UNIVERSITY OF ILLiN 1RARY ATURF Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana^Champaign UIV/I ?/nF in Al http://www.archive.org/details/vegetablegardeni1331voig NOTICE: Return or renew all Library Materials! The Minimum Fee (or each Lost Book is $50.00. The person charging this material is responsible for its return to the library from which it was withdrawn on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for discipli- nary action and may result in dismissal from the University. To renew call Telephone Center, 333-8400 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN JAN 1 1 Sweet peppeTs, Capsic comem aH sizes, snapes, colons, ^afan forms. The diverse harvest, shown here' •iL _ r !l _ «_!_. I*. J^_; ^L _ ij, % t^ s 0m _ I of the ge. 4 vegetable^crc, &1k permission ortfee Champqifyn-Ltmana >/ * ^-f#- Newj^Gazette* PermissiOpTdoes not H* imply endorsement by the newspaper* Photo appeared in October 29, 1992, edition.) *"nC» ^ ^ H(N«" ftM IB Vegetable Gardening in the Midwest CE. Voigt IS. Vandemark Cooperative Extension Service College of Agriculture University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Circular 1331 This publication updates and expands CI 150 Vegetable Gardening for Illinois, 1978, by J.S. Vandemark and J.W. Courter, with contributing authors B.J. Jacobsen and Roscoe Randell; CI 150 art by Paula Wheeler and Krista Molter. OBB Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Donald L. Uchtmann, Director, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Cooperative Exten- sion Service provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. The information provided in this publication is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names do not constitute an endorse- ment by the University of Illinois and do not imply discrimination against other similar products. Nomenclature is based on Hortiis Third: A Concise Dictio- nary of Plants Cultivated in the United States, revised and expanded by the staff of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Horto- rium, Cornell University; New York: Macmillan Publish- ing Company, 1976. Credits: Mary H. Overmier, editor, and Linda Brown, designer. Cover photo by David Riecks; pages 15, 23, 33, 49, 131, and 147, David Riecks; pages 1 and 43, Stephen Hunts; other, file photos, Information Services, Office of Agricultural Communications and Education. Additional drawings for the 1995 edition: pages 22 and 124, Tim Stiles; maps, page 26, Steven E. Hollinger, State Water Survey; other, Linda Brown. Printed by UIUC Office of Printing Services. Copyright © 1995 by University of Illinois Board of Trustees ISBN 1-883097-05-3 (casebound) 500-87239-mo-3/95 ISBN 1-883097-06-1 (softcover) 10M-8723-mo-3/95 Brussels Sprouts 59 f*r\ t\ ¥& r\ ¥o Lumenis Cabbage 60 Carrot 63 Preface V Cauliflower 64 Planning the Garden 1 Celery 66 Choosing the Best Location 4 Chard 67 Raised Beds 5 Chinese Cabbage 68 Container Gardens 9 Collard 69 Selecting Vegetables 11 Corn, Sweet 70 Seeds, Plants, Equipment, and Supplies 12 Cucumber 75 Eggplant 77 Preparing the Garden 15 Endive-Escarole 79 Improving Soil Tilth 17 Jerusalem Artichoke 80 Fertilizing the Soil 19 Kale 81 Plowing and Preparing the Seedbed 21 Kohlrabi 82 Leek 83 Planting the Garden 23 Lettuce 84 When to Plant 25 Muskmelon 86 How to Plant 27 Mustard 88 Floating Row Covers 32 Okra 88 Onion 89 Caring for the Garden 33 Parsley 93 Cultivation 35 Parsnip 94 Mulching 35 Pea 95 Watering 37 Pepper 97 Controlling Garden Pests 38 Potato 101 Pumpkin 103 Starting Plants at Home 43 Radish 107 Rhubarb Growing Media 45 108 Salsify 110 Pasteurizing the Soil 45 Spinach 110 Sowing Seeds 45 Squash, Summer 112 Temperature 45 Squash, Winter 116 Watering and Fertilizing 46 Sweet Light 46 Potato 118 Growing Time 47 Tomato 120 Turnip-Rutabaga 127 Watermelon Major Vegetables 49 129 Asparagus 51 Minor Vegetables 737 Bean 53 Amaranth Greens 133 Beet 56 Arugula 133 Broccoli 57 Bean 133 Burdock 135 Lovage 157 Celeriac 136 Mint 158 Chicory 136 Oregano 158 Dandelion 137 Rosemary 159 Garden Cress 137 Rue 159 Garden Huckleberry 137 Sage 159 Gourd 138 Salad Burnet 160 Horseradish 139 Savory, Summer 160 Husk Tomato 139 Savory, Winter 160 Peanut 140 Sorrel, French 161 Popcorn 140 Sweet Cicely 161 Radicchio 142 Sweet Marjoram 161 Shallot 142 Sweet Woodruff 162 Southern Pea 143 Tarragon 162 Spaghetti Squash 143 Thyme 163 Sunflower 144 Drying Herbs 163 Vine Crops 144 Additional Information 165 Herbs 147 Appendix A: Storing Vegetables 167 Angelica 150 Appendix B: Sprouting Seeds 169 Anise 150 Appendix C: Days from Flowering to Harvest 169 Anise Hyssop 150 for Selected Vegetables Basil 151 List of Publications 170 Bay Laurel 151 Index of Common Names 1 73 Bergamot 152 Borage 152 Caraway 152 Catnip 152 Chamomile 153 Chervil 