Daily Dose Blogger Bios
Don't Stuff your Fennel or Fry Your Lettuce
In the spirit of taking her job seriously, The Germinatrix has to expand on couple of items in this issue's (May 07) cheat sheet - the gardening card, pg. 124. (What a great idea, by the way!)
You'll have to use more pots than just one to get that variety of plants growing - for example, one rhubarb, three fennel, three eggplants, and one yellow currant tomato would be gorgeous, but would never fit in one pot (when fully grown, fennel can be 6' tall) ; even a 24" pot. A variety of containers of different heights and diameters will also help to make the composition as interesting as the plant material. Placing some plants in separate pots will also give you the flexibility to move them apart as the plants get bigger and wider, and need more air circulation around the leaves and produce. Always check the maximum height and width of the plants you intend to grow.
Vegetables also need more consistant fertilizer- use an organic brand like Dr Earth Organic 5, specially formulated for vegetables. Use as directed, but at half strength. Many people swear by fish emulsion, but others can detect a "fishy" taste to leafy crops like kale, chard, and lettuces.
Lastly, depending on where you live, eight hours of sun could seriously scald your veggie beauties. Try to locate your pots in a place that gets some shade during the hottest part of the day...
And a tip for tomato growers: water sparingly - don't hydrate them when their leaves droop. Tests show that dry-farmed tomatoes are denser, less mealy, and have superior flavor.
Now go to town with your summer vegetable project!
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