Beginning Farmer Series Choosing What to Grow and Variety Selection Dr. Gordon Johnson Fruit and Vegetable Specialist University of Delaware Cooperative Extension
List What You Want to Grow What will you grow: Vegetables Herbs, Medicinals Cut flowers Small fruits Tree Fruits and Nuts Greenhouse crops Nursery crops Christmas trees Specialty grains and pulses Other specialty crops
Selecting crops to grow Market sales potential Potential profitability Cost of production Returns on sales Experience Location Ease/difficulty of production Labor needed Harvest and handling Market distance Market goals/opportunites
Standard Vegetables Beans Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower Greens crops (Kale, collards, mustards, turnips) Cucumbers Eggplant Lettuces Muskmelons Peas Peppers Potatoes Summer squash Winter squash Pumpkins Tomatoes Sweet Corn Watermelons Strawberries
Standard Fruits Apples Peaches Nectarines Plums Pears Cherries Strawberries Raspberries Blackberries Blueberries Grapes
Growing - Short term goals What will be available and when What to harvest What to take What to prepare What value-added to do Can I grow something in addition for later Other
Growing Long term goals Season planning What to grow When to grow How to grow Harvest plans Planning for future seasons Long term crops Expanded lines Income and sales
Early Spring March/April Mid Spring - May Late Spring - June Early Summer - July Mid Summer - August Late Summer/early fall - September Fall - October Late Fall - November Winter December through March Seasonal progressions
Succession Plantings Two types 1. Multiple plantings of the same crop Varietal succession: Planting a range of cultivars having different maturity dates at the same time. Temporal succession: Planting the same cultivar periodically over the course of the season. 2. Planting different species of vegetables, one after the other
Crop Rotation Can think of as succession over a number of years Underlying principle is never plant the same crop or its relative in the same place two seasons in a row. Reasons for rotating Balances nutrient demands of different crops Leaf crops require high N Fruit crops require high P and K Legumes fix N from atmosphere Reduces pest issues Break disease cycles Limit insect feeding Better control weeds
Cool versus warm season vegetables Warm season vegetables Do not tolerate frosts Grow best when temperatures are warm Most are annuals Generally eat a fruit or seed
Cool vs. Warm Season Vegetables Vegetables differ in their adaptation to growing season Relates to growth response to temperature Cool season vegetables Can withstand light frosts Best growth early in spring or late fall Are smaller in size and shallower root system than warm season Generally eat a vegetative part (root, stem, leaves) Most are biennial
Table: Vegetables grouped by seasonal adaptation Cool Season Lettuces Cabbage Turnips Radish Pea Cauliflower Carrot Warm Season Cucumbers Sweet corn Muskmelons Watermelons Tomatoes Peppers Lima beans
Successes - Tomatoes
Opportunities with sales targets such as restaurants
Opportunities with Specialty Crops
Successes - Pole Lima Beans
Successes - Strawberries
Successes - Peaches
Opportunity Asian Vegetables
Opportunity = Blueberries
Opportunity = Cut Flowers
Opportunity = Woody Plants as Cut Flowers
Opportunity = U-Pick Orchard High Density
Opportunity = Asian Pears
Opportunity = Crops for Crafting
Opportunity = Herbs, Herbal Teaching
Opportunity = Wine Grapes
Opportunities, leafy greens, baby greens Lettuce, Kale, Arugula
Fresh Spinach
Opportunity - Sweet Potatoes
Other Dry White Types
Opportunity - Specialty Potatoes
Opportunity - Specialty Carrots
Opportunity - Specialty Beets and Chard
Opportunity - Edamame and Vegetable Soybeans
Successes - Snow Peas and Snap Peas
Opportunity - Pea Shoots
Opportunity - other Lima and Butterbeans
Opportunity - Leafy Asian Vegetables Asian cultures have an unique but parallel tradition and history of gardening Asian vegetables are becoming trendy and common Two types Unique species Unique cultivars
Opportunity - Specialty Vine Crops
Calabaza Cucurbita moschata Duch. ex Lam. James M. Stephens Calabaza is the common name of several of the many strains of pumpkins and squashes grown in the tropics. In Florida, calabaza refers to the Cuban pumpkin, also called Cuban squash. Other common names reported are auyama, ayote, and zapallo.
