GARDEN
Planting your Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are easy to grow and harvest , and the ideal “ beginner ’ s veg ” for those just starting out in the vegetable garden . They germinate easily , don ’ t take up much space and are easy to harvest . To begin , choose a spot that is sheltered from the wind and gets around 6 hours of sunlight a day . Then clean the soil , freeing it of any weeds and stones , and mixing in plenty of organic material .
Plant your chosen greens from seedlings , spacing them about 15 – 20cm apart ( depending on the label ). Water well after planting and then ensure the soil stays moist . After two weeks , when the seedlings are growing , you can feed with a liquid fertiliser , and then again a month later . Ensure your lettuce and other greens are watered regularly so that they don ’ t bolt . This is when the plant goes to flower and shoots straight up , growing tall very quickly . The leaves will be too bitter to eat and rather than ending up on your plate , the whole plant can go straight to the compost heap .
We hope you plant , harvest and enjoy plenty of healthy , crispy , leafy greens this autumn !
GARDEN ZONE
Visit your local Agrimark Garden Zone for tools , feeds , fertilisers and seasonal plants .
MARKtoe ! Maart 2023 95