Unfortunately some of the more popular leafy greens, such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and arugula can struggle, turn bitter, or resort to bolting and splitting as temperatures rise. This year I planted a number of uncommon greens that have continued to grow comfortably; even after the summer days turned humid, hot, and steamy!

Leafy Greens that are Perfect for the Dog Days of Summer:

Malva – Maybe you’re familiar with the wild and edible weed called malva or common mallow. It has small, dark green, round shaped leaves and purple to white flowers. This cultivated variety grows much taller and larger in the garden. Domesticated malva has lighter green leaves that are huge in comparison and more succulent than their wild cousins.

Magentaspreen Goosefoot – Well at least I think that is the variety that I planted this spring. To look at it I don’t see much difference between this plant and the related Lamb’s Quarters weed that I absolutely love to eat! Maybe I had the seed mixed up… regardless it has grown well through the summer months, but I will be sure to harvest this weedy annual before it has a chance go to seed in order to keep it under control.

Amaranth – A colorful, attractive, and extremely tall (over 6 foot) upright growing plant, I did allow this one to go to seed in the garden last summer and it has returned on its own, but not uncontrollably so. Amaranth produces loads of edible leaves along with a crown of seeds/grain that is also edible and touted for its nutritional value.

Garland Chrysanthemum – This is an edible variety of chrysanthemum also known as Shingku or Chop Suey Greens. The flowers are edible too, but the greens are best when picked before the plant begins to flower. Steam the leaves, use them in soups and stir fry dishes, or add them to green salads.

Orach – I’ve been curious about this plant for a while but never tried growing it until this summer. The seeds resemble parsnip seeds and seemed a wee bit reluctant to germinate. The plants are unusual, attractive, and available in various shades and colors.  I wasn’t as impressed with this one but it has survived and continued to grow through the summer heat without any special attention.

Seaweed Mustard – A rather strange plant; seaweed mustard is promoted as one of the most nutritious of cultivated plants… and it had better be, because there really isn’t much to this one. The frilly, stick-like leaves of this Asian variety of greens are definitely different than anything else growing in the garden but they aren’t exactly going to fill a salad bowl come harvest time.

Other Leafy Greens to Cultivate During the Summer Months

I had hoped to share some photos and impressions of Red Aztec Spinach but the seed apparently failed to germinate, ditto for the Alexanders that I wanted to trial this summer. I’ll try again to grow Red Aztec Spinach, which isn’t a spinach at all and displays a growth habit similar to amaranth and a leaf form closer to that of lambs quarter.

A couple other varieties of greens that performed well in the garden this summer included an open pollinated Senposai and an Asian Mispoona, both from Fedco Seeds. While you can also always count on Swiss Chards and collards to take the heat and keep on producing there are many other choices that you can add to the rotation for a continuous harvest of home grown summer greens.

Read on to discover what Bonny is growing and has to share from her creative organic garden’s raised beds:

Here in Tennessee on February 16 you can start planting your early spring garden and for me this means lettuces. peas, and radishes.  If you have never grown your own lettuce you really don’t know what you are missing.  My spring greens are so tender and flavorful that I have a hard time eating “Store-bought” lettuces.

Planting a Rainbow of Colorful Lettuce Greens

Because I live in a small zero lot line subdivision I try to make my garden as beautiful as it is healthy.  I direct seed my lettuce seeds into the garden in a rainbow shape with each stripe of the rainbow in a different type of lettuce.  MY choice for a rainbow salad garden uses 5 lettuces centered around my returning Italian parsley.

I use a Mesclun mix as the inner most ring as it will be ready for picking first in about 45-50 days.  For the second ring I normally use a Buttercrunch since it is shorter in height but forms a beautiful little head.  The third ring is my all time favorite Black Seeded Simpson for a pale green loose headed lettuce.

I typically throw in a red lettuce for the fourth ring.  I especially like the Red Oak Leave lettuce for great color and a unique leaf shape.  I complete the outer ring of my rainbow with a Romaine which has a nice erect shape and keeps longer in my Tennessee garden.

