It always slips my mind, but we all know it so well: torrential rains and most crops don’t mix.
Take lettuce for example, local leafy greens, a quick and convenient way to get some vitamins on your plate.
If I’m not growing lettuce at home I always have a bag, or two, on hand. Lately there’s none in sight.
And don’t even mentioned imported lettuce – it’s just not in the budget. Besides, who wants to eat lettuce that’s travelled more in the last week than you’ve travelled in the last year? Not me.
Since the rains have slowed, and the weather is cooling, I’m preparing to get my container garden in shape. The first order of business will be to get some lettuce seedlings sorted.
Right now my containers are under siege by weeds. Take my word for it. If you need to leave a garden bed or container unplanted, having soil exposed is an open invitation for weeds to establish themselves.
Instead, put down several layers of newspaper or commercial weed block and anchor the sides or edges with rocks.
Weeds are a fact of gardening, but once they get out of hand in a container or raised bed, ridding yourself of them won’t be easy.
Now I know what you are thinking: wouldn’t it be easy to zap those weeds with some chemicals?
Please don’t be tempted to resort to chemicals. If you do feel tempted, pause and read the label on the product you are about to spray. After that if you are still tempted, go online and google the product name. There’s just no place for weedkillers in the home garden.
I know that the soil in my containers is good; that’s easily confirmed by the thriving weeds. As soon as I’ve removed the weeds, I need to be ready to promptly plant my lettuce seedlings.
As weeds, no differently from vegetables, deplete the soil of nutrients, my soil will require a generous organic amendment.
As I’m going to plant my containers with various nitrogen-loving lettuces, I can easily add a good bit of composted sheep manure, along with vegetable scraps and peelings that haven’t been composted.
Finally, I’ve got to continue to combat the weeds, giving the lettuce seedlings an opportunity to mature without competition. Easier said than done.
Once I’ve amended the soil I will lay down a thick layer of newspaper and poke holes to accommodate the lettuce seedlings.
Remember that lettuce seedlings can be planted very densely; as they mature the newspaper will begin to degrade and hopefully by then any weeds that may have survived won’t stand a chance against a burgeoning lettuce crop.
