until tender, blend, strain, and chill. You can combine this purée with white wine vinegar or cider vinegar to make a salad dressing.

Serve. Serve prickly pear whole, cubed, or thin sliced in fruit cups or salads or sprinkled with lemon or lime juice. The sieved flesh can be served in punches and cocktails or as a flavoring for sorbets and yogurts. Prickly pear purée can be used as a filling for tarts and cakes or to make jam or juice.

Flavor partners. Prickly pear has a flavor affinity for banana, honeydew melon, lemon, lime, orange, tequila, and watermelon.

Nutrition. Prickly pears are a good source of magnesium and potassium and also contain calcium, vitamin C, and sodium. The prickly pear is low in calories.

The botanical name of the prickly pear is Optunia ficus-indica.

Patty Pan or Scallop Squash

Patty pan or scallop squash is a small, saucer-shaped warm-season squash that usually grows to no more than 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Patty pan squashes look something like a toy top. They can be white to creamy colored or various shades of green or yellow. Patty pans are less moist than other summer squashes such as zucchini. They actually grow more firm as they ripen similar to winter squashes, so they are best harvested and eaten when they are young and tender. (More on other types of summer squash click here.)

Cook. Place a whole, washed patty pan in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for about 4 to 5 minutes or until just tender pierced with a fork. Patty pans can also be quartered and brushed with olive oil and roasted for about 10 minutes. Patty pan slices can be sautéed until just tender. They can also be stuffed with chopped onion, meat, cheese, and spices and baked.

Grow. Patty pan squashes are for summer growing and require 45 to 55 frost-free days to reach harvest. Most patty pans have an open vining habit but rarely stand more than 3 feet tall. Squash require full sun and regular deep watering. (More on growing squash click here.)

Go to the next page for a list of the most common patty pan or scalloped squashes:

Hybrid patty pans include:

• Peter Pan is well scalloped from 2½ to 3 inches across at harvest. Peter Pan is light green with a small blossom end scar. Peter Pan has a pale green flesh and is meaty. Allow 50 frost-free days to grow and harvest Peter Pan.

• Scallopini is a scalloped-shaped squash with medium fluting 2½ to 3 inches across at harvest. Scallopini has dark green speckled skin similar to a zucchini. Scallopini has a sweet, nut-like flavor. Allow 52 frost-free days to grow and harvest scallopini.

• Sunburst is a hybrid medium-sized deeply scalloped squash about 2½ to 3 inches across. Sunburst has a bright yellow skin with a dark green sunburst on both the blossom and stem ends. Sunburst has a creamy white flesh and a delicate sweet, buttery flavor. Sunburst requires 52 frost-free days to mature.

• Sunny Delight (pictured above) is a medum-size hybrid scallop squash about 2½ to 3 inches across, very similar to Sunburst but without the green marking at the blossom and stem ends. Sunny Delight is light butter yellow colored and and flavorful. This squash requires 45 frost-free days to mature.

Open pollinated patty pans include:

• Benning's Green Tint is scallop-shaped from 2 to 2½ inches deep and 3 to 4 inches across at havest. This squash has a pale green skin and flesh and is thick and tender. Benning's Green Tint is a long producer and is ready for harvest after 55 frost-free days.

• White Bush, also called White Patty Pan and Early White Bush, is a pale green skinned squash that turns to near white by harvest time. White Bush is 2½ to 3 inches deep and 5 to 7 inches across, quite large for a patty pan. The flesh is white, tender, and succulent. White Bush requires 55 frost-free days to harvest.

• Wood's Earliest Prolific is slightly scalloped 2 to 2½ inches deep and 3 to 4 inches in diameter. The skin is pale green to pale greenish-white at maturity. Wood's Earliest produces throughout the season and requires 50 frost-free days to harvest.

• Yellow Bush, also called Golden Bush, Early Yellow Bush, and Yellow Custard, is deeply scalloped about 3 inches deep and 5 inches across. Yellow Bush has a deep yellow skin mottled with pale yellow. It's flesh is yellowish-white and flavorful. Yellow Bush requires 60 days to harvest.

Patty pan squashes are also known as cymling, custard marrow, or custard squash. The name patty pan comes from an old-style pan for baking pattys. The word cymling comes from the English simnal cake which is fluted. The French call patty pan squash pâtisson which is a Provençal word for a cake made in a scalloped mold.

