I don't have any southern roots, but I sure can appreciate a “mess of greens.” Southern greens such as collards, mustards and turnips are staples in a soul food diet and easy to grow even in our northern gardens. Luckily, it's not too late to get some greens a-goin' for the fall.
Collards are related to kale. This non-heading cabbage, though, has a bigger, flatter leaf and milder taste. Mustard greens have a pungent taste and come in green, red or purple frilly leafed varieties. I particularly love the "Osaka Purple" mustard greens as an ornamental as well as an edible. The dark purple leaves are beautiful steamed and in the garden. It's a bit late to grow turnip roots, but to grow turnips for greens is a delight. And all of these greens taste even better when grown in cool fall weather.
Seed greens where old peas, bolted lettuce and spent radishes grew or after harvesting your garlic. Create raise the beds, amend the soil with compost, and sow the small seeds thinly in rows or broadcasted on top of the bed. Water well and cover with a floating row cover. It's critical to keep the soil evenly moist. The water will also keep the soil cool for better germination. The row cover preserves moisture and keeps flea beetles and other insects off the young seedlings.
Once they're growing and the days cool down in September, remove the cover, feed plants with fish emulsion and start harvesting whenever you're hungry for greens. Collards are very cold tolerant and can take a freeze and bounce right back. For something different, try cooking these greens with the tips of sweet potato vines. Young sweet potato vines are edible, tasty and add a crunch to your stir fry.
And now for this week's tip, cut gladiolus, snapdragon and other stalky flowers for indoors when the bottom third of the flowers are open. But cut single stemmed flowers, such as sunflowers and zinnias, once the flower is fully open.
Next week on the Vermont Garden Journal, I'll be talking about sedum. Until then, I'll be seeing you in the garden.
Broadcast on Friday, August 8, 2014 at 5:57 p.m. and Sunday, August 10, 2014 at 9:35 a.m.
The Vermont Garden Journal with Charlie Nardozzi is made possible by Gardener's Supply, offering environmental solutions for gardens and landscapes. In Burlington, Williston and Gardeners.com
