134 AROUND THE YEAR IN THE GARDEN 



Make Your "First Pickings' 1 Early 



A common mistake is to wait too long before eating the 

 various vegetables. Most things should be used as soon as 

 they are large enough to pick. Don't wait until they are 

 as large as the ones you would buy in the market. The com- 

 mercial grower lets his things attain a certain size because 

 the market demands that size. 



Begin on your bush beans as soon as there are enough to 

 make a mess. The first cabbages may be used before the 

 heads have become solid. Watch your cauliflowers care- 

 fully, tying the leaves over the heads as soon as the latter 

 begin to form, then use them before the heads show the 

 first sign of breaking. Begin to remove carrots as soon as 

 they are a half-inch or so in diameter, which will leave more 

 room for the others to grow. Corn should be allowed to 

 become fairly firm, but not hard. 



Cucumbers, after the first two or three pickings, will 

 probably keep ahead of the demand, but keep them all picked 

 if you want the vines to continue bearing. Kohl-rabi begins 

 to deteriorate rapidly soon after it reaches two or three 

 inches in diameter. You will have to use lettuce early and 

 fast to keep some of the last heads from shooting to seed. 

 Begin on the peas as soon as they are large enough to pay for 

 shelling. And pull radishes as soon as they are large enough 

 to wash. 



Swiss chard may be cut every few days if you take only 

 outside leaves. If there is more than you want let some of 

 the plants grow and use the large mid-ribs stewed, like 

 celery. Use the turnips as soon as they are large enough to 

 peel and cook. Summer squashes should be picked before 

 the shells begin to get hard. Tomatoes may be picked as 

 soon as they begin to color up; place on a sunny shelf to 

 ripen. 



