CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA • BERKELEY HOME VEGETABLE GARDENING JOHN H. MacGILLIVRAY lA „ D NOVE ^'■'*.v....v.~.^^.__ liiilllllllii iiiliill (ill iii iiilliiliii liil ililiiliiil llilil illliilllllli: ' ^^^^^;=^r- Crops may be grown on sandy loam, loam, or clay soils. Sandy loam, or loam, irrigate and drain well, and are easy to keep in good condition. Clay soil is usually more productive than loam, but it is slower to warm up in the spring, and requires more care. Sandy soil has the least available water per foot of depth; clay soil has the most. The first step in soil preparation is spading or plowing the garden. Do not spade if the soil is too wet, especially on clay. In some areas, it is possible to give the garden an early spading before winter rains or frosts come. The soil is usually worked to about 6 inches deep. Immediately after spading, break up big chunks with a spading fork or rake, and see that the soil is well pulverized. Pick up a handful of soil and squeeze it. If it forms a mud ball (see left), it is too wet to be worked. Working soil in this sticky condition may cause hard lumps to form which will be a handicap all through the season. If the soil crumbles easily in your hand (see left), it is "friable." This means that it is in ideal condition to work. liiiiiii ^^jOjoni^. Manure is a good natural fertilizer and, if available, may be used to supply your garden soil with the necessary amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash, and organic matter. In the Imperial and Coa- chella valleys, the manure should be sup- plemented with treble or superphosphate. Do not use manure containing a large amount of straw, as the straw does not work into the soil well, and may use up soil nitrogen. The manure should also be fairly free of weed seeds. Apply manure to the garden each year, in the fall, at the rate of about ^ to 1 pound per square foot. Commercial or chemical fertilizers may also be used to increase yields if manure is not available. Most of the fertilizers used on field crops are also good for the home garden. In the Imperial and Coachella valleys, the soils frequently need nitrogen and phosphoric acid, while in other parts of the state, nitrogen is the main element needed. Several compounds are good sources of nitrogen. These include ammonium sul- fate, sodium nitrate, calcium nitrate, and uramon. Phosphates are sold under the labels lliiiii Spacing for different vegetables will be found in the chart on page 16. The distance between the rows depends upon the size of the plants when full grown. The depth of planting, either in the garden or in hotbed or coldframe, de- pends upon the size of the seed. Plant small seed about % inch deep. Plant snap beans and sweet corn 1 to 1% inches deep. [11 of superphosphate or treble phosphate. Ammophos contains both nitrogen and phosphoric acid. All so-called complete fertilizers are labeled according to their chemical analysis. For example, 10-10-5 means that the product contains 10 per cent nitrogen, 10 per cent phosphoric acid, and 5 per cent potash. These ferti- lizers are applied yearly at the rate of 1 to 3 pounds per 100 square feet. They may be scattered over the ground in the spring before it is spaded or plowed. Nitrogen compounds are sometimes applied along plants when they are one- third grown, to increase the growth of such leaf crops as lettuce, chard, spinach, and cabbage. This is called "side dress- ing." If you use this method, be sure to keep the fertilizer several inches from the plants to prevent injury to the roots, and several inches to the side and below newly planted seeds. Apply at the rate of % to % pound per 100 feet of row. During the rainy season, nitrogen fer- tilizers may be applied to the soil surface. The rain will carry them down to the plant roots. Or crops may be side dressed and then irrigated. Do not get fertilizer on the leaves of the plants. It will burn them, especially if they are wet. A general rule for planting seed: Plant to a depth four times the average diameter of the seed. When transplanting seedlings, plant them to the depth at which they were growing in the hotbed or flat. Make plant- ing holes large enough so that the roots will not be crowded. Be sure to firm the soil around the roots. iiiiHiiiiii Seasonal temperatures are a very important factor in determining when a crop should be planted. Vegetables fall into two main classes: cool-season and warm-season crops. Seed of cool-season crops will germinate bet- ter with cool soil temperatures than