When you think about greens to grow you've got a big group of plants to consider, as well as different varieties of some salad crops. So plan your greens garden on paper in mid-winter, when the temperature really drops. It's a nice time to spend an evening or two thumbing through the summery, colorful seed catalogs.
The Other GreensIn addition to lettuce, spinach and chard, why not make room for cabbage family greens, such as mustard and kale, as well as some of the lesser-known greens, such as chicory, corn salad (mache), radicchio and escarole. They don't take up much room, and a new green can really spice up a summer salad.
If you're planting your lettuce in space-saving wide rows, you'll have room to try several varieties. Buy an extra seed packet or two of varieties you'd like to try. Planting three- to six-foot rows of three or four kinds of lettuce will give almost any family more than enough lettuce to eat.
If you live in the South, you may want to design your garden to give lettuce and spinach some shade, so they'll last a little longer when the warm temperatures come and push these crops toward bolting.
Planning TipsStart lettuce or greens indoors as transplants for an extra-early spring harvest, or to start a fall crop. Know in advance which method of shading you're going to use on your cool-weather greens, or try these planting ideas:
1. Leaf Crop ABC's |
2. The Wide World of Lettuce |
3. Planning Your Greens Garden ← you're on this article right now |
4. Spinach Varieties |
5. Preparing Soil for Greens |
6. Growing Head Lettuce |
7. Easy Cold Frames |
8. Beets and Turnips |
9. Cabbage Family Greens |
10. Celery Essentials |
11. Lettuce Essentials |
12. Spinach Essentials |
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