Vegetable Plant Care Instructions

Tomatoes: Plant and trellis your tomatoes in a sunny location with well-draining soil just below the bottom leaf.  In optimal conditions, tomatoes can grow 10 feet. Allow plants to partially dry before watering to avoid unwanted disease. Plant basil between your tomato plants to get a sweeter tomato. Trim off all “suckers” of the tomato to ensure quality fruit on your tomato plant. A sucker is the small shoot that develops between the main stem and individual branches. As your plant grows, remove bottom leaves to give your plants more airflow.

​Cucumbers: Plant and trellis cucumbers in well-drained soil and in full sun.  Cucumber plants can reach up to 12 feet.  Allow your cucumbers to partially dry before watering.  Watch for Squash Bugs and Cucumber Beetles which can damage your plant and fruit. We recommend using a hand vacuum to collect the pests and remove them to a bucket of soapy water. Utilize companion plants such as nasturtium and marigold to ward off pests.

Peppers: Plant your peppers in a sunny location with well-draining soil. Pepper plants can grow up to 4 feet tall. Pinch off the first 2-3 sets of flowers until the plant is large enough to sustain the weight of a pepper.  Trim off all but 3 main stems to grow large peppers that ripen faster. To avoid trellising, you may pinch off the top of your peppers to encourage bushier, heartier plants.

Zucchini: Zucchini can produce for approximately 1 month once it is full size. The flowers of the zucchini are edible, but ensure that you have pollination before removing them so that the fruit will fully develop.  Zucchini is susceptible to Squash Bugs and does not often survive in the hot summer months.  Plant in full sun.

Cabbage: Cabbage is a long term crop that is a heavy feeder (requires more nutrients than other plants) and likes well-drained soil. Cabbage is susceptible to the Cabbage Moth which means little caterpillars may enjoy your harvest before you do. To protect this plant from pests, we recommend using a row cover, available from most garden centres. Try adding dill as a companion plant to vegetables in the brassica family as it acts as a repellent to many pests.

Kale: Kale is a giving producer.  Once the leaves get to a nice size, start harvesting the bottom leaves all season long. Kale likes well-drained soil and full sun.  Kale is susceptible to the Cabbage Moth which can eat the leaves of the kale.  We recommend using row cover, available from most garden centres.

Planting Tip for all vegetables: Use Bone Meal and Blood Meal to feed your plants and prevent transplant shock.  Put in the base of hole that you are planting the vegetable plant in.