will seed of warm-season crops. Average monthly temperatures for cool-season crops are 60° to 65° F during the growing period; for warm-season crops, 65° to 80° F, with some, such as watermelons and sweet potatoes, thriving at 70° F or over. Consult the chart on page 16 for plant- ing times for the four different areas of California. These dates are based on the average temperatures for each area, and you may have to make some adjustment if your section varies widely from the average. The planting times given are for seeds unless otherwise stated. Allow 8 to 12 weeks for seeds to produce plants for transplanting. Other climatic factors affecting growth and quality of vegetables are soil moisture, air temperature, and length of day from sunrise to sunset. For example, Brussels sprouts and globe artichokes only grow successfully near the ocean, where humidity is high and temperatures cool. And many annuals, such as radish, lettuce, spinach, and Chinese cabbage, tend to produce flowers as the days grow longer near June. Temperature is probably the most important climatic factor affecting the success of your garden. Study the plant- ing chart for your area carefully. It will repay you in the yield and quality of the vegetables you grow. k m^mi Most areas of California need irriga- tion to insure that the soil will provide the plants with the moisture they need for maximum growth. In normal years, in most areas, winter rains usually wet the soil, by spring, to a depth of 6 feet. If the soil is not wet to this depth, it should be irrigated before seed- ing, so that several feet are wet. Vegetables differ in their needs for amount of water and frequency of appli- cation. In the home garden, it is usually best to adjust irrigation to meet the needs of the shallow-rooted crops. If these are satisfied, the medium- and deep-rooted ones will automatically get enough water. (See page 14.) This same rule applies where the topsoil is shallow, providing only 1 or 2 feet of dirt for root growth. [12 Clay soils hold more usable water than do sandy ones, and do not need irrigation so often. Each foot of depth of sandy soil usually holds % inch of usable water. The same depth of clay soil holds 2 to 2^/2 inches. Irrigate your vegetable garden about once a week. Wet the soil to a depth of at least 2 feet at each watering. If only the surface of the soil is kept moist, most of the water evaporates to the air and is lost to the roots, which are rarely in the top 3 or 4 inches. Do not waste water. There are simple ways to measure how much water you give your garden. If you use a sprinkler system, place some empty cans under the spray at vari- ous spots, keep track of the time the sprinkler is on, and measure the depth of water in the cans when you turn off the water. Average the various depths to determine how much water your garden is getting at each sprinkling. If you use a garden hose, turn it on to the force you normally use, and time it to find out how many minutes it takes to fill a 1 -gallon can. This will give you the rate of flow per minute. One gallon of water will cover 1 square foot of ground to a depth of 1.6 inches. You may want to use a method of sur- face irrigation. This system does not wet the leaves as do sprinklers— an advantage because foliage wetting sometimes in- creases plant diseases. If you plan to use this method, there are two planting arrangements you may follow : 1. For small crops, such as lettuce and carrots, seeds are planted in beds raised 5 or 6 inches above ground level, 12 to 16 inches wide on the top, with 2 rows to a bed. The beds should be about 36 to 40 inches apart from center to center. Raised beds are good for winter crops because they drain off excess rain. Irrigation water is applied in the furrows between the beds. 2. You may plant seeds at ground level, in rows 4 to 6 feet apart, with one or two furrows between rows to take water. When using the surface method, more water is needed. As previously noted, the soil should be wet to a depth of 2 feet. O wm>jjmAS jOMACl Right: Penetration of equal amounts of water in furrows of three soil types. Clay holds the most avail- able water per foot of depth; sand holds the least. y .^ DE PThf oT^VATERrlllCWi^^ > sX'iM/^^'^ 'SOIL ^y. ^ ir - -3^-^:^o.