But some cucumbers may have a slightly bitter flavor by nature. Cucumbers contain organic compounds called cucurbitacins that can cause fruit to taste bitter. Low levels of cucurbitacins are not detectable, but high levels make fruits taste bitter. Cucurbitacin levels may increase with environmental stress during the growing season.

Tips to Avoid Bitter Tasting Cucumbers:

To avoid bitter flavored cucumbers, plant varieties that have very low levels of cucurbitacins or give cucumbers optimal growing conditions. Here are suggestions for optimal cucumber growing and also a list of cucumbers that are usually not bitter tasting:

Site. Plant cucumbers in a sunny spot in soil rich in organic matter and well drained. Raised beds or mounds are ideal for growing cucumbers; the soil will warm early in the season and stay warm. Work several inches of aged compost and aged manure into the planting beds ahead of sowing or transplanting. During the season, sidedress plant with aged compost. Compost is nutrient rich and moisture retentive.

Give cucumbers plenty of room to grow; trellised or caged cumbers should be spaced 8 to 12 inches apart. Space hills for growing cucumbers at least 3 feet apart.

Planting. Sow seed or set out cucumber transplants after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to 60°F. Frost can stress cucumbers. If there is a danger of frost once cucumbers are in the garden, protect plants with floating row covers.

Water. Give cucumbers plenty of water; do not let the soil go dry especially while they are flowering and fruiting. Water stress during the early stages of growth will cause bitter-tasting compounds to concentrate in the fruit. Water cucumbers deeply once or twice a week or place plants on a drip so that the soil stays moist but not wet. Use your finger to measure soil moisture; the soil should not be dry deeper than 3 inches below the surface.

Mulch. Once the soil has reached 70°F, reduce soil moisture evaporation by mulching plants with an organic mulch or black plastic. Mulch will also reduce weeds which compete for soil moisture and nutrients.

Protect cucumbers from high temperatures. Temperatures consistently in the mid-90s or warmer can stress cucumbers. Provide filtered afternoon shade to help cool the garden; plant cucumbers to the south of tall crops such as corn or sunchokes or place a frame and shade cloth with a 40 to 50 percent block of sunlight over cucumbers.

Harvest. Pick cucumbers at their optimum size and pick them frequently. Cucumbers should be ready for picking 50 to 70 days after planting. When the cucumber drops its flower at the blossom end of the fruit, the fruit is ready for harvest. Cucumbers are less tasty when they grow too big.

Know the mature size of the cucumbers you are growing: about 6 to 8 inches for American slicers, 4 to 6 inches for Middle Eastern types, 3 to 5 inches for pickling types; 8 to 12 inches for Asian varieties.

Serving. Bitterness concentrates in the stem end and skin of the cucumber. Peel the fruit and cut off the stem end by an inch or two to reduce bitterness at serving time. Rinse your peeling knife after each slice so that you do not spread the bitter taste.

Cucumber varieties. Choose cucumber varieties that are not bitter flavored. The level of curcurbitacins in cucumbers varies by variety but also from plant to plant and even fruit to fruit on the same plant. (An enzyme called elaterase also present in cucumbers can reduce the amount of cucurbitacins but the amount of elaterase can vary from season to season and plant to plant as well.)

Cucumber varieties with low levels of cucurbitacins include Jazzer, Holland, Lemon, Aria, and Marketmore 97. Keep a garden journal and note varieties you have grown that were not bitter tasting.

To grow sweet and tasty watermelon, follow these steps:

Temperature. Watermelon demands warm temperatures—both soil and air. Transplant or direct seed watermelon only when the average soil and daytime air temperatures are at least 70°F. Do not grow watermelon unprotected where nighttime air temperatures fall below 60°F. If the air temperature dips, protect watermelons with floating row covers.

Soil. Grow watermelon in rich, well-drained soil. Planting watermelon on hills or mounds ensures that roots stay warm and that the soil is well drained. Amend the planting area with compost and well-rotted manure. Where you plan to sow seed or set transplants, dig a hole 1 foot deep and 1 foot wide; fill the hole with rich aged compost and manure mixed with several handfuls of sand—the growing spot will be both moisture retentive and well-draining. Add a handful each of rock phosphate (rich in phosphorus), earthworm castings (all-round nutrient rich), and Epsom salts (rich in magnesium). Use the soil removed from the hole to build a mound on top and rake it flat. Sow seed or set a transplant there. Watermelon roots commonly grow 8 to 10 or more inches deep; the hole and mound become a reservoir of moisture and nutrients.

Care. Space watermelons 6 to 12 feet apart; don’t let plants compete for soil moisture or nutrients. (Keep weeds down until vines spread and shade the soil.) If watermelons are stressed for water or nutrients when they start to set fruit, they will be small and less flavorful. Feed watermelons with a dilute solution of fish emulsion fertilizer—1 tablespoon per gallon of water—weekly from the time the plant is a seedling until the first female flower appears. (Mark the calendar on the day the female flowers fully open—the fruit will be ready for harvest 35 days later.)

Water. Give watermelons even moisture from planting through fruit set. During the first 3 to 4 weeks of growth a watermelon develops its root system. The root system supplies the growing plant with both moisture and nutrients. An extensive and strong root system allows the watermelon to take up nearly 95 percent of its weight in water and develop its large cells which are easily seen with the naked eye—these large, water-filled cells give watermelon its crunchy, crisp, yet tender consistency. Never allow a developing watermelon to dry out completely or it may split. Water whenever the top 3 to 4 inches of soil become dry; simply stick your finger into the soil to test the soil moisture. Apply a heavy mulch to keep the soil moist after the sun begins to warm the garden in summer.

When to water. Do not overwater a watermelon once it has begun to set fruit or its developing natural sugars will be diluted. The leaves of a watermelon commonly wilt in the hot afternoon sun. Water immediately if the watermelon’s leaves wilt before noon or if they appeared stressed by heat or drought. Never allow the vine itself to become dry. A soaker hose or drip irrigation is the best way to deliver water to watermelon roots; overhead watering may encourage the development of fungal diseases which commonly attack leaves.

No water. Stop watering a watermelon about 2 weeks before the fruits are ready to harvest. Holding back water at this point will concentrate the plant’s sugars and the fruits will become sweeter tasting.

Harvest. A watermelon is ready for harvest when the curly tendrils on the stem nearest the fruit dry up and turn brown and the spot on bottom of the fruit turns from white or green to yellow or creamy yellow and the top of the fruit turns a dull color. Mark Twain observed that a green melon says “pink” or “pank” when thumped with the knuckles. A ripe watermelon says “punk.” “Punk” is best described as a solid dull sound.

Two flavorful watermelon favorites:

• Sugar Baby: small, round red-fleshed fruit, 8 to 10 pounds; 80 days to harvest, open-pollinated.
• Yellow Doll: small, round, crisp, yellow-fleshed fruit, 5 to 7 pounds, semi-compact vines; 68 days to harvest, hybrid.

Cooking fresh shelled peas can be difficult: you will want to eat them fresh out of the pod before you ever get near the stove. But if you do get to the stove, cooking shelled peas—and peas in the pod, for that matter—is short, sweet, and easy.

The season for shelled garden peas—also called English peas—is short. They are grown and harvested in spring when the weather is cool. Snap peas and snow peas which are eaten pod and all can tolerate a bit of heat and last to early summer.

Fresh peas should be small, bright green, tender, and sweet. The pods should look crisp. Choose peas that squeak when the pods are rubbed together. Small, young peas will have the best flavor—their sugars have not yet turned to starch.

Peas are a tasty match to eggs, bacon, beef, chicken, lamb, pork, shellfish, smoked fish, white fish–and just about any other spring vegetables: asparagus, onions, carrots, parsnips, new potatoes, and the list goes on.

How to Cook Fresh Shelled Peas with No Recipe

Ratio: One pound of peas in the pod will yield one cup of shelled peas which will serve two people. You will need 3 to 4 pounds of peas in the pod to yield enough shelled peas to serve 4 people.

