Plant Profiles
Although you can surmise a lot about a plant by knowing what family it belongs to, information specific to each type of plant is invaluable in helping you decide when, how, and what to grow. In this section, you’ll find profiles for the most common garden crops, including how to start, grow, and harvest them, as well as potential problems you may encounter along the way. Spacing suggestions are given for each plant, although keep in mind that they apply to raised row gardens; if you’re growing in containers or raised beds, plants can be planted a bit more densely.
OVERVIEW: Also known as rocket, rucola, rucoli, and rugula, arugula is a fast-growing salad green with a spicy kick. There are a number of different types; in general, the thinner and spikier the leaves, the more peppery the flavor.
START seeds outdoors early or late in the growing season and harvest as soon as 4 weeks after sowing. Seedlings are cold hardy and will tolerate some frost. Plant ¼ inch deep and about 1 inch apart, or broadcast alone or with other salad greens and thin later. For a continuous harvest, succession-sow new seeds every 2 to 3 weeks.
GROW: Arugula isn’t fussy and will grow in most soils. It has a shallow root system, though, and needs consistent watering to prevent it from drying out. Once you’ve planted the seeds, water regularly and try to keep the soil evenly moist. Thin seedlings to about 6 inches apart and toss the thinnings into salads. Arugula is a great plant to grow in the shade of taller plants, as it can quickly bolt in the heat of summer, which results in bitter-tasting leaves.
HARVEST arugula any time after the leaves are large enough to eat. Young, tender leaves taste sweet and mild, whereas older leaves are sharp and peppery in flavor. Once the seedlings are about 3 to 4 inches tall, you can either pull up the entire plant or selectively harvest the leaves as a cut-and-come-again crop. Alternatively, cut off the leaves just above the soil line and allow the plant to regrow. Arugula flowers are edible and taste great tossed on salads or sandwiches. Once the flowers start to bloom, however, the flavor of the leaves becomes bitter and intense.
CONTAINERS: Because of its small, compact root system, arugula grows well in shallow containers or flats, outdoors or indoors near a sunny window.
PROBLEMS: Arugula plants are favored by slugs, cabbage loopers, aphids, flea beetles, diamondback moths, and birds. Remove by hand any insect eggs you find and spray aphids off with a hose. Use beer traps to get rid of slugs. To prevent predation from flea beetles and birds, protect plants with row covers or netting, respectively.
OVERVIEW: Asparagus is a perennial that can take 2 to 3 years to produce but will come back annually for 15 to 30 years once established. Although it grows well in many parts of the country, it does best in cooler regions with long winters. The edible part of the asparagus plant is the young stem shoot, which emerges in spring as soil temperatures rise above 50°F. It produces one of the earliest and tastiest spring vegetables.
START: Although asparagus can be grown from seed, most gardeners start with 1-year-old crowns, which can be planted after the last spring frost, as soon as the soil can be worked. To plant crowns, dig a trench about 12 inches deep and 12 inches wide, then plant crowns 18 inches apart. If planting more than one row, space the trenches at least 3 feet apart. Seeds should be started indoors 3 months before the last spring frost. Soak the seeds in water for up to 24 hours before sowing them ¾ inch deep in 4-inch pots. Once plants reach 12 inches in height, harden them off and transplant them 6 to 8 inches deep in a temporary site in the garden. When the plants mature in the fall, identify the berry-less male asparagus plants (which are more productive than their female counterparts) and transplant them to a permanent site.
GROW in full sun and in fertile, well-draining soil with a pH of at least 7.0. Add lime or wood ash to adjust the pH if necessary. Because asparagus is a perennial, it needs to produce a lot of energy—enough to produce shoots, survive winter, and make new ferns. Side-dress with a layer of compost and well-aged manure in the spring and fall to ensure plants have plenty of nutrients. Weed well and often, as asparagus does not like to share nutrients with other plants.
HARVEST: For the most productive asparagus beds, wait to harvest until the third year after planting. Harvest spears for up to 6 weeks in early spring. In subsequent years, harvest for up to 8 weeks. To harvest, when spears are no more than 7 inches tall, cut them with a sharp knife, 1 inch below the soil line. In warm weather, harvest every 2 to 3 days for the be...
