GROWING GREAT GREENS Dennis Morgeson Agent For Horticulture Washington County Kentucky

GARDENING BASICS Select a sunny spot-8 hours daily Relatively level Well drained Water nearby Avoid tree roots if possible

PLANNING Smaller is usually better Test soil and fertilize accordingly Organic matter is the fastest way to improve structure

PLANNING CONTINUED Plant in proper season, id-128 Select disease resistant cultivars Consult family members for input

WHY GROW YOUR OWN? Safety Taste/Freshness Price Nutrition: Darker leaves are more nutritious but greens in general are vitamin powerhouses! owcarbsuperfoods/a/greensnutriti on.htmhttp://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/l owcarbsuperfoods/a/greensnutriti on.htm

THE GREENS Most can be started early without special techniques March 1st starts the natural planting season, however? Greens are basically any crop we grow to eat the leaves and or stems Salad Greens vs Greens

COMMON SALAD GREENS m/articlesguides/season alcooking/farmtotable/vi sualguidesaladgreenshttp:// m/articlesguides/season alcooking/farmtotable/vi sualguidesaladgreens These are just the tip of the ice burg…

LETTUCES Romaine or Loose Leaf Butterhead or softheads (bibbs) Crisphead (hardest to grow)

OTHERS Chicory, Endive, Arugula, and or corn salad etc. etc. Johnny’s, Baker Creek, Seed Savers Exchange…. Some or many of these can become very bitter if we get much heat or dry weather, eat them young! Shade?

GREENS? Generally cooked before eaten Turnip greens, collards, kale, flower Sprouts, mustards Cooked or raw: cabbage, spinach, Chinese cabbage, dandelion, kohlrabi, swiss chard

CULTURE Greens are cool season vegetables that do need full sun We generally get two good cropping seasons in Kentucky Most can be sown directly into the garden in early to mid March Raised beds are a good option for greens

PLANTING An application of a complete fertilizer such as 4 lbs per 100 square feet or so should be incorporated into the top 3-4 inches of soil Leaf and small head lettuce and turnips sow ¼ inch deep and thin to 4-6 inches apart Mustards and spinach plant ½ inch deep and thin to 4-6 inches Swiss chard and kale plant ½ inch deep and thin 8-12 inches apart Thinning should not be delayed or you will get weak spindly plants with little foliage Plant successive crops at 7-10 day intervals for continuous harvest

CULTURE Mulch to conserve moisture, keep soil cool, and reduce weeds Straw, grass clippings, leaf mold, etc. What about plastic? A second application of fertilizer banded should be applied when plants are 2-3 inches tall and lightly worked in followed by irrigation Kale may benefit from a third application when 8 inches or so tall Note: Many of the greens have a better flavor if grown in the fall and harvested after the weather cools

HARVEST Loose-leaf lettuces days Romaine lettuce generally take days Butter and crisp heading varieties days Most greens are not harvested fully meaning individual leaves are taken over time so harvest can actually last months or even spring through fall (chard) All greens and lettuces should be harvested when fully hydrated early morning or late evening and wrapped in plastic with a few holes and refrigerated quickly

PROBLEMS Several fungal pathogens attack lettuce generally in cool damp weather, pull and discard plants to reduce spreading, good sanitation and crop rotation is best Plant resistant cultivars if problems have occurred in the past, generally problems are few however in a homeowner situation

PROBLEMS

MICROGREENS Microgreens are young, tender, edible crops that are harvested as seedlings. Grown to first true leaf stage Different from sprouts? Labor intensive, but easy! Best started indoors in a greenhouse, high tunnel, cold frame etc. Use sterile medium, requires very little if any fertilization Ready for harvest in 7-14 days Highly perishable, generally eaten raw or used as a garnish Little time for insect or disease problems to occur

PARTIAL LIST OF POSSIBLE MICROGREENS Amaranth Fennel Arugula Kale Asian greens Kohlrabi Basil Lemongrass Beet Mizuna Broccoli Mustard Buckwheat Nasturtium Cabbage Onion Carrot Parsley Celery Popcorn Chives Radish Collards Spinach Cress Sweet pea Dill Swiss chard

SPROUTS Simply germinated seedlings Can be eaten raw or cooked Most common sprouts are alfalfa, mung bean, soybean, lentil, cabbage, radish, and rye Use only seeds labeled for sprouting, many seeds have been treated with insecticides etc and are not edible Where to buy? Online, health food stores, produce section of stores etc. Why grow your own?

GROWING SPROUTS AT HOME SAFELY Hint: You don’t need an actual sprouter, Mason jars are fine!Hint: You don’t need an actual sprouter, Mason jars are fine! s/pdfs/A3385.PDFhttp://learningstore.uwex.edu/asset s/pdfs/A3385.PDF

SPROUT NUTRITION

SEASON EXTENSION-COLD FRAME

SEASON EXTENSION-HOT BED 12 to 18 inches of manure under hotbed with 4 to 6 inches of soil on top Plant when soil temp drops to 85 degrees

CONSERVING ENERGY

EXTEND THE GROWING SEASON Hoophouses (High Tunnels) are relatively inexpensive (compared to greenhouses) Greenhouses ($20/sq ft) High Tunnels ($.50/ sq ft)

HIGH TUNNELS Single layer of plastic No heat or cooling (other than venting) Irrigation a must

SEASON EXTENSION Most cool months in Kentucky high tunnels can be used for lettuce and greens production, very little growth however in mid December through January

WHAT WE ARE USED TO?

ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTION METHODS

QUESTIONS?