Value Added:
• Along with its culinary uses, you can also plant fennel as a garden helper. It’s pretty enough for ornamental beds and attracts beneficial insects to the garden.
• Get even more out of fennel flowers by drying them and then placing them in a jar filled with olive oil. Let the jar sit in a cool, dark place for a week and you’ll have a wonderful flavored oil for use on pork or vegetables you’re about to grill.
NAME:
Fennel #28
YIELD/FOOT (LB.)
1.50
COST/LB.
$3.26
VALUE
$4.89
INPUT
$0.15
ROI
$4.74
ROI%
3,160%
EGGPLANT
Eggplants are some of the most beautiful vegetables you can grow in your garden. As lovely as the traditional purple, teardrop-shaped varieties look, you can also opt for ball-shaped, striped, and even white versions like ‘Crescent Moon’ for a totally unexpected look.
The two things any eggplants love when growing are heat and water. This is a full-sun plant. Provide a consistent supply of water, especially as the fruits mature.
You may need to stake plants when the eggplant get close to maturity, because the weight of the fruit can pull the plant over.
Harvesting eggplants is a bit of an art. Use the thumbprint test. If the fruit is unripe, you won’t be able to press your thumb into the surface of the fruit. If it’s ripe, your thumb should leave a slight indentation that will quickly disappear. If you can make an indentation in the surface that stays that way, the fruit is overripe—pick any others on the plant more quickly.
The fruit should be large, plump, and glossy. It’s better to harvest slightly early rather than late, because overly mature eggplants will have large, hard, and bitter seeds making the vegetable less than palatable.
Value Added:
• If you’re buying starter plants from a nursery, select ones with thick stems and no flowers. They will give your eggplants the best possible start and chance for success.
• Help your eggplants grow strong by keeping the soil around the plants free of any weeds. Weeds will steal essential nutrients from the vegetable plants.
NAME:
Eggplant, #29
YIELD/FOOT (LB.)
6.00
COST/LB.
$1.40
VALUE
$8.40
INPUT
$3.95
ROI
$4.45
ROI%
113%
CANTALOUPE (MUSKMELON)
This sweet fruit likes it hot. Or, more specifically, the leaves like it hot. The leaves are crucial for the fruit development and they are especially key to the sugar content. That means not only giving the leaves the benefit of a hot growing season, but also ample water and keeping them free of disease.
If your local climate does not feature a very hot summer, you can help the vines grow by laying black sheeting under the plant, or behind it if you’re growing vertically. No matter how you grow the plant, ensure that it receives ample water, but do not let water sit on the leaves because that can lead to disease.
It is fairly obvious when the fruit is ripe; the surface pattern becomes pronounced and the yellow color deepens. The stem may also show a crack. Hold the stem in one hand and the fruit in the other. The melon should twist off with virtually no resistance. If it doesn’t, the fruit isn’t fully ripe.
Eat cantaloupe within two days or refrigerate for up to five days. You can also cut up the flesh and freeze it for a fantastic smoothie additive.
Value Added:
• Make the most of available space and ensure the health of your cantaloupe plants by growing them vertically. As long as you provide stable support, the melons will mature just as they would on the ground, but without the risk of disease and rot.
• The most valuable cantaloupe is the sweetest. To ensure the highest sugar content in your cantaloupes, taper off watering when the fruit is almost completely ripe.
NAME:
Cantaloupe, #30
YIELD/FOOT (LB.)
8.00
COST/LB.
$0.62
VALUE
$4.96
INPUT
$1.00
ROI
$3.96
ROI%
396%
CARROT
Carrots are some of the simplest and most satisfying vegetables to grow. Between hybrids and heirlooms, you can find varieties in every color of the rainbow and shapes ranging from long and pencil-thin to globe.
All carrots need consistently moist soil—never let the soil completely dry out until the carrots are nearly mature. Too much watering is just as bad; it can cause the carrots to split.
Carrots do best in loose, sandy soil that allows for straight growth. If your soil is less than ideal, consider growing a “ball” variety.
It’s better to harvest carrots early, rather than late, and “baby” carrots are excellent in any meal. The younger the carrot, the sweeter and more tender it will be.
Extra carrots can be pickled and put up. But they can also be stored over winter in a cool, dark area such as a basement, root cellar, or even a shed. Twist off the carrot tops to prevent moisture loss, then store between layers of sand, with no carrots touching. Top with a thick layer of straw for fresh carrots throughout the winter.
