GREENHOUSE +CROPS: LETTUCE & GREENS Groundswell Farm

Seeds Store in white cooler in GH while working Put into plastic cooler labeled “Greenhouse” or “Field” at end of day Sorted into ziplock bags by crop Keep seeds dry and clean Keep varieties separate

Greenhouse Schedule

Mixing Soil 2 – 4 Buckets to get soil Pour 1 Bucket into trough Add 1/3 bucket of water Mix with shovel Squeeze soil to test moisture level Add soil or water to adjust If soil blocks slump, add soil If soil blocks crumble, add water

Soil Blocks

Trays Spray with water Dip in bleach water & scrub Let air dry before use

Seeding Speed Accuracy Organized to keep varieties straight

Replant? Poor germination Mice eat seeds Overwatering/Damping Off Underwatering – Dry edges & corners with low germination rates Failed variety High temp for lettuce Review GH schedule if potting on

Potting On Start in 20 – row “liney” trays Pot on when cotyledons or start of 1 st True Leaf Prep 132-tray soil blocks Fill trays in planting order 1, 2 & 3 in a tray, 4 & 5 in another, etc. Use popsicle stick to remove part of a row Put into square hole in block FULLY COVER root soil with new soil from block PRESS to ensure root-soil contact

Plant Labeling May also want to label the tray for some crops (Tomatoes 1, Tomatoes 2, etc.)

Watering Once per day 1 to 3 passes thru GH temperature sun vs. cloud Skip wet trays for 1 st and/or 2 nd pass Drench dry trays in 1 st & 2 nd pass Sheen Train workers twice, by 2 different people

Hardening Off 2-4 days before transplant Table along W of GH for Quincy St. Table along E of GH for Polk Roll up side and pull through opening May need to rearrange so plants to harden off are accessible

When to Transplant Walk GH & sort trays to harden off 2 times per week or a few days before weather will allow transplanting

Lettuce, Full Heads

Profitable Crop $17K or 8.8% of sales in 2015 from 0.7 acres ~$25K/acre + ability to double crop Harvest is quick, but wash speed is essential

Salad Greens

Profitable Crop $14K or 7.4% of sales in 2015 from ~0.3 acres ~$41K/acre + ability to double crop Harvest and wash speed are essential Arugula, Spicy, Yukina savoy, Mizuna, Red mizuna, Mibuna, Asian salad mix, Amara ethiopian kale, Komatsuna "summer fest“, Perpetual spinach, Sorrel, Nasturtium

Labor