Bright Lights - The stunning All-America Selections winner produces delicious, mildly flavoured stems in a rainbow of colours! This jewel plants a rainbow of colour in veggie and flower gardens! The stunning All-America Selections-winning mix produces mildly flavoured stems in yellow, gold, orange, pink, violet, green, white, red and even striped! The tender bronze to dark-green leaves are best harvested young for salads, or eaten like spinach or beet greens. Performs best in full-sun locations, but will tolerate light shade. A planting bonus: Bright lights intermingles well with annuals. Light requirements Full sun to part shade. Planting Space 12 to 18 inches apart. Soil requirements These greens need moist, nutrient-rich soil. Amend soil with 4 to 6 inches of compost or other organic matter prior to planting. Soil pH should be 6.0 to 6.8. Water requirements Keep soil consistently moist throughout the growing season. Aim for 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week through rainfall or irrigation. Mulch to reduce water evaporation and keep leaves clean from splashing soil. Frost-fighting plan Established plants tolerate light frosts. It’s a good idea to protect newly planted seedlings from late spring or early fall frosts by covering plants with a frost blanket. Common issues Cercospora leaf spot and downy mildew may attack leaves. Watch out for aphids, mites, and caterpillars. Harvesting Harvest leaves whenever they’re large enough to eat. Younger leaves are more flavorful and tender. Older leaves tend to be tougher; cook these for best results. Pick outer leaves first, and the plant will continue to produce new inner leaves. Storage Refrigerate unwashed leaves in a lightly damp paper towel slipped into a very loosely closed plastic bag. Leaves store up to 14 days.
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