TWENTY-ONE VEGETABLES - Start a Community Food Garden - page 133

Grow Working compost into the soil where summer squash will grow improves drainage—important to
the crop's success. Only the female squash sets fruit, and is identified by a tiny squash below the blos-
som. Early flowers are males and can be harvested for stuffed squash blossoms.
Harvest Summer squash can be harvested as baby squash, or when individual fruits reach 6 to 8 inches.
Zucchinis are best when the skins are glossy. Avoid letting squash get overripe and too large. Squash
grow fast, so pick every day or two for a continuous harvest.
Store and Serve Generally squash does not store well. Young squash are immature and bruise easily,
so handle with care. To keep squash up to two weeks, preserve freshness by placing the unwashed ve-
getables in a plastic bag, squeezing out the air, and wrapping tightly. Store in the crisper section of the
refrigerator.
Summer squash is very versatile and can be sliced, brushed with oil and cooked on the grill, roasted
in the oven, or steamed. Summer squash has many uses in baking as well.
SWISS CHARD
Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla
This relative of the beet is favored for its often brightly colored leaves and stems, as well as its long
growing season. One of the healthiest vegetables, it is full of vitamins and minerals. Versatile chard also
has a place among ornamentals. Perpetual chard bears leaves over a long season, with new leaves emer-
ging after picking.
Start Plant seeds approximately ½ inch deep and 12 inches apart, early in the season. If you are planting
intensively, you can plant 2 to 4 plants per square foot (depending on how frequently you plan to har-
vest.)
Grow Water weekly and spread mulch to conserve moisture. Swiss chard also does well in seaside gar-
dens, as it tolerates salt-laden winds. Chard grows well in cool weather or heat, and will only stop pro-
ducing after a hard freeze.
Harvest Trimming the leaves improves flavor. They can be cut from the plant when they are about 3
inches long, or not more than 10 inches. Cut full-size leaves from the outside, and the plant will produce
all season.
Store and Serve Swiss chard is best stored unwashed, to discourage spoilage. Squeeze as much air out
of the storage bag as possible. Excess chard can be blanched and then frozen, to add to soups later.
Chard tastes best in the early spring and fall. Chop up the leaves and prepare like spinach, removing
the midrib first. The midrib can be chopped and used like celery in cooking. Soups, casseroles, salads,
and pasta are all enhanced by the addition of cooked-down chard.
TOMATILLOS AND GROUND CHERRIES
Physalis sp.