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Grow-A-Row Vegetable List- these vegetables have been chosen as the best donation choices.  We will be growing these vegetables at the Grow-A-Row Demonstration Garden at Anderson Farm. 

	Beans Beans - green beans are pole or bush varieties. Bush beans are easier to harvest, but take up more square footage in your garden. Indeterminate vine beans will grow upwards on trellises, but should be secured as they grow. Direct seed into well-drained warm soil. Beans have shallow roots, so be careful when weeding and walking near them. Beans are average feeders - avoid high nitrogen fertilizers. Amend soil with well composted manure. Avoid watering on the vines and leaves, as this could spread diseases. Mulch to cover roots.  - harvest in 50 - 70 days, pulling gently from the vine - beans can become overgrown and tough in a short time - harvest young tender beans continuously, or harvest seed in fall
	Beets Beets are grown for both their roots and their green tops, which are eaten when they are four to six inches tall. Beets are moderate feeders, and need warm soil in which to germinate. Overly rich soil will cause beets to go to seed too quickly. Fall beets sweeten up with a few light frosts. Beets will toughen up if left too long in the ground, depending on conditions such as moisture and heat. Harvest when they reach 1.25 and 2 inches in diameter, or larger for some varieties.  - beets are mature in 40-50 days - leaves are nutritous, but over-harvesting will decrease root size - harvest roots when they are 1.25 - 2.00 inches wide (or larger)
	Carrots Direct seed, and thin to one inch apart after germination. Carrots require a great deal of moisture. Add mature compost to amend heavy soil. Sow at three week intervals for a continuous harvest from mid-May to early July. Can use floating row covers to reduce moisture loss when first seeded. Carrots can grow in shade, but prefer full sun. Harvest some early as “baby carrots”. Keep your patch weed-free, and avoid walking near plants. Harvest mature carrots in late fall, and store indoors in a cool moist location.  - harvest in 55 -95 days, pick as “baby carrots” when young - harvest when soil is moist, and use a garden fork - late carrots are harvested in October for winter storage
	Cucumbers Grow both slicing and pickling types. Slicing varieties can be used for pickling if harvested young. Don’t spray the leaves when watering, as damp leaves may cause powdery mildew. If possible, use a soaker hose and water deeply. Later in the season, reduce watering to encourage fruiting. With the proper watering, cucumbers will form deep roots, and will become drought resistant nearing the end of the summer. Add organic matter to the soil to retain water. Mulch with oat straw. Best direct seeded when the soil warms in spring. Can be purchased as transplants, be sure to harden off plants.  - harvest 60-70 days from planting - pick constantly every three days after the vines start producing - pick early in the morning and refrigerate immediately
	Edamame Edamame is a bush-type soya bean plant. Grow two to three feet apart within rows. Requires full-sun locations with well drained soil and plenty of organic matter. Plant seeds when the soil is warm.  Keep the soil moist until the plant germinates. It is drought resistant and tolerates mildly acidic soils. Mulch around the base of the plant after the beans sprout. Harvest when the beans swell and fill out the pod.  - matures between 90-120 days, all pods mature at the same time - soyabean, pick when the seeds inside the pod fill out  - when mature, eat the pod and seeds, should be mild and sweet
	Kohlrabi Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family. It has the taste and texture of a broccoli stem or a cabbage heart, but much sweeter. Kohlrabi likes well drained rich soil. It is a cool weather crop. Grow in a sunny area of your garden. Thin plants out to six inches apart when the plant is 2 inches high. It takes eight to ten weeks to mature. - matures in 45-60 days - slice off the swollen stem (bulb) at the base, trim leaves off bulb - younger plants are juicy and crisp, store in a cool location
	Leafy Greens Lettuce is categorized into crisphead, butterhead, loose leaf and romaine. It likes well-drained soil with compost, and can grow in somewhat sandy soil. Lettuce can be direct seeded or transplanted. Space lettuce roughly 6 inches apart. Crisphead lettuce is best grown from transplants. Mulch with organic material around the base of your plants to retain needed moisture. Leaf lettuce can be picked continuously as a “cut-and-come-again” crop (the leaves will regrow). Snap off mature outer leaves before they become bitter, and leave the rest to grow. Lettuce is a shallow-rooted crop - be careful when harvesting. Please note that other greens, such as kale, radicchio, and swiss chard, are also great salad green donations.  - harvest as soon as the plant leaves are large enough - harvest in the morning for maximum freshness - be careful to not pull out the roots