Alternatives to Growing Early Lettuce in the Garden

Because lettuce is bad to bolt to seed in our climate I don’t have good luck with spinach in my spring garden.  I try it every year but am usually disappointed.  This year I think I will wait until the fall or maybe try it in my raised beds if I really must try again for a spring crop.

I also have better luck with Arugula in my raised beds.  Not only are these tender greens cleaner grown in a raised bed but it looks beautiful and is easy for kids to help with the picking without tromping on the lettuce.

A word of advice if you want a fall lettuce garden is to buy your seeds in the spring.  For some stupid reason it is next to impossible to find lettuce seeds in Tennessee in the fall yet our weather is perfect in the fall for lettuces.

Great Returns from a Small Green Investment

I usually order my seed from either Gurney’s on Henry Fields.  Both of these catalogs offer $25 coupons on a $50 order so you can get a great deal along with good product.  The total cost of the lettuce rainbow described above is $10.95.

This amount of lettuce will allow you to share all you want with friends and neighbors throughout the spring and eat a healthy salad everyday until the weather turns too hot for lettuces to thrive.  Then you simply throw the leftovers into the compost pile and grow your next crop in the same space.

That’s all I have time to tell you today.  It’s time to bundle up and take advantage of this sunny but frigid day to walk my garden and dream my groceries into reality.  Remember if you can dream it, you can do it.

Hope you have enjoyed reading the gardener’s chronicles from Patzcuaro, Mexico, Northern Virginia, Teakettle, Belize and today’s entry from Tennessee. A thank you goes out to all the guest gardeners for sharing their gardens with us, and you can look forward to Bonny passing along her organic gardening tips here on a regular basis.

I loved reading and hearing about others who have a passion for gardening but may not have a blog of their own to share their experiences. If there is an interest and others are willing to share their expertise and offer a peek at what’s growing in their backyards I hope to continue publishing these garden visits on occasion in the future. That’s an open invitation for you all!

Jack recently sent in the following email in which he shared a tip for harvesting collard greens, along with some interesting observations on the state of affairs in the dwindling seed industry:

“Hi Kenny, I liked the page you have on the web about collards, and I though you might find my somewhat unconventional harvest method interesting. I discovered this method by chance or maybe desperation.”

Doing Away with the Book… and Tough Collards

“Collard greens are not part of my culinary heritage. I started growing them to expand my repertoire of fall and early winter vegetables, and so I harvest the big outer leaves for cooking as all my garden books said I should. This made for healthy eating, I kept telling myself, but it also seemed like a sort of penance, not to mention the long cooking time.”

“The second year I was growing them, it was a loose-head type, I had a real nice row, way more than I could eat, and a severe and early cold snap was headed our way so I knew I would soon lose them all. (I am in eastern PA.) One night I said, I’m just going to cut one of these tender blanched hearts, forget the chewy strong flavored big leaves.”

“I brought it in, chopped it up fine and cooked it in a frying pan with some bacon, onions and just a little bit of water – steamed it really. I have never bothered with the big outer leaves again. The tender hearts are mild and sweet and cook up fast. The only downside is you have to plant a longer row.”

Gourmet Quality Collard Greens and Seeds

“In the spring of 86, I lived in England, down in the SW on the Devon Cornwall border. The local green grocer offered what looked to me like collards, which he said was grown down farther in Cornwall where the weather is milder.”

“It looked like the collards as I had harvested them with loose inner heads of frilly chartreuse colored tender leaves. So that is apparently how they do them there too.”

“It’s getting harder to get much choice in collard varieties these days. The seed companies are drying up and trimming their offerings. And even the Seed Savers Exchange only offers a handful. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange has four varieties including Morris Heading.”

Jack, thank you for sharing your tips for harvesting tastier collard greens. I usually shake my head when I see the bundles of huge collard leaves for sale at the grocer. I agree with your preference for picking leafy greens when they are young, tender, and much smaller in size.

