Growing the Seed

A focus on cultivating the lettuce and basil

By Leah Peterson and Jennifer Markowitz, Havemeyer Edible Garden & Bee Hives Volunteers

While keeping an edible garden may seem laborious, many edibles require little daily attention. The benefits of having fresh produce at your fingertips combined with the satisfaction of eating something that you grew far outweigh the work you put in.

Since we planted our basil plant and lettuce seed we have observed their growth and worked to make our plants strong and healthy.

Lettuce

By Jennifer Markowitz

Students in Ramapo’s Sustainable Living Residences take in the rich aromas of basil and sage.

When starting from seed, lettuce matures quickly, requires minimal attention and continues to offer new leaves for several months, even after cutting. I have found that lettuce grows well in both the ground and in a container. Because I have little available ground space and my property is teeming with animals that like to snack on my plants, I prefer to grow my lettuce in a small container that I keep on my deck. In a container, the plants are not only out of animals’ reach, but are more accessible for cutting and easy to move if necessary.

I fill all of my containers with compost instead of bought soil because it is organic and cost-effective. My compost, made from leftover food scraps left outside to degrade, is rich and nutritious, and doesn’t require the addition of fertilizers to promote seed growth.

A small drawback of container gardening is that the soil in a container does not retain water as readily as it does when in the ground and often plants grown in a container require more frequent watering. On very hot days I water my lettuce twice, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. You’ll know that your plant needs more water if the soil has turned light and crumbly or if the plant’s leaves are wilting. If you cannot water twice in one day, water as soon as you can, or try moving the plant into the shade for the day.

Though container gardening rarely requires weeding I always thin out my seedlings to maximize growth. Because I randomly sprinkle the tiny lettuce seeds across the soil’s surface, some seeds sprout very close to one another. When this happens, a week or two after the seeds have sprouted, I pull out the tinier seedlings, leaving the stronger ones to prosper so that the plants won’t compete and can grow to their full potential.

Basil

By Leah Peterson

With sufficient sunlight, water and occasional trimming, basil plants grow readily and quickly. I grow my basil in large pots that I keep on the deck at home in New Jersey and on the front porch at my beach house in Delaware. The pots make it very easy to transport the plants between the two houses during the summer and are especially useful in Delaware where I don’t have land to plant vegetables.

Growing basil in pots makes the overall maintenance much easier. My basil plants get at least eight hours of sunlight a day and need to be watered daily, so that the leaves don’t wither – a clear sign that the plant is too dry.

I keep a dish under the pot of my plants to collect extra water. If the plant receives too much water, sometimes after a heavy rainfall, water collects and can attract mosquitoes. I always look for this when watering my plants and pour out the excess.

When growing basil, it is important to remember to trim the plant so it does not flower. When basil plants flower, most of the nutrients will go to the flower instead of the leaves. Since the leaves are the part of the plant used for eating, it is imperative that they receive all of the nutrients from the water and soil. As long as you keep an eye on the plant, you will notice when the plant begins to flower and can simply snip that part off.

Stay tuned for more posts!