If you want to grow potatoes, one of the easiest ways to do it is in a container. Two pounds of seed potatoes can yield 50 pounds of harvest. It's also a great way to grow a lot of potatoes in a very limited space. Container growing works best with Yellow Finn, Indian Pit, Red Pontiac, or the fingerling types. I have grown Yukon Gold successfully as well. Choose either a 50-gallon trash barrel or an old half barrel (like a wine or whiskey barrel). Just make sure your barrel is at least 2 to 3-feet tall with drainage holes in both the bottom and the side of the container. Clean your container using a mixture of 12 cups water, 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 cup hydrogen peroxide.

Growing Potatoes in Barrels
Fill the bottom of the barrel with about 6 inches of loose planting soil and compost. Soil needs to be loose and moist so using a planting soil with peat moss or other soil amendment like coconut husks will keep the soil from becoming too compacted. Between mid-May and mid-June add seed potatoes to the layer of soil. You can either plant the potatoes whole or cut them up into pieces. (Each piece should have a couple of eyes.) Leave about 12-inches of space between each potato. Cover the potatoes with another 6 inches of your soil and compost mix. Do not compact the soil. Water just enough to dampen the dampen. The soil must be kept damp at all times but do not overwater. When plants have about 6 to 8 inches of foliage, add another layer of your soil/compost mix. Cover about one-half to three-quarters of the visible stems and foliage. Repeat this process of plants sprouting, covering the sprouts and moistening the soil until the plants grow to the top of the barrel.

Harvesting Potatoes
Harvest potatoes a week or two after plants flower or when plants start to yellow. This will be about 10 weeks after planting. Carefully dig down with your hands to inspect the top-most layer, potatoes should be well shaped and firm. Discard any green potatoes. Waiting to harvest until tops have died down is good if storing potatoes. Just make sure you harvest them all before they freeze. 

Potato Pests and Diseases

• Aphids may present if potato foliage curls, puckers and turns yellow. They can be found on the underside of of young leaves. Spray vigorously with water to remove aphids.
• Cutworms may be a problem if seedlings or transplants are severed below the soil. Make a trap around each plant by sprinkling cornmeal or bran meal.
• Early Blight causes irregular dark spots on older leaves. As the spots grow they begin to look like a target. To combat blight apply a copper based fungicide every 7-10 days until it's time to harvest.
• Ring Rot causes leaflets, stems and stalks to wilt and turn yellow and die. A yellow mass can be squeezed out of a cut tuber. Ring Rot cannot be cured, so plants need to be destroyed.

Cooking Potatoes

• Potatoes are very versatile. For a variety of recipes click here.
  

Nutrients in Potatoes

• Vitamin c and B6
• Potassium
• Manganese
• Fiber

If you have a backyard garden of any size it makes a lot of sense to compost. Composting is really simple, you just need to follow few basic steps and you will end up with beautiful nutrient rich organic material to add to your garden soil. You can purchase a composting bin at garden centers and recycling centers fairly inexpensively. You can compost without using a bin but having one makes it more convenient.

Brussels Sprouts are related to cabbage that wonderful cruciferous family of healthy vegetables. It grows in almost all climates, as long as, summers don't  get too hot or dry. Brussels Sprouts grow on an 18-inch to 36-inch long stem with large leaves at the top of the stem.

Growing Brussels Sprouts
In spring plant seeds in ground 4-6 in April. You can also grow seeds indoors in flats and transplant in June. In mild climates, plant seeds about 4 months before first expected frost for a fall/ winter crop. Seeds should be planted 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch deep in rows with 14-inches to 24 -inches of spacing. Use compost or a slow-acting fertilizer when planting seeds. Brussels Sprouts grow to 3 feet tall with a spread of 2 feet. They require 1-inch water per week. Brussels Sprouts can not be grown in greenhouses.

Harvesting Brussels Sprouts
Harvest Brussels Sprouts from the bottom first when the large leaves begin to turn yellow. Sprouts should be bright green, firm and about the size of a golf ball. After picking your sprouts mound dirt around the bottom of the stem up to keep the plant from tipping over.

Brussels Sprouts Pests 

• Aphids are present when sprouts curl, pucker and turn yellow. Plants might become stunted in growth. Spray vigorously with water to remove aphids.
• Cabbage maggots are present when seedling become yellow and growth is stunted. Brown tunnels are in the stems just below the soil line. Apply wood ashes and water, let sit overnight around the rootball.
• Whitefly is present if the plant is covered in a white powdery substance. Spray vigorously and rub between fingers to remove whitefly.

