Garden Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Ambre Dawn Leffler

Chard

It seems like chard is the middle child in my garden that gets overlooked. I plant it and then forget to harvest it, even though I have a favorite chard recipe. It is growing beautifully in the raised garden despite my inattention. Today I noticed that the leaves have a beautiful shape and the red stems are striking against the vibrant green leaves. Chard likes the same light and soil conditions as romaine, so I have planted it nearby. I have placed it near the edges of the planter so it has room to grow up and over the other plants. When harvesting chard, leaves can be picked individually or cut at the base. Either way, it will grow back.

Characteristics: Low maintenance; Requires space to grow up and over other vegetables
Water: Keep the roots moist
Sun: Chard likes a mix of sun and shade
Companions: Cabbage; Carrot; Lettuce; Onions; Peas
Enemies: Beans

Red Sails

At this time, my red sails have sailed. I was out of town during a week where the temperature reached above 80 degrees (in early March, which is the new normal here). I should have checked the weather and saturated the garden before I left. Lesson learned. With the lack of water and increased temperature, the lettuce bolted (see my post on romaine for more on bolting).

It is done, so I will dig it up and make room for other things now that it is warm enough to plant seeds like carrots and radishes. There are two lessons here: one, there is always a balance in nature, and two, be patient and forgiving of yourself when gardening.

Red sails is similar to romaine in almost all aspects. It is more prone to fungus or mildew, so I watch the texture of the leaves to check its water needs. Too little water and the leaves turn as crispy as the onion topping on a green bean casserole. Too much water and the leaves are a soggy mess. For these reasons I lift up the leaves when watering. I planted red sails between thyme and romaine since its water needs are in between those plants. Pick red sails and it will quickly return.

Characteristics: Low maintenance; Please pick me; Friends with just about everyone
Water: I like water on a regular basis
Sun: A mix of sun and shade is ideal
Companions: Everyone, especially dill
Enemies: Cabbage

Basil

Basil likes to bask in the sun. There is nothing more fragrant than a sunbathing basil plant. Keep the roots moist but not saturated, taking care to not get the leaves wet. I keep basil separate from the raised garden for two reasons: it will take over any garden, and I have found basil to be very susceptible to tomato hornworms.

These voracious pests will strip a plant overnight and move on to lunch before you’ve had your morning coffee. I walked out to water the garden one morning only to find stems where the leaves had been. I let out a substantial shriek that could be heard around the neighborhood. The grower of the replacement plant said to check the undersides of the leaves first thing in the morning for the culprit. When leaves started disappearing again, I did that and found a worm completely stuffed hanging out underneath a leaf. I put aside my squeamishness and plucked it off the leaf, flung it to the ground, covered it with a rock, and stomped on it.

Basil loves frequent haircuts. It will grow back better than ever after a good trim. If basil starts to get leggy, you can trim it to get it to grow out again. Never trim more than a third off the plant, however, as this creates stress for the roots.

Characteristics: Some maintenance required; Does well with frequent trims; Prefers well-drained soil; Repels flies and mosquitoes
Water: Likes the roots to be kept moist
Sun: Basks in the sun and is susceptible to frost
Companions: Tomatoes (improves their flavor); Peppers; Oregano; Asparagus; Petunias
Enemies: Sage

Romaine

Romaine loves to be picked, over and over. You can pick it for dinner and think you have serious memory issues when you pick it again the next night and it looks like the same plant. I heard from a local farmer that he will start picking a row and by the time he gets to the end of it, the first plant has already starting growing back.

Yuma, Arizona is the primary grower of lettuce in the U.S. from November to March. Why those months? Because they are the coolest here. When lettuce gets stressed, either because it isn’t getting enough water or the soil temperature gets too warm (from what I’ve observed this is on days above 85 degrees), it bolts, meaning it is done and sends up a flower stalk. Like with any stressful relationship lettuce gets bitter when this happens. There is a milky substance when you snap off the leaves and lettuce that was once sweet is now tough and not pleasant to taste.

The romaine in my raised garden likes dappled shade, getting full sun at sunrise and in later afternoon. This is great in winter but will need to be adjusted in spring. I water it so the soil is not too wet but also never fully dries out. Romaine is a good buffer between thirsty plants like spinach and arid plants like thyme. Romaine gets along with everyone.

Paradise Garden

Welcome to the paradise garden! Located in the desert of Arizona, this garden has unique challenges. Transplants (both plants and people) are not used to the opposite growing seasons and it takes trial and error to adapt. As an urban gardener, I have observed how cutthroat vegetables can be in seeking out nutrients. Plants have natural enemies, and arranging the vegetables in a garden so that they are next to companion plants and away from their enemies is a lot like planning a seating chart at a United Nations meeting. More on that topic in a future blog post…

It is winter right now in the garden, which means the celery and spinach are happy. The vegetables reside in a 3’ x 4’ raised planter that is perfect for a salad garden. There is enough room for their shallow roots without needing to compete for space. They are shaded by a tangelo tree most of the day and get just enough sun in the afternoon.

The garden residents are:
Spinach
Romaine
Red Leaf
Chard
Marigold
Thyme
Johnny Jump Ups
Celery
Rosemary
Garlic Chives

Check back each week to learn characteristics and planting secrets for all residents in the garden!