A Guide to Growing Unique Greens, Fruits, and Herbs for Local Hunger Relief
Guest Contributor: Cassey Anderson, Horticulture Agent, Colorado State University Extension
In years past I’ve discussed the top 5 requested vegetables for donation, as well as 8 easy plants to grow for donation, but what about some more specialty or cultural foods that are well received at donation sites? Let’s look at some of them!
Greens and Fruits
Specialty greens - collards, bok choy, napa cabbage
Growing most greens are going to be similar, plant seeds shallowly either inside to transplant or in the soil once risk of hard frost (temperatures below 28 F) is passed. For the greens listed above you want to ensure that you either thin to appropriate spaces or plant seedlings with spacing that takes the mature size in mind.
Tomatillos
Tomatillos are kind of like the weedy and tasty cousin of tomatoes. They are very easy to grow in the garden and tend to need less fertilizer and water than many vegetables, although they never complain about a little extra either! Plant seedlings once soils have warmed and water regularly. Harvest once the fruit has filled their papery husks. If you don’t want to have tomatillos for all time, be sure to collect any overripe fruit off the ground. If you like the idea of tomatillo plants in perpetuity, you can leave a few to lay over the winter although harvest will be later than with transplants started early indoors.
Okra
Okra is famous in southern gardens, but can be grown most places where you have warm months, it takes about 70 days to maturity, but must be planted in warm soils after the risk of frost has passed. Okra likes damp, well fertilized soil so you may need to water slightly more than with some vegetable plants, and plant with a slow-release fertilizer to ensure regular nutrient uptake. Okra matures over time so you may have flowers and mature fruit on the same plant, harvest daily as the fruit reaches 2-3” in length.
Bitter melon
Another warm season crop bitter melon is in the cucurbit or squash family. You can direct sow seeds in warm soil once the risk of frost has passed. The flowers do need pollinators, so if you are new to growing it may be beneficial to artificially pollinate until you see bees visiting your flower. To artificially pollinate any cucurbit, you take the petals off a male flower and tap the stamen into each female flower. You can tell the difference between male and female flowers based on whether there is a miniature “fruit” at the base of the bloom. Female flowers have the fruit, male flowers do not. Once growing, water regularly and fertilize at planting and at flowering. Fruit can be harvested around 4-8” long. Bitter melon is more like a zucchini or summer squash, in that it should be eaten or preserved quickly, it is not good for long storage like a winter squash.
Tomatoes
Success with tomatoes I’ve discussed several times before (Mastering Tomato Gardening) and there is an absolute plethora of information out there on growing the biggest, best tomatoes, but as a reminder here are some basic ideas for success:
• Plant deeply in warm soil, preferably 60F or higher
• Grow or select transplants that are about pencil sized with 5-7 true leaves, these will transplant more easily than larger blooms. If flowers are present remove them at transplant.
• Plant tomatoes deeply or sideways in a shallow trench to take advantage of adventitious roots that can develop.
• Fertilize at planting, and bloom and as needed based on soil test information (soil high in organic matter doesn’t need as much fertilizer as low organic matter.). Be sure not to over-fertilize as this can lead to excessive top growth and limited fruit growth.
• Water deeply but let the soil dry in between irrigation.
• If you have hot summers (over 85 F) you may consider shade cloth to support bloom and fruit development.
Peppers (hot and sweet both)
• In many places peppers must be started indoor prior to planting outdoors as they have a long growing season.
• Transplant as soils have warmed, into soil that has been fertilized or has high organic matter.
• Water deeply and let the soil dry in between irrigation.
• Shade could be useful if you have intense afternoon and evening sun to prevent development of sunscald.
Herbs
Cilantro
Or coriander depending on if you are growing for leafy greens or the seeds, is a cool season herb that grows very well throughout the U.S. It can be a little challenging to break dormancy on cilantro seed so it may be worth soaking the seed or wrapping it in a wet paper towel for 24-48 hours prior to planting. Water well to germinate and let the soil dry in between irrigation once the seedlings have come up. You can fertilize lightly several times during the season. Harvest leaves when plants reach 4-6” of height. Once summer temperatures arrive it is likely that your cilantro will “bolt” which means it will go to flower. At this point it won’t be as tasty for leafy use, but you can let it flower and produce seed to harvest coriander, or you can remove the plants that have bolted and re-plant for new leafy greens.
Basil
Basil can be grown from indoor-started seedling transplants, or direct sown after the danger of frost has passed. The plant likes soil that is moist but well-drained that is high in organic matter. You may supplement with an all purpose fertilizer several times through the growing season, or around every 3 weeks. Once the plant is up and growing you can increase the number of leaves by pinching back half of each new stem’s growth. This encourages the plant to grow laterally rather than vertically. It can also slow the production of flowers. You should have success with growing basil through most of the growing season. If you are getting too much flower production, it may be work succession sowing your basil several times in the season.
There are a huge variety of colors and flavors of basil to choose from!
Mint
If not careful, it is possible for mint to become a rogue in your garden. Mint should generally be planted in a container or in a space that is not connected to the rest of your yard. Unlike cilantro and basil, mint can be perennial in many gardens meaning it comes back each year from the same roots and does not need to be replanted. You can grow from seed or from seedlings to establish a new plant. You may fertilize a few times early in the season but it likely does not need a lot of fertilizer. You can begin to harvest as soon as there are available leaves. Mint can be harvested by removing leaves, or cutting entire stems.
Thyme
Thyme is both ornamental and grown for kitchen gardens, so be sure to purchase the correct variety for your purpose. French and English thyme are the most popular culinary varieties. You can start from seed, purchase seedlings, or divide an existing plant. Thyme does like well-draining soil but can tolerate less water than many edible plants. To harvest, you can remove the top 1/3 of the plant just prior to blooming and leave to dry.
Interested in other types of herbs? Check out our companion post about growing herbs for donation.
Harvest tips
When it's time to harvest, check out our golden rules for harvesting your garden bounty for donation.
As always, reach out to your local Extension office for further information if you have any questions.
Gardening in Colorado? Check out Grow & Give www.growandgivecolorado.org and in particular our Colorado Vegetable Guide https://growgive.extension.colostate.edu/colorado-vegetable-guide/ for more crop information on all of the above plants.
What if every gardener planted just one extra plant to share?
One small donation can have a tremendous impact. Just imagine, if every gardener planted one extra plant to share, collectively, we would have an abundant source of fresh, healthy produce available to be distributed to families experiencing food insecurity in our own communities! The free Fresh Food Connect mobile app connects you to a local hunger relief program, then manages and tracks your donations of homegrown produce throughout the season. Download the app today!