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FROM THE GROUND UP
by Pat Chenier, O.D.H.ENSURING A GOOD CROP
There are several factors that affect the growth and maturity of a crop. Heat is one of the main ones. The minimum temperature for growth is 41 F (5 C). Excess heat, though is detrimental to some crops. Peas do not like a temperature over 80.6 F (27 C) and should be planted early so they mature before the heat of summer. Potatoes set tubers better when night temperatures are 50-57 F (10-14 C). Soil fertility also affects the crop maturation. Too little fertilizer results in slow growth. Excess nitrogen causes too much leaf growth and delays maturity. Phosphorous hastens maturity. Whether plants are planted thickly or thinned out affects the crop maturity. Plants that are thinned mature ealier than densely planted plants.Soil type plays its part too. Sandy soils warm up earlier in the spring but cool off sooner in the fall. Clay soil is the opposite. A good humusy soil is best for a longer growing season. Caution: do not put too much raw organic matter into the garden in the fall or it will hold the frost longer. Any plant material added in the fall should be well rotted. Soil temperature affects germination of the seed. Plants can survive a lower air temperature if the soil temperature is kept to a proper level. Moisture must be adequate at seeding time to enable the seeds to germinate to minimize delays in the crop. If snowfall or spring rainfall is scanty, avoid working the soil too much before planting. Just keep the surface worked to provide a mulch to prevent evaporation.
Longer hours of daylight up here in the north reduces the number of days required to mature a crop. This is one place where we have the edge over the southern part of the crountry. Some vegetables, though, do not do well under these longer hours of sunlight. Beets and spinach tend to go to seed too early instead of producing a crop. Planting these crops in cold soil also increases the bolting. Choose varieties that are slow to bolt or plant where they will get partial shade each day. Another factor in producing good crops, in some cases, is pollination. Without the bees to pollinate their blossoms, we won't have a good crop of fruit. Bees will not fly in high winds and in this area where the winds blow 85% of the time, this becomes very important. This is why windbreaks are essential to your garden and orchard. If you are growing crops that require pollination in the greenhouse or under crop covers, you must do the job of the bees yourself. You must pollinate the blossoms by gently shaking the plants or using a small brush to transfer pollen from blossoms to blossom. Poor pollination, stress from cool temperatures or excess heat, disease and insects, lack of nutrients and insufficient watering will result in poor plant growth and mishapened fruit.
With the short northern growing season, plant material benefits greatly if competition and stress is reduced. This means controlling weeds and insects, as well as providing the nutrients and moisture required by the plants.
When frosts threaten your garden, there are a few tricks you can do to help minimize any damage. The heat stored in the soil can help prevent frost damage. Avoid loosening the soil if frosts are forecast. Loose soil loses it heat too quickly. Packing the soil by walking on it or watering it will help it keep more heat. Plants can be covered at night, but do not use plastic, instead use fabric covers such as old bedsheets. Another way of defeating frosts is by keeping your sprinkler going on the plants from before the temperature reaches the freezing point until it returns to above this point. A thin layer of ice forms on the plants and acts as insulation.
The most important factor in providing a good crop is buying good seed. None of the above factors are going to help you grow a good crop if the seed you choose is not good quality. Buy from reputable seed companies and ensure that the seed is fresh. The germination rate of seeds decreases if old seed is used.
This is a good time to start a garden journal. It doesn't have to be fancy. Just jot down any areas where you are having problems and any hints for next year so you won't forget them come next year. Learning by your mistakes is the best way to ensure that next year's garden is better than this years.
