Grow Your Own

Chad Forsberg of Footjoy Farm tells us how to grow a splendid salad mix in the dead of winter

Image credit: Tate Carlson

Recommended by the Editor

Winter Fresh

Winter's Bounty

By: Mecca Bos |   February 2012   |  From the print edition

It doesn’t matter how much local produce you buy at the co-op—nothing tastes better or more satisfying than food you grow yourself. Clipping a few arugula leaves off your own plant, or a cherry tomato straight off the vine? That’s fresh. No place is more local than your own backyard—or in this case, your living room.  

In these frigid months, Midwestern farmers have the benefit of greenhouse technology to get a head start on growing. But what about little old you and me? With a little elbow grease and motivation, we don’t have to wait until summer for homegrown flavor. Farmer Chad Forsberg of Footjoy Farm in Sparta, Wisc., tells us how.

If you’re feeling less ambitious, check out Footjoy Farm’s fresh-frozen bell peppers, heirloom tomato puree and heirloom Bloody Mary mixes; they’re about as close to fresh as you can get without growing your own. Or, sign up for a Footjoy CSA program; orders are being taken now and first deliveries are in June.

What you'll need

1. Space: About 5’x5’ should suffice for growing a simple salad mix of lettuce, arugula, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and radishes. The space should be located where you won’t be bothered by light (your grow system will need about 18 hours per day). If you have a small place, don’t fear—Forsberg says you can simply rig up a clever draping system. “Then it’s like a giant lamp,” he says. “Totally groovy.”

2. Containers: Forsberg says there is no “right way” to contain the plants, but the container should be at least six inches deep in order to have enough room for the deep root systems of tomatoes and cucumbers. He uses custom-built boxes made from recycled materials like wooden pallets, but terra cotta pots can also work well.

3. Light: A 600-watt light and a basic timer are available at greenhouse supply stores. Forsberg recommends St. Paul’s EcoGarden Supply.

4. Soil: While hydroponic systems (which use water-based mineral nutrient solutions rather than soil) can work for indoor gardening, Forsberg explains that growing this way can impede the absorption of trace minerals and nutrients found in soil. While he advises mixing your own soil and learning what nutrients will go into it, he admits this might be difficult for the layperson. Forsberg recommends premixed soil such as FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil, also available at EcoGarden, for container gardening.

5. Seeds:  “Play around with your seed selections—it’s the coolest part,” Forsberg says. “Play around and figure out what you like best.” He says cherry tomatoes—for example, Coyote Cherries, a sweet, yellow heirloom variety—are one of his favorites to grow indoors. Romaine and red romaine lettuces, arugula, English or pickling cucumbers and French Breakfast radishes (which take only 21 days to mature) can all thrive indoors. If you want satisfaction fast, choose “determinate” tomatoes. They only produce once, but do so early and give all their fruit at once. You can then pull the plant out and rotate in a new one.

6. Watering: If the top two to three inches of soil is dry, but there's still a bit of moisture below, it wouldn't hurt to water. Water until a small amount of moisture runs through the drainage holes in the bottom of the container (it’s a good idea to have saucers or a tray under all your pots to catch water). Also, consider using a topsoil organic fertilizer like Happy Frog Organic Tomato &Vegetable (available at EcoGarden Supply).

+ Footjoy Farm; 608.272.3821; footjoyfarm@yahoo.com; EcoGarden Supply, 800 Transfer Rd., St. Paul; 651.647.1896; ecogardensupply.com