Luffa Gourds Angled Loofah Fuzzy Gourd African Horned Melon Snake Gourd
Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry and Grape Tomatoes
Specialty Peppers
Okra
Specialty Onions
Green Bunching Onions Shallots (Bunching Onion) Actually a separate species that are sweeter and milder than other onions Often used to refer to any onion grown to be harvested and eaten when immature Green onions Shoots of immature common onions
Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum vr. porrum) Introduction Native to Mediterranean region Differences from onion and garlic Milder in flavor Do not form a bulb Have a thick fleshy stalk
Garlic Two distinct subspecies within varieties Softneck vs. hardneck garlic Hardneck garlic reputed to have a deeper, more full-bodied flavor than softneck garlic Hardneck garlic produces less per acre than softneck
Edible Flowers
Other Specialty Vegetables
Native Fruits and Nuts for the Chesapeake Region Dr. Gordon Johnson Extension Fruit and Vegetable Specialist Department of Plant and Soil Sciences University of Delaware
Vegetable types and varieties variation within species/subspecies often multiple forms - shapes, colors, textures species vs kind vs variety vs strain within a kind usually multiple varieties varieties may have different strains open pollinated vs hybrid varieties
Choosing Vegetable Types and Varieties Climatic and geographical adaptation Disease resistance, other pest resistance Quality factors Yield Seasonal adaptation Vigor, growth potential, competitiveness Maturity
Selecting Vegetables Decisions, decisions, decisions What vegetables to grow? What cultivars to use? When and where to plant the vegetable?
Once you have decided on specific vegetables you need to decide on which cultivars to grow There are often hundreds of different cultivars available for each vegetable species Variety and Cultivar are often used interchangeably Are different from a botanical standpoint Varieties are botanical subdivisions within a species Example Corn is the species Zea mays Sweet corn is a variety of corn Selecting Cultivars
Selecting Cultivars Cultivars are plants within varieties that breeders have developed and that are distinct from each other. New cultivars are generally bred for commercial growers Two major categories of vegetable cultivars are: Open pollinated Hybrids Supersweet 100 F1 Description: Our Sweetest Tomato 70 Days (Indeterminate). Exceptionally sweet and high in Vitamin C, this improved Sweet 100 type is ideal for home gardening. Each plant produces hundreds of small cherry tomatoes in clusters, and has better disease resistance. For super yields and taste, try Supersweet 100! Resistant to F1 and Vt.
Open-pollinated vegetables Plants are left to become pollinated on their own Are often older or heirloom cultivars It is important that the cultivar breed true Offspring resemble their parents in all important characteristics The breeding system of the vegetable will determine if an open-pollinated vegetable breeds true Self-pollinated vegetables Will produce 90% or more offspring that are true to type Cross-pollinated vegetables To ensure the plants breed true, you must carefully control the parents Selecting Cultivars Bush Blue Lake 274 Description: 58 Days. Developed from the famous vining Blue Lake, this easier-to-pick version produces over a longer season than other bush beans and brings back the meatiness, color and flavor of the 'good old days'. The 6" long pods are dark green and resistant to common and NY15 strains of bean common mosaic virus. Seeds are white and slow to develop, maintaining a long, smooth pod of delicious quality.
Selecting Cultivars Hybrid vegetable cultivars Definition: A cultivar resulting from a cross between two different true breeding (referred to as inbred) parents Most new vegetable cultivars are hybrids Advantages They are vigorous Hybrid vigor: a synergistic increase in vigor of the plant due to the combination of widely diverse genetic traits Higher yielding They are apparently uniform Often bred for disease resistance Premium Crop F1 Description: 65 Days. For heavy yields of delicious, tender broccoli, try Premium Crop. Recommended for fall, this hybrid produces broad, tight-budded heads, often 8-9 across, that hold in prime condition exceptionally well. Mainly a single-headed type, Premium Crop produces few sideshoots, but is a most dependable, uniform producer overall. Tolerant to downy mildew.
