Microgreens and Other Veggie Garden Ideas

Posted by Christine Eirschele Mar 11, 2009

Microgreens is a relatively new edible plant gardeners have found worth growing. Google microgreens and what you get is a question asking, “Do you mean micro greens?” Then a page of cooking sites pops up. Aside from learning the best way to spell this newcomer, learning how to grow microgreens is even better.

Another salad plant to consider is mâche commonly called corn salad or field salad. Corn salad is a small annual plant grown in cool weather, especially in zone 6 and warmer. Whatever your zone or climate, there are leafy greens all gardeners can grow.

Veggie Gardening Strategies

Besides looking for new veggies to grow, my other vegetable gardening strategies include making use of every inch of garden space. Edging kitchen gardens and using the techniques of enabling gardening are two I am encouraging gardeners to consider. And, remember to plan for fall harvest by planting pumpkins.

If you are looking for ways to expand your gardens or if you have never gardened but want to start growing vegetables, look for unusual ways and places. The edges of any garden bed are good places to look for empty space.

For unusual ways, check out vertical garden techniques, gardeners who cannot bend or sit in a wheelchair use these techniques everyday. An excellent example of enabling garden is located at Chicago Botanic Garden. If you cannot get there, their web site is a wonderful resource.

Fall Harvest Planning in Spring

Now is the time to plan for vegetables traditionally harvested in fall, like pumpkins. In addition to large pumpkins, there are varieties we can grow in containers. Cooking pumpkins will be very popular with families who want to bake their own pies and breads. This article on pumpkins varieties to harvest for Halloween is sure to give you ideas.

Lastly, do not omit flowers just because vegetables are on your mind. Rudbeckia blooms in so many different colors now, they are hard to resist. Rudbeckia is “not your grandmother’s black-eyed susan any longer,” to paraphrase a well-known saw. Rudbeckia hirta, treated more successfully as an annual, comes in many colors so your biggest problem will be in deciding which to choose.