Preparation: Fresh garden peas should be shelled just before cooking. Rinse the pods under cold running water; rub the pods gently to remove soil. To shell peas, snap off the stem end of the pod. You will see the green natural string running along the inner seam of the pod; give it a pull then press the seam of the pod and pop it open. Run your finger down the pod, pushing out the peas. Do not wash the shelled peas before cooking. (Sugar snaps peas and snow peas are commonly cooked whole; see all the way below.)

Cooking: Peas like all vegetables are most flavorful and tasty cooked to just crisply, tender—that is slightly undercooked. Simmer young shelled peas 2 to 5 minutes. Steam young shelled peas 5 to 10 minutes.

Simmering peas in water or light stock. Bring ⅛ to ½ inch of water or light stock (about ⅛ inch of liquid per pound of peas) to boiling in a medium saucepan. Add shelled peas; they should be just covered by the water. Cover the pan, and turn the heat down to low. Simmer until the peas are just tender and bright green—about 2 to 5 to 7 or 10 minutes or so, depending upon the number of peas.

When the peas are just tender, drain the water if there is any left, and toss the peas with melted butter or hot cream so they are just coated. Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs, parsley or especially mint.

To this basic method of simmering peas you can also: add a pinch of sugar to give the peas extra sweetness; add two or three peas still in the pods to deepen the flavor; add a few drops of lemon juice to help preserve color. Salt peas only after they are cooked.

Finish cooking simmered peas in butter. Rather than tossing peas in butter, place butter in a medium to large skillet and turn the heat to medium as you are simmering the peas as described earlier. When the butter melts, turn the heat to low and add the simmered peas to the heated butter and toss the peas until they just are coated in warm butter, 2 or 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste or an herb to the peas and butter, add a clove or two of garlic minced if you like, or add a several slivers of prosciutto. Give the skillet a gentle shake occasionally, just until the peas are hot and coated with butter and seasoning.

Seasoning and serving cooked peas

Peas can be seasoned with salt, pepper, onion, garlic, dill, marjoram, turmeric, savory, basil, chervil, cilantro, paprika, oregano, tarragon, allspice, mustard, caraway seed, sesame seed, nutmeg, mint, parsley, sage, rosemary, or thyme. Season to your taste.

Peas can be served plain or topped with plain or flavored butter or margarine, extra virgin olive oil, vinaigrette dressing, peanut oil, sesame oil, plain or flavored mayonnaise, white sauce, melted cheese or cheese sauce, sour cream, or plain yogurt.

Serve peas alone or mixed with cooked carrots, onions, potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, corn, celery, lettuce, sweet bell peppers, pimientos, winter squash, water chestnuts, sliced almonds, bacon, prosciutto, or ham.

Steaming peas in lettuce

Rather than simmering peas in liquid, you can use the moisture of lettuce leaves to cook them tender and sweet. Wash but do not dry several thick leaves of lettuce. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and cover the bottom of the pan with the damp lettuce leaves. Place the peas on top of the leaves and add a pinch or two of salt and sugar then cover with additional damp lettuce leaves. Use a pan that cups the leaves to hold the peas. Cover the saucepan tightly and simmer over low heat until the peas are just tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve the peas with or without the lettuce. If you find the moisture of the lettuce is not enough to steam the peas, you can add just ⅛ inch or less of hot water or light stock to the pan. If you like, you can let the peas and lettuce gently stew in a lump of butter for a few minutes—it will form a sort of creamy sauce–before removing them from the pan. Serve immediately. (Steaming or braising the lettuce tenderizes the peas and imparts a subtle flavor.)

Cooking peas with heavy cream

Melt a dab of butter in a heavy saucepan and add the shelled peas. Cover the peas with heavy cream and cook gently until the peas are tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Just before serving, add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add finely chopped parsley or chopped mint or both if you wish. Serve immediately.

Cooking peas with carrots

Peas and carrots can be cooked and served together—a classic combination. Place shelled peas in a sauce pan and just cover with cold water then bring to just a boil over high heat; immediately lower the heat and simmer on until the peas are just tender—a few minutes. Drain well and place the peas in a serving bowl.

Peel one or two medium carrots and cut into batonnet–matchstick shape, or chop into rounds or small cubes. (Don’t use so many carrots that they overwhelm the peas.) Bring salted water to a boil in a second saucepan. Add the carrots, return to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer until tender. Drain, refresh the water, and drain again.

Mix the carrots and peas together. Add a dab of butter and a pinch or two of salt and pepper to taste. Toss over heat until the vegetables are hot and coated with butter. Add parsley or the herb you prefer and toss to mix. Serve immediately.

Cooking peas with onions

Pearl or tiny pickling onions or scallions, shallots, or leeks can be cooked and served with peas. If you choose pearl onions, blanch or parboil them in salted boiling water in advance—only 20 to 30 seconds. Drain and refresh under cold water and drain again. Peel the onions.

Melt a couple of dabs of unsalted butter or warm a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a separate pan. Add the peeled onions or scallions and a spoonful of water and simmer several minutes or until the onions are just tender; don’t fry the onions. Add the peas and ½ cup water or so and salt lightly. Stew until the peas are just tender, about 3 or 4 minutes. Season or garnish to taste. Serve immediately.

Cooking peas with new potatoes

Peas and new potatoes are a flavorful spring dish. Combine small new potatoes—about 8 to 16 new potatoes to a pound, with water to cover and a dash of coarse salt in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; cook until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a sharp knife or fork, about 15 minutes for a pound of potatoes.

Drain away the water and return the potatoes to the saucepan along with enough cream to cover. Place the pan over medium heat and swirl the potatoes around so they are coated with the cream and the cream just starts to bubble. Reduce the heat to low, add the peas and stir. Simmer until the peas are just tender, about 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Cooking peas with mushrooms

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Add mushrooms—coarsely chopped chanterelles, shiitakes, or button mushrooms—an equal amount to the peas you plan to cook. Sauté the mushrooms until just soft. Add crème fraiche—about a cup for each pound of peas you plan to cook–and reduce by one half. Add freshly shelled peas and simmer over low heat until the peas are just tender, about 20 minutes for a pound of peas. Season to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and your herb of choice; try chopped leaves of cilantro, tarragon, parsley, or mint.

Cooking peas with a medley of seasonal vegetables

Any vegetables that can be simply boiled or steamed and dressed with butter are a good match to freshly shelled peas: asparagus, celery, cabbage, green or yellow beans, lima beans, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, beets, kohlrabi, parsnips, rutabagas, or turnips. Add any two of these to peas to prepare a medley of seasonal vegetables.

Follow the cooking instructions above to prepare each vegetable. Prepare the more solid vegetables first (use the list above in inverse order); root vegetables such as beets, kohlrabi, parsnips, rutabagas, and turnips are prepared much as carrots. Less solid vegetables are prepared much as mushrooms. Prepared separately they are transferred in the final step to a serving bowl and mixed with the hot peas and tossed with butter and seasoning.

Cooking peas in the pod

Snow peas and sugar snap peas are commonly cooked in the pods. The string must be removed from sugar snap peas before they are cooked. Snap off the stem end and pull the string away easily. Steam, sauté, stir-fry, or boil snap and snow peas until the pods are tender-crisp. Taste to be sure. Serve them separately or mix them tossed with butter or sesame oil until just coated and seasoned to taste. Serve immediately.

Temperatures too cold or too hot; weather too dry or too wet; soil too nutrient rich or deficient; these are reasons tomatoes and peppers drop their blossoms.

Here are reasons for tomato and pepper blossom drop and what can be done:

• Night temperatures below 60°F. Cover plants with floating row covers or plastic tunnels until temperatures warm. Wait to set out plants until night temperatures are warmer.

• Daytime temperatures above 85°F. Put shade cloth structures over plants to protect them from direct rising temperatures. Irrigate planting beds with cool water. In hot summer regions, time planting so that plants flower and set fruit before average daytime temperatures are too warm.