Pictured above: 'Sunny Delight' squash,

Costata Romanesca Squash

Costata Romanesca is an heirloom Italian squash often considered the best tasting and best textured summer squash. It is sometimes called cocozelle or ribbed Roman zucchini. It is also called courgette, marrow squash, and vegetable marrow.

Costata Romanesca is an elongated squash with a dark green skin marked by greenish-yellow stripes that run its length. The squash measures 10 to 15 inches (25-38 cm) long and nearly 5 inches (13 cm) in diameter at full grow. Slightly raised ribs run the length of Costata Romanesca and it can sometimes be lightly flecked.

Costata Romanesca is juicy and sweet-nutty flavored. It can be picked tiny and eaten whole; otherwise, it is best to harvest this summer squash at 7 to 10 inches long. Even at 15 inches long Costata Romanesca remains tender and flavorful. The male blossoms of this squash can be stuffed or breaded, cooked, and eaten.

Grow. Costata Romanesca is a summer squash that requires 62 frost-free days to mature. It is a vining plant that demands plenty of room. Costata Romanesca's botanical name is Cucurbita pepo. Costata Romanesca is an open-pollinated plant which means you can save its seeds at the end of the season and grow the same plant again next year. This squash can be susceptible to powdery mildew. (More on growing squash click here.)

Choose: Select firm, undamaged Costata Romanesca squashes with glossy skins free of cracks and blemishes.

Store: Costata Romanesca can be refrigerated but it is best to use this squash within a week of harvest. Handle summer squash with care because it is easily damaged.

Prepare: Before eating or cooking, wash and cut off both ends of the squash. Unless the skin is bitter, you do not have to peel tender squash.

Squash can be used whole, grated, halved, or cut into cubes, strips or slices. Trim the ends and cut into chunks or slice before cooking.

You can "drain" squash with high water content by cutting it into slices and arranging it in a shallow dish. Then sprinkle the slices uniformly with coarse salt and let drain for 20 to 30 minutes. Use a strainer and rinse the slices under cold running water, pat them dry, and proceed with your recipe.

Cook. Costata Romanesca is a good choice for steaming, sautéing, and grilling.

Steam halves, slices, or pieces on a steam rack in a large saucepan until tender, about 15 to 40 minutes.

Sauté or stir-fry cut pieces in olive oil until the pieces are tender.

Pan-fry or deep fat-fry cubes or slices coated in a wet batter, dipped batter, or seasoned dry coating until the crust is golden brown.

Grill in 5 to 20 minutes depending upon the size: halves will cook faster if placed flesh side down basted olive oil or with butter or margarine.

Serve. Use small raw Costata Romanesca squash as an addition to crudités trays and salads. Serve sliced raw tender squash with a dip. Slice thinly and add to appetizers, salads, or sandwiches.

• Coat with butter, wrap in foil, then barbeque or bake.

• Halve then stuff with a meat or rice mixture, or bake with butter and Parmesan cheese.

• Add to soups, stews, quiches, or omelets.

• Brush halves with olive oil and grill.

Squash flowers are edible with a delicate flavor and aroma. Quickly sauté blossoms over high heat or stuff and bake.

Costata Romanesca has been called the "classic zucchini." Before many hybrid summer squash were introduced, Costata Romanesca was widely grown. The name "zucchini" came into general use in California in the 1920s and 1930s when Italian immigrants began to grow the Costata Romanesca widely and were looking for a simple name. "Zucca" is the Italian word for squash; "zucchini" is the diminutive masculine plural.

Zephyr Squash

'Zephyr' is a straightneck summer squash. 'Zephyr' has a yellow stem end and is pale green at the blossom end. Faint white stripes run the length of this squash. (Learn more about summer squash click here.)

Zephyr is a hybrid of a yellow crookneck with a squash that is a cross between the Delicata and yellow Acorn squashes. It has a slightly bowed neck about 5 to 8 inches (13-20 cm) long. You can harvest 'Zephyr' at about 4 to 6 inches. 'Zephyr' is a firm, sweet-nutty flavored squash perfect for quick cooking

Grow. 'Zephyr' is a warm-season hybrid, has an open form or habit, and is ready for harvest about 54 frost-free days after sowing. (Learn more about growing squash click here.)

