Louisiana Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations 1 Table of Contents Artichokes ............................................................................................................4 Asparagus ............................................................................................................5 Beets .....................................................................................................................7 Beans, Butter (Lima) – Bush and Pole...............................................................8 Beans, Snap – Bush and Pole .............................................................................9 Broccoli .............................................................................................................10 Cabbage .............................................................................................................12 Cabbage, Chinese ..............................................................................................13 Cantaloupes and Honeydews ..........................................................................14 Carrots ..............................................................................................................17 Cauliflower ........................................................................................................18 Corn, Sweet ......................................................................................................19 Cucumbers ........................................................................................................21 Eggplants ...........................................................................................................23 Garlic .................................................................................................................25 Greens (Collard, Kale, Mustard, Turnip) .........................................................27 Lettuce and Endive ..........................................................................................29 Okra ...................................................................................................................31 Onions (Bulb and Green) ................................................................................32 Parsley ................................................................................................................35 Peas, English and Edible Pea Pods (Green, Snow, Sugar Snap, Sweet) .........36 Peas, Southern (Black-eyed, Cream, Crowder, Purple Hull) ........................37 Mechanical Harvest Southern Peas for Fresh Market .............................39 Peppers, Bell .....................................................................................................40 Peppers, Hot and Other Peppers ....................................................................43 Potatoes, Irish ...................................................................................................46 Potatoes, Sweet ................................................................................................48 Pumpkins ..........................................................................................................50 Shallots ..............................................................................................................52 Spinach ..............................................................................................................53 Squash (Acorn, Butternut, Yellow, Zucchini) ...................................................55 Strawberries .....................................................................................................58 Tomatoes ..........................................................................................................62 Watermelons ....................................................................................................66 Watermelons, Triploid .....................................................................................69 No endorsement is intended for products mentioned, nor is criticism meant for products not mentioned. 