Keeping the Garden Producing, Part 4

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Mayster Jon Gardener’s instructions from around 1440 were not limited to what people should grow. He also considered when plants should be started so the household could continue harvesting through the seasons.

For the leafy vegetables then called “worts,” he described sowing at several times of the year rather than planting everything at once. Young plants could be moved into prepared ground as earlier plantings were harvested.

Although the exact months he named belonged to his climate, crops, and growing conditions, the relationship is the useful part.

When everything is planted at once, much of it may mature at once. That can leave us with a brief abundance followed by an empty bed. Spreading plantings over time can provide a steadier harvest and make better use of limited growing space.

Today we often call this succession planting. We might sow another short row every few weeks, follow a harvested crop with another, or grow varieties that mature at different rates.

Weather, day length, soil, and available space still affect the outcome today as it did in 1440 AD. A calendar plan gives us a starting point, but observation tells us when and where it needs to change.

Mayster Jon could not control the season, just as we cannot today, although he could plan how the garden moved through it. That remains a useful distinction. Resilience does not depend on one large planting. It develops as we prepare the next stage while using the present one. That remains a useful distinction. Resilience does not depend on one large planting. It develops as we prepare the next stage as we use the present one.

Where could one small second planting extend your harvest?

Which approach would be easiest to try in your garden?

Sow a short row every few weeks

Follow one harvested crop with another

Plant varieties with different maturity dates

Observe my available space first

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Keeping the Garden Producing, Part 4