Mother Nature’s Natural Seasoning for Leafy Greens

The only down side is that if you harvest the growing tip in the center of the plant it will not continue to produce additional leaves. That’s not a concern at the end of the season but can limit overall production during earlier harvests. To get around this harvest the leaves individually and allow the very center of the plant to continue growing and expanding.

When harvested long before maturity, collards and other leafy greens are delicate, tender, and will cook in a matter of just a few short minutes. Baby collards or kale picked while the leaves are just a few inches in size are also great for including in tossed salads or simply eating raw.

Frost and cold temperatures also have a way of sweetening and enhancing the flavor of greens. While the leaves can be harvested and enjoyed at any stage, the taste is improved by harvesting leaves that have been seasoned by exposure to cold and frost. The cold temps will bring out the subtle colors of the greens in addition to the naturally sweet flavors.

I share your concerns over the loss of seed varieties. There aren’t a lot of collard varieties to begin with so the last thing we need is to lose any. And while there seems to be a healthy number of small heirloom seed companies around, there are also huge corporate seed conglomerates buying out the smaller seed companies and discontinuing more and more seeds.

Maybe collards can’t deliver the same pizzazz as those beautiful kales, but they are by no means a homely or undeserving plant. They also deserve more respect in the garden just because they are so nutritious and healthful. Collards are considered to be nutrient dense, which means that you’ll be rewarded with a big nutritional bang when consuming this tasty vegetable.

A Peek at Collard’s Out-Growing Personality

Collards are not only big in their nutritional profiles; they also provide a powerful presence out in the vegetable garden. Collards are like an extroverted form of cabbage that grows outward instead of holding itself in. Unlike its more reserved relative, collards won’t hesitate to open up and put on a proud display in the garden.

In my eyes the kales still have them beat for beauty, but collard greens are striking and attractive in their own right. It’s a combination of the color, leaf form, and texture that can make you stop and take note of this otherwise rather ordinary and common leafy green vegetable.

Flexing Some Green Muscle in the Garden

Before I cause offense by calling them ordinary, let me point out the spectacular sizes that collard plants can attain. If ever there was a leafy green vegetable accused of using steroids this would be the one. A single plant can grow over four feet in height and spread five feet in width all without the use of stakes or additional support to prop them up.

An individual collard leaf can easily grow to occupy over a square foot in area. But one secret for the backyard gardener is that you might be better off to not let them grow that large before harvesting for kitchen use. The smaller sized leaves are tenderer, just as tasty, and will cook up in a few brief minutes, or can even be enjoyed raw in salads.

Natural Seasoning for Tasty Leafy Greens

Another tip for the home gardener growing collards is take advantage of the flavor enhancement provided by cold weather. The quality and flavor of collard greens will be improved and sweetened as the plants are exposed to a few touches of fall frost.

To harvest collard plants I usually pick a few of the outer leaves from each plant and allow the center to continue growing and producing leaves for future harvesting. Like kale, collards easily survive the cold winters here in Pennsylvania and will rebound to yield additional leaves and edible seed stalks the following spring.

Collard Green Variety and Diversity

Popular collard varieties include Vates, Georgia, Champion, and Morris Heading. I haven’t noticed much difference in any of these varieties and each will provide you with a similar crop.

If you’re interested in a different or more ornamental strain of collards try to locate seed of either the Variegated or Green Glaze collard varieties. The Variegated collards produce unique leaves that take on a cream, white, pink, or tinge of red variegation as the temperatures become cooler. Green Glaze collards produce smooth, glossy leaves that are shiny and noticeably different from the other collard varieties.

Collards are very easy to grow and can be set out as transplants in the spring or direct seeded into the garden during the summer months. They are sometimes targeted by the cabbage moths and worms but seem to be more resistant to these pests than cabbage and kale.

So if you’ve been snoozing on this nutrient-rich leafy green vegetable; it’s time to consider planting some collards in your next garden!

