Fall Greens

When the weather cools again and you think your gardening is over, think again. Fall lettuce, baby kale, beet greens, chard, spinach, green onions, and even pea shoots will delight you with two or three cuttings of deliciousness.

Clear an area where your peppers, tomatoes, or eggplants were. Spread a quarter inch of soilless mix and work it into the soil. Be sure to wet it well so your seeds don't go all over the place while you're watering it when you're done. Spread seeds the way you would spread grass seed. This is great for us who like to practice "throw and grow." Next, lightly rake to cover.

You will have a green carpet in a few days, or a multicolored one, depending on your mix.

When the plants are about 3" tall, cut them, leaving an inch. If you are blessed with a warm fall, you can expect to cut three times (for us in the north). With protection, zone 6 could be harvesting all year, and the rest of you -- for sure.

Last year, with my spinach and kale under a cold frame, they survived, so I had salad a month earlier than others.

Plant a fall salad garden today!