^^ 10 987654321 0123456 7 DISTANCE FROM SPRINKLER -FEET If sprinklers are used for irrigating, their sprays should overlap. Otherwise, the soil at the outer edges will not receive enough water. [13] E A. B. SHALLOW Main root system is in the top 2 feet of soil. Examples: Cabbage, cauliflower, let- tuce, celery, sweet corn, onion, white potato, radish. MODERATELY DEEP Main root sys- C. tern is in top 4 feet of soil. Examples: Snap bean, carrot, cucum- ber, eggplant, pea, pepper, summer squash. IPPTIiTFIi iiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiyiiiiiiiii! Weeds are one of your garden's worst enemies. They take water and plant foods from the soil, shade crops, thus slowing down crop growth, and choke out small plants. The chief method of weed control in the small garden is by cultivation. If you DEEP Main root system is in top 6 feet of soil. Examples: Globe artichoke, aspara- gus, cantaloupe, pumpkin, tomato, watermelon. have only a few weeds, they can be kept under control by hand-weeding. Use a hand hoe or wheel hoe. Shallow cultivation, with knifelike blades, is best because this kills the weeds without harm- ing crop roots. Crops cannot grow rapidly and to good size if they are overcrowded. Small root crops, salad crops, and those grown for greens, should be thinned early. Root crops, such as beets or carrots, should be thinned to 2 inches apart. Radishes should be 1 inch apart, and head lettuce, 12 inches apart. [14] Carrots and other root crops should be thinned early in their growing season to insure fully developed, well formed vegetables. Left: Carrots grown without thinning. Right: Carrots properly thinned to about 2 inches apart. liliiiiiiiiii I -"U II III llllllllilllllllll lili To get the most out of your vegetables, you should harvest them when they are at their best stage for eating, and store them under conditions that will keep them as nearly "garden fresh" as possible. Some vegetables have a longer edible period and keep better in storage, than do others. The quality of asparagus, sweet corn, lima beans, and peas is greatly af- fected by proper stage of maturity and good storage conditions, and is best with a short storage period. The best time to harvest is given under each vegetable in the section which follows. Storage times are shown in the chart on page 16. There is always a lapse of time between theharvesting and the eating of your vege- tables. Once an edible part has been re- moved from the plant, it has no further source of food, nor can it replace loss of water. Proper storage conditions will keep food and water losses as low as pos- sible. To maintain vegetables at top qual- ity after they are harvested, keep them under desirable storage conditions, and do not keep them too long. Cool-season crops (except white pota- toes) and sweet corn should be kept at temperatures between 32° F and 34° F. Beans and melons keep best at 34° to 40° F, peppers, cucumbers, and ripe toma- toes, at 40° to 50° F, pumpkins, winter squash, and sweet potatoes, at 50° to 55° F, and green tomatoes at 50° to 70° F. 15 •I n II I 3 7 « o 5 Cf I « 5 2 2 o 3 2 2 7 f ^ w 2 3 s o s s ti s :; s § s CO CO CO CO • s o o CO CO;,- V b c( n ^ 8 i w ^ s s b n k cc V b CO i 2 o U> s V 09 5 CO J g e I't 3 «. « n n V i s ^ Ci V V V 00 V ^ « ^ V It in o ill C o a • c a o • 2 m 1 lO I 1 in 1 o 2 «A o "5. 1 in o 2 o 2 «A c .2 a 2 1 g "S. 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I 1 Ul O i a. .1 1 «A Ul s (A z 1 J- X (A s oa i 3 X (A i 2 3 1 5 E «A X (A < 3 «A 5 .S X (A < 3 (A 1 < z 3 (A i Ul 1 ■0 e 8 ' k 8 a 8 M X u , c 0) E f « « CO 0) ^ 3 i •5 8 lA ■8 c ^ 8 ^ c i c -8 8 X X «• k • 0) a •8 k E ^c «> S T5 c . 0) C 0^ E 2 "5. 2 0) t: •« (? c JB 8 X ^ 2 aS •8 •S2 W) 3 12 «» C *8 X M 3 X c 8 •rt a ^ S wt »« i/t ^ k «*• A a c 8 8) <:; Ci •^ ra ^ d CO ^ E h t >. ^ ** k « 3 -£ o E .!2 .. I « X c .t I- 8 o z o«S 2 E £ I The following section contains on alphabetical list of vegetables with some special tips on how to grow them successfully. For most vegetables, there are a number of varieties from which to choose, and it is not feasible to list all of them here. Those listed are the more common ones, or ones that can be grown with least difficulty. If you cannot always buy the suggested variety, your seed dealer can recommend another suitable for your locality. llul»lh..uJ:^^ Mil liilliiliiii ,...m„.