Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure
4.17.
Trellis.
4.8.4 Production Practices
Many pea and some bean varieties grow as vines and so are often supported on trellises
of various designs; see Figure 4.17. There are also varieties that grow as bushes and
thus do not need trellises. Both are planted in rows in both family gardens and in com-
mercial fields. Peas can be thickly sown in an area such that the developing plants
support each other such that no trellises are needed.
4.8.5 Harvesting, Preparation, and Consumption
Beans and peas are harvested by picking the immature pea pods or beans before they
begin to mature. As with leafy vegetables peas and beans can be harvested at any
stage in development. Thus very young peas and beans may be picked and eaten
fresh or cooked. However, it is common to allow the beans to develop to the point
that beans (seed) are visible under the outer covering.
Maize is very different in that the ears need to fully develop kernels but need to be
picked before the sugar begins to be converted to starch in the maturing process. This
would apply to all varieties of maize, and all varieties are eaten in the immature stage as
sweet corn. Supersweet varieties are different in that not all the sugar changes to starch
and thus are sweet even when mature. However, some varieties, in addition to the
supersweet, of maize have been specifically bred to be sweet and retain their sweetness
for an extended period of time during development, thus making them superior as sweet
corn and for use as a vegetable.
The stage of development at which maize is harvested depends on local customs
and taste. In some places maize is picked when the kernels are small and just filled
out. In other places the maize is left until the kernels are fully developed but before
they start to become very hard.
Maize is commonly prepared in three ways (except for popcorn as describe below).
The kernels may be cut off the cob and eaten as a vegetable in this way. Kernels are
