They grow greens in the garden it is one of the most rewarding and easy businesses for beginners. Greens like fertile and rich soil. He likes water a lot. He likes the sun. And, most of them like the cool weather.
It is the last of these traits that can sometimes cause problems. First of all, most of the greens– kale, spinach, chard, lettuce, cabbage, etc. – perform better when the temperatures are cool, because they should be planted in early spring or late summer. When the temperature is too high, the plants tend to bolt.
Bolting occurs when a plant begins to flower and seed earlier than expected. It is a reaction to the plant that has been put in a stressful situation, such as having to endure the summer climate as a cool climate culture. Instead of spending energy on growth, the plant puts energy towards flowers and seeds so that it can reproduce.
The problem is that when the greens bolt, it typically means that they no longer produce leaves to eat, the leaves that often turn bitter, and the plant is not long for the world. In short, we want to keep our garden greens from bolting. How do we do it?
Plant with good timing
The first rule with planting most annual crops is to do it at the right time. If we try to plant squash in early spring, it will never make it out of the late frosts. Likewise, if we plant greens at the end of spring, they will soon suffer under the summer sun. Therefore, it is important to plant early if it is spring. Gardeners in milder climates may plant in the fall and may harvest fresh greens throughout the fall, winter and spring.
Use a thick layer of mulch
Overheating soil temperatures are much more problematic in causing bolting than heat in the air. A good layer of mulch, about 2-4 centimeters, will help keep the soil cooler because the sun will not hit it. The soil temperature will be moderate, so the plants do not panic and start to go to seed when things start to toast.
Provide summer shade
Creating a more comfortable microclimate for the greens can help them last longer. Some people like to put shade clothes on the garden bed. These should go directly above, blocking the hot midday sun and allowing less direct sun in the morning and evening. Another choice is to plant under taller plants, such as climbing green beans.
Fertilize well
Different types of fertility promote different types of plant growth. Some nutrients will encourage flowers while others will inspire more leaves. Since we are growing greens, we want to give our plants an environment rich in nitrogen. Green tea (water infused with grass clippings), compost tea (water infused with compost), and manure tea (you have it) are all good choices. They have a good dose of nitrogen.
Sow the seeds directly
While most greens will transplant cooperatively from seed pots to the garden bed, it is still the best choice. Moving the plants around puts stress on their roots which have to re-establish themselves in the new location. For this reason, sowing the seeds directly in the garden space can help prevent those greens from bolting. They will be comfortably at home where they grow.
Choose the variety wisely
Most greens will eventually bloom as summer, but for those who live in warmer climates, some choices are slow. These varieties are valued for their ability to outperform other kales or arugulas when the heat rises. Read about the seeds you choose if early summer times are possible, and there will be some heat-resistant options.
Pick your greens regularly
Broad-leafed greens (as opposed to lettuces and collards) can be harvested a few leaves at a time instead of all at once. Harvesting the outer leaves regularly prevents the plant from maturing too quickly and keeps the plant somewhat airy. Even better, it will mean that you are eating greens more often!
If all these efforts fail, which in all probability eventually they will do, then a last effort to keep the greens going a little longer is to habitually pinch off the flowers and flower buds as they appear.
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