If you have not yet planted leafy greens in your gardens there is still time! We encourage all of you to fill the empty squares in your garden with spinach, lettuces and asian greens. These leafy greens need your love and attention. Cut back any branches from other plants that could be shading your leafy greens. They need lots of sunshine to grow. The well established plants in your garden and in the rest of your yard can create a lot of shade for your fresh new plants.
Slugs are also on the hunt for tender young things to eat. Your new leafy greens are especially susceptible. They can decimate your entire planting in one night. We havent had a lot of slug problems this year with the hot, dry weather, but now that the cooler weather and rain have returned, so have the slugs. If you notice slugs in your garden, a ferrous sulfate product like Sluggo or Slug-b-gon sprinkled among your seedlings can be a great way to protect your new plants.
At this time of year fruiting vegetables will start to focus their energy into ripening their fruits. Leaves may start to turn yellow, or some may start to wilt. Cucumber and squash may be taken over by powdery mildew. This a good time to do a garden clean up. Remove dead or diseased leaves and plants. Keeping the garden clean reduces pests and disease. Slugs love debris so keeping your yard and garden clean will help to control slug populations as well.
The gardening season is not over! The fall is an even better time to grow leafy greens than spring as they love the cool weather, and this cool weather keeps them from getting bitter and going to seed.
Enjoy your leafy greens!
