This document provides an introduction to vegetable gardening. It discusses selecting vegetables and herbs to plant, buying seeds or transplants, and planting schedules. Specific vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes, beans, and carrots are described. Tips are provided on soil preparation, planting, maintenance, and common problems. The goal is to help gardeners successfully grow their own vegetables.

1. Introduction to Vegetable
Gardening
Prepared by: Dale Longfellow
Hennepin County Master Gardener
2008

2. Session Objectives
To learn:
 How to decide what to plant.
 How to successfully raise vegetables and
herbs so you can enjoy your gardening
experience.
 Vegetable and herb selection.
Seeds versus transplants.

When to plant.

How to decide what to plant.


3. Session Objectives, Con’t.
Some problems that you may encounter.

Watering issues.

Insects.

Diseases.

Weeds.

How you will know when it’s time to

harvest.

4. Subjects that We Will Not
Review
Preparing your soil.

Mulching.

Composting.

How to lay out your garden.


5. What Do You Want to Plant?
On a piece of paper write down two or

three vegetables or herbs that you think
you may want to plant in your garden
plot.
Why did you select those?


6. Buying Seed

7. Buying Seed
Seed is available from many sources, and

the prices will vary greatly.
The number of seeds in a packet impact its cost.
•
New hybrids cost more.
•
Rare or unusual plants cost more.
•
Coated or fungicide treated seeds cost more.
•
Moisture resistant packaging costs more.
•
Look for sale prices, but try to buy seed that is
•
packaged for the current growing season.

8. Germination Test
Days to Fully Emerged Radicles
2005 Burpee 2005 Burpee
Day Cucumber Cucumber
Hybrid II Bush Champion
(n=10) (n=10)
1 0 0
2 0 0
3 3 0
4 7 7
5 NA 3
Total 100% 100%

9. Seed Package Is a Good Source
of Information
It tells you for what year the

seed is packaged.
How and when to plant the

seed.
When the seed will emerge.

Approximately how many days

to harvest.
Many seed packets will also tell

you a bit about the vegetable
or herb, uses for it, and its
flavor.

10. Some Seeds Can be Started Indoors

11. Saving Seed from Your Garden
Tomatoes, peppers, beans and peas are good choices

for seed saving. These plants have flowers that are
self-pollinating, and seeds that require little or no
special treatment before storage.
Seeds from biennial crops such as carrots or beets are

harder to save, since the plants need two growing
seasons to set seed.
Plants with separate male and female flowers, like corn

and vine crops, may cross-pollinate, so it is difficult to
keep the seed strain pure.

12. Starting Seeds Indoors – Start Early
Cell packs. Some plants may quickly

outgrow cell packs. After they are
cleaned, cell packs can be re-used
from year-to-year.
Small peat pots, can be planted

directly into the ground.
Plugs can also be set directly into the

ground.

13. Starting Seed Indoors Con’t.
Milk cartons or ice cream pails can be

used, but the seedling roots may grow
together and be injured during
transplanting. It is best to use divided
containers.
When the seeds sprout they will need

light.

14. Starting Seeds Indoors
It’s best to grow seedlings

under grow lights.
You can buy grow lights, or

make your own using
standard shop lights with
two fluorescent tubes per
fixture.
Use either cool white

fluorescent tubes or a
combination of cool white
and warm or natural
daylight tubes.
Keep lights 4quot; above plants

for 12 – 16 hours per day.

15. Starting Seeds Indoors
Seed starting mixes are usually a

combination of vermiculite and peat. They
are sterile, light weight, and free from
seeds.
Before moving outdoors, start hardening off

seedlings by moving them outside for
increasingly longer periods each day. Keep
them away from pets, and don’t forget to
bring them in at night.

16. Buying Transplants
Many stores sell a variety of

vegetables and herbs for
transplanting. If you don’t have a
way to raise your own
tomatoes, peppers, some vine
crops, or herbs this is a good
alternative to get a jump start.

