K-State horticulture expert says salad crops favor slightly cooler soils
Got Salad?
Many Kansas gardeners may already know that extending the year’s harvest into fall means planting many crops that would make a tasty mix.
“Radishes, spinach, turnips, mustard, lettuce and other leafy greens can be planted from mid-August to early September, extending the harvest into fall,” said Cynthia Domenghini, a horticulture expert with K-State Research and Extension.
“If you plan to plant seeds into the ground, plant them slightly deeper than recommended for spring,” Domenghini said. “This will give seeds access to slightly cooler soil that retains more moisture.”
Growing a salad garden means providing regular water until the seeds germinate, according to Domenghini. “Sprinkle a light layer of compost over the top of the seeds to prevent the soil from forming a crust,” she said.
An alternative way to grow crops suitable for a salad is to use a bag of potting media. Domenghini outlined steps to grow salad crops in this manner:
- Place the unopened bag of potting soil on a pallet, cart, or similar support. This will allow you to move the planting, as needed. If not placed on a support, the bag should not be moved after planting to avoid displacing seeds.
- Lay the bag flat and cut open the top-facing, long side of the bag to expose the potting media.
- Puncture several small holes or slits in the bottom side of the bag to allow excess water to drain. This helps prevent plant roots from drowning or rotting, while also preventing excess fertilizer salts from building up in the bag.
- Mix fertilizer into the potting media according to the product instructions, if it is not already included as part of the potting media.
- Plant the seeds as recommended on the packet. Shallow-rooted salad greens are best suited for this growing method, including lettuce, kale, mustard greens, spinach, or Swiss chard.
“One benefit of growing fall greens in a potting media bag is the temperature of the media can be regulated by relocating the bag,” Domenghini said. “This is particularly helpful during August and September when the heat can hinder germination and negatively affect flavor of certain cole crops.”
Domenghini added that due to the limited amount of soil in a potting media bag, it is important to monitor moisture while the crop is growing.
Domenghini and her colleagues in K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly Horticulture Newsletter with tips for maintaining home landscapes and gardens.
Interested persons can subscribe to the newsletter, as well as send their garden and yard-related questions to Domenghini at c[email protected], or contact your local K-State Research and Extension office.
PHOTO: Farmer planting young seedlings of lettuce salad in the vegetable garden (iStock – AlexRaths)