Value Added:
• To get the most nutrition out of your carrots, scrub them clean but don’t peel them. Most of the vitamins in this vegetable reside close to the surface and peeling a carrot removes nutrients.
NAME:
Carrot, Heirloom, #31
Carrot, Hybrid, #39
YIELD/FOOT (LB.)
2.25
2.25
COST/LB.
$1.85
$0.87
VALUE
$3.70
$1.96
INPUT
$0.25
$0.23
ROI
$3.45
$1.73
ROI%
1,380%
751%
RADISH, DAIKON
Although closely related the common spring radishes found in American supermarkets, the Daikon is one of a smaller number of winter radishes, which require a much longer growing period (most varieties need about 70 days to mature) and a bit more care. But make no mistake, these reward the astute gardener with superior longevity, a more complex flavor, and a longer life in the refrigerator.
The white Daikon is only the most common color. You can find purple, red, and green as well. Although these radishes need the moist soil that spring radishes crave, avoid overwatering them, which can lead to rot.
You may want to harvest your Daikon crop early, because fully mature Daikon radishes are somewhat tougher than other radishes. But they are also very adaptable. In Asia, these radishes aren’t just eaten raw; they find their way into soups, stews, stir-fries, and other cooked dishes.
Value Added:
• Daikon radishes have value in the garden even if you don’t want to use them in the kitchen or prefer a more conventional radish flavor. They can be planted as a sacrificial trap crop to lure flea beetles and other pests from eating cabbage and lettuces.
• Daikons can actually be left in the soil over mild winters and harvested in early spring. However, these radishes will be larger than normal, with a diminished flavor and woody texture.
• Daikon leaves are an effective “green manure.” Cut them off as you harvest the radishes and then plow them under to improve the soil for the crop to follow.
NAME:
Radish, #32
YIELD/FOOT (LB.)
2.00
COST/LB.
$1.86
VALUE
$3.72
INPUT
$0.36
ROI
$3.36
ROI%
; 933%
COLLARD GREENS
Although known as a Southern specialty, collard greens are actually a cool-weather crop that is slightly more heat resistant than relatives cabbage, broccoli, and kale. Plant in spring or fall, although fall plantings are often the better choice because collard greens aren’t bothered by early frosts.
The trick to getting a good crop from your collard green plants is spurring quick initial growth. Plant the seeds in very nutritious soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Ensure a continuous supply of water that keeps the soil slightly moist, and mulch heavily to reduce moisture loss.
Collard greens fall prey to the same insects and diseases that attack cabbage plants, so a floating row cover is a good idea for young plants.
You can harvest individual leaves as needed (always take lower leaves first, to ensure tenderness), or cut down the entire head all at once. In parts of the country with mild winters, you may be able to harvest the plant throughout winter. Leaves should keep in a vegetable crisper for up to a week.
Value Added:
• Want a little better flavor for your collard green investment? This cold-loving vegetable is sweeter after a light frost.
• You get the most from your collard greens by braising or adding to soups and stews. Although the cooked greens make a wonderful side dish with bits of ham or bacon, fresh collard greens are an acquired taste. Use raw in a green smoothie with sweet fruit to offset the flavor—it’s a super-nutritious, one-glass meal.
NAME:
Collard Greens, #33
YIELD/FOOT (LB.)
3.48
COST/LB.
$0.96
VALUE
$3.34
INPUT
$0.15
ROI
$3.19
ROI%
2,127%
CORN
Corn is one of the all-time favorite summer vegetables, prized for the deliciously sweet kernels captured in an eat-with-your-hands package. Because it is so popular, you’ll find a head-spinning diversity of varieties (even including purple varieties such as ‘Suntava’). But for the sweetest corn, turn to white rather than pure yellow, and bi-color as the sweetest of all.
The seeds are easy to plant and grow, but pests are a common problem when it comes to growing corn. Not only are ear worms and corn borers regular uninvited guests to the vegetable, many types of wildlife find maturing ears of corn a delicacy like no other. That’s why corn should be grown in an area offering at least some protection from predators such as crows, raccoons, and deer.
You’ll know your corn has made it safely to maturity when the silk begins to turn brown and the ear feels firm and bumpy. Before picking, peel down a small strip of husk to check that the kernels are plump. Pierce one and it should leak milky fluid—if the liquid is clear, the ear is not ready for harvesting. To remove the ear without damaging the stalk, hold the stalk firm with one hand and twist off the ear with the other.
