To grow dozens of greens and
root vegies harvested August until April: LiberatedSalad.com (not a business, just an essay!) even 100s of greens, purples ruby reds including winter lettuce, common and loose leaf Oriental cabbage, mustard, collard, brassica, radicchio, chicory, edible leaf mallow, chard, kale, endive, escarole, carrot, beet, radish, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip. Even coriander, parsley often over winter W of the Cascades and some onions especially for tops.
Plant in different micro zones e.g., different sides of house, do succession plantings. Sometimes shorter plants outlast larger ones in hard frost/ snow which does not occur often in West of the Cascade lower elevations PNW unique in the nation micro-clime observed by Rodale Press when staff visited early 80s.
Pat Patterson long time Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener teacher whom I call the Elf of Agriculture said that my winter garden was the best she had seen. Frankly, that year was an insignificant example of LibSal since I had bought most of the starts rather than starting seeds myself. Most years I would do both. Eat the outer leaves and let the inner grow. Plant a Little Peace in a LittleSpace; one
answer to world starvation. Add 7 sources of protein for a full meal deal.
Relatively few know about the opportunity for season extended, fall, winter early spring
gardening a less watering, weeding, time for abundant edible that help one gain a of control over one's life. I call it the lazy gardener’s garden because although some physical labor involved in getting it started, it survives with little maintenance. Food shortages and inflated costs for produce predicted fall-winter 21-22: time to learn?
Is our educational system lacking when kids eager to build and use robots, drones and are not taught about gardens; when the home show advertises robot as a prize not a rodent resistant composter? I gave away 4,000 packs of seeds in 35 yrs to folks from 150 nations trying to broadcast the LibSal story, one answer to world starvation! Selling seeds involves registering with the Gov: it was easier to give them away.
Budding entrepreneurs could enlist seed companies and offer mixes or could start their own seed company. Former Lane Co Commissioner
native Oregonian Jerry Rust learned a lot from me Re LibSal, a potato, onion, garlic,
pea man when we met 40 yrs ago. He tore out his bedroom wall, installed glass doors so he and Sidney could feast eyes on 5 ft. walking stick kale, mustards, multifarious other greens. I shared left over plant starts with them. His gardens had higher plants, I preferred shorter ones planted more intensively so that a leaf of one plant touched the leaf of another. He used
chicken manure optimally composted as it is a hot manure and
should not be used directly in the garden unless aged or composted, I did not preferring slower growth.
Usually I planted rows only 4-6 in. apart creating a solid bed food bed for LibSal edible rainbow bouquets, stir fries, soups and steamed vegetables. Most can be grown in containers also. My Eugene LibSal winter garden was on KEZI-ABC tv with former meteorologist John Fischer decades ago: a day before winter solstice right before he gave the ski report! influencing his garden practice, teaching for decades. LibSal enables us to 'Eat the outer leaves
land and let the inner grow' August til April and share Ahimsa abundance with friends and food kitchens.
LibSal can also be started in containers indoors in Feb. March planted outdoors early for summer gardens; some lettuces+ may bolt but plenty of yummy eating possible then too depending on clime. In most years LibSal can survive snow, continually amazing me. Jerry Rust's daughter Molly helped me plant that year as I on crutches then. I discovered that I could start seed even early Sept.; August may be preferable for some gardeners but Sept. worked with my Realtor work sched.
Usually started above ground seeds between new and full moon. Greenhouses not usually needed in this clime nor cloches but both can provide protection some years especially for extended peppers, tomatoes of
course which are not part of LibSal.
Surprising however that most plants would grow and survive most snows with no protective covers not requiring covering rows with blankets/ tarps. It is such a resilient garden.
If had $ would pay someone to start an educational working co-op or biz and thousands would remove lawns. LibSal gardens could be a productive cottage biz. LibSal packets 25-100+ varieties mixed together could be selected for 10 US grow zones also for bioregional adaptability and worldwide growing zones. Optimally separate seeds in egg cartons putting a small amount of every seed in packet so that every packet contained every kind of the 25-1o00 varieties. I didnt take the time.
Plant something every day of the year advised Carla Emery in The Country Living Encyclopedia essential book for urban/ rural survivalists; many how-tos, recipes, tips for successful living. She spoke in Eugene, children continuing to revise the book that includes recipes of fans who have used this resource for years. These 2
books classics, others since. For season extension gardens: Maritime
Gardening in the PNW-Binda Colebrook; Gardening Under Cover-William Head, Amity Foundation (tax exempt sponsor of Oregon
Energy Round-Up at State Fair in 82-84 which I founded/ directed where I brought ammo boxes purchased from Army surplus with holes drilled in the bottom for drainage planted with LibSal).
Did you know 2,300+ varieties of lettuce exist? Did you know 2,300+ varieties of lettuce exist? Ideally some plant wizards would select grow zone specific lettuces and other cultivars not only for diverse zones but also for spring versus late summer planting. Marie Bosworth, 1st lady of the Applegate Valley, learned how to grow lettuce in the hot S OR summer from me: grow it under tomato foliage or squash leaves.
For decades I bought most of my seeds from PeaceSeeds.com Corvallis, OR, still in biz,
Alan Kapuler PhD plant wizard whose family used to exhibit at Energy Park Ag Alley. Besides PeaceSeeds.com Adaptive Seeds, Territorial Seeds, Seeds of Change and Seed Savers Exchange are other sources, many more; I buy organically grown seeds and prefer not buying hybrids so saved seeds breed true understanding that some plants can cross pollinate. Heirlooms are priceless for a
sustainable food source and for saving your own seed. Seed Savers Exchange still in existence with 1000s of seeds grown by home gardeners would be an excellent resource for selecting zone specific LibSal seed.
John Sundquist near Coburg, OR learned some dimensions of liberating gardens from me frequently interspersing LibSal instead of growing mono-crop rows. We grew an experiment 1 year Lib Sal in 1 gal. pots but
cattle destroyed his half! I introduced him to
Mushroom aka Al Kapuler, launching a decades long alliance of kindred and nature spirits. The family or tribe that plants together stays together!
Carrots are grown separately from LibSal beds due to possible confusion of carrot tops with hemlock which can be invasive. Carrot greens can resemble poisonous hemlock so I never included carrot in LibSal seed packs.
Burdock a
perennial root that tastes like coconut principal ingredient in an anti-cancer diet should optimally not be grown in LibSal beds but separately because its leaves huge like rhubarb dominate; like carrot they were not included in seed packets. Perennial Alexander's Greens were no longer included in packs because they can be invasive and ideally should be planted outside LibSal beds-every part of the plant supposedly usable and its prolific greens can be added to the
compost also.
Try your hand growing LibSal a garden for all reasons and all seasons! LibSal is twice liberated: you liberate the definition of a gardener from one with sweaty brows and muddy hands; you liberate the definition of a salad from a square tomato and pale less nutritious lettuce to a balanced bed of greens and ruby reds!
Edgar Cayce said one should eat something locally grown daily.