Selecting Cultivars Hybrid cultivars Disadvantages Mainly bred for commercial growers Mature at same time Can not collect seed, must purchase new seed each year Silver King F1 Description: 82 Days (se). For those home gardeners who have enjoyed the quality of Silver Queen over the years, then consider this improvement. Silver King matures 10-12 days earlier and it has improved eating quality. Sturdy, 6' plants produce fancy 8" ears of excellent quality. It picks quite easily and has very good disease tolerance. A home garden winner!
Selecting Cultivars There are some specialized cultivars within either openpollinated or hybrid categories Heirloom cultivars Definition: A cultivar that has been passed down generation to generation Anasazi corn: found in a Utah cave and is thought to be more than 800 years old There are a number of nonprofit organizations working with people who want to preserve heirloom plants. Brandywine (OG) (Lycopersicon esculentum) Is this Amish heirloom the best-tasting tomato? We have not tasted better. Very large, often over 1 lb., the fruits have a deep pink skin and red flesh, and mature midseason. Brandywine's luscious flavor is described in our notes as "very rich, loud, and distinctively spicy." This taste might be hard to describe, but it can be readily experienced. The medium-tall, potato-leaf plant is best staked or caged. Famous Quisenberry strain. Indeterminate. Organically grown. Mini: 40 seeds. Days to Maturity: 78
Selecting Cultivars All American Selections Cultivars that perform well in trials conducted throughout the country Problems Not all cultivars included May not do well in a specific locations May not have characteristics desired by gardener
Selecting Cultivars
Garlic two distinct subspecies Softneck garlic Type sold in stores Hardneck garlic Reputed to have a deeper, more full bodied flavor than softneck garlic
Small Fruits Gordon Johnson Vegetable and Fruit Specialist University of Delaware Cooperative Extension 68
Obtaining Plants Purchase plants from a reputable nursery True to name Disease free Virus indexed Don t save, don t share Arrange for proper delivery date 69
Strawberry Varieties for DE June bearing Earliglow Annapolis Allstar Darselect Delmarvel Redchief Ovation Latestar Flavorfest Chandler Sweet Charlie Day neutral Tribute Tristar Seascape Albion San Andreas 70
Recommended Red Raspberry Cultivars for DE Summer Bearing Early Esta Lauren Moutere Reveille Prelude** Midseason Amos Killarney Latham Nova Fall Bearing Early Jaclyn Caroline ** Joan J Polka Midseason Late Autumn Britten Josephine
Blackberry Varieties Erect and Semi Erect Thornless Floricane Chester Triple Crown Navaho Arapaho Ouachita Apache Natchez Doyles Primocane Prime Ark45 (thorny) Freedom (thornless) 72
Blueberries Gordon Johnson University of Delaware Cooperative Extension 73
Blueberry Varieties Early, Early-Mid Variety Standard or Season Fruit Size Fruit Fruit Flavor Yield Plant Recent/Trial Color Firmness Vigor/Stature Bluetta Standard Early Medium Blue black Soft Fair High Compact Earliblue* Standard Early Large Light blue Firm Fair Moderate Vigorous Weymouth Standard Early Medium Dark blue Soft Good High Average Chanticleer Recent/Trial Very Early Medium Light blue Firm Good Moderate Upright, Medium Polaris Recent/Trial Early Medium Light blue Medium Good Moderate Small Sunrise Recent/Trial Early Medium Blue black Medium Good High Moderate Vigor Bluehaven Standard Early-Mid Large Light blue Medium Very good High Upright Bluejay Standard Early-Mid Medium Light blue Firm Good Moderate