• A sudden shift from hot spell to cool temperatures. If cool temperatures are forecast, protect plants with floating row covers or plastic tunnels.

• Low soil moisture as a result of drought or lack of irrigation. Keep the soil evenly moist; avoid letting the soil go dry, and avoid overwatering to compensate for not watering. Work moisture retentive aged compost into planting beds.

• Too much soil moisture as a result of rain. If summer rain is frequent, plant in well-draining raised beds or grow plants on mounds. Spread plastic around plants so that excess water runs off into furrows.

• Hot, dry wind. Plant or erect wind breaks to keep winds from reaching the crop. Plant a dense hedge upwind of the garden or erect a windbreak or fence.

• Too much nitrogen in the soil. Excess nitrogen can cause rapid, succulent growth and disrupt a plant’s metabolism. Avoid high nitrogen soil additives such as bloodmeal and fresh manures. Use low nitrogen fertilizers such a weak compost tea or side-dress plants with aged compost, a balanced soil amendment.

• Too little nitrogen, potassium, or phosphorus in the soil. Give plants an even fertilizer—not too much nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium. Work aged compost into planting beds twice a year; the nutrients in aged compost are evenly balanced.

• Tarnished plant bug. The tarnished plant bug feeds on vegetable flower stems. The tarnished plant bug is ¼ -inch long, oval, flat and brownish. Control this bug by spraying with pyrethrum or dusting with savadilla.

• Verticillium and fusarium wilt. Fungal diseases leave plants stressed and fighting to survive; blossoms drop as the plant fights to overcome disease. Prevention is better than cure when it comes to disease: make sure soil is well drained; avoid overhead irrigation; space plants allowing for air circulation; eradicate weeds; remove and destroy infected plants; don’t plant members of the tomato and pepper family in the same spot two years in a row once disease hits.

Let plants set blossoms again. Tomato and peppers that suffer from environmental stress and drop their blossoms but do not succumb will commonly blossom again and set fruit once conditions improve. If plants experience early season or unexpected stress, give them optimal growing conditions as best you can and allow them to grow on. Many short-season or early-season tomatoes and tomatoes bred for hot summers are predisposed to resist early season stress and blossom drop. Tomatoes that resist blossom drop include Big Early, Floramerica, Hot-set, New Yorker, Porter, Red Cherry, Tiny Tim, and Walter.

Corn is wind pollinated. The male flower is the tassel; it forms at the top of the cornstalk and produces pollen. The female flower is the silk; silks are fine strands that emerge from the husks that cover each ear of corn lower on the plant. Every potential corn kernel is connected to a silk.

Pollen must drop or be blown from the tassels onto the silks for plump kernels to develop. When there are gaps in an ear of corn, that means a silk or silks were not pollinated.

Corn pollination is more apt to happen in a home garden when corn is planted in blocks of four to six short rows instead of one or two long, single file rows.

To increase successful corn pollination, plant corn in a patch at least four feet by four feet. Space plants six to eight inches apart, in rows about 18 to 24 inches apart. When the plants grow tall and form tassels and silks, a gentle breeze (or a rustle of your hands) will ensure pollen falls from tassels to silks (and not to the ground).

An alternative to planting corn in short rows is to plant corn in hills set in block or square formation. Plant three or four stalk per hill and set hills about three feet apart.

To give Mother Nature a hand, you can hand-pollinate the silks. When silks emerge from ears of corn, head out to the corn patch and shake the tassel on each stalk on a daily basis for several days. This will ensure that pollen drops from the tassels to the silks below.

For successive harvests throughout the growing season, sow new blocks of corn plants every two weeks. Planting two weeks apart is particularly important if you are growing more than one variety of corn.

Corn plants easily cross-pollinate and cross pollination of differing varieties can result in corn that is less tasty. By planting differing varieties two weeks apart, the tassel formation of the second variety will not occur at the time the first is in silk.

New Potatoes roasted

New potatoes make for sweet, moist eating. You can serve them steamed, sautéed, boiled, baked, roasted, or grilled. They can be served tossed in butter or olive oil or as a dip with butter or sour cream or horseradish or served as a side dish with chicken, lamb, steaks or burgers, or grilled fish.

New potatoes are potatoes harvested before they reach maturity—some are as small as a thumbnail; they are never larger than a ping-pong ball, never larger than three inches in diameter. They are firm and moist and their skins are paper thin—they don’t require peeling before cooking and serving (but you can). Like corn and peas when harvested young, they are low in starch and full of natural sugars. (Starches don’t begin to form until after harvest.)

Any waxy potato round red, yellow, or white potato makes an ideal new potato: Yukon Gold is buttery sweet, Rose Gold is creamy delicious, Yellow Finn is buttery and sweet, Rose Finn Fingerling and Banana Fingerling both have fine flavor (fingerlings potatoes are shaped like thin fingers), Reddale is bright red and tasty as well, and Cranberry Red is red-skinned with a smooth textured red flesh.

Harvest: New potatoes are dug up in the spring—the year’s first potato harvest, and stay through most of the summer. In warm winter climates, new potatoes can be harvested as early as late winter.

New potatoes are ready for harvest and eating soon as the potato plant begins to bloom. (Mature, full grown potatoes are harvested when the potato plant begins to dry and die in late summer and autumn.) Because new potatoes are young, thin skinned, and high in moisture, they should be cooked and eaten within two days of harvest.

Cooking New Potatoes:

New potatoes are easily cooked: steamed, sautéed, boiled, baked, roasted, and grilled.

Ratio: Eight to sixteen small new potatoes (depending upon the size of each) equal a pound or a pound and a half and will serve three people.

Steam New Potatoes:

Steam new potatoes in a steamer basket or an adjustable vegetable steamer set in a deep pan with just enough water to come almost to the bottom of the steamer—about a cup of water for 12 potatoes.

First give the potatoes a good soak and a light scrub to remove any soil. There is no need to peel them, but you can use a paring knife to remove a little belly band of skin from around the center of each one to prevent bursting.

Arrange the whole potatoes in a single layer in the steamer. Bring the water to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and steam until tender when pierced with a knife or fork, about 15 to 35 minutes.

Drain the saucepan of water and return the pan and potatoes over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes to remove any remaining moisture; give them a little shake occasionally to keep them from sticking.

Steamed potatoes are tasty served warm tossed in just enough butter or cream to coat them lightly, or let them cool, then slice, and toss in vinaigrette (not mayonnaise), and serve with a sprinkling of fresh herbs (try chopped flat-leaf parsley or dill). Add a pinch of coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Baby carrots and sugar snap peas make can be matched with new potatoes for steaming. Steam the potatoes first, then the carrots—tops trimmed, and then the snap beans—ends trimmed. Steam each until just tender-crisp. Transfer each vegetable to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain and dry on paper towels before combining in a serving dish and lightly tossing to just coat each vegetable in a vinaigrette or dressing.

Sauté New Potatoes:

New potatoes are easily sautéed. Soak or rinse and lightly scrub the potatoes clean. Dash the potatoes with salt or paprika and chopped chives or parsley. Add two or three tablespoons of olive oil, vegetable oil, or clarified butter to a large sauté pan, add the wet potatoes so they all touch the bottom of the pan, shake them lightly so they are coated with the oil or butter, cover, and cook slowly over low to medium heat until just tender—the skins will brown and wrinkle in 15 to 25 minutes–shaking the pan from time to time to prevent sticking.

When the potatoes are just tender when pierced, drain off the hot oil, and return the pan to the heat until their skins have just dried.

Remove the potatoes to a serving bowl and sprinkle with coarse salt or toss to coat with salt and olive oil. Serve sautéed new potatoes with horseradish sauce or a dash of lemon juice or shallots and garlic or green beans or summer greens dressed with creamy vinaigrette.