Cooking Brussels Sprouts

• Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Garlic
• Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan
• Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Nutrients in Brussels Sprouts

• Vitamins A, B6, C, K
• Thiamin
• Riboflavin
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Phosphorous
• Copper
• Folate
• Potassium
• Manganese

Radishes are fast growing vegetable. The fastest growing varieties take 3 weeks until harvest. Slower growing varieties can take up to 2 months. Radishes like continual moisture, so plant them as soon as the soil can be worked, about 4-6 weeks before the last expected frost.

Growing Radishes
Soil temperature should be between 40 and 85 degrees to germinate the seeds. Plant seeds in 1/2-inch deep in rows 12-inches apart in full sun. When tops are up thin to 1-inch apart. Radishes need about 1-inch water per week. They are light feeders so blending rotted manure into soil before planting radish seed should be enough. For continuous harvest plant rows every week. For fall plantings, plant seeds 7 weeks before first expected frost. Radishes that can be grown in greenhouses are: French Breakfast and Sparkler. Container varieties are: Cherry Belle, French Breakfast, and Sparkler. Fast growing varieties are: Cherry Belle, Crimson Giant and Scarlett white Tipped. A sower growing variety is Icicle, a long white radish. Radishes good for fall planting are Long Black Spanish and White Chinese.

Harvesting Radishes
Harvest radishes once they reach usable size. Red varieties should be firm, smooth, and round with a nice red color. Black varieties should be firm, smooth, round and black in color. White radishes should be firm, slender and white in color. Harvest lasts 2-3 weeks.

Radish Pests 

• Aphids are present if plant foliage curls, and turns yellow. Spray leaves vigorously with water and rub aphids with fingers.
• Cutworms are present if plant stems are completely severed below the surface.
• Cabbage Loper is present if the leaves have ragged holes. Look for 1-1/2 inch long light green caterpillar with yellow stripes.

Eating Radishes
Radishes are wonderful addition to any vegetable platter.
Add them to any salad or try my Radish, Cucumber and Corn Salad.

Nutrients in Radishes

• Vitamins B6 and C
• Folate
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Copper
• Manganese
• Potassium
• Riboflavin

There are over 50 varieties of plants used in salads. What's available in most grocery stores is just a couple of choices, so growing your own salad greens is a great idea. You can grow the varieties you see in the store like Romaine, Red Leaf, Green Leaf, Butter, Arugula, Garden cress, Endive, Mustard Greens and Kale. If you are a little adventurous you can purchase a packet of mixed salad greens and surprise yourself and your family with all the new flavors you probably wouldn't purchase at the store.

Growing Lettuce and Salad Greens
There are 4 basic types of lettuce. Crisp (which is the most difficult to grow), Butter lettuce (loose heads with green outer leaves and yellow inner leaves), Loose leaf (form rosettes rather than heads) and Romaine (grows erect with green outer leaves and white inner leaves). Lettuce grows well in loose well drained fertile soil. Plant in partial shade if growing in hot summer weather. Plant lettuce in rows 8-12 inches apart in open ground just after last frost. Cover seeds lightly with soil. Water regularly but feed lightly. Lettuce can be started indoors and transplanted outside when grown in short summer climates. Lettuce can also be grown in containers 8 inches wide and 6-8 inches deep. 

Harvesting Lettuce and Salad Greens
Harvest loose leaf lettuce as needed. Head lettuce should be harvested when the heads have formed and are firm when squeezed. Pick whole heads of both head and leaf lettuce before the seed stalks breakthrough. 

Pests in Lettuce and Salad Greens

• Aphids are present when foliage curls, puckers and turns yellow. Vigorously spray infected leaves with water.
  
• Sails and slugs are present when leaves have large ragged holes. The best method for ridding snails and slugs is to pick them out of your garden each morning.

Cooking with Lettuce and Salad Greens

For great salad recipes like Asian Style Salad, Caesar Salad, Butter Lettuce Salads, Cobb Salad, Chef Salad, Arugula Salad, Garden Salads and Watercress Salad click here.