2 Table 1. Number of Feet of Row per Table 2. Number of Rows 200 Feet Long Required to Acre at Various Row Spacings Make an Acre (200 ft x 218 ft = 1 acre) Distance Between Feet of Row Per Distance Between Number of 200-ft Rows per Rows in Inches Acre Rows in Inches Acre 30 17,424 30 87 36 14,520 36 73 38 13,756 38 69 40 13,068 40 65 42 12,445 42 62 45 11,618 45 58 48 10,890 48 54 52 10,060 52 50 60 8,712 60 44 70 7,468 70 37 72 7,260 72 36 80 6,534 80 33 84 6,223 84 31 96 5,445 96 27 108 4,840 108 24 120 4,356 120 22 144 3,633 144 18 Table 3. Conversion of Fertilizer Rates from Pounds per Acre to Pounds per 100 Feet of Row for Various Size Rows. Fertilizer Rates (pounds/Acre) Distance Between Distance Between Conversion Factor1 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 Rows In Inches Rows In Feet (lbs./A -> lbs. /100’) (Pounds/100’) 30 2.50 .006 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.4 3.0 3.6 4.2 4.8 5.4 6.0 36 3.00 .007 0.7 1.4 2.1 2.8 3.5 4.2 4.9 5.6 6.3 7.0 38 3.16 .007 0.7 1.4 2.1 2.8 3.5 4.2 4.9 5.6 6.3 7.0 40 3.33 .008 0.8 1.6 2.4 3.2 4.0 4.8 5.6 6.4 7.2 8.0 42 3.50 .008 0.8 1.6 2.4 3.2 4.0 4.8 5.6 6.4 7.2 8.0 45 3.75 .009 0.9 1.8 2.7 2.7 4.5 5.4 6.3 7.2 8.1 9.0 48 4.00 .009 0.9 1.8 2.7 2.7 4.5 5.4 6.3 7.2 8.1 9.0 52 4.33 .010 1.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 60 5.00 .011 1.1 2.2 3.3 3.3 5.5 6.6 7.7 8.8 9.9 11.0 70 5.83 .013 1.3 2.6 3.9 5.2 6.5 7.8 9.1 10.4 11.7 13.0 72 6.00 .014 1.4 2.8 4.2 5.6 7.0 8.4 9.8 11.3 12.6 14.0 80 6.67 .015 1.5 3.0 4.5 6.0 7.5 9.0 10.5 12.0 13.5 15.0 84 7.00 0.16 1.6 3.2 4.8 6.4 8.0 9.6 11.2 12.8 14.4 16.0 96 8.00 0.18 1.8 3.6 5.4 7.2 9.0 10.8 12.6 14.4 16.2 18.0 108 9.00 .021 2.1 4.2 6.3 8.4 10.5 12.6 14.7 16.8 18.9 21.0 120 10.00 0.23 2.3 4.6 6.9 9.2 11.5 13.8 16.1 18.4 20.7 23.0 144 12.00 0.28 2.8 5.6 5.4 11.2 14.0 16.8 19.6 22.4 25.2 28.0 1Conversion Factor = Distance Between Rows in Feet x 100 feet Example: 600 lbs. 8-24-24/A —> 5.4 lbs. 8-24-24/ 100’ 43560 sq. ft./acre of 48” row lbs. /A x Conversion Factor = lbs. / 100 feet of row 600 x .009 = 5.4 3 Artichokes Botanical Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Number of Seeds/Pound: 10,000 to 11,000 (625 to Preplant fertilizer: Apply 40 to 80 pounds of nitrogen, 90 685/ounce) to 150 pounds of phosphorus and 90 to 150 pounds of potassium per acre preplant. Sidedress with 30 to 50 Plants/Acre: 1,200 to 2,100 plants/acre pounds of nitrogen per acre in early February and again in Number of plants per acre will depend on row size and early March. plant spacing. Example: 600 to 800 lb of 8-24-24 per acre preplant. Sidedress with 100 to 150 lb of 34-0-0 Seeding Rate/Acre: 4 to 5 ounces per acre in February and again in March. Spacing: 3 to 4 feet between plants Common Problems: Lack of seed of other varieties Artichokes will develop into large plants. Rows at 60 to in small quantites. The seed of the variety Imperial Star 72 to 80 inches wide and a 3- to 4-foot spacing between is the most commonly available. Seed of other varieties plants is recommended. Artichokes require good drainage. in small quantities is not readily available. Irrigation is Rows 8 to 10 inches high are recommended. critical for the success of artichokes. Water stress in the choke development stage results in fibrous, tough chokes Planting Arrangement: Artichokes are generally that are of poor quality. The addition of organic matter grown as perennials in California. Successes with perennial helps to reduce water stress in the artichokes. Phyllids, plantings of artichokes are limited. Louisiana’s hot Leafhoppers. Hard freezes during the winter months summers, long periods of rain and wet soils often cause may kill the plants. Root rots. Short life of plants. Lack of the plants to die from root rot. The plants, however, can registered herbicides in Louisiana. be grown successfully in the state as an annual. Planted in the fall, they grow during the winter and produce in the Recommended Herbicides: spring. Temperatures