Food Gardens

Corn, Zea mays, is in the Poaceae family (Grass) and is technically a grain, considered a fruit, but also commonly categorized as a vegetable. It descended from a Mexican grass called teosinte. Corn is a warm season, fast growing, annual crop. It needs warmth, space, well-drained, rich soil, and generous…

Groundcherry, Physalis peruviana, is an easy care and prolific plant in the nightshade family. Produces small, round edible fruit in little paper lanterns similar to a tomatillo. Requires some space. Growing requirements are similar to tomatoes.

Peppers, Capsicum annum, consist of many varieties, including sweet (bell, banana) and spicy (Anaheim, cayenne, jalapeño, serrano). Chile peppers are smaller, longer, thinner, and more tapered than sweet peppers. Peppers are native perennials in Central and South America but they are grown as annuals here…

Radishs are a crisp, peppery, root vegetable in the Brassica family. Both roots and tops may be eaten. Radishes are easy to grow. They are available in many shapes, sizes and colors. Smaller summer radishes mature quickly while larger winter radishes take several months to mature.

Scientific Name Helianthus tuberosusGeneral Information Sunchokes, also called Jerusalem artichokes, are productive, pest-free summer perennial tubers. Plants grow 10 to 12 feet tall. They are easy to grow. Taste is like a cross between an artichoke and a water chestnut. Sunchokes are native to…

Instructions for growing tomatillos, small, tomato-like fruit develops in lantern-like paper husks. Tomatillos are used in cooking and in salsas. They belong to the nightshade (Solanaceae) family. 

Scientific Name Solanum lycopersicum General Information These instructions are for indeterminate tomatoes, which grow and produce until killed by frost or disease. Determinate varieties have similar requirements but need less support and pruning and work in smaller containers. Determinate…