Report From An Opinionated Gardener – April 9
Gardening is a great deal like life. There are sometimes when less is better and other instances when more is definitely more. Fertilizer? A light hand is often preferable. Flowers? Going beyond a single plant and planting several is usually desirable.
Last year we experimented with planting a crate of salad greens in our unheated shed. This solar-heated space doesn’t go below freezing after mid-February, according to the data-loggers that my husband installed there. The lettuce we grew last season was a complete success so this year we planted three times as much.
You could do the same in early spring cold frames, hoop houses or even plastic covered window wells.
Which brings me to the crux of this post: it isn’t just that more fresh salad greens is better. The real take home message here is that more effort put toward a desired goal is often more productive. Want to grow more food on your property? There are hundreds of ways to reach this goal.
Last year we planted one crate with lettuce seeds...this year it was three. Next year or this coming fall? We'll see. Fresh salad greens on either end of the outdoor growing season: priceless.