in the teens for a number of hours will kill the plants. Preemergence Postemergence Kerb Glyphosate-various brands, hooded Transplanting Dates: Late September, October and sprayer, row middles Early November Gramoxone, Firestone, Parazone Kerb Transplants: It takes 8 to 12 weeks to produce Poast artichoke transplants from seed. Plant seed in June and Select, Clethodim, Arrow July to have transplants ready to plant in the fall. Large size cells, 2 to 4 inches in diameter, should be used for artichokes. Harvest Information: Artichokes are harvested when the buds reach maximum size (3 to 4 inches in diameter) Optimum Soil Temperature Range for and before the bracts begin to spread open. The terminal Germination: 70 to 80 degrees F bud is harvested first. Secondary and tertiary buds are harvested as they reach acceptable size (2¾ to 3 inches) Depth to Plant: ¼ to ½ inch in diameter. Artichokes are cut with a 3- to 4-inch stem remaining on the bud. Overmature buds turn purple Time to Germinate: 10 to 14 days inside, become bitter and woody. All insect, disease or mechanical damaged buds are removed in the field. Time from Planting to Harvest Begins: 120 to 150 days Post-harvest Handling: Artichokes are packed in the field in cartons by diameter size: 18s (>4½ inches); 24s (4 Recommended Varieties: to 4½ inches); 36s (3 ½ to 4 inches); 48s (3 to 3½ inches); Imperial Star and 60s (2¾ to 3 inches). The market prefers 24, 36 and Green Globe 48. Artichokes are cooled to 32 degrees F soon after Emerald harvest by forced-air cooling or hydro cooling. Recommended Soil pH & Fertilization: pH between Special Cultural Information: Only a limited volume 6.0 and 7.0, Ca=1,000 to 2,000 ppm, Mg = 100 to 200 of artichokes can be marketed successfully at farmers’ ppm. The addition of compost or manure 3 or 4 months markets. Mulching provides weed control and moisture before planting is recommended for the production of management. Drip irrigation and fertigation (injecting artichokes. The organic matter increases the water-holding nitrogen in water) can be used to enhance yields and capacity of the soil and improves the physical condition of quality. the soil. 4 Asparagus Botanical Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family) Seeding Rate/Acre: 6,000 to 10,000 crowns/A Number of crowns will vary according to width of row and plant spacing. The planting of crowns is the best way to establish a small planting. Purchase 1-year-old crowns. Spacing: 8 to 15 inches Planting Arrangements: Wide rows are essential for successful asparagus production. Space rows 60, 70 or 80 inches apart. Recommended Soil pH & Fertilization: pH = 6.0 to 6.5, Ca = 1,000 to 2,000 ppm, Mg = 100 to 200 ppm. Planting Dates: late December through early March. Planting date depends on the availability of crowns. New plantings — Plow down 50 lb of nitrogen and 50 to 100 lb of phosphorous and potassium per acre before Optimum Soil Temperature Range for planting. At planting, apply 50 lb of phosphorous per Germination: 60-85 degrees F acre in bottom of planting trench. About 2 months after planting, topdress with 30 to 50 lb of nitrogen per acre Depth to Plant Crowns: 6 to 8 inches. during cultivation. Broadcast 50 to 70 lb of nitrogen and 50 to 100 lb of phosphorous and potassium before the Time to Germinate: 2 to 4 weeks first cultivation the following spring after planting. Example: Plow down 350 to 400 lb of 13-13-13 Time from Planting to Harvest Begins: 1 to 2 years before planting. Apply 100 to 120 lb of triple super phosphate (0-46-0) in furrow at planting. Soil Types: Asparagus can be grown on many soil types, Topdress with 100 lb of 34-0-0/A 2 months but deep, sandy soils with good internal drainage are best. after planting. Topdress with 500 to 550 of 13- Sites with good air drainage are also desirable. Asparagus 13-13/A before the first cultivation the following will tolerate less-than-optimum soil conditions, but yields spring. are likely to be reduced, and the life of the planting will be shortened in these soils. Established Plantings — Topdress with 50 to 60 lb of nitrogen and 50 to 200 lb of phosphorous and potassium Recommended Varieties: each year before the harvest period. Sidedress with 50 lb of nitrogen after the harvest season. All Male Hybrid Example: Topdress with 500 to 550 lb of 13-13- Consists of all male plants, does not produce seeds. 