Temperatures in Germany have been reaching the high mid 20s recently, so it still feels warm, even hot, during the day. But mornings and evenings are already chilly enough that I want to put on long sleeves.
So I’m preparing the garden for autumn. In autumn and winter, lower temperatures and shorter days mean that plants grow more slowly. On the other hand, there are fewer problems with pests and diseases, which makes it a nice season for growing leafy greens. And they don't need much water.
The other day, I bought ten seedlings of oak leaf lettuce, at the market and planted them on the balcony right away.
I’m not very strict about planting them neatly. As you can see in the first photo, I simply pushed the plants that are already growing there a little closer together and squeezed the lettuce seedlings into the gaps.
As the weather gets colder, I don’t eat huge amounts of salad anymore, but it’s very convenient to step out onto the balcony and pick just a few leaves when I need them, for example for sandwiches in a lunch box. Also, a whole head of lettuce, or one of those German-sized bags of mixed salad leaves, is often a bit too much for our family of three to finish while it is still fresh.
I’m also planning to sow seeds of red-leaf mustard greens, and mizuna soon. In the end lamb’s lettuce and purslane, which survive the German winter well.
When people think of gardening, they often imagine planting seedlings in spring, taking care of them through summer, and harvesting until autumn. But I also really enjoy growing leafy greens from late summer into autumn, and I definitely recommend giving it a try.
Happy gardening and have a nice late summer Sunday 🌞
最近秋に食べるためのレタスの苗を植えて、秋は葉物を栽培しやすくていいですよーという投稿を書きました。日本語版はnoteで公開しています。よかったらのぞいてみてください。
