Seed Planting and Care Instructions – Part 2
A seed has incredible potential. It was 19th century American author Henry David Thoreau who said, “I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders.”
What makes seeds particularly fascinating – beyond the fact that such a tiny item can produce such a large result – is the fact that seeds from different plants are all so unique. As such, gardeners need to pay attention to customized planting and care instructions.
Here is the second in a series of recommendations on starting and caring for a variety of plants that will grow from your heirloom seeds.
Cantaloupe Hales Best. In a cooler climate, plant seeds indoors one month before transplanting. Before planting outdoors after the last frost, add manure or compost to the soil. Plant in raised rows of two to three plants per hill at 60 to 72 inches apart and one inch below the soil surface. This will help hold the sun’s heat and also aids drainage. This fruit will do much better in warmer climates. Once the fruit begins to grow, prune the end buds off the vines. This might mean fewer melons, but they’ll be larger and of higher quality. These plants may be susceptible to aphids, cucumber beetles, flea beetles, thrips, fusarium wilt, leaf spot, charcoal rot, downy mildew, powdery mildew, bacterial wilt and blight.
Carrot Scarlet Nantes. Direct sow these seeds outside in the early spring, about two weeks before the last expected frost. They can also be planted in the fall. Plant them approximately two inches apart and ½ to ¾ inch below the surface of the soil. You can sow them even closer together because you will be thinning them out later. Your rows should be spaced at between six and 24 inches apart. Choose a stone-free soil and enhance it with organic matter. Make sure the soil receives plenty of water. Grow them in full sun if possible. These plants may be susceptible to aphids, carrot rust flies, wireworms and blight.
Cauliflower Snowball. Sow seeds indoors before the last frost, or direct sow the seeds outside after the last frost. Plant the seeds about ¼ inch under the soil surface, leaving 24 to 30 inches between plants. For an even greater likelihood of success, plant the seeds in early September in flats and place them in a cold frame. Repot them into peat pots approximately six weeks later and move them into a cool greenhouse where you can repot them again into larger pots in mid-winter before moving them to your garden in late April. These plants may be susceptible to blackleg, downy mildew, club root, cabbage looper, cucumber beetles, cabbageworm, ring spot, powdery mildew, black rot, thrips and flea beetles.
Corn Golden Bantum. Plant seeds in loose, well-worked soil after it has warmed to about 65 degrees F. In cooler climates, start them indoors. Enrich the soil well because corn is a heavy feeder. Direct sow the seeds one to 1 ½ inches deep and five to 18 inches apart in blocks of rows three feet apart. Sow two seeds together in case one fails to germinate, then remove the weaker one when they reach ¾ inch tall. Soil should be weed free. After the corn is one foot tall, thin to six to eight inches apart. These plants may be susceptible to earworms, aphids, cucumber beetles, cutworms, flea beetles, Japanese beetles, thrips, wireworms, bacteria wilt and downy mildew.
Cucumber Marketmore 76. Direct sow the seeds outside after the danger of the last frost has passed. Plant them in hills of two to three plants per hill and at 36 to 48 inches apart, about ½ inch below the surface of the soil. Another option is sowing seeds in a greenhouse in mid-fall at a temperature of 70 degrees F, tying them onto a stake support and transplanting the seedlings. Grow this plant in fertile, well-drained soil. Use a general liquid fertilizer every two weeks or so after the first cucumbers begin to develop. These plants may be susceptible to cucumber beetles, gray squash bugs, cucumber mosaic virus, bacteria wilt and powdery mildew.
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Companion planting is a great way to garden. Not that this is for eating, for example: roses love garlic. The garlic plant helps to deter pests from eating the Rose bush. A great book to read is Great Garden Companions. It was written by a master gardener. Some may not know that nasturtium flowers and leaves are edible. The leaves are peppery & used in salads. Dandelions can be cut just below the surface before they flower & cooked like spinach. I’ve heard of dandelions used in salads and made into wine.
I am in Northern Illinois. I put my cucumber seeds in the ground when the nights are still quite cold. (33-40 degrees) I build a crude hotbox over them with recycled wood and plastic. I can lift these off to water them or just to see them. When the weather finally stays above 45 degrees, I remove the plastic during the day to “harden the plants”. This gives me a headstart, so I get early cukes, then plant some more when it is warm, and get cukes later in the season.
My favorite cukes are Armenian – sometimes called “yard long”. that is a good description of them. They are very viney and will grow several feet long if you let them. Very mild taste and great for all kinds of pickles, sandwiches, salads, etc. We live in the mountain west where growing season lengths are unpredictable, so we keep our frost protection handy. Some of our other favorites are: yard long beans, snow peas, and Armenian squash. Thanks Frank for all your great info. & help. Keep pushing the non-GMO’s and forums like this where we can all benefit
Oh forgot I plant around Good Friday by the moon phase when wife tells me too
My South Ga garden with 22 –100 ft rows and 6 – 70 ft rows has serve my family very well for 40 years. Wife and I have canned more than I want to count. The 4 – 15″ x 36″ racks with 4 shelves and double stacked quart jars on each shelve are full .
Cantaloupe -<<< I love Cordeal hybrid is the only one I will ever plant again, but they must be planted in red pebble clay dirt for the best taste. 2 seed per hill 24" space between on 36" rows. Using baking soda powder, dry or in water applied to stop bugs.
Corn <<< Peaches and Cream sweet is the best I have found. Had a problem last year with all 6 – 70 ft rows. One morning found over 1/2 of all plants about 2" tall were out laying on ground not in ground. I did replant all 6 – 70 ft rows, watching very closely each morning. One morning when I walked up on the corn 5 red birds were in those rows flying / jumping up and down, I went into those rows finding 90% of corn plants had been pulled up and dropped by those red birds. Had never seen this happen or heard of it happening around here before. Replanted those 6 rows with Pinkeyed Purple Hull peas which did very well.
Cucumber <<< love my Straight Eight — 1 – 100 ft row 2 seed about 1/2 in under ground 2 ft apart with 10 x 5 ft trellis made with 3/4 PVC pipe framing normal field fence wire, sometimes need to help direct plant runners to climb
wire.
Frank I sent you pictures before — can post if you want to
Could the birds have been looking for worms?
Pole beans can be planted when corn starts to sprout The beans will grow up the corn stalks and after you harvest the corn, you have the beans! And you don’t have to worry about staking the beans!!! I plant several types of cucumbers. Don’t plant them too close to zucchini or summer squash b/c of pollination. Cauliflower likes warm days and cool/cold nights. The most beautiful cauliflower I ever grew was the summer of 1981 when we lived in Wyoming. Our days were very warm, in the 80s, but the nights were very cool—in the 40s. The cauliflower looked just like heads you see in seed catalogs. They like the cool temps. We were near the mountains, in a little bit of a valley, and that helped with temperatures. Plant parsnips off to the side of the garden so they won’t be disturbed. They taste better is they get very cold in the ground so put them where they will not be tilled up by accident. Let them stay in the garden all fall and into the winter. In milder climates they can stay in the ground until spring. Where the ground freezes, let them stay in as long as possible before digging them up.