But I wanted to share a little information about a group of hardy varieties of leafy greens for those that are interested in tips on growing fall vegetable gardens.

New, Improved, Cold Resistant Greens

I was recently introduced to a gene line of ice-bred leafy greens that may be very useful to cold climate gardeners. These leafy greens are amazing in their ability to perform under bitterly cold growing conditions. They also offer a taste treat that is noticeably more robust and flavorful than your typical leafy green vegetables.

The term “ice-bred” may be unfamiliar to you, but it simply refers to the process through which the plants were bred and developed under extremely cold growing conditions and selected for their resistance and ability to perform in bitterly cold and unpleasant weather.

Unlike the “improved” hybrid and patented plant varieties that are commonly developed within the commercial seed industry, these hardy greens are stable, open pollinated, and suitable for producing and saving your own seed in the backyard garden setting.

Even Star Farm’s Originals

The gene lines that I am describing were developed by Brett Grohsgal of Even Star Organic Farm in Eastern Shore, Maryland. The seeds are being offered through Fedco Seeds, which currently carries an Ice-bred Arugula, Even Star Champion Collards, and a similarly developed variety of Land Race Tatsoi.

I had an opportunity to meet Brett and sample some of his freshly harvested greens in February at this year’s PASA Conference. Brett is also working on other promising gene lines but his cold hardy greens have been very successful and are being grown under conditions much harsher than those found in their home state of Maryland.

These aren’t wimpy plants and I’d bet that even Popeye would prefer these rugged greens over his usual mild mannered spinach. One bite will confirm that something is definitely different about these organic greens. I suspect that the stronger flavors and the plant’s ability to withstand extreme growing conditions is a good indication that they are also nutritional powerhouses.

Ice Bred Leafy Greens in the Garden

Being ice-bred doesn’t automatically mean that the plants will continue growing and producing new leaves throughout your winter. That all depends on how harsh your conditions are, but ice-bred varieties will likely outperform the standard commercial varieties that are usually planted in the home garden.

In southern or milder winter climates you should have no difficulty growing and harvesting these ice-bred varieties throughout the winter. In colder climates there may be periods when leaf production slows or the plants go dormant but you should still see better production deeper into the winter.

These plants are capable of shaking off heavy frost, snow, ice, and even freezes to provide harvestable greens when nothing else remains standing in the garden. If they do go dormant in your region it’s a likely bet that they will survive the winter and provide additional growth and continued harvests when temperatures begin to warm up towards springtime.

Ice-Bred Trials in Progress

I won’t trial these greens in my own garden until this coming fall but wanted to let you know about their availability in case you’d like to try them for yourself. I will probably start the seeds indoors in late summer and transplant them into the garden beds in mid to late September.

In addition I’ll sow a few seeds directly into the garden at various times to get a better feel for the season and conditions that they will grow best under in my growing region. I’ll post photos and updates on how well these cold hardy vegetables perform in the garden.

It will be interesting to see how far into the winter months I will be able to continue harvesting these arugulas, collards and tatsoi. It’s usually possible to grow leafy greens into December in my Zone 6 growing region so hopefully these hardier varieties will hold up well into the New Year.

If you decide to trial them yourself or have any prior experience growing these ice-bred varieties of greens please post a comment below to share your personal impressions and observations regarding the performance of these plants and their ability to grow under cold weather conditions.

Bright Lights as in the colorful variety of Swiss Chard that has become popular and is even finding its way into landscape beds and flower gardens.

Bright Lights Chard, a Garden Jewel

The distinct and most entertaining feature of this leafy green vegetable is the wide range of unusual and vibrant colors that the plant displays in the garden.

Some of the hues are unlike any that you’ll find elsewhere in the world of vegetable plants. Sometimes arrayed in flashy and bright colors, this chard can also exhibit the subtle shades of various pastel colors, either way its a real attention catcher.

