As summer favorites like tomatoes, cucumbers, and blackberries fill up farm shares, here's a friendly reminder not to forget about your greens! We started these kale plants as seeds back in February, planted them out in April, and they're still going strong. In fact, they'll provide us with kale for the entire season.
After years of adjusting different aspects of how we grow bunching greens like kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens, we are seeing good results. One big change is that we have reduced the number of plants we put in a bed. You wouldn’t think that less would mean more, but in this case our yields have gone up--giving the plants more room to grow has allowed them to do much better than when they are packed in close together. We've also learned that the plants love growing in leaf mulch, which retains moisture, suppresses weeds, and adds organic matter to the soil.
We've also discovered that we can deter pests in our greens by growing them near an insectary strip, which is part of the garden that is planted to various flowers and grasses that attract beneficial insects. This has been so effective that we are working to expand on this practice. We recently installed a water line near the garden, which resulted in a strip of bare soil where the trench was dug. We are using this as an opportunity to establish a mix of native grasses and wildflowers that will attract pollinators and other beneficial insects. Our long-term plans include planting a hedge row that will include shrubs and small trees to protect the garden from wind and--you guessed it--provide habitat for EVEN MORE beneficial insects. Insects are such important partners here on the farm!
So, when you are customizing your share, consider adding some greens. And when you're enjoying them--don't forget to thank all the beneficial insects!