13/A before the harvest period. Sidedress with Volunteer asparagus seedlings can become a serious 150 lb 34-0-0/A after the harvest season. problem in asparagus plantings. The all-male hybrid varieties have greater disease resistance and produce Common Problems: High cost of establishing a higher yields than open-pollinated varieties. planting. Control of perennial weeds in planting. Asparagus Jersey Giant beetle, grasshoppers, cutworms, thrips and aphids. Purple Passion Cercospora Leaf Spot, Asparagus Rust, Fusarium Crown Jersey Knight Rot. Lack of sufficient harvest labor. Limited volume Jersey Supreme that can be moved on local markets. Limited production Jersey King (trial plantings) information under Louisiana conditions available. Jersey Gem (trial plantings) Recommended Herbicides: Dioecious Hybrid Preemergence Consists of male and female plants. They have greater Karmex, Direx, Diuron disease resistance and produce higher yields than open- Sencor, Merti pollinated varieties. Lorox UC 157 - good heat tolerance, late production Devrinol Solicam Gramoxone, Parazone, Firestorm Sinbar Glyphosphate – various brands 5 No. 1 (stalk diameter not less than ½ inch) and U.S. No. Postemergence 2 (stalk diameter not less than 5/16 inch). There is no Glyphosphate – various brands minimum stalk length specified in the grades. Stalk length Fusilade DX in each container should be uniform. Stalk length may Poast be stated in connection with the grade as U.S. No. 1 at a Karmex, Direx, Diuron 8½ inch minimum. Grades also differ in color. Asparagus 2-4D Amine is packed in 15-, 16½ - and 30-lb wooden pyramid Devrinol containers. For maximum shelf life, stand asparagus butt Lorox end down in 1 inch of water in cold storage. Gramoxone, Firestone, Parazone Banvel Special Cultural Information: Elimination of Clethodim Select troublesome perennial weeds on the site before planting Sandea is necessary for a successful asparagus planting. Compost and/or animal manures should be applied to the site Harvest Information: Under good growing conditions, before planting to increase the organic matter content of a brief harvest period of 3 to 4 weeks (8 spears/crown) the soil. Several cover crops should be grown on the site is possible the first year after planting the crowns and a before planting. Good soil preparation is essential to be 6-week harvest period in the second year. In succeeding successful in establishing an asparagus planting. Transplants years, the harvest season can be extended to 6 to 8 can be used to establish plantings. The production of weeks. Stop harvesting anytime that more than 40 percent transplants involves a considerable amount of time and of the spears are smaller than a pencil (three-eighths effort. The objective during the first two years after inch in diameter). Asparagus spears emerge in 3 to 4 planting asparagus is to develop maximum fern growth to flushes during the cutting season. Harvest will be from build an extensive storage root system. Information on the late February to late April. Approximately two-thirds of commercial production of asparagus in Louisiana is limited. the production will be harvested during the first half of Yield depends on the amount of food materials stored the harvest season. Spears are snapped when they are 6 in the root system from the previous season’s fern growth. to 10 inches tall. Always harvest spears when the heads Harvesting asparagus for too long a period weakens the are tight before the tips start to “fern out.” Snapping is plant and reduces the time available for fern growth. faster and less expensive than cutting spears below the soil surface. Daily harvests are necessary during warm References: weather, and a harvest sequence of two or three times • Curwen, D. and others. 