Here is a great blog with some good links. People use kitchen gardens either as a hobby, to feel some closeness with nature, to get some food that they are sure is free from chemicals, or generally to supplement their grocery purchases with some self-grown vegetables. This blog (link) talks more about self-sufficiency through the purpose of a garden.
As a result, you learn more about how to grow a garden more suited for growing more food (in these times of recession, would you rather have a garden with a large extent of green lawn, or the same space being used for growing vegetables? - a lawn might look more aesthetic, but a garden built on the process of self-sufficiency would be more useful). You read the whole research paper on this subject, built around efforts in Melbourne. Here are some extracts from the article:

Community food security has emerged as a key response to broader environmental and socio-political issues. This research paper explores an important aspect - the ability of community members in the metropolitan Melbourne area to grow their own food and beneficial herbs, plants of self-sufficiency or productive value, while practicing sustainable gardening methods.
The research found a large majority of respondents believed there were increasing community trends toward self sufficient gardening and sustainable gardening. The research findings discovered substantial evidence of diverse educational opportunities. It found confirmation on communal and individual benefits of self-sufficient gardening, and some setbacks to healthy growth in Melbourne’s gardens.

While browsing and looking for some tips about growing kitchen vegetables, I found this excellent article. It takes a look at how to grow 10 common vegetables with relation to the amount of sun / shade needed, and changed a few of the impressions that I had; I also learned something new from this article (link). Some of the things I learned were:
- You really don’t need your vegetable patch to have full sun all the time
- The amount of sun required depends on the type of vegetables; if you are growing a vegetable from which you harvest the fruit or the root, then you need full sun; if you are growing a vegetable from which you take leaves, the stem or buds, then it is fine to grow them in some shade
- You cannot grow vegetables in full shade, you need some sun
- You need to research about which vegetables need how much shade, since you may have over-looked that the small shaded area that you otherwise overlooked could be useful to grow a specific vegetable
Here is an extract from the article:

The following crops will produce with three to six hours of sun, or fairly constant dappled shade, per day.
Salad Greens, such as leaf lettuce, arugula, endive, and cress.
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Peas
Beets
Brussels Sprouts
Radishes
Swiss Chard
Leafy Greens, such as collards, mustard greens, spinach, and kale
Beans

The previous article was about growing tomatoes in containers. But suppose you have the space to grow tomatoes in soil, and want to figure out what all you need to do to get a healthy output. There is plenty of information that would help you in this process; after all, you need to know about which types of tomatoes, what are the pests and blights that could affect your plants, what is the best type of soil, what is the amount of watering and sunlight that should be given to the plants, and so on. Further, if you get tips and points that you should avoid doing, those will help you a lot. Here is the link to an article that should help you in this regard:

# Good first-time growers’ varieties include Better Boy, Creole, Big Boy, Early Girl, Brandywine, Celebrity, Lemon Boy, or just about any cherry or grape tomato variety.
# Plant several varieties rather than all of one type– this ensures a steady harvest. As a rule of thumb, it’s good to have two plants for each member of the family who will eat tomatoes. If you plan on canning or making salsa, use up to four plants per person.
# Prepare the garden bed by adding lots of compost (5 to 8 pounds per square foot/25 to 40 kilograms per square meter) to the soil. Turn compost into the top 3 inches (6 to 8 cm). Tomatoes demand a growing medium rich in organic matter. If you don’t make your own compost, use store-bought compost or composted manure available in the 40-pound bags. Compost or Manure is usually less than US$5 per 40-pound bag.

The referred article provides help from the process of selecting the tomato plant / seed, and then goes onto providing an estimate of how many plants you should have. You learn about the tomato spacing, watering, providing fertilizer, support for the growing plant, when to pick the tomato, warnings and things to avoid, etc.

Trying to grow some juicy tomatoes ? Can’t resist the temptation to have some bright red juicy tomatoes growing on a vine and then to cut them in your kitchen, savoring the pleasure ? And of course, you really don’t have the outdoor space to grow tomatoes properly in soil ? Well, fear not. There are plenty of resources dedicated to helping you grow tomatoes even though you do not have soil on the ground and would like to grow them in containers. Here is the link to an article that provides many more details on what you should do to get such a garden:

* Plant tomatoes such as cherry or Roma varieties that have smaller fruit, which do best with the upside down hanging tomato growing method.
* If you don’t like the look of a five gallon bucket, you can also purchase planters specifically made for hanging tomatoes.
* Be sure to pick a solid place and use a good strong hook or other means from which to hang your tomato plants; each planter will weigh between 35 and 40 pounds.
* Plant your hanging tomato plants in spring (between late April and early June depending on how far north you are located) so that you can enjoy fresh tomatoes all through the growing season.