Vegetable sautés: New potatoes can be added to any vegetable sauté. The key to a good vegetable sauté is gauging the cooking times of the vegetables you plan to use; always start with vegetables that require the longest cooking time. Baby onions are a good sauté match for new potatoes; they are aromatic and flavorful. To onions and new potatoes, choose one or two additional vegetables in season to add to the mix: artichoke bottoms or baby artichokes, mushrooms, eggplant, leeks, green or red peppers, small tomatoes, chayote, edible-podded peas or sugar snap peas, salsify, broccoli flowerets, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, or tiny radishes.

New potatoes and onions will be sautéed tender in 20 to 25 minutes (always test for tenderness). Tender green vegetables—spinach, fine cut green beans, shelled green peas, asparagus tips—will cook tender in just 4 to 5 minutes.

Once cooked, stir in additional butter to taste, add salt and pepper and any herb you desire, and toss thoroughly.

Boil New Potatoes:

New potatoes can be boiled. Rinse and lightly scrub the potatoes and peel a narrow band of skin away around the center to prevent splitting. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and just cover them with salted water. Bring the water to a boil, cover,  then lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender when poked with a fork, about 20 to 30 minutes. Make sure the potatoes do not stick.

Drain the potatoes dry in a colander. Place then in a serving bowl, add some butter or olive oil, and a handful of chopped herbs like parsley and marjoram and chives or green onions and shake it all around.

Equal parts new potatoes and French beans can be boiled together in salted water; add the beans 5 minutes after the potatoes. Fresh green peas are a good match to boiled new potatoes. Boil the green peas—half again as many as the potatoes–separately in water or chicken broth and then toss them with the potatoes in sweet butter and season with fresh herbs and salt to taste. Braised white or red baby onions are another great match.

Boiled new potatoes can be served immediately or cover with a clean damp towel and hold them for an hour or two before serving.

To liven up the dish, use a mix of new potatoes: red and white, round red and fingerling or round white.

Mustard dressing: Try this mustard dressing with boiled potatoes: in small bowl—whisk 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon white wine and salt until the salt dissolves, then wisk in a few drops of olive oil– 4 tablespoons in all; add a few drops then a slow steady stream until it begins to emulsify and thicken. Fold in the potatoes and accompanying vegetables allowing the dressing to disperse fully; taste for seasoning, and let marinate for up to 2 hours at room temperature.

Serve boiled new potatoes with grilled chicken or sautéed or grilled salmon steak. Add an herb infused vinaigrette over garden greens. Garnish the potatoes with chopped parsley, mint or chives.

Quick-Bake New Potatoes:

New potatoes can be quick baked in 20 to 30 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 425°F while bringing a large pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat. Make a thin slit around the center of each potato with a sharp knife (to prevent bursting), add the potatoes to the boiling water and par-boil them until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and dry the potatoes then place them in a single layer in a baking pan. Drizzle olive oil evenly over the potatoes so they are just coated. Place them in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve baked potatoes with butter and salt and pepper to taste or with a small side bowl of sour cream (regular or low-fat) and chopped chives or crisp, crumbled bacon with salt and pepper to taste.

Roast New Potatoes:

Roast new potatoes whole or halved. First, scrub and pat them dry then slice in half or quarter or leave whole. Coat the potatoes lightly with butter or olive oil or pan drippings from roasted meats then sprinkle them with chopped fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, or sage) and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Place the potatoes in a shallow baking or roasting dish or pan alone or with chicken, beef, or other meat and cook in a preheated 375°F to 400°F oven until well browned and tender. Taste the potatoes to be sure they are tender. If they are not quite done in 40 to 60 minutes or so raise the heat to 425°F and roast until crisp and brown on the outside and fork-tender on the inside. Turn them often—every 15 minutes or so—so that they cook evenly crisp and brown. Serve roasted new potatoes hot. Leftovers can go into a potato salad.

Grill New Potatoes:

New potatoes can be grilled whole or cut in halve lengthwise. Coat the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt, freshly ground pepper, and chopped herbs—dill is a good choice. Arrange the potatoes on one half of three or four layered sheets of heavy duty foil, either whole or cut side down. Fold over the foil and crimp the edges. Place the packet on the grill over direct medium heat 350° to 450°F (place your hand 6 inches over the heat—you’ll be able to count to 5 or 6). Cook until the potatoes’ skins or cut sides are just brown and are tender when pierced with a fork—about 20 minutes (be sure to rotate the packet halfway through the cooking).

Season New Potatoes:

Garnish or season new potatoes with a sprinkle of minced herbs or a seasoning that suits your taste—taste until you find the flavor combination you like: basil, caraway seed (toasted), cardamom, cayenne, cheese (try Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Parmesan, Swiss, feta or blue), chives, cilantro, dill, fennel, garlic, mint, mustard, nutmeg, olive oil, onion, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, or vinegar.

Serve New Potatoes:

Serve new potatoes hot, warm, or cold in their skins with sweet butter or coarse salt and pepper and a glass of milk or some white wine and fruit. You can substitute a few tablespoons of butter with a very good olive oil or just before serving toss new potatoes with minced zest and the juice of one lemon.

Here’s how to make fresh salsa: Core and cut two medium ripe tomatoes, add one clove of garlic minced, add half a white or red onion diced, add a jalapeno, Serrano, or green or red bell pepper chopped fine, add leaves of cilantro, basil, or parsley chopped, add juice of half a lime, mix gently, and salt to taste.

Here’s how to grow fresh salsa: Tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, and basil require warm soil and air temperatures for best growth. Plant these when night temperatures average 60°F or warmer.

Tomatoes. For classic fresh salsa, choose red tomatoes that grow plump and meaty, not too watery. Good tomato choices for salsa are Big Boy, Stupice, Druzba, and Mule Team—these are sweet or sweet and tangy globe tomatoes. Meaty plum tomatoes are also a good choice for salsa: San Marzano, Juliet, and Long Tom are red and flavorful.

Tomatoes want full sun, compost-rich well-drained soil, and soil evenly moist from flower set through fruit development.

Peppers. Peppers are the pivotal ingredient in fresh salsa. Choose chilies for their heat or choose sweet peppers for their earthy richness or combine the two for a blend of flavors.

Jalapeño and Serrano are two common hot pepper choices for fresh salsa. De-seed and mince hot peppers before adding to salsa; both Jalapeño and Serrano would be considered hot by most. Other chilies for salsa are Poblano and Anaheim peppers: Poblano is considered slightly hot by most pepper lovers, and Anaheim is considered the mildest of the hot peppers.

Sweet bell peppers can be used in salsa for those who are heat adverse. Green, red, and yellow bell peppers add color and crunch to salsa. Cubanelle is another good choice–a tapered yellow or red pepper that is thick, meaty, and more flavorful than the bell pepper.

Peppers demand a soil temperature of 65°F or warmer for optimal growth. They will linger if started when nighttime temperatures are not averaging 62°F or warmer. Peppers, like tomatoes, grow best in full sun; they want compost-rich well-drained soil, and soil evenly moist from flower set through fruit development

Cilantro, basil, and parsley. Cilantro is sharp and tangy; basil is pungent and peppery; parsley is tangy fresh. Choose one of these flavors to add to fresh salsa. It will add a defining undertone.

Cilantro and basil grow best in soil temperature of 65°F or warmer–just like peppers. Both will be slowed by night temperatures below 60°F. Parsley can withstand temperatures 5 to 10 degrees cooler but thrives in warm temperatures. Moderately rich, well-drained soil and full to partial sun are required to grow these herb complements to salsa.

Onions and garlic. Onions can bring a relatively sweet to strongly pungent flavor to salsa. Most often sweet globe onions such as Walla Walla, Vidalia, Granex, or Maui are diced and added to fresh salsa. If you don’t grow globe onions, green onions or scallions can be added to salsa.

Just a clove or two of garlic minced is added to salsa. Garlic brings its pungent aroma and flavor as a seasoning to salsa–and raw it adds a bit of savor.