Nutrients in Lettuce and Salad Greens
Riboflavin
Vitamin A, B6, C, K
Calcium
Magnesium
Phosphorus
Copper
Thiamin
Folate
Iron
Potassium
Manganese

Tomatoes are easily one of the most popular garden plants. They provide a big reward for just a little work in the garden. There are early, midseason and late season varieties of tomatoes, so make sure you buy the type of tomatoes that will grow in your climate. There are numerous varieties of tomatoes. You can choose to grow tomatoes that are red, yellow, orange or pink in color. Tomatoes also come in many different sizes. You may wish to grow a  few different types of tomatoes for different uses.

Growing Tomatoes
Tomatoes cannot withstand frost, so plant seeds indoors and transfer transplants 2-4 weeks after last frost. Plant determinate, or bushy tomato plants 3-4 feet apart and indeterminate, or vine-like tomato plants 5-15 feet apart. Plant seeds 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch in depth. Plant transfers in a large hole with the bottom leaves even with the soil. Tomatoes like a sunny location with a minimum 8 hours of sun per day. Stake or trellis vine-like tomatoes to keep the fruit off of the ground. If tomatoes are allowed to sit on the soil they may cause rot and discoloration. Tomatoes require 1-inch of water per week. There are tomato varieties that can be grown in containers, as well as, greenhouses. For dwarf varieties use pots 6-inches deep and for standard varieties use containers 24-inches deep. If your tomatoes do not ripen it may be due to cool temperatures. For good production feed tomatoes with compost or a slow-acting fertilizer in spring. Lightly feed tomatoes through the growing season.
Harvesting Tomatoes
Pick tomatoes when the fruit is firm to the touch and the color is deep. Tomatoes will ripen after being picked, but for best results pick the fruit when ripe. To extend the growing season make sure you keep ripened fruit picked.

Tomato Varieties

• Small fruited tomatoes are usually the size of a large marble or up to about 1-inch in diameter. A few varieties of these are: "Red Cherry", "Yellow Cherry", "Red Pear",  "Yellow Pear", "Sweet 100" and "Tiny Tim".
• A few large fruited tomato varieties are: "Early Girl", "Springset","Beef Stake", "Beef Master", "Big Boy", "Big Girl" and "Ponderosa".
• Good varieties for canning or using in tomato sauces or pastes are: "Roma" and "San Marzano".

Tomato Pests

• Aphids may be present if the foliage curl, pucker and turn yellow. Look for ants because they are attracted to the sticky secretions of aphids. Vigorously wash the plant leaves, including the underside with water in the morning to remove aphid infestations.
• Tomato Hornworms bore holes in the leaves, as well as, the fruit. These are large green caterpillars with white stripes and a horn at the rear. Handpicking them off the plants is the best recommendation to get rid of them.
• Slugs cause large ragged holes in leaves. Look for their slime on leaves. Pick slugs off of plants by hand or put a barrier around the plant like ash or sand. 
• Blight shows up as greenish black spots on older leaves. The fruit will have a large dark spot that is firm to the touch. A copper based fungicide should help get rid of blight.
• Bacterial Wilt causes plants to wilt and rapidly die. The plants won't show any signs of yellowing or spotting. Frusarium Wilt will cause plants to yellow spreading from the base of the plant up. You need to remove the infected plants and destroy them because both types of wilt cannot be cured. Keeping areas around plants clean helps prevent wilt.

Cooking with Tomatoes

Tomatoes are wonderful to cook with because they can be used in so many different ways. 
Here are a few recipes to use for your garden fresh tomatoes.

Fresh Tomato Recipes:

• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/egg-and-tomato-casserole.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/tomato-mozzarella-salad.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/cucumber-and-tomato-salad.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/tuna-melt-with-tomato.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/tuna-with-tomatoes-and-herbs.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/fresh-easy-couscous.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/roasted-vegetable-couscous.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/tomatoes-with-pesto.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/salsa.html

Canned Tomato Recipes:
A wonderful way to keep tomatoes to use year round is to can them. Here are some recipes with canned tomatoes.

• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/tomato-sauce.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/enchilada-sauce.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/rotini-with-crab-sauce.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/rigatoni-with-tomatoes-and-olives.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/chicken-cacciatore.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/chicken-enchiladas.html
• http://www.fresheasymeals.com/tomato-and-roasted-red-pepper-soup.html

Nutrients in Tomatoes

• Excellent source of vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, C, E and K
• potassium
• manganese
• fiber
• chromium
• folate
• copper
• niacin
• magnesium
• iron
• phosphorus