The colors extend from brilliant reds, to orange, yellows, pink, cream, gold, purple, and even some plants that are arrayed in white with red stripes and streaks running the full length of the plant’s stalks. I especially like the banana yellow and the unique orange-colored plants that really stand out in the midst of other vegetation.

The glossy dark green, savoyed leaves offer a nice contrast to compliment the brightly colored stems and leaf veins. In addition, Bright Lights Swiss Chard can take on a glossy sheen that makes it appear as if the plant has been coated with a few layers of rich wax or sprayed with lacquer.

Growing Bright Lights Swiss Chard

It’s easy to Grow Swiss Chard and the plant is adaptable enough to grow with minimal care from spring through fall, and in mild climates will even survive the winter to produce additional harvests of tasty leaves the following spring.

Bright Lights isn’t the biggest or tallest growing variety of Swiss Chard, with the plants reaching a mature height of about eighteen inches, but the plants are still very productive. If you’re interested in the monster sized chards try Fordhook Giant or the red stemmed variety called Rhubarb.

The seed for Bright Lights is usually sold in packets that combine a mixture of all of the colors that the variety offers. You can often locate transplants of this Swiss Chard variety at greenhouses and garden centers in the springtime.

Arranging Bright Lights Chard in the Garden

It’s impossible to judge what color a plant will be by looking at the chard seeds, so you may want to plant more than you need just to ensure that you wind up with a full range of colors displayed in the garden.

The seeds can be started indoors or planted directly in the ground. It may take a few weeks of growth before you can determine the exact color of the seedlings that you are raising. The young seedlings transplant easily if provided with reasonable care, making it a cinch to position them or use them to fill in bare spaces.

To create the most attractive ornamental effect in the garden, plant Bright Lights Swiss Chard in groups or clusters intermixing the various colors. This edible plant is beautiful and social enough to make itself right at home in the flower bed, serve as a border, or even stand side-by-side with other landscape and ornamental plantings.

Using Bright Lights Swiss Chard in the Kitchen

Bright Lights Chard is not only showy in the garden, but can also create interest and add the same range of colors to your meals, especially when used without cooking them.

Cooking will tend to wash out some of the color so lightly steaming will preserve more of the color than boiling this leafy green vegetable.

The large leaves can also create an attractive garnish or wrap, while the colorful stalks can be stuffed or used to liven up your favorite vegetable trays.

Practically unknown here in the U.S., you won’t find Leaf Broccoli growing in many backyard gardens or offered for sale at your local market.

Leaf Broccoli, Unknown but not Unworthy

It’s a shame that Spigariello is not more popular because it happens to be an attractive plant that’s easy to grow, extremely productive, and is bound to supply significant amounts of the same healthful nutrients that are contained in broccoli and nutrient dense leafy greens.

Spigariello is similar in appearance to broccoli, growing three to four feet in height and is shaped just like a broccoli plant with narrower leaves. The medium blue-green foliage is full and bushy with long slender leaves that are attached along the plant’s main stems.

One style of Leaf Broccoli has curly foliage with wavy margins, while other strains display flat leaves with smooth edges; both types provide a distinctive and attractive appearance in the garden. The tall plants can be grouped in clusters to create a focal point in ornamental edible gardens.

One advantage over regular broccoli is that Spigariello will tolerate warmer growing conditions than either broccoli or cauliflower. While it should still be treated as more of a cool weather vegetable and planted to produce spring and summer harvests, I’ve had no problem growing these plants from spring on through the autumn season.

Planting and Growing Leaf Broccoli

Spigariello seeds can be started indoors in late winter just as you would raise broccoli transplants, or you can plant the seeds directly into the garden in early spring. The seeds can also be planted during late summer for growing as part of the fall vegetable garden.

Fresh Leaf Broccoli seeds are dependable germinators so you don’t need to sow the seed thickly at all. The seedlings will sprout and begin growing within a few days of being planted. After the seedlings have developed several true leaves, thin or transplant the seedlings so that they stand eight to twelve inches apart.