	Onions Loosen the soil for at least six inches deep, and remove all clumps. There are many types of onions, including green, storage, sweet, red, white, yellow, bunching, pickling and more. Green onions can tolerate partial shade. All onions are day-length sensitive, and will need at least 12 hours of daily sunlight to set bulbs. Onions are difficult to grow from seed, use onion sets instead.  - bulb onions require 80-150 days to mature - all onions can be harvested early as green onions - harvest when leaves loose their colour and have stopped growing
	Peas There are three types of peas - Garden peas (eat the seed only), Sugar Snap peas (eat the pods and the seeds), and Snow peas (flat pods in Chinese food). Vining indeterminate varieties will produce over a longer period of time. Peas require full sun in the spring. Peas are climbing plants, and need to be secured. If peas die from ground up, it may mean a fungal disease - prevent by ensuring that soil drains well. Avoid heavy watering during flowering. Peas do best in cool weather.  - harvest 60 days after planting, two weeks after they flower - start picking when pods fill out and they are bright green - indeterminant vining will continue to produce pods until frost
	Radishes Direct seed early and late in the season. Make sure to add compost to lighten heavy soil. Radishes grow rapidly, but are susceptible to root maggots, so be sure to remove mature plants and practice crop rotation. Radishes like lots of sun and regular watering. Radishes are shallow rooted, so be careful around plants when weeding. Harvest regularly before roots get bitter and woody. Succession plant every three weeks. Read your seed package because harvesting is very dependent on the variety grown. Some varieties are grown for their leaves and seed pods.  - harvest in 25-65 days before they get woody and bitter - harvest in the morning for maximum freshness - root, leaves, and seed pods are all edible
	Spinach Spinach is a cool weather crop, and likes fertile well drained soil. Spinach likes a neutral soil, and will turn yellowish brown if the pH drops below 6.0 - adding lime will prevent this. Direct seed and thin plants down to a three inch space. Spinach can be continuously harvested as a “cut-and-come-again” crop, especially if planted in shaded areas to prevent bolting. Break outside leaves off cleanly. Spinach only survives in late spring or fall. Like all vegetables, there are many different varieties of spinach available. - matures quickly, within six weeks, then flowers and forms seeds - harvest baby greens at 3-4 inches, leaves bruise easily - break cleanly at base, picking outside leaves first
	Squash Squash are categorized as winter or summer varieties. Transplants can be started three or four weeks before planting into mounded hills. Summer squash includes varieties such as zucchini, courgettes, yellow crookneck, and patty pan, and are thin-skinned. Pick when young and tender. Winter squash have thicker skins, and include varieties such as butternut squash, hubbard, acorn, spaghetti, and are best picked when mature and of the proper colour. Harvest before the first frost, then allow them to cure in the sun for a few days. Apply water directly to the ground to prevent powdery mildew and fungus. Squash require rich, well drained soil. Squash self-mulch because of their large leaves, but will require regular watering once the fruit develops. Manure tea can be used to fertilize plants and condition the soil, make sure you make it from well composted manure to decrease the chances of pathogens.  - harvest from 55-110 days, start indoors and transplant - pick summer squash early before the skins get tough - harvest winter squash when fully mature - leave stem intact
	Tomatoes Common varieties include round, roma or plum, cherry, and beefsteak. Start tomatoes inside in early April in 4 inch pots, or 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Experienced gardeners often plant seeds as early as March, and then transplant the seedlings into larger pots. Seedlings should be exposed to moving air to strengthen their stems. If using grow lights, they will need 12-14 hours of light per day. Harden off the plants, and then transplant deeply into the ground by stripping off lower leaves. The plant will develop roots from the hairs on the stems. Tomato roots can grow as deep as three feet, and they need continual watering during their growing stages. Avoid adding excess nitrogen, which contributes to the over-production of leaves.  - grow early maturing varieties - 55-70 days - pick at full colour for best flavour, do not require refrigeration - green tomatoes can ripen indoors, if they are blemish-free
	Turnips Two types of varieties of turnip include the white-fleshed and the yellow-fleshed varieties. Rutabaga or Swede turnip, are the yellow-fleshed varieties. Turnips are moderate feeders, requiring deep, well cultivated soil. Direct seed in an area that receives full sun. Avoid the over-application of nitrogen-rich fertilizers. The sweetness of the yellow-fleshed winter turnip is enhanced by light frost in the fall - but do not let them sit too long in the soil because of the possibility of attracting root maggots. The mature green leaves of the turnip are edible.  - can harvest small turnips 30-40 days after seeding - pull directly out of ground when they are ready  - harvest turnip greens to saute or for salads

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