Vigorous, Upright Blueray Standard Early-Mid Large Dark blue Firm Good Very High Vigorous Collins Standard Early-Mid Large Light blue Firm Very good Moderate Vigorous, Upright Duke* Standard Early-Mid Medium Light blue Firm Good High Vigorous, Upright Patriot* Standard Early-Mid Large Dark blue Firm Very good High Upright, Medium Spartan Standard Early-Mid Large Light blue Firm Very good High Vigorous, Upright Draper Recent/Trial Early-Mid Large Light blue Firm Very good High Vigorous, Upright Nui Recent/Trial Early-Mid Very Large Light blue Firm Good Moderate Spreading Reka Recent/Trial Early-Mid Medium Dark blue Firm Good High Vigorous, Upright 74
Blueberry Varieties Mid, Mid-Late Variety Standard or Season Fruit Size Fruit Fruit Flavor Yield Plant Recent/Trial Color Firmness Vigor/Stature Elizabeth Standard Mid Large Light blue Soft Excellent Moderate Vigorous, Upright Northland Standard Mid Medium Dark blue Soft Good High Bushy Bluegold Recent/Trial Mid Medium Light blue Firm Good Very High Bushy Legacy Recent/Trial Mid Medium Light blue Very firm Very good Very High Vigorous, Upright Puru Recent/Trial Mid Med-Large Light blue Firm Excellent Moderate Moderate vigor Chippewa Recent/Trial Mid Med-Large Light blue Firm Excellent Moderate Compact Toro Recent/Trial Mid Large Light blue Firm Good Very High Vigorous, Upright Berkeley Standard Mid-Late Very large Light blue Firm Fair Moderate Tall, Spreading Darrow* Standard Mid-Late Very large Light blue Firm Very good Moderate Upright Rubel Standard Mid-Late Small Med. blue Firm Fair Very High Erect, Upright Bonus Recent/Trial Mid-Late Very large Light blue Firm Good Moderate Upright, Open Brigetta Recent/Trial Mid-Late Large Light blue Firm Very good Moderate Vigorous, Upright Chandler Recent/Trial Mid-Late Jumbo Dark blue Medium Excellent High Vigorous, Upright Nelson Recent/Trial Mid-Late Large Light blue Firm Very good High Vigorous, Upright Ozarkblue Recent/Trial Mid-Late Large Light blue Firm Good High Moderate vigor Sierra Recent/Trial Mid-Late Medium Light blue Firm Excellent Moderate Vigorous, Upright 75
Blueberry Varieties - Late Variety Standard or Season Fruit Size Fruit Fruit Flavor Yield Plant Recent/Trial Color Firmness Vigor/Stature Elliott* Standard Late Small Light blue Very Firm Good-Tart Very High Vigorous, Upright Jersey* Standard Late Medium Light blue Firm Good High Vigorous, Erect Lateblue Standard Late Medium Dark blue Firm Good-Tart Moderate Upright, Open Aurora Recent/Trial Late Medium Med. Blue Firm Good-Tart High Upright Liberty Recent/Trial Late Medium Med. Blue Firm Good High Upright 76
The Home Vineyard Gordon Johnson University of Delaware
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Peaches & Nectarines Freestone Cling Yellow White Yellow Nectarines White Nectarines Subacid vs standard Pillar vs standard Peento types
Varieties Season sequence Season extension Quality factors Taste, Texture Firmness Disease resistance Bacterial spot End use Specialty types Nursery sources Recommended varieties
Main season I Redhaven Period Salem John Boy White Lady Klondike White
Main Season II Loring Contender Sugar Giant Bounty
Plums European and Japanese types Many require cross pollination With variety selection can harvest similar period to peaches Similar culture to peaches but are pruned differently
Japanese Plum Varieties Methley Early (July) Au Amber Early Golden Methley Shiro Au Rosa Santa Rosa Mid Season (August) Black Amber Satsuma Vanier Queen Rosa Fortune Black Ruby Red Ace Redheart Ozark Premier Formosa Late (September) Elephant Heart Ruby Queen Friar South Dakota