Onion and garlic get their best start in soil 55°F or warmer. These bulb crops like to begin growth when days are cooler and finish when daytime temperatures are warm to hot. Onions and garlic grow best in well-drained, humus rich, sandy to loam soil. Both want medium and even watering through flowering and bulb development; back off the watering in the last two or three weeks before harvest.

Timing. Get onions and garlic started first in the spring. When nighttime temperatures warm, set tomato and pepper starts in the garden. By late spring, cilantro, basil and parsley can be sown or set out in the garden. Your salsa garden will be ready for harvest by mid to late summer and should give you fresh salsa into late autumn in most regions.

In warm regions, tender starts–tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squashes, and beans–can go into the garden early this month. In cool regions, be sure night temperatures are averaging 55°F or warmer before setting out tender starts–that may mean towards the end of the month or even in June. (Be sure to check out the Warm and Cool Regions Checklists below for specifics.)

Things to do in the garden during May:

• Continue succession sowings of hardy vegetables.
• Sow tender vegetables.
• Set out tender vegetables started indoors.
• Sow or set out tender herbs after the last frost.
• Water as necessary.
• Take steps to keep pests out of the garden.

Prepare to plant eggplant, melons, squash, and zucchini. Early in May prepare the planting spots for tender eggplant, squashes, melons, and zucchini. Dig holes 12 inches square, 12 inches deep, and 3 feet apart. Add a forkful of well-rotted compost or manure to the bottom of the hole and then refill the hole. Draw soil from the surrounding area to form a mound over each hole. At the end of the month, sow three seeds on each mound. When the seedlings come up, clip away the two weakest and leave the strong seedling to grow on. If you are planting starts, set one on each mound in early June.

Prepare and plant pole and runner beans. Early in the month prepare to plant pole and runner beans. Dig a trench 18 inches wide and 12 inches deep. Add several inches of well-rotted compost or manure to the trench and backfill. In the second half of the month, sow bean seeds. Set them 3 inches deep and 9 to 12 inches apart in two rows 12 to15 inches apart. At sowing time, set bean poles in place alongside each side of the bean row. Set poles at an angle and tie opposing poles together near their tops. You can strengthen the poles with horizontal struts. Alternatively, sow the seed alongside 6 foot canes erected in the form of a wigwam and tied together near their tops.

Prepare to plant tomatoes. Early in the month, prepare planting spots for tomatoes. Dig holes 12 inches square, 12 inches deep, and 2 to 3 feet apart. (Space holes 2 feet apart for determinate tomatoes; 3 feet or more apart for indeterminate tomatoes.) Add a forkful of well-rotted compost or manure to the bottom of the hole and then refill the hole. Draw soil from the surrounding area to form a mound over each hole. Tomatoes starts can be safely set in the garden when nighttime temperatures average 55°F, toward the end of this month or early in June. Tomatoes planted earlier should be protected from cold nights.

Harden off starts. Spring cabbages, carrots, lettuce, and broad beans growing under cloches of plastic tunnels can be hardened off now. This process of gradual exposure to outdoor temperatures can be carried out over three weeks, so that the plants harden-off gradually. Lift covers a few inches each day, increasing the gap by an inch or two at intervals over four or five days.

Beets. About the middle of the month, sow seeds of long-rooted beets–Cylindra and Rodina are two–which grow well in warmer months. Sow seed 1 inch apart and cover with ¼ inch of compost. Later, thin plants to 3 inches apart. Keep soil evenly moist to produce tender roots.

Brussels sprouts. In cool-summer northern regions, set out Brussels sprouts starts this month for summer-to-fall harvest. (In warm-winter regions, wait to plant Brussels sprouts in late summer and fall.) Set plant 1 ½ to 2 feet apart. Keep plants growing vigorously by keeping the soil evenly moist.

Carrots. Sow main crop carrots in May. Carrots grow best in light, sandy, stone-free soil. The varieties Imperator or Gold Pak–which grow roots to 9 inches long–are good choices in light soil. In shallow, rocky, or clay soil, plant the varieties Chantenay or Nantes with roots that grow 6 or 7 inches long. Sow successive crops at three-week intervals.

Cauliflower. Cauliflower grows best where temperature don’t get too hot (above 75°F) or too cold (down to the low 30s°F–light frost will not hurt cauliflowers). Growing temperatures in the mid-60s°F are optimal. Set out cauliflower starts sown indoors last month when both the soil and air temperature is at least 50°F. Plant cauliflower starts 24 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart. Place a bottomless paper cup around each plant to protect the plants from cutworms.

Sweet corn. Sow sweet corn when all danger of frost is past. Sow seeds any time average temperatures are expected to stay within a range of 40°F at night to a high of 85°F during the day. Prepare the planting area in advance by working in an inch of well-rotted manure. Sow seed 1½ inch deep in groups of three, at intervals of 18 inches apart. Thin to the strongest plant a couple of weeks after the seedlings emerge. Sow corn in a number of short rows arranged in a rectangular block. Block sowing will facilitate pollination; corn is pollinated by wind-borne pollen, which cannot travel far.

Cucumbers. Start cucumbers indoors about three weeks before night temperatures will average 55°F. Seedlings can not go into the garden until all danger of frost is past. Prepare the growing site advance: dig holes 12 inches square, 12 inches deep, and 3 to 4 feet apart for trailing plants, 12 inches apart for climbing plants. Add 3 to 4 inches of well-rotted compost or manure to the bottom of the hole and then refill the hole. Draw soil from the surrounding area to form a mound about 4 inches high. Plant out cucumber starts when the weather has sufficiently warmed.

Potatoes. Potatoes planted last month should be protected from late frosts. Set floating row covers of spun poly over potato plants when night temperatures are predicted to dip.

Salad crops. Make further sowings of salad crops–lettuces and spinach–to maintain a continuous cut-and-come-again harvest. Continue to sow lettuce and spinach ever two weeks until about eight weeks before maximum daytime temperatures are expected to average about 80°F. Where summer temperatures do not average 80°, continue successive sowings until about six weeks before the first frost is expected.

New Zealand Spinach. Sow heat-tolerant New Zealand spinach when danger of frost has past. This crop is a summer substitute for spinach in warm-summer regions. New Zealand spinach is tolerant of sandy, salty soil. It loves sun and doesn’t like shade. Mature plants spread 1 to 2 feet.

Herbs. Make further sowings of chervil, dill, fennel, hyssop and parsley and thin out seedlings to 3 inches apart.

• Basil seedlings can be set out late this month when the danger of frost has passed. Set seedlings about 15 inches apart and water well in the early stages until the plants are established. Sow basil seed 1 inch deep garden beds that have warmed or directly into the cold frame.
• Cuttings. Take cuttings 3 to 4 inches long of pot marjoram, rosemary, sage, and thyme from last year’s growth. Strip the lower leaves from the cutting, and with a sharp knife cut straight across the stem below a joint. Set the cuttings into a sand-filled pot or into open, sandy soil. If the weather is cold or windy, give cloche protection.
• Division. Mint and thyme which has overgrown pots or have become straggly in the garden can be divided or rooted now. The tiny roots at each joint on the runners will set new roots if buried in fine soil.

Pest control. Pests become active in May. Begin scouting the garden for pests and take appropriate action. Aphids will reappear this month. Knock them off plants with a stream of water. Protect tender shoots from cutworms with paper collars around newly set seedlings. Control slugs and snails by placing sandpaper collars around seedlings. Place loosely rolled wet newspaper “traps” around the garden to collect snails, slugs, and earwigs during the day; these pests seek a cool, moist place to hide during the day.

Watering. Watering new sowings and seedlings is very important. A check to growth can be disastrous to crops grown from seed. Normal growth depends upon an even supply of water. Check the garden daily to make sure the soil stays evenly moist. Put your finger in the soil, if it comes away just moist, the watering is good. If your finger comes away from the soil dry, water.

