1.   Chop off and discard the thick parsley stems and roughly chop the leaves and tender stems.

2.   He says he avoids wires in the upper reaches of the trellis to avoid burning tender stems.

3.   Put leaves and tender stems in a large, nonreactive pan of boiling water.

4.   Remove the thick beet green stems, but leave tender stems attached.

5.   Slice the mushroom caps and tender stems thinly.

6.   This fungus disease, which is encouraged by large expanses of bare, damp soil, attacks the tender stems of baby plants and can kill them overnight.

7.   What you want, Waltuck says, is almost all leaves and just a few tender stems.