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Vegetable and Herbs Faqs

Squash. Flowers but no fruit...
Tomatoes splitting
When should I pick my cucumbers?
Why is my lettuce growing a tall stalk in the middle?
When is the best time to harvest my carrots?
Do I cut the head of the cabbage off or do I dig up the whole plant to harvest?
When can Broccoli go outside?
Are both the tops (greens) and roots of beets edible?
When should I start my eggplant seeds indoors?
What is kohlrabi and what part do you eat?
How do I know when my winter squash is ready to pick?
When do I start my summer squash indoors?
Why aren't my sweet corn seeds germinating?
Can you recommend a string bean that will not take up much room in my garden?
What growing conditions are best suited for Endive?
Please explain the terms open-pollinated, hybrid, and self-pollinated.

Q: I have been growing squash indoors and I have lots of flowers but never any fruit. The flowers just drop off.

A: The flowers most likely have not been pollinated. Usually, the vegetables we grow outdoors will be pollinated by the bees and we don't even think twice about that natural process. I suggest you move the plants outdoors, if possible to attract bees to the flowers so they may be pollinated.

Q: My cherry tomatoes are splitting open before I get a chance to pick them.

A: Inconsistent watering or over watering can cause tomatoes to split open on the vine. If the plants were allowed to dry out before they were watered or if the weather has been unusually rainy, tomatoes will split. Tomatoes like to be watered deeply and consistently. Try to water deeply once a week and do not let the plants dry to the point of wilting while they are in the fruit set and maturing stages.

Q: When should I pick my cucumbers?

A: You can pick cucumbers at any size that you like. Pickling cucumbers are usually picked at a size that is right to fit into a pickling jar. You may let them get bigger, however the bigger they get the more seeds there are and they usually get a more bitter taste if left to grow too large. Larger cucumbers may be picked small or large. Since they are slicing cucumbers, the taste will not be affected if you let them grow to full size. A regular harvesting aslo keeps the plants producing new cucumbers. The more you pick, the more you'll get!

Q: My lettuce has a tall stalk growing from the center and is not producing leaves anymore. What is happening?

A: When the weather turns hot, cool season crops like lettuce "bolt". That is what is happening to your lettuce. That stalk is really the flower trying to produce seed. Try sowing lettuce crops in succession. That means sow seed every 2-4 weeks to ensure you have fresh, young lettuce plants. Once the plants are spent, the younger plants are ready to harvest. Also, look for bolt-resistant seeds when buying lettuce.

Q: When is the best time to harvest my carrots?

A: Carrots can be harvested as soon as they are large enough to be used, or when they turn deep orange in color. Many prefer to use the carrots when they are very small called "baby" carrots. They are tender and very sweet at this stage. You'll need to plant extra so you can harvest some carrots while they are young and let the others grow to maturity.

Q: Do I cut the head of the cabbage off or do I dig the whole plant up to harvest? A: As soon as heads are firm, use a knife to cut the heads off leaving the lower leaves and the roots. This will encourage a second crop of smaller cabbage heads or sprouts.

Q: When can I plant my broccoli plants outside? I heard they were cool weather vegetables.

A: Broccoli seedlings can be planted out into the garden 2 weeks before your last expected Spring frost. You can also sow seeds directly in the ground in late Spring or early Summer in cooler climates. In warm regions, broccoli can be over wintered by sowing seeds directly in the soil 2 weeks before the last expected frost. Set transplants 1 inch deeper in the ground than they were in the container, up to the first set of leaves.

Q: Are both the top (greens)and roots of beets edible?

A: Beet greens are highly nutritious and can be steamed to retain their vitamin content. The roots are high in vitamin C, iron and fiber and are best when harvested small and tender. You can harvest beets and the greens at any stage you like.

Q: When should I start my eggplant seeds indoors?

A: Eggplants need a long growing season to produce their fruit. Start eggplant seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last expected Spring frost in your area. Germination temp should be 85 degrees for best results. Move seedlings outdoors only after the soil has thoroughly warmed, usually 2-3 weeks after the last expected frost date. Plants exposed to cooler temperatures will be stunted and fruit production will be delayed.

Q: What is kohlrabi and what part do you eat?

A: Kohlrabi is a cross between a cabbage and a turnip. Young tops can be steamed and eaten as greens. The bulbous stem is the part for which it is usually grown. It has a cabbage-like taste and is usually white to pale green or purple. Kohlrabi can be harvested in as little as 8 weeks while young and tender. Direct sow into the garden 4 weeks before before the last expected frost. 3 inches apart and this to at least 6 inches. Kohlrabi prefers cool temperatures but will do well in when the weather warms as long as plants get plenty of water.

Q: How do I know when my winter squash is ready to pick?

A: Look at the stem, which should have started to shrivel. Test the skin with your fingernail, when it is so hard that is can't be scratched, the fruit is ready to pick. You can also tell by the color. If the fruit has a full-color anywhere from ivory to orange-red depending on the variety, they are ready. Even if you miss the ready date by a couple of weeks, the squash will not be affected. Try to avoid leaving them on the vine if a hard frost is expected in your area.

Q: When do I start my summer squash seeds indoors?

A: You should start your summer squash seeds indoors no more than 3-4 weeks before last expected frost date two seeds per pot. Transplant into the garden after soil has thoroughly warmed, about 2-3 weeks after last frost date. You may also direct sow seeds into the garden 2-3 weeks after last frost 1-2 inches deep to harvest mid to late summer.

Q: I planted Sweet Corn Early Golden Bantam seeds in my garden on April 30, why aren't they germinating? I am in zone 6.

A: Sweet corn needs warm soil to germinate, at least 55 degrees. In you zone, sweet corn seeds should go into the ground around the first or second week of June depending on your weather. You can warm up the soil faster by spreading black plastic on the area where you want to sow the seeds. With sweet corn, not much is gained from sowing the seeds 2-3 weeks early even with the plastic. It is best to be patient and wait at least a week or two after the last frost.

Q: Can you recommend a string bean that will not take up a lot of space in my garden?

A: Harvester 55 days, Provider 50 days, Contender 40 days, and Tendergreen Improved 52 days are all good space saving beans for your garden.

Q: What growing conditions are best suited for Endive?

A: Endive is grown much like lettuces. It is an ingredient in most mesclun mixes. They need short days and cool temps for good flavor and to avoid bolting. Endive thrives in rich, moist, fertl soil. Sow seeds in the same manner as lettuce making successive sowings every 2 weeks, stopping once the temperatures start to rise. Harvest as soon as leaves are large enough to use or allow heads to mature and cut entire plant at ground level.

Q: Please explain the terms open-pollinated, hybrid, and self-pollinating. Thank you.

A: Open-pollinated refers to any seed that is not a hybrid. If you are going to save seeds from your harvests, you want to buy open-pollinated. The reason for that is open-pollinated plants grow true-to-type. They will have all the characteristics of their parent plants. Hybrid seeds will not. Also, heirloom varieties are all open-pollinated. The seeds have been collected and saved for generations hence the name heirloom.
Hybrid simply means that two different varieties of the same plant were crossed to create a new plant with certain desirable qualities. Disease resistance, growth habit, flavor, and fruit size are some of the qualities which might be cause to hybridize a plant. Whether you buy open-pollinated or hybrid seeds, you are sure to have a great harvest.
Self-pollinating means that the plant bears both male and female flowers, or flowers with both male and female parts. These plants still rely on some outside help to pollinate however. Wind, bees, or a brisk shaking of the plant by hand will knock the pollen loose to enable contact with the other parts of the flower or other flowers on the plant.