Warm Region Vegetable Garden Checklist for May:

If the weather has settled in your region, now is the time to direct sow warm-weather vegetable seeds. Once the last frost is past, vegetable starts can go into the garden as well.

Few seeds will germinate if the soil temperature is below 45ºF (7ºC) and warm-weather crops will not thrive until the night temperatures stay consistently above 50ºF (10ºC). Follow the high and low temperatures for several days if you are unsure if the time is right to begin sowing and planting out warm-season crops.

If you do get started and temperatures unexpectedly dip, use horticultural fleece or cloches to protect summer veggies from danger.

You can minimize transplant shock if you hold off putting melons and summer and winter squash seedlings in the garden until 10 day after the date of the last expected frost. Peppers and eggplants can be transplanted into the garden two to three weeks after the last frost.

Herb starts like dill, oregano, sweet marjoram, cilantro, rosemary, sage, and thyme can be transplanted into the garden this month. Make sure the weather is settled warm before you plant out basil and lemon grass.

If you live in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7-11, here is a vegetable gardening checklist for May:

(In the United States, USDA Zones 10 and 9 include the Gulf Coast and parts of the South Atlantic states, the Pacific Southwest—mainly Southern California, and parts of the Desert states. Temperature lows in the coldest of these regions can drop as low as 20°F (-7°C). In Europe, parts of Spain, Italy and France and regions of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea are in Zones 10 and 9. USDA Zone 8 includes the Mid-South, Pacific Norwest states and parts of Northern California. Zone 7 includes parts of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic region, and eastern sections of the Northwest. Temperature lows in the coldest of these regions can drop as low as 0°F (-18°C). Much of the United Kingdom, France and parts of Spain are in Zone 8. The western regions of Germany are in Zone 7.)

Greenhouse and coldframe in warm regions:

• Sow successions of tender vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and runner beans to plant out later.
• Plant greenhouse tomato plants in large pots, or plant them in grow bags.
• Water and feed tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, never letting the soil dry out. Remove side-shoots from tomatoes.
• Attach slings or nets to greenhouse melons as they swell.
• Introduce biological controls to keep down pests such as greenhouse whiteflies and spider mites.

Vegetables in the garden in warm regions:

• Start sowing vegetables without protection if the soil and night time temperatures have warmed.
• Thin beets, carrots, lettuce, radishes, spinach and other half-hardy and hardy seedlings planted late last month. As crops are harvested, plant successions of early or start introducing summer crops.
• Early in the month, prepare outdoor sites for cucumbers, squashes, and tomatoes. Erect supports for runner beans, and place stakes, poles, and trellises in place for tall and climbing crops.
• Stake tomatoes and tie them gently to stakes..
• Remove cloches from broad beans, carrots, and peas.
• Mid-month sowing: sow seeds of beans, lima beans, corn, okra, squash, cucumber, cantaloupe, Chinese cabbage, and other tender vegetables and herbs after temperatures have reached the 70sF.
• Sow cucumbers in mounds enriched with plenty of well-rotted manure and compost.
• Set out transplants after mid-month: tomato, eggplant, pepper, and sweet potato.
• Set out sweet potato slips on a cloudy day. Form little mound of soil over young potato shoots to protect them from frost.
• Pinch out the tips on broad beans to encourage good pod set and to deter attack from aphids.
• Make furthers sowings of salad crops and summer spinach.
• Stop watering onions, garlic, and shallots when the foliage begins to turn yellow.

Harvest early crops in warm regions:

• Start picking broad beans when the pods are finger thick.
• Continue to cut asparagus. As the asparagus harvest ends, cut back female plants with berries.
• When peas stop producing, cut vines to ground (do not pull allowing their roots to fix nitrogen in the soil). Replace early cool-weather crops with summer crops.

Succession plantings in warm regions:

• Make successional sowings of early crops: beetroot, carrots, lettuces, and turnips. Make successive sowing of lettuce, salad crops, and summer spinach, turnips, runner beans, green beans, endive, radishes, and kohlrabi.

Late month sowing and transplants in warm regions:

• Sow sweet corn outdoors in mild areas when further frost is unlikely. Most vegetables can be sown now, so check the packets.
• Sow French and runner beans, and pole beans, long-rooted beets, sea kale, salsify, and sweet corn.
• Plant out late-summer cauliflowers and in the north Brussels sprouts. Plant out vegetable seedlings such as cabbages, cauliflowers, celery, sweet corn, tomatoes, and marrows. Plant outdoor tomatoes, and tie them gently, but firmly, to stakes to secure them.

Herbs in warm regions:

• Plant or pot up basil seedlings.
• Take cuttings of pot marjoram, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
• Divide and transplant perennial herbs.
• Divide any straggly mint and thyme plants.
• Plant or pot up basil seedlings.

Pests in warm regions:

• Watch for aphids on broad beans and root flies on cabbages, carrots and onions. Keep after weeds.

Feeding and watering in warm regions:

• Give side dressing of compost tea to half-grown plants.
• Keep all plants watered and well mulched.

Fruit trees in warm regions:

• Feed summer-fruiting plants with potassium sulfate to promote good flowering and fruit. Control weeds around bush and cane fruit.
• Thin the fruit on apples, peaches, nectarines pears, and plums when they reach marble-size. Thin heavy-cropping nectarines and peaches when fruit is ½ in (1-1.5 cm) in diameter.
• Water new plantings deeply if weather is dry. Water plentifully when fruit is swelling.
• Hang coddling moth traps on apple trees.
• Spray against apple scab, mildew, and aphids.
• Prune wood damaged by fire blight.
• Remove any shoots on wall-trained fruits that are growing directly toward or away from the wall.
• Remove the blossoms from newly planted fruit trees to direct the plants energy into the production of strong new wood.

Berries in warm regions:

• Plant new strawberries and put cloches over strawberries if you want an early corp. Harvest strawberries as they ripen. Protect strawberry fruits with straw or black plastic sheeting.
• Keep new canes of blackberries and loganberries separate from the current year’s fruiting canes. Tie new canes of blackberries and hybrid berries to a system of support wires, allowing a maximum of eight canes per plant.
• Remove weak shoots from brambles. Thin our raspberry canes. Spray raspberries against raspberry beetles. Apply the first spray as soon as the first fruit turns pink.
• Summer-prune gooseberries by cutting back side-shoots to five leaves.
• Feed blackberry and hybrid berry plants with ammonium sulfate or other high-nitrogen fertilizer. Cover berries with netting to protect them from birds.

Citrus in warm in warm regions:

• Plant citrus and tropical fruit this month. Feed citrus fruit with sulfate of ammonia; feed established trees with iron sulfate. Water citrus deeply in dry weather.

Containers in warm regions:

• Plant summer container plants when the danger of frost is past.
• Feed new transplants with liquid fertilizer and water as needed.

Cool and Cold Region Vegetable Garden Checklist for May:

In cool- and cold-winter regions, the danger of freezing weather and frost continues through May in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6, 5, 4, and 3. Here is a checklist of things to do in the vegetable garden in cool and cold regions during April in the Northern Hemisphere:

(USDA Zones 6, 5, 4, and 3 are the most northern and coldest winter regions of the United States the northern parts of the Rocky Mountains, northern Plains and Midwest States and the northern regions of the Northeast and into Canada. Temperature lows in the coldest of these regions can drop as low as -40°F (-40°C). Eastern Europe is largely in Zone 6 and Zone 5.)

The weather in cool northern regions can remain unsettled even in May. Remeber that both the soil and air temperatures are important when planting the kitchen garden. Few seeds will germinate if the soil temperature is below 45ºF (7ºC), and warm-weather crops are not going to thrive until the night temperatures consistently stay above 50ºF.

By the end of the month–or two to three weeks after your last frost, your kitchen garden will be able to welcome cucumbers, bush and pole beans, and tomatoes. In the meantime you can get these crops going in a greenhouse or coldframe or in the kitchen window. If you get the seedlings growing now, you’ll enjoy an earlier harvest next summer.