Choose. Select 'Zephyr' squashes that are still tender. Summer squashes that reach maturity will be drier with thicker skins. Choose firm, undamaged squashes with glossy skins free of cracks and blemishes. Select smaller to medium-sized specimens. Overly large squashes tend to be fibrous and bitter, and very small squashes can lack flavor.

Prepare. Before eating or cooking, wash and cut off both ends of the squash. Unless the skin is bitter, you do not have to peel tender squash.

Squash can be used whole, grated, halved, or cut into cubes, strips or slices. Trim the ends and cut into chunks or slice before cooking.

Cook: Use raw tender squash as an addition to crudités trays and salads.

Simmer until the flesh can be pierced easily with blade of knife. Whole or unpeeled squash should simmer for 10 to 20 minutes; pieces will cook in 5 to 10 minutes.

Boil pieces cut into ½ to ¾ inch cubes; use little water; cook 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Boiling can make squash taste watery and detract from its flavor.

Boil whole, unpeeled squash covered with water for about 1 hour. First poke holes in the squash with a fork.

Steam halves, slices, or pieces on a steam rack in a large saucepan until tender, about 15 to 40 minutes.

Sauté or stir-fry cut pieces coated with batter until the pieces are tender.

Pan-fry or deep fat-fry cubes or slices coasted in a wet batter, dipped batter, or seasoned dry coating until the crust is golden brown.

Serve with tender squash alone or topped with plain or flavored butter or margarine or with white sauce.

Store. 'Zephyr' placed in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator will keep for about 1 week. Handle summer squash with care because it is easily damaged.

Summer squash can be frozen but the flesh will be softer when served. Cut the squash into slices and blanch for 2 minutes before freezing. Frozen squash will keep for 3 to 4 months.

Kitchen Garden Almanac for September

The weather will direct your efforts in the kitchen garden in September. Frost may strike even the mildest of regions before the end of the month.

Know the average first frost date for your area. This date will allow you to plan your garden activities and prepare for cold weather in advance. The average first frost date can vary from year to year but when the first frost comes your warm-weather crops will be done for the year unless you take steps to protect them and extend their season. Check with a nearby garden center, master gardener program, or your county agriculture commissioner's office to learn the average first frost date in your region.

From the date of the first frost, autumn and winter gardening will go under cover; use cloches, plastic tunnels, and cold frames to extend your growing season. If you live in a frost-free or nearly frost-free region, second spring will arrive later this month. In regions where the weather chills but never drops to freezing cool-weather crops can go back into the garden and your second spring will begin.

If you do not plan to keep the kitchen garden growing with cool-season crops during autumn and winter, consider planting the beds with a green-manure cover crop. Green manures or cover crops add organic matter to the soil; they are tilled or turned under after a while. Cover crops roots keep the soil loose, moist and aerated when vegetables are not in the garden. They also protect the soil from winter rains and erosion and add nutrients to the soil--thus green manure.

Green manure cover crops include annual rye or ryegrass, buckwheat and winter rye. Other excellent cover crops come from the legume family: clovers, vetches, and alfalfa. The roots of legumes add residual nitrogen to the soil which will benefit vegetables and herbs growing in the garden next season.

Here follows regional suggestions for things to do in the kitchen garden in September. These suggestions are divided into 4 major geographical areas: North and East and Midwest (zones 2 in the northern most areas to 6 along the coast), the South (zones 7 in the north to 10 in the far south), the Southwest and California (zones 7 in the coolest areas to 11), and the Northeast (zones 5 in the highest elevations to 8 along the coast).

North and East and Midwest. Frost is possible in some areas before the end of September. Check the number of frost-free days left in your area by counting back from the average first frost date for your region. You may have time to sow quick maturing crops without protection. Plant fall salad greens such as spinach, winter lettuce, arugula, mâche, corn salad, mustard, and radishes. Use a cold frame or plastic tunnel if time is short. Plant next year's garlic crop and divide multiplier onions. You can leave root crops in the ground until a serious freeze; parsnips taste best when exposed to frost. In the cold frame, sow parsley, lettuce, spinach, and chives. Parsley can be grown indoors during winter. Clean cold frames and line with straw before planting. Sow a green manure cover crop in vegetable beds that are done for the season.

