   Summer Vegetable Suggestions - April 3, 2002 Jeff Schalau, County Director, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County This week, I will share some of the gardening knowledge I have gained from one of my Cooperative Extension colleagues. Terry Mikel has been an amazing information resource to the Yavapai County Master Gardener Program and to me personally and professionally. Terry is an Area Extension Agent based in Maricopa County, but his vast knowledge has spread to every Master Gardener in Arizona. Before planting, remember to always amend soil with organic matter, some nitrogen, lots of phosphorus, and some soil sulfur. The following are some of Terry's gardening tips for a few selected warm season crops. Asparagus Best planted from seed, the University of California varieties (i.e. UC 157) are best adapted to our alkaline soils. Plant in bottom of one-foot deep hole and backfill as they grow through the first growing season. Only harvest spears when they are the diameter of your thumb (2nd year) and stop harvesting when they reach the size of a pencil. After harvest is done, fertilize and allow the remaining spears to grow for the remainder of the growing season. Green Beans Pole beans are more work than bush beans, but they taste much better. "Kentucky Wonder" is Terry's favorite variety of pole bean. If you must plant bush beans, "Contender" is Terry's pick. Plant bean seed only after soils reach 70 degrees F (when the mesquite trees leaf out). Carrots Rather than planting in rows, broadcast a mixture of your favorite carrot varieties in a prepared bed and thin to 3-4 inches apart. When harvested, each carrot will be a surprise. You can also mix radish seed into the carrot seed mix. By the time radishes are finished, the carrots should be coming on. Cucumbers Bitter skin is caused by any stress on the plant. With cucumbers, it is important not to let the soil dry out. Irrigate regularly and mulch to retain soil moisture. Terry likes the Japanese climbing varieties. Plant cucumbers on a wire fence and encourage them to climb. This saves space in the garden and makes harvest easier. Eggplant Eggplant is very heat tolerant. Large, European varieties (i.e. Black Beauty) can have bitter skin. These should only be harvested when black and glossy. Japanese varieties (i.e. Ichiban) do not get bitter skin. Small, white-fruited varieties lack flavor and are grown for ornamental purposes. Melons Many varieties are out there, so don't both growing plain old cantaloupe. These heavy skinned melons were developed to withstand abuse of commercial processing. Terry recommends trying some of the newer, exotic melon varieties. Whichever you choose, roll the vines. This is done by picking up the vine and placing it back down across the crown of the plant after 2-3 fruit have been set on that vine. We are not sure how it works, but farmers have done it for years. Peanuts Every gardener needs to grow peanuts at least once. Buy raw peanuts from a health food store (they must have an intact integument: thin, papery seed coat). The plant will grow, get yellow flowers, and after the flowers mature, the peg grows from the flower downward to the soil. The peg penetrates the soil surface and a peanut is formed. Harvest after the plant is frosted. You can dry and roast the peanuts in the oven. Peppers Sweet (bell type) and chile peppers are well suited to our area. Do not plant outdoors until night temperatures rise above 55 degrees F. I prefer growing Anaheim types (Sandia, Big Jim) that are roasted for green chile. Three or four jalepeno plants will produce enough to make lots of salsa. Bell peppers need to have enough foliage to shade fruit thereby preventing sunburn. Potatoes There are 100's of potato varieties to try. Buy certified seed potatoes and plant in early spring. Plant deep and backfill as the plants grow. If harvested during the bloom, you get new potatoes. Otherwise, dig mature potatoes after vines die back in August or September. Tomatoes Again, there are 100's of varieties. The main challenge we have is heat. Tomatoes do not fruit well when temperatures rise above 90 degrees F. Last year, the Verde valley had a huge outbreak of curly top virus. The outbreak was tied to lots of spring moisture that encouraged cool season weeds, especially London rocket. Plants in the mustard family are preferred by the beet leafhopper: the vector of curly top virus. Once the weeds died, beet leafhoppers went in search of other hosts. They inadvertently sampled tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers transmitting the virus to the host plant. Some people shade tomato plants with "Remay" type fabric or shade cloth. This does not significantly cool down the air temperature, but it can decrease the probability of a beet leafhopper landing on your tomato plants. Just don't use anything with greater than 50% shade. Happy Spring/Summer Gardening! The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has publications and information on gardening and pest control. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 or E-mail us at mgardener@verdeonline.com and be sure to include your address and phone number. Find past Backyard Gardener columns or submit column ideas at the Backyard Gardener web site: http://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/. |