17. Transplants Con’t.
Buy This! Not This!
Choose plants with good

roots that are healthy,
stocky, medium-sized,
and free of disease or
insects.
Avoid yellow, spindly, or

oversized plants. Avoid
those with spotted
foliage, brown marks on
the stems, or knots on
the roots.

18. Direct Seeding Con’t.
Onion sets tolerate light frosts, and

can be planted early.
Many of these early crops do not

do well in hot weather.
Successive plantings are an option.


19. Direct Seeding
Salad vegetables like

lettuce, arugula, spinach and other
vegetables like
radishes, peas, beans, carrots, cauliflow
er, cabbage, and chard can be direct
seeded.
Many seeds should be direct

seeded, and can be planted early as
they will tolerate light frosts.

20. Frost Protection
Some vegetables that are

especially sensitive to chilling
injury include tomatoes, peppers,
and squash.
Sometimes early planting may

result in delayed growth from
chilling injury that smaller, later
planted transplants may surpass
earlier planted transplants.
Consider using:

Cold frames

Low tunnels

Plastic jugs


21. When to Transplant
Once the plants have been hardened

off, it’s time to plant. If you are
transplanting veggies like
tomatoes, cucumbers, melon, squash, p
eppers, or eggplants, make sure that
danger of frost has passed.

22. Transplant, Con’t.
If possible, transplant on a cloudy day

late in the afternoon when the sun has
passed its peak.
If the plants wilt, they will generally

recover in a day or so.
Trim peat pots down to the soil level,

or plant them below it.

23. Deciding What to Plant
15 Questions to Answer
Do you have enough space for

the vegetative growth and roots?
How much light will your

vegetables receive?
Do you have access to an

adequate supply of water?
What nutrients will your

vegetables require?
Is there enough air circulation?

Time - How many days to

harvest?

24. Deciding What to Plant
15 Questions to Answer
What cultivars?

What soil type(s) do you have?

Is this the right zone to raise

what you want?
Are containers an option?

Are raised beds an option?

How will you use or share it?

Are some vegetables or herbs

easier to purchase than grow?
How much time do you have?

How experienced are you?


25. Deciding What to Plant
Rotate where you plant your vegetables in your

garden from year to year. Try not to plant the same
vegetable or its relative in the same place two years
in a row. This helps maintain the mineral balance in
the soil, reduce the risk of disease, and makes better
use of organic matter.
Absolutely do not plant tomatoes, peppers, potatoes,

eggplants in the same location as you did last year.
Try for a 3 year rotation.
Cabbage  Tomatoes  Peas

Peppers  Green Beans  Winter squash

Lettuce  Onions  Eggplant


26. Leafy Vegetables
There are many

types.
Leaf lettuce (loose,

head, semi-head,
or upright)
Endive

Spinach

Arugula


27. Leafy Vegetables
These are some of the first to plant in

your garden, as they withstand cool
temperatures. Harvest before it gets
real hot.
They have small root systems so there

needs to be a good supply of nutrients
in the surface soil.

28. Leafy Vegetables
Sow these directly in the garden early in

the spring. For many leafy vegetables, it
is possible to plant a fall crop in late
summer.
Weed well because they can’t compete

with weeds.

29. Brassica
Examples are:

broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, Br
ussel
sprouts, and turnips.
Cole crops grow well in any soil that is

well-drained and moisture retentive.

30. Brassica
Start cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, and

cauliflower indoors in April and transplant
to the garden May 10. Cabbage may be
set out earlier if the season permits. Space
them 18 inches apart. Cauliflower must be
blanched to maintain the desired white
head - tie the leaves around the head as
soon as the small curds are 2 inches
across.

31. Tomato Trivia
Did you know that

there are over 10,000
varieties of tomatoes?
The largest tomato on

record is 7 pounds and
was grown in
Oklahoma.
The scientific name is

lycopersicon
lycopersicum, which
means wolf peach.