< liiinillii liiil||i||i! iiiiilliiiii if iiiii Perennial. Suggested variety: Green Globe. Produces greatest yield and best quality in areas along the coast from San Francisco south to Santa Barbara. Can be produced in other areas, but with less success because with long, warm days, the bud scales become hard and unpalatable. Use offshoots or divisions from mature plants. Commercial plantings good for 4 to 5 years, but plants in home gardens may furnish enough buds for a longer period. Transplant in late fall or cooler part of year. Most buds can be harvested from early winter through early spring. Buds are ready to cut when scales have not spread, and before flowers appear. In cutting, include 1^/4 inches of stem. Har- vest weekly in cool weather. Yield : 40 to 50 buds from a mature plant. Cut stalks off near ground when production period IS over. rf:!! Illiiiiiiiiii ||il|||im|i||iM.i| illlillliill liiii ilil I Perennial. Suggested variety: Mary Washington. In winter or early spring, plant large, one-year-old plants, or crowns, 8 to 10 inches deep in a trench. Cover with about 2 inches of soil, fill in gradually after plants have made consid- erable growth. Do not harvest the first year. The second year, harvest only half the usual period. A bed may be cut for about 10 weeks after the second year. Spears are ready to cut in early spring when they are about 8 inches long. Cut at ground surface. Too long harvesting re- duces future yields. A home garden bed should produce for at least 15 years. For white spears, cover the rows with an 8- inch mound of dirt in spring. Harvest when spears show through top of mound. Eat promptly or store in cool place. iiiiliiitllliiilliiilihilliiiliilillilliliM Bush and pole types. Suggested varie- ties: Henderson's Bush ("baby" type, better for warm valleys) ; Fordhook; U.S. 242 (also produces in warm valleys). 65 to 90 days required from planting to first harvest. Pick when beans are full and green, before they turn white. Snap beans which have been trained on strings. A few plants are ample for the average family. Bush and pole types. Suggested varie- ties: Bush type (green) : Stringless Green Pod; Tendergreen; Plentiful; Bountiful; (yellow) : Pencil Pod Wax; Stringless Kidney Wax. Pole type: Kentucky Won- der; Blue Lake. Bush types produce in 50 to 60 days; pole types, about 10 days later. Pick at various stages of pod growth. Some prefer them when they are 1/3 maximum size, or at various older stages up to full-sized, but immature, beans. Pods are usually ready about 2 or 3 weeks after blossoms. Under good grow- ing conditions, pickings may be made every 3 to 5 days. iiiii Suggested varieties: Detroit Dark Red; Crosby's Egyptian (matures early). Spring crop may be planted in January or February in most sections of Califor- nia. Low temperatures may cause bolting of the root before it is mature. Early planting matures crop before curly top develops, in sections where leafhopper is prevalent. An August planting will be ready by November or December, and the roots may be left in the ground and pulled as wanted. Thin when plants are 4 inches high. I iilimii iililliiii •II •!! Ililillllll lllllllllillllllilll 11 II* I iiiiliiiiiiliiiiiill Suggested variety: Italian Green Sprouting. In cooler areas, may be grown most of the year; in warm interior valleys, a fall crop, and sometimes an early spring one, are grown. The immature flower head and part of the leaves and stems are eaten. If harvested before flower buds open, a single planting may produce for three months in late fall and winter. lllliiiiliiiilliiiiliiiiliiiiliii iiiliiiillliiiiliilll liii liiiilliiiii III nil II Suggested variety: Improved Half Dwarf. Does well only along the coast, not in warmer areas. Sprouts form along the main stem. They may be harvested over a period of a month or more, as they mature from the bottom of the plant up- ward. Pick sprouts when they are hard, and outer leaves have a slightly yellow appearance. Suggested varieties: (early) Copen- hagen Market, Early Jersey Wakefield; (intermediate) Glory of Enkhuizen; (late) Slow Bolting Flat Dutch, Danish Ballhead. Round Red Dutch is a red type; Chieftain, a savoy type. Cabbage may be grown throughout the year on the The large, central head from a plant of green sprouting broccoli, right for harvest. A mature head of Savoy Chieftain cabbage. This type has a pleasing flavor. coast. Low temperatures may cause early bolting. In such areas, plant slow-bolting types or wait until the weather warms up. Cabbage does best in the interior valleys from late fall to early spring. Plants started in flats are ready for transplanting in about 8 to 10 weeks. Harvest when heads are solid. Cabbage will keep well in the field during cool weather; stores well after cutting. lllliiilillliiiililliiiliilliilliiilliiifii lllliiiliiililii iillii III' iiii iiillll Suggested variety: Chihili. Used pri- marily for salad, also for greens. Matures in about 70 days, and is best planted to mature in late fall. Low temperatures, followed