I walked in the season’s first snowflakes today. Their visit was fleeting, just a hint of what’s to come by week’s end. I wish they’d stayed, the day was otherwise quite gloomy. That aside, it was a chance for one last visit to the garden for kale and the rest of the parsley. The blonde squirrel that was so novel last spring has mucked up the garlic bed and I’ll be out there re-planting tomorrow. Spring will most likely find garlic and Black Walnut tree seedlings growing together from her errant planting!

Speaking of which…today begins “Vegetable Growing 101″. Every Tuesday and Thursday of this month I’ll highlight tips and hints for growing different heirloom vegetables to assist you in making choices for your spring garden. Also, at the bottom of this entry there’s a treat for you the reader, just a little “thank you” for stopping by.  Enjoy!

These vegetables grow in full sun, requiring at least 8 hours:

Bush bean blossoms.

Bush or “Snap” bean: (Phaseolus vulgaris) Most take from 40-56 days to produce making them a quick crop. The seeds are sown outdoors in spring after all danger of frost is past. (Frost dates here.)

• To plant: Make a furrow 1″ deep in light soil (or a raised bed) and plant the seeds 1″- 2″ apart in it. Cover with soil, tamping it down. Beans produce heavily, but for a short time. To extend the harvest, sow a new row every 2 weeks up until the end of mid-summer (July in NY).
• Pests: Chipmunks, mice etc. may steal the seeds. To deter them secure a piece of screen across the bed until the seeds sprout. Bean beetles (Japanese beetles) will chew the foliage. Use an organic foliar spray (recipe here) to deter them. Critters like deer, woodchucks etc. will eat the plants.Again, use a foliar spray, row covers, sprinkle blood meal around the perimeter of the bed, or a tall fence.
• Tips: Never pick beans when the plants are wet, it spreads fungus. The seed can be soaked in water for an hour before planting to hasten germination. Inoculant (sold at most garden stores) is beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacteria that comes in a powder. Coating the damp seeds with the inoculant increases the plant’s yields and improves the soil. Simply stir the damp beans in 1/2 tsp. inoculant until coated.  Several rows can provide enough beans for fresh eating and freezing for winter.
• Seed saving: Allow several of the healthiest plants to grow to full maturity and let the bean pods dry fully on the plants. Shell the seeds, test by pressing a nail into one; it should be difficult to dent. Store in a cool dark place.

Bush beans come in many different colors, all are easy to grow.

Carrot: (Umbelliferae, sativa)  60-76 days until harvest. Sow seed from mid-spring through mid- summer (for a fall crop). Germination can be as long as one month if planted too early in cold soil.

• To plant: Carrot seed is tiny and easy to sow too thickly. Mix sand or dry coffee grounds with the seed before planting to thin it. Make a row 1/2″ deep in deeply tilled, light soil and sow the seed mix. Cover with 1/2″ fine soil and keep moist.
• Pests: Larvae of flies and other tunneling insects can be avoided by waiting until late spring to plant and harvesting before mid-fall. Weeds will often take over the bed before the seeds germinate, cultivate carefully.If rabbits munch the tops, use a foliar spray or sprinkle blood meal along the row to deter them.
• Tips: Cover the row with a fine screen to prevent the seed from washing away in spring rains. Thin to 2-4″ apart for best growth.
• Seed saving: Carrots are biennial. They produce seed the second year after planting. The blossoms easily cross-pollinate with the wildflower Queen Anne’s Lace. Keep the wildflower trimmed back until after the carrot seed heads form. To save seed pull up carrots before a frost kills the foliage. Store in sawdust in a cool dark place and re-plant the following spring. Harvest seeds from the second set of blossoms

And now for a gift from getinthegarden! I’m giving away FREE heirloom seeds to five valuable readers. (USA only, please.) It’s my way of thanking you for spending time here and encouraging you to grow organic heirloom vegetables at home.  To enter the drawing, leave a comment mentioning  ”heirloom seeds” or send an e-mail to getinthegarden@gmail.com. (E-mail addresses are protected and will not be sold or used. You will not receive offers or promotions from getinthegarden.) On december 22 I’ll select five names at random. Thanks again for spending time here and be sure to check back Wednesday for all new December recipes!

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