The article takes you through details on how you can set up your container for growing the tomatoes, get the required soil (with the additives that you would need for this purpose), and so on. And of course, you can go and search for more details on how to grow tomatoes in containers (also refer to previous articles on this site).

So you went ahead and decided to grow tomatoes, having been allured by the thought of growing some beautiful tomatoes that you can admire while they are growing, and then enjoy in your kitchen - there is a different sort of feeling that you get when growing your own food, especially something as attractive as a tomato.
And then disaster; the tomato is struck by pests, or by some sort of blight, or does not grow at all. And then you need to go looking for help, for somebody to tell you what can be the problem. So, here is a link to a resource that should be able to help you grow your tomatoes better.
It is a short guide, but one that tells you about the basics of growing tomatoes, as well as why tomatoes can get sick. You also get to know about organic treatments for some of these problems. In the end, you get a listing of disease resistant tomato varieties, and also a listing of the favorite varieties of the tomato. Here’s the link to the article:

If you’re new to tomato gardening, you should note that the key to avoiding problems with your tomatoes is to grow them under the healthiest conditions possible. This involves proper watering, sunlight, air circulation, and good quality soil with plenty of organic material mixed in. There are also a variety of organic fertilizers out there to give your tomatoes an extra advantage.
Tomatoes can suffer attacks by bugs, fungi, viruses, or bacteria. Tomatoes also suffer stress due to environmental conditions such as excessive cold, heat, sunlight or moisture. Some problems are associated with deficiencies in certain nutrients. Tomatoes can pick up diseases through contaminated soil, the air, through rain or irrigation water that carry fungal spores, or through insects that carry a disease.

Growing vegetables in 5 gallon buckets is a good option for people who have constraints or do not have space for a regular kitchen garden. A whole lot of items can be grown in 5 gallon containers (or other sized containers) similar to growing in a kitchen garden easily. So, for example, the following are a sample of the vegetables that can be grown in containers:
- Vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers will readily adapt to growing in containers.

What is the process you should use:
- Stab a dozen holes in the bottom of your five-gallon bucket with a nail or screwdriver, then pour in a couple of inches of mulch in the bottom; mulch will help keep the water drained properly and prevent rot.
- Fill up the rest of the bucket with potting soil, leaving a two- to four-inch space at the top.
- Since the roots of the plants will be confined, be sure to water the plants as often as necessary to keep the soil from drying out.
- Get yourself a sturdy stake and embed it into the soil at a good enough depth that it will be able to hold up the weight of a fruit-laden plant. If necessary, set up small wire frames to provide support.
- They also sell “tomato cages,” which replace the stake with a metal mesh that fits in the top of the bucket and rises up into a cone, given the tomato plant more room to vine.
- Sprinkle a layer of mulch over the top of the exposed soil.
- If you’re growing indoors, select vegetables better suited for modest sunlight.
- Keep an eye on them for diseases and other such problems, including pests (although if you have pests inside your house, then you have bigger problems)
- If growing tomatos, choose determinate-type tomato plants rather than indeterminate ones. Determinate tomatoes will reach 3 to 5 feet high, where indeterminates will continue putting on new growth all summer.