South. Some very hot weather is still possible. Plant autumn salad greens now: leaf lettuce, Romaine lettuce, and mesclun. Plant as many greens this month as needed. Greens prefer rich soil, so apply plenty of compost. Plant hardy winter vegetables now in the Upper South: beets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, chard, cress, corn salad, kale, kohlrabi, onion sets, spinach, radishes, rape, turnips, leeks, mustard, and lettuce. Be prepared to cover plants if a hard frost is expected; cover plants quickly with hay or grass or cloches. In the Lower South plant bush snap beans, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, collards, endive, lettuce, onions, parsley, Irish potatoes, rutabagas, and turnip. Also plant sweet potatoes now for spring use. In frost-free regions such as Florida, continue to plant warm-season crops such as tomatoes.

Southwest and California. Hot and dry weather can continue for several more weeks. Second spring begins by late September in the warm-winter regions of California and the Southwest. Plant seeds of broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower in flats; these young plants will be ready to transplant into the garden as summer vegetables come out of the garden. Plant beets, bush beans, carrots, chard, Chinese greens, endive, kale, leek, lettuce, mustard, early onions, parsnips, potatoes, winter radishes, spinach, and turnips. Set out starts: cabbage, cauliflower, Italian sprouting broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, Romaine and leaf lettuce, late potatoes, salsify, and late spinach. Garden peas can be planted now, but shade them if the weather continues hot. When nighttime temperatures drop below 50ºF the garden slows and when the temperatures drop below 40ºF the garden will approach dormancy, but in warmer temperatures and where there are few freezing days each year you can garden on. In regions where frost will come before plants mature prepare portable cold frames and tunnels to cover crops after the first freeze. In most regions, protected winter gardening is quite doable.

Northwest. The weather will vary and can be unpredictable. Be sure to check the number of frostless days left in your area. Check seed packets and choose "fall" and "late" varieties; they are quicker maturing plants. Sow radishes and spinach. Set out starts of late cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli. Divide rhubarb clumps now; leave one or two eyes per root. Clean the garden of debris as you complete your harvest. Continue to sow or set out vegetables that will reach maturity before the first hard frost; these winter harvest crops can be maintained and harvested with protection well into winter.

Here are additional tips for your kitchen garden in September:

Cool-region harvest. Tender vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, winter squash and pumpkins must be picked before the first frost. Harvest broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kohlrabi when they're ready. If not picked, these crops must be covered on freezing nights. Remove the bottom leaves from the lanky stems of Brussels sprouts to direct energy to the sprouts. Potatoes, onions, turnips, carrots, and other root crops should be lifted before the ground freezes. Kale tastes best harvested after the first frost. Harvest and store green tomatoes before the first frost. Bring unripe tomatoes indoors to ripen; hang plants upside-down in a cool cellar or attic, where the fruit will ripen and be usable well into fall. Save seed from heirloom beans, tomatoes, squash, and melons.

Extend the season. Use cloches, plastic tunnels, and cold frames to cover tender crops on freezing nights in order to stretch the harvest past the first few frosts.

Fruit trees. Harvest ripe apples, pears and other late fruits, then freeze or can them. Rake dropped fruit and leaves up under fruit trees to disrupt the life cycles of pests. Mow tall grass and weeds in orchards. Wrap trunks of young trees to prevent sunscald. Place mouse guards around the trunks of young trees. Mulch trees in a ring 8-12 inches from trunk before the ground freezes. Watch for pests and signs of disease.

Grapes and berries. Pick grapes only when ripe and only when bunches are dry. Too much handling destroys the grape's protective bloom. Cut back old bramble canes and mulch them. Tie in new fruiting canes of blackberries and loganberries. Set out new strawberry plants.

Order bare-root fruit trees. Apples, pears, peaches, plums, and grapes may be ordered now for delivery in time for spring planning.

Asparagus. After asparagus stalks have turned yellow, cut them off at ground level and apply a cover of well-rotted manure.

Clean up. Clean the garden after crops have been removed. Add aged manure or plant a green manure cover crop such as buckwheat, annual rye grass, or winter rye as soon as possible.

Soil amendments. Dig compost into the soil wherever last crops have come out.