1989. Commercial Vegetable per week is used in cool weather. Two to four worker- Production in Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin hours/A for each picking are required to harvest an acre. Extension Bull. No. A3422. Regular irrigation during the cutting period will enhance • McCraw, D. and J.E. Motes. 1989. Fertilizing harvest. Good yields are 2,000-2,500 lb/A. Commercial Vegetables. OSU Extension Facts No. 6000. Oklahoma State Cooperative Extension Service. Post-harvest Handling: Asparagus loses quality rapidly • J.E. Motes and D. McCraw. 1989. Weed Control in once it is harvested. Protect harvested spears from the Vegetables. OSU Extension Facts. No. 6008. Oklahoma sun and move to cold storage. Remove field heat by State Cooperative Extension Service. hydrocooling or forced-air cooling. Asparagus can be • J.E. Motes. 1989. Personal Communications. stored for 2 to 3 weeks at 32 to 36 degrees F and 95 • Sandsted, R.F., D.A. Wilcox, T.A. Zittes and A.A. Muka. percent relative humidity. Asparagus Info. Bull. 202. A Cornell Cooperative Asparagus should be washed. All spears that are Extension Publication. crooked or that have open heads, broken tips or damage should be discarded. USDA grades for asparagus are U.S. 6 Beets Botanical Family: Chenopodiaceae (Goosefoot Family) Number of Seeds/Pound: 24,000-26,000 (1,600/ have a large water-soaked brown area near the center of ounce) the root. The plants are stunted and dwarf with smaller than normal variegated leaves (yellow to purplish-red Seeding Rate/Acre: 10-15 pounds: Seeding rate will blotches). Boron can be applied as a foliar spray by using depend on row size and number of drills per row. Solubor (1-1½ pound per 100 gal) or Borax (2 to 5 lb per 100 gal). Make 2 or 3 applications 7 to 10 days apart Spacing: 2 to 3 inches apart, (4-6 plants per foot). Beets starting 2 to 3 weeks after planting. are generally planted thickly (12-18 seeds per foot) and thinned. Precision seeding helps to get the correct spacing. Common Problems: Beets planted in cool weather Correctly spaced beets will reach marketable size sooner take a long time to reach marketable size. Failure to get than closely spaced beets. early stands because of high temperatures. Planting too thickly. Pointed, misshapen roots due to dry weather. Planting Arrangement: Beets should be grown on Sources of good-quality seed. Stress will cause white double-drill (spaced 10-12 inches apart) to obtain high rings in beets. Downy Mildew, Damping off, Alternaria yields. The use of a scatter shoe on a planter will help to and Cercospora. Worms, Mole Crickets, Vegetable Weevil, space out the seed. Cutworms, Wireworms, Web Worms, Cucumber Beetles, Flea Beetle, Aphids and Leafminers. Planting Dates: • Fall Crop — Plant late August-early October for Weed Control harvest in late November to January • Spring Crop — Plant in November-early January for Recommended Herbicides: harvest in late February to April Preemergence Postemergence Ro Neet Poast Optimum Soil Temperature Range for Germination: 50 to 85 degrees F Pyramin Select, Arrow, Clethodim Glyphosate – various brands, row Depth to Plant Seed: ½ to ¾ inch middles, hooded sprayer Aim – row middles, hooded sprayer Time to germinate: 7-14 days Stinger Spin-aid Time from Planting to Harvest Begin: 70-90 days Harvest Information: Beets are hand-pulled once they Recommended Varieties: reach 1½ inches in diameter. Beets are sold in the local market by the bunch, with 4 to 8 beets in a bunch. For the Hybrid Open pollinated shipping market, beets can be packed 12-24 bunches in a Chariot Detroit Dark Red wooden wire bound box or carton and top iced. Beets Centurion Ruby Queen roots can be topped and trimmed and packed in 25 or 50 Solo lb plastic bags. Red Ace A single-drill field should produce 500 to 600 dozen Scarlet Supreme bunches per acre, and a double-drilled precision-seeded field will produce 600 to 700 dozen bunches. Recommend Soil pH & Fertilization: pH 