Basil

* For better leaf production of your basil try pinching-off the top of the  plant. This will force it to branch developing more delicious greenery.

Carrots

* For sweeter carrots try leaving them in the ground for at least 3-4 months, but be sure to harvest before heavy frost.

Coriander

* Beneficial insects such as Ladybugs and Wasps love coriander, so plant plenty!

Cucumbers

* Cucumbers, Melons and Squash all require lots of water. Be sure to plant them close to an available water source.

* Are your cucumbers bitter? Bitterness in cucumbers is a genetic trait, passed down through each generation. The cucurbitacins responsible for the bitter taste are concentrated in the ends of the cucumber, so try taking slices from the middle, or better yet, switch to a different variety.

* Open for one day only, cucumber flowers require as many as 20 insect visits before they are adequately pollinated to produce fruit. Wow!

* Too many cucumbers all at once? Substitute for tomatoes in your favourite salsa recipe, or add them to a stir fry with other fresh vegetables. You will be surprised at their versatility.

* When pickling cornichons, a sprig of tarragon in the jar makes a wonderful and tasty accompaniment.

Eggplant

* Don’t wait too long to harvest your eggplant. Choose glossy fruits that spring back when touched. Overripe eggplant becomes bitter, bitter , bitter – yuck!

Herbs

* Culinary herbs are also tasty to beneficial insects, so plant plenty for a healthy garden.

Lettuce

* Always harvest lettuce first thing in the early morning in order to retain crispness.

* Most leaf lettuce is at its peak in flavour and texture when the outer leaves reach no more than 5” (12cm) high.

* Too much lettuce to eat all at once? We hang our surplus to dry, upside down just like corn. It reduces to brittle green flakes, great to toss into soups and stir-frys during those cold vitamin-lacking winter months. (This method does not work well with iceberg varieties)

Marigolds

* Use marigolds to add saffron-like colour to foods, such as butter.

* Researchers have concluded that Marigold fed chickens produce eggs whose yolks contain an enhanced amount of lutein. Lutein helps prevent cataracts.

Melons

* Caution! Do not give mature melon plants too much water. It will dilute the sugar content of the fruit, and even cause it to split open in the field.

Mustard Greens

* For a yummy vegetable dish, boil fresh Mustard Greens until tender (and any bitterness has been removed). Drain, then add them to a pan with sautéed cubes of bacon and continue to fry with a bit of freshly chopped garlic. Mustard Greens will become your new vegetable of choice!

Okra

* What to do with all that Okra? How about a Caribbean “Callaloo” stew!

Oregano

* Try not to over-fertilize Oregano. It’s potency will be diminished if too well fed!

Peas

* Prevent pea root rot before it starts by adding extra compost to the soil. Compost provides better drainage, fertility and increased beneficial microorganisims.

* Be sure to pick peas as often as possible so that the plants will continue to produce

Peppers

* Tired of end rot on your prized peppers? Try adding some calcium (such as egg shells) to the soil.

* If  burnt by a chilli’s heat, immediately drink milk, or eat yoghurt (or even better, ice-cream). The fat molecules in dairy products act quickly to overcome the heat.

* Did you know that the capsaicin oil found in hot peppers causes endorphins to be released in the brain promoting a temporary sense of euphoria. Pass the hot sauce, baby!

Pumpkin

* Does your pet have a tummy ache? Feed them some cooked, mashed pumpkin to help with digestion and stomach acid.

* The World’s largest pumpkin was grown in the summer of 2003 by Steve Deletas of Canby, Oregon. It’s weight was a whopping 1,385 pounds! Way to go, Steve!

Rocket

* Try using Arugula as a companion plant to deter garden pests. Although not scientifically proven, it has been found to reduce insect damage to other plants in its immediate vicinity.

Soy Beans

* Deer are attracted to soybeans with the same passion as racoons are to corn. Be on the look out!

Summer Squash

* World Record for the longest zucchini was set in 2003 by Sher Singh Kanwal who produced a 6 foot, 4 inch fruit! Wow!

Sweet Corn

* There is no full-proof method for keeping fresh picked Sweet Corn at its peak, but it can be stored for a short time in the refrigerator by placing the bottom end of each cob in an inch of water.

Swiss Chard

* Tired of using Swiss Chard as a Spinach substitute? Try cutting the young leaves into thin 1/2 inch strips and add them to the pot at the end of cooking chicken noodle soup. Our children love them this way and have come to consider Swiss Chard as part of the “noodle food group”.

Tomatoes

* Tomatoes and Beans can get by with less water than other garden vegetables

* World Record for the largest tomato was set in 1986 by Gordon Graham who produced a 7 lb, 12 oz whopper! But what did it taste like, I wonder?

*  Researchers have found that seaweed extract can increase root mass and the ability of tomato plants to endure cooler weather.

* Providing too much nitrogen to your tomato plants will result in heaps of foliage and few tomatoes.

* Excellent tomatoes can be grown by simply supplying: a spot in full sun, lots of organic matter, space to grow, support, and consistent watering.

Watermelons

* When a watermelon’s ground-belly turns yellow or cream coloured, then it is ready for picking

* The “tapping test” for watermelon ripeness only works first thing in the morning while the fruit is still on the vine – listen for a dull thud sound. Once picked, tapping melons in the grocery store gives little indication of anything, other than your ability to carry a rhythm!

Winter Squash

* Too many squash blossoms? Try stuffing them with mozzarella and fresh herbs, then lightly batter and fry.

* Powdery mildew got your squash leaves looking like a snow-covered day in December? Try spraying plants with a mixture of; 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4tsp vegetable oil and 2 litres of slightly warm water.

What is a Scoville Heat Unit?

It is the alkaloid called capsaicin contained in the glands of the chilli pepper that makes it hot. Back in 1912, Wilbur Scoville tested the hotness of a pepper by diluting samples of puréed chilli peppers with enough sugar water so that the human taste-bud could just feel a slight burn on the tongue. This means, for example, that it takes 1,000 teaspoons of sugar water to dilute 1 teaspoon of Black Czechoslovakian chilli pepper purée to the point of slight burn acknowledgment. Therefore, the Black Czech pepper receives a rating of 1,000 Scoville Heat Units. Bear in mind, however, that depending on geography and climate, two chillies of the same variety can produce varying Scoville results. Likewise, chillies on the very same plant show fluctuation in heat intensity, with the hottest fruit being at the bottom of the plant, closest to the earth.