5 Tips for Growing Leafy Greens

1. Most greens prefer a loose, fertile soil. You can achieve this by adding compost to the soil and making sure all the large clumps of soil are broken up.

2. Be sure to plant the seed at the appropriate depth. Most leafy greens are small seeds and get planted at about 1/8 inch. If planted too deeply they may not germinate.

3. Leafy greens are cool weather plants. In the southwest you can plant them starting in October and through the winter. Once the temperatures start to rise above 75 degrees, they will ‘bolt’ and go to seed.

4. Extend the harvest season by planting the seeds over several weeks (succession planting). Once the first planting germinates (pokes through the soil), plant some more!

5. Harvest greens by taking the young leaves from the outside on the plant, leaving the younger inner leaves. The plant will continue to grow from the inside. If you have several plants growing on the garden of each kind of plant you can have fresh greens all season long!

The beets and broccoli rabe featured here in the pictures were planted by seed on October 17, 2010.  I have been eating the broccoli rabe already as I thin them out.  The beets are next!

Happy eating from your garden!
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/