I've got two raised beds—one for tomatoes and onions, and another for sweetcorn and courgettes, with some garlic still in the mix. The rest of my gardening is in containers, like deep troughs for carrots and buckets for potatoes. I'm wondering if I should plant any fast-growing crops before the summer veggies go in, or just leave the beds as they are?
2 Answers
Definitely keep that soil covered until you're ready to plant! You can use cover crops, compost, or just fast-growing greens. If you're not using the beds for spring crops, I often sow a mix of peas and oats and terminate them a couple of weeks before my summer veggies go in. You could also try Lacy Phacelia or alfalfa depending on your soil needs.
You might want to try planting arugula! It's super quick to harvest, and it can really help test your soil's fertility. Other quick options include radishes, spinach, and even herbs like cilantro. Personally, I like keeping something growing in my beds all year round—sometimes for a fresh salad and sometimes as green manure to enrich the soil later on!
Agreed! Arugula sounds like a great first choice. It's tasty and grows fast!
Wow, that's smart! I never thought about using oats or rye. Are they hard to grow?