What Can I Plant? Six Harder-to-Grow Greens and How to Care for Them

Some greens will sprout easily in all kinds of soil. They’re not even particularly fussy about sunlight and can bounce back from a period of drought. Other greens are a bit more temperamental. Here are six harder-to-grow greens and how to take care of them.

Head Lettuce

This is the type of lettuce that grows a head, like iceberg or butterhead. Lettuce is a cool weather crop and should be grown in a shady spot during the summer. It also doesn’t like acidic soil, and the soil should be amended so it’s closer to neutral. It also needs a lot of fertilizer and side dressing should be applied every two weeks or so. Head lettuce should be watered early in the morning to cut down on diseases.

Cabbage

Cabbage can be a tricky green to grow because it’s also a cool weather plant and is subject to several diseases. It may also bolt if the temperature stays above 50 degrees F. Small cabbage can stay in the field longer and when picked has a better flavor. A cabbage that grows too large starts to suck up the nutrients around it and may split. To keep it small, a cabbage should be twisted to break its feeder roots just as it forms a head. Cabbage also needs to be rotated on a seven year basis to prevent disease.

Spinach

Spinach is also a cool season crop. The problem with spinach is that it will bolt if it gets 14 to 16 hours of sunlight, no matter how warm or cold it is. It’s also a heavy feeder. It should fertilized and then compost should be applied.

Celery

Even experienced gardeners find celery challenging. First, it takes a long time to mature and needs to grow in cool weather. It also needs a lot of watering and fertilizer. The best way to grow celery is to sow the seeds indoors after soaking them overnight. For the best flavor, they should be harvested when they’re just big enough to eat.

Sorrel

Sorrel is grown much like spinach. It also needs regular watering and monthly fertilizing. It’s also a good idea to pinch off stalks or flowers to prevent it from going to seed. Sorrel is a perennial, and when it’s established it comes back year after year.

Fiddlehead Ferns

These are simply immature ferns before they unfurl. After they’re cooked, they’re used very much like other greens. Ferns are usually grown from crowns and need a couple of years to grow before the fiddleheads can be harvested. They should also be harvested sparingly so to make sure that the fern plant remains healthy and productive.

Though they might take a bit of care, these greens are delicious, nutritious and will be most welcome whenever they appear at the table. Growing your own garden doesn’t have be as difficult as it seems.

Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO and often writes about home, family, auto and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family when she isn’t writing. Informational credit to sodatlanta.com, where you can buy sod in Atlanta.