32. Types of Tomatoes
Heirloom and hybrid - each has 5 main sub-categories:

• Early type tomatoes
• Main season tomatoes
• Beefsteak tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Paste tomatoes
Color: Red, Yellow, Pink, Orange, Green, Purple, Black, and

striped tomatoes.
Specialty categories:

• Clusters or vine ripened types
• Grape tomatoes
• Varieties suited best to be sun-dried tomatoes

33. What to Look for When Buying
Tomato Plants
Indeterminate/vining tomatoes continue

growing in length throughout the season.
They continue to set fruit until frost, and
require substantial staking or caging.
 Examples are: Beefsteak, Big Boy,
Brandywine, Early Girl.

34. Tomato Plants
Determinate/bush tomatoes are varieties

that grow to a fixed size, and ripen their
fruit in a short period of time. Pruning or
removing suckers is not necessary.
Examples are:

Roma, Celebrity, Marglobe, Rutgers.

35. What to Look for When
Buying Tomatoes
How many days to harvest. Cherry

tomatoes mature much quicker than
beefsteak tomatoes.
Look for letters after the name on the

label/tag. They indicate disease
resistance.
V – verticillum wilt

F - fusarium wilt strain I

FF - fusarium wilt strain I & II

N - nematodes

T - tobacco mosaic virus

A - alternaria


36. Snap Beans
Bush beans 49 – 58

days to harvest.
Pole beans 56 – 72

days to harvest.
Plant May 15 to July 1.

Snap beans are easy

to freeze.

37. Potatoes
White or Irish potatoes originated in the

Peruvian Andes.
Plant potatoes as early in spring when the

garden soil can be easily worked. The soil
should be dry.
Loamy soil high in organic matter works

best for growing potatoes. If you have
heavy clay soil, incorporate compost or
peat moss to loosen it.
Cut seed potatoes into pieces about the

size of an ice cube with at least one eye
or bud per piece.

38. Growing Potatoes
Cut seed potatoes, whether sulfur

treated or not, should be quot;curedquot;
before they're planted in order to
reduce rot. To cure them, spread
potatoes out in a warm, humid place
at 70°F. Let them sit for two days so
cut surfaces dry.
Dig a trench six inches wide and eight

inches deep. Place seed pieces cut
side down ten to twelve inches apart.
Rows should be three feet apart.

39. Potatoes
Hilling or piling soil up along the stems

causes the stems to lengthen. Potato
tubers form on runners that emerge from
the plant stem, so the longer the stem,
the more runners the plant will form,
creating more potatoes.
Tubers start to develop six to ten weeks

after planting.
Harvest potatoes for over-winter storage

after their tops have died.

40. Carrots and Other Root Vegetables
Carrots, beets, parsnips, radishes,

turnips, and rutabagas are the most
commonly grown root crops.
They all have similar cultural

requirements and grow best in cool
weather. They may be planted early in
the spring, and left in the garden until
fall.
The tops of beets and turnips are

commonly used as cooked greens, and
can be harvested while the plants are
young.

41. Carrots and Other Root Vegetables
They grow best in a deep, loose soil that

retains moisture yet is well-drained. Root
crops do not grow well in very acid soils.
Do not use fresh manure. It can

stimulate branching of the roots,
compromising the quality of the crop and
may increase weed problems.

42. Carrots and Other Root Vegetables
Plant radishes and turnips beginning

April 15 for a spring crop, and again
August 1 for a fall crop. Carrots and
beets beginning April 15. Plant parsnips
beginning May 1, and rutabagas by
May 15.

43. Vine Crops
Vine crops can be seeded directly in the

garden. Plant cucumbers May 10. Space
them at least 12 inches apart.
Plant the other vine crops May 20. Space

muskmelon and watermelon plants 24 inches
apart. Space pumpkin and squash 24 - 36
inches apart; use the closer spacing if the
variety is a quot;bushquot; type. Spacing between
rows should be 5 - 6 feet apart.
If you wish you may start the vine crops

indoors and transplant them to the garden
on the above dates.

44. Vine Crops
Cucumbers, muskmelons, watermelons,

pumpkins, and squash are popular vine
crops. Many of the vine crops, or
cucurbits, are eaten as vegetables, but
they are botanically fruits. They thrive
best in hot weather, and all have similar
cultural requirements.
Vine crops quot;runquot; on the ground and take

up a lot of space. In small gardens they
may be trained to a trellis, or bush-type
varieties may be used.