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a long-lived perennial vegetable crop that is enjoyed by many gardeners. It can be productive for 15 or more years if given proper care. It’s a perennial, in the lily family and it lives for up to 30 years. You often see it in abandoned farmhouses; and it just keeps growing and producing.
Asparagus is one of the healthiest and tastiest veggies: A 5-ounce serving provides 60 percent of your daily needs for folic acid, a B vitamin linked to lower risk of birth defects and heart disease. It’s a good source of fiber, low in calories (20 per serving) and contains glutathione, a powerful cancer-fighting antioxidant.
Asparagus grows in almost any soil as long as it has good internal drainage. Asparagus roots do not like waterlogged soils that will lead to root rot. It prefers a soil pH of 6.5-7.5., and will not do well if the pH is less than 6.0. Have the soil tested to determine phosphorus and potassium needs; or add 20 lbs of a 10-20-10 or similar analysis fertilizer per 1,000 square feet, tilled to a 6 inch depth before planting.
Asparagus is very hungry and needs plenty of organic matter such as cow manure, or sheep manure. Scatter it thickly down the bottom of the trench because they will absolutely lap that up. Choose a site with good drainage and full sun. The tall ferns of asparagus may shade other plants, so plan accordingly. Prepare the bed as early as possible and enrich it with additions of manure, compost, bone or blood meal, leaf mold, wood ashes, or a combination of several of these.
To double-dig, remove the top foot of soil from the planting area. Then, with a spading fork or spade, break up the subsoil by pushing the tool into the next 10 to 12 inches of soil and rocking it back and forth. Do this every 6 inches or so. Double digging is ideal for the trench method of planting asparagus since a 12-inch-deep trench is usually dug anyway. The extra work of breaking up the subsoil will be well worth the effort, especially in heavy soil.
An economical way to grow Asparagus is by seed, or with seedlings. If you do grow them that way then after planting leave for about two or three years for a strong root system to develop. Don’t pick any of the crop, just let it grow naturally. Another way to grow them is by using the Asparagus crown, with its long, fleshy roots. As asparagus plants grow, they produce a mat of long, tubular roots that spreads horizontally rather than vertically. This one-year-old root system is called the asparagus crown. Choose rust resistant varieties like “Mary Washington” and the “Jersey” varieties, Crowns should be of a grayish-brown color, plump and healthy-looking. Remove any rotted roots before planting. The crown of the Asparagus is where the spears will grow.
Asparagus requires lots of space. Crowns should be planted every foot or so in rows 4to 5 feet apart. Asparagus roots spread a long way so leave free an area of 75cm (2ft 6in) around the edge of planted bed. Water regularly, especially while young. Top dress annually with compost or mulch. Keep the patch free of competing weeds. Hand weeding is best. With this in mind it may be best to mulch the area to stop weeds. Asparagus is also susceptible to late spring frosts, which kill emerging spears Take care to keep your asparagus bed covered until frost danger is past.
Though they look luscious, don’t harvest any asparagus spears the first year you plant, or you’ll exhaust the food supply in the crowns. Be patient and wait till year two, then harvest judiciously. Your patience and willpower will help your crowns produce even more spears in subsequent years. As the weather warms up, you may be picking twice a day.
In the third year, begin harvesting spears that are finger-sized and about 8″ long. You can either snap off the spears are cut them with a knife. Harvest for about 4 weeks the first year. In subsequent years you can harvest until the weather warms and the spears look spindly. Then allow the foliage to grow and feed the plants.

Dry edible beans, or field beans, come in a wide variety of market classes, including kidney bean, navy bean, pinto bean, and black bean. These beans, although differing in the size and coloring of the seed, are all just different types of a single species, Phaseolus vulgaris L. Originally domesticated in Central and South America over 7000 years ago, dry beans moved their way northward through Mexico and spread across most of the continental U.S. These beans were commonly grown with corn, and sometimes squash.
Beans prefer warm weather and should not be grown in cooler climates. These crops should be grown in sites receiving full sun in well-drained, fertilized soil. Preparing the soil with compost and manure before planting is highly recommended. Beans should not be planted until all danger of frost has passed, usually about a week after the last frost in spring. Most beans combine well with other crops that are grown in the garden; for more successful results growing beans, you’ll need to choose the proper variety and follow the growing requirements that are suited to your particular area. Dry beans usually take longer to mature and are best when grown in warmer climates. Navy beans are the most commonly grown dry bean.
Most dry beans require at least 90 to 100 days to mature, provided limiting factors don’t impede growth. A May 15 planting should be ready to harvest in September, a June 15 planting in mid-October. Once the beans have matured and the leaves are well yellowed, a light frost won’t hurt but a hard freeze will damage beans which still have too high a water content. Beans have restricted root systems. They grow best in nearly neutral soils of good fertility and do not always respond well to fertilizer.
Beans should not be grown more than once, or twice at most, on the same land without other crops being grown in rotation. Rotations help control weeds, discourage diseases, protect soil from erosion, reduce insect populations, and rejuvenate soil organic matter–a valuable source of nitrogen. Beans may be rotated with most any kind of crop, but grass-legume combinations (sod crops) are the only ones that really accumulate much organic nitrogen. All row crops, including beans, cause destruction of organic matter. Three or more years of beans result in a serious soil deterioration.
Dry beans are grown in rows to match the type of equipment available for planting, cultivation, and harvest. Maximum yields are obtained from broadcast planting where the ground is completely covered by the crop. Beans need adequate moisture; water bean plants about once a week or more frequently during dry weather. The use of organic mulches, such as straw, grass clippings, or composted leaves will help to retain moisture and control weeds. Beans grow best in a loose, friable, well-aerated soil. Avoid crusting of the surface especially at seedling emergence time because beans must push their big cotyledons through the soil (as opposed to corn which pushes through only a spear-pointed shoot).
Sow seeds outdoors after all threat of frost has passed and the soil temperature has reached at least 55 degrees F. Seeds should be an inch deep and two to three inches apart in rows three to four feet apart. Make sure beans get about an inch of water a week, a little more when pods are developing. Don’t overwater, though - too much water causes more damage than too little.
Leave dry beans on the plant until the seeds are hard and the pods dry. Dry beans should not be harvested until they are thoroughly matured and the beans become hard. Bite one to determine hardness. You will barely be able to dent a bean of proper dryness. Harvesting when soft invites molding. To help avoid this, let beans cure for 3 days after pulling. Or put them on a scaffold under cover for 2 to 3 weeks before threshing. Threshing may be done anytime after the pods are crisp and the beans are firm or hard to bite.
Pull dry beans by hand and place the bunches upside down with the roots in the air for 2 to 3 days. Just let them air dry throughly, before putting them in an airtight container. It is a very good idea to ‘Pasturize’ your harvest by putting it in the deep freeze for a few days. As long as the beans are dry this won’t hurt them, and it will kill the eggs of any insect pests that might remain after harvest. If you are afraid they might not be dry enough, freeze a few of them first, and see if it goes okay. If you are saving them for seed, you may wish to germination test the seeds from your freeze test.

