Your 2024 Garden

[Sally PB]

As far as seed spacing, I am so bad. For lettuce, greens, beets, and carrots, I just sprinkle seeds all over their growing area. if they get too crowded I pull out the ones too close to one another.

Works for me! I did read something interesting. If you need to thin carrots that are close together, snip off the one(s) you don't want, instead of pulling it. That way, you don't disturb the root of the ones nearby. Disturbing the roots can make them grow crooked, which you don't want for carrots.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I usually grow a number of cool weather greens that don't like hot weather, like Kale, Swiss Chard, and Spinach. I have had moderate success growing them in garden beds that are not exposed to sunlight all day long. Like maybe a bed that is in shade late morning thru the remainder of the day.

I've done a version of that by planting and growing a few spinach behind trellised squash in mid summer. The spinach grew super fast and was ready to pull in no time (and ready to start bolting too).

If you snip off the flowering top when the plant starts to bolt, you might be able to save some of the greens before they really turn bitter. But, in my limited experience, once the plant starts to bolt, the season is over for those plants.

I've tried that, it might work for very short term, but the bitterness will already be seeping into the leaves and toughness into roots, and the plant will keep trying to send up stalks.

How do yall feel about the spacing recommendations listed with seeds. I followed them last year, but I just feel like it's more room than really needed. Maybe it's about the surrounding soil nutrients more than literal space around the plant?

Depends on the plant and the recommendation. Some do need the extra space due to root sprawl (root veggies in general need decent space to develop, though I've noticed turnips have no issue just growing away from other nearby turnips), other plants handle crowding fairly well (like arugula, scallions).

I usually plant, say, beans, at the "final" spacing recommended. I wait for them to sprout, and give them an extra week or so. Then I will replant seeds in between where none came up (for any reason).

For stuff like lettuce or greens, I would plant at the "seed planting" spacing. If a lot come up, then I thin them out and eat the young plants in a salad. Or give them to the chickens.

Re: beans, that works well if you don't do like me and plant 2 seeds in the same area "just in case."

That's how I handle thinning out greens as well. Pulling enough of them will yield enough for lunch easily, even if each plant is small.

As far as seed spacing, I am so bad. For lettuce, greens, beets, and carrots, I just sprinkle seeds all over their growing area. if they get too crowded I pull out the ones too close to one another.

Yeah for things like greens, scallions and smaller root veggies (carrots, radish) I just sprinkle seeds in the growing area and thin later. If you're very careful when thinning some seedlings will transplant decently, so you can move things like chard, bean and beet seedlings to fill in empty spots.

 

[LTAY1946]

Some will plant a few radish seed in the row of carrots to mark the rows while the carrots take their own sweet time germinating.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Some will plant a few radish seed in the row of carrots to mark the rows while the carrots take their own sweet time germinating.

I tried that but felt like I was disturbing/pulling out too many carrots while harvesting radishes.

 

[LTAY1946]

I tried that but felt like I was disturbing/pulling out too many carrots while harvesting radishes.

I think the key word is few. On radish every 4". Just enough to connect the dots. It's not supposed to take the place of planting a row of radishes.

 

[LTAY1946]

It would take two whole rows of radishes for my wife. She can make a radish sandwich. She never told me that before the "I do's" were said.

 

[tripletfeb]

Yes. Both in pots and in the garden. It never does very well. So why do I keep planting it???

I love growing spinach in pots. It always does well for me. Last year, I ended up freezing a bunch of it and I put it in my protein shakes

 

[LTAY1946]

I love growing spinach in pots. It always does well for me. Last year, I ended up freezing a bunch of it and I put it in my protein shakes

I like it lightly steamed down with some American cheese too.

 

[tripletfeb]

I was mainly considering just sprinkling my carrots. They're just so freaking tiny as seeds and none of my varieties should get very thick around.

Tomatoes did decent with my spacing last year, so I'll probably do that again

Be careful with the spacing of carrots. Too close together and they get all twisted into each other

Works for me! I did read something interesting. If you need to thin carrots that are close together, snip off the one(s) you don't want, instead of pulling it. That way, you don't disturb the root of the ones nearby. Disturbing the roots can make them grow crooked, which you don't want for carrots.

This too. And pulling them by the root could mean pulling more than you meant too. I skipped growing carrots this past year because I froze and canned so many from last year. I'll have to plant them again in the spring. I like the Danvers variety

 

[gtaus]

I love growing spinach in pots. It always does well for me. Last year, I ended up freezing a bunch of it and I put it in my protein shakes

How do you prevent the spinach from bolting outside in the heat? Do you have them under shade, or bring the pots indoors if really warm outside? I think lots of us would like to know how you had your success so we can try to replicate it. Thanks.