45. Vine Crops
Muskmelons and watermelons prefer a sandy

loam soil that warms up early in the spring.
Other vine crops do well in heavier
soils, although more fruit belly rot may occur.
You can also improve both heavy clay soils

and lighter sandy soils by adding organic
matter. Addition of composted manure or
other compost is beneficial for vine crops and
improves soil structure.
In midseason apply a side dressing of

nitrogen.

46. Harvest When Ready and Give Extra
Produce to Friends and Neighbors
“Pick zucchini before

they look like logs.”
Cucumbers left on the

vine too long may
decrease yield.

47. Summer Squash
Late summer and fall squash need to be

fully ripe.
Do not pick when your vines are wet as

this spreads disease.

48. Vine Sex 101
In vine crops some blossom drop is

normal.
Many varieties have separate sexes

[Monoecious] in their flowers. Blossom
drop of male flowers can be normal
because only the female flowers produce
fruit.

49. Herbs Are Flavorful and
Aromatic
They are an excellent companion for

the vegetable garden, and mostly
grown for seasoning foods, but have
lots of other uses.

50. Herbs
Common culinary herbs from other

plant families include chives
(Alliaceae), borage (Boraginaceae),
tarragon (Asteraceae), and sorrel
(Polygonaceae).

51. Herbs
Many culinary herbs grown in Minnesota

are members of two plant families. The
mint family, Lamiaceae, includes basil,
oregano, marjoram, catnip, all the mints,
as well as rosemary, thyme, lavender,
summer savory, and sage, are all grown
for their aromatic leaves. Hardy perennials
in this family tend to be bushy and can
become invasive.

52. Herbs Are Flavorful and
Aromatic
The carrot family, Apiaceae, includes

dill, parsley, chervil, cilantro
(coriander), fennel, and lovage. They
are all grown for foliage, and some for
seeds as well. These plants have a
more upright, leggy habit, and require
somewhat moister conditions, and
deeper, looser soil.

53. It’s a Jungle Out There!
Some Cultural Dos and Don’ts

54. Watering Is Extremely Important
Aim at the roots – not the leaves.

Water in the morning not in the evening.

Water the soil deeply.


55. Watering
Newly planted seed or seedlings need to

be watered right after planting and kept
moist daily.
Be consistent – do not let the soil become

excessively dry.

56. Weeding Is Fun (Not)
Along with competing for moisture and

nutrients, weeds can harbor insects that
carry diseases from plant to plant.
They can bloom and set seeds that will

come back to haunt you next year and for
years to come.

57. Weeding
Many weeds can be pulled easily

out of garden soil after you've
watered it. Others can be sliced
off with a sharp flat hoe, but be
careful where you aim.

58. A Few Common Pests and
Diseases

59. Blossom End Rot
- Solanaceae Family
Problem
Blossom end rot is

worse under
droughty
conditions. It is
caused by
inconsistent
watering or too Photo Credit: Michelle Grabowski
much fertilizer.

60. Blossom End Rot
Symptoms begin as a small water-

soaked lesion at the blossom end of
the fruit.. The lesion develops as the
fruit enlarges and ripens.

61. Tobacco Mosaic Virus
The use of cigarettes

or tobacco by the
home gardener
should be avoided.
Tobacco mosaic

virus, often a
contaminant of
tobacco, can be
transmitted from
plant to plant simply

62. Cutworms May Appear Early
in the Year
Most cutworm damage

occurs on vegetable
seedlings early in the
season when plants are
small and have tender
tissue.
Most damage caused occurs

when they chew stems of
young plants at or slightly
above or below the soil
line.

