Sweet Potatoes

Scientific NameIpomoea batatas
Growing Days120 – sweet potatoes need a long growing season; they are tropical after all!
Varieties We GrowBeauregard
Growing NotesStart sweet potato “slips” by burying a sweet potato under some soil; when the shoots grow a few inches, pop them off and root them in water.
Battle of the BugsSweet potato plants are pretty hardy once they get established. Though not bugs, deer will do a number on young sweet potato plants. We know this first hand!
Fun FactThe sweet potato plant is a tropical plant and a member of morning glory family. It’s not related to the common potato at all. It’s also different from a yam.
Don’t Waste It!Bake or roast it. Enjoy!

Summer Squash — Yellow, Zucchini

Scientific NameCucurbita pepo
Growing Days50-60
Varieties We GrowBlack Beauty; Golden; Nimba; Yellow Pattypan
Growing NotesZucchini has been a huge challenge for us the past couple of years…see “battle of the bugs” below 🙁
Battle of the BugsSquash bugs, cucumber beetles, and squash vine borers have decimated our summer squash plants. Even with multiple plantings, these bugs are relentless!
Fun FactZucchini is actually a fruit.
Don’t Waste It!No need to peel zucchini; enjoy it raw, steamed, or lightly cooked. Even the large zucchini are still great for eating or baking!

Summer Squash — Tromboncino

Scientific NameCucurbita moschata
Growing Days80
Varieties We GrowTromboncino (aka rampicante)
Growing NotesThis summer squash is pretty resilient compared to most squashes and will produce all summer long.
Battle of the BugsSquash bugs are such a pain.
Fun FactTromboncino squash is fun all by itself…it makes us laugh every time we see one!
Don’t Waste It!This squash tastes even better than zucchini when harvested young; if you let it fully ripen it doubles as a great winter storage squash that tastes a bit milder than butternut squash. It’s the best!

Spinach

Scientific NameSpinacea oleracia
Growing Days40
Varieties We GrowBloomsdale
Growing NotesSpinach bolts as soon as it starts to warm up; it’s probably better as a winter crop in the South.
Battle of the BugsAphids, leafminers, snails, and slugs all try to take their share.
Fun FactSpinach is related to beets and swiss chard and is a member of the “goosefoot” family because of the shape of its leaves (now go search what goose feet look like).
Don’t Waste It!Spinach is great raw, steamed, or stir-fried.

Scallions

Scientific NameAllium fistulosum
Growing Days60
Varieties We GrowBunching
Growing NotesScallions are either young bulbing onions or onions that don’t form much of a bulb and are grown for the green shoots. Bunching onions can be perennial; just cut the outer greens and they should keep growing. Most scallions are just pulled as annuals.
Battle of the BugsBugs don’t seem to like the smell 🙂
Fun FactScallions, green onions, and spring onions are all the same thing.
Don’t Waste It!Eat them raw…they are so good!

Pumpkins

Scientific NameCucurbita pepo; Cucurbita moschata; Cucurbita maxima
Growing Days100-120
Varieties We GrowSeminole; Small Sugar
Growing NotesPumpkins need room to grow. They will take up as much space as you give them…and then some!
Battle of the BugsSquash bugs, cucumber beetles, and squash vine borers are mighty pests. They’ve taken out many of our squash plants!
Fun FactApparently, you can scratch a picture or message on a growing pumpkin; it will scar over and then be visible at harvest time. I’m going to try this!
Don’t Waste It!Pumpkins are for more than just carving at Halloween. Bake, roast…treat it like you would any winter squash. Don’t forget to roast the seeds!

Potatoes

Scientific NameSolanum tuberosum
Growing Days120
Varieties We GrowYukon Gold, Kennebec, Red
Growing Notes Plant cut potatoes that have 1-2 eyes on them. Hill potatoes by mounding them with soil or mulch so the potatoes aren’t exposed to any light.
Battle of the BugsColorado Potato Beetles! We hand pick them off of the leaves and try to smush the eggs before they create the next generation. It’s a battle!
Fun FactPotatoes are in the same family as tomatoes…nightshade. Bonus fun fact…new potatoes are really just immature potatoes. When the plant flowers, the new potatoes are generally ready to harvest. Leave ’em alone and they’ll get bigger!
Don’t Waste It!
Bake, roast, boil…yum yum yum!

Peppers (Sweet)

Scientific NameCapsicum annum
Growing Days70-75
Varieties We GrowCalifornia Wonder; Horizon; Ajvarski; Yellow Banana
Growing NotesPeppers like it warm! Be patient and wait to put them in the garden for soil temperatures to be at least 65 degrees.
Battle of the BugsEverything that goes after tomatoes also likes peppers (they are in the same family, after all).
Fun FactPeppers are technically perennials so if you bring them inside over winter, they just might live for multiple years!
Don’t Waste It!Peppers are tough to grow to full color, so don’t let them go to waste! Eat ’em raw, roasted, or steamed. Cut up peppers and put them in the freezer to save some for later.

Peas

Scientific NamePisum sativum
Growing Days60-70
Varieties We GrowSnow; Snap
Growing NotesPeas like it cool; they are one of the earliest vegetables planted in the spring. Pea seeds don’t have a great germination rate, so it’s best to plant extras.
Battle of the BugsAphids, cutworms, and Mexican bean beetles like pea plants.
Fun FactGreen peas are the shelling peas (don’t eat the pods) while snow and snap peas have edible pods.
Don’t Waste It!Enjoy them raw or steamed; just don’t let them sit long or they’ll go to waste. Pea tendrils are also edible!

Peanuts

Scientific NameArachis hypogaea
Growing Days100-130
Varieties We GrowTennessee Red Valencia (of course!)
Growing Notes When the plants get about a foot tall, it’s a good idea to “hill” them by mounding soil around them.
Battle of the BugsPeanut plants seem to be pretty hardy so far (aside from the deer loving them).
Fun FactDid you know that peanuts are actually not nuts…they are legumes! Bonus fun fact…peanuts grow underground! They flower then send out pegs called “peduncles” that grow into the ground where the peanuts will form. So cool!
Don’t Waste It!Enjoy peanuts raw, roasted, or boiled.