Strawberries can be planted now. June-bearing-type strawberries are vigorous and spread runners rapidly and should be producing in June. Everbearing-type strawberries will fruit in June and again later in the fall. If you are looking for the easiest to grow, try Alpine strawberries.

Peas. Cool-weather crops such as peas should be ready for harvest later this month or in June before the weather warms. Keep you eye on cauliflower and Brussels sprouts to get them out of the garden at their peak and before they bolt in warm weather.

Greenhouse and coldframe in cool regions:

• Open the greenhouse and coldframe for warm rain and sun; close them if the temperature drops near freezing.
• Early in the month, sow under cover half-hardy annual seeds: tomato, eggplant, pepper, and runner beans. Plant greenhouse tomato plants and cucumbers in large pots or grow bags.
• Harden off vegetable starts in the cold frame for 10 days before setting them out. By the middle of the month, you can harden off tomato plants and ready them for setting out late in month.
• Harvest asparagus and other early crops from the coldframe.
• Introduce biological controls to keep down pests such as greenhouse whiteflies and spider mites.

Vegetables early in the month in cool regions:

• As soon as the ground can be worked, add soil amendments, humus, and manure to the planting beds if these were not added in the fall. Prepare beds for planting and sowing.
• Warm up the soil in cool regions with cloches or black plastic.
• When the danger of heavy frost is past, sow or plant out cool-weather crops; harden off young plants from winter sowings of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, onions, lettuce, peas, and broad beans before planting out.
• Start sowing vegetables without protection if you live in mild regions. Many seeds can be sown from early spring onwards. Check seed packets as some varieties are more suitable than others for early sowing.
• Direct seed broad beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsnips, peas, radishes, and spinach.
• Plant asparagus, rhubarb, and celery. Dig well-rotted manure into celery trenches.
• Prepare runner-bean trenches by digging in compost or well-rotted manure.
• Plant early potatoes and onion sets.
• Use horticultural fleece or cloches for early crops.
• Thin out overcrowded vegetable seedlings sown earlier: thin beets, carrots, lettuce, radishes, and spinach.
• Mulch after the soil has warmed and plants are several inches high.
• Put supports in place for peas.
• Turn compost pile.

Vegetable starts and transplants in cool regions:

• Protect vegetable starts from drying winds and keep them well watered.
• Shade transplants from direct sun for a week or until re-established outdoors.
• Mulch when plants are several inches high.
• Weed and water as needed.
• Watch for insects and signs of disease.

Succession planting in cool regions:

• Make a second sowing of early peas and other crops as the first harvest comes in.
• Feed lettuce and other early crops with compost.

Succession planting in cool regions:

• Plant warm-weather crops and tender herbs when the danger of frost is past and the soil has warmed up and the weather settled. Sow seeds of beans, corn, okra, squash, cucumber, cantaloupe–all tender vegetables–when the weather has warmed into the 70s. □ Set out plants of tomato, eggplant, pepper, and sweet potato.

Fruits and berries in cool regions:

• Plant fruit trees and brambles when soil workable. Paint white or wrap trunks of young trees to prevent sunscald.
• Water new plantings deeply if the weather is dry.
• Feed summer-fruiting plants with potassium sulfate to promote good flowering and fruit.
• Plant new strawberries, and place cloches over strawberries if you want an early cop. Be sure to cover strawberries if a late frost is possible.
• Plant currant bushes and raspberry canes, and water them in thoroughly. Cut the canes down to 12 inches above the ground.
• Thin brambles (blackberries, raspberries, loganberries); prune away weak shoots. Prune back the stems of newly planted and two-year-old gooseberries by about one-half. Spray gooseberries and black currants for gooseberry mildew.
• Fertilize or top-dress with compost established berries and grapes if not done last month. Feed blackberry and hybrid berry plants with ammonium sulfate. Control weeds around bush and cane fruit.
• If fruit trees are still dormant apply dormant spray to apples, pears, and plums.
• Thin the fruit on apples, pears, and plums when marble-size. Thin heavy-cropping nectarines and peaches when the fruit is ½ inch (1-1.5 cm) in diameter.
• Replace mulches removed last month.
• Prune suckers and water sprouts from trees.
• Watch for pests and signs of disease. Trap larvae on trunks of trees and destroy them.

Containers in cool regions:

• When frost danger is past, move containers outdoors again.
• Plant cool-weather and later warm-weather vegetables in containers when the danger of frost is past. Feed new plants with liquid fertilizer.

The word coleslaw comes from two Dutch words: kool meaning cabbage and sla an abbreviation for salad—koolsla. Coleslaw is sometimes called “cold slaw”—which is likely a misunderstanding, but aptly describes how this cabbage salad is served—cold (except when it’s served hot as “hot slaw”—which is another story).

There are many variations on the ingredients of coleslaw—two common denominators are cabbage and the dressing to bind the ingredients.

How to Make Coleslaw Without a Recipe:

To make coleslaw without a recipe, you must first decide on what vegetables (or fruits) to combine with the cabbage and then, secondly, on the dressing. These decisions are wholly a matter of flavor and taste. Coleslaw can be sweet and fruity or tart and tangy.

Cabbage yield/servings. A one-pound head of cabbage will yield 4 to 5 cups when shredded or thinly sliced. A two-pound head cabbage will yield 9 to 10 cups when thinly sliced; a three-pound cabbage, 14 to 16 cups. A pound of cabbage will serve three people—that is three servings. If you combine the cabbage with other vegetables or fruits—also shredded or sliced, you will need less cabbage. The basic solid ingredient yield is 4 to 5 cups shredded cabbage or other vegetable will serve three generously.

Cabbage preparation. To prepare the cabbage—use green cabbage, red cabbage, savoy cabbage, napa cabbage, or a combination of these—tear off and discard tough outer leaves, cut the head into quarters, remove the core, turn the cut side down, and slice crosswise into thin shreds with a sharp knife or you can shave the cabbage into fine slices using a cabbage cutter. Place the cabbage in a large bowl until you are ready to add the other ingredients. (You can allow the cabbage to wilt after shredding—about 1 hour.)

For a more savory coleslaw, salt the shredded cabbage then let it dry for an hour, rinse, drain, then dry; this draws the water out of the cabbage and its sweet fruitness is replaced by a more complex, savory flavor.

Add other vegetables and fruits for flavor and color. Cabbage is the main ingredient of coleslaw, but other vegetables can be added for flavor, aroma, and color. The additions may vary from half as much to a third, quarter, fifth, or less of the cabbage used. Here are some fresh vegetable and fruit suggestions for coleslaw and the flavor qualities they bring:

• Red cabbage--for its pungent, peppery qualities and color.
• Carrots shredded (1 medium carrot shredded is about 1 cup)—for sweet flavor, crunch, and color.
• Celery coarsely chopped (1 medium to large stalk chopped is about 1 cup)—for crispness and flavor.
• Radishes coarsely grated (9 large radishes grated is about 1 cup)—for peppery flavor, crunch, and color.
• White or red onion sliced or small diced as thin as possible—for pungent sweetness and red for color.
• Scallions or spring onions sliced—for sweet and pungent flavor.
• Bell pepper—green or red—sliced—for sweet flavor and color.
• Jalapeno or Serrano peppers—seeds and stems removed—thin sliced—for moderately hot, green vegetal flavor.
• Cauliflower thinly sliced—for sweet, slightly nutty flavor.
• Celery root (celeriac) cut into matchstick julienne—for a pronounced celery taste.
• Kohlrabi cut into matchstick julienne—for peppery freshness.
• Cucumber chopped—for a pleasant fresh flavor and crunch.
• Pear cored and coarsely chopped (1 medium pear is about 1 cup chopped)—for sweetness; use red pears for color.
• Apple cored and coarsely chopped (1 medium apple is about 1 cup chopped)—for sweet or tart flavor; use reds for color.
• Orange or mandarin sectioned–for sweetness and color.
• Pineapple—for sweet-tart flavor.
• Raspberries—for sweet, slightly acidic flavor and color—black, golden, or red.
• Blueberries—for sweet flavor, color, and crunch.
• Seedless raisins—for sweet flavor and chewiness.
• Italian parsley chopped—for slightly peppery, tangy fresh flavor.
• Watercress—for a pungent, peppery, slightly bitter flavor.

