GARDENS STORY
Gardens of Eatin'
Community plots give vegetable lovers some room to grow.
This Chicago Tribune article was published in 1990 during Cliff's halcyon days in horticulture. He ran a county-wide horticulture education program for the Chicago Botanic Garden. In the absence of a community gardening program organizer, he managed that effort, too.
Here's the rest of the story above... "by the time the early crops are ready to be harvested, you pick them and get them out of the way for late-maturing crops that are coming into their own." With this method, spinach, for example, could be planted in a circle around tomato plants.
For maximum harvest, you can also plant crops several times during the season instead of just once in the spring. With succession planting, when you harvest one crop, you can improve the soil and immediately plant another one in the same spot.
For the cooler first part of the season, you can plant crops like lettuces and spinach and when they have been picked, you can choose crops like tomatoes and peppers that thrive in hot weather. Then, as fall approaches, you can still plant another crop of cool-season vegetables.
by Nancy Maes, Chicago Tribune March 9, 1990