---

Warm season vegetables refer to those that require warm soil temperature before they will germinate and grow properly. These include tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, melons, squash, cucumbers, corn and beans.

The most common mistake home gardeners make is planting seed or transplants too early. Ideally, the temperature of the soil at a 2-inch depth should be 60 degrees F. This usually means waiting until at least a week after the average last spring frost date. If the weather is chilly, delay longer. Seed planted in cool, wet soil will rot in the soil slow or grow slowly. The minimum soil temperature for germination of corn is 50 degrees F. Temperatures should reach 60 degrees F for the supersweet and improved supersweet varieties because germination is drastically reduced under cooler soil conditions.

Generally, sweet corn takes about 14 days to emerge from 50 degrees F soils, but only about five days to emerge at 70 degrees F. The rate at which corn grows is influenced by temperature. Plantings made a week apart in May will ripen two or three days apart in August. Planting too early may also result in some soil nutrients being unavailable to growing plants, especially phosphorus.

This is recognizable as a purple color on the stems and leaves of many of our garden plants that would normally be green in color.

Vine crops "run" on the ground and take up a lot of space. In small gardens they may be trained to a trellis, or bush-type varieties may be used. Gardeners often become concerned when their plants begin to flower but no fruits are produced. Most varieties produce several male flowers to attract pollinators before female flowers appear and fruits are set. Cucumbers and summer squash usually require 50 to 65 days for first production. Watermelon and muskmelon need 80 to 95 days.

Beans are one of the easiest and most productive crops for new gardeners. Most bush bean varieties can be picked after 55 to 60 days.

The Master Gardeners will be presenting a class May 9 for those who want to learn more about growing these crops, including information on what varieties to plant and insect and disease control.

UPCOMING CLASSES:

Saturday, May 6––Making and Planting Hypertufa Troughs

Tuesday, May 9––Melons, Cukes, Beans and Corn

Tuesday, May 16: Container Vegetable Gardening

Call the office to register.

PLANT SALES: Pick up will be Saturday, May 6, at the Senior Center, from 11-3. You can still purchase raspberry, grape and blueberry plants--the strawberry and asparagus are sold out. There will also be native plants available for s

VOICE MAIL: You can leave a question for a volunteer Master Gardener on their voicemail at 651-674-4417. Depending on the volume of calls, they try to respond within a couple of days. During office hours ask for the Master Gardener voicemail, after hours, select ext. 18. You could also bring a sample to any of the classes and a Master Gardener will be glad to help you. Please note that there is no longer staff at the North Branch Office who can answer gardening questions.

---