63. Cutworms
Common vegetable hosts include

asparagus, bean, cabbage, carrot,
celery, corn, lettuce, pea, pepper,
potato, and tomato.
Control by placing aluminum foil or

cardboard collars around transplants

64. Bean Leaf
Beetles, Cerotoma
trifurcata.
This beetle is an

occasional pest of snap
beans. It is about 1/4
inch long, oval-shaped
with the head visible from
above. Most bean leaf
beetles in Minnesota are
yellowish-green with four
black spots. Look for the
black triangle at the top of
its wing covers. Adult
beetles prefer to eat
young, tender plant
tissue, creating round, 1/8
inch diameter holes.

65. Anthracnose on Snap Beans
It develops quickly during

cool, wet conditions.
Symptoms are usually first
noticed as small, reddish
brown spots on the pods.
These spots later
enlarge, becoming brown Photo Credit: North Dakota Sate University
to black and sunken.

66. Bean Rust
Caused by the fungus

Uromyces appendiculatus
is not seed-borne. It
survives winter in plant
debris and produces
spores in the spring that
are wind blown. Bean rust
typically appears as
reddish-brown, raised
pustules on the bottom of Photo Credit: University of MN Plant Clinic
leaves and on pods, and
are often surrounded by a
yellow halo.

67. Early Blight May be a Problem for Potatoes,
but Is Less of a Problem with Kennebecs
Symptoms of usually appear

near the end of the season,
but may appear earlier.
Lesions are small (1-2 mm),

dry, and papery and may
develop characteristic dark
concentric rings of raised and
necrotic tissue. As the disease
progresses, the entire leaf
can become yellow and then
brown.
Infected tubers develop dark,

sunken lesions that are often
surrounded by a purplish
raised border.

68. Colorado Potato Beetle
Adult Colorado potato beetles are

oval in shape and 3/8 inch long.
Females lay clusters of bright
yellowish orange oval eggs on the
underside of leaves.
If left untreated, they can

completely defoliate plants. In
addition to potatoes, they may also
feed on eggplant, tomato, and
peppers.
Plant an early maturing variety to

escape much of the damage
caused by adults emerging in
midsummer.

69. Aster Yellows Disease
Occurs on

carrots, lettuce, potatoes, to
matoes and many other
plants.
Is spread by leafhoppers, and

control of the disease
requires control of the
insects.
Diseased plants should be

pulled and destroyed.
Treatment during the first

half of the growing season is
most important. Complete
control is difficult.

70. Aster Yellows in Carrots

71. Brassica and Cole Crop Problems
Split heads are caused by heavy rain after

several weeks of drought, excess
fertilizer, insects, or by not harvesting soon
enough. It is more of a problem on the earlier
varieties. Early heading is a problem in
hot, dry weather. Start plants at proper times
so they will head in cool weather and water
them regularly.
Buttoning is premature formation of the head

in cauliflower. Do not crowd plants in flats or
allow them to become starved for nutrients.

72. Brassica and Cole Crop Problems
Cabbage Maggots are small maggots

that attack the roots of most cole crops.
Cabbage yellows is caused by fungus.

Control by using resistant plant
varieties.
Clubroot is caused by fungus. It is

worse in acid soils, so maintain pH in
the recommended range.

73. Cabbage Looper or Cabbage Worm
Cabbage loopers are velvet-green

loopers that feed on the foliage.
Cabbage worms are chewing insects
that feed on the foliage.

74. Damage From Cabbage Worm

75. Covering Cabbage Plants

76. Focus on Preventative Measures to
Minimize Problems
Rotate where you plant specific vegetables

each year.
Plant disease resistant varieties.

Use natural barriers when possible.

Keep plants healthy and strong through

good cultural practices, remove
trash, keep weed free, water properly, etc.
Familiarize yourself with beneficial insects.


77. Sources of Garden Information
Used for This Presentation
For Hennepin County residents call a

Master Gardener at 612-596-2118.
http//www.extension.umn.edu

Several university web sites.

Seed catalogues


79. Good Luck with Your Garden!
Choose the right vegetables and herbs.

What will fit in your space and grow in your

soil.
Consider nutritional value.

Plant what you enjoy eating.

Get your family involved.

Nurture your crop.

Savor your harvest.


80. Developed by Hennepin County Master Gardeners. All rights
reserved.