by long days, prevent heading. Grows rapidly and yields heavily. Harvest when heads are firm. Pill illll ff\! jiiifl llllll llllllllllll n i-iiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiii T."T 1!! llll|lll :|k: liiiij 11 Hull {li|{|ii|||i|iiil||| I! ' ' Illll illlilliiil Suggested varieties: Powdery Mildew Resistant No. 45 and No. 5; Hales Best; Persian; Honey Dew; Honey Ball; Ca- saba. Melons require high growing temperatures; do best in warm interior valleys. May be either orange- or green- fleshed. Most varieties require 90 days to produce fruit; Persian requires 120 days. Vines have separate male and female flowers, and are insect-pollinated. Male blooms do not set fruit. Harvest when fruit is at "full slip." This means when a slight crack completely circles the stem where it is attached to the fruit, so that the stem can be pulled off, leaving a smooth cavity. The slip does not develop in Crenshaw, Honey Dew, or Casaba. Harvest these when they soften and turn yellow. Melons may only be stored for a short period, except Casaba and Honey Dew, which store well for several weeks. m Suggested varieties: Nantes and Chan- tenay. Seeds start best under cool, moist conditions in the spring, but may be started in slightly warmer weather if soil is kept moist. Thin so that roots are 2 inches apart in the row. Carrots are ready for use about 85 days after seeding. Har- vest when roots are large enough but still tender. May be stored in the ground dur- ing cool winter months. Illll II liiililllii f'lirri ITIf iiimiiilij |iiii||i||il||i|i!imii| ■"'■iiliLiLiI " I iiiiiillii Suggested varieties: (early) Snowball; (late) Pearl, and November-December. Grows best in cool, fairly moist climate. [21 Left: Snowball, an early variety of cauliflower. Right: November-December, a late type. Leaves of the late type curl over the cOrd to protect it from the sun. Plants are ready for transplanting in 8 to 10 weeks after seeding. Snowball may be grown as both a fall and spring crop. It will produce good heads 2 months after transplanting. Late varieties take 4 to 6 months. If the leaves are not large enough to protect the curd, or head, from the sun, tie them together over the head when it is half grown. Harvest when head is of good size and still compact. "III! If liiiiliii mil iiiliiliililiillii Variety : Large Smooth Prague. Often called "celery root" because the enlarged root is the edible part. Follow same pro- cedure as for celery, but do not blanch. IjiM iiy III ii||iiii{iilii {{ iiiiiiiliiiiiiliiliillillll Suggested varieties: (green) Utah; Golden Self-blanching. Usually grown from small plants. (If grown from seed, keep soil very moist. Seed should be just barely covered with soil. Seedlings are ready for field transplanting in 8 to 10 weeks after seeding.) Crop is ready for cutting in about 120 days after trans- planting. Distance between rows depends on method of blanching; 4 feet are re- quired for dirt blanching. Celery may be blanched by planting rows close together so that plants shade each other. Outside rows are blanched by covering with paper or boards. Individual plants may be blanched by wrapping with newspaper to cover 10 to 12 inches of the stalk. Stalks require 10 to 20 days to whiten. Harvest when blanching is completed. Blanching is not considered essential by some gardeners. If weather is cool, this crop keeps well when left in the garden. ""I'll'iri iiiiililliliiiiii :o Suggested varieties: Broad Ribbed Green ; Lucullus. Start crop in late winter or early spring to avoid severe damage from curly top. Plants bear heavily and produce greens most of the year. New leaves develop in center of plants as older ones are cut from outside. One plant will stand many pickings during a season. |||liiiii||i II llliiijiilli iijii |iiii|iiii iniiiii ylllllJJnlil Perennial vine. Has growth habits simi- lar to cucumber and muskmelon. Grows in cooler sections, for fall and early win- ter harvest. Plant the whole fruits in the spring. They should be placed on a slant in the soil, with stem end up. Train the vines on a trellis. Harvest as soon as fruits are full grown. [22] E iiii: Perennial. Grow from seed or by divi- sion of a clump already established. Good for giving mild onion flavor to salads and other dishes. II"" ""'If!" "11" nil "I! TT' "I'l"! "1 lliiiliiiilliliiiillihllliliiliilliiliililiiih^^^^ Suggested varieties: (yellow) Golden Bantam, Golden Cross Bantam, loana; (white, late) Oregon Evergreen. Thrives best when planted in small blocks of 4 or more rows, instead of a single