The Leaf Broccoli plants are frost hardy and even show resistance against the normal group of Cole family pests such as cabbage worms. The plants will benefit from a nitrogen rich soil, side dressings of compost, or an occasional application of an organic foliar fertilizer.

Harvesting Leaf Broccoli

Unlike traditional broccoli which is grown for the central seed head that forms as the plant matures, Leaf Broccoli is raised for the large quantities of edible leaves that the plant produces. These nutritious leaves can be harvested at any stage of the plant’s growth, and keeping the leaves harvested will actually encourage additional plant growth and leaf production.

Seed catalog descriptions indicate that Spigariello plants will also produce small broccoli-like buds that can be eaten. The plants that I’ve grown in my garden have produced loads of tasty leaves but have never managed to run to seed or form shoots similar to the mock broccoli that I harvest from spring greens.

Spigariello is typically harvested by cutting or carefully pulling the leaves from the plant’s stem. You can harvest dozens of leaves from a single plant at one time, but don’t completely defoliate the plant when harvesting. Leaving the smaller leaves in place will enable the plant to continue growing and quickly replace the leaves that are harvested.

Using Spigariello in your Favorite Recipes

Leaf Broccoli is very versatile in the kitchen and the creative chef can find unlimited uses for this leafy green vegetable. Of course the leaves can be eaten raw or used as an addition to fresh tossed salads. They can also be included as a healthful ingredient for your favorite smoothies and blended salads.

Spigariello can be steamed, sauteed, stir-fried, or boiled. Mix it in when cooking other greens such as kale, collards, and mustard greens. Leaf Broccoli can also be substituted for other leafy greens in a multitude of your favorite dishes and gourmet recipes.

While Leaf Broccoli may not be a popular or well known vegetable, there’s no reason not to have at least a few Spigariello plants growing in your garden’s raised beds to provide a plentiful source of nutritious leafy greens from early spring right on through late autumn frosts.

Instead of forming loose leaves along its stem the cabbage leaves wrap around and fold over each other to form a dense head of layered leaves. Cabbages are heavy feeders and appreciate a fertile soil enriched with good compost or a balanced organic fertilizer.

Tips for Growing Delicious Cabbage Heads

Cabbages grow best during cool weather and are usually planted as a spring or fall crop to avoid growing during the heat of summer. While the cabbage seeds can be sown directly into the garden’s soil, you’ll get better results from seedlings started indoors under lights or purchased as transplants.

Plant the seeds indoors about four to six weeks before you intend to set them out into the garden. Cabbage plants are frost tolerant and can be planted in the garden very early in the spring. For a fall crop transplant the seedlings into the garden during mid to late summer depending on the variety and the recommended days to maturity.

The key to growing great cabbages is to provide a rich soil and to irrigate as required to insure that the plants have all the nutrients and moisture needed for rapid and uninterrupted growth.

Terrific Cabbage Varieties for the Home Garden

For the home gardener, and for growing cabbages in raised beds I prefer the smaller sized varieties such as Early Jersey Wakefield, Red Acre, Greyhound, Winningstadt, Cour Di Blue, and Golden Acre, which all produce sweet and tender, compact heads that can be spaced closer together in the garden.

For larger cabbages and fall harvests plant Mammoth Red Rock, Brunswick, Premium Late Flat Dutch, Copenhagen Market, or one of the many Savoy varieties such as January King, Vertus, Perfection Drumhead, or Chieftain.

Care and Harvesting of Organic Cabbages

Cabbage Worms are the main pest but they can be easily controlled organically by hand picking or through occasional applications of BT (Bacillus thuringiensis).

Heads can be harvested whenever they reach the desired size but will also hold nicely in the garden after the cabbages reach maturity.

Heads left in the garden too long will often begin to split. You can slow maturity and delay splitting by pruning the roots. Simply drive a spade into the soil around the heads to sever the roots of the growing cabbage plants.