European Plum Varieties Stanley Earliblue July 24 Castleton - August 3 Mohawk August 10 Richards Early Italian August 15 Green Gage August 15 Stanley - August 21 Brooks August 21 Valor August 21 Long John August 23 Victory Plum August 23 Bluefre August 28 Italian September 5 Vision Plum - September 2 President - September 12
Cherry Types
Sour Cherry Varieties Balaton Jubileum Danube Montmorency Surefire Balaton Northstar Danube
Sweet Cherry Varieties Ulster Emperor Francis Summit Kristin Ulster Black Gold Schmidt's Bigarreau Lapins Hedelfingen Sweetheart Hudson Regina Cavalier Chelan Index Sam Benton Glacier Nelson Skeena Attika Whitegold (light) Stardust (light) Emperor Francis (yellow) Gold (yellow)
Apricots Very susceptible to frost damage crop is often lost due to early bloom Use NJ new varieties Sugar Pearls Similar culture to peaches but are pruned differently
Apples, Pears, and Asian Pears Pome Fruits Gordon Johnson University of Delaware
Yellow Transparent - July 2 Yellow Transparent Perrine - July 2 Lodi - July 4 Pristine - July 10 William's Pride - July 15 Summer Apples July and August. Pristine Redfree - August 5 (1) Ginger Gold - August 12 (10) Zestar - August 15 Dandee Red - August 15 Sansa - August 15 Silken Mollies Delicious - August 22 (10) Summer Mac - August 22 Summer Rambo - August 25 (5) Jonamac - August 26 Star Gala - August 26 (25) Fulford Gala - August 26
Fall Apples I Early September Honeycrisp Crimson Gala - September 2 Gale Gala - September 2 Marshall McIntosh September 5 Northwest Greening September 5 Honeycrisp - September 10 Rogers Red McIntosh - September 10 Daybreak Fuji - September 10 Improv. Red Jonathan Sept. 10 (1) Pioneer Mac September 11 Crimson Crisp September 15 Crimson Gold September 15 Cortland - September 15 Royal Court September 15 Ruby Jon September 15
Fall Apples II Late September Jonagold De Coster Macoun September 17 Liberty - September 17 Crimson Topaz September 17 Acey Mac September 20 Jersey Red - September 20 Spartan - September 20 Super Chief Red Delic.- Sept. 20 (1) Ace Spur Red Delicious Sept. 20 (1) Ambrosia - September 20 Jonagold De Coster Sept. 20 (15) Acey Mac - September 20 Golden Delicious - September 24 (1) Galarina - September 25 Snow Sweet September 25 Grimes Golden - September 26 (1) Crown Empire - September 28 (10) Royal Empire - September 28 (10)
Fall Apples III October Suncrisp Fortune (NY 429) - October 1 Freedom - October 1 Hampshire Mac - October 1 Shizuka - October 4 Idared - October 4 Melrose - October 4 Autumn Gala - October 4 Northern Spy - October 6 Lady - October 6 Smokehouse - October 6 Virginia Gold - October 10 Cameo - October 10 Law Rome Beauty - October 12 Nittany - October 12 Albemarle Pippen - October 13 Mutsu - October 14 (1) Suncrisp - October 16 Snapp Stayman - October 20 (1) Red Yorking - October 20 (15) Ramey York - October 20 (15) Red Winesap - October 24 (15) Enterprise - October 24 Fuji (Red Sport #2) - October 25 (1) Red Rome 262 - October 26 (15)
Fall Apples IV - Late Goldrush Braeburn - November 1 (10/15) Arkansas Black - November 3 (10/15) Autumn Rose Fuji - November 4 (10/20) Granny Smith - November 8 (10/15) Goldrush - November 10 (10/28) Pink Lady - November 14 (10/28)
European Pear Varieties Beurre D Anjou Moonglow Magness Blakes Pride
Asian Pears Fertility requirements not high. Adapted to a range of: Soils. Climates. Fewer pest problems than other tree fruits.
Fireblight Resistance Highly resistant Shinko Moderately resistant Chojuro Shinsei Korean Giant Yoinashi