Compost. Select a spot for a garden compost pile. Compost can be made of alternate layers of garden and vegetable refuse, soil, and manure. The bottom layer should be 6 inches thick; use coarse materials such as shrub prunings, corn stalks, and straw. Top this with 4 inches of cow or horse manure; cover with 4 inches of soil plus the same amount of leaves, lawn cuttings, weeds and vegetable tops, mixed together. Avoid using pest or disease infected cuttings. Keep the top concave so it will retain rainwater or wet the pile down every ten days during warm weather. Turn the compost pile occasionally to add air to the mix. Rich humus compost should be ready in about 9 months with no additional effort.

Container gardens. Harvest vegetables and herbs from containers. When the plants are spent or killed by frost compost them then clean and disinfect the containers before storing them for winter.

September Garden in the Northern Hemisphere

September is the ninth month of the year these days, but under the old Roman calendar, September was the seventh month. The Latin word for "seven" is septem.

The autumnal equinox will arrive on September 22 this year in the northern half of the world, summer will end and autumn will begin.

September is one of the warmest months of the year particularly in the southern regions. In the northern regions, the days can be hot, but the nights will become increasingly cool.

The Greeks honored Demeter during this month, and the Romans honored Ceres, goddesses of agriculture.

Harvest festivals and feasts come in September to celebrate the end of harvest.

In the garden this month, plant cool season crops that will endure frost: beets, carrots, Swiss chard, head and leaf lettuce, mustard, onion seeds and sets, radish, turnips, and kale.

If late sowings of vegetables do not seem to be growing as quickly as they should in order to be ready for harvesting before frost, give them a side-dressing of compost tea or liquid manure.

Dig compost into the soil wherever the last crops have come out.

After asparagus stalks have turned yellow, cut them off at the ground level and apply a cover of well-rotted manure.

If you have a coldframe with well-prepared soil, you can sow seeds of lettuce, parsley, radishes and carrots for crops during the fall and winter. Transplant young kale and lettuce plants to the frame for use in late fall and early winter. Keep the frame well ventilated on warm days. You will appreciate having such fresh vegetables along about Thanksgiving time.

Bring in the last of your tomatoes before frost, plant, fruit and all. Hang the plants upside-down in a cool cellar or attic, where the fruit will ripen and be usable well into fall.

Collards, Brussels sprouts, and kale are better eating after the first frost. Strip lower leaves of Brussels sprouts to encourage the sprouts to develop.

Vegetables ready for harvest in September include beans, carrot, chilies, Chinese cabbage, corn, cucumber, eggplant, kale, lettuce, melons, okra, peas, pumpkins, purslane, rutabaga (Swede), summer squash, tomato, turnips, and zucchini.

Fruits ready for harvest in September include almonds, apples, avocadoes, brambleberries, grapes, kumquat, figs, hazelnuts (filberts), lemons, melons, mulberries, nectarines, olives, oranges, passionfruit, peaches, pears, pecans, plums, raspberries, strawberries, and tamarilloes.

Here is a planting schedule by region for September:

Cooler northern regions--Zones 3-6: Vegetables: broad beans, buckwheat, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, cress, leek, lettuce, onion, radish, spinach, spring onion, strawberry runners, turnip. Herbs: caraway, chervil, chicory, parsley, salad burnet.

Temperate Regions--Zones 7-9: Vegetables: artichoke suckers, broad beans, beet (beetroot), buckwheat, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, cress, eggplant, endive, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, mustard, onion, spring onion, peas, radish, rhubarb crown, Swiss chard (silverbeet), strawberry runners, rutabaga (Swede), turnip. Herbs: angelica, caraway, chervil, chicory, coriander, dill, hyssop, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, parsley, salad burnet, thyme.

Subtropical and Tropical Regions--Zones 10-12: Vegetables: artichoke suckers, beans, beet (beetroot), broccoli, cabbage, cape gooseberry, cress, cucumber, endive, eggplant, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, marrow, mustard, onion, spring onion, parsnip, peas, potato tubers, radish, rhubarb crowns, Swiss chard (silverbeet), rutabaga (Swede), tomato, turnip. Herbs: angelica, basil, borage, caraway, celeriac, chicory, chives, coriander, fennel, hyssop, marjoram, salad, burnet.

September Garden in the Southern Hemisphere

September brings in spring and ends winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

The first day of spring in the southern part of the world this year is September 22. On this day, the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west. The time between sunrise and sunset is exactly 12 hours.

March can be both wintery and spring-like. Some days will be blustery and others will be mild and sunny.

Sap flows in the trees in March and green buds begin to appear. Early songbirds will arrive this month.