Dressing coleslaw for flavor and to bind the ingredients:

Use mayonnaise, vinaigrette, or other dressing to bind coleslaw. The dressing should just coat the cabbage and other ingredients.

Mayonnaise dressing. Mayonnaise dressing is a cold, thick, creamy sauce basically composed of egg, oil, and vinegar (acid), to that spices are added for piquancy. You can simply buy mayonnaise or you can make mayonnaise (To yield 1 cup: 1 teaspoon egg yolk, a tablespoon of water, and 10 ounces of vegetable oil—adding additional spices or aromatics for seasoning is variable—whisk the yolk, drizzle in oil while whisking until the mixture is thick enough to cling to the whisk—not more. The aromatics include the acids such as lemon juice, vinegar, wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, cider, or orange juice.)

Vinaigrette dressing. Vinaigrette dressing is a temporary emulsion (meaning shake to use) of oil and vinegar–usually three parts oil to one part vinegar–seasoned with herbs, spices, salt and pepper. Again, you can simply buy vinaigrette or you can make vinaigrette. (Olive oil is a peerless choice for vinaigrette; use red or white wine vinegar or lemon juice or sharp vinegar.) For coleslaw, cream can be substituted for the oil combined with sharp vinegar. Shake the mix in a covered jar.

Seasonings. To either mayonnaise or vinaigrette, seasonings and flavorings can be added: salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, minced garlic, mustard, honey, sugar, ginger peeled and finely chopped, yogurt, sour cream, creme fraiche, and whipped cream are a few.

Dressing ratio to solids: You will need about ½ cup dressing for every 4 cups of shredded cabbage and vegetables. This is to lightly coat the vegetables with the dressing.

Garnishes. Garnishes, as well, are easily added to the finished mixture of cabbage and dressing. Here are a few garnishes for coleslaw: peanuts—salted or roasted and unsalted, cashews, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, blue cheese, bacon bits, dill seed, caraway, parsley, raspberries, mandarin sections—garnish to flavor and taste.

Putting it all together–Making Coleslaw:

Step 1: Prepare the dressing.

Step 2: Combine in a large bowl the cored and shredded cabbage with your choice of added vegetables and fruits, also shredded, and toss.

Step 3: Pour dressing over the cabbage and mix lightly; add enough dressing to evenly coat all the vegetables (or fruit). Season the mix with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to 3 hours allowing the flavors to permeate and the cabbage to soften. Coleslaw will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days—but if you add mayonnaise it’s best to chill and serve in 30 minutes.

Step 4: Garnish and serve. Coleslaw is a great complement to pork chops, roast pork, baked ham, grilled foods, sandwiches, hamburgers, and even savory crêpes.

Zucchini beginning fruit development

Growing conditions. Plant zucchini in full sun in compost rich, well-drained soil. Zucchini likes to get its start in the spot where it will grow, but if you want to get a jump on the season, start seed indoors 3 to 4 weeks before the last expected frost in 4-inch biodegradable pots (that can be set directly in the ground at planting time so that the roots are not disturbed). A week before transplanting, harden off seedlings by cutting back on water and lowering the nighttime temperature to 65°F.

Sowing or setting out starts. Zucchini wants warm soil and air temperatures for growing—in the 70s°F is optimal. Zucchini seed won’t germinate in cold soil. Wait until the soil temperature has reached 60°F before direct seeding or setting out starts. Lay down a sheet of black plastic to warm the soil before sowing or planting. Plants started in chilly temperatures may become stunted.

Avoid too much zucchini. You can avoid too many zucchinis at harvest by simply not overplanting. One zucchini plant will produce 6 to 10 pounds of fruit over the course of the season. Stagger plantings so that you have a continuous harvest but are not overwhelmed.

Spacing. Space plants 2 to 4 feet apart to provide air circulation and discourage disease. A good planting strategy is to plant zucchini on low hills that easily warm in spring. Sow three seeds to a hill and when seedlings have one true leaf, thin the starts to one per hill—just snip off the weakest plants with scissors so as not to disturb the roots of the one that remains.

Pollination. Zucchini is a monoecious plant, meaning each plant has both male and female flowers. A female flower has a small swelling (the ovary) at the base of its short-stem. A male flower has a long, thin stem—and is usually larger than the female. Bees and insects must visit the male flower then the female flower for pollination.

Cross pollination. Do squash plants easily cross pollinate? Yes! But cross-pollination affects next year’s crop, not this year’s crop. If you grow zucchini from newly purchased seed each year, you won’t have to worry about plants cross pollinating. Only if you save seed, should you grow just one variety at a time.

Chilling injury. Temperatures too cold will pit the skin of zucchini. This is called chilling injury. Keep a floating row cover handy to cover seedlings and young plants if the temperature dips below 65°F at night.

Watering. Keep the soil evenly moist. Give zucchini 1 inch of water a week. The critical time for watering is during bud development and flowering. Once plants are established, mulch with straw, hay, or dried leaves to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds. Drought stressed plants are more susceptible to insect attacks.

Feeding. Zucchini are heavy feeders. Prepare the planting bed with lots of organic matter—a few inches of aged compost spread across the bed and then turned under. If leaves grow pale or plants seem weak, side-dress zucchini with well-aged compost or use a foliar spray of liquid fish or kelp fertilizer—high in phosphorus for fruit production. Don’t use a fertilizer too high in nitrogen; it will diminish your yield.

Lots of flowers, no fruit. If your plants are flowering but not producing fruit, there is may not be enough bees around for pollination. Hand pollinate flowers with a cotton swab—gather pollen from the male flower and dab it on to the golden stigma in the center of the female flower.

Harvest. Zucchini should be picked young and tender for the very best flavor. Once fruits are 4 inches long, it’s time to start the harvest. Zucchini can grow 1 to 2 inches a day so check your plants every day at harvest time. Zucchini that grows very large will be pulpy, seedy, and bitter flavored.

Cucumber beetles. Cucumber beetles emerge from dormancy in spring before the weather is warm enough for cucumbers or zucchini to begin growing. When zucchini starts growing, cucumber beetles will begin feeding on leaves and fruits. Check cucumber beetles–little yellow beetles with stripes or spots–with yellow sticky traps or cover plants with a floating row cover, but be sure to remove the cover when flowers appear and it’s pollination time.

Squash vine borers. Squash vine borers (the larvae of wasp-like moths) bore into zucchini stems and eat their way through stems. Look for sawdust-like excrement near small holes to know they are present. Plants suddenly wilt and may die. Slit the damaged vine with a sharp knife and remove the borers with a tweezers. Cover the damaged section with well-aged compost and the plant will grow on.

Blossom-end rot. Irregular watering and a soil calcium deficiency can result in poor water uptake that will result in the blossom end of the fruit (opposite the stem) becoming leathery and sunken; this is called blossom-end rot. Use ground oyster shells or a calcium-rich fertilizer to counter blossom-end rot.

Zucchini Varieties to grow:

• Ambassador: cylindrical, dark green early variety; 50 days to harvest.
• Costata Romanesco: great tasting, nutty flavored Italian zucchini; ribbed, gray-green with pale green flecks; 52 days to harvest.
• Eight Ball: nutty, buttery flavor from dark green globe fruit; 40 days to harvest.
• French White: white fruit on small bushes for small gardens; 50 days to harvest.
• Gold Rush: uniform, cylindrical fruit, AAS winter; 45 days to harvest.
• Spacemiser: high yield from small bush, green fruit can be harvested as baby squash; 45 days to harvest.
• Seneca: dark green, cylindrical fruit on small bush; 42 days to harvest.