FALL HARVEST
As fall approaches, the danger of frost becomes a major concern. To protect those tender plants, use old cotton sheets or blankets, not plastic. Cover them at night and remove when the sun is well up. There is always lots of good weather after those first frosts so it is well worth the little bit of trouble it takes to ensure that the plants survive. If you didn't cover up, and frost hits, go out first thing in the morning and spray the plants with water. This will often save the plants from extensive frost damage. If plants do get hit with frost, a slow thaw is better than a rapid one so do not rush out and pick when the plants are still covered with frost. It is better to let the produce thaw on the plant. Bringing it indoors will cause a rapid thaw, bursting the plant cells and resulting in produce that will not be any good. Root vegetables are usually alright until the ground almost freezes. Some, like parsnip, actually taste sweeter in the spring after being left in the ground over winter.Once you harvest the vegetables and fruits, there is the question of how to keep them in good condition until eaten. Not too many people have root cellars nowadays but that is still the best way to store many vegetables like potatoes and carrots. Many people freeze their extra produce and today that is made easier by using the microwave to blanch the vegetables. It is a lot easier for small batches of vegetables than the blanching pot. The microwave also helps when pickling. If you love pickles but don't have the time to fuss, then freezer pickles is a good recipe to try. It only takes a few minutes to slice cucumbers, onions and green peppers. Add them to a brine that does not require heating. Refrigerate for 3 days and then put in freezer containers and freeze. They keep crisp and taste like bread and butter pickles. The recipe is in Company's Coming Preserves which is available almost everywhere and is also at the local library. I can vouch for this recipe as I made them last year myself and I wish I had made more of them. It was very hard to leave that last jar until this spring to ensure that they really did keep crisp.
Of course there is still the traditional canning and freezing methods and for large families they are probably still the best method for such large quantities. More people are making jam nowadays with the advent of freezer jam. A new product on the market makes excellent freezer jam with a higher fruit content and less sugar than the pectin method. For people on sugar free diets, this Freezer Jam Gelling Powder by Garden Fare is the answer as you can use Splenda instead of sugar with this product. Some stores have put this product in the produce section instead of the canning section so you may have to look for it.
As you harvest your garden, remember to clean up all the dead and diseased plant material to ensure that next year's garden will be healthier.
Now is also the time to list the things you wish you had grown this year so you remember to order the seed for next year. If you mark down ideas now, they won't be forgotten when the catalogue comes. It also a good idea to find out what varieties the neighbour grew especially if they did better than yours.
ZILLIONS OF ZUCCHINI
I have been asked what can you do with all those zucchini. EVERYTHING!!! Zucchini is a prolific vegetable that is so versatile. What other vegetable can be used in as many ways? It can be used in bread, cakes, fruitcakes, muffins, loaves, cookies, bars, casseroles, meat loaves, stir fry, salads, soup, snacks, jam, pancakes, biscuits, puddings, au gratin with potatoes, stuffed and baked, and as a milk substitute in cooking. I haven't seen a recipe using it in candy but I have one for candied zucchini to use in your fruitcake instead of glace fruit. I used it in my "famous" Christmas Cake and everyone agreed it was a good substitute for glace fruit. I have over 30 different recipes using zucchini if you are stuck for one. Zucchini can be grated and frozen to use over winter in baking and meat loaves. Zucchini can be used to replace cucumbers except in recipes where they have to be simmered for 10 to 15 minutes as the zucchini will become mush in this instance. You can even dry zucchini for winter use by peeling and grating and drying for 8 to 10 on dehydrator trays. Store in air-tight glass containers or heavy plastic bags.If you read the above paragraph you noticed the reference to use as a milk substitute. To make zucchini "milk" : peel but do not remove seeds or pulp. Cut in 1 inch chunks. Place in blender (about 1/4 full) and liquefy until it becomes a thick white liquid. Freeze in containers filled about 3/4 full to allow for expansion. Zucchini milk is perfect for those who are allergic to milk. One excellent place to use the "milk" is in bread pudding. Just use your favourite recipe.
You can even fry zucchini blossoms.
Just a word of warning about zucchini. They tend to migrate to unlock cars or front porches. Always lock your vehicle during harvest season. If you already have enough zucchini of your own, you can discourage unwanted visits by other zucchini by placing your biggest zucchini on your doorstep. They usually take the hint.
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This page by Pat
updated August 18, 2000
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