Vegetables: The work of the spring and summer vegetable garden can begin during March. Prepare vegetable garden beds. Winter mulches can be removed. Peas and spinach can be sown outdoors where they are to grow as soon as the ground can be worked. Onions sets can be planted this month also.

Now is the time to sow outdoors cool season vegetables: cabbage, cauliflower, celery, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli. Other vegetables you can sow outdoors this month include: artichoke, beets, carrots, cress, endive, gooseberry, kohlrabi, lettuce, radishes, spring onions, parsnip, potato tubers, radish, rhubarb crowns, rutabaga, salsify, spinach, Swiss chard, turnips, and Witloof chicory.

Indoors, you can start warm season vegetables: tomatoes, eggplant, squash. Start seeds in flats, give them full sunlight, and then be sure to transplant them to pots as soon as they become crowded or get their second pair of leaves.

Bare-root and Fruit: Prune winter-damaged fruit trees. Limit pruning of spring-flowering fruit trees to the removal of suckers and winter-damaged or crossing branches to save blossom buds. Apply dormant oil spray to fruit trees before the buds break.

Plant deciduous fruit trees while dormant. When the ground is workable, plant bare-root berry bushes, grapevines, and asparagus. Also plant citrus this month. Fruit trees will begin to bloom this month. Feed established trees, apply iron chelates if necessary.

Set out new strawberry plants. In six weeks, feed them with fish emulsion or rich compost. Pick off all flowers until mid-June.

Raspberries require more water than other cane berries because they root more shallowly. When set out, cut canes off to 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm). When new growth is 1 foot (30 cm) high, nip off 2 inches (5 cm) to cause branching. Tie up berry canes for easier harvesting.

Grapes: Tie up branches of vines planted last year. Provide support for those planted this year. Cut off all branches when planting, allowing only one cane to develop.

Here is a planting schedule by region for the Southern Hemisphere in September:

Temperate regions: Vegetables: artichoke suckers, beans, beet, cabbage, cape gooseberry, sweet pepper, carrot, celery, chicory, chayote, cress, cucumber, eggplant, endive, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, courgette, melons, mustard, spring onion, parsnip, peas, potato tubers, pumpkin, radish rhubarb crown, rosella, salsify, Swiss chard (silverbeet), squash, sweet corn, sweet potato, tomato, zucchini. Herbs: basil, borage, caraway, chamomile, chervil, chicory, chilies, chives, coriander, dill, fennel, garlic, hyssop, lemon balm, oregano, parsley, thyme.

Tropical and subtropical northern regions: Vegetables: beans, beets (beetroot), buckwheat, cabbage, cape gooseberry, capsicum (sweet pepper), carrot, celery, Chinese cabbage, choko (chayote), cress, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, lettuce, marrow, melons, mustard, okra, parsnip, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, rhubarb crowns, rosella, salsify, silverbeet (Swiss chard), spring onion, squash, strawberry runners, sweet corn, sweet potato, tomato, zucchini. Herbs: basil, borage, caraway, chamomile, celeriac, chervil, coriander, dill, garlic, hyssop, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, parsley, salad burnet, thyme.

Cooler southern regions: Vegetables: artichokes, beet, cabbage, cape gooseberry, sweet pepper, carrot, celery, cress, endive, kohlrabi, lettuce, spring onion, parsnip, peas, potato tubers, radish, rhubarb crowns, salsify, Swiss chard (silverbeet), rutabaga (Swedes), tomato, turnips. Herbs: basil, borage, caraway, celeriac, chamomile, chervil, chives, coriander, garlic, hyssop, lemon balm, oregano, parsley, salad burnet, thyme.

Here is a roundup of vegetables and fruits ready for harvest during September in the Southern Hemisphere:

Vegetables: artichoke, asparagus, beet, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, celery, Chinese cabbage, kale, lettuce, parsnip, peas, purslane, radish, rhubarb, Swiss chard (silverbeet), spinach.

Fruit: avocado, banana, cape gooseberries, grapefruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, navel oranges, passionfruit, tamarilloes, tangelos.

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September 2008 Monthly Archive

Harvest to Table's New Encyclopedia: The Kitchen Garden Grower's Guide

A practical vegetable and herb garden encyclopedia

Harvest to Table's New Encyclopedia:
The Kitchen Garden Grower's Guide