6.0-7.0, Beets can be harvested from a planting for 4 or 5 weeks. Ca 1500 -2000 ppm, Mg 100-300 ppm. Apply 30 to 50 lb of nitrogen preplant and 90 to 150 lb of phosphorus and Post-Harvest Handling — Beets with tops can be kept for potassium. Sidedress with 30 to 50 lb of nitrogen/A 3 to 4 10 to 14 days at 32 degrees F for and 90 to 95 percent weeks after planting when the plants are 4 to 6 inches tall. relatively humidity. Commonly shipped with top ice to maintain freshness. Example: Apply 350-400 lb of 8-24-24/A Topped beet roots can be stored for 4 to 6 months preplant. Sidedress with 150 lb of 34-0-0/A 3 to at 32 degrees. USDA grades for bunched beets are U.S. 4 weeks after planting when the plants are 4 to No 1 and U.S. No 2 grade. The grade is based on external 6 inches tall. appearance. Minimum diameter for beet roots is 1½ inch. At least 3 beets of uniform size make a bunch, and a bunch Beets are heavy users of boron. Boron deficiency can must weight at least 1 lb. The tops are full length or not occur on soils with either low pH or extremely high pH less than 6 inches tall. soils or on soils recently limed. Boron deficiency beets 7 Special Cultural Information: Louisiana vegetable One of the main problems is sowing the seed too growers produce beets for local retail sales at farmers thickly. This can be overcome by the use of a precision markets and roadside stands in the fall, winter and spring. planter set to obtain the desired spacing. The use of a Growers make several small plantings of beets at different scatter shoe on conventional planters will also help to times from late August to early January. This provides a obtain the desired spacing. Keeping the seed in a freezer consistent supply of beets for sale from late November until right before planting will enhance germination. through April. Beans, Butter (lima beans) Botanical Family: Fabaceae (Pea Family) Number of Seeds/Pound: 1,120 (70/ounce) Recommended Varieties: Bush Varieties Seeding Rate/Acre: 40 to 60 lb depending on row spacing and seed size. Henderson’s Bush (white seed) Early Thorogreen, Cangreen (green seed) Spacing: Nemagreen (green seed; nematode resistant) • Bush beans hand harvest — 3 to 6 inches or 2 to 4 Jackson Wonder (speckled seed; more susceptible plants/foot diseases) • Bush beans machine harvest — 1½ to 2 inches or 6 Bridgeton (green seed) to 8 plants/foot Pole Varieties • Pole butter beans — 6 to 12 inches; 4 to 5 plants per Florida Speckled (speckled seed) hill Christmas Pole (speckled seed) King of the Garden Planting Dates: Begin after danger of frost is over and Willow Leaf soil temperatures are above 65 degrees F for several days. Plantings can be made throughout the spring and summer until about mid-August. Yields may be low during summer Recommended Soil pH & Fertilization: pH 5.8 plantings because high temperature and drought stress to 6.5, Ca = 1,000 to 1,500 ppm, Mg = 150 to 130 interfere with pollination and fruit. ppm. Preplant apply 30 lb/A nitrogen, 60 to 120 lb/A South Louisiana: mid March-early August phosphorous and potassium. Overfertilization with North Louisiana: early April-late August nitrogen is possible, especially on the more fertile soils with high organic matter. Optimum Soil Temperature Range for Example: 300 to 400 lb 8-24-24/A Germination: 65 to 85 degrees F Common Problems: Stink bugs, thrips, aphids, seedling diseases, foliage diseases, pod diseases, anthracnose, Depth to Plant Seed: 1 to 2 inches cucumber beetles, mites, leafhoppers, Mexican bean beetle, armyworms, whiteflies, overheating after harvest if not Time to Germinate: 7 to 14 days cooled, nematodes on sandy soils, inadequate harvest labor. Low yields of summer plantings caused by reduced Time from Planting to Harvest Begins: 65 to 75 pod set from high temperatures and drought stress. Lower days depending on variety and the time of planting. yields in machine-picked butter beans. Rough handling of seed greatly reduces germination. Approximate Time from Pollination to Market: 10 to 14 days Recommended Herbicides: