Maximizing Yields in Small Space -- Spring Greens & Summery Fruits!

I have a confession to make... I'm trying something new this year, something I have rarely done in the past, and I'm pretty excited about it. Let me share this experiment with you!

Typically, when I plant my summer vegetables (like tomatoes, cucumbers, squashes, etc.) I pull up all my spring vegetables (like greens, roots, peas, etc.) before planting the new round of crops. This has always made the most sense to me, not wanting to disturb summer plants when the spring crops are spent.

This season has brought a new, welcomed perspective. I give praise to the fact that so far the bugs have been tolerable and manageable. Usually by now, the cabbage worms, aphids, army worms, etc. are abundant and I'm ripping things out to reduce the amount of surveillance I have to give, ha! Not this year though. Many of my spring greens are still thriving! Albeit there are some aphids and army worms out there, they aren't that bad and I can easily spot them to treat.

I have also decided that this summer I'm going to grow a lot of tomatoes. Like, a lot. Everywhere. And I wanted to get an early start with growing tomatoes. Conflicted, I threw my hands up and said, "oh heck, let's give this a try"

What have I done?!

I have made "holes" in my spring greens like with lettuce, arugula, spinach, kale, collards, chard, with enough room to popped in seeds and seedlings for summer fruits. This allows me the ability to maintain regular harvests from my spring greens while also letting my tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and squashes start to settle in for the summer.

I'm working this method at home, and in a few of my business client spaces too. So far, so good! Everything seems to be thriving. You can see in the picture above I've planted cucumbers around a trellis where my spring arugula is still going strong (see below for tips on bonus harvests for flowering arugula).

When we grow food in small spaces being able to maximize how much we can pack into the space is ideal. There is a method to doing this efficiently. You do not want to overcrowd your plants. There are ways you can interplant and companion plant your spring and summer vegetables so that you can be harvesting one season of crops and growing another season at the same time.

This little photo gallery illuminates ways you can maximize your time with spring greens, and enjoy "bonus" harvests along the way.

I was harvesting the flowering arugula at one of my business client's yesterday, which gave the inspiration for this week's newsletter topic. As I was snipping I kept thinking about the home grower. Someone who has a finite amount of space, who is exploring and learning more about plants, and seeking to get as much as they possibly can from their spaces. Does this sound like you?

Here are some harvesting tips and tricks for arugula and how to find "bonus" harvests with this crop,

• Harvest often! When you cut leaves from your arugula frequently you help the plant stay in the "grow more leaves" mode instead of the "let's go to seed" mode. However, even though some of your plants may have "gone to seed" already, you can still harvest plenty of tasty leaves. I cut my plants entirely about 2-3 inches above the soil when harvesting. In a week, they will be ready to snip again!

• Eat the flowers! Every part of the arugula plant is edible. Try adding arugula flowers to your salads, fancy toasts, eggs, or as a garnish to any dish that could use a pepper punch. Don't forget to admire the beauty of these assuming flowers. I took a moment to do so yesterday and was filled with joy!

• Save the seeds! From the blooms, come the seed pods. See the green ones above? I split one open to reveal the seeds inside. If you do plan to save seeds from your arugula, it would be best to leave one of your plants to flower, set seed pods, and completely dry out before harvesting. Then you can empty the dry seed pods into a small baggie, label them, and sow them again in the fall or next spring.

Enjoy all the harvests, and keep an inquisitive, curious mind when it comes to your plants!