Ed. — From the Sunday, May 12, print edition.
VIRGINIA BEACH — As I write this in early May, I’m picking spring lettuce, and it’s great.
It’s a wonderful veggie is good for our gut, in addition to working and playing well with other produce. It’s easy to get good lettuce in the spring and fall, but it’s also possible to have it on hand throughout the year.
I no longer farm on a large scale, but I’m going to attempt to have lettuce throughout the year. I always like a good challenge — and an experiment or two — when it comes to growing the wonderful things I love to eat.
One of the techniques I’m going to do this year is to use shade cloth once it gets hot. Shade clothes of various types and colors are readily available to home gardeners or larger growing operations, and there’s ample information about how various cloths work.
But what I’m looking for isn’t rocket science. I want the growing condition to be cooler below the cloth when it is very hot out. Gentler conditions can help prevent lettuce from growing bitter, though I don’t mind a little bitterness. I just use more salad dressing.
The reverse is true for cold weather. You can buy a cover which protects plants from frost while allowing sunshine and air through to keep the plants growing. These are called frost covers, blankets or cloths. When you do this, it’s important to time your seed planting just right so your plant has done some of its growing before the cold weather sets in.
When it gets really cold, you need to move your growing into the greenhouse or cold frame, depending upon your scale. I’ve seen many examples of each to suit your proclivities.
You need to have ventilation even when it is cold out. It can get really hot in a greenhouse even in winter as soon as the sun comes out.
Depending upon your level of investment in winter growing, this can be automated when you don’t plan to be there all the time to monitor the temperature.
There are also small-scale ventilation tools for smaller applications, and some of these are thermostatically activated. That means there is no electricity needed.
Another thing to try is picking when the plant is smaller, about half the size you would normally pick, for when the heat sets in. You can also grow baby greens, which is a lot more picking but is very tasty at this size.
When you plan for this, you can plant very close, thereby using the same space for more plants, though they’ll of course be smaller.
It’s also important to have your succession planting in order. Have a good place to start new seed every two weeks or so, and remember that some seeds don’t germinate well in hot weather. You can bring them inside until they pop up, then move them to a more rugged spot.
They will probably do better outside at that point, especially if they are out of reach of the rabbits.
My goals for year-round gardening begin with lettuce, but that isn’t the end. Other plants, even if they don’t grow all year, store well.
Sweet potatoes, for example, can be stored year-round, and they are very nutritious. White potatoes, too, can be stored, but check the variety for fresh eating versus storage. Don’t forget beets or turnips, too.
And, as experienced Virginia Beach gardeners know, veggies like kale and collards like cold weather, and there are many other things you can grow during various seasons. I hope we’ll all plan for growing to support a year-round healthy diet.
One of the themes I often write about is having a healthy, local food ecosystem. Extending growing opportunities is a big part of that.
The author is a farmer and consultant who writes about sustainable farming and gardening for The Independent News. Reach him via farmerjohnnewearth@yahoo.com.
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