Preemergence Postemergence Trifluralin – various brands Basagran (early Dual, Stalwart postemergence) Lasso, Partner Sandea Prowl, Pendimax, Pentagon Glyphosphate – various Sandea brands – hooded Pursuit sprayer Command Aim – hooded sprayer 8 Harvest Information: Butter beans are packed in mesh Special Cultural Information: Lima beans are sacks, bushel hampers, wire-bound bushel crates and 1-1/9 excellent crops for the local market. Mechanical pea bushel cardboard cartons. A bushel weighs from 32 to 35 shellers will encourage sales. Allowing the beans to set lb. Mechanical harvesters available for lima beans. out overnight to dry down will increase the shellout Crop will have to be hand harvested about 2 to 4 percentage. Justification of mechanical harvester can be times. Approximately 100 to 200 worker-hours required spread over a spring and fall snap bean, butter beans and to hand harvest an acre of butter beans. It requires 1 to southern peas crop. 1½ hours to pick a bushel of butter beans. A good yield Determine type of bean buyers want before planting is 100 to 150 bushels/A hand-harvested and 50 to 75 (white seeds, green seeds or speckled). Growers are bushels/A if machine-harvested. Jackson Wonder (speckled encouraged to check with local seed stores for preferred bean) will yield approximately one-third more machine- varieties in the area. harvested than green- or white-seeded varieties. Pole butter beans generally bring a premium price in local markets. They also offer the advantage of an Postharvest Handling: Butter beans require removal extended harvest season. To reduce the labor cost in of field heat soon after harvest by forced air cooling or staking, a wire can be stretched 5 to 6 feet above the hydrocooling. Stored at 32 to 40 degrees F and 90 percent ground down the center of every other row. Poles or a relative humidity. Stack butter beans in cooler to allow for trellis material can then be laid from the rows on either air circulation. side of the wire. Pole butter beans can also be planted USDA grades of butter beans are U.S. No. 1 and U.S. next to a fence. No. 2. Grades are primarily based on external appearance. Butter beans are subject to fertilizer burn. Fertilizer A U.S. combination grade is made up of a mixture of U.S. should be placed in a band well below the seed (4 to No. 1 and U.S. No. 2. 6 inches) and to the side of the drill (3 to 4 inches) or broadcast before planting. Beans, Snap Botanical Family: Fabaceae (Pea Family) Number of Seeds/Pound: 1,600 (100/ounce) Time to Germinate: 7 to 14 days Seeding Rate/Acre: Bush beans 40 to 90 lb depending Time from Planting to Harvest Begins: 50 to 55 on variety and row spacing. Pole beans 20 to 30 lb/A. days, bush varieties; 60 to 66 days, pole varieties Spacing: Approximate Time from Pollination to Market: • Bush beans hand harvest — 2 to 3 inches, 4 to 6 7 to 14 days plants/foot. • Bush beans mechanical harvest — 1 to 2 inches, 8 to Recommended Varieties: 10 plants/foot. Bush Varieties Pole Varieties • Pole beans — 6 to 12 inches; 4 to 5 plants per hill. Bush Blue Lake 274 Roma II Blue Lake Planting Dates: First planting in spring made about Provider Festina McCaslin the time of the last average frost date. Fall plantings Strike Lynx Kentucky Wonder should begin about mid-August and extend through early Bronco Storm Rattlesnake September. Hialeah Ambra Louisiana Purple Pod • South Louisiana Spring Crop: early March to late May Recommended Soil pH & Fertilization: pH 5.5 to Fall Crop: mid-August to mid-September 6.8, Ca= 1,000 to 1,500 ppm, Mg = 150 to 300 ppm. Apply 30 lb/A of nitrogen, 60 to 120 lb/A of phosphorous and • North Louisiana potassium preplant. Many growers sidedress hand-picked Spring Crop: late March to mid-May snap beans before bloom with 30 lb nitrogen per acre. Fall Crop: mid-August to mid-September This provides a longer harvest season. Sidedressing should be avoided for machine-picked beans. Optimum Soil Temperature Range for Germination: 60 to 85 degrees F. Example: 300 to 400 lb 8-24-24/A. Sidedress with 100 lb 34-0-0/A or 100 to 200 lb of Depth to Plant Seed: ¾ to 1½ inches CaNO /A 2 to 3 weeks after emergence. 