153 Chives 153 Cilantro and Coriander 154 Dill 154 Fennel 155 Garlic 155 Geranium, Scented 156 Horehound 156 Hyssop 156 Lavender 157 Lemon Balm 157 Lemon Verbena 157 Preface This gardening book was prepared in response to the need for a complete and accurate guide to growing vegetables and herbs successfully under midwestern conditions. Although written primarily for the home gardener, this book may be equally useful to teachers, students, market gardeners, and residents of areas outside the Midwest. The first section of the book deals with various aspects of planning, preparing, planting, and caring for the garden and with starting plants at home. The remainder contains detailed information about major vegetables (recommended varieties, when and how to plant, care, harvesting, disease and insect problems, and answers to the most commonly asked questions), minor vegetables, and herbs. Because chemical measures for controlling pests in the home garden are continually being developed and are subject to change, no specific recommendations are included in this book. Regularly updated publications that offer this information are listed on page 170. The English system of weights and measures (such as inches, pounds, quarts, bushels, and Fahrenheit temperatures) is used throughout the book because most home gardeners have not yet adopted the metric system. The authors appreciate the suggestions and contributions of Dr. J.W. Courter, professor emeritus of the University of Illinois Department of Horticulture, who co-authored the 1978 edition with Dr. Vandemark. C.E. Voigt J.S. Vandemark PLANNING THE GARDEN Growing seasons and growth characteristics are Planning important aspects to consider in grouping the various vegetables in your garden. Perennial crops, such as asparagus, rhubarb, and berries, that are to be in the the Garden same location for more than one season should be planted at the side of your garden. Group early or quickly Home gardening is an interesting and rewarding maturing vegetables together so that, after harvesting, hobby in which the entire family can become involved. the space may be used effectively for later plantings of Produce grown in the home garden is fresher, may have vegetables. To avoid shading, plant taller crops to the better nutrient content, and offers a wider variety of north of shorter crops. types than is commonly available on the market. Correct spacing between rows is important to allow Gardening also provides healthful outdoor exercise, for proper growth of plants, ease of cultivation, and effi- offers productive activity for retired or partially disabled cient use of space. If you have farm equipment available people, and is an excellent teaching tool. to use and space is ample, make your rows long enough Gardens range in size from a single potted plant, to and far enough apart so that you can till your garden small plantings around the doorway or patio, to mini- mechanically. gardens (20 to 200 square feet), to large family gardens Successive plantings are desirable if you wish to have (750 square feet or more). The type of garden that you a continuous fresh supply of certain vegetables. Two or grow depends upon the space available, the kind and three small plantings of leaf lettuce and radishes may be quantity of vegetables you need or desire, and the made a week to 10 days apart in the early spring, with amount of time you want to spend working in the additional plantings in the fall. Onion sets for green garden. Make your garden large enough so that it onions may be planted every 2 weeks until you have produces what is needed, but not so large that it used all your sets. When space permits, there should be demands an overwhelming amount of work. at least two plantings of beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, Planning your garden can be an enjoyable task by the and carrots—one as early in the spring as conditions warmth of a fire on cold winter evenings. Color catalogs allow, for summer use; another in the summer, for fall arrive in the cold, dead days of winter, spurring this use and storage. If space allows, make several plantings of creative urge. A well-planned garden is easier to plant sweet corn and beans from late spring through early and care for and is probably more productive than one summer. that is not well planned. Certain later-season crops can be planted in the same Take full advantage of garden references—seed cata- location in the garden from which earlier ones have been logs, books, magazines, demonstration gardens, garden harvested. Any early harvested crops (such as leaf lettuce, columns, and extension publications—as you select your spinach, radishes, green onions, or peas) can be followed vegetables and make your plan. It pays to plan ahead.