Welcome to May! Let’s get growing

Welcome to May, the month we gardeners know is going to be busy.  It’s all about sowing, transplanting, amending and weeding.

At this time in the school year we would be in high gear as student gardeners spend time in the greenhouses, in the gardens and in hands on learning activities.

Starting today I am going to be sharing weekly garden to do lists.  These items have been compiled by me over the past 35 years as a UC Davis Master Gardener, a home gardener, school educator and school garden manager.  These lists are what drive our garden education program at BHSD17C.  So let’s get started!

Sow lettuce

Every first week of the month we sow lettuce.  Lettuce takes approximately 45 days to mature.  If you sow the amount of seeds you foresee needing in a month you will always have lettuce.  Think of how much you will save at the grocery store!  A packet of seeds is about $3.00 and will last you the whole year.  Let’s do the math for a family of 4.

One packet of lettuce seeds costs $3.00 (or free if you get it from the Freed Seed Library!)

     3 - bags or heads of lettuce per week.                      
X  4 - weeks in a month
————
   12 - sow enough seed to get twelve heads of lettuce per month

Compare the above to store bought

3 bags of lettuce per month @ $3.50 per bag  X 4 weeks X 9 months = ???????   (Answer Below)

We always have lettuce growing in the school gardens.  We supplement the salad bars on the three campus’. This spring you will see school grown produce in your weekly food disbursement bags.

Now to the chore list for the first week of May.

1.  First sowing of Bush Beans -  It is a bit early to plant beans outside but if this crop fails, you can always sow a second crop.

2.  Sow Peas and radish which can be harvested as early as 3 - 5 weeks

3.  Sow cucumbers, squash, melon and pole beans, basil, lettuce, carrots, beets and radish in a shelter area.
3.  Check cabbage, broccoli and kale for cabbage moth damage
4.  Plant potatoes in the ground, in a large pot of even in the bag of soil from the grocery store.
5.  Weed your garden beds
6.  Hand pick slugs and snail at dusk and early morning

Did your student do the math problem from above?

Compare purchasing a packet of lettuce seeds at $3 per packet which will last all year.

Versus 

Purchasing bagged lettuce from the grocery store.

_____ (# of bags your family uses in a week_  X $3.50 X 4 (weeks) X 9 (months) = ???

Here’s our family’s estimate.  What was yours?

2 X $3.50 X 4 X 9 = $315

If we grow our own lettuce we can save $315.   WOW!