Veggie Garden

Now is the time to plant your warm season veggie and herb garden. You can plant almost everything, anything you like to eat, but a better idea is to plant the stuff your local grocery store does not carry. For example, there is nothing like vine ripened tomatoes, the store usually has the cheap imitation knock-offs that have been picked too early.

   First of all, scout out a location, it should be in as much sun as possible.  You could have it directly in the ground or containers will work too.  Next, figure out what and how much you should plant and when. A good idea is to plant in succession. For example, do you want 30 heads of cabbage all at once or do you want two heads a week all through the summer?  (Or do you want cabbage at all?) You could start with seeds or bulbs (for garlic or onions if you are an overachiever or you could go down to your local nursery and pick up starters that come in 4" pots or 6 packs (but you get better variety with seeds).

 Then, you need to prepare the ground. After you pick your plot, weed as necessary. Add 25 pounds of 6-12-6 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet (that means 6% Nitrogen, 12% phosphorus, and 6% potassium, it's on the box or bag). Then add 1 inch of manure (steer poop will work if you are cheap or broke, but chicken poop is better). Rototil or spade the soil. Then form mounds or rows 18" apart.

 Plant seeds or plants just to the side of the top of the mounds or rows.  Keep the garden evenly moist, don't allow it to dry out.  Every 45-60 days add a shot of nitrogen to the sides of the rows(called sidedressing, aluminum nitrate will work fine). Don't sidedress just before harvesting.

   Harvest when ripe. Happy cooking and eating!

-Bettie

Have a great cooking tip, recipe or product review? Then drop us an e-mail. We’re looking for contributions for next month’s issue. If we use yours - we’ll send you a ”devil” of a  thank-you gift.

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