Value Added:
• Ensure your efforts to grow seedlings are rewarded with mature, harvestable crops by protecting young corn plants. A chicken-wire cage over corn seedlings can stop birds and other wildlife from eating your crop before you get a chance to.
NAME:
Corn, #34
YIELD/FOOT (LB.)
4.50
COST/LB.
$0.66
VALUE
$2.97
INPUT
$0.10
ROI
$2.87
ROI%
2,870%
CABBAGE
Cabbage is a hardy, cool-weather crop that provides a bounty of nutrients in a versatile leafy vegetable. All types of cabbage are amazingly adaptable in the kitchen. The leafy vegetable comes in a variety of intriguing and appealing forms that look great on the plate. All cabbages contain valuable vitamins as well as cancer-preventing compounds. (See here for more cancer-fighters from the garden.)
Savoy: The crispy white heart and delicate crinkled leaves make this a cross between a cabbage and Romaine lettuce. Consider ‘Deadon’ for a savoy with stunning frilled, magenta leaves.
Napa: Also known as Chinese Cabbage, it straddles the crisp lightness of lettuce and the earthy, full-flavored nature of a cabbage.
Red: Adds a splash of vibrant color to soups, salads, and other dishes and is especially high in vitamins C and A. Look for an early variety such as ‘Red Express’.
Green: A famously sturdy green that is the heart of traditional coleslaw, and can also be used to create filling and nutritious soups. ‘Flat Dutch’ is an early variety with bright yellow-green leaves that are scintillating in the garden.
The trick to harvesting all but Napa cabbage is to allow the head to get large and firm, but not so firm that it splits due to heat or moisture. When it’s ready to be harvested, use a sharp knife to cut the head of cabbage at its base.
Because cabbage grows only in shorter cool seasons, it is rarely planted directly as seeds in the garden. Most likely, you’ll plant seedlings, which are widely available at nurseries and home centers early in the season and in fall. The calculations here are based on store-bought transplants, although you can start seeds indoors and increase your return on investment.
Value Added:
• Cut your cabbage head carefully when harvesting, to preserve as many leaves as possible, and the plant may grow several smaller heads as a second harvest.
• Play it safe and protect your investment with row covers or plant netting so that cabbage flies can’t land on the young plants and lay eggs. Check your maturing heads regularly for any caterpillars or worms and handpick as necessary.
• If the cool seasons are short where you live, grow “early” varieties or the quicker-maturing Napa cabbage to ensure your time, effort, and garden space pay off.
NAME:
Cabbage, Savoy, #35
Cabbage, Napa, #37
YIELD/FOOT (LB.)
2.25
2.25
COST/LB.
$1.49
$1.19
VALUE
$3.35
$2.68
INPUT
$0.50
$0.50
ROI
$2.85
$2.18
ROI%
571%
436%
NAME:
Cabbage, Red, #46
Cabbage, Green, #48
YIELD/FOOT (LB.)
1.75
2.00
COST/LB.
$0.59
$0.50
VALUE
$1.03
$1.00
INPUT
$0.40
$0.40
ROI
$0.63
$0.60
ROI%
158%
150%
BROCCOLI
Broccoli is another cool-season crop full of nutrients and available in a number of interesting varieties. You can enjoy the fascinating glow-in-the dark lime green and conical Romanesco looking a little like something from outer space, or the deep grape tones of purple sprouting broccoli. Or opt for a tried-and-true standard like ‘De Cicco’.
In any case, broccoli is a moisture-loving plant (never let the soil entirely dry out) that should be watered at soil level to avoid getting the developing heads wet.
Harvest broccoli heads when they appear full and tight. Do not let the buds open or you’ll wind up with a bitter, inedible vegetable. Cut the stem at an angle to prevent collected water from causing rot.
Some gardeners make the mistake of thinking the plant is done when the main head is harvested and removing the plant. If you harvest carefully to preserve as many leaves as possible, stems and small heads will grow that can produce a second harvest.
Value Added:
• Beets, onions, garlic, and cauliflower are all natural companions to broccoli. Plant these crops together to ensure the largest yield and protect against losing harvest to disease.
• Cover
young broccoli plants with a floating row cover or plant netting to protect your investment against highly destructive cabbage worms.
• Grow several varieties to stretch out the season and ensure against weather that could stunt one variety or another.
• Ensure that your broccoli grows as big as possible by mulching heavily around the plants. Remove competitive weeds as soon as you detect them, and your broccoli will be happy and productive.
NAME:
Broccoli, #36
YIELD/FOOT (LB.)
Square Foot Gardening High-Value Veggies Page 8