Problems: Wet soils early in the season delay planting. Too much rain at any time, or poor soil drainage, will lead to root rots. Hot humid weather will lead to the devastating leaf blight diseases. Rainy weather after the pods have dried or during harvest will cause serious molding problems.

The bean is a tender, warm season vegetable that ranks second to tomato in popularity in home gardens. Green bush beans were formerly called “string beans” because fiber developed along the seams of the pods. Plant breeders have reduced these fibers through selection and green beans are now referred to as “snap beans.”
Green beans are several inches long and either round or flattened in shape. Most varieties are green, but you’ll also find purple, red, yellow and streaked varieties. Green beans are eaten while still immature. They are picked young and tender, before the seeds inside have fully developed. Most popular varieties have been bred to have stringless pods, but many gardeners prefer the flavor of the old-fashioned ‘string’ types.
Many varieties of snap beans exist, ranging from Roma string beans to Bush Blue Lake string beans to Royal Burgundy snap beans, but these varieties can be grown year-round so long as the weather isn’t too hot or cold.
Beans grow best on well-drained soils. Avoid highly acid soils as this will cause magnesium deficiency. Symptoms include scorched leaves, stunting and lack of flowers. Counteract by applying lime to the soil. Poor germination results from planting too early in cold soil, planting too deep (>30 mm) or mechanical seed damage. Sow seeds in moist soil and avoid watering until germination.
Snap beans are warm-season vegetables and should be planted after the danger of frost is past. Bean seeds should be planted 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep. Beans like a moderately rich soil with a slightly acidic pH of about 6.0 to 6.2. They prefer a loose, moist soil.
Seeds of most varieties tend to crack and germinate poorly if the soil’s moisture content is too high. For this reason, never soak bean seed before planting. Instead water just after planting or plant right before a heavy rain. Water the pIants about once a week in dry weather. Do not let the soil get dry while the beans are blooming or the blooms will drop and yields will be decreased. Beans have shallow roots and frequent shallow cultivation and hoeing are necessary to control small weeds and grasses. Because bean plants have fairly weak root systems, deep, close cultivation injures the plant roots, delays harvest and reduces yields.
Snap beans should be harvested frequently and thoroughly. Leaving mature pods on the plant will decrease yields. The bean plant will divert much of its energy into seed development rather than additional crop production. Harvest snap beans when the pods are young, firm, and the seeds are small.

Q&A: Propagating Ornamental Sweet Potatoes
Question: This summer I grew several ornamental sweet potato vines in containers. I’ve replaced them with fall annuals, and now have a couple of
beautiful, large potatoes. Can I save them for next year? How do I propagate more plants from them?

Answer: A freshly harvested sweet potato has a tender skin that bruises easily. Damaged roots will decay in storage. Allow the harvested potatoes to
dry for a few hours and then spread them on a tray lined with newspaper, hay or sawdust. Place them in a dry, warm area (about 80-85 degrees for 10-14 days). This will “cure” them and set the skins so they store better. They should be stored in a cool (55-60 degrees) dry place. Sweet potatoes treated this way will store for several months. Remove any roots that show signs of deterioration or decay. Next spring, lay the sweet potatoes on their sides in a hotbed about a month before the nighttime temperatures stay above 60 degrees F. Cover the sweet potato roots with 2 inches of moist sand and keep the hotbed between 75 degrees and 80 degrees F. When the sprout develop, remove them with a twisting tug and pot them up for rooting and growing into new plants. Additional transplants (slips) will form from the bedded sweet potatoes if you leave it in place. The vine segments can also be rooted if you wish to make more plants than the above method provides.