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| "Egyptian walking onions" an heirloom variety in my spring garden |
It's important when planning anything to look back at what you have done to see what worked and what didn't. I had some issues last year with cabbage planted too late and cracking, and with lettuces bolting too soon. I'd planted the lettuce close to the house, because the big garden wasn't yet tilled. But the spot they were in didn't quite get enough shade in the hot afternoons, so the heat caused the early bolt. The cabbage was out in the main garden, and I'd planted it later. In order to keep the plants around it growing I was watering more heavily in June/July while it was growing... and sadly it caused the heads to "crack." My chickens didn't mind, as they were happy to eat any cracked cabbage heads. :P
This year, I'm being patient for my hubby to get the big garden tilled, so I can plant the lettuce there, in cold frames. Then we will companion-plant it with carrots and cucumbers, so I can trellis the cucumbers over the lettuce and spinach... hopefully holding off the bolt. Also, that end of the garden has better afternoon shade. Double win.
I'm also planning to put the cabbage in the small "spring" garden near the house where I can plant them in a raised bed with soaker hoses, in hopes of avoiding the cracking. Wish me luck!
Here's a photo-progression of last year's spring beds:
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| building our raised bed cold frames |
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| planted and covered |
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| l-r: horse-radish, onions, garlic, lettuce, spinach, with peas and rhubarb in the back |
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| we harvested about 20 gallon bags of greens from one bed |
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| sugar snap peas |
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Makes me yearn for my old garden and a young back to work it. You're on the right track - learning from the prior year's experience!
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