What kind of leafy greens can be easily grown and produced in large amounts?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Durian Blossom on May 5, 2012 at 5:56pm

I used to love baby spinach exclusively but when you grow your own, mature spinach is DELICIOUS.  So much more flavor and super tender.  Maybe give it a try with a portion of your plants.  And home-grown butter lettuce - the best.  As soon as I can find my favorite romaine, I'd like to grow that too. 

Permalink Reply by Athena on May 5, 2012 at 6:06pm

Thanks Durian Blossom. :) I love mature spinach just as much, although I read in the link "the raw school" that it should be avoided because it's said to be hard to digest. But if it really doesn't harm some people, I don't want to have to give it up, as long as I can achieve optimal health with it.

I'd love to know how you grow your spinach, lettuce, and any other greens as well as how many you're able to grow and eat, how fast they grow, etc. :)

Permalink Reply by Durian Blossom on May 5, 2012 at 7:48pm

I suppose the oxcylic acid is more developed in older spinach?  That would make sense if that's what's happening. 

If I'm using seeds I'll plant (usually 3 per pot) in 3" pots with a 50/50 mix of local soil (from the beds) mixed with organic compost from the garden center, but just found a really knowledgeable compost man who makes his own and sells it so will get some from him.  When they are about 2" tall, I transplant them to the garden.  Then, and here is my favorite gardening tip: I collect gallon sized plastic water jugs (the square Crystal Geyser ones are the best and you can ask the recycling center to set them aside for you), tear the labels off, cut the ends off and use them as cloches to protect the seedlings from slugs, which are serious here. One per seedling, the cloches are the perfect width.

I have a nice garden space of about 12 4'x10' beds that I am getting ready to plant out fully, for the first time, up from about 1/4 of that.   It will be a challenge to figure out how to not over plant! I've done both so far, under-planted and over-planted.  Spinach and lettuce greens grow fast; ready to pick anywhere from one to three weeks after seedlings go in the ground.  I try to eat 4 heads a day (2 lbs) but am nowhere near that on a regular basis.  Am working on it.  Juicing them in the morning and salad at night is the only way I can get it all in right now.

Permalink Reply by Athena on May 5, 2012 at 8:22pm

Thanks Durian Blossom. :)

I'll have to look for similar water jugs here. You mean 1 seed per jug? How deep do you dig when they are ready to be transplanted?

Permalink Reply by Durian Blossom on May 6, 2012 at 7:39am

One seedLING : )  After the seeds have put up leaves and are about 2-3 inches tall.  Some prefer to sow the seeds directly into a row and weed out the overflow.  But, yes, one plant per jug.  Because those jugs are square you can line them up right next to each other until seedlings are about 6 - 8 inches tall and strong enough to withstand bugs on their own. 

I make a little hole, about 3 inches deep, lower the roots into it, making sure they don't drape over the side and in the same movement, gently but firmly press the soil with my fingers around the stem.  This will leave the plantlet in a little well, which helps water to collect there so it stays moist.  Plants like to be firmly tucked in (but not so much that you crush the roots) so they feel secure.  It is also really helpful to visualize light and feel love and gratitude for the food the seedling will give you when it's grown.  You will taste and feel the difference - it's amazing what it does for your consciousness.  Plants really respond to communication, as does everything, as I'm sure you know.  Enjoy! 

Permalink Reply by Athena on May 12, 2012 at 4:19am

Thank you Durian Blossom. :)

Permalink Reply by Athena on May 12, 2012 at 4:19am

Thank you for your tips as well Lekoma Akate. :)

Permalink Reply by Anette Marie on June 1, 2012 at 8:05am

We have rucola in my family's garden (in Norway) and it grows and spreads very well with no effort! It's bitter tasting so it's never attacked by bugs or snails etc. We had a small 1.5 meter row and we could not eat it all, even though my family and I ate a lot every day, all summer:)

Permalink Reply by Cassie K on June 27, 2012 at 6:12am

THis dude on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/CanarsieBK will tell you everything you need to know about growing in small spaces, growing greens in large quantities, when to grow leafy greens, container gardening, etc.

This is my first year gardening, and what I've noticed is that once you get your greens grown (any type of greens), you can pretty much pick them off every day for a salad, for a couple of months till you have more growing.

Good luck!