3 9 Common Problems: Several leaf and pod diseases Postharvest Handling: Beans should be cooled by (rusts, white mold, aerial blight), seedling diseases (root forced air or hydrocooling soon after harvest. Store at 40 rots), leaf miners, bean beetle, mites, thrips, aphids, to 45 degrees F and 90 to 95 percent relative humidity cucumber beetle, Mexican bean beetle, whiteflies, worms and in an area with good air circulation; will keep for 7 and stink bugs. Fruit set during hot weather. Plantings to 10 days. Good-quality snap beans should have long, made in late May and June will be blooming while straight pods, be well-colored and free from blemishes or temperatures are too hot for good pollination and good decay. Beans should snap easily when bent. fruit set. Several diseases can be carried over on the seed The USDA grades of beans are U.S. Fancy, U.S. No. that is saved by growers. Snap bean pods set during hot 1, U.S. Combination and U.S. No. 2. Differences between weather will be very fibrous. grades are based primarily on external appearance. Recommended Herbicides: Special Cultural Information: Snap beans can be grown for the local fresh market, shipping market and Preemergence Postemergence processing. Justification of mechanical harvester can be Trifluralin – various Basagran spread over a spring and fall snap bean, butter beans and brands Poast southern peas crop. Higher plant populations (8 to 10 Dual, Stalwart Reflex beans/foot) will help to increase yields on mechanical Prowl, Pendimax, Sandea harvest beans. Snap beans are generally sidedressed in Pentagon Pursuit the southern part of the state and not sidedressed in Command Aim – row middles, hooded other areas. Varieties differ in their response to nitrogen Pursuit sprayer sidedressing. Glyphosphate – various Pole beans generally bring a premium price in local brands, hooded sprayer markets. They also offer the advantage of an extended harvest season. To reduce the labor cost in staking, a wire Harvest Information: Beans are packed in 28- to 30- can be stretched 5 to 6 feet above the ground down the lb cardboard bushel boxes, wire-bound crates or 1-1/9 center of every other row. Poles or a trellis material can bushel hampers. Good Yield – 150 to 250 bushels. then be laid from the rows on either side of the wire. Pole Bush beans are hand harvested, 2 to 3 times; 100 to beans can also be planted next to a fence. Beans are highly 150 worker-hours required to harvest an acre of snap subject to fertilizer burn. Fertilizer should be placed in a beans. Mechanical harvesters available for both fresh and band well below the seed (4 to 6 inches) and to the side processing beans. of the drill (3 to 4 inches) or broadcast before bedding. Pole beans are hand harvested on a 5- to 7-day schedule, 7 to 10 times. Broccoli Botanical Family: Brassicaeae (Mustard Family) Number of Seeds/pound: 144,000 (9,000/ounce) Planting Dates: Fall Production – to mature in mid-October to December Seeding Rate/Acre: • Direct-Seed – mid-July to mid-September • 1 to 2 lb, 150,000 to 300,000 seeds/A direct-seeded • Transplant – August to early September and thinned Spring Production – to mature March to early June • ¾ to 1½ lb precision-seeded • Direct-Seed – November to December • 8,000 to 10,000 seeds/A – single-drill transplants • Transplant – January to February • 16, 000 – 20,000 seeds/A – double-drill transplants • 2 ounces seeds/10,000 transplants Attention needs to be given to variety selection for the Spacing: 9 to 18 inches spring crop. Recommended spring varieties will produce good solid heads in warm weather. Plantings made from Broccoli should be double-drilled (10 to 12 inches mid-September to January run the risk of being damaged by apart) for higher yields. Head size controlled by spacing, hard freezes. 6- to 9-inch spacing will make heads 3 to 4 inches in diameter, and 12 to 18 inches will make heads 8 to 12+ inches in diameter. 10