row. Pol- lination is better in this type planting, and the ears will be well filled. (Removing suckers from base of plants does not in- crease yield.) For a continuous supply, plant small blocks every 2 or 3 weeks. If you want corn all summer, plant it in a warm, not hot, area. Harvest at the milk stage, since the sugar decreases and the starch increases as the kernel approaches the dough stage. Test for this by pushing your thumbnail into a kernel. If kernel is plump, and milk pops out, the ear is ready to pick. Husks on mature ears feel firm when grasped. Corn should be used im- mediately after picking. It does not keep well unless stored at near freezing temp- erature. iliiyii iiiimii|iii| Illillllllllll There are two types— slicing (for sal- ads) and pickling. The latter are not usually grown in small gardens, since slicing types may also be used for pick- ling. Suggested varieties (slicing) : Early White Spine, Improved Long Green, Cubit, Lemon; (pickling) National, Chi- cago Pickling. Should be planted and handled in same way as cantaloupes, al- though cucumbers are less sensitive to cool weather. Insufficient soil moisture may cause bitterness. Harvest slicing type when 8 to 10 inches long; pickling type, at about 3 inches. A small number of plants will give an ample supply. |liiljiii||ii||||ll{ii||| r ^ lull llllll illillllllllll 1 Suggested variety. Black Beauty. A very few plants will meet the average fam- ily's needs. Should be planted and han- dled like tomatoes, but is slightly more sensitive to cold. Usually grown from seed in a hotbed, and transplanted when soil has warmed up. Harvest when fruits are 4 to 6 inches in diameter. Test by pressing with the thumb. If the flesh springs back, the fruit is green ; if it does not, the fruit is mature. Harvest about half way between these stages. Cut with knife or pruning shears. ll"!fT|f frill II III illillllllllll lliil iiiilll! Suggested varieties: Full Heart Bata- vian (escarolle) ; Large Green Curled. Grown for use in salads, as greens, or as a garnish. Planted and handled like let- tuce, but is hardier, and may be produced as a winter crop in many sections where lettuce will not grow. Yields over longer period than lettuce. Crop is produced in 90 days. When plants reach 12 inches in diameter, tie leaves together at the top, to blanch the hearts. Do not tie when wet; this may cause decay. Harvest when well blanched. Top: Corn too mature for good eating. Center: Just right for harvesting. Bottom: Not mature. 1llllillilllllllllllllllllllllll lllilill lllll >llllllllllllllll 11111111 II iiliiiillliiiliiiliiliiiliillii liiiiiii lllll iiiiiiliiiliillii iiiiiiii II Often called Finocchia or Sweet Anise. The bulblike enlargement at the base of the stem is eaten raw, like celery, or used for flavoring. Has a licorice flavor. ||"ii'f'T"Tiri':|| llliiiiliilhiiiliiliiililiiiili Does well in most parts of California if properly handled. A few feet of row will give an ample supply. Plant in fertile soil, in late fall, winter, or early spring. Fall planting is best if winters are not severe. Give same treatment as onions. Harvest when tops begin to die. If only a few plants are grown, tops may be braided, and the rope of garlic hung in a cool, dry place, for use as needed. II lilliiliiiilliilli iiiililiilillliliiiil Jl Suggested varieties: Purple or White Vienna. Edible part is the fleshy stem which forms just above the ground. Fla- vor is similar to turnip, but somewhat milder. Harvest when fleshy part is about 2 inches in diameter. Early White Vienna kohlrabi at the proper stage for harvesting. mm Suggested variety : American Flag. Be- longs to the onion group, but has only mild onion flavor. Does not form a bulb, but is about 1 to 1% inches in diameter, and is blanched. Usually grown as a fall crop in most areas, and may be left in the field for some time after maturity. When plants are almost full size, draw soil around them to a height of 6 to 8 inches, to blanch lower part of the plants. iiiillil liil lllll liii iiiJIII Suggested varieties: (loose heading and leaf types) Cos (Romaine), Black Seeded Simpson; (head types) Great Lakes, Imperial 615, Imperial 847. Very sensitive to high temperatures. Winter crop is grown in Imperial Valley; spring, summer, and fall crops in the Salinas Valley and along the coast. Great Lakes is grown in the less favorable areas; Im- perial 615 for winter, and 847 for summer crops in cool sections. Thin head lettuce to 12 inches between plants; leaf lettuce to 4 inches. Harvest when heads are firm. fTiTR'7:i''!T: