Companion planting (con): plants that will not grow well in the same vicinity.
Companion planting (pro): plant characteristics benefit side-by-side plantings.
Compost: ideally 50 percent nitrogen, 25 percent phosphorus, and 25 percent
potassium, with a pH of 7.
Compost tea: watered-down compost. An easy way to mix is to half fill a water
ing can with well-matured compost. Add the same quantity of water and let
it sit for a day in the sun (hence the term tea). Let it settle before pouring
the tea onto the soil (not over the plants). You can replenish the water three
times using the same compost.
Cool season: a plant thriving at 60ºF–65ºF; doesn’t do well in warm summers
(75ºF plus).Cottonseed meal: a useful slow-release fertilizer with 7 percent nitrogen, 3 per
cent phosphoric acid, and 2 percent potash.Depth: to some degree, a shallow-rooted plant will do well next to one with deep
roots, as they don’t draw nutrients from the same level of soil.
Determinate: plants that stop growth with a flower at their apex; the fruit of
these plants usually matures all at the same time.Feeding/fertilizer: organic material used to increase nutrients for plant growth.
Fish emulsion: a fertilizer made from the by-products of the fi sh-processing in
dustry, which is considered acceptable for use in organic horticulture and
adds micronutrients to the soil.
Floating row covers: usually fabric but also fine netting suspended over wire
hoops to protect plants from flying pests and low temperatures.Germination: the number of days from planting to the first evidence of a shoot
breaking out of the soil.Green manure: made up from leaves that mature quickly; used to add structure
to the soil (organic contents).
Harden off : tender plants grown indoors are taken outside for 2–4 hours a day
for up to 7 days to help them adjust to cooler temperatures before plant
ing outside.Harvest: The number of days from seeding (and sometimes